IRAN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH JOURNAL
Year:2016 | Volume:13 | Issue:3 |Papers Count:12

Background and aims: Non-thermal plasma is considered as a successful new technology with high efficiency in the air pollution control. Various types of atmospheric pollutants adversely influence on the human health and the environment regionally and globally. Carbon monoxide has been introduced as a critical pollutant which can cause the environmental and health effects. The growing concerns about effects of air pollution on human health, and also more stringent strategies of choosing the air quality standards, have motivated the development of air pollution control techniques, particularly the non-thermal plasmas techniques. Therefore, the aim of this study is the removal of the carbon monoxide (CO) contaminants in the dry air and argon atmospheres in order to determine of the effective parameters. Methods: The current study has determined the effects of temperature, the CO concentration, the voltage and the residence time on the CO elimination efficiency by ASTM D 5835 method in the system of negative plasma reactor (diluted by dry air) and the system of positive plasma reactor (diluted by argon gas), simultaneously. Results: The results indicated that the temperature and the residence time did not have a significant effect on the CO removal in the both dry air and argon gas systems. However, the most important variable in the both systems was the voltage in the vicinity of 8 kilovolts with the p<0. 05 and the mean effect of 37 and 13. 2 in the dry air and argon gas systems, respectively. Conclusion: The results of CO elimination in the dry air and argon atmosphere indicate that the dry air system, due to present of the oxygen active ions, has better performance compared to the argon gas system.

Background and aims: Safety culture of an organization is an essential strategy to reduce occupational accidents, and many industries around the world have shown their willingness to consider it as an approach to reduce daily incidents and potential disasters. The aim of this study was to design a valid tool for measuring safety culture based on a model of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Methods: This is a descriptive-analytic study performed on 409 employees of an oil and gas exploration company in Ahvaz in 2013. After the initial questionnaire was prepared by the IAEA's 5D model, its linguistic validity, content validity and construct validity were tested. The reliability of the questionnaire was evaluated using test-retest method and Cronbach's alpha coefficient and data were analyzed using the software SPSS v. 18. Results: Content validity index and total content validity ratio were obtained equal to 0. 91 and 0. 87, respectively. Confirmatory factor analysis of the questionnaire was evaluated, and KMO and Bartlett’ s coefficients were obtained equal to 0. 807 and 5237. 791, respectively. In addition, factor analysis confirmed five factors in the study (including priority to safety, leadership, responsibility, safety integrity and learning), which accounted for 69. 813% of the total variance. The results showed that the final questionnaire is reliable (α =0. 902) and repeatable (ICC=0. 899). There was a significant correlation between dimensions of the safety culture questionnaire (p<0. 01). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that a safety culture questionnaire that is designed according to the 5D model of IAEA has acceptable reliability and validity for measuring the safety culture in an oil and gas exploitation company. This tool can be effective in promoting safety culture in high-risk industries.

Background and aims: Good quality lighting should make a balance between the needs of humans and economic and environmental issues, and create suitable lighting for particular visual activities like to reading, writing, etc. Quality lighting is very important to increase productivity and learning ability of students. The main idea of energy-efficient lighting is to reduce the amount of electricity used without compromising on the quality of lighting. The first objective of the work was to assess different aspects of lighting quality and energy efficiency and the second objective was to find out ways to improve the efficiency of electric lighting in high school. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 11 high schools for girls in Ahvaz. In this regard, based on measured artificial light (lux) and electrical power consumption (w/m2), Installed power density (IPD) (w/m2. 100 lux) was calculated. Normalized power density (NPD) divided by IPD to compute installed load efficiency ratio (ILER) and performance index classified into three categories. Data were analyzed using unilateral variance analysis test through SPSS v. 16. Results: The results show that from all areas measured, 47. 6% was at level 3, 36. 1% at level 2 and 16. 2% at level 1. Maximum efficiency is reported for three high schools (3, 5, 8). Conclusion: In this study, low efficiency and high energy consumption of lighting systems were identified as the results from defects such as reflection coefficients less than the standard (walls 0. 5, ceiling 0. 7 and floor at least 0. 3), using conventional ballasts instead of electronic ballasts, low-efficiency lamps, conventional reflectors instead of steel, and lack of proper use of daylight.

Background and aims: Steel industry plays an important role in air pollution and particulate emissions released to the environment. The venturi scrubber is one of the most important scrubbers and components at local exhaust ventilation which has a lot of application to control of the contaminants emissions to the atmosphere in steel industry. The efficiency of this equipment depends on how to use it, therefore, the aim of this study is determination of the efficiency of a venturi scrubber at an iron making unit. Methods: This research is a descriptive cross-sectional study to determine venturi scrubbers’ efficiency in collection of particles of different sizes. Sampling to be fulfilled based on BS 3405 method and duct internal isokinetic sampling at 30 l/min flow before and after venturi scrubber using sampling sequence including a set of probe with standard inlet nozzle, sampler and particles classifier (the four-stage cascade impactor) which followed with the flow control and measurement equipment. The samples were analyzed using gravimetric method and the results were analyzed through SPSS v. 16. Results: The fluid velocity was in the throat of the scrubber 71. 4 m/s and the ratio of liquid to gas 1. 12 l/m3. The mean of total dust concentration was before and after venturi, 6857. 5mg/m3 and 964. 7mg/m3, respectively. The overall efficiency of the venturi scrubber was 85. 93%. The maximum removal of the particle size distribution was respectively to particle size 15μ m<, 15-4μ m, 4-1μ m and <1μ m and 93. 2%, 90. 6%, 79. 4%, 30. 4%. In effect of abrasion and leakage in duct working before scrubber, the load of the entrance dust to the scrubber at the design documents from 25. 6g/m3 changed and reduced to 6. 86g/m3 at the present status. Conclusion: It is concluded that scrubber’ s efficiency increased in parallel increasing in particle aerodynamic diameter, but its removal efficiency was not achieved to desirable level for particle size lower than 1 μ m because of inappropriate modification in some design parameters such as nozzles. Regarding decrease in load pollutant input, performance of this scrubber is not acceptable even for large particle sizes.

Background and aims: Manganese (Mn) is an essential element for human body, but over exposure to Mn can cause adverse effects especially neurotoxicity. Biological monitoring plays an important role in occupational exposure assessment. The aim of present study was to assess Manganese-Iron Ratio (MIR) as a potential biomarker for manganese. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in an automotive parts manufacturing industry in Tehran, Iran. 31 ferroalloy smelters as exposed group (cases) and 30 office workers as unexposed control group were involved in the study. Occupational exposure to manganese was determined based on NIOSH analytical method 7300. Air and blood samples were analyzed using furnace-atomic absorption spectroscopy (GF-AAS). Serum Iron was measured according to Iron-Ferrozine LS. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. Results: The mean concentration of air Mn for smelter group was 0. 008± 0. 005 mg/m3. The mean manganese concentration in blood samples of smelter group (17. 33 ± 8. 66μ g/L) was significantly higher than in the control group (9. 37 ± 8. 70μ g/L), (p< 0. 05). Also, the mean value of MIR in the smelter group was significantly higher than in the control group (p< 0. 05). Correlation test showed significant relationship between air manganese and MIR (p< 0. 05, r=0. 426). Conclusion: Manganese-Iron Ratio can be used as a biomarker to distinguish manganese exposed workers from the unexposed population.

Background and aims: Job satisfaction is an important factor in increasing productivity, caring staff to the organization, belonging and attachment to the workplace and increasing the quantity and quality of work and good human relations in the workplace, good communication, raising spirit, love and Interest of the job. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of psychological ownership on job satisfaction among airports supply chain staff. Methods: Using random sampling, 59 employees were selected for this study. To measure psychological ownership and job satisfaction questionnaires Van Dyne and Pierce and Minnesota, respectively have been used. Data’ s analyzed by correlation and regression and Structural Equation Modeling. Results: Result showed that psychological ownership with load factor (0. 866) and had effect on Job satisfaction and organizational-based psychological ownership with beta (0. 112) and meaningfully (0. 002) follow job-based psychological ownership with beta (0. 235) and meaningfully (0. 001) has positive relationship with Job satisfaction. Conclusion: Since there is a positive effect of job satisfaction on psychological ownership, and create a positive attitude toward employees and job creation in the ownership and belonging, increase productivity, increase organizational commitment, establish a good in person, the creation of a proper relationship raise morale and interest in the organization.

Background and aims: In the most of the workplaces there are work-related stress, also workers complain of musculoskeletal disorders. It should be noted that these two factors effect on people's lives. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and occupational stress among a group of workers in the metal industry. Methods: This study was a descriptive-analytic research with a questionnaire survey. 361 workers were included in the study. Data were collected using Nordic questionnaire and DASS-21 software. Demographic characteristics such as age, sex, marital status, in other questionnaires were collected. Data analysis was performed using statistical software spss-20. Results: Results showed that 82. 3% individuals had normal stress and 3. 1% were with severe stress. Body posture, exercise, smoking and stress have significant relation with WMSDs. Conclusion: Increased job stress plays a role in the development of musculoskeletal disorders. There is a significant relation between body posture and WMSDs.

Background and aims: Using plants to purify indoor air has long been of interest to many researchers. In this study the effectivness application of conventional apartment ornomental flowers to survey removal capability of five kind of pollutant: aromatic hydrocarbons (Benzene and Toluene), aliphatic hydrocarbons (Octane), halogenated hydrocarbons (Trichloroethylene (TCE)) and tropens (Alpha-Pinene) in indoor ambients was studied. Methods: At first, 10 species of ornomental flowers were cultured seperatly in pots and then were placed in 10L gas-tight glass jars and exposed to different concentrations of benzene, TCE, toluene, octane, and α-pinene, (31. 9, 53. 7, 46. 7, 56. 4, 55. 7), respectively. Air samples within the glass containers were analyzed by gas chromatography– mass spectroscopy and detector tubes 3 and 6 h exposure to the test pollutants to determine removal efficiency. The removal efficiency, expressed as μ g/m3-m2-h basis for each volatile organic compound (VOC), varied with plant species. Results: Results show that of the 10 ornomental flower tested, Alternaria, Hedera helix, Tradescantia and Hoya carnosa had the highest removal efficiencies for total VOCs. Alternaria displayed superior removal efficiency for four of the five VOCs (i. e., benzene, TCE, toluene and octane). The average removal of five pollutants with ornomental flower tested were 8-44 μ g/m3-m2-h of the total VOCs. Hedra helix efficiently removed Alpha-Pinene. All of flower tested caused removal of VOCs from indoor ambients. Conclusion: Different in efficacy of removal with different species ornomental flowers show that, for improvement efficiency of application ornomental flowers for removal of VOCs from indoor ambients, is needed that different species of flowers be planted. This study showed that the use of indoor ornamental flowers is suitable solution for reducing volatile organic contaminants from the indoor ambients.

Background and aims: Health is one of the most important assets of a man that has allowed him to develop his full potential. If this capital is eroded or not fully developed, it could weaken human physically and mentally. On the other hand, the phenomenon of unemployment is a social and economic hardship that may cause several negative effects on people’ s personal life. Accordingly, this study examines the causality between unemployment and health in Iran. Methods: This causal-analysis research uses Toda-Yamamoto and Johansen-Juselius methods over the period of first quarter of 1995 to fourth quarter of 2013 for the country of Iran. The level of significant is 5 percent. Results: There is a two-way causality between unemployment and health. Also, one percent increase in unemployment decreases the health by 6. 84 percent. Accordingly one percent increase in the private health expenditure lead to 0. 14 percent decrease in unemployment. Conclusion: Given the significant cross negative impact of health on unemployment and vice versa, it is recommended to invest in the health sector such as health insurance and hospital, particularly in disadvantaged areas, to provide workforce health and reduce unemployment and provide community health with appropriate policies to reduce unemployment and increase income.

Background and aims: One of the most leading occupational problems usually seen as response to occupational-organizational stresses among employees is occupational burnout which suggests decrease in person compatibility power with factors disturbing work environment. Generally, burnout is one of the factors establishing conflict, change or resigning job. Current research aimed at examining the effectiveness of schema-based model training on occupational burnout decrease among employees of coal company "Parvadeh" in Tabas. Methods: For this purpose, quasi-experimental method by pretest-posttest design with control group was used. 30 people from employees obtaining the highest occupational burnout level were selected and assigned to two experimental and control groups, randomly. Next, experimental group was exposed to schema-based training in the 6 90 minute sessions and control group received no training. Before and after training, participants from two groups filled Maslach Burnout Inventory 22-question form. Results: Results from Covariance analysis and t-test showed that there was a significant difference between the scores of control and experimental groups. The occupational burnout and emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and loss of personal accomplishment have improved. Conclusion: It can be stated that schema-based group training session decreases occupational burnout and emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and loss of personal accomplishment dimensions.