International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

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15 pages, 1276 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment and Modeling of the Influence of Age, Gender, and Family History of Hearing Problems on the Probability of Suffering Hearing Loss in the Working Population

by Jesús P. Barrero, Eva M. López-Perea, Sixto Herrera, Miguel A. Mariscal and Susana García-Herrero

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(21), 8041; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17218041 - 31 Oct 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1970

Abstract

Hearing loss affects hundreds of millions of people all over the world, leading to several types of disabilities, ranging from purely physical to psychological and/or social aspects. A proper analysis to ascertain the main risk factors is essential in order to diagnose early [...] Read more.

Hearing loss affects hundreds of millions of people all over the world, leading to several types of disabilities, ranging from purely physical to psychological and/or social aspects. A proper analysis to ascertain the main risk factors is essential in order to diagnose early and treat adequately. An exploratory analysis based on a heterogeneous sample of 1418 workers is presented in order to identify the main trigger factors for hearing loss. On the one hand, we recorded several medical and environmental parameters, and on the other, we created a model based on Bayesian networks in order to be able to infer the probability of hearing loss considering different scenarios. This paper focuses on three parameters: gender, age, and a family history of hearing problems. The results obtained allow us to infer or predict the best or worst auditory level for an individual under several different scenarios. The least relevant factor is the existence of a family history of deafness, followed by the gender factor, which slopes considerably toward better hearing for females, and most prominent of all, the age factor, given the large differences identified between the various age groups when the gender and family history of deafness variables remain constant. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge for a Better Occupational Health and Safety Management)

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16 pages, 1269 KiB

Open AccessArticle

ICT-Enabled Mobile Work: Challenges and Opportunities for Occupational Health and Safety Systems

by Swantje Robelski and Sabine Sommer

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(20), 7498; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17207498 - 15 Oct 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4131

Abstract

The development and dissemination of new technologies has brought forward a rise in flexible work arrangements, such as mobile work. In the literature, mobile work has mostly been discussed from a microergonomic perspective, considering detachment, stress, strain, and life-domain balance. However, the macroergonomic [...] Read more.

The development and dissemination of new technologies has brought forward a rise in flexible work arrangements, such as mobile work. In the literature, mobile work has mostly been discussed from a microergonomic perspective, considering detachment, stress, strain, and life-domain balance. However, the macroergonomic or institutional perspectives have often been neglected, although for occupational health and safety (OHS) management, as well as occupational health and safety systems, many questions remain unanswered. Therefore, in the present paper, information and communication technologies (ICT)-enabled mobile work is described taking into account institutional and regulative, as well as company-related, requirements. As the literature-based analysis was able to show, existing regulations cover many aspects of mobile work arrangements but also offer starting points for a more concrete protection of mobile workers. Furthermore, there are challenges regarding the enforcement of regulation. In this regard, new technologies might offer the chance to improve the interactions between institutional and company-related occupational health and safety systems. Additionally, 278 co-funded research projects in Germany were categorized, yielding 18 projects on new ways of work, of which another eleven projects addressed different aspects of mobile work. The project analysis revealed that current research focuses on tools and strategies for designing communication and cooperation. In conclusion, the examination of research trends can be used to generate new knowledge for better OHS management and effective OHS systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge for a Better Occupational Health and Safety Management)

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16 pages, 1175 KiB

Open AccessArticle

New Risk Situations Related to Low Noise from Electric Vehicles: Perception of Workers as Pedestrians and Other Vehicle Drivers

by María Carmen Pardo-Ferreira, Juan Antonio Torrecilla-García, Carlos de las Heras-Rosas and Juan Carlos Rubio-Romero

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(18), 6701; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186701 - 14 Sep 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3535

Abstract

Sales of electric and hybrid electric vehicles are increasing steadily worldwide, and consequently their presence increases in city areas. At low speeds, the low levels of noise produced by these vehicles could become a new risk factor for road users. However, the magnitude [...] Read more.

Sales of electric and hybrid electric vehicles are increasing steadily worldwide, and consequently their presence increases in city areas. At low speeds, the low levels of noise produced by these vehicles could become a new risk factor for road users. However, the magnitude of the risk has not been accurately determined. In addition, its inclusion in the work environment could pose a new risk that should be managed. Thus, in relation to low noise levels of electric and hybrid vehicles, this study aimed to characterise the risk situations and determine the risk perception of workers as pedestrians and internal combustion engine vehicle drivers coming into contact with these vehicles. The data were extracted from 417 questionnaires filled out by the employees of public service companies who come into contact with electric and hybrid vehicles during their working day in the city of Málaga, in the region of Andalusia, Spain. According to the experiences reported, it seems that the risk due to the low noise levels of electric vehicles is moderate and does not reach alarming levels. These risk situations usually occurred in low speed urban areas, particularly when crossing the road, or in semi-pedestrian areas. Almost half the respondents considered that the electric vehicle poses a risk to other road users because it is more difficult to hear, and they believe it likely that other road users could be injured. Despite that risk, pedestrians did not change their way of walking or moving around the parking areas and other areas of the company. Electric and hybrid electric cars are now required to produce sound when travelling at low speeds. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of this measure should be assessed once implemented and future research should explore alternative non-acoustic measures. Full article

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12 pages, 510 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Enforcement Capabilities on the Effectiveness of Public Assessment on Occupational Safety

by Manuel Soriano-Serrano, Jesús Antonio Carrillo-Castrillo, Juan Carlos Rubio-Romero and Manuel García-Jiménez

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(17), 6426; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17176426 - 03 Sep 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1969

Abstract

(1) Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of enforcement capabilities on the efficacy of two public interventions to improve occupational safety in olive mills. (2) Method: The difference in efficacy was evaluated by comparing the risks detected in [...] Read more.

(1) Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of enforcement capabilities on the efficacy of two public interventions to improve occupational safety in olive mills. (2) Method: The difference in efficacy was evaluated by comparing the risks detected in two groups in an initial assessment (with visits in the 2006–2008 period) to the risks detected in a later assessment, either after an intervention by Authorized Technicians with enforcement capabilities or after an intervention by Technical Advisors without enforcement capabilities (2011–2013). The assessments identified risks in the companies, according to a specific risk map for olive oil mill enterprises. (3) Results: Statistically significant differences were observed in the comparison of the risk reductions of the two groups, with regard to the initial assessment. The greatest reductions in risk were found in the companies that received interventions by Authorized Technicians with enforcement capabilities, in the sections of individual protection equipment and the storage of dangerous products. (4) Conclusion: Interventions by Authorized Technicians with enforcement capabilities are more effective than interventions by Technical Advisors without enforcement capabilities. Full article

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15 pages, 2010 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quantification of Exposure to Risk Postures in Truck Assembly Operators: Neck, Back, Arms and Wrists

by Mohsen Zare, Julie Bodin, Jean-Claude Sagot and Yves Roquelaure

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(17), 6062; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17176062 - 20 Aug 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2494

Abstract

The study assessed the proportion of time in risky postures for the main joints of the upper limbs in a truck assembly plant and explored the association with musculoskeletal symptoms. Fourteen workstations (13 individuals) of a truck assembly plant were selected, and seven [...] Read more.

The study assessed the proportion of time in risky postures for the main joints of the upper limbs in a truck assembly plant and explored the association with musculoskeletal symptoms. Fourteen workstations (13 individuals) of a truck assembly plant were selected, and seven sensors were placed on the body segments of the participants. The sensors included tri-axial accelerometers for the arms and back, inclinometers for the neck and electro-goniometry for quantifying flexion/extension of the right and left hands. The proportions of time in moderate awkward postures were high at all workstations. Neck and wrist excessive awkward postures were observed for most workstations. The average values of the 91st percentile for back flexion and right/left arm elevation were 25°, 62°, and 57°, respectively. The 91st and 9th percentile averages for neck flexion/extension were 35.9° and −4.7°, respectively. An insignificant relationship was found between the percentage of time spent in awkward upper limb posture and musculoskeletal symptoms. The findings provide objective and quantitative data about time exposure, variability, and potential risk factors in the real workplace. Quantitative measurements in the field provide objective data of the body postures and movements of tasks that can be helpful in the musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) prevention program. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge for a Better Occupational Health and Safety Management)

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19 pages, 4271 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Numerical Analysis of the Cooling Performance of a Hybrid Personal Cooling System (HPCS): Effects of Ambient Temperature and Relative Humidity

by Pengjun Xu, Zhanxiao Kang, Faming Wang and Udayraj

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(14), 4995; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17144995 - 11 Jul 2020

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2539

Abstract

Hybrid personal cooling systems (HPCS) incorporated with ventilation fans and phase change materials (PCMs) have shown its superior capability for mitigating workers’ heat strain while performing heavy labor work in hot environments. In a previous study, the effects of thermal resistance of insulation [...] Read more.

Hybrid personal cooling systems (HPCS) incorporated with ventilation fans and phase change materials (PCMs) have shown its superior capability for mitigating workers’ heat strain while performing heavy labor work in hot environments. In a previous study, the effects of thermal resistance of insulation pads, and latent heat and melting temperature of PCMs on the HPCS’s thermal performance have been investigated. In addition to the aforementioned factors, environmental conditions, i.e., ambient temperature and relative humidity, also significantly affect the thermal performance of the HPCS. In this paper, a numerical parametric study was performed to investigate the effects of the environmental temperature and relative humidity (RH) on the thermal management of the HPCS. Five levels of air temperature under RH = 50% (i.e., 32, 34, 36, 38 and 40 °C) and four levels of environmental RH at two ambient temperatures of 36 and 40 °C were selected (i.e., RH = 30, 50, 70 and 90%) for the numerical analysis. Results show that high environmental temperatures could accelerate the PCM melting process and thereby weaken the cooling performance of HPCS. In the moderately hot environment (36 °C), HPCS presented good cooling performance with the maximum core temperature at around 37.5 °C during excise when the ambient RH ≤ 70%, whereas good cooling performance could be only seen under RH ≤ 50% in the extremely hot environment (40 °C). Thus, it may be concluded that the maximum environmental RH under which the HPCS exhibiting good cooling performance decreases with an increase in the environmental temperature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge for a Better Occupational Health and Safety Management)

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20 pages, 2874 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Statistical Analysis and Prediction of Fatal Accidents in the Metallurgical Industry in China

by Qingwei Xu and Kaili Xu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(11), 3790; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17113790 - 27 May 2020

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3684

Abstract

The metallurgical industry is a significant component of the national economy. The main purpose of this study was to establish a composite risk analysis method for fatal accidents in the metallurgical industry. We collected 152 fatal accidents in the Chinese metallurgical industry from [...] Read more.

The metallurgical industry is a significant component of the national economy. The main purpose of this study was to establish a composite risk analysis method for fatal accidents in the metallurgical industry. We collected 152 fatal accidents in the Chinese metallurgical industry from 2001 to 2018, including 141 major accidents, 10 severe accidents, and 1 extraordinarily severe accident, together resulting in 731 deaths. Different from traffic or chemical industry accidents, most of the accidents in the metallurgical industry are poisoning and asphyxiation accidents, which account for 40% of the total number of fatal accidents. As the original statistical data of fatal accidents in the metallurgical industry have irregular fluctuations, the traditional prediction methods, such as linear or quadratic regression models, cannot be used to predict their future characteristics. To overcome this issue, the grey interval predicting method and the GM(1,1) model of grey system theory are introduced to predict the future characteristics of fatal accidents in the metallurgical industry. Different from a fault tree analysis or event tree analysis, the bow tie model integrates the basic causes, possible consequences, and corresponding safety measures of an accident in a transparent diagram. In this study, the bow tie model was used to identify the causes and consequences of fatal accidents in the metallurgical industry; then, corresponding safety measures were adopted to reduce the risk. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge for a Better Occupational Health and Safety Management)

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19 pages, 3345 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Occupational Risk Evaluation through Infrared Thermography: Development and Proposal of a Rapid Screening Tool for Risk Assessment Arising from Repetitive Actions of the Upper Limbs

by André Luiz Soares, Antonio Augusto de Paula Xavier and Ariel Orlei Michaloski

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(10), 3390; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17103390 - 13 May 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2908

Abstract

Risk analysis is one of the main tools for preventing the occurrence of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders. New methods of risk analysis should seek to be more agile and simplified, encouraging them to be widely applied in work environments. This paper aimed to develop [...] Read more.

Risk analysis is one of the main tools for preventing the occurrence of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders. New methods of risk analysis should seek to be more agile and simplified, encouraging them to be widely applied in work environments. This paper aimed to develop a rapid tool for assessing the risk of developing Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) arising from repetitive actions of the upper limbs, while using a thermographic camera to measure skin temperature variation. A workstation was developed in an environmentally controlled laboratory, representing the five levels of risk presented by the Occupational Repetitive Actions Index (OCRA) Index, which were performed by 32 participants for 20 min. each level. There was a significant change in forearm skin temperature at all risk levels (p < 0.001), with a positive linear correlation (r = 0.658 and p < 0.001), which led the authors to perform linear regression analysis for the forearm region. The Predicted OCRA Index calculation equation was successfully developed (R = 0.767 and R² = 0.588), while using as independent variables: air temperature and temperature variation of the forearm skin. The Predicted OCRA Index can be applied as a screening tool for large numbers of workers in the same company or sector, due to its speed of application and the determination of risk level, but it does not replace the original OCRA Index. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge for a Better Occupational Health and Safety Management)

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11 pages, 1345 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Educational Intervention on Cleaning and Disinfection of an Emergency Unit

by Bruna Andrade dos Santos Oliveira, Lucas de Oliveira Bernardes, Adriano Menis Ferreira, Juliana Dias Reis Pessalacia, Mara Cristina Ribeiro Furlan, Álvaro Francisco Lopes de Sousa, Denise de Andrade, Dulce Aparecida Barbosa, Luis Velez Lapão and Aires Garcia dos Santos Junior

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(9), 3313; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093313 - 09 May 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2901

Abstract

We aimed to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on the surface cleaning and disinfection of an emergency room. This is an interventional, prospective, longitudinal, analytical and comparative study. Data collection consisted of three stages (Stage 1—baseline, Stage 2—intervention and immediate assessment, [...] Read more.

We aimed to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on the surface cleaning and disinfection of an emergency room. This is an interventional, prospective, longitudinal, analytical and comparative study. Data collection consisted of three stages (Stage 1—baseline, Stage 2—intervention and immediate assessment, Stage 3—long term assessment). For the statistical analysis, we used a significance level of α = 0.05. The Wilcoxon and the Mann–Whitney test tests were applied. We performed 192 assessments in each stage totaling 576 evaluations. Considering the ATP method, the percentage of approval increased after the educational intervention, as the approval rate for ATP was 25% (Stage 1), immediately after the intervention it went to 100% of the approval (Stage 2), and in the long run, 75% of the areas have been fully approved. Stage 1 showed the existence of significant differences between the relative light units (RLU) scores on only two surfaces assessed: dressing cart (p = 0.021) and women’s toilet flush handle (p = 0.014); Stage 2 presented three results with significant differences for ATP: dressing cart (p = 0.014), women’s restroom door handle (p = 0.014) and women’s toilet flush handle (p = 0.014); in step III, there was no significant difference for the ATP method. Therefore, conclusively, the educational intervention had a positive result in the short term for ATP; however, the same rates are not observed with the colony-forming units (CFU), due to their high sensitivity and the visual inspection method since four surfaces had defects in their structure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge for a Better Occupational Health and Safety Management)

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14 pages, 2310 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relative Risk of High-Danger Industries in China from 2004 to 2016

by Lu Zhang, Yun Luo, Ming Xu, Guantao Wang, Wei Liang and Yang Xiang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(9), 3017; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093017 - 27 Apr 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1785

Abstract

Accidents in high-danger industries in China occur frequently and cause loss of life, injuries, and economic loss. One of the most important reasons causing severe safety situations is the lack of knowledge on macro industry risk in the practice and academic field in [...] Read more.

Accidents in high-danger industries in China occur frequently and cause loss of life, injuries, and economic loss. One of the most important reasons causing severe safety situations is the lack of knowledge on macro industry risk in the practice and academic field in China. In order to solve this problem, the method to calculate group risk and individual risk, concerning risk aversion, is discussed, selected, and improved. The group risks and individual risks of five high-danger industries from 2004 to 2016 are calculated. Relative risk indices between five high-danger industries during the 11^th and 12^th Five-Year Guideline for National Economic and Social Development (FYP) are determined. The results show that there are some differences between group risk and individual risk of high-danger industries. The reasons for differences and the connections with published interventions are discussed. Through discussion, two different ways to reduce group risk and individual risk are identified, which could help supervisors inspect the actual effectiveness of safety policies, measures, and interventions and choose a better way to reduce risk and ensure work safety in industries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge for a Better Occupational Health and Safety Management)

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19 pages, 2813 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Lifting Method, Safety Shoe Type, and Lifting Frequency on Maximum Acceptable Weight of Lift, Physiological Responses, and Safety Shoes Discomfort Rating

by Fares F. Alferdaws and Mohamed Z. Ramadan

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(9), 3012; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093012 - 26 Apr 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3827

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the physical effects of precision lifting tasks on the maximal acceptable weight of a lift (i.e., psychophysiological lifting capacity where the workers adjust the lifting weight in order to work without any fatigue or strain at the end [...] Read more.

This study aimed to investigate the physical effects of precision lifting tasks on the maximal acceptable weight of a lift (i.e., psychophysiological lifting capacity where the workers adjust the lifting weight in order to work without any fatigue or strain at the end of the work while wearing common safety shoe types). Additionally, the physical difference between the precise and non-precise lifting conditions associated with wearing safety shoes were assessed by respiration responses and shoe discomfort ratings. To achieve the objective of the study, ten healthy male workers were selected by age (between 25 to 35 years old). Their anthropometric characteristics, including knuckle height, knee height, and body mass index (BMI), were measured. A three-way repeated measures design with three independent variables was used; the variables included—the (1) lifting method (precise and non-precise), (2) lifting frequency (1 and 4 lifts per min), and (3) safety shoe type (light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty). The physiological response variables and one of the subjective factors of this study were—(1) respiration responses, and (2) shoe discomfort rating, respectively. The data were analyzed using the Mauchly’s test of sphericity, Shapiro–Wilk normality test, and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that the use of heavy-duty safety shoes typically increased the shoe discomfort rating under precise lifting methods. Additionally, the lifting frequency was determined to be one of the main factors affecting respiratory responses and shoe discomfort rating. This study also found that respiration responses rose on four lifts per min as compared to 1 lift per min, regardless of the lifting method type. This study indicated that the replacement of some types of ordinary safety shoes used in some workplaces with those selected appropriately might significantly reduce the rating effort required to lift objects or tools. However, the benefits should be carefully evaluated before replacing the safety shoes. Full article

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18 pages, 1710 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Safety Assessment of Casting Workshop by Cloud Model and Cause and Effect–LOPA to Protect Employee Health

by Qingwei Xu, Kaili Xu and Fang Zhou

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(7), 2555; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17072555 - 08 Apr 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2763

Abstract

Safety assessment of a casting workshop will provide a clearer understanding of the important safety level required for a foundry. The main purpose of this study was to construct a composite safety assessment method to protect employee health using the cloud model and [...] Read more.

Safety assessment of a casting workshop will provide a clearer understanding of the important safety level required for a foundry. The main purpose of this study was to construct a composite safety assessment method to protect employee health using the cloud model and cause and effect–Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA). In this study, the weights of evaluation indicators were determined using the subjective analytic hierarchy process and objective entropy weight method respectively. Then, to obtain the preference coefficient of the integrated weight more precisely, a new algorithm was proposed based on the least square method. Next, the safety level of the casting workshop was presented based on the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the cloud model, which realized the uncertainty conversion between qualitative concepts and their corresponding quantitative values, as well as taking the fuzziness and randomness into account; the validity of cloud model evaluation was validated by grey relational analysis. In addition, cause and effect was used to proactively identify factors that may lead to accidents. LOPA was used to correlate corresponding safety measures to the identified risk factors. 6 causes and 19 sub-causes that may contribute to accidents were identified, and 18 potential remedies, or independent protection layers (IPLs), were described as ways to protect employee health in foundry operations. A mechanical manufacturing business in Hunan, China was considered as a case study to demonstrate the applicability and benefits of the proposed safety assessment approach. Full article

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10 pages, 335 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Validation of the Standardised Nordic Questionnaire Spanish Version in Musicians

by Rosa Gómez-Rodríguez, Belén Díaz-Pulido, Carlos Gutiérrez-Ortega, Beatriz Sánchez-Sánchez and María Torres-Lacomba

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(2), 653; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17020653 - 19 Jan 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4788

Abstract

Background: The Standardised Nordic Questionnaire (SNQ) is an instrument to analyse the musculoskeletal symptoms in an ergonomic or occupational health context. We aimed to cross-culturally adapt and evaluate the psychometric properties of the SNQ among Spanish musicians. Methods: Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric validation [...] Read more.

Background: The Standardised Nordic Questionnaire (SNQ) is an instrument to analyse the musculoskeletal symptoms in an ergonomic or occupational health context. We aimed to cross-culturally adapt and evaluate the psychometric properties of the SNQ among Spanish musicians. Methods: Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric validation (reliability, validity, and feasibility) was performed. Reliability was analysed by test-retest reliability (Cohen’s Kappa) and internal consistency (Kuder–Richardson). Content and face validity were measured by the Expert Committee and the opinion of participants. Construct validity (Mann–Whitney U test) was measured by comparing with questionnaires used to assess pain and disability in neck, shoulders, upper back, and low back regions. Feasibility was calculated with the average response time. Results: A total of 312 Spanish musicians were included. The Spanish version of SNQ achieved good semantic, conceptual, idiomatic, and content equivalence. For most of the variables, test-retest reliability was good to very good (k = 0.60–0.81). The internal consistency showed good to acceptable (Kuder–Richardson 20 (KR20) = 0.737–0.873). Participants with versus without musculoskeletal problems in a related region showed significantly higher disability/pain, indicating a good construct validity. About the feasibility, the average response time of the questionnaire was 6 min (±2). Conclusions: The results show that the Spanish SNQ is reliable, valid, and feasible screening tool to assess musculoskeletal problems among musicians. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge for a Better Occupational Health and Safety Management)

9 pages, 603 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pulmonary Function and CT Scan Imaging at Low-Level Occupational Exposureto Asbestos

by Giannina Satta, Tiziana Serra, Federico Meloni, Achille Lazzarato, Alessandra Argiolas, Elisa Bosu, Antonella Coratza, Nicola Frau, Michele Lai, Luigi Isaia Lecca, Nicola Mascia, Ilaria Pilia, Veronica Piras, Giovanni Sferlazzo, Marcello Campagna and Pierluigi Cocco

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(1), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010050 - 19 Dec 2019

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2651

Abstract

Background: In spite of the reduced exposure level, and its ban in numerous countries, compensation claims for asbestos-related diseases are far from decreasing. Methods: We used retrospective exposure assessment techniques to explore respiratory function and a computerized tomography (CT) scan in [...] Read more.

Background: In spite of the reduced exposure level, and its ban in numerous countries, compensation claims for asbestos-related diseases are far from decreasing. Methods: We used retrospective exposure assessment techniques to explore respiratory function and a computerized tomography (CT) scan in relation to past asbestos exposure in 115 male workers retired from an acrylic and polyester fiber plant. Based, on detailed information on exposure circumstances, we reconstructed a cumulative exposure estimate for each patient. Results: Time-weighted average exposure in our study population was 0.24 fibers/ml (95% confidence inteval (CI) 0.19–0.29), and the average cumulative exposure was 4.51 fibers/mL-years (95% CI 3.95–5.07). Exposure was elevated among maintenance workers, compared to other jobs (p = 0.00001). Respiratory function parameters did not vary in relation to the exposure estimates, nor to CT scan results. Risk of interstitial fibrosis showed a significant upward trend (Wald test for trend = 2.62, p = 0.009) with cumulative exposure to asbestos; risk associated with 5.26 fibers/mL-years or more, was 8-fold (95% CI 1.18–54.5). Conclusions: Our results suggest that a CT scan can detect pleuro-parenchymal lung alterations at asbestos exposure levels lower than previously thought, in absence of respiratory impairment. Further studies are required to validate our techniques of retrospective assessment of asbestos exposure. Full article

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22 pages, 854 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

An Overview of REBA Method Applications in the World

by Manuel Hita-Gutiérrez, Marta Gómez-Galán, Manuel Díaz-Pérez and Ángel-Jesús Callejón-Ferre

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(8), 2635; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17082635 - 12 Apr 2020

Cited by 56 | Viewed by 9716

Abstract

The objective of this work is to review literature, worldwide, in which the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) ergonomic assessment method was applied and count the number of times that REBA was applied together with other methods and subsequent incidence. The database used [...] Read more.

The objective of this work is to review literature, worldwide, in which the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) ergonomic assessment method was applied and count the number of times that REBA was applied together with other methods and subsequent incidence. The database used was the “Web of Science—Core Collection”. Only scientific articles and bibliographic reviews were included, analysing a total of 314 documents and selecting only 91. The use of the REBA method is indicated in terms of knowledge, country, year and journal sectors. It was most used in the knowledge areas of “Manufacturing” (24.18%), “Agriculture, forestry and fishing” (21.98%) and in “Other activities” (19.78%). One of the benefits of REBA is that it evaluates different body parts: upper limbs (arm, forearm and wrist), lower extremities, trunk and neck. It is a useful method to identify the forced postures adopted by workers to thus develop improvement measures if necessary. It is concluded that REBA method use has increased over the last decade, probably due to the digitization of knowledge. It is almost always applied in combination with other methods, and its use can be a positive indicator of company sustainability. Full article

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22 pages, 2908 KiB

Open AccessReview

Mapping the Scientific Research on Healthcare Workers’ Occupational Health: A Bibliometric and Social Network Analysis

by Bingke Zhu, Hao Fan, Bingbing Xie, Ran Su, Chaofeng Zhou and Jianping He

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(8), 2625; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17082625 - 11 Apr 2020

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 5548

Abstract

In the last few years, the occupational health (OH) of healthcare workers (HCWs) has been shown increasing concern by both health departments and researchers. This study aims to provide academics with quantitative and qualitative analysis of healthcare workers’ occupational health (HCWs+OH) field in [...] Read more.

In the last few years, the occupational health (OH) of healthcare workers (HCWs) has been shown increasing concern by both health departments and researchers. This study aims to provide academics with quantitative and qualitative analysis of healthcare workers’ occupational health (HCWs+OH) field in a joint way. Based on 402 papers published from 1992 to 2019, we adopted the approaches of bibliometric and social network analysis (SNA) to map and quantify publication years, research area distribution, international collaboration, keyword co-occurrence frequency, hierarchical clustering, highly cited articles and cluster timeline visualization. In view of the results, several hotspot clusters were identified, namely: physical injuries, workplace, mental health; occupational hazards and diseases, infectious factors; community health workers and occupational exposure. As for citations, we employed document co-citation analysis to detect trends and identify seven clusters, namely tuberculosis (TB), strength training, influenza, healthcare worker (HCW), occupational exposure, epidemiology and psychological. With the visualization of cluster timeline, we detected that the earliest research cluster was occupational exposure, then followed by epidemiology and psychological; however, TB, strength training and influenza appeared to gain more attention in recent years. These findings are presumed to offer researchers, public health practitioners a comprehensive understanding of HCWs+OH research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Knowledge for a Better Occupational Health and Safety Management)

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