Journal Article•
Occupational Disorders and Risk Assessment: A Systematic Overview
05 Jun 2015-Research and reviews: journal of medical and health sciences (Research and Reviews)-Vol. 4, Iss: 2
TL;DR: The present review discusses about the various types of common occupational disorders prevailing in different working fields, work compensation act and measurements and steps to be taken to prevent the occupational diseases according to the Occupational Health and Safety regards.
Abstract: Around the globe, work has heavy impact on the health. Any chronic ailment that results due to continuous work or any occupational activity can be known as Occupational disease. Various occupational exposures lead to different types of Occupational diseases. These can be caused by both ‘exertional factors’ and ‘environmental factors’ of which the former include injuries that are caused by the amount of physical exertion needed to perform the job and the latter refer to the presence of chemicals, dust, fumes, gases and other substances in the workplace.
However, it is not always that easy to designate a disease as being occupational. There are many diseases that could be related to occupation in one or the other way. On one hand there are some classical diseases which are occupational in nature and generally related to one causal agent. On the other hand, there are many kinds of disorders which probably include several possible causal agents without being related to occupation.
The present review discusses about the various types of common occupational disorders prevailing in different working fields, work compensation act and measurements and steps to be taken to prevent the occupational diseases according to the Occupational Health and Safety regards.
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TL;DR: Factors such as being male, working without using personal protective equipment, absence of health and safety trainings, lack of regular supervision and job dissatisfaction were associated with significantly higher levels of occupational injury among construction workers.
Abstract: Introduction: An occupational injury is the primary cause of workplace absenteeism, disability, retirement, mutilation, and mortality. Therefore, injuries in the workplace pose major public health and developmental problems especially in developing countries. Therefore, the present study identified the prevalence of injury and its determinants among building construction employees in Robe town, Ethiopia.
Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among building construction employees in Robe town from March 01-25/2017. A simple random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. The data was entered into EPiData 3.1and analysed by using SPSS version 20 software. Face to face interview was conducted on 402 respondents using structured and pretested questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the effect of explanatory variables on injuries.
Results: The overall prevalence of injury among building construction employees was 39.2% [95 % CI: (34.4, 44.2)] in the past one year. The three leading causes of injuries were falls from the same level (38.5%), followed by injuries caused by movable or falling object (23.1%), and falls from elevation (13.4%). Being male, use of personal protective equipment, health and safety training, regular supervision and job satisfaction were factors significantly associated with injury.
Conclusion: This study reported a relatively higher prevalence of injury among building construction workers compared to other studies. Factors such as being male, working without using personal protective equipment, absence of health and safety trainings, lack of regular supervision and job dissatisfaction were associated with significantly higher levels of occupational injury among construction workers. Therefore, employers should focus on providing safety training, promoting use of personal protective equipment during work, regular workplace supervision, and satisfying their employees by creating good work environments and working situations to reduce the rate of occupational injury.
10 citations
Cites background from "Occupational Disorders and Risk Ass..."
...An occupational injury is defined as any physical damage situation sustained on an employee in association with the performance of his or her task in the workplace [1]....
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TL;DR: It is argued that Hong Kong is underprepared for the steep rise of asbestos-related litigation on the way to its shores and that the absence in Hong Kong of local common law on mesothelioma liability means that it will draw on English approaches which are unsatisfactory and unsuitable to local conditions.
Abstract: The purpose of the article is to determine the best methods for Hong Kong in dealing with an expected spike to asbestos related claims in the near future. It evaluates a range of legal responses to issues of causation and compensation arising out of occupational malignant mesothelioma claims. A survey of the common law in the United Kingdom leads to an assessment of the law and policy settings which Hong Kong should adopt in relation to these issues. It is argued that Hong Kong is underprepared for the welter of asbestos-related litigation on the way to its shores and that the absence in Hong Kong of local common law on mesothelioma liability means that it will draw on English approaches which are, themselves, unsatisfactory and unsuitable to local conditions. In particular, is argued that (1) the high sympathy culture toward patients in Hong Kong’s healthcare system and (2) the high level of personal and corporate bankruptcy mean that stringent English compensation approaches to mesothelioma in cases of pre-cursor conditions and multiple employer apportionment of liability (respectively) are not a good fit for Hong Kong. It is concluded that the best method of funding health care costs and compensation claims for those injured by exposure to asbestos in Hong Kong is to establish a common fund to satisfy claims for applicants.
5 citations
TL;DR: The objective of the study is to describe the pattern of sharps injuries in ophthalmic practice in Dhahran eye specialist hospital (DESH) and to identify risk factors for injury.
Abstract: Sharps injury is well known risk for Health Care Workers (HCW). It possess the potential risk of transmission of blood borne pathogens and causes anxiety to HCWs. Ophthalmic practice consists of medical and surgical components with surgical components predominates the work load. The microsurgical nature of the specialty increases the risks of exposure to HCWs. Published data of sharp injury in ophthalmic practice are few. To my knowledge no study on sharps injuries in ophthalmic practice in Saudi Arabia has been published. The objective of the study is to describe the pattern of sharps injuries in ophthalmic practice in Dhahran eye specialist hospital (DESH) and to identify risk factors for injury.
1 citations
References
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TL;DR: A systematic review scrutinized the incidence and prevalence of work related musculoskeletal disorders among nurses as a possible attributing factor of attrition from the occupation and the examination of different intervention strategies adopted to curb WMSD.
Abstract: Background: With the dwindling numbers of nurses predicted to worsen; attrition from this professional occupation must be curtailed. This systematic review scrutinized the incidence and prevalence of work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) among nurses as a possible attributing factor of attrition from the occupation. In addition, the examination of different intervention strategies adopted to curb the occurrence of work related musculoskeletal disorders among nurses, specifically physical exercise/therapy.
Methods: The authors complied with PRIMSA guidelines. The outcome interest was work related musculoskeletal disorders; exposure was professional nurses carrying out their duties. Seven electronic databases were systematically searched for publications meeting the following inclusion criteria; incidence and prevalence of WMSD among nurses ranging from 2003-2013. One hundred and eight articles with direct and indirect relationship to the searches were identified. After eliminating articles that did not meet the inclusion criteria, the remaining publications were assessed for quality and were subsequently mined. Forty-eight English published articles were assessed, allowing 27 publications to be used for this review. The 27 articles comprised of three longitudinal, four systematic reviews, two comparative, 14 descriptive biomechanical/ergonomic and four intervention studies. Interpretation: The mean WMSD among these publications were 71.85%. The most vulnerable anatomical sites were the lower back, neck and shoulders. Predisposing risk factors were awkward working position sustained for prolonged periods during patient transfer, strenuous physical demands of the nursing profession, their poor health and fitness conditioning status and obesity. It is interesting to note that there is limited number of publications examining the efficacy of the different intervention strategies employed to curb WMSD among nurses.
48 citations
TL;DR: Observations made during the present study suggest that poor postures and lack of ergonomic awareness in the farming community are the two principal causative factors contributing to the development of MSDs.
Abstract: Background: Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) are prevalent and the impact is pervasive across a wide spectrum of occupations, as is evident from numerous studies conducted across the globe. However, there are very few studies that document the prevalence of MSDs in India, and there are hardly any studies that focus on the country’s farming community, which constitutes more than 58 percent of the Indian work force. Thus in the present study an attempt has been made to analyze the prevalence of MSDs in farmers of Kanpur-Rural, India. Methods: A sample of 300 farmers of Kanpur rural district, aged between 20-70 years, was selected. Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire to measure the musculoskeletal disorders was given to all the farmers. Results: Descriptive analysis of data identified four most common musculoskeletal disorders affecting the farmers of Kanpur-Rural: lower back pain (60%); knee pain (39%), shoulder pain (22%), and neck pain (10%); and a higher percentage of respondents indicated chronic affection persisting nearly a year as compared to those who were afflicted for around a week. Conclusion: Finding of the present study shows that yearly prevalence of MSDs in farmers of Kanpur-Rural, India is alarmingly high and it suggests that nearly 60 percent of Indian cultivators could be afflicted by this disease, which urgently needs to be corroborated by similar studies at the national level. Low back pain is the most prevalent type of MSDs affecting the famers. Knee, shoulder and neck pain are other important MSDs affecting farmers in the study area. Observations made during the present study suggest that poor postures and lack of ergonomic awareness in the farming community are the two principal causative factors contributing to the development of MSDs.
33 citations
TL;DR: Attitudinal change, treatment and interventional programs may reduce the incidence of this common occupational injury and two multi factor-predictor logistic models fitted to the data showed that female sex, longer job duration and high GHQ12 score were significant predictors of MSDs.
Abstract: Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a major cause of occupational disability worldwide and impose a considerable burden on the individual, society and industry in terms of absenteeism and cost of treatment. Objective: The purpose of this paper is to determine the prevalence and predictive factors of MSDs and associated disability among bank workers in Ghana. Methods: The 12-month period-prevalence of self-reported MSDs was studied among 230 bank workers in Kumasi, Ghana. The cross-sectional survey used a previously validated self-administered questionnaire that included the Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire (NMQ) and the 12-item general health questionnaire (GHQ12). Results: Most (83.5%) of the workers suffered at least one MSD resulting in 15.7% disability rate. The most common reported symptoms were lower back pain (64.8%), upper back pain (61.7%), neck pain (47.4%) and shoulder pain (37.4%). Two multi factor-predictor logistic models fitted to the data showed that female sex, longer job duration and high GHQ12 score were significant predictors of MSDs while high GHQ12 score, sedentary lifestyle and alcohol drinking were significant predictors of MSD-associated disability. Conclusions: Attitudinal change, treatment and interventional programs may reduce the incidence of this common occupational injury.
32 citations
"Occupational Disorders and Risk Ass..." refers background in this paper
...musculoskeletal disorders are also growing problems among nurses in many developing countries [12-15]....
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TL;DR: The results indicate that SWCNTs has a potential to induce human lung damage and fibrosis by damaging mitochondria, generating ROS, and stimulating production of proinflammatory and profibrogenic cytokines and growth factors.
Abstract: Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are newly discovered material of crystalline carbon that forms single-carbon layer cylinders with nanometer diameters and varying lengths. Although SWCNTs are potentially suitable for a range of novel applications, their extremely small size, fiber-like shape, large surface area, and unique surface chemistry raise potential hazard to humans, including lung toxicity and fibrosis. The molecular mechanisms by which SWCNTs cause lung damage remain elusive. Here we show that SWCNTs dose and time-dependently caused toxicity in cultured human bronchial epithelial (BEAS-2B), alveolar epithelial (A549), and lung fibroblast (WI38) cells. At molecular levels, SWCNTs induced significant mitochondrial depolarization and ROS production at subtoxic doses. SWCNTs stimulated the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10 and MCP1 from macrophages (Raw 264.7), which was attributed to the activation of the canonical signaling pathway of NF-κB by SWCNT. Finally, SWCNTs stimulated profibrogenic growth factors TGFβ1 production and fibroblast-to-myofibroblast-transformation. These results indicate that SWCNTs has a potential to induce human lung damage and fibrosis by damaging mitochondria, generating ROS, and stimulating production of proinflammatory and profibrogenic cytokines and growth factors.
31 citations
"Occupational Disorders and Risk Ass..." refers background in this paper
...extends well beyond what is often presented in the literature [40-43]....
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TL;DR: There can be serious consequences of needle stick injuries in hospitals as large proportion of injuries involves used needles and sharps if health care workers do not take appropriate measures of protection.
Abstract: Introduction: An investigation estimates that needle-stick and sharps injuries affect about 3.5 million individuals on the global level. In healthcare workers nurses and physicians appear especially at risk.
Objectives: To examine the epidemiology of occupational sharps injuries in Health care workers.
Material and methods: It is retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out among the Health Care Workers of Maternity and Children’s Hospital, KSA from 1st January to 30th June 2012 with participation of 750 HCWs by Convenient sampling technique. Data entry and analysis was done on EPINetTM.
Results: A total of 32 cases of sharps injuries occurred during the six months period. Nurses accounted 46.9%, constituting the largest group of the Health Care Workers. Most frequently site of occurrence was operating/recovery room 34.4%. 64.5% of injuries occurred “during use of device.” In 90.6% of cases injuring item was contaminated. 59.4% injuries occurred while wearing single pair of gloves, only 21.9% with double pair of gloves. Most common site of injury was the right hand.
Conclusion: There can be serious consequences of needle stick injuries in hospitals as large proportion of injuries involves used needles and sharps if health care workers do not take appropriate measures of protection.
29 citations