Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene Commons^™

The Relationship Between Clinical Examination Measures And Ultrasound Measures Of Fascia Thickness Surrounding Trunk Muscles Or Lumbar Multifidus Fatty Infiltrations: An Exploratory Study, Christian Larivière, Richard Preuss, Dany H. Gagnon, Hakim Mecheri, Mark Driscoll, Sharon M. Henry

Études primaires

Patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) exhibit remodelling of the lumbar soft tissues such as muscle fatty infiltrations (MFI) and fibrosis of the lumbar multifidus (LuM) muscles, thickness changes of the thoracolumbar fascia (TLF) and perimuscular connective tissues (PMCT) surrounding the abdominal lateral wall muscles. Rehabilitative ultrasound imaging (RUSI) parameters such as thickness and echogenicity are sensitive to this remodelling. This experimental laboratory study aimed to explore whether these RUSI parameters (LuM echogenicity and fascia thicknesses), hereafter called dependent variables (DV) were linked to independent variables (IV) such as (1) other RUSI parameters (trunk muscle thickness and activation) and …

Validation Of An Emg Submaximal Method To Calibrate A Novel Dynamic Emg-Driven Musculoskeletal Model Of The Trunk: Effects On Model Estimates, Amir H. Eskandari, Farshid Ghezelbash, Aboulfazl Shirazi-Adl, Denis Gagnon, Hakim Mecheri, Christian Larivière

Études primaires

Background

Multijoint EMG-assisted optimization models are reliable tools to predict muscle forces as they account for inter- and intra-individual variations in activation. However, the conventional method of normalizing EMG signals using maximum voluntary contractions (MVCs) is problematic and introduces major limitations. The sub-maximal voluntary contraction (SVC) approaches have been proposed as a remedy, but their performance against the MVC approach needs further validation particularly during dynamic tasks.

Methods

To compare model outcomes between MVC and SVC approaches, nineteen healthy subjects performed a dynamic lifting task with two loading conditions.

Results

Results demonstrated that these two approaches produced highly correlated results …

Prerequisite For Imputing Non-Detects Among Airborne Samples In Osha’S Imis Databank: Prediction Of Sample’S Volume, Igor Burstyn, Philippe Sarazin, George Luta, Melissa C. Friesen, Laurel Kincl, Jérôme Lavoué

Études primaires

Introduction: The US Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) contains workplace measurements collected by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspectors. Its use for research is limited by the lack of record of a value for the limit of detection (LOD) associated with non-detected measurements, which should be used to set censoring point in statistical analysis. We aimed to remedy this by developing a predictive model of the volume of air sampled (V) for the non-detected results of airborne measurements, to then estimate the LOD using the instrument detection limit (IDL), as IDL/V.

Methods: We obtained the Chemical Exposure Health Data …

Analysis Of The Physical Discomfort Of Earplugs Experienced By A Group Of Workers In Canadian Companies And Identification Of The Influencing Variables, Bastien Poissenot-Arrigoni, Alessia Negrini, Djamal Berbiche, Franck Sgard, Olivier Doutres

Études primaires

Earplugs are widely used to prevent noise induced hearing loss. However, the discomforts they induce negatively impacts their effectiveness by influencing their consistent and correct use. The physical earplugs discomfort is related to the user perception resulting from biomechanical and thermal interactions between the earplug and the earcanal. Its main attributes are “physical annoyance”, “pain”, “pressure” and “irritation". The (dis)comfort results from the complex interactions between the wearer, his/her earplug, and his/her work environment, which form the concept of triad. This study aims at improving our understanding of the physical discomfort of earplugs by identifying the triad characteristics that have …

The Potential And Peculiarities Of Perma: A Meta-Analysis Of Two Well-Being Measures With Working Samples, William P. Jimenez, Xiaoxiao Hu, Rebecca Garden, Asiye Zeytonli

Psychology Faculty Publications

In the first meta-analysis of the PERMA well-being framework (i.e., positive emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaning, accomplishment), we cumulated 692 effect sizes (k = 33 independent samples, N = 10,050 workers). Average reliability did not meet the conventional ɑ = .70 threshold for engagement measured with the PERMA-Profiler or the Workplace PERMA Profiler or for negative emotions measured with the former. Overall, PERMA dimensions were strongly intercorrelated, and model comparisons suggested multidimensionality. We also summarized PERMA’s relationships with some conceptual antecedents (conscientiousness, loneliness); correlates (happiness, negative emotions); and outcomes (physical health, depressive symptoms, overall …

‘A Healthy Mtu’ A Mixed Methods Baseline Programme Of Research To Empirically Inform A Campus Health Promotion Initiative Within An Irish Higher Education Setting, Andrea Bickerdike

Theses

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have been called to lead global health promotion actions, yet there remains a dearth of empirically informed ‘Healthy University’ (HU) initiatives. This thesis constituted a baseline mixed methods needs assessment to inform a settings-based health promotion (HP) initiative (‘A Healthy MTU’) within a multi-campus ‘case’ HEI in Ireland (Cork campuses of MTU, formerly CIT). Specific aims were to (i) investigate student and staff health metrics, and (ii) identify the cultural and environmental determinants of health and wellbeing within the case HEI setting. Using a phased, mixed methodology (QUAN-QUAL), five sequential empirical studies were undertaken. Quantitative data …

Keeping Employees Safe During Health Crises: The Effects Of Media Exposure, Hr Practices, And Age, Shuqi Li, Henry R Young, Majid Ghorbani, Byron Y Lee, Daan Van Knippenberg, Russell E Johnson

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Occupational health and safety are critical in promoting the wellness of organizations and employees. The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most life-threatening viruses encountered in recent history, providing a unique opportunity for research to examine factors that drive employee safety behavior. Drawing from terror management theory, we propose and test a moderated mediation model using data collected from employees working during a peak of the pandemic. We identify two sources of influence - one external (i.e., media exposure), and one internal (i.e., HR practices) to the organization - that shape employees' mortality salience and safety behaviors. We find that …

Landscaping Wellness At Work: A Participatory Model For Worker-Centered Health, Anya Helena Piotrowski

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study contributes to a body of scholarship that demonstrates the benefits and need of employee-driven and defined wellness at work processes. This participatory action research study brought together a team of employees within a remote-work, start-up organization to define and design a process for implementing wellness at work for their organization. Through a participatory process that allowed outcomes to emerge from the group, employees identified opportunities to foster embodied wellness in their organization in three core areas: organizational, personal, and cross-boundary initiatives. Through a reflective collaboration, employees generated ideas and developed a plan to address employee-identified priorities that will …

Study Of Barrier Face Coverings And Respirator Exhalation Filtration Efficiency And Exhaled Air Velocity During Wear, Weihua Yang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of different types of respiratory protection, including National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Approved respirators and surgical masks in healthcare settings, as well as barrier face coverings (BFCs) used by the public as source control. The assessment was based on three components: total outward leakage (TOL), particle size distribution, and exhalation airflow velocity. To achieve this, the study utilized headform testing systems to measure TOL and airflow velocity. Specifically, a hard surface headform was used for NIOSH Approved respirators and surgical masks, while two soft surface headforms of different sizes were …

Systematic Review: Analisis Pengadaan Musik Kerja Terhadap Produktivitas Kerja Tenaga Kerja, Afan Alfayad, Endang Dwiyanti

Preventia: The Indonesian Journal of Public Health

This research was conducted to see the effectiveness of the procurement of work music on labor productivity. This study uses a systematic review method by finding 15 types of research articles, research articles are considered inclusion criteria based on PICOS (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Study Design Results, Year of Publication, and Language) as follows: 1) human sample, 2) work music intervention, 3) comparison of giving work music and not giving work music, 4) results: work productivity, 5) research articles, 6) articles published in 2012 until 2022, 7) in English and Indonesian. Procurement of work music is associated with increased worker productivity. …

Student Perception On Acceptability And Usefulness Of Sit-Stand Desks In College Classrooms, Abiola Kuilan

Theses

Sedentariness has been proved to be a major cause of various health concerns. Given that a full-time college student in the US spends more than 15 hours per week sitting in a college classroom, it may be an ideal setting for implementation of Sit-Stand Desk (SSD) to reduce college students’ sedentary time. Graduate and undergraduate students (N = 178) of NJIT were randomly recruited to complete a need based online assessment survey. Participants' mean (SD) age was 22.4(4.7) years old, 63% identified as male, 33% identified as female while 4% were of the other gender class. Among the participants, 44.3% …

Factors Associated With A Diagnosis Of Sarcoidosis Among Us Veterans Of Iraq And Afghanistan, Nisha Jani, Israel C Christie, Tianshi David Wu, Daniel E Guzman, Jaehwan Han, Bryan Broderick, Michael J Falvo, Anays Sotolongo, Omowunmi Y Osinubi, Drew A Helmer

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

This study evaluated risk factors of sarcoidosis among Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry (AHOBPR) participants using a retrospective age and sex-matched case-control design of AHOBPR participants deployed to Afghanistan or Southwest Asia with and without sarcoidosis diagnosed in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Logistic regression models tested for associations between sarcoidosis and self-reported cumulative deployment-related exposures. 661 Veterans (0.37%) were diagnosed with sarcoidosis in VHA. Logistic regression demonstrated lower odds of sarcoidosis in Hispanic participants (OR 0.08, CI 0.04-0.15) and those who served in the Navy (OR 0.40, CI 0.21-0.72). African American veterans (OR 2.27, CI 1.66-3.11) and …

Aerosols In Orthodontics: Characterization Of Particle Size And Travel Distance, Donte Jochum-Nesbitt

Theses & Dissertations

Introduction: Aerosol production is a key contributor to occupational risk and disease transmission in the dental clinic. These aerosols can host harmful pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2. Considering the 2020 pandemic, researchers endeavored to bolster the existing body of literature related to disease transmission via aerosols and droplets to provide better recommendations for infection control. This investigation aims to support that mission by characterizing the risk to orthodontic professionals and patients based on aerosolized particle size and travel distance. Methods: The experimental protocol used in this study was validated through a smaller scale pilot study in 2021. High- and Low-risk orthodontic …

Grip Characterization Of Protective Gloves, Doris Burns

Theses & Dissertations

In 2014, ASTM International (ASTM), one of the world's largest international standards developing organizations, published a new test method on glove grip performance. This method was adopted by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in some of their specification standards. The method utilized hand torque instead of the pull method previously used by the NFPA to determine the Percent Bare Hand Control Value (%BHCV). The %BHCV, compares torque results of a gloved hand versus a bare hand. In developing this new test method, only four males and one female participated; therefore, it is unclear if statistical significance was attained. In …

Étude Visant À Mieux Guider L’Évaluation Des Risques Des Travailleurs Exposés Aux Nanoparticules (Np) : Existe-T-Il Différentes Propriétés Inflammatoires Des Np Liées Au Sexe?, Marion Vanharen, Abdelaziz Saafane, Alexanne Léveillé, Thomas Mahbeer, Denis Girard

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Les nanotechnologies offrent un important potentiel d’exploitation dans des secteurs industriels variés, pour lequel les bénéfices financiers ne sont pas négligeables. À l’instar des provinces canadiennes et de nombreux pays industrialisés, le Québec voit un nombre grandissant de compagnies produisant des nanomatériaux et des nanoparticules (NP) se développer, sans oublier celles qui introduisent de plus en plus de NP dans leurs produits. Le nombre de travailleurs québécois œuvrant dans la fabrication et dans la synthèse des NP augmentera dans les années à venir. De plus, le nombre de travailleurs appelés à manipuler et à transformer des NP dans les domaines …

Prevalence And Predictors Of Burnout Syndrome Among Italian Psychologists Following The First Wave Of The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study, Pietro Crescenzo, Francesco Chirico, Giuseppe Ferrari, Lukasz Szarpak, Gabriella Nucera, Raffaella Marciano, Livio Tarchi, Diego Denicolo, Assunta Maiorino, Kavita Batra, Manoj Sharma

School of Medicine Faculty Research

Introduction: The main objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and predictors of Burnout Syndrome (BOS) among Italian psychologists following the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic. As a secondary objective, geographical differences in the prevalence of BOS symptoms were investigated across regional macro-areas in this category of workers. Methods: Using a non-probabilistic convenience sample, four-hundred sixty-eight participants responded to an online survey which included psychometric valid questions from the Maslach Burnout Inventory and The Big Five Inventory-10. Descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized to analyze the data. Results: The overall prevalence of BOS in the study sample was …

Analisis Faktor Risiko Keluhan Fatigue Pada Pramudi Brt (Bus Rapid Transit) Transjakarta Tahun 2022, Stefany Avelliana Megaranti, Chandra Satrya

National Journal of Occupational Health and Safety

There were 508 cases of Transjakarta Bus accidents in 2021. Investigation results by the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) revealed that one of the causes was driver fatigue. This study aims to describe fatigue complaints and analyze fatigue-related risk factors in Drivers of Transjakarta BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) and Non-BRT in 2022. This research is a quantitative study with an analytical descriptive research design. The research sample was 124 Drivers of Transjakarta BRT and Non-BRT. The independent variables in this study are work-related risk factors (Work Duration, Shift Work, Rest Time, Commuting Time, and Workload). The covariates in this study …

Gambaran Faktor Psikososial Dan Distress Pada Guru Sekolah Luar Biasa (Slb) Di Kota Depok Saat Pandemi Covid-19 Tahun 2022, Azka Hafia, Dadan Erwandi

National Journal of Occupational Health and Safety

This study aims to obtain an overview of psychosocial factors and distress among special education teachers in Depok during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022. This study used a cross-sectional study design with a semi-quantitative approach through filling out questionnaires and interviews. A total of 67 special education teachers in Depok participated in this study. The results showed that 34.3% of teachers experienced moderate distress, and 16.4% of teachers experienced significant distress. Then, it was found that distress is more experienced by female teachers (52.7%), aged > 30 years (52.4%), came from non-PLB study programs (52.5%), did not have personality type A …

Analisis Stres Kerja Pada Pengemudi Truk Pengantar Produk Pt Xyz Tahun 2022, Riska Oktaviana, Hendra Hendra

National Journal of Occupational Health and Safety

Drivers are one of the occupational groups with the highest risk of experiencing workplace stress. This can happen to truck drivers who play an important role in the PT XYZ product delivery process. This study aims to describe the work stress level in PT XYZ product delivery truck drivers and the risk factors associated with work stress. The factors studied include individual factors (age, marital status, place of residence, number of children, and length of service), psychosocial factors related to job context (job control, social support, and home-work interface), and job content (physical environment of the cabin, workload, and working …

Gambaran Faktor Kegagalan Laten Dan Kegagalan Aktif Pada Kecelakaan Transportasi Darat Di Indonesia Tahun 2019 – 2021, Rahma Laili Khairina, Dadan Erwandi

National Journal of Occupational Health and Safety

Road transportation accidents are the eighth leading cause of death worldwide, reaching 1.35 million people annually (WHO, 2021). Data from the NTMC Korlantas Polri for 2019-2021 shows that the number of road transportation accidents in Indonesia is above 100 thousand every year. This study identifies latent and active failure factors contributing to Indonesia's land transportation accidents to determine the causes of accidents comprehensively. This study uses secondary data with 320,084 traffic accident case reports in 2019-2021 belonging to the NTMC Korlantas Polri. The method used is qualitative by analyzing based on the Swiss Cheese Model. The results of this study …