Occupational Health and Industrial Hygiene Commons^™

Assessing The Health And Safety Aspects Of Reboiler Maintenance Activities, William Svendsen

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Maintenance on equipment at an oil and gas facility is an everyday occurrence in Alberta, Canada. Due to their inherent hazards, especially from explosion, fire and chemicals, these facilities (refineries and upgraders) are tightly regulated places in which to work. In these plants, hazards can come in many different shapes and forms; all of which must be mitigated to ensure the safety of both the equipment and the workers. Examples of such hazards include hydrogen sulphide (H2S), naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM), ergonomics and noise.

The intent of this survey was to determine if there were any gaps in Client …

Exposure Assessment To Respirable Crystalline Silica Particles During Airfield Maintnenance Concrete Operations, Kenneth Pratt

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

Crystalline silica is found in naturally occurring and manmade materials. According to OSHA, approximately 2.2 million people are exposed to silica each year (OSHA, 2002). These individuals are at an increased risk of silicosis, an incurable disease that is often fatal. The objective of this project was to determine if airport maintenance workers are exposed to crystalline silica over the current permissible exposure limit. Two days of sampling was conducted and it was determined that there was some exposure to the Airfield Paint Crew exceeding the action level. The highest employee exposure was at 0.362 mg/m3 with a corresponding PEL …

Heat Stress Prevention Program For Workers In Demilitarization Protective Ensemble At Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant Training Facility, Joseph Padayhag

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) is being constructed to dispose of the entire stockpile of sulfur mustard contained in munitions stored at Pueblo Chemical Depot, Colorado. The PCAPP Training Facility provides courses on protective measures necessary for making entries into areas with hazardous concentrations of chemical warfare agents in air. Students are trained to work in Demilitarization Protective Ensemble (DPE), an encapsulating, impermeable, and positive pressure suit. The course includes wearing the suit and performing tasks to simulate work in PCAPP toxic areas.

Wearing DPE will increase the heat stress load for workers making entries. The PCAPP heatstress …

Occupational Silica Exposure For The Fuel Distributing Company On Hydraulic Fracturing Locations, Caleb Moore

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

This report investigates the potential exposure to respirable crystalline silica experienced by fuel distributing employees on hydraulic fracturing locations. Hydraulic fracturing is an oil and gas technique used to develop shale formations all across the United States of America. This is done by injecting large volumes of water, sand, and treatment chemicals under high pressure into oil wells within the shale formation. This well stimulation is possible due to the high pressure of the fluid, which creates and opens cracks and fissures in the formation. The sand contained inside the fluid flows into these opened fissures and becomes wedged, holding …

A Pilot Study To Assess The Impact Of The Proposed Crystalline Silica Standard In The Construction Industry, Kendra Lyons

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

No worker should have to suffer a life altering or fatal illness for the sake of a job, yet thousands of workers have died or developed a disabling illness from occupational exposure to silica. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has not updated the permissible exposure limit (PEL) for silica since 1971. The current PEL for respirable crystalline silica in the construction industry is 250 mppcf/ (%SiO₂ + 5) TWA which is adjusted per the amount of silica in the sample. This exposure limit is known to cause silicosis, a disease developed from silica exposure. The construction industry …

Literature Review Of Studies Linking Benzene And Leukemia, Kylene Owens

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

The purpose of this review was to discover how the by-products of oil production, such as benzene played a significant role in health issues, particularly leukemia. The objective is to evaluate the association of benzene exposure and leukemia through laboratory toxicity studies and public and occupational epidemiology studies. Multiple articles were researched to find a link between benzene exposure and the development of leukemia. Several articles were viewed and some eliminated due to their irrelevant to this paper or their duplicated information with other articles. A total of six articles were selected for this paper. Research has shown that benzene …

Anticipation, Recognition, Evaluation, And Control Of Lead Exposure Associated With Sources Ouniquie To Highway Construction Projects, Jack Packwood

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

No abstract provided.

Formaldehyde: Is It A Problem In My Home?, Cheryl (Cheri) L. Marcham

Publications

This guide is intended to help you decide if you want to investigate a possible indoor formaldehyde problem that you suspect is attributable to laminate flooring.

Methylene Chloride Exposure Evaluation During Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Manufacturing, Janet Rullman

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

A manufacturer utilizes methylene chloride (CH2Cl2) (CAS 75-09-2), also known as dichloromethane, to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients. Methylene chloride is specifically regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) under 29 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) 1910.1052. Evaluation and documentation of employee exposure to methylene chloride is required to comply with OSHA regulations. In addition to OSHA compliance, it is also important to evaluate employee exposure levels to determine if respiratory protection, regulation of the work area, and medical monitoring are necessary.

This industrial hygiene report describes an investigation into the risks of exposure to methylene chloride. This report …

Health And Safety Considerations Associated With Sodium Debris Bed Experimental Nuclear Assembly Dismantlement, Alan Carvo

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

As the end of World War II approached, scientists who developed the processes to generate nuclear material for war-time use grew interested in applying those technologies to the generation of power for cities across the United States. Concerns about the availability of natural uranium led to the development of self-fueling fast neutron breeder reactors. In order to produce plutonium at a rate greater than the consumption of uranium during a nuclear chain reaction, high-energy “fast” neutrons are required. Fast neutron reactors utilize low melting-point metals, like sodium, to provide cooling.

After the earliest reactors experienced trouble providing adequate cooling during …

A Study Of A Simulated Infectious Disease On Healthcare Workers' Reaction, Knowledge, Attitudes, And Performance Towards Hand Hygiene, Lydia Wigglesworth-Ballard

Health Services Research Dissertations

Problem Statement. The high rate of healthcare worker-patient contact provides many opportunities for exposure to pathogens, which creates challenges in assessing healthcare workers' success at preventing healthcare associated infections caused by these dangerous pathogens.

Methods. This study explored the effects of a simulated infectious disease on healthcare workers' hand hygiene knowledge, attitudes, performance, and reactions using Kirkpatrick's Four levels of Evaluation. The study utilized a mixed method pre-test – 2 post-test design. The dependent variables were hand hygiene knowledge, attitudes toward hand hygiene guidelines, hand hygiene performance, and reaction to the overall experience. Data was collected three times over a …

Approche Intégrée Pour Une Conception Et Une Manipulation Sécuritaires Des Nanomatériaux : Un Programme Basé Sur Une Concertation Entre L’Industrie Et Des Évaluateurs Des Risques Sanitaires, Claude Emond, Serge Kouassi, Frédéric Schuster

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Les nanotechnologies de synthèse se développent à un rythme presque exponentiel. Les estimations anticipées des retombées de cette technologie font miroiter un potentiel économique énorme à la grandeur de la planète. Par conséquent, plusieurs pays investissent massivement dans ce domaine de nouvelles technologies. Cependant, les responsables industriels des nanomatériaux et les spécialistes en évaluation des risques sanitaires ont une compréhension différente des programmes de sécurité devant baliser l’utilisation de cette nouvelle technologie dont on connaît peu les dangers pour la santé et la sécurité des travailleurs.

Plusieurs études montrent l’existence d’une réactivité biologique particulière des nanoparticules en raison de leur …

Les Emplois Verts Au Québec : Définition Et Appréciation De Leurs Risques Chimiques Ou Biologiques Potentiels Pour La Santé Des Travailleurs, Erwan Cheneval, Marc-Antoine Busque, Claude Ostiguy, Jacques Lavoie, Robert Bourbonnais, France Labrèche, Joseph Zayed

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Les emplois générés par les efforts d’écologisation de l’économie sont en pleine croissance. Ces emplois, couramment appelés « emplois verts », étaient estimés en 2010 à plus de 155 000 au Québec et à 682 000 au Canada. Ces chiffres dépendent bien entendu des définitions données aux termes « écologie » et « environnement », mais donnent une idée de l’importance de ce secteur en croissance. Plusieurs nouvelles technologies se développent et il est impératif d’en apprécier les risques potentiels pour la santé des travailleurs.

L’objectif de cette recherche est de tracer le portrait québécois des emplois verts et d’apprécier …

Portrait Des Pratiques De Prévention Primaire Et Secondaire En Bureautique Au Québec Chez Les Intervenants Et Dans Les Milieux De Travail, Marie Saint-Vincent, Sylvie Montreuil, Georges Toulouse, Roselyne Trudeau

Rapports de recherche scientifique

Dans la perspective de stimuler la prévention des troubles musculo-squelettiques (TMS) dans le domaine de la bureautique au Québec, et de préparer un guide de bonnes pratiques, une première étape nous est apparue incontournable : documenter les pratiques de praticiens et celles mises en œuvre dans les milieux de travail au Québec. Il s’agissait de décrire ce qui se fait au Québec, de déterminer les approches les plus prometteuses, de décrire les difficultés rencontrées et, inversement, les conditions de succès.

L’étude a été réalisée en deux temps. D’abord, 25 praticiens ont été interrogés, 23 seuls et quatre en binômes pour …

Iarc Monographs: 40 Years Of Evaluating Carcinogenic Hazards To Humans, Neil Pearce, Aaron Blair, Paolo Vineis, Wolfgang Ahrens, Aage Andersen, Melissa J. Perry, +Several Additional Authors

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Background: Recently, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Programme for the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans has been criticized for several of its evaluations, and also for the approach used to perform these evaluations. Some critics have claimed that failures of IARC Working Groups to recognize study weaknesses and biases of Working Group members have led to inappropriate classification of a number of agents as carcinogenic to humans.

Objectives: The authors of this Commentary are scientists from various disciplines relevant to the identification and hazard evaluation of human carcinogens. We examined criticisms of the IARC classification process …

Penile Microbiota And Female Partner Bacterial Vaginosis In Rakai, Uganda, Cindy M. Liu, Bruce A. Hungate, Aaron A.R. Tobian, Jacques Ravel, Lance B. Price, +8 Additional Authors

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common vaginal bacterial imbalance associated with risk for HIV and poor gynecologic and obstetric outcomes. Male circumcision reduces BV-associated bacteria on the penis and decreases BV in female partners, but the link between penile microbiota and female partner BV is not well understood. We tested the hypothesis that having a female partner with BV increases BV-associated bacteria in uncircumcised men. We characterized penile microbiota composition and density (i.e., the quantity of bacteria per swab) by broad-coverage 16S rRNA gene-based sequencing and quantitative PCR (qPCR) in 165 uncircumcised men from Rakai, Uganda. Associations between penile community …

Development Of A Support Approach For 911 Call Centre Work With A View To Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders And Psychological Health Problems, Georges Toulouse, Louise St-Arnaud, Mariève Pelletier

Rapports de recherche scientifique

La présente étude constitue un prolongement des recherches antérieures ayant pour objectif de réduire les risques psychosociaux associés aux troubles musculosquelettiques et de santé psychologique chez les préposés des centres d’urgence 9-1-1. Elle se fonde plus précisément sur la précédente recherche (Toulouse et coll., 2011) dont les résultats suggéraient la nécessité de mieux soutenir les préposés aux prises avec des situations d’appels difficiles. En effet, les résultats montraient que les situations, qui génèrent une charge de travail ou une charge cognitive plus élevée sont corrélées à l’augmentation de l’intensité des douleurs au cou et aux épaules, alors que les douleurs …

Prehipertensi Pada Obesitas Abdominal, Lia Churniawati, Santi Martini, Catharina Umbul Wahyuni

Kesmas

Prehipertensi banyak terjadi pada penderita obesitas abdominal. Prevalensi obesitas abdominal di Kabupaten Gresik sebesar 21,5%. Kepatuhan diet penderita prehipertensi dengan obesitas abdominal diperlukan untuk mengurangi risiko terjadinya hipertensi. Prehipertensi dan hipertensi berhubungan dengan pelbagai komplikasi pada hampir seluruh organ. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis determinan prehipertensi pada obesitas abdominal di Kabupaten Gresik. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di Kabupaten Gresik pada November 2013 - November 2014 dengan rancangan penelitian potong lintang. Responden adalah pasien yang datang ke unit rawat jalan puskesmas yang diambil secara konsekutif sejumlah 74 orang. Responden berusia antara 25 - 64 tahun, mengalami obesitas abdominal, tidak hamil, tidak hipertensi, …

Cemaran Mikroba Escherichia Coli Dan Total Bakteri Koliform Pada Air Minum Isi Ulang, Rolan Sudirman Pakpahan, Intje Picauly, I Nyoman W. Mahayasa

Kesmas

Jumlah layanan air minum melalui depot air minum di Kota Kupang meningkat dengan rata-rata 1,44 setiap tahun sejak 2010, sementara tidakterdapat jaminan kualitas air minum isi ulang memenuhi syarat setiap saat. Hasil pemeriksaan sampel air minum isi ulang di Kota Kupang tahun 2013 menunjukkan 37,5% tercemar mikroba. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah menganalisis cemaran mikroba dan mengetahui determinan cemaran Escherichia coli (E. coli) dan total koliform pada air minum isi ulang. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain studi potong lintang periode Januari Maret 2015. Populasi penelitian berjumlah 51 depot air minum yang ditentukan menggunakan teknik total sampling. Analisis data dilakukan secara univariat, analisis …

Akses Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional Pada Pekerja Seks Perempuan, Ni Made Sri Nopiyani, Putu Ayu Indrayathi, Rina Listyowati, I Ketut Suarjana, Pande Putu Januraga

Kesmas

Pekerja seks perempuan (PSP) merupakan kelompok yang termarginalkan secara sosial dan memiliki kerentanan yang tinggi terhadap masalah kesehatan. Upaya perluasan Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional (JKN) pada PSP masih terbatas sehingga penting dilakukan untuk mendukung pencapaian universal health coverage. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memperoleh gambaran mengenai akses JKN pada PSP di Denpasar. Penelitian ini merupakan studi kualitatif. Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara mendalam terhadap 15 orang PSP dan empat orang mucikari di Denpasar pada Agustus hingga Oktober 2014. Hasil wawancara diolah dengan analisis tematik. Kerangka analisis yang digunakan adalah The Health Access Livelihood Framework. Kepemilikan JKN pada PSP di Denpasar masih rendah, meskipun …