Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene Commons^™

Firefighter Fitness-For-Duty Medical Screening: A Peer Review Quality Improvement Pilot, Julie Collings Rochefort

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Despite the overwhelming evidence that sudden cardiac death is the most frequent cause of firefighter fatalities, many fire departments do not have a program to measure or maintain basic firefighter fitness and health. This project evaluated and compared medical screening outcomes of four industrial fire brigades within a multinational oil and gas corporation and introduced a quality improvement plan. The goal of this project was to apply the evidence and measure outcomes to determine the most effective way to ensure that firefighters in a corporate setting are healthy. This was accomplished by utilizing established guidelines in developing an educational program …

O Cuidador De Enfermagem E O Cuidar Em Uma Unidade De Terapia Intensiva / The Nursing Caregiver And The Caring In Intensive Care Units, Everton Alves

Everton Fernando Alves

Diversos fatores são considerados agressivos em uma Unidade de Terapia Intensiva (UTI), os quais não atingem apenas os pacientes, mas também os cuidadores de enfermagem, uma vez que estes participam desde procedimentos complexos até morte de pacientes. Dessa forma, muitos cuidadores de enfermagem passam por dificuldades em sua rotina diária que influenciam o modo de cuidar. O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar os aspectos vivenciados pelos cuidadores de enfermagem que atuam em uma UTI - Adulto. Trata-se de um estudo exploratório-descritivo, de abordagem qualitativa, desenvolvido junto a 21 cuidadores de enfermagem da UTI - Adulto de um hospital escola do …

Promosi Pengetahuan, Sikap, Dan Keterampilan Berpola Hidup Sehat Pada Kelompok Senam, L. Meily Kurniawidjaja, Dadan Erwandi, Ike Pujiriani

Kesmas

Pendirian grup senam masyarakat perkotaan sering dipicu oleh ancaman penyakit jantung koroner dan stroke (penyakit kardiovaskular). Banyak diantara mereka masih berisiko tinggi penyakit kardiovaskular antara lain berat badan lebih dan kadar kolesterol tinggi serta faktor umur dan genetik, tetapi faktor risiko penyakit kardiovaskular dapat diturunkan dengan pola hidup sehat. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah menilai pengaruh metode promosi kesehatan dengan pendekatan siklus rekognisi, analisis, perencanaan, komunikasi, persiapan, implementasi, evaluasi, dan kelanjutan dapat meningkatkan pengetahuan, sikap dan praktik ibu-ibu pesenam tentang pola hidup sehat. Penelitian ini menggunakan pretest and posttest design untuk menilai hasil intervensi pada 60 orang berusia rata-rata 58,26 tahun …

Male Circumcision Significantly Reduces Prevalence And Load Of Genital Anaerobic Bacteria, Cindy M. Liu, Bruce A. Hungate, Aaron A.R. Tobian, David Serwadda, Jacques Ravel, Richard Lester, Godfrey Kigozi, Maliha Aziz, Ronald M. Galiwango, Fred Nalugoda, Tania L. Contente-Cuomo, Maria J. Wawer, Paul Keim, Ronald H. Gray, Lance B. Price

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Male circumcision reduces female-to-male HIV transmission. Hypothesized mechanisms for this protective effect include decreased HIV target cell recruitment and activation due to changes in the penis microbiome. We compared the coronal sulcus microbiota of men from a group of uncircumcised controls (n= 77) and from a circumcised intervention group (n = 79) at enrollment and year 1 follow-up in a randomized circumcision trial in Rakai, Uganda. We characterized microbiota using16S rRNA gene-based quantitative PCR (qPCR) and pyrosequencing, log response ratio (LRR), Bayesian classification, nonmetric multidimensional scaling (nMDS), and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PerMANOVA). At baseline, men …

Fall Safety Assessment At The New School Of Public Health And Health Services Building, Amanda Mcqueen, Seung-Sup Kim, Melissa J. Perry

GW Research Days 2013

Objective: Falls are one of the leading causes of workplace death, lost work time, and costs to industry, particularly in construction. The public health burden of falls is significant, as approximately 25% of nonfatal injuries and 38% of fatalities in the general construction industry are due to falls. The goal of this study is to develop an assessment tool to evaluate fall safety in general construction and to evaluate fall safety among five skilled construction trades (i.e. electricians, painters, carpenters, welders, and roofers) throughout different stages of a new building construction project. The project is the new School of Public …

Workers Killed Due To Driver Distraction, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Kentucky Haz Alerts--Motor Vehicle

To Prevent Driver Distraction,

Employers should:

• Provide training on the importance of being attentive and not engaging in distracting tasks or behaviors while driving
• Develop policies that minimize or eliminate the use of in-vehicle devices while driving

Employees should:

• Not use dispatching devices while driving
• Not text or manually dial a cell phone while driving
• Refrain from activities such as reading, writing or map reading while driving

Access To Chemical Data Used In Regulatory Decision Making, Lynn R. Goldman, Ellen K. Silbergeld, Randall Lutter, Craig Barrow, Christopher J. Borgert, James W. Conrad Jr., Debra Edwards, Allan Felsot

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Pit Latrines And Their Impacts On Groundwater Quality: A Systematic Review, Jay P. Graham, Matthew L. Polizzotto

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Background: Pit latrines are one of the most common human excreta disposal systems in low-income countries, and their use is on the rise as countries aim to meet the sanitation-related target of the Millennium Development Goals. There is concern, however, that discharges of chemical and microbial contaminants from pit latrines to groundwater may negatively affect human health.

Objectives: Our goals were to a) calculate global pit latrine coverage, b) systematically review empirical studies of the impacts of pit latrines on groundwater quality, c) evaluate latrine siting standards, and d) identify knowledge gaps regarding the potential for …

Open-Source Collaboration For Global Health: Science And Practice, Ariel Pablos-Méndez, Michael Klag, Lynn R. Goldman

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Health Risk Assessments Of Waste Combustion Emissions Using Surrogate Analyte Models, Michael A . Schmidt

Theses and Dissertations

Exposure assessments of open burn pits are often complicated by a lack of sampling equipment and resources. This research investigated the hypothesis of carbon dioxide (CO₂) as a viable surrogate for particulate matter with diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5). Large-scale solid waste combustion tests resulted in linear trends between mean PM2.5 and CO₂ (R2 = 0.964 - 0.989). This pilot study demonstrates the feasibility of using CO₂ as a surrogate of PM2.5 concentration as CO₂ sensors potentially provide a cost-effective solution for monitoring in lieu of expensive PM instruments. It also indicates the potential reduction …

The Work Environment Disability-Adjusted Life Year For Use With Life Cycle Assessment: A Methodological Approach, Kelly A. Scanlon, George M. Gray, Royce A. Francis, Shannon M. Lloyd, Peter Lapuma

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Background

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a systems-based method used to determine potential impacts to the environment associated with a product throughout its life cycle. Conclusions from LCA studies can be applied to support decisions regarding product design or public policy, therefore, all relevant inputs (e.g., raw materials, energy) and outputs (e.g., emissions, waste) to the product system should be evaluated to estimate impacts. Currently, work-related impacts are not routinely considered in LCA. The objectives of this paper are: 1) introduce the work environment disability-adjusted life year (WE-DALY), one portion of a characterization factor used to express the magnitude of …

Foodborne Urinary Tract Infections: A New Paradigm For Antimicrobial-Resistant Foodborne Illness, Lora Nordstrom, Cindy M. Liu, Lance B. Price

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections worldwide. Disproportionately affecting women, UTIs exact a substantial public burden each year in terms of direct medical expenses, decreased quality of life, and lost productivity. Increasing antimicrobial resistance among strains of extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia colichallenges successful treatment of UTIs. Community-acquired UTIs were long considered sporadic infections, typically caused by the patients’ native gastrointestinal microbiota; however, the recent recognition of UTI outbreaks with probable foodborne origins has shifted our understanding of UTI epidemiology. Along with this paradigm shift come new opportunities to disrupt the infection process and possibly quell …

Association Between Perceived Inadequate Staffing And Musculoskeletal Pain Among Hospital Patient Care Workers, Seung-Sip Kim, Cassandra Okechukwu, Jack Dennerlein, Leslie Borden, Karen Hopcia, Dean Hashimoto, Glorian Sorensen

Dean M. Hashimoto

Objective

To examine association between perceived inadequate staffing and musculoskeletal pain and to evaluate the role of work-related psychosocial and physical work factors in the association among hospital patient care workers.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,572 patient care workers in two academic hospitals. Perceived inadequate staffing was measured using the “staffing adequacy subscale” of Nursing Work Index, which is a continuous scale that averages estimates of staffing adequacy by workers in the same units. Musculoskeletal pain (i.e., neck/shoulder, arm, low back, lower extremity, any musculoskeletal pain, and the number of area in pain) in the past 3 …

Assuring Access To Data For Chemical Evaluations, Lynn R. Goldman, Ellen K. Silbergeld

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Background: A database for studies used for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pesticide and chemical reviews would be an excellent resource for increasing transparency and improving systematic assessments of pesticides and chemicals. There is increased demand for disclosure of raw data from studies used by the U.S. EPA in these reviews.

Objectives: Because the Information Quality Act (IQA) of 2001 provides an avenue for request of raw data, we reviewed all IQA requests to the U.S. EPA in 2002–2012 and the U.S. EPA’s responses. We identified other mechanisms to access such data: public access databases, the Freedom of Information Act …

Motor Vehicle Injuries Among Semi Truck Drivers And Sleeper Berth Passengers, Terry L. Bunn, Svetla Slavova, Medearis Robertson

Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center Faculty Publications

Introduction: Injuries and fatalities due to large truck and other vehicle crashes have decreased over the last decade, but motor vehicle injuries remain a leading cause of death for both the working and general populations. The present study was undertaken to determine semi truck driver and sleeper berth passenger injury risk in a moving semi truck collision using a matched-pair cohort study.

Method: Study data were obtained from the Kentucky Collision Report Analysis for Safer Highways (CRASH) electronic files for 2000 - 2010. A matched-pair cohort study was used to compare the odds of injury of both drivers …

Drivers Killed Due To Tire Failures, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Kentucky Haz Alerts--Motor Vehicle

To Prevent Tire Failures,

Employers should:

• Ensure that routine maintenance is performed on work vehicles
• Implement and enforce an employer seat belt safety program

Employees should:

• Be properly trained in safe work vehicle operation
• Perform routine pre-trip and post-trip inspections, including inspection of the tires
• Ensure that tires do not run below 80% of the recommended pressure

Two Semis Collide - Fire Ensues; Both Drivers Perish, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Motor Vehicle

One summer’s night, a 49 year-old semi-truck driver (D1), pulling a flatbed loaded with salvage cars for recycling traveled north on a three-lane state highway. D1 topped a hill, drove through a right curve when the unit rolled onto the driver’s side, slide across the center line and entered a straight stretch approximately half way to the bottom of a hill. As D1’s unit was sliding down the hill in the south bound lanes, a 52 year-old semi-truck driver (D2) hauling bottled beverages was traveling south in the straight stretch up the hill. As D1 slide down the hill, D2 …

Tingkat Pencahayaan Perpustakaan Di Lingkungan Universitas Indonesia, Hendra Hendra, Sekar Tina, Amah Majidah

Kesmas

Pencahayaan di perpustakaan merupakan aspek penting dalam menunjang aktivitas mahasiswa dan pegawai. Kondisi pencahayaan yang tidak memenuhi standar dapat mengganggu aktivitas dan menyebabkan keluhan kesehatan khususnya kelelahan mata. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengetahui kesesuaian tingkat pencahayaan di ruang perpustakaan yang ada di lingkungan UI. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain evaluasi dengan membandingkan hasil pengukuran dengan standar serta melakukan analisis terhadap kondisi lingkungan, respons subjektif pengguna, dan keluhan kelelahan mata. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan tingkat kesesuaian pencahayaan di perpustakaan berkisar antara 0% sampai 100%. Sebagian besar pencahayaan mempunyai tingkat kesesuaian antara 30% sampai 60%. Kondisi ini disebabkan oleh distribusi pencahayaan yang kurang baik karena …

Semi-Truck Driver Dies After Being Struck By Flatbed Driver In Crossover Collision, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Motor Vehicle

In the winter of 2011, a 46-year-old semi-truck driver (D1) hauling a flatbed trailer was traveling north in the right lane on a four lane interstate. Several minutes ahead of the semi was a pickup truck hauling an extension ladder that fell out onto the northbound travel lanes. A car behind the pickup swerved to avoid the falling ladder. Other cars swerved to avoid the ladder. The semi came upon the ladder and swerving cars. To avoid striking the cars and ladder, the semi driver swerved to the right, over-corrected to the left, drove across the northbound lanes, over a …

Perception Of Slipperiness And Prospective Risk Of Slipping At Work, Theodore K. Courtney, Santosh K. Verma, Wen-Ruey Chang, Yueng-Hsiang Huang, David A. Lombardi, Melanye J. Brennan, Melissa J. Perry

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Objectives: Falls are a leading cause of injury at work, and slipping is the predominant cause of falling. Prior research has suggested a modest correlation between objective measures (such as coefficient of friction, COF) and subjective measures of slipperiness (such as worker perceptions) in the workplace. However, the degree of association between subjective measures and the actual risk of slipping at the workplace is unknown. This study examined the association between perception of slipperiness and the risk of slipping.

Methods: 475 workers from 36 limited-service restaurants participated in a 12-week prospective cohort study. At baseline, demographic information was collected, participants …