摘要:

We conducted an assessment of respiratory health status including questionnaire and spirographs measurements in 54 male swine producers age 36.3 ± 11.1 years (mean ± SD) who worked an average of 10.7 ± 6.3 years in the industry and spent 4.7 ± 2.1 hours per day in the swine barns, and we also measured atmospheric contaminants including carbon dioxide, ammonia, total dust, respirable dust, and airborne endotoxin. Mean atmospheric dust contaminant levels were as follows: carbon dioxide, 2632 ± 807 ppm; ammonia, 11.3 ±4.2 ppm; total dust, 2.93 ± 0.92 mg/m3; respirable dust, 0.13 ± 0.05 mg/m3; and endotoxin, 11,332 ± 13,492 endotoxin units/m3. Of these, endotoxin related to forced vital capacity (P < .05) and endotoxin ± hours per day was related to forced vital capacity (P < .05) and to forced expiratory volume in 1 second (P = .06). Respiratory symptoms and lung function studies did not relate to categories of low, medium, and high exposure to respirable dust. However, categories of endotoxin (available on 46 workers) related to respiratory symptoms (cough, P = .02; chronic bronchitis, P = .06; and to forced vital capacity, P < .01). These data suggest that respiratory health status relates to endotoxin levels but not to dust level exposures in the presence of low dust levels and indicates that control measures should include endotoxin as well as dust control.

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

A case-referent study was carried out among meatcutters, sausage makers, and packers in a large meat-processing plant to investigate the association between psychomotor capacity and occurrence of tenosynovitis. Reaction time, movement time, manual dexterity, visual attention and visuospatial ability were measured in 26 cases with a history of two or more episodes of tenosynovitis and 26 referents of similar gender, occupation, age, and job seniority with no episodes of the disease. No differences were found between the cases and the referents in any of the tests of psychomotor capacity. The results suggest that psychomotor capacity, as measured with the tests of this study, is a poor predictor of wrist tenosynovitis.

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

The incidence of ovarian cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) between 1971 and 1985 or 1987 has been studied on the basis of cancer registry data among women employed in hairdressing or related occupations at 1970 censuses in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Overall, the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for ovarian cancer was 1.18 (95% confidence interval, 0.98 to 1.40). The increase was present among hairdressers from Denmark (SIR, 1.23) and Finland (SIR, 1.88); whereas hairdressers from Sweden and Norway had an incidence close to expectation (SIR 0.95 and 0.96, respectively). In three of the four countries, the SIR was higher in 1971 to 1975 than in later years. The SIR for NHL was 1.20 (0.84 to 1.66); an excess was seen in Denmark (SIR, 1.92) and a decrease was found in Sweden (SIR, 0.63). In previous studies, hairdressers have been reported to be at increased risk of ovarian cancer: this study adds some evidence in favor of the presence of an association. This study also offers some support to the hypothesis of an association between exposure to hair dyes and risk of NHL, that was reported among personal users from the United States. This study, however, strongly suggests that occupational cancer risk among female hairdressers depends on temporal and geographical factors.

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

The competing explanations for adverse health symptoms commonly observed in night-shift workers can be divided into “correlational” and “causational” groups. This study monitored health claims and costs over 3 years for all shifts in seven industrial plants and administered a survey canvassing a range of behavioral and attitudinal dimensions. Shift workers differed from day workers in symptomology and health claims, and, in their feelings of support from management, safety attitudes, and practices, felt support from friends and family, alcohol and tobacco use, and other dimensions. Because shiftwork was associated with adverse health effects but these other measured dimensions were not, the explanation that health effects are due to shiftwork itself rather than to its attitudinal or demographic correlates is supported.

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

The job demands on physical work capacity and the frequency of the firefighting and rescue tasks were rated by 156 professional firefighters (age range, 22 to 54 years) who responded to a questionnaire. Smoke-diving requiring the use of personal protective equipment was considered to demand most aerobic power. The clearing of debris with heavy manual tools, and roof work set the highest demands on muscular performance and motor coordination, respectively. During the past 5 years, 83 to 88% of the respondents had performed these tasks on average four times a year. The rating and frequency of the tasks were not significantly affected by age. The results suggest that the job demands on physical work capacity remain the same throughout the occupational career of the firefighters.

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

A carding machine operator in a synthetic fabric plant experienced marked symptomatic deterioration of obstructive pulmonary disease after multiple episodes of an occupational inhalation fever. Polytetrafluoroethylene was used in the industrial process and polymer fume fever is suspected as a cause of his febrile illnesses. A state industrial hygiene inspection revealed that major repairs had been performed on an air scrubber system in close proximity to the patient's work area after he had left the plant because of disability. We believe that this case provides further evidence that polymer fume fever is not always a benign, self-limited illness, especially when workers suffer multiple episodes and/or have underlying pulmonary disease.

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

The exposure of pharmaceutical plant workers, involved in drug compounding and drug production, to 5-fluorouracil (5FU) was studied. 5FU was found by the analysis of air and wipe samples. During weighing, 5FU was detected in the air (75 μg/m3). 5FU was also present on the filter of the mask of the weigher (120 ng). Before drug compounding 5FU was found on the floor (range, <1 to 8 ng/cm2; median, 2 ng/cm2). After routine cleaning significant higher amounts of 5FU were measured (range, 70 to 630 ng/cm2; median, 150 μg/cm2; P = .02). The amounts of 5FU present on several objects were lower when compared to the amounts on the floor. The gloves used were always contaminated (range, 22 to 720 μg/pair of gloves; median, 141 μg/pair of gloves). The uptake of 5FU was established by the determination of α-fluoro-β-alanine, the main metabolite of 5FU, in the urine of the workers. Fifty micrograms of α-fluoro-β-alanine were found in urine of the weigher.

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Subject-based rating (SBR) methods (eg, Borg Scales) have been applied to lifting and exertion estimation. SBR methods were applied to hand-wrist motions in this controlled experimental study of rapid motion. Seven normal volunteers performed lift actions with several combinations of wrist position (flexion-extension), repetition frequency, force, and grip type (precision vs power) using an experimental apparatus. Wrist position and frequency were confirmed using an electrogoniometer. Subjects rated the tasks along 5 scales. Analysis showed that grip type had the predominant effect on the subjective ratings, but the other factors were also rated. However, cycle times between 3 and 8 seconds were not well differentiated. The study indicates that SBR does validly reflect actual stressors and suggests that SBR may be useful for “screening” jobs for more intensive study.

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID

摘要:

Back belts have gained popularity under the assumption that their use will reduce low back injuries and thereby decrease the costs. This study sought to examine that hypothesis. A retrospective survey instrument was administered to 1316 workers who perform lifting activities at Tinker Air Force Base, Midwest City, Oklahoma, to identify belt use, lifting requirements, injury, and treatment history. Analysis was also performed on costs applicable to providing the belts, treatment of injury, and lost or limited duty work days. Results show an odds ratio of 1.01 (confidence interval 1.01, 1.02) and P value of .0005 of low back injury with the number and weight of lifts performed in an 8-hour period as well as an odds ratio of 5.56 (confidence interval 3.35, 9.26) with prior history of injury. A protective effect, odds ratio of .65, P value of .019 is noted between lifting and attendance at a back training program. Use of a back belt appears to be marginally effective (odds ratio .60, P value .0508) in reducing injuries when controlling for other related factors. Cost analysis over all diagnoses of low back injury shows less intensive treatment and lower cost per injury for workers injured without a belt versus those injured while wearing a belt. It appears that predictors of low back injury are those expected based on risk assumed (amount of time spent performing lifts, history of injury) and that training programs are effective in prevention of problems. Data suggest that back belts appear to be minimally effective in preventing injury. However, costs of injury while wearing a belt are substantially higher than if injured otherwise. Therefore, the benefits of back belts based on these findings do not appear to merit their use.

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID

ISSN:0096-1736    

出版商:OVID    

年代:1994

数据来源: OVID