Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene Commons^™

The Effect Of A Superficial Biochar Layer On Soil Radon Exhalation: A Preliminary Investigation Into A Passive Residential Radon Mitigation Strategy, Nicholas Richmond Nelson

Honors Theses

Residential radon exposure is a leading cause of lung cancer worldwide, yet home testing and mitigation remain infrequent. Active mitigation systems can be costly, and existing passive radon-resistant construction techniques, while cost-effective, are not always sufficient to reduce indoor radon to below the recommended EPA threshold of 4.0 pCi/L (148 Bq/m3). This initial work examines the potential for a superficial biochar layer placed beneath a house foundation during construction to reduce soil radon exhalation and subsequent indoor radon concentration. Biochar is also being explored as an admixture to concrete, and this study investigates radon transmission through concrete with varying biochar …

Work-Related Musculoskeletal Problems: A Look At How Employers View Causes, Roger C. Jensen

Safety Health & Industrial Hygiene

Causation concepts for work-related musculoskeletal disorders vary among authors and academic disciplines. The major causation concepts are single-event and repetitive motion. The aim of this short communication is to share findings from a recent survey of United States employers conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics about work-related musculoskeletal cases, and, more specifically, about whether the employers regard the causes of their employees’ musculoskeletal problems as being from a single exposure or from multiple exposures. Recommendations are offered for using terminology consistent with employer understandings.

Slip Resistance Evaluation Of 10 Indoor Floor Surfaces, David P. Gilkey, Daniel Autenrieth, Cal Snow, Cody Hays, Sarah Girard, Lorri Birkenbuel

Safety Health & Industrial Hygiene

Slip and fall injuries and fatalities continue to be a signiϐicant problem at work and in the community. Water is the most common contaminant that reduces traction on ϐloors and other walkway surfaces resulting in a slip and fall event. This project investigated 10 common ϐlooring surfaces to assess their slip resistance when dry vs wet and coated vs uncoated. Investigators used the English XL Variable Incidence Tribometer to measure slip resistance under all conditions. Results revealed a signiϐicant (p - value < 0.05) loss of slip resistance when wet vs dry. Investigators also found signiϐicant (p - value < 0.05) increases in traction when using a coating under wet conditions. Researchers support the use of coatings for ϐloors and walkway surfaces that increase traction and reduce the chances of slip and fall events under all conditions.

Seven Attributes Of Risk Assessment, Roger C. Jensen

Safety Health & Industrial Hygiene

Key Takeaways:

- Risk assessment matrixes provide a measurement-like tool for characterizing hazard risk by accounting for severity and likelihood. The best matrix format depends on the needs of the organization.

- The many differences between risk matrixes are due to seven attributes: fundamental elements, orientation, size, axes scales, row and column header terms, risk indicators, and cell colors.

- This article focuses on the two-factor model of risk as a function of severity and likelihood. It was developed with the aim of sharing with the occupational safety community an appreciation for risk assessment matrixes beyond what is typically found …

Occupational Fatality Surveillance Data: Communication Issues, Misunderstandings, And Misuses, Roger C. Jensen

Safety Health & Industrial Hygiene

Every occupational fatality is a tragedy for the person, family, fellow employees, and the employer. Efforts for preventing these deaths involve a multi-faceted approach, one of which is tracking the cases in order to increase understanding of the circumstances involved in the fatal incident. In the United States, the Bureau of Labor Statistics maintains an extensive collection of data on occupational fatalities and publishes the information in multi-page spreadsheets. When properly used, fatality data can be useful for setting research priorities and documenting the importance of particular fatality-related subject matter. For justifying research on prevention, the most useful data involves …

Risk-Reduction Research In Occupational Safety And Ergonomics: An Editorial, Roger C. Jensen, David P. Gilkey

Safety Health & Industrial Hygiene

Occupational health and safety is one of the pillars of public health. The magnitude of occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities has been well documented through retrospective analyses of existing record systems. This Special Issue in IJERPH sought research papers addressing risk reduction studies in occupational safety and ergonomics.

Risk Assessment Matrices For Workplace Hazards: Design For Usability, Roger C. Jensen, Royce L. Bird, Blake W. Nichols

Safety Health & Industrial Hygiene

In occupational safety and health (OSH), the process of assessing risks of identified hazards considers both the (i) foreseeable events and exposures that can cause harm and (ii) the likelihood or probability of occurrence. To account for both, a table format known as a risk assessment matrix uses rows and columns for ordered categories of the foreseeable severity of harm and likelihood/ probability of that occurrence. The cells within the table indicate level of risk. Each category has a text description separate from the matrix as well as a word or phrase heading each row and column. Ideally, these header …

Fall-Protection Harness Training: Donning Skill Improves With Up To Four Repetitions, Zachary Bunney, Roger C. Jensen, Daniel Autenrieth

Safety Health & Industrial Hygiene

Injuries and fatalities from falling remain a major occupational safety concern. Among the multiple tactics for preventing fatal falls is the use of personal fall protection involving wearing a harness connected to a secure anchor point. This requires training to ensure trainees understand the importance of fall protection and have the skill to implement it correctly. One important skill is donning a fall protection harness and adjusting the straps. Those who conduct training on fall protection need to coach trainees through the steps involved in donning a harness. This study was undertaken to learn the benefits of practicing with the …

Selecting Appropriate Words For Naming The Rows And Columns Of Risk Assessment Matrices, Roger C. Jensen

Safety Health & Industrial Hygiene

The risk management systems used in occupational safety and health typically assess the risk of identified hazards using a tabular format commonly called a risk assessment matrix. Typically, columns are named with words indicating severity, and rows are named with words indicating likelihood or probability. Some risk assessment matrices use words reflecting the extent of exposure to a hazard. This project was undertaken with the aim of helping the designers of risk assessment matrices select appropriate names for the rows and columns. A survey of undergraduate students studying engineering or occupational safety and health obtained ratings of 16 English language …

Ladder Safety: A Taxonomy Of Limb-Movement Patterns For Three Points Of Control, Roger C. Jensen

Safety Health & Industrial Hygiene

Traditional guidance on ladder safety emphasizes training workers on the use of three points of contact. More recent guidance is to train workers to use three points of control. What is lacking is empirical information about what limb-movement patterns effectively support the use of three points of control. This project was conducted to establish a taxonomy of possible limb-movement patterns and a means for comparing relative safety. Prior to the experiment, a taxonomy of six possible limb-movement patterns was established. A sample of 20 undergraduate students performed four tasks each without any instructions on limb-movement pattern. The tasks were ascending …

Ladder Safety: A Taxonomy Of Limb-Movement Patterns For Three Points Of Control, Roger C. Jensen, Charles Holland

Safety Health & Industrial Hygiene

Traditional guidance on ladder safety emphasizes training workers on the use of three points of contact. More recent guidance is to train workers to use three points of control. What is lacking is empirical information about what limb-movement patterns eectively support the use of three points of control. This project was conducted to establish a taxonomy of possible limb-movement patterns and a means for comparing relative safety. Prior to the experiment, a taxonomy of six possible limb-movement patterns was established. A sample of 20 undergraduate students performed four tasks each without any instructions on limb-movement pattern. The tasks were ascending …

Assessing Particulate Matter Wall Loss With Conductive Vs. Non-Conductive Cassettes Used For Airborne Mineral Dust Sampling, Curtis Caroll

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Occupational exposure assessments for aerosols are commonly conducted by drawing air through a filter media, which is housed in cassette. Previous studies assessing metal and coal dust aerosol concentrations have shown a significant amount of particulate matter adhering to the inner cassette wall, thus underestimating the mass concentration reported from filter media. A common control strategy to minimize wall loss is to perform sampling with cassettes comprised of conductive material. The objective of this study was to assess the potential for cassette wall loss associated with mineral dust air sampling techniques employing conductive vs. non-conductive cassettes. Area total and respirable …

Firefighter’S Workers’ Compensation Claims In Montana, 2007-2017: A Cost Analysis, Rylie Mutzenberger, Julia Brennan, Emily Healy, Theresa Stack, Amy Kuenzi, David P. Gilkey

Safety Health & Industrial Hygiene

The objective of this study was to examine costs associated with workers’ compensation claims from firefighters in Montana. Workers’ compensation claims data were obtained from the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. The highest proportion of total benefit amount dollars was paid to male firefighters (93.7%), public employees (84.8%), and those who were 45-54 years of age at time of injury (23.9%). Part-time employees represented the employment category receiving the highest total benefit amount ($766,354). July represented the month with the highest average total benefit amount cost ($52,084). Strains and sprains, back injuries, and lifting activities all represented the highest …

Developing A Taxonomy Of Ladder Climbing Techniques, Charles Holland

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The research found on ladder safety indicated broad recognition of the hazards of using ladders, especially in the construction industries. OSHA regulations, as well as general guidance on ladder safety point to training workers on ladder usage techniques as being one of the most useful means of reducing risk of falling. However, no studies could be found directly investigating different techniques for ascending and descending ladders. In order to study and compare techniques, this project was initiated to establish a taxonomy of techniques for climbing and descending ladders Six patterns were hypothesized. A secondary purpose was to compare the patterns …

Static Shoulder Elevation With Or Without Limited Range Of Arm Motion, Kayla Ericson

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of two similar low force, upper arm holding tasks on shoulder muscle fatigue. One task involves static holding, while the comparison task involves limited up and down motions, dynamic rolling. Both tasks require the shoulder muscles to hold the combined weight of the arm, hand, and a roller brush in a manner similar to that of a painter standing on a portable ladder painting a wall.

Methods: Twenty volunteer participants from undergraduate classes performed two similar tasks. One was holding their dominant arm above their shoulder while holding a …

Effect Of Repetition On Time To Don And Adjust A Fall Protection Harness, Zachary Bunney

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

A major concern in the field of occupational safety and health is the fatalities resulting from falling from heights. In the construction industry, a common approach for protecting workers is the use of a fall protection harness connected to a secure anchor. To be effective, harnesses must be fitted and adjusted to the individual. This requires training on adjusting the straps of a harness, and the training must include practice to ensure the worker has the skills to make a secure fit. It would be useful for those who conduct training on harness fitting to know if trainees would benefit …

Atvs And Agriculture: A Review Of The Literature, Hali Neves, William Brazile, David P. Gilkey

Safety Health & Industrial Hygiene

The purpose of this article was to provide a review of the published literature pertaining to agricultural All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) use and injury, fatality, exposure assessment, risk estimation and interventions. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) technique was used to identify high quality relevant articles pertaining to ATV-related injury, fatality, exposure assessment, risk estimation, and interventions in an agricultural setting. Inclusion criteria for articles included publications from January 1, 2000 through August 31, 2016, use of injury epidemiology assessment tools, NIOSH hierarchy of controls and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Logic Model Development Guide. Thirty-four articles met …

Stairway Uniformity Measurement: What Lateral Location Should Be Measured, Roger C. Jensen, Lee Calf Looking

Safety Health & Industrial Hygiene

An experimental study sought to extend understanding of the nosing-to-nosing method for measuring dimensions of steps in a stairway. A human factors expert retained to assist an attorney in a case of injury or death from a stairway fall needs to decide the lateral location for taking the measurements. This experiment was undertaken to provide experts with a justifiable basis for choosing the location. Using a campus stairway and 16 student subjects, a randomized complete block experiment compared their lateral location while performing four tasks—ascending with or without the handrail, and descending with or without the handrail. Results showed task …

Fall Protection Training: A Case Study Using Cbt For Latino Construction Workers, David P. Gilkey, Carla Lopez Del Puerto, Megan R. Miller, Carlos Evia, Carla Lopez Del Puertoisnow

Safety Health & Industrial Hygiene

Latino construction workers are at an increased risk of worksite injuries and fatalities due to language, cultural barriers, and ineffective training. This case-study investigated computer-based video training (CBT) for scaffold safety. The CBT training was developed using a participatory approach involving direct input from Latino roofers and framers. This paper focuses on evaluation-improvement of training that combined workers’ ideas of a safe work environment with OSHA standards. Researchers investigated the appropriateness and effectiveness of a brief CBT presentation addressing fall protection and scaffold use among Latino roofers. The results indicated that Latino construction workers at a roofing company in Colorado …

Maximal Swim Distance, Time, And Heart Rate While Wearing Labor-Wear And A Personal Flotation Device, Reece Gendreau

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a correlation between heart rate and swim distance or swim. The ultimate goal was to determine how long or how far a person could swim while wearing labor-wear and a personal flotation device. Additional parameters of age, and ending oxygen saturation were taken to determine if age or O2 saturation could be factors that would be a limitation of swim time or distance. The following questions were answered: “Will there be a significant difference between males and females in any observed measurement?”, “Will there be a correlation between heart …

Hexavalent Chromium Exposure To Military Aircraft Painters, Doug Rosaaen

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Military aircraft routinely operate in harsh, corrosive environments that necessitate aggressive maintenance methods and products to prevent deterioration. Three primary tasks associated with corrosion control of these aircraft are abrasive blasting, sanding, and primer paint application. The most frequently used primer paints for these applications contain chromium VI (Cr VI) in the form of barium chromate and strontium chromate. Due to aircraft size and the nature of these tasks, control of Cr VI exposures is often difficult.

Numerous studies of chromate related industries have identified worker exposures in excess of the OSHA PEL of 5 μg/m3. Long-term analysis of chromate …

A Review Of Carbon Disulfide-Gc/Fid Versus Thermal Desorption-Gc/Ms Methods Through The Lens Of Analytical Proficiency And Human And Environmental Health Risk, Vanessa Frost Barnes

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

NIOSH Method 2549 uses a hyphenated thermal desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry instrumental method with thermal desorption tubes as the sample media for assessment of a variety of volatile and semi-volatile compounds. Other methods in the NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods use solvent extraction methods for analysis. Of note are those methods that require the analysis of coconut charcoal tubes using carbon disulfide extraction and subsequent analysis via gas chromatography-flame ionization detector. Presented here is a comparison of the methodologies with regard to environmental and occupational health ramifications, as well as method sensitivity as evaluated via limits of detection and compound ranges. …

Bioaerosol Exposures From Three Utah Cattle Operations, Clark Evans

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Bioaerosol is a generic term used to describe dusts that are produced by and or contain biological material. These dusts can potentially contain the following hazardous agents; bacteria, viruses, bacterial endotoxins, and/or mycotoxins from mold spores. Respiratory inflammation, allergies, cancers, and infectious diseases can occur from exposure to a variety of bioaerosol agents. Controlling bioaerosol exposures is very complicated due to the limited amount of research available and because there are no established regulatory or authoritative exposure limits.

Three cattle operations, two beef and one Dairy, in Utah were investigated to establish exposure profiles of the full-time employees that directly …

Differentiating Between Low Level Activities In Sedentary Occupations Utilizing Fitbits, Trace A. Forkan

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Objective: Fitbits are popular devices used to track personal activity throughout the day. The potential usage of these devices in tracking sedentary activities in research studies rely on the validity and accuracy of the devices. The objectives of this study are to investigate if changes in daily activity is associated with changes in duration of standing time using a sit-to-stand workstation. Also to establish if an accelerometer may be used to detect differences between sitting and standing sedentary positions.

Methods: Sixteen participants wore Fitbit accelerometers throughout the workday and were emailed surveys on a weekly basis to report their …

Ergonomics And The Potential For Sharps Injury Reduction: Developing A Strategy To Assess Mobile Dentistry In Rural Alaska, Gregory P. Calvert

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

This report describes the development of an ergonomic assessment strategy for a Rural Alaska mobile dental team (n=3). An examination of available peer reviewed literature was conducted to identify known physical risk factors associated with musculoskeletal disorders and the practice of dentistry. The report also explored the association between ergonomics, work-related musculoskeletal disorders, and a reduction in dental sharps injury.

The known physical risk factors associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders, sharps injury prevalence data, and results from Nordic Questionnaires were collected as baseline data. A sharps injury report from January through October of 2016 was obtained from the Bristol Bay …

Occupational Risks And Hazards Associated With Firefighting, Laura Walker

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Annually about 100 firefighters die in the line duty, in the United States. Firefighters know it is a hazardous occupation. Firefighters know the only way to reduce the number of deaths is to change the way the firefighter (FF) operates. Changing the way a firefighter operates starts by utilizing traditional industrial hygiene tactics, anticipating, recognizing, evaluating and controlling the hazard. Basic information and history of the fire service is necessary to evaluate FF hazards. An electronic survey was distributed to FFs. The first question was, “What are the health and safety risks of a firefighter?” Hypothetically heart attacks and new …

Noise Exposure In Electric And Natural Gas Utility Transmission And Distribution Operations, Christi Cole

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Noise exposures were measured in the electric and natural gas distribution operations workforce of a large Midwestern utility. Both personal dosimetry and area monitoring were utilized to evaluate noise exposures based on job classification as well as operation of specific equipment or performance of certain tasks. Job classifications were chosen for study based on observable noise exposures and employee requests. Five job classifications were sampled with 90% confidence according to NIOSH guidelines for sample sizes. Three of the five job classifications were previously enrolled in the company hearing conservation program and two of them were not.

The study determined that …

Evaluation Of Libby Amphibole Asbestos In Three Media Sources Via Polarized Light Microscopy And Transmission Electron Microscopy, Kalli Mccloskey

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Studies have shown that the town of Libby, Montana and surrounding forested areas have been contaminated with Libby amphibole asbestos (LA) by activity from the vermiculite mine located northeast of Libby. The mine was in production from the 1920s until its closing in 1990. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) created the operable units (OU) within the superfund site due to the LA contamination. In addition to the work completed in this research, previous studies have shown that there is an exposure pathway for the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USFS) personnel tasked with forest maintenance in …

Comparison Of Two Surface Contamination Sampling Techniques Conducted For The Characterization Of Two Pajarito Site Manhattan Project National Historic Park Properties, Lopez Tammy

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Technical Area-18 (TA-18), also known as Pajarito Site, is located on Los Alamos National Laboratory property and has historic buildings that will be included in the Manhattan Project National Historic Park. Characterization studies of metal contamination were needed in two of the four buildings that are on the historic registry in this area, a “battleship” bunker building (TA-18-0002) and the Pond cabin (TA-18-0029). However, these two buildings have been exposed to the elements, are decades old, and have porous and rough surfaces (wood and concrete). Due to these conditions, it was questioned whether standard wipe sampling would be adequate to …

Evaluation Of Particulate Metal And Noise Exposures At A Foundry And Recommended Control Strategies, Jeshua Sargetis

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

An evaluation of current industrial hygiene practices were performed at a foundry located in the Northwestern United States. The foundry was evaluated for respirable and inhalable manganese, respirable crystalline silica and noise exposure. Personal breathing zone sampling was performed using proper safety and health practices on workers in the foundry and around the entire facility. Results showed that workers were being exposed to respirable manganese but not inhalable manganese. Bulk crystalline silica sampling was performed and personal breathing zone sampling was performed as a follow up to certain control measures which showed low concentrations. Area noise sampling was conducted in …