IRAN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH JOURNAL
Year:2009 | Volume:5 | Issue:3-4|Papers Count:14

Background and aims: Occupational diseases impose considerable burden on public health, wherein chemical pollutants in working places play an important role. One of chemical pollutants in vehicle's lock & key assembly factories is cyanoacrylate used in "loctite glue", which is assumed harmful to workers' eyes, respiratory tract and skin. This study investigates the side effects of loctite adhesive on workers' health.Method: A cross sectional study was conducted on all of workers of the vehicle's lock & key assembly factory (100 workers). A health check list was completed for demographic characteristics and physical examination for all of workers and then all data were analysed using statistical tests.Results: Mean age of workers was 30±8. In physical exam, the most common dermatologic disease was dermatitis (prevalence: 25%), in pulmonary exam the most common sign was airway hyper-responsiveness, which presented as cough and dispnea (prevalence: 10%) and there was a significant relationship between workers' eye itching &burning, airway hyper-responsiveness and loctite adhesive exposure (P<0.01).Discussion: Eye itching & burning and airway hyper-responsiveness are side effects of loctite glue. In this study we observed a relationship between the glue and disorders, hence due to the influence of this chemical material on workers' health. Results indicated that a health promotion plan and relevant interventions should be designed to reduce exposure to loctite adhesive.

Background and aims: Wastes are defined as a solid, liquid and gas materials that is produced from human activities, as direct or indirect. There is the possibility of linking between different complex of Geographic Information, which have a descriptive and locative relationship, simultaneously. GIS (Geographic Information System) is as a bridge that it can relate resources and management database together. The objective of this study was to investigate the condition of hazardous solid waste of industries in Dashtestan Township and specification of volume and type of solid pollutants which probably can bring them in the environment and use of these outcomes for more recognition of establishment position of industries.Method: This study was evaluated on 8 industries according to type of products and type of each industry's hazardous solid waste. Then the 1/25000 scale digital topographic map was provided and geographical coordination of each industries was determined by a GPS system. All of the obtained data were transferred to a GIS. Also a designed check list and the existing standards were applied to determination of the list and the hazardous code of each industry.Results: The obtained results showed that, 3 industries from 8, don't exactly con formed to the standards and in the sixth industry had susceptibility to be in the P category match to hazardous waste list. All of the eight industries produced 174.5 ton/year of solid waste that 99.1% of them recycled after daily, monthly and seasonal storage.Conclusion: 62.5% of studied industries conformed to Iran protection agency's criteria, but some industries have a little problem in distance index from educational and residential centers. Disposal of wastes in most industries didn't have any problem except in the sixth industries that Needs more investigation by experts and managers.

Background and aim: The HCS standard includes listing of chemicals, labeling of chemical containers, preparation of material safety data sheets, writing plan and employee training programs. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of implemented program to enhance the knowledge and safety performance level of employees.Method: The knowledge level and unsafe act ratio were measured using both questionnaire and behavior checklist (with safety sampling method) before and after enforcing this interface.Results: In this study, the mean and standard deviation of the knowledge level of employees related to chemical safety before enforcing the interface was 46% and 14%. However, after enforcing the interface, mean and standard deviation was 88% and 12%. The paired-t-test result in this parameter was significant (p-value <0.0001). The mean and standard deviation of knowledge level of employees related to warning labels before to enforcing the interface was 29% and 22%. After enforcing the interface, mean and standard deviation was 80% and 16%. The paired-t-test result in this parameter was significant (p-value <0.0001). The mean and standard deviation of the knowledge level of employees related to hazard communication methods before enforcing the interface was 25% and 11%. After enforcing the interface, mean and standard deviation was 79% and 16%. The paired-t-test result in this parameter was significant (p-value<0.001)Conclusion: The obtained result revealed that enhancement of the knowledge related to chemical safety, hazard communication methods and warning labels was significant. Statistical paired-t-test and control chart methods was used to comparison between unsafe act ratio before and after enforcing the interface. The mean and standard deviation of unsafe act ratio before implementation of HCS program was 23.6% and 5.49%. However, mean and standard deviation of unsafe act ratio after implementation of HCS program was 18.1% and 6.18%. Therefore, after implementation of HCS program unsafe act ratio decreased (5.45%) significantly (p-value>0.0001) This result implies that chemical safety performance of employees was increased.

Background and aims: The aim of this study was to find the job related factors to produce neck And back disorders in hair dressers living in Kelardasht, Iran.Methods: Thirty three hair dressers including 14 males and 19 females took part in the study. A Question air dealing with individual characteristics and job properties was filled by all subjects.Tests like range of motion measurments, muscle sterength test, musde endurance test and pain scale questionair (VAS) were included in the study.Results: TNeck pain (42%) was more common than back pain (39%) in patients group. The incidence of neck pain was significantly higher in female than male (p<.05). There were significant differences in muscle strength and indurance measurements between two groups of subjects with and without low back pain and with and without neck pain (p<0.05).Conclusion: In this study, it was revealed that lacking in muscle strength and edurance were two potential job related factors to produce pain and disability in hair dressers. Specific spinal muscle training while working are recommended to reduce spinal disorders in hair dressers.

Background and aims: Noise induced hearing loss is a permanent, usually, bilateral hearing impairment due to long term exposure to high levels of noise and exposure of workers to noise represents one of the most common occupational hazards. Although noise has also been suggested to increase the prevalence of hypertension, evidence for this association is not conclusive. This historical cohort study was undertaken to evaluate the auditory effects of noise and to further examine the hypothesis that a link between noise exposure and hypertension exists.Method: The study population consisted of 140 healthy male employees from a local petrochemical industry with history of past and present exposure to noise and 140 matched healthy male unexposed individuals from the same industry (referent group). A questionnaire with 40 questions concerning age, sex, weight, height, length of employment, workplace noise level and history of hypertension was administered. Furthermore, subjects were physically examined, their blood pressure were taken under normal resting position and underwent audiometry testing. Similarly, sound pressure level and octave band analyzing in different stations of workplace carried out for every employee, and then Leq calculated. Data were analyzed by SPSS 13, using student's test and Chi-square.Results: The prevalence of hearing impairment in this study was 38.5 percent among exposed and 7.8 percent among unexposed group and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.0001). Similarly, the prevalence of hypertension in exposed group was significantly higher than that of unexposed group.Conclusion: These findings while provide corroborative evidence to further substantiate the notion that exposure to noise is associated with hearing impairment, they also support the proposition that long term occupational exposure to noise appears to be a risk factor for arterial hypertension.

Background and aims: Vehicle manufacturing industries are as critical sites from points of safety. Unsafe acts and unsafe conditions have been recognized as effective factors in increasing le risk of occupational accidents. In order to promote of safety conditions, it's necessary to valuate unsafe acts of workers as the main reason of accidents. The main goal of research is valuation of relationship between unsafe Acts with occupational accidents.Methods: Safety behavior sampling (SBS) technique was employed to conduct this study. After doing a pilot study, the number of samples and views were determined 195 and 3456 respectively. The information was then analyzed using Excel, SPSS and statistic tests.Results: The results of the study showed that the rate of unsafe acts of studying workers was 35.4% the study of the relationship between unsafe acts and occupational accidents via egression Logistic test showed that if one percent increases on unsafe acts, the rate of accidents multiply three.Conclusion: Therefore in view of this significant correlation between unsafe acts and occupational accidents and kind of unsafe acts, reducing or eliminating requires the investment and implementation of a program. It should be associated with behavioral safety principles and emphasis should be placed on implementing safety culture fundamentals at all organizational levels.

Background and aim: Today, the reduction of unsafe work behavior is an accepted principle. Unsafe behaviors at work are said to be the main cause of work accidents. Therefore, careful attention toward unsafe work behavior is one of the main factors for eliminating the causes of injuries and damages which has been taken in to consideration in recent years. Also, due to the high rate of accidents in foundry industries; the present research has been conducted to reduce unsafe work behaviors through an appropriate method.Method: The present study is of analytical; interventional. The subject investigated in this study is one of foundry industries. Sample size was determined. In order to gather data, the methods of observation, interview and check list were used. The five-year-accident record of the company was analyzed. Data analysis was done by means of spss 10.Findings: In the present study, Pearson Correlation test indicates that there is no relationship between safety performance score before and after training and the age of workers. (r=0.6 P-value=0.639) Pearson correlation test also demonstrated that there is a linear relationship between safety performance score and work experience. In other words, the more work experience, the more safety performance (r=0.25 P-value=0.03). Pearson correlation test indicates that there is norelationshipbetweensafetyperformancescoreandeducationallevel. (r=0.12 P-value=0.29) Conclusion: The present study indicated that with the reduction of unsafe work behavior accidents declined significantly. This research also resulted in the reduction of unsafe work behaviors, lost work days as well as work accidents.

Background and aim: Occupational burnout is considered as side effects of occupational stress. It includes some mental, functional, and personal characteristics in which a person has some symptoms of them.Occupational burnout can be caused in all jobs it diminishes performance and utilization, depression and disease. Due to the important role of managers, this study was carried to asses the occupation alb urn out in industry managers in Kashan.Method: The industrial managers of Kashan at high managerial levels were enrolled in the survey. Burnout data collected by standard questionnaire of Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was then analyzed using SPSS-13 soft ware and statistical methods of chi-square, t-test, ANOVA, and regression analysis.Results: Between 100 different industrial managers that were involved in this study, 90 persons responded to questionnaire, Include: 16 persons (17.8%) were employer, 26 persons top manager (28.9%), 36 persons (40%) middle-manager, 12 persons (13.3%) high managers. 97% were men and mean of age, work hours in week, work years duration respectly were  40.3 (±8.26) years, 53.4(±20.6) hours, 15.7 (±8.7) years. It seems that most people under study had mild occupational burnout. sever occupational burnout was observed in emotional exhaustion( 3% in severity and 0.9% in frequency) and depersonalization (6.8% in severity and 7.8% in frequency).according to this study age, region, kind of management, month earn didn't relation with burnout. Work years duration and number of workers had reveres relation with burnout. direct relation with burnout and work hours was founded.Conclusion: Despite the low rate of moderate or severe burnout among the managers, further effort is advised to reduce stress in this group and probe them in psycho mental disorders.

Background and aim: The present study aimed at exploring the relationships between the subscales of burnout and psychological wellbeing .in this study resiliency and gender were controlled among two groups were compared on the subscales of burnout and wellbeing.Methods: For sampling, 127 teachers of elementary schools in Tehran were selected using multistage cluster sampling who answered Maslach and Jakson burnout inventory (MBI), GHQ and CD-Rise.Results: Findings indicates male teachers had a better status in anxiety, physical symptoms and depression subscales of general health questioner (GHQ). The comparison of male and female teacher in the subscales of burnout showed there was a significant difference between the two groups only in the subscales of emotional exhaustion, and woman had a weaker performance in comparison to men. Findings also indicated there was appositive and significant relationship between the component of burnout and mental health problems (including anxiety, physical symptoms and depression and social function) after controlling for resiliency and gender.Conclusion: The result of regression analyzes showed that mental health of teacher in general could predict their burnout.

Background and aims: The study is aimed at designing and testing a new ergonomic armrest that can address musculoskeletal problems among computer keyboard operators in Iran.Methods: Twenty seven operators from an educational institute were selected as subjects. Direct observations and subjective assessment using Karlqvist et al.’S (1996) questionnaires were used to discover the weaknesses of their existing armrest. The existing armrest was replaced with the new armrest which allows height adjustment, and length, width and direction/rotation movements to suite various arm positions for keying and mousing tasks. Data on the hand and arm postures were collected and compared to common armrest.Results: With the new armrest, results showed significant improvements in the postures of forearm, elbow, hand and wrist which facilitate easy access of the entire surface of keyboard and mouse. In addition, majority of the subjects were satisfied, in different aspects, with the use of the ergonomic armrest.Conclusion: Because of its positive and dynamic features, the new armrest could well be replaced with the traditional and even forign ergonomic armrests attachable to the table. The new armrest do not disrupt the user's job.