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PubMed2004

Construction workers' perceptions of management safety practices: a qualitative investigation.

BACKGROUND AND GOALS: The purpose of this study was to identify perceptions of management safety practices from the viewpoint of union and nonunion construction workers. A complementary investigation was conducted with construction managers. METHODS: A semi-structured interview guide was used to elicit information from 64 workers (95% male) in ten focus groups. Questions were designed to elicit information about management practices that facilitate or discourage safe working conditions, including communication style, attitude, expectations, and unspoken messages. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. RESULTS: Workers identified management commitment to safety, concern for workers, congruence between spoken messages and practice, professionalism, and communication skills as key qualities in successful managers. Workers provided vivid examples of excellent and poor management strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Construction managers play a pivotal role in the definition and implementation of safety practices in the workplace and workers look to them for guidance and modeling. Given the high rates of injury in construction, deeply imbedded protective policies that rely on input from a broad range of stakeholders, including construction workers, should be developed.

Administrative Personnel↗
PubMed2004

Diagnostic value of high resolution computed tomography in the assessment of nodular changes in pneumoconiosis in foundry workers in Lublin.

The workers of an iron foundry were exposed to air pollution, which after some time of exposure results in lung fibrosis among some workers. The diagnosis of pneumoconiosis in workers of an iron foundry is based mainly on the radiological findings among workers exposed to the dust causing lung fibrosis. However, on radiograms many parenchymal structures overlap, which limits sensitivity and specificity to the method. Difficulties in accurate interpretation of conventional radiograms in silicosis also result from their relatively low resolution. The purpose of the present study was to assess the value and usefulness of high resolution computed tomography in the diagnostics of nodular changes in foundry workers' pneumoconiosis, compared to conventional radiography. The study group consisted of 64 iron foundry workers in whom silicosis had been recognized. The average age of the group was 51 years and the mean silica exposure time was 23 years. Chest radiograms with hard X-rays were taken at the maximal inspiration phase. For the HRCT examination the Siemens Somatom ART apparatus was used, equipped with a 512 x 512 pixels reconstruction matrix and a special programme for high resolution algorithm image reconstruction. In our material, consistency of results for conventional radiography and HRCT in revealing the presence of nodules was high. A statistically significant increase in detectability of intralobular nodules and peripheral nodules localized under the pleura was observed. The increase in detectability of cavernous, calcified nodules and those in the upper pulmonary fields obtained from computed tomography, however, was not statistically significant. High resolution computed tomography provides significant additional information in patients with foundry workers' pneumoconiosis.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

[What risk is a health care worker infected with hepatitis B or C virus for his patients?].

Presently, there are no legislative standards in the Czech Republic banning health care workers with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection to do activities with a risk of the transmission of these viral infections to patients (surgeries and other invasive interventions). In a range of developed countries in the world individuals with chronic HBV infection, HBeAg positive individuals, have a restricted access to the risk interventions. A quantitative assessment of viremia is important in the health care workers infected with HBeAg-minus mutant of the virus. There are particular critical viremia values set up (serum HBV DNA levels) which exceeding in the health care workers leads to banning them to do the risk interventions. In cases of proved transmission of hepatitis B infection from a health care worker to a patient, the ban of doing risk interventions is a rule. Transmission of HCV infection from a health care worker to a patient is much less probable so the individuals with chronic hepatitis C are usually not forbidden to make invasive procedures. An exception are cases when there was a patient infected by a particular health care worker in the past. There are various attitudes to the health care workers with chronic HBV or HCV infection in various countries of the world. A necessity to reach a definite consensus is necessary. The first step to it are common recommendations of 12 European countries and the USA which are repeatedly cited in the text. We can expect that these problems will have to be solved very soon in the Czech Republic too.

Czech Republic↗
PubMed2005

Decreases in occupational exposure to ionizing radiation among Canadian dental workers.

OBJECTIVE: To describe doses of ionizing radiation and their possible associations with mortality rates and cancer incidence among Canadian dental workers. METHODS: The National Dose Registry (NDR) of Canada was used to assess occupational dose of ionizing radiation received by dental workers. The NDR cohort includes 42,175 people classified as dental workers. Subjects in the NDR were linked to both the Canadian Mortality Database and the Canadian Cancer Database to ascertain cause of death and cancer incidence, respectively. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 9,051 male and 33,124 female dental workers. A total of 656 incident cases of cancer and 558 deaths were observed. The standardized mortality ratio associated with all-cause mortality was 0.53 (90% confidence interval [CI] 0.49-0.57). The incidence of cancer among dental workers was lower than that for the Canadian population for all cancers except melanoma of the skin (for melanoma, the standardized incidence ratio was 1.46 [90% CI 1.14-1.85]). Occupational doses of ionizing radiation among dentists and dental workers have decreased markedly since the 1950s. CONCLUSIONS: Dental workers receive very low doses of ionizing radiation, and these doses do not appear to be associated with any increase in cancer incidence; the increased incidence of melanoma is more likely related to other risk factors such as exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Vaccination against hepatitis B virus in workers of a general hospital in Athens.

BACKGROUND: Protection against hepatitis B virus infection by vaccination is considered to be an important preventive measure for health care workers. OBJECTIVES: Investigation of vaccination coverage against hepatitis B virus in health care workers of a regional general hospital in Athens and assessment of predictive factors possibly associated with the likelihood of vaccination. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, a questionnaire survey was carried out on 175 health care workers of a regional general hospital in Athens. The questionnaire included questions concerning socio-demographic factors, HBV vaccination status and reasons for non-vaccination, as well as questions about knowledge of routes of transmission and the complications of HBV infection. Compliance with preventive practices against HBV infection was also assessed. RESULTS: Overall vaccination coverage was 57.1%. Logistic regression analysis revealed that occupation and use of gloves were independently associated with the likelihood of vaccination against HBV Doctors recorded an odds ratio (OR) for vaccination of 4.45 in comparison with nurses/paramedics. Health care workers who wore gloves always/most times demonstrated an odds ratio of 2.79 for vaccination against HBV in comparison with those who never/rarely used them. CONCLUSIONS: Our study illustrates the characteristics of health care workers with lower prevalence of vaccination against HBV in a representative sample of these workers in a regional general hospital in Athens: nurses/paramedics, those with low level of compliance with use of gloves, and those in non surgical departments. Educational interventions as part of a vaccination programme and continuing education on universal precautions could help increase HBV vaccination coverage among health care workers of the hospital under study.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

[The influence of occupational exposure and smoking on lung ventilation of coke oven workers].

OBJECTIVE: To study the influence of occupational exposure and smoking on lung ventilation function of coke oven workers. METHODS: Environmental monitoring was performed on the top, side and bottom of some coke ovens. Lung ventilation function test was performed in 234 coke oven workers. RESULTS: The poison concentration in environment had such tendency as it was the highest on the top, then the side, and the lowest at the bottom. The standardized forced expiratory volume in the 1st second (FEV(1), 90.8% +/- 8.6%) and forced expiratory rate (FEV(1)%, 95.4% +/- 12.4%) of those coke oven workers who smoked were significantly lower than those non-smoking workers (100.9% +/- 14.3%, 108.9% +/- 17.6%); among those smoking workers, the partial correlation coefficients between forced vital capacity (FVC) and benzene soluble, benzopyrene, and smoking index were -0.249, -0.187 and -0.368 respectively; and the coefficients between FEV(1) and the three aspects were -0.255, -0.191 and -0.388; and the coefficients between FEV(1)% and them were -0.131, -0.107 and -0.065. Among those non-smoking workers, the coefficients between benzene solubles and FVC, FEV(1) and FEV(1)% were -0.154, -0.052 and -0.176, and between benzopyrene and them were -0.121, -0.037 and -0.159. CONCLUSION: The lung ventilation function of coke oven workers has certain negative correlation with both occupational exposure and smoking.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Epidemiology of HIV infection among brothel-based sex workers in Kolkata, India.

A cross-sectional study was carried out during January-June 2004 to assess the status of HIV infection among brothel-based sex workers in Kolkata city, India. Six hundred and twenty-two sex workers, selected from six brothels, were included in the study to assess their HIV status, and 362 sex workers, a subset of the above population, were interviewed to study their risk behaviour and practices. Blood samples were collected from each sex worker for testing HIV by an unlinked anonymous method. The prevalence of HIV infection was 9.6%, but was much higher among younger sex workers aged 20 years or less (27.7%) compared to the older age group (8.4%). This difference was statistically significant, indicating an association of younger ages with HIV infection [p = 0.006 and odds ratio (OR) = 4.18; (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-13.8)]. HIV was not associated with duration of sex work, average number of clients entertained per day, condom use, practice of sex during menstruation, pre-coital examination of penis for visible ulcer/discharge, suffering from sexually transmitted infections, and entertaining clients outside the brothel. There was a big gap between the reported and the evaluated condom use by sex workers. The results suggest that there is a need to develop suitable HIV intervention strategies, considering the socioeconomic and cultural aspects of city sex workers, with a provision for continuous monitoring and evaluation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

A study of HIV/STD infections amongst commercial sex workers in Kolkata. (India) Part-IV laboratory investigation of STD and HIV infections.

Out of 867 sex workers examined during 1998-2000 from the five important red light areas of Kolkata, 26.18%(227) were suffering from active syphilitic infection having positive VDRL test with titre 1/8 and above. Vaginal smear for gram staining was collected from all sex workers, and found positive for active gonorrhoeal infection in 41.8% (362). Culture positivity for gonorrheal infection was 34.14% (296). Sex workers were also having other STD infection, 23.64% (205) Trichomonas infection, 13.26% (115) Candidiasis, 8.77% (76), Gardenella and 3.0% (26) Chanchroid for which vaginal samples were found positive. HIV sero-positivity was found to be 13.2% (115) out of 867 blood samples examined from all sex workers under study. There were 0.34% (3) sex workers who were also positive for HIV II infection along with HIV-I infection. A case of HIV II alone was not detected in any of the sex workers. Around 49.6% (430) knew that STD/HIV can be prevented by use of condom. However, condom was used by only 6.57% (57) sex workers.

Chancroid↗
PubMed2005

Occupational injuries among construction workers treated in a major metropolitan emergency department in the United States.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to profile construction workers' injuries for more information about the causes of nonfatal construction worker injuries and identify injury trends for further investigations and prevention programs. METHODS: An injury-tracking program for emergency departments was established in 1990 to gather the data needed for the study. Profiles were obtained for 2916 construction workers' injuries that were identified on hospital registration forms at the George Washington University Emergency Department in Washington, DC, from November 1990 through October 1997. Laborers and construction workers who did not specify a trade were combined, and together they made up the largest group--29% of the injured workers. RESULTS: The leading cause of injury was contact with cutting or piercing objects-most often pieces of metal, razors, knives, power tools, and nails. Workers striking against objects or being struck by objects (including falling objects) accounted for the second-largest group of injuries, and the third leading injury circumstance was falling--either from a height or on the same level. Detailed injury statistics are presented by trade, showing patterns of injury that reflect tasks of these trades and which injuries predominated in each trade. Although many previous reports have described construction workers' injuries, very few have provided detailed data by trade. CONCLUSIONS: The details presented in this analysis allow for a better understanding of the injury circumstances and provide a starting point for injury prevention programs.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed2006

Hepatitis B vaccination status among health workers in Enugu, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Health workers in Nigeria are particularly at increased risk of contracting hepatitis B virus in their work place because Nigeria is a holoendemic area. Hepatitis B vaccination virtually eliminates this risk. There are few studies on the perception and uptake of hepatitis B vaccination among health workers in Nigeria and none to our knowledge in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu. OBJECTIVE: To determine the Hepatitis B vaccination level among all categories of health workers in UNTH, Enugu, and the factors that influence its uptake. METHOD: The study was cross-sectional in design. Subjects were health workers likely to be exposed to patients and or their body fluids. The tool was a self administered pre-tested questionnaire and analysis was done using SPSS version 11.5 software. RESULTS: Fifty point four percent of the health workers felt that their jobs exposed them to an increased risk of contracting hepatitis B virus infection. There is a significant occupational difference in perception with only 5.5% of the ward attendants as against 67.9% of other workers feeling that their jobs exposed them to increased risk (P = 0.00). Twenty two point four percent had received Hepatitis B vaccination, 3.7% had received 3 or more doses. Only years of occupational practice had a significant influence on vaccination uptake (P = 0.00). The most common reason for non-vaccination was lack of opportunity (43.08%). Among the 53.7% of the respondents who had had needle stick injury, none received post exposure prophylaxis. CONCLUSION: There is a low level of hepatitis B vaccination and no post exposure prophylaxis among health workers in UNTH, Enugu. This is due to poor perception of the risk of contracting this infection and non-availability of the vaccines.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The role of the occupational physician in the prevention of the spreading of H5N1 virus avian influenza in exposed workers].

BACKGROUND: Avian influenza caused by H5N1 virus can be transmitted to exposed workers from contact with infected poultry, and is thus, like other zoonoses, the responsibility of occupational physicians (OP). The high pathogenicity of H5N1 virus has caused a 30-75% mortality among infected humans. Most of those subjects were occupationally exposed in different areas of poultry raising in Asian countries. At the moment, person-to-person transmission, even though possible, is unable to start a new human influenza pandemic due to the current genetic characteristics of H5N1 virus. However, its spontaneous tendency to mutate must alert the international community to the need of eradicating avian influenza in poultry as well as preventing transmission to humans. OBJECTIVE: In Italy competent OPs are required to take part in prevention of H5N1 avian influenza infection of potentially exposed workers, such as poultry sector workers, workers engaged in poultry culling, litter management, carcass disposal, zoo and nature reserve workers, gamekeepers, veterinarians, biologists, laboratory technicians, and health workers caring for possible instances of human infection. METHODS: According to Italian legislations, OPs must offer the national community their long-standing experience in the fields of workplace environmental monitoring, health surveillance, choice of personal protection equipment (PPE) and training and information of workers potentially exposed to H5N1 virus about occupational risks and correct use of PPE. They must also cooperate with other involved professionals to programme antiviral and vaccine prophylaxis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Occupational physicians can have an important role in contributing to the prevention of and scientific research on H5N1 avian influenza virus.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

[Musculoskeletal symptoms among female workers in fish-fillet plant who ceased or continued working.].

OBJECTIVE: An earlier study of workers in fish-filleting plants in Iceland showed high prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms. The prevalence of symptoms of the upper limbs is higher after introduction of the flow-line since the women have a longer duration with repetitive tasks. The overall aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms among women working at the flow-line with symptoms among those who had ceased to work there and to throw some light on the selection process of workers from this industry. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The standardised Nordic Questionnaire was used. Lists of names and addresses of the plant workers were obtained from plant management. Questionnaires were mailed to the home addresses of the workers. The overall participation rate was 71%. Two hundred eighty two women aged 16-54 answered where 28 women had left the plants after answering the questionnaires and 254 were still working there. The Mantel-Haenszel test was used and stratified by age and odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals (CI) calculated. RESULTS: The prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms during the previous 12 months was higher among former than current workers. The Mantel-Haenszel odds ratio for symptoms of the fingers, ankles and wrists hindering normal work during the previous 12 months prior to the study was 7.1 (95% CI 2.8-18.0), 5.3 (95% CI 1.3-21.5) and 3.4 (95% CI 1.3-8.8) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The selection process of workers from the fish-processing plants may be determined by the high prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms, a healthy worker selection. There may be a causal relationship between musculoskeletal symptoms and ceasing to work at fish-processing plants.

English Abstract↗
PubMed1998

Personal factors and working conditions as predictors of work injuries among industrial workers.

The purpose of this study was to determine the personal factors and working conditions that predict work injuries among industrial workers. To fulfill this aim, a case control study was conducted including 2003 industrial workers who sustained a work injury and an equal number of controls. All were subjected to an interview questionnaire to collect relevant information. Moreover, records were reviewed to obtain the medical history of enrolled workers. Data revealed that workers in the index and control groups are comparable in respect to their sociodemographic characteristics. The multivariate logistic regression analysis pointed out that safety training significantly reduces the risk of work accidents among industrial workers. On the other hand, work accidents are more likely to occur in the main working shift. Moreover, workers who suffer from chronic health problems calling for surgical treatment, as well as those who reported family problems, are more likely to experience work accidents. These workers should receive considerable attention to reduce the extent of work injuries. More importantly, safety-training programs are mandatory for accident prevention in industrial settings.

Accident Prevention↗
PubMed1991

[Characteristics of main and additional sleep time in workers on rotating shifts].

Various sleep characteristics were examined among rotating shift workers (n = 603) and control workers (n = 113). The results showed the shift workers to have poorer sleep quality than the control group. In addition their main sleep episode was shorter on morning shift and longer on days off in comparison to controls. Shift workers' main sleep length and frequency of napping were affected by the situation in which they were taken (morning, afternoon, night shift or days off). In the group of shift workers the short main sleep episode on morning and night shifts was compensated by longer sleep on afternoon shift and days off. The short night shift sleep was additionally compensated by napping. However, naps taken on the morning shift did not prove to be compensatory. The length of the main sleep episode was affected by the situation in which sleep was taken also in the control group of workers. In this group only the longer main sleep episode on days off appeared to have a compensatory function for the short main sleep on working days. The relationship between sleep quality and main sleep duration was determined by the situation in which sleep was taken, while the relationship between sleep quality and napping was established only for the control group of workers.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Evaluation of Hymenoptera hypersensitivity among forest administration workers].

We used a questionnaire about Hymenoptera hypersensitivity to investigate 2546 forest administration workers in Nagano prefecture. The results were as follows. 1) Almost all of the workers (96.4%), including 528 (21.5%) hypersensitive workers, had been exposed to insect stings and 34 (1.4%) had lost consciousness as a result (i.e. anaphylactic shock). 2) Many of the workers had been stung by yellow jackets or wasps. 3) Their clinical symptoms were more severe when they were stung on the head or neck. 4) The rate of hypersensitive workers increased with the number of times they had been stung (p less than 0.05) and tended to increase with age. 5) The rate of atopy was higher among the hypersensitive workers than the non-hypersensitive workers (p less than 0.01), but those who lost consciousness did not necessarily have a high rate of atopy.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Shift work and health problems in workers].

A comparative study of health complaints was performed in a large oil-refinery among a total of 609 shift workers and 97 non-shift workers. Health complaints were assessed on the basis of the workers' medical records, where details of every visit to the physician over a period of five years were noted, and as subjective health complaints obtained by a questionnaire. In general, the non-shift workers visited the physician more often than the shift workers. However, when visits to the physician for special groups of diseases were considered taking into account the overall number of visits, and especially when the subjective health complaints were compared between the two groups of workers, the results indicated that the shift workers were at greater risk of some diseases, especially the digestive ones.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Esthesiometric thresholds in workers exposed to neuropathogenic chemical and physical agents].

Two-point discrimination (TPD) and depth sense perception (DSP) were measured by means of two aesthesiometers in the fingertips of 65 forestry workers exposed to chain saw vibrations and 46 shoe industry workers exposed to neurotoxic solvents (n-hexane). Two control groups, consisting of 31 and 46 healthy subjects, were also examined. The compound means of the TPD and DSP threshold values for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th digits of the right and left hands were significantly higher in the chain saw workers suffering from peripheral sensorineural disorders than in the asymptomatic chain saw workers and the controls (p less than 0.001). Among the forestry workers, a significant relationship was found between loss of tactile perception and vibration dose expressed in terms of four-hour energy-equivalent frequency-weighted acceleration (ISO 5349). The shoe workers, who were asymptomatic, had higher DSP threshold values than the controls (p less than 0.01). No differences in the mean values of TPD thresholds were observed between the exposed and control subjects. These results indicate that DSP is more sensitive than TPD in detecting "sub-clinical neuropathy". On the basis of our previous investigations, the specificity of aesthesiometric threshold testing was high, ranging from 93 to 100%. The sensitivity of the aesthesiometric method was lower than the specificity, varying from 52-56% for TPD to 67-72% for DSP. These findings suggest that aesthesiometry may be considered as a useful testing method to differentiate on a group basis between healthy subjects and workers exposed to physical and chemical agents affecting the peripheral nervous system.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Nurses' perceptions of co-worker responses to smoking cessation attempts.

A descriptive research design was used to answer the following question: What is the nature of nurses' perceptions of their co-workers' responses to quit attempts, among nurses who have experienced relapse in smoking cessation? A questionnaire measuring two discrete responses to quit attempts, namely co-worker support and co-worker discouragement (Sorensen, Pechacek, & Pallonen, 1986), was mailed to 5,418 registered nurses in the New York area. The response rate was 45%. Relapsers perceived that they received significantly more (p less than .001) co-worker support than co-worker discouragement during quit attempts. Nevertheless co-worker support occurred infrequently. Many smokers may have received no response from their co-workers. Further efforts to help nurses quit smoking may need to emphasize strategies for enhancing social support.

Humans↗