Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene Commons^™

Secteur Éolien : Risques En Santé Et En Sécurité Au Travail Et Stratégies De Prévention, Jean-Louis Chaumel, Laurent Giraud, Adrian Ilinca

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Malgré une très forte croissance de l'implantation d'éoliennes à travers le monde et notamment au Québec, les statistiques d'accidents de travail, même au niveau international, demeurent fragmentaires et illustrent mal la situation en matière de santé et de sécurité au travail dans ce secteur. Cette étude visait à mieux comprendre les risques et les pratiques en santé et en sécurité du travail, alors que des centaines d’éoliennes de grande puissance s’ajoutent chaque année au Québec. Il s’agissait donc d’effectuer un état des lieux de l'industrie éolienne.

La démarche utilisée dans cette étude utilise plusieurs voies, autres que la seule analyse …

"Nursing Contamination: Wearing Scrubs In Public", Kemble Green

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Nurses are frequently seen in public in their “scrubs,” which could mean that contaminated clothing is being brought into the community, thereby posing an infection risk. The purpose of this study is to investigate if and which contaminants are present on the fabrics and the actions nurses are taking to eliminate contamination risks.

Eleven scrub tops were worn on hospital units over one twelve-hour shift. The contaminated scrubs and three control tops were then swabbed and used to inoculate agar plates. After incubation, colonies were counted, streaked onto nutrient and Mannitol-salt agar for isolation, and incubated. Using API Staph strips …

Multidrug-Resistant And Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa) In Hog Slaughter And Processing Plant Workers And Their Community In North Carolina (Usa), Ricardo Castillo Neyra, Jose A. Frisancho, Jessica L. Rinsky, Carol Resnick, Karen C. Carroll, Ana M. Rule, Tracy Ross, Yaqi You, Lance B. Price, Ellen K. Silbergeld

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Background: Use of antimicrobials in industrial food-animal production is associated with the presence of antimicrobial resistant Staphylococcus aureus among animals and humans. Hog slaughter/processing plants process large numbers of animals from industrial animal operations, and are environments conducive to the exchange of bacteria between animals and workers.

Objectives: To compare the prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and multidrug resistant S. aureus(MDRSA) carriage between processing plant workers, their household members, and community residents.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of hog slaughter/processing plant workers, their household members, and community residents in North Carolina. Participants responded to a questionnaire and …

Biomechanical And Ergonomic Impacts Of Handling In Obese Workers, Philippe Corbeil, André Plamondon, Normand Teasdale, Grant Handrigan, Jasmin Ten Have, Nancy Manzerolle

Rapports de recherche scientifique

L’obésité est un problème émergent qui a des répercussions en santé et en sécurité du travail (SST). La prévalence de blessures musculo-squelettiques chez les individus obèses et les coûts indirects (non médicaux) sont plus élevés que ceux des travailleurs ayant un poids santé. Sachant qu’une hausse soutenue du taux d’obésité chez les travailleurs est observée au Canada, il est important de s’intéresser à la problématique de l’obésité liée au travail. Les risques de blessures au dos survenues au travail sont très élevés et la profession la plus touchée est celle de manutentionnaire. On connait peu l’effet de l’obésité sur les …

Development Of A Molecular Method For Detecting The Causative Agent Of Swimmer's Itch (Trichobilharzia) In Freshwater Ecosystems, Heidi Mcmaster

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Cercarial dermatitis, commonly known as swimmer's itch, is caused by penetration of larvae of the schistosome,Trichobilharzia, into the dermis and epidermis layers of the skin. Symptoms are characterized by painful swelling and itching at the site of penetration. The normal hosts for the life cycle of the schistosome are aquatic birds and aquatic snails. The most frequently used method of detection forTrichobilharziais microscopy. With increases in the occurrence of cercarial dermatitis outbreaks in freshwater in the Southwestern United States, it is becoming increasingly important to develop and standardize a molecular method for rapid detection that can assist health professionals and …

The Relationship Of Body Mass Index On Primary Care Physician Practice Behaviors With Their Overweight And Obese Patients, Kevin A. Vrablik Md, Mph, Facoem, Judith Green-Mckenzie Md, Mph, Facoem, Steven W. Godin Phd, Mph, Phi Certificate

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Hispanic Laborer Killed When Struck By Falling Plywood On A Commercial Construction Site, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Construction

On a clear windy Wednesday, around 11:50 a.m., a 24 year-old Hispanic laborer was helping his brother-in-law load trusses on the ground, when a gust of wind ripped an 8 foot by 4 foot sheet of plywood from another Hispanic laborer’s hands as he was handing the plywood to a co-worker 60 feet above on a commercial construction site roof. The co-worker on the roof tried to grab the sliding plywood by jumping onto it, but could not stop it. The co-worker’s life line prevented him from falling over the edge of the roof. As the plywood reached the edge …

Modélisation Par Simulation Numérique De La Ventilation Des Silos-Tours En Tenant Compte De La Chute, Ali Bahloul, Fernando Villalpando, Mauricio Chavez, Marcelo Reggio, Nicole Goyer

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Les silos à fourrage sont des espaces clos où surviennent des accidents graves et mortels. Certains de ces accidents sont liés à une atmosphère déficiente en oxygène (O₂) en raison de la présence de gaz carbonique (CO₂), ou encore à celle de gaz toxiques, dont le dioxyde d’azote (NO2). Ces gaz sont produits lors du processus de fermentation des fourrages.

À la demande de la Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CSST) et de l’Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA), une étude sur la documentation des gaz toxiques lors de la fermentation du …

Outils Vibrants : Paramètres Biomécaniques Et Sensorimoteurs Affectant La Réponse Biodynamique Du Système Main-Bras, Denis Marchand, Pierre Marcotte, Christian Larivière, Christian Kelly, Vincent Mandeville-Gauthier

Rapports de recherche scientifique

L’exposition aux vibrations est une préoccupation importante au regard de la prévention des troubles musculo-squelettiques aux membres supérieurs. Les vibrations main-bras sont spécifiquement reconnues pour être la cause du syndrome des vibrations, une maladie atteignant les doigts et la main en matière vasculaire, musculo-squelettique et neurosensoriel. De longues durées et de fortes intensités de vibration peuvent accélérer l’apparition des symptômes.

Cette étude, qui comporte deux volets, a servi à explorer différentes variables pouvant influencer la transmission de la vibration aux membres supérieurs tout comme la sollicitation musculaire. Douze participants regroupés selon deux somatotypes (six ectomorphes et six mésomorphes) ont participé …

Les Facteurs Influençant Le Retour Au Travail Après Une Dépression : Le Point De Vue Et Le Rôle Des Acteurs Syndicaux, Marc Corbière, Louise St-Arnaud, Marie-José Durand, Marie-France Coutu, Tania Lecomte, Alessia Negrini, Marianne Renard

Rapports de recherche scientifique

En 2005, l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS) stipulait que dans moins d’une décennie, la dépression constituerait une des premières causes d’incapacité avec les maladies cardiovasculaires (World Health Organization, 2005). En effet, on constate une augmentation des prestations d’invalidité attribuables aux troubles mentaux, notamment la dépression. Celles-ci sont à l’origine de plus de 40% de toutes les réclamations d’assurance-salaire (MSSS, 2005). Le retour au travail des employés qui ont dû s’absenter en raison d’une dépression est parfois complexe car il implique plusieurs acteurs. À notre connaissance, peu d’études se sont intéressées au point de vue des acteurs syndicaux quant aux …

A Potential Source Of Ozone With Concomitant Health Effects In The Hospital Environment, Kevin A. Vrablik Md, Mph, Facoem, Philip G. Lewis Md, Mph, Facoem, Judith Green-Mckenzie Md, Mph, Facoem

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

The Long, Lonely Job Of Homo Academicus: Focusing The Research Lens On The Professor's Own Schedule, John P. Ziker

Boise State University Publications and Presentations

In this piece, anthropologist John Ziker details the first stage of a study of faculty time allocation based on a self-monitoring survey instrument that uses time allocation reporting, a technique used by anthropologists in the field. The first phase of the study found that respondents—all professors at Boise State—spend a large amount of time in meetings and30 percent of their time doing administrative tasks unrelated to teaching and research. Faculty work well over a 40-hour work week, including putting in time off campus and during the weekends. And they spend a majority of time working alone. —Eds.

Exploring The Energy Link Between Emotion Regulation At Work And Health Behaviors, Ryan Christopher Johnson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The present study explores the process through which the regulation of emotions at work, also known as emotional labor, depletes self-regulatory resources, specifically energy, and distally impacts health behaviors in the form of less physical activity and more unhealthy eating. Differences in relationships between two forms of emotional labor, surface acting and deep acting, as well as differences between psychological and physical energy depletion, are explored. Additionally, the roles of trait mindfulness and future temporal focus are examined as between-individual differences moderating the proposed relationships.

Multi-level analysis of daily diary data collected from participants (N = 108 participants) over ten …

Grain Truck Driver Killed At Train Crossing, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Motor Vehicle

On a clear fall Wednesday afternoon, at 3:45 p.m., a 69 year-old driver of a semi-trailer loaded with soybeans was killed when he turned off a two lane state highway and into a farm driveway, directly into the path of an oncoming freight train. The train and truck were both travelling west on parallel pathways; the truck driver was struck on the blind spot of his cab’s passenger side by the train. The truck driver was not wearing his seatbelt and was ejected from the cab. The train finally came to a stop at the next intersection, approximately a half …

Trends And Costs Of Industry-Related Injuries In The United States [1998 - 2009], Delphine Fontcha

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In order to describe the trend, characteristics, and cost of occupational injuries that occurred in industrial settings across the United States between 1998 and 2009, a cross sectional analysis based on hospital discharge data was conducted. The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) data from the Healthcare and Cost Utilization Project (HCUP)(1) was used. Identification of relevant injuries from the sample was performed using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9 CM) code E849.3 (industrial place and premises)(8).

A total of 307,586 (weighted) patients with industrial related injuries were discharged from hospitals in the United States during the period …

The Burden Of Influenza-Like Illness In The Us Workforce, Y. Tsai, F. Zhou, I. K. Kim

United States Public Health Resources

Background -- The disease burden of influenza-like illnesses (ILIs) on the working population has been documented in the literature, but statistical evidence of ILI-related work absenteeism in the USA is limited due to data availability.

Aims -- To assess work absenteeism due to ILIs among privately insured employees in the USA in 2007–8 and 2008–9.

Methods -- We used the 2007–9 MarketScan® research databases. Full-time employees aged 18–64 years, with the ability to incur work absence and continuously enroled in the same insurance plan during each season were included. We identified ILI episodes using ICD-9 codes for influenza and …

The Effect Of Fungal Growth On Potential Phthalate Ester Exposures From Plasticized Polyvinyl Chloride, Garrick Johnson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the effects of the presence of fungal growth on the phthalate ester content of plasticized polyvinyl chloride (pPVC) used as the vapor barrier component of metal building insulation and the impact the fungal growth may have on the resulting exposure potential to the workers in the building. Individual pieces of the pPVC material exhibiting fungal growth and individual pieces of the pPVC material exhibiting no fungal growth were collected from the building being investigated. Twenty-five pieces each of the pPVC material exhibiting fungal growth and of the pPVC material exhibiting no fungal growth were weighed, reduced to …

Field Evaluation Of Solvent-Free Sampling With Di-N-Butylamine For The Determination Of Airborne Monomeric And Oligomeric 1,6-Hexamethylene Diisocyanate, Tiffany R. Heline

Theses and Dissertations

During this study, a field evaluation of a new sampling method using di-n-butylamine for the determination of airborne monomeric and oligomeric 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) was performed. The Supelco ASSET EZ4-NCO Dry Sampler was compared to the Omega Specialty Instrument Co. ISO-CHEK sampler. Three specific questions were addressed: 1) can HDI oligomers be quantified using HPLC-MS; 2) do ASSET and ISO-CHEK samplers collect equivalent HDI monomer & oligomer concentrations; and 3) what is the relative cost of ASSET samplers verse ISO-CHEK. Side-by-side HDI air sampling was conducted during polyurethane spray painting operations. ASSET samplers were analyzed by HPLC-MS for HDI monomer …

Hospitalizations And Costs Associated With Firearm-Related Violence And Injuries (Frevi) In The United States, Vikas Jindal

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Purpose

To evaluate costs associated with hospitalization due to Firearm-Related Violence and Injuries (FREVI) in the United States over the last decade, 2001-2009. We explored the following research questions:

1. Is there an increase in the prevalence of firearm injuries over the last decade

(2001-2009)?

2. What are the demographic patterns that characterize FREVIs in the U.S

(i.e., age, sex, racial and ethnic variations, urban/rural locations)?

3. What are the costs associated with firearm-related hospitalizations in the US?

Methods

This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. A stratified sample of 54,875 hospital discharges were extracted from the National Inpatient Sample Database …

Temporal Trends In Phthalate Exposures: Findings From The National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001-2010, Ami R. Zota, Antonia M. Calafat, Tracey J. Woodruff

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Background: Phthalates are ubiquitous environmental contaminants. Because of potential adverse effects on human health, butylbenzyl phthalate [BBzP; metabolite, monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP)], di-n-butyl phthalate [DnBP; metabolite, mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP)], and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) are being replaced by substitutes including other phthalates; however, little is known about consequent trends in population-level exposures.

Objective: We examined temporal trends in urinary concentrations of phthalate metabolites in the general U.S. population and whether trends vary by sociodemographic characteristics.

Methods: We combined data on 11 phthalate metabolites for 11,071 participants from five cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001–2010). …

Développement D’Un Indice Radiologique Représentatif De La Fonction De L’Épaule Chez Des Travailleurs Souffrant De Rupture De La Coiffe Des Rotateurs, Nicola Hagemeister, Pierre-Yves Lagacé, Joan Hereter Gregori, Laurence Marck, Dominique Rouleau, Nathalie Bureau, Patrice Tétreault, André Roy, Fidaa Al-Shakfa

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Les problèmes chroniques de douleur et de perte de fonction de l’épaule touchent jusqu’à 20 % des adultes (Pope, Croft et coll., 1997). La proportion serait encore plus élevée chez les adultes âgés de plus de 50 ans. Au Québec, la Commission de la santé et de la sécurité au travail du Québec (CSST) rapporte que, pour les années 2003 à 2006, les lésions à l'épaule représentaient 39% des 32 549 lésions inflammatoires dues à un travail répétitif ou à un traumatisme. Les lésions à l'épaule ont requis en moyenne 75,4 jours d'absence du travail et 4 533 $ en …

Santé Mentale Au Travail : Projet-Pilote Pour Passer D’Une Approche Individuelle De Réadaptation À Une Approche Organisationnelle De Prévention, Louise St-Arnaud, Mariève Pelletier, Michel Vézina, Catherine Briand, Pascal Paillé, Émélie Demers

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Les problèmes de santé mentale au travail représentent actuellement l’une des plus importantes causes d’absence du travail, et ce phénomène a connu une croissance marquée au cours des dernières années. Nos travaux antérieurs ont révélé que la majorité des travailleurs qui se sont absentés en raison d’un problème de santé mentale font référence aux difficultés vécues dans le cadre de leur activité professionnelle comme facteur ayant contribué à la détérioration de leur état de santé et de leur arrêt de travail, d’où l’importance d’orienter les pratiques de retour au travail vers la modification des facteurs de l’organisation du travail. L’objectif …

L’Absence D’Éosinophilie Bronchique Est-Elle Un Facteur De Mauvais Pronostic De L’Asthme Professionnel?, Catherine Lemière, Lucie Blais

Rapports de recherche scientifique

L’asthme est une maladie inflammatoire des bronches qui se traduit par une respiration sifflante, de la toux et de la difficulté à respirer. Ces symptômes s’accompagnent de changements de la fonction respiratoire qui comprennent une obstruction des bronches ainsi qu’une irritabilité anormale de celles-ci. L’inflammation présente dans l’asthme correspond la plupart du temps à la présence de cellules appelées éosinophiles. L’asthme professionnel (AP) est un asthme qui est causé par une allergie à un produit présent sur le lieu de travail. L’exposition à un agent professionnel, auquel un travailleur est allergique induit non seulement une diminution de la fonction respiratoire, …

Évaluation De Systèmes D’Amortissement Du Roulis Sur Les Bateaux De Pêche Semi-Hauturière Du Québec, Francis Coulombe, Marie-Hélène Fournier, Aurem Langevin

Rapports de recherche scientifique

La comparaison entre les statistiques des accidents mortels dans l’industrie halieutique et celles des autres catégories professionnelles révèle que la pêche est l’un des métiers les plus dangereux. À bord d’un navire, le travail est accompli dans des conditions difficiles, sur une plateforme en mouvement, exposée aux intempéries et glissante. Pour des raisons de sécurité et de facilité d’exécution durant les opérations de pêche, les travailleurs cherchent à diminuer l’influence des mouvements du navire, en utilisant des systèmes d’amortissement du roulis, dont la fonction principale est de limiter les mouvements latéraux sans trop influencer les mouvements longitudinaux (tangage) causés par …

A Metal Fabrication And Finishing Foreman Dies After 25 Foot Fall At A Commercial Building Site, Kentucky Injury Prevention And Research Center

Fatality Case Reports--Falls

On a fall Wednesday afternoon at 3:00 pm, a 53-year-old male fabrication and finishing foreman was installing sheets of insulation prior to decking on a commercial building. The foreman was standing at the edge of the decking on roof beams, arguing with an excavation contractor about the movement of his loader to complete grading work. Witnesses say the foreman was distracted when he told the other workers to spread the “itchy” (meaning rolls of fiberglass insulation). When the foreman took a step forward as he usually did, he fell off the edge and died of head and neck injuries.

To …

Beyond Basic Exercise Guidelines: Is Sitting Really The New Smoking?, Mary Stenson

Forum Lectures

The "Just Stand" movement has recently gained a foothold at CSB|SJU with the addition of sit-stand workstations in Clemens Library, Murray Hall, and several faculty and staff offices. Researchers have been studying "sitting disease," more formally termed sedentary physiology, for over a decade and have begun to conclude that simply meeting exercise guidelines is not enough to reduce risk for chronic diseases. An individual can be physically active and lead a sedentary lifestyle. The two are not mutually exclusive. The average American adult, even those who meet the general exercise guidelines, spends 55% of their waking hours sedentary. Sedentary behaviors …

Strategies To Reduce The Harmful Effects Of Extreme Heat Events: A Four-City Study, Jalonne L. White-Newsome, Sabrina Mccormick, Natalie R. Sampson, Miatta A. Buxton, Marie S. O'Neill, Carina J. Gronlund, Kathryn C. Conlon, Edith A. Parker

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Extreme heat events (EHEs) are becoming more intense, more frequent and longer lasting in the 21st century. These events can disproportionately impact the health of low-income, minority, and urban populations. To better understand heat-related intervention strategies used by four U.S. cities, we conducted 73 semi-structured interviews with government and non-governmental organization leaders representing public health, general social services, emergency management, meteorology, and the environmental planning sectors in Detroit, MI; New York City, NY; Philadelphia, PA and Phoenix, AZ—cities selected for their diverse demographics, climates, and climate adaptation strategies. We identified activities these leaders used to reduce the harmful effects of …

Inconclusive Findings: Now You See Them, Now You Don't, Christopher J. Porter, Lynn R. Goldman, Bernard D. Goldman

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Trends In Access To Water Supply And Sanitation In 31 Major Sub-Saharan African Cities: An Analysis Of Dhs Data From 2000 To 2012, Mike R. Hopewell, Jay P. Graham

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Background

By 2050, sub-Saharan Africa’s (SSA) urban population is expected to grow from 414 million to over 1.2 billion. This growth will likely increase challenges to municipalities attempting to provide access to water supply and sanitation (WS&S). This study aims to characterize trends in access to WS&S in SSA cities and identify factors affecting those trends.

Methods

DHS data collected between 2000 and 2012 were used for this analysis of thirty-one cities in SSA. Four categories of household access to WS&S were studied using data from demographic and health surveys – these included: 1) household access to an improved water …

A Case Control Study Of Environmental And Occupational Exposures Associated With Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Nasal Carriage In Patients Admitted To A Rural Tertiary Care Hospital In A High Density Swine Region, Leah Schinasi, Steve Wing, Kerri L. Augustino, Keith M. Ramsey, Delores L. Nobles, David B. Richardson, Lance B. Price, Maliha Aziz, Pia Macdonald, Jill R. Stewart

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Background

Distinct strains of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been identified on livestock and livestock workers. Industrial food animal production may be an important environmental reservoir for human carriage of these pathogenic bacteria. The objective of this study was to investigate environmental and occupational exposures associated with nasal carriage of MRSA in patients hospitalized at Vidant Medical Center, a tertiary hospital serving a region with intensive livestock production in eastern North Carolina.

Methods

MRSA nasal carriage was identified via nasal swabs collected within 24 hours of hospital admission. MRSA carriers (cases) were gender and age matched to non-carriers (controls). …