摘要:

To determine if wastewater workers had a higher prevalence of antibody to hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV) than drinking water workers, a convenience sample of Texas wastewater and drinking water workers was evaluated for risk factors by questionnaire and tested for anti-HAV. A total of 359 wastewater and 89 drinking water workers participated. Anti-HAV positivity was 28.4% for wastewater and 23.6% for drinking water workers. After adjustment for age, educational attainment, and Hispanic ethnicity, the odds ratio for the association between anti-HAV positivity and wastewater industry employment was 2.0 (95% confidence interval, 1.0 to 3.8). Among wastewater workers, never eating in a lunchroom, ≥8 years in the wastewater industry, never wearing face protection, and skin contact with sewage at least once per day were all significantly associated with anti-HAV positivity in a model that adjusted for age and educational attainment. Wastewater workers in this study had a higher prevalence of anti-HAV than drinking water workers, which suggested that wastewater workers may have been at increased risk of occupationally acquired hepatitis A. Work practices that expose workers to wastewater may increase their risk.

ISSN:1076-2752    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2000

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:1076-2752    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2000

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Our aim was to determine the impact of three different firefighting uniforms (traditional, modern, and modified modern) on the incidence and severity of thermal burn injuries, the major occupational injury affecting firefighters. Injury data were collected prospectively for the entire New York City Fire Department (FDNY) firefighting force wearing FDNY’s traditional uniform (protective over-coat) from May 1, 1993 to August 31, 1993; FDNY’s modern uniform (protective over-coat and over-pant) from May 1, 1995 to August 31, 1995; and FDNY’s modified modern uniform (short sleeved shirt and short pants, rather than long-sleeved shirt and long pants, worn under firefighter’s protective over-clothes) from May 1, 1998 to August 31, 1998. Outcome measures were burn incidence and severity. Adverse outcomes were heat exhaustion and cardiac events. During this 12-month study, 29,094 structural fires occurred. The incidence rate for upper extremity burns was 2341 per 100,000 fires and for lower extremity burns, 2076 per 100,000 fires. With the change from the traditional to modern uniform, the distribution of burns per fire decreased significantly (P= 0.001) for upper extremity burns (86%) and lower extremity burns (93%). With the change from traditional to modern uniform, days lost to medical leave for upper or lower extremity burns decreased by 89%. The majority of burns occurred at the lower arm and mid-leg, and the change to the modern uniform decreased such burns by 87% and 92%. Burn incidence and severity were not significantly affected by the change to the modified modern uniform. The distribution of heat exhaustion or cardiac events per fire was not significantly affected by the change from the traditional to modern uniform, and heat exhaustion was decreased (P< 0.001) by the change to the modified modern uniform. In conclusion, the modern uniform dramatically reduced burn incidence and severity without adverse impact. The modified modern uniform significantly reduced heat exhaustion without significantly affecting thermal protection.

ISSN:1076-2752    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2000

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:1076-2752    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2000

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Previous studies indicate an increased prevalence of knee disorders in some occupations possibly related to kneeling working positions. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship among knee-straining work, self-reported knee-complaints, and physical signs of knee disorders. The duration of knee-straining work was estimated from videotapes of representative work tasks. Floor layers (n= 133), carpenters (n= 506), and compositors (n= 327) aged 26 to 72 years without previous acute knee traumas were examined in a cross-sectional study by questionnaire. A stratified random sample of the questionnaire responders; 67 floor layers, 127 carpenters, and 101 compositors had independent double examinations for physical signs of knee disorders. The videotapes showed that knee-straining work constituted 56% of working time for floor layers, 26% for carpenters, and none for compositors. The prevalences of self-reported knee-complaints were positively associated with the amount of knee-straining work and were significantly different for the three trades. Floor layers and carpenters who were presently working in their trade had a higher prevalence of knee complaints than floor layers and carpenters who had left their trade. Age, seniority, weight, body mass index, smoking, and knee-straining sports activity had no significant effects. The clinical study showed a positive association for knee-straining work, hyperkeratosis, and bursitis. A similar pattern was found for signs of intraarticular knee disorders by one physician but not by another. The reproducibility of these signs was low. More studies are needed to define clinically important knee disorders for epidemiological studies.

ISSN:1076-2752    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2000

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:1076-2752    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2000

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

We conducted a cross-sectional study to determine whether occupational exposure to low levels of ethylene oxide can cause hematological abnormalities. Blood samples were collected from a group of 47 hospital workers who were exposed to ethylene oxide during a mean period of 6.6 years (standard error, 1.1). Ethylene oxide range levels measured were <0.01 to 0.06 ppm. The control group, individually matched by age, sex, and smoking habits, consisted of 88 workers from the administrative sector. We found significant differences between the exposed and the control group in the frequency of workers with white blood cells lower than the normal range. Although there was no significant difference in the absolute mean number of the total white blood cells, we found an elevation in the absolute mean number of monocytes and eosinophils (P< 0.01) and a decrease (P< 0.01) in the absolute mean number of lymphocytes in the exposed group compared with the control group. We also found an elevation (P< 0.01) in the percentage of hematocrit and the mean absolute number of the red blood cells, and a decrease (P< 0.01) in the mean absolute number of platelets, in the exposed group compared with the control group. The mean absolute number of eosinophils, red blood cells, and percentage of hematocrit was significantly higher, and the mean absolute number of lymphocytes and platelets was significantly lower, in the subgroups with a higher cumulative dose of exposure. A positive dose-response was found between cumulative dose exposure and the absolute mean number of eosinophils. In view of our findings, we suggest that the use of complete blood cells with differential in routine medical surveillance and for early detection of hygiene problems should be reexamined with special attention to the eosinophils count.

ISSN:1076-2752    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2000

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:1076-2752    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2000

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:1076-2752    

出版商:OVID    

年代:2000

数据来源: OVID