Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene Commons^™

Examining The Value Of Fire Prevention Inspections In Commercial Occupancies, Philip Steven Gairson

Online Theses and Dissertations

This research paper will evaluate the value of conducting fire prevention inspections within the commercial occupancy and the associated reduction in the occurrence of fires. While the fire problem within the United States has experienced a decline in the number of fires and fire related injuries, the reality is that the nation continues to experience significant fire loss. With the introduction of more comprehensive codes and standards, the enforcement of fire regulations becomes paramount in maintaining a fire safe community. Typically, fire prevention enforcement is accomplished through annual fire inspections performed by the fire department. While personnel within the fire …

Safety On A Drilling Rig: Is It Safety Culture?, Jonathan Wade Henson

Online Theses and Dissertations

Why do workers on a modern offshore drilling rig continue to make decisions leading to unsafe conditions, acts or incidents? In a perfect world, workers in any industry would go to work and come home in the same condition as they started the day: no incidents. Worker injuries and deaths are all too common in the workplace whether on land or at sea. On a modern drilling rig, operating hundreds of miles offshore, far from the nearest hospital, working in all kinds of weather presents an industry ripe with risks. The worker or rig hand holds the key to making …

Amélioration Des Services Et Des Soins De Fin De Vie : Mieux Comprendre Les Effets Sur La Satisfaction Et Le Bien-Être Des Infirmières, Lise Fillion, Manon Truchon, Michel L'Heureux, Céline Gélinas, Marie Bellemare, Lyse Langlois, Jean-François Desbiens, Clémence Dallaire, Réjeanne Dupuis, Geneviève Roch, Marie Anik Robitaille

Rapports de recherche scientifique

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Avec le vieillissement de la population, la demande de soins palliatifs (SP) de fin de vie est croissante et les services de santé s’organisent. Au Québec, les SP de fin de vie sont surtout intégrés aux soins curatifs et on retrouve peu d’unités de SP spécialisées. Ces soins s'incorporent alors aux soins à domicile ou à ceux dispensés dans les unités de soins spécialisés en centre hospitalier, comme l’oncologie et les soins critiques. Les infirmières y jouent un rôle majeur. Selon ce choix organisationnel, les infirmières vivent un contexte de travail …

Gants Résistant Aux Piqûres D’Aiguilles : Évaluation De La Dextérité Manuelle, De La Sensibilité Tactile Et Du Confort Pour Les Travailleurs : Étude Exploratoire, Chantal Gauvin, Jaime Lara

Rapports de recherche scientifique

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Les policiers, les agents de la paix en services correctionnels, les éboueurs et les cols bleus horticulteurs sont très préoccupés par les risques de piqûre avec des aiguilles hypodermiques. Ces piqûres les exposent à du sang potentiellement contaminé et au risque de contracter des maladies transmissibles par le sang telles que le VIH et les hépatites B et C. Ces travailleurs doivent porter des gants résistant aux piqûres d’aiguilles tout en conservant une dextérité manuelle et une sensibilité tactile adéquates. Le choix de gants de protection dont ils disposent est limité, …

Worker Evaluation Of Manual Dexterity, Tactile Sensitivity And Comfort When Wearing Needlestick-Resistant Gloves: Exploratory Study, Chantal Gauvin, Jaime Lara

Rapports de recherche scientifique

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Les policiers, les agents de la paix en services correctionnels, les éboueurs et les cols bleus horticulteurs sont très préoccupés par les risques de piqûre avec des aiguilles hypodermiques. Ces piqûres les exposent à du sang potentiellement contaminé et au risque de contracter des maladies transmissibles par le sang telles que le VIH et les hépatites B et C. Ces travailleurs doivent porter des gants résistant aux piqûres d’aiguilles tout en conservant une dextérité manuelle et une sensibilité tactile adéquates. Le choix de gants de protection dont ils disposent est limité, …

Ceinture De Sécurité Pour Chariots Élévateurs À Contrepoids : Étude Préliminaire De Critères Normatifs Et D'Utilisabilité, Denis Rancourt, Sylvie Beaugrand, Christian Larue, Geneviève Masson

Rapports de recherche scientifique

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Depuis l’entrée en vigueur d’un nouvel article du Règlement québécois sur la santé et la sécurité du travail (RSST), les chariots élévateurs en porte-à-faux à grande levée, à poste de conduite au centre non élevable et à conducteur assis doivent être munis d’un dispositif de retenue empêchant le cariste d’être écrasé par la structure du chariot lors d’un renversement. La ceinture de sécurité pelvienne est un des moyens les plus couramment utilisés actuellement pour satisfaire cette exigence. À partir de la consultation des écrits, de l’examen sommaire de quelques ceintures vendues …

Characterization And Control Of Occupational Exposure To Nanoparticles And Ultrafine Particles, Maximilien Debia, Charles Beaudry, Scott Weichenthal, Robert Tardif, André Dufresne

Rapports de recherche scientifique

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De nombreux travailleurs sont exposés à un ensemble de particules présentes à une échelle nanométrique. En hygiène du travail, il est commun de différencier les nanoparticules (NP) manufacturées, des particules ultrafines (PUF) qui proviennent de sources naturelles, humaine ou industrielle. Étant donné qu’il existe des lacunes importantes dans les démarches usuelles d'évaluation du risque à ces particules, l’objectif de cette recherche était d’évaluer les expositions professionnelles à des PUF et des NP. L’objectif secondaire était de tester globalement les capacités d’évaluation des expositions professionnelles aux NP et aux PUF dans un …

Impact Of Climate Change On Occupational Health And Safety, Ariane Adam-Poupart, France Labrèche, Audrey Smargiassi, Patrice Duguay, Marc-Antoine Busque, Charles Gagné, Joseph Zayed

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Les effets des changements climatiques (CC) sont souvent discutés en fonction de leurs impacts sur l’environnement et sur la population générale. Toutefois, leurs conséquences sur la santé et la sécurité des travailleurs (SST) n'ont été que très peu abordées par la communauté scientifique. Pourtant, les travailleurs peuvent être directement ou indirectement affectés par les CC notamment par des contraintes thermiques auxquelles ils peuvent être exposés ou encore, par des modifications aux écosystèmes qui sont à la base de leurs activités économiques. L’objectif général de cette étude était d’explorer les avenues de recherche en regard de l’impact négatif des changements climatiques …

Validation Of A Mechanical Hazard Fault Tree For Interventions In Printing Press Danger Zones, Laurent Giraud, Sabrina Jocelyn, Barthélemy Aucourt, Serge Massé, Renaud Daigle

Rapports de recherche scientifique

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En 2006, un recensement des pratiques d'usage les plus sécuritaires, relatives à des interventions sur des presses à imprimer, a été effectué par l'Association paritaire de santé et de sécurité du travail secteur imprimerie et activités connexes (ASP imprimerie), dans le but d'établir une procédure de travail sécuritaire propre à ces machines qui comportent plusieurs zones dangereuses. À partir de cela, l'ASP a construit un arbre de défaillance retraçant les combinaisons de causes engendrant l'écrasement d'une partie du corps d'un travailleur dans un angle rentrant de presse à imprimer. …

Predictors Of Posttraumatic Stress Disorders In Police Officers: Prospective Study, André Marchand, Richard Boyer, Céline Nadeau, Mélissa Martin

Rapports de recherche scientifique

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Ce projet de recherche vise à mieux comprendre le développement de l'état de stress post-traumatique (ÉSPT), à la suite d'un accident de travail, par l'étude des facteurs de risque et de protection qui y sont associés. Il provient d'une demande du milieu policier où les travailleurs sont fréquemment exposés à des événements traumatiques (ÉT). Les chercheurs posent l'hypothèse que les facteurs péri et post-traumatiques pourront mieux expliquer le développement de l'ÉSPT et l'adaptation aux ÉT vécus par le personnel exposé que les facteurs pré-traumatiques. Cette étude est originale, car elle s'intéresse …

Development Of A Clinical Practice Guideline On Work Functioning Assessment Of The Physically Impaired Person, Sophie Roy, Marie-José Durand, Hélène Corriveau

Rapports de recherche scientifique

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L’évaluation des capacités reliées au travail (ÉCT) de personnes souffrant d’une déficience physique est courante en ergothérapie. Les résultats obtenus servent à déterminer l’admissibilité à des services de réadaptation, à aider à la décision lors d’un processus de réorientation professionnelle ou encore l’admissibilité à des indemnités de remplacement de revenus. Ils peuvent aussi être utilisés dans la planification des interventions de réadaptation visant le retour en emploi ou pour l’adaptation d’un poste de travail. Cependant, la pratique des cliniciens à l’égard de l’ÉCT présente une grande variabilité qui pose un questionnement …

Presence, Intensity, And Temporal Changes In Generalized Anxiety Disorder Maintenance Factors In Workers Undergoing Rehabilitation For Persistent Musculoskeletal Pain, Marie-France Coutu, Marie-José Durand, André Marchand, Marie-Élise Labrecque, Djamal Berbiche, Geneviève Cadieux

Rapports de recherche scientifique

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Problématique : La prévalence du trouble d’anxiété généralisée (TAG) est plus élevée chez les personnes ayant une lombalgie, comparativement à la population en générale. En présence d’un TAG, l’intolérance à l’incertitude sera élevée et des stratégies inefficaces entraîneront le maintien de l’anxiété. À long terme, une réduction de l’efficacité personnelle à résoudre des problèmes et l’apparition de symptômes dépressifs pourraient nuire au retour au travail. L’objectif général de cette étude exploratoire vise à mieux comprendre la nature des manifestations anxieuses de travailleurs ayant un TMS persistant. Pour ce faire l’objectif principal …

Participatory Training In Manual Handling: Theoretical Foundations And Proposed Approach, 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. …

The Effect Of Work And Family Role Stressors On The Well-Being Of Public Sector Employees In South Korea : Three Comparative Perspectives Of Gender, Role Domain, And Employment Sector, Geunpil Ryu

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This study aimed to address the main research question of how work and family role stressors effect employees' well-being. In particular, this study addressed four main research topics: (a) whether work and family role stressors are significantly associated with well-being indicators; (b) whether work and family role stressors are related differently to well-being for men and women; (c) whether work and family role stressors have cross-domain effects, and which domain has more predictive power to explain an individual's healthiness; and (d) whether any differences exist between private- and public-sector employees in the relationship between work and family role stressors and …

Asbestos Exposure In The Research Laboratory, Ediberto D. Garcia

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Asbestos has been employed in a myriad of industrial applications for more than a century. Of the 181 Mt of asbestos produced worldwide, over 31 Mt was consumed in the U.S. The production and consumption of this mineral eventually was found to cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. While the brunt of the human exposure to asbestos occurred in insulation work, many more workers in other jobs were expose to asbestos fibers. Very little is known about the potential exposure to asbestos in research labs.

Goal: In order to investigate potential research lab work exposures, we simulated lab work …

Assessment Of Neck And Shoulder Muscle Coactivations And The Effect On The Musculoskeletal System, Regina Derria Pope-Ford

Dissertations

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) constitute one of the most important occupational health issues in healthcare workers who are susceptible to upper extremity disorders. Yet MSDs in the healthcare professions have not been studied extensively beyond the lower back. The focus population for this research is the field of dentistry where neck and shoulder disorders have been documented to have a high prevalence. Though quantitative data has been collected, many prior studies have focused on self-reported information. The goal of this research is to provide insight into the inter-relationship of muscles in the upper extremities. One way to accomplish this is to …

Disparate Health Implications Stemming From The Propensity Of Elderly And Medically Fragile Populations To Shelter In Place During Severe Storm Events, Joshua G. Behr, Rafael Diaz

VMASC Publications

Chronic conditions, disability limitations (mobility, cognitive, and sensory), and the need for assistance with activities of daily living are characteristics of elderly and medically fragile populations. Theory suggests that households with these vulnerability attributes are more likely to suffer storm-induced adverse and prolonged health consequences and, therefore, ought to evidence an increased propensity to evacuate prior to a severe storm event. Yet despite being more sensitive to storm disruption, the elderly and medically fragile populations are only slightly more likely to evacuate in the face of impending storms. This suggests, for these groups, there may be other factors such as …

Lead-Based Paint Awareness, Work Practices, And Compliance During Residential Construction And Renovation, James D. Blando, Nickita Antoine, Daniel Lefkowitz

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently implemented the Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule that applies to pre-1978 residences because of the potential presence of lead-based paint. Enforcement of this rule may be difficult and therefore it is crucial to understand the awareness and beliefs of contractors and the general public because these will likely be major determinants of exposures resulting from residential renovation work. The study described in this article utilized two mailed surveys: one directed to the general public and the other directed to contractors. The surveys were conducted in New Jersey and Virginia. Field observations were also …

Identifying Environmental Health Priorities In Underserved Populations: A Study Of Rural Versus Urban Communities, M. C. Bernhard, M. B. Evans, S. T. Kent, E. Johnson, S. L. Threadgill, S. M. Becker

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objectives- Understanding and effectively addressing persistent health disparities in minority communities requires a clear picture of members' concerns and priorities. This study was intended to engage residents in urban and rural communities in order to identify environmental health priorities. Specific emphasis was placed on how the communities: defined the term environment; their perceptions of environmental exposures as affecting their health; specific priorities in their communities; and differences in urban versus rural populations.

Study design- A community-engaged approach was used to develop and implement focus groups and compare environmental health priorities in urban versus rural communities.

Methods- A total of eight …

Mining Workers Ability To Identify Hazards Using A Picture Survey, Susanne T. Bahn

Research outputs 2013

This paper presents the first phase on a study investigating the skills of workers in the resource sector at their safety induction to identify workplace hazards. This study questioned the ability of managers and employees to identify workplace hazards correctly (phase 1) and to determine the processes that can be used to increase hazard identification skills (phase 2). Fifty-four completed surveys that contained 6 pictures displaying complex and hazardous work environments in an underground mine in WA are analysed. The analysis sought to determine the average number of hazards that each participant could identify out of a possible 10 in …

Thermal Stress In North Western Australian Iron Ore Mining Staff, Jermiah John Peiffer, Chris Abbiss

Research outputs 2013

Introduction:Demand for Australian mined iron ore has increased employment within this sector, thus exposing increased numbers of workers to the harsh Australian climate. This study examined the influence of hot (>30°C wet bulb globe temperature) environmental temperatures, consistent with working in North Western Australia, on iron ore mining staff.Methods:Core temperature, hydration status, perceived exertion, mood, and fatigue state were measured in 77 participants at three time points (pre-, mid-, and post-shift) during a normal 12-h shift at an open-cut iron ore mining/processing site (n = 31; Site1) and an iron ore processing/shipping site (n = 46; Site 2).Results:A significant …

Improving Safety Culture: The Impact Of The Construction Induction Training On The Construction Industry In Western Australia, Susanne T. Bahn, Llandis G. Barratt-Pugh

Research outputs 2013

Australia strives to be a world leader in safety practice however improving safety cultures to reduce work-related injuries in the hazardous environment of the construction industry is a continual challenge. It is particularly difficult in Western Australia (WA) where the industry is engaging with the second development boom this century, often in isolated locations, and simultaneously adapting to the national harmonisation of OHS regulations. In 2006, Worksafe WA introduced mandatory certification in safety awareness training for all employees, before they could begin work on a construction site. This paper reviews the impact of this training on the construction industry, presenting …

Occupational Respiratory Health Surveillance At Minara Resources, Murrin Murrin Mine Site [Journal Article], Martyn Cross, Jacques Oosthuizen

Research outputs 2013

A respiratory health study of fly-in-fly-out workers potentially exposed to airborne contaminants, and a control group, was conducted at the Murrin Murrin mine site in Western Australia. Lung function was measured in terms of validated protocols (American Thoracic Society, 1995; Miller et al, 2005). The effect of length of service, as well as work area/department on lung function was established. Repeat lung function tests were conducted after approximately two years, in order to measure decrements over time. Furthermore, testing was conducted on a cohort of refinery workers prior to commencement and upon completion of their work period on-site (swing), in …

Regulating Small Firm Safety Via The Supply Chain: Implications Of The Australian Work Health And Safety Act, Susanne Bahn, John Kitching

Research outputs 2013

The impact of the Work Health and Safety Act (WHS Act) highlights subcontractor working practices. By motivating contractors to influence subcontractor working practices, regulation influences the latter’s health and safety performance. Indirect routes of regulatory influence, working via supply chains, might prove to be a more effective means of improving small firm health and safety than placing obligations upon subcontractors directly, and limit contractor exposure to their new liability for subcontractor breach.

Harmonisation Of Construction Health And Safety Laws In Australia, Manikam Pillay

Research outputs 2013

For over four decades all states and territories in Australia have maintained their own and separate set of laws for the management of health and safety risks in construction. This resulted in at least ten different sets of health and safety legislation. Responding to calls for national uniformity, a harmonised set of laws wer issued in 2011 by the Federal Government, in the form of Model Work Health and safety Act and Regulations. These, together with industry-specific codes of practice, are expected to provide construction organisations their first ever common set of standards and benchmarks across the states and territories …

The Unmet Promise Of Occupational Health And Safety Harmonisation: Continued Complexity For Small, Multi-Jurisdictional Firms, Susanne T. Bahn, Susan Mayson, Rowena Barrett, Llandis G. Barratt-Pugh

Research outputs 2013

Harmonisation of state-based occupational health and safety (OHS) regimes is a Council of Australian Governments (COAG) initiative designed to ‘cut red tape’ for Australian firms. However Western Australia’s, South Australia’s and Victoria’s lack of harmonisation makes it problematic for firms that conduct business in multiple jurisdictions. In this paper we investigate what impacts harmonisation has on firms generally and specifically smaller, multi-jurisdictional firms. First, we look at the requirements of the model WHS Act and what it said about managerial responsibilities for OHS. We focus on the due diligence clause which places personal liability on company directors or persons conducting …

Evaluation Of A Novel Rapid Diagnostic Test For Schistosoma Haematobium Based On The Detection Of Human Immunoglobulins Bound To Filtered Schistosoma Haematobium Eggs, Johnathan M. Sheele, Jimmy H. Kihara, Sarah Baddorf, Jonathan Byrne, Bhaskara Ravi

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

Objectives To determine whether the detection of human IgG bound to Schistosoma haematobium eggs from filtered urine could be used as a rapid diagnostic test (RDT-Sh).

Methods We filtered 160 urine samples from children in the Kwale District of Kenya to isolate S.haematobium eggs and used anti-human IgG antibody conjugated to horseradish peroxidase to bind to the human IgG attached to the eggs. We then added 3,35,5-tetramethylbenzidine base (TMB), which turns blue in the presence of horseradish peroxidase to detect the S.haematobium eggs. The RDT-Sh was compared in a blinded manner to urine microscopy.

Results The RDT-Sh was positive in …

Factors Influencing The Incidence Rates Of Injuries And Accidents Among Seafarers And Rig Workers Providing Support To The Wa Offshore Oil And Gas Industry, Tony Martinovich

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The aim of this study was to identify, discuss and make recommendations regarding causal factors associated with injuries and accidents among seafarers and rig workers providing support to the WA offshore oil and gas industry. These incidents cause significant personal and economic burdens for employees, employers and the community in general.

A sample of 484 participants were recruited from a workforce of 9800 employees (approximately 5%). Participants were stratified into 2 cohorts; those who had suffered injury (286 – study group) and those who had not (198 - controls).

Data from the study group were stratified into oilrig workers and …

Evaluation Of Pulmonary Risks Associated With Selected Occupations, Stephen Casey Harbison

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Occupational health surveillance programs are designed to evaluate and reduce injury, illness, and deaths related to workplace hazards. In the state of Florida, there are numerous industries where workers are potentially exposed to airborne hazards from gases, vapors and dusts. Airborne occupational exposures to irritants, vesicants, and fibrogens have the potential to cause pulmonary function impairment if exposures are not properly controlled for high-level acute exposure as well as chronic exposure. For occupations that demand workers be exposed to substances known to be associated with pulmonary function impairment, respirators may be a principal method for exposure

control. OSHA requires pulmonary …

Evaluation Of Occupational Risk Factors For Nurses And Cnas: Analysis Of Florida Workers' Compensation Claims Database, Sheila Mohammed

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Musculoskeletal injuries lead to most claims even though needlestick injuries receive the most attention. In 2010, health expenditures in the United States neared $2.6 trillion. CNAs, orderlies, and attendants had the highest rates of musculoskeletal disorders of all occupations with an incidence of 249 per 10,000 compared to 34 per 10,000 for all workers. The financial burden of back injuries in the healthcare industry is estimated to add up to $20 billion annually. Data was extracted for cause of injury, nature of injury and body part injured. Extracted data was analyzed both descriptively and by logistic and linear regression using …