Public Health Commons^™

Evaluation Of Xmx/2l-Mil Virtual Impactor Performance And Capture And Retention Of Aerosol Particles In Two Different Collection Media, Jon E. Black

Theses and Dissertations

The United States Air Force uses the XMX/2L-MIL (XMX) high volume air sampler to collect samples for biological analysis. The XMX uses a virtual impactor to concentrate particles 1.0 to 10 μm in size into a secondary flow prior to sample collection using a liquid impinger in a collection tube. There are no known published studies regarding virtual impactor inter-instrument variability, effect of reducing the secondary flow on particle concentration, or capture and retention efficiency (CRE) of particles in the collection media performance characteristics when using the XMX. These performance characteristics were evaluated by lofting test aerosols of Arizona Road …

Retrospective Geospatial Modeling Of Pm10 Exposures From Open Burning At Joint Base Balad, Iraq, John P. Rinker

Theses and Dissertations

Predicting, determining, and linking theater-related source-specific exposures to health effects has proven difficult. The purpose of this research is to delineate retrospective exposure zones using spatially interpolated particulate air sampling point data from Joint Base Balad, create burn pit exposure isopleths from dispersion model outputs, and merge into a combined exposure model in GIS. Interpolated monitoring results and dispersion modeled results were combined to compare modeled exposures across base. Burn pit contribution to total PM10 was also modeled. The combined dispersion and interpolation map showed elevated concentrations within a 1 kilometer buffer of the burn pit. Buildings within this area …

Characterization Of Graphite Composite Material Particulates From Usaf Aircraft Maintenance Operations, Richard E. Yon

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the benefits of their material properties, advanced composite materials (ACM) are increasingly being used as structural components on aircraft, especially within the United States Air Force. As a result, the potential exists for occupational exposures to structural maintenance employees while repairing and fabricating aircraft components. Two field studies were conducted for this thesis in order to characterize ACM aerosol size distribution, determine the feasibility of utilizing direct reading instruments (DRIs) in the field, and ensure workers are protected with adequate controls. In order to characterize exposure, traditional integrated air sampling and DRIs were positioned together near an ACM …

Development Of Optimized Guidelines For Therapeutic Strategies For Organophosphate Poisoning, Craig A. Holder

Theses and Dissertations

Organophosphates such as nerve agents have been used on several occasions in the past to inflict harm upon military and civilian populations in various parts of the world. The threat of these chemicals use against the military and civilians continues today, and the suggested treatment guidelines available may be ineffective or possibly cause harm. The guidelines investigated during the research presented here all included the use of two antidotes, atropine and oxime. The efficacy of oximes has been questioned and it has been suggested that they may cause harm to the patient. Both atropine and oxime are issued to military …

Semi Drivers Killed After Vehicle Rollovers, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Kentucky Haz Alerts--Motor Vehicle

To prevent semi truck rollovers, employers should:

• Implement and enforce a seat belt safety program
• Establish and strengthen a company policy to reduce fatigue on the job

Employees should:

• Always wear a seat belt while in the vehicle
• Use correct lights during a fog
• Use proper precautions to reduce sloshing
• Reduce inadequate evasive actions

Étude De La Transmission Sonore À Travers Les Protecteurs Auditifs Et Application D’Une Méthode Pour Évaluer Leur Efficacité En Milieu De Travail. Partie 2 : Étude Préliminaire D’Une Modélisation Par Éléments Finis, Franck Sgard, Hugues Nélisse, Marc-André Gaudreau, Jérôme Boutin, Jérémie Voix, Frédéric Laville

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Le projet « Étude de la transmission sonore à travers les protecteurs auditifs et application d'une méthode pour évaluer leur efficacité effective en milieu de travail » comptait principalement deux parties : i) une étude terrain portant sur la mesure de l'efficacité effective des protecteurs auditifs en milieu de travail; ii) une étude exploratoire visant à examiner le potentiel de la modélisation par éléments finis à traiter le problème de la transmission sonore à travers les protecteurs auditifs. Compte tenu de l'ampleur des travaux effectués et de la quantité d'information à présenter, un rapport formé de deux documents distincts est …

Effet Des Contaminants Sur La Résistance Mécanique Des Gants De Protection : Analyse Préliminaire, Patricia Dolez, Toan Vu-Khanh, Chantal Gauvin, Jaime Lara

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Dans de nombreux milieux de travail, comme par exemple l'usinage du métal, la mécanique automobile et la transformation alimentaire, la présence de risques mécaniques se produit souvent de manière simultanée avec celle de divers contaminants industriels, en particulier des huiles et des graisses. Ces composés peuvent éventuellement affecter la résistance des gants aux agresseurs mécaniques. Par ailleurs, certains modèles de gants peuvent subir des traitements de nettoyage afin de prolonger leur durée d'utilisation. Or, ceux-ci peuvent éventuellement provoquer une modification de leurs propriétés.

Cette étude avait pour objectif d'analyser de manière exploratoire trois aspects relatifs à l'effet des conditions réelles …

Évaluation Des Vibrations Et Du Bruit Des Équipements Miniers, Pierre Marcotte, Sylvain Ouellette, Jérôme Boutin, Gilles Leblanc

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Ce projet visait à identifier les différentes sources vibratoires et sonores parmi une gamme d'équipements miniers pouvant potentiellement avoir un effet néfaste sur la santé des travailleurs. Dans un premier temps, un questionnaire a été distribué à 12 mines souterraines afin de dresser un inventaire des équipements miniers souterrains. De ce nombre, 8 mines ont répondu. Un comité technique a ensuite établi une liste de catégories d'équipement à évaluer en utilisant une grille de décision tenant compte de la sévérité des vibrations, du nombre de travailleurs exposés, de la durée moyenne de l'exposition ainsi que des données disponibles dans la …

Bruit Dans Cinq Piscines Intérieures : Mesures Des Niveaux Ambiants Et De L’Exposition Sonore, Marc-André Gaudreau, Franck Sgard, Hugues Nélisse, Jérôme Boutin

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Le niveau de bruit ambiant des piscines intérieures peut être très élevé notamment lors de la présence de jeunes enfants. Si ce bruit est déplaisant pour les usagers, il peut devenir une problématique pour la santé et la sécurité des travailleurs, qu'ils soient surveillants, moniteurs ou entraîneurs.

Le travail en milieu bruyant soulève toujours le risque de perte d'audition. Mais les piscines intérieures sont des lieux où la communication est primordiale, que ce soit pour l'enseignement, pour la diffusion de consignes de sécurité, mais aussi, entre autre, pour la communication entre surveillants en cas d'accident.

La présente activité a pour …

Système D’Ancrage De Garde-Corps Sur Des Toits Plats Pour Les Couvreurs : Annexe, André Lan, Renaud Daigle

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Le travail de couvreur a été classé comme l'un des travaux les plus dangereux, avec un taux de mortalité de 29 par 100 000 travailleurs (Toscano, 1997). Les couvreurs sont exposés à environ six fois plus de risques d'accidents graves et mortels que le travailleur moyen, les chutes étant les évènements mortels dans 75 % des cas (Ruser, 1995). Les lésions causées par ces chutes sont habituellement graves, exigeant de longues périodes de traitement et de convalescence occasionnant des frais médicaux importants. Les réglementations internationales sont claires; l'Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) stipule qu'il faut protéger les travailleurs exposés …

Système D’Ancrage De Garde-Corps Sur Des Toits Plats Pour Les Couvreurs, André Lan, Renaud Daigle

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Le travail de couvreur a été classé comme l'un des travaux les plus dangereux, avec un taux de mortalité de 29 par 100 000 travailleurs (Toscano, 1997). Les couvreurs sont exposés à environ six fois plus de risques d'accidents graves et mortels que le travailleur moyen, les chutes étant les évènements mortels dans 75 % des cas (Ruser, 1995). Les lésions causées par ces chutes sont habituellement graves, exigeant de longues périodes de traitement et de convalescence occasionnant des frais médicaux importants. Les réglementations internationales sont claires; l'Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) stipule qu'il faut protéger les travailleurs exposés …

Land Surveyor Struck And Killed By Passenger Vehicle, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Motor Vehicle

One late fall day in 2009, at approximately 3:30 PM, two land surveyors had completed surveying tasks for the day and were walking north, on opposites sides of a two-lane rural state highway. They were returning surveying equipment to the company truck. Surveyor 1, company owner, was walking with traffic on the east side of the road, in the grass, a few feet to the right of the pavement. Surveyor 2 was walking on the edge of the pavement on the west side of the road. Both men were on the road on the blind side of a hill and …

Municipal Solid Waste Collector Dies After Falling From Solid Waste Vehicle Hopper Area, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Motor Vehicle

On a spring day in 2010, a 41 year-old male, solid waste collector, was riding in the hopper area of a solid waste truck when he fell out and struck his head on the pavement. He was riding in the hopper area because the step he usually rode, located at the rear driver side, was broken. Another worker rode the rear step on the passenger side of the vehicle, and a third worker, the driver, drove. After approaching a stop, the driver looked into the rearview mirror and saw the decedent on the pavement. The driver stopped the truck, and …

Evaluation Of Toxicological Effects Of Intra Tracheal Instilled Ceo2 Nanoparticles On The Heart Of Male Sprague-Dawley Rats, Radhakrishna Para

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The growing application of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NP) in several industrial products is likely to be associated with increased risk of inhalation and exposure. How the inhalation of CeO2 NP may affect cardiac structure and function has to our knowledge, not been examined. To examine whether inhalation of CeO2 NP affects cardiac structure and function, male Sprague Dawley rats underwent a single intra tracheal instillation of nanoparticles (7 mg/kg body weight). Animals were sacrificed 1, 3, 14, and 28 days after instillation and protein isolates from the hearts were examined for the presence of oxidative stress, autophagy and apoptosis. …

Decomposing The Intergenerational Disparity In Income And Obesity, Qi Zhang, Buhong Zheng, Ning Zhang, Youfa Wang

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Intergenerational disparity in income and health violates the norm of equal opportunity and deserves the attention of researchers and policy makers. To understand changes in intergenerational disparity, we created the intergenerational mobility index (IMI), which can simultaneously measure changes in income rankings and in health outcomes across two generations. We selected obesity as one health outcome to illustrate the application of IMI due to its severe health and financial consequences for society and the significant changes in the distribution of obesity across income groups. Although obesity has increased in all income groups in the last four decades, higher income groups …

Response Shift Theory: An Application For Health-Related Quality Of Life In Rehabilitation Research And Practice, Jennifer S. Howard, Carl G. Mattacola, Dana Howell, Christian Latterman

Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy Faculty and Staff Research

Evaluating change in patients over time can be challenging to any health care provider. Response shift theory is based on the change typology of alpha, beta, and gamma change and proposes that residual changes in self-response measures occur over time. These changes are the result of recalibration, reconceptualization, and reprioritization of internal standards and references utilized for self-appraisal. Failing to account for response shift may result in over- or under-reporting of true physiologic change. The purpose of this paper is to review the components of response shift, identify research designs used to detect it, and present a model for its …

Resilience As A Protective Factor Against Compassion Fatigue In Trauma Therapists, Daniel P. David

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many adults in the United States experience posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within their lifetimes. Researchers have identified compassion fatigue (CF), which debilitates mental health providers as a result of being exposed to their clients' traumatic experiences, as an occupational hazard. The purpose of this study was to examine whether a correlation exists between the presence of CF and the level of resilience. A confidential survey using the Connors-Davidson Resilience Scale, the Professional Quality of Life Scale Version 5, and a demographic questionnaire were given to graduate-level mental health clinicians who self-identified as routinely working with and/or treating trauma victims in …

The Role Of Leadership In Safety Performance And Results, Halina E. Caravello

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee injury rates in U.S. land-based operations in the energy industry are 2 to 3 times higher relative to other regions in the world. Although a rich literature exists on drivers of safety performance, no previous studies investigated factors influencing this elevated rate. Leadership has been identified as a key contributor to safety outcomes and this grounded theory study drew upon the full range leadership model, situational leadership, and leader-member exchange theories for the conceptual framework. Leadership aspects influencing safety performance were investigated through guided interviews of 27 study participants; data analyses included open and axial coding, and constant comparisons …

The Effectiveness Of Exercise And Nutritional Counseling On Decreasing Body Composition And Increasing Fitness Levels In Firefighters, Michelle R. Mcnear

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States; firefighters are at a greater risk for both the disease and death. Their exposure to stress, toxic fumes and smoke, unhealthy eating habits, excessive weight, and low levels of physical activity are all contributing risk factors to this disease. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the effectiveness of a multi-faceted program of exercise and nutritional counseling to decrease body fat composition and increase fitness levels nine months after initial implementation among a sample of 202 firefighters. Social learning theory was the theoretical foundation for the …

Workplace Explosions: A Comparison Of The Mine Safety And Health Administration And The Occupational Safety And Health Administration, Jessica Dawn Burba

Online Theses and Dissertations

This research compares how the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) prevent the occurrence of and respond to incidents of workplace explosions in their industries. This was a qualitative study that utilized interpretivism as the theoretical framework. The study sought to answer four research questions. (1) What are the explosive hazards present in the coal mining and sugar refining environments? (2) What explosion prevention methodologies are available? (3) What MSHA regulations apply to coal mine explosions and what OSHA regulations apply to refinery explosions? (4) Are there differences in the way that …

Santé Et Sécurité Des Étudiants Qui Occupent Un Emploi Durant L'Année Scolaire : Les Effets Du Cumul D'Activités Et De Contraintes De Travail, Luc Laberge, Élise Ledoux, Chloé Thuilier, Michaël Gaudreault, Jeanne-Sophie Martin, Esther Cloutier, Julie Auclair, Lise Lachance, Suzanne Veillette, Claude Rozon, Marco Gaudreault, Nadine Arbour, Sandra Bescou, Thomas Agenais, Laurence Hostiou

Rapports de recherche scientifique

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Cette recherche s'inscrit dans la foulée des travaux publiés au Québec depuis les années 1990 qui ont contribué à l'émergence d'un nouveau champ de recherche sur le travail rémunéré chez les étudiants. Ces travaux s'intéressent plus particulièrement à l'incidence du travail rémunéré sur les études. Cependant, rares sont ceux qui ont directement abordé les atteintes potentielles à la santé en lien avec le travail rémunéré des étudiants, notamment les accidents de travail, les troubles musculo-squelettiques (TMS), la détresse psychologique et la fatigue.

Bien que les étudiants travailleurs soient moins à risque …

Enquête Québécoise Sur Des Conditions De Travail, D'Emploi Et De Santé Et De Sécurité Du Travail (Eqcotesst), Michel Vézina, Esther Cloutier, Susan Stock, Katherine Lippel, Éric Fortin, Alain Delisle, Marie St-Vincent, Amélie Funes, Patrice Duguay, Samuel Vézina, Pascale Prud'homme

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Le ministère du Travail doit réaliser tous les cinq ans une étude sur l'évolution des conditions de travail au Québec. À cette fin, il a mandaté, en 2007, l’Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST), l’Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ), l’Institut de la statistique du Québec (ISQ), le ministère du Travail, le ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux et la Commission des normes du travail (CNT) d’effectuer l’Enquête québécoise sur des conditions de travail, d’emploi, et de santé et de sécurité du travail (EQCOTESST). Le rapport brosse un portrait des …

Understanding The Decision-Making Process For Health Promotion Programming At Small To Midsized Businesses, M. Courtney Hughes, Donald L. Patrick, Peggy A. Hannon, Jeffrey R. Harris, Donetta L. Ghosh

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

This study explores the decision-making process for implementing and continuing health promotion programs at small to midsized businesses to inform health promotion practitioners and researchers as they market their services to these businesses. Qualitative interviews are conducted with 24 employers located in the Pacific Northwest ranging in size from 75 to 800 employees, with the majority having between 100 and 200 employees. Small to midsized employers depend most on company success-related factors rather than on humanitarian motives when deciding whether to adopt workplace health promotion programs. They rely heavily on health insurers for health promotion and desire more information about …

Promoting Tobacco Cessation Via The Workplace: Opportunities For Improvement, M. Courtney Hughes, Emily M. Yette, Peggy A. Hannon, Jeffrey R. Harris, Nguyet M. Tran, Terry R. Reid

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Introduction: Little research exists on the prevalence of evidence-based tobacco cessation practices in workplaces, employer promotion of state-sponsored quitlines and predictors of these practices.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of the 2008 Healthy Worksite Survey, a telephone survey administered to Washington employers with 50 or more employees (n¼693). The objectives were to describe workplaces’ implementation of evidence-based tobacco cessation practices and identify key predictors of implementation in order to highlight opportunities for interventions.

Results: Among these employers, 38.6% promoted quitting tobacco, and 33.8% offered insurance coverage for cessation medications and counselling, 27.5% referred no-smoking violators to cessation services, and 5.7% included the …

Introducing Mandatory Training Systems? Investigating The Introduction Of Compulsory Pre-Site Construction Training, Sue Bahn, Llandis Barratt-Pugh

ECU Research Week

No abstract provided.

Union And Nonunion Employment: An Investigative Study Of Factors In The Employment Setting That May Influence The Development Of Burnout, Rachel Elizabeth Costello

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The primary goal of this two-phased, sequential mixed-methods study was to discover whether union affiliation is associated with a lower occurrence of burnout in factory workers by comparing union and nonunion workers. The objective was to determine levels of burnout in union and nonunion employees as well their perception of social support in the workplace. The theoretical synthesis consisted of conservation of resources theory and the theory of reasoned action. The Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) and the Quality of Worklife Questionnaire were used to identify the characteristics of the workplace (job demands and job resources) and the level of burnout. …

Factors Influencing U.S. Army Personnel Meeting Body Mass Index Standards, Salma Theus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

U.S. Army Regulations require soldiers to be fit, as excessive weight negatively impacts their readiness, health, and morale. A quantitative study examined if personal, behavioral, and/or environmental factors predict a soldier's self-efficacy and body mass index. Data were obtained from 117 soldiers on 6 scales: the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, the Army Physical Fitness Test, the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Stress Management Questionnaire, the Lifestyle Assessment Inventory, and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine if personal (intellectual capabilities and physical fitness), behavioral (lifestyle and stress management), and/or environmental (supervisor leadership) factors predict self-efficacy and …

Résistance Des Gants À La Piqûre Par Les Aiguilles : Mise Au Point D’Une Méthode D’Essai, Toan Vu-Khanh, Patricia Dolez, C.Thang Nguyen, Chantal Gauvin, Jaime Lara

Rapports de recherche scientifique

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La piqûre par les aiguilles médicales constitue un type de risque auquel un nombre croissant de travailleurs sont confrontés. En complément ultime aux autres stratégies de maîtrise des risques, en particulier les techniques d'ingénierie et les mesures administratives, il est nécessaire que soient disponibles des vêtements de protection efficaces contre la piqûre par les aiguilles médicales et, en particulier, des gants de protection.

La recherche s'est effectuée suite à des demandes paritaires visant à identifier des gants de protection adaptés au risque de piqûre par les aiguilles médicales. Ces demandes provenaient …

Analyse Expérimentale Des Outils D’Estimation Du Risque Associé Aux Machines Industrielles, Yuvin Chinniah, François Gauthier, Serge Lambert, Florence Moulet

Rapports de recherche scientifique

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Dans cette étude, 31 outils qualitatifs servant à estimer le risque en lien avec les machines industrielles et conformes aux directives de l'ISO 14121-1:2007 ont été analysés i) en comparant leurs paramètres d'estimation du risque, et ii) en utilisant les différents outils pour estimer les risques inhérents à 20 situations dangereuses (scénarios de risque). L'étude visait à procéder à une comparaison théorique de la capacité des outils à estimer le risque et à déterminer la mesure dans laquelle ils estiment le risque de façon uniforme. Les niveaux de risque obtenus par …

Programme De Formation Participative En Manutention Manuelle : Fondements Théoriques Et Approche Proposée, Denys Denis, Monique Lortie, Marie St-Vincent, Maud Gonella, André Plamondon, Alain Delisle, Jacques Tardif

Rapports de recherche scientifique

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Les activités de manutention sont source de blessures musculo-squelettiques – particulièrement au dos – et ont fait l’objet de plusieurs études et d’efforts de prévention au fil des ans. Former les manutentionnaires est une avenue de prévention répandue. Une approche de formation dominante consiste à enseigner des consignes de base qui se matérialisent à travers des techniques standards que les manutentionnaires doivent appliquer en tout temps. Certaines études récentes remettent en question les effets de ces formations tandis que d’autres apportent un regard nouveau sur la réalité du travail de manutention. …