Journal of Health and Safety at Work
Year:2018 | Volume:7 | Issue:4 |Papers Count:8

Introduction: Choosing maintenance strategy is one of the most complex and essential processes that can affect the safety and cost of equipment. The main aim of this study was to determine a risk-based maintenance policy for improvement of the safety and maintenance indices.Material and Method: According to literature reviews and constraints associated with the studied industry, a number of safety and maintenance indices were selected and their values were measured. Next, in order to promote the selected indices, the best policy was implemented on nine critical machines of the company based on criteria such as cost, risk and availability in the framework of the fuzzy network analysis process. Finally, after six months period, the indices were re-measured. The Wilcoxon test was used to assess the changes in the indices.Result: In the implementation of the model, condition based maintenance was more effective than other strategies. Following the intervention, the improvement of safety and maintenance indices was statistically significant. The statistical analyses demonstrated that indices like reliability, availability, mean time between failures, and the number of dangerous failures all were improved significantly (P<0.05). Conclusion: The results showed that the simultaneous use of three criteria, i.e. cost, risk and availability in maintenance planning could reduce equipment-related accidents. Finally, the recommended model can improve the efficiency and competitiveness of organizations by increasing availability and reducing equipment costs.

Introduction: Efficiency of hoods for local exhaust ventilation system is influenced by hood geometry, its situation relative to the process and the air volume exhausted by it. The aim of this study was to present a simple and practical method based on the standards for assessment of potential problems of ventilation system in a steel making company. Material and Method: In this cross-sectional study, a checklist based on the ACGIH ventilation standards was developed for investigating potential problems related to the three types of hoods in an oxide screen process. This checklist has completed in order to feasibility study of corrective changes in evaluation of the hood hardware parameters. The differences between design and current status to the standards were considered as noncompliance. Finally, differences were analyzed statistically.Result: Based on statistical analysis, the average of current status of hoods, plans and design documents and standards were for variables of conveyors downstream enclosure (1.6, 2.38 and 2.41m), vertical distance from hoods to conveyors (0.39, 0.37 and 0.61m), conveyor longitudinal enclosing after hood (1.225, 1.288 and 0.296 m) and hood numbers (18, 17 and 31), respectively. Comparing the results between current status of hoods with plans and design documents showed no significant differences (0. P-value≤ 0.05). But, the results between current status of hoods and design documents with standards have significant difference (0. P-value≥ 0.05). A significant difference (0. P-value≥ 0.05) revealed between the average of the current status of hoods, plans and design documents and the standards for variables of hood flow (813.3, 2276.9 & 3085.9 cfm) and duct velocity leading to the hoods (2289.3, 5083.5 & 3500 fpm), respectively.Conclusion: This method can be applicable for the local ventilation systems with extensive pollution sources and hoods. One of the advantages of this method can be easily application of this system, as one of the requirements for delivering ventilation systems from contractors and the use of it for studying potential problems of the hoods that they have standards. Also, by comparing current status of hoods with the design specifications and standards, the mismatches/ unconformities in the lifetime and maintenance process of the system can be understood.

Introduction: Nursing is one of professions that employees are at risk of fatigue and work related musculoskeletal disorders, because of high physical workload and high job stress. Connecting serum set to serum solution is one of the repetitive tasks for nurses in their working times and it may cause pain and discomfort in their hand. The aim of this study was to design and ergonomic evaluation of a tool for connecting serum set to serum solution.Material and Method: This experimental- interventional study conducted on 12 nurses (6 men and 6 women) in 3 phases. First phase was assessment of manual connecting of serum set to the bag by nurses, second phase was design and manufacturing of serum set connector and third was ergonomic assessment of the manufactured tool. In first and third phases, amount of perceived exertion by nurses was assessed using the Burg scale (CR10), and electromyography assessment for hand muscles activity was conducted during connecting serum set. Data of first and third phases compared with statistical tests.Result: Mean score of perceived effort during manual connection of serum set was 5±1.2 (of 10) and while mechanical connection with designed tool was 2.3±0.49. There was significant difference between activity in 5 muscles (Flexor Digit Comonis, Flexor Carpi Radial, Biceps, Triceps and Deltoid) in manually and mechanically connection mode (P-value<0.05).Conclusion: Use of serum set connector reduced the perceived effort and activity of hand and wrist muscles. This device can be used as an ergonomic tool for nurses to easing the inserting the serum set to serum solution.

Introduction: The use of hearing protective devices (HPDs) is the last way for noise control. It is important to know the information about the duration time using these devices to ensure protetion effectiveness. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of increasing duration time of the using of the devices on hearing loss in tile industry workers with application of the BASNEF education model.Material and Method: Task Base Method (TBM) and ISO9612 (2009) standard methods through a noise dosimeter device were used to exmine workers’ noise exposure level when they didn’t used of HPDs. Actual performance of HPDs was determined by using the NIOSH standard before and after training intervention and measuring time of use and protection device type. Data were analyzed using SPSSVv19 and conducting t-test and ANCOVA statistical tests.Result: Before training intervention, the actual noise level for case workers was 89.76 dBA. On the contrary, this value was 84.04 dBA for after intervention, with a significant difference with control group (P<0.0001) using ANCOVA analysis. In control group, the actual level of noise has not changed because this group has not received any training.Conclusion: The results revealed that, based on BASNEF education model, duration time of using hearing protection devices is effective on increasing their function and performance.

Introduction: Kitchen workers are in danger of slip accident because of slippery surfaces created by contaminants like grease, water and food material. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and slip risk assessment in cooking sites of Shiraz.Material and Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 322 cases from commercial kitchens in traditional and fast food restaurants, located in Shiraz, Iran, who was willing to cooperate in the project. (The total number of restaurants was 1303 cases. And simple random sampling method was used). The risk of slips was assessed using Slip Assessment Tool (SAT), developed by Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Prevalence of slip accidents was investigated using a questionnaire among kitchens staffs. Roughness coefficient was measured using Roughness Meter TQC-SP1560. Data analysis was performed using SPSS-22 software.Result: The level of slip risk was at moderate level in 47% of studied kitchens and others had low level of slip risk. Slip risk level in kitchens of traditional restaurants was significantly higher than fast foods. The average value of the measured surface roughness was obtained 4191.39 mm. The highest and lowest, respectively 4458.2 and 3977.3 mm were reported. The prevalence of slip accidents was reported to be 50.3%. Most of slip accidents was occurred in the kitchens, and when the floor was wet with water or contaminated with food products.Conclusion: The results of this study showed that due to differences in the type, method and time of food services and also workload of personnel, slip risk in kitchens of traditional restaurants was higher than fast foods. Approximately, in 50% of studied kitchens, the level of slip risk was assessed as moderate. Some basic interventions in spillage control and cleaning procedures, floor surface characteristics and using slip-resistant shoes are required to reduce the risk of slip in kitchens.

Introduction: Exposure to vibration as one of the consequences of industrial noise or the use of vibration generators can cause discomfort, reduce the efficiency and level of safety in workplaces. Therefore, in this study, the effect of whole body vibration on individual’s mental performance and response time was investigated. Material and Method: In this study, 40 male students of Tehran University of Medical Sciences were selected randomly and divided into two 20 subjects groups. Each group participated in two Pegboard Board and Math Calculations tests. Subjects in each stage of test were exposed to whole body vibration with acceleration in 0.8 and 1.1 m/s2 as well as background mode without vibration and were investigated response time and mental performance.Result: In the present study, the mean response time to the manual Purdue Pegboard test in the vibrational acceleration of 0.0, 0.8 and 1.1 m/s2 with a decreasing trend was 197.55±2.7, 176.25±5.38 and 177.58±2.92, respectively, which results in a significant reduction in the accuracy of the test. Also, the results showed that whole body vibration does not affect mental performance in shallow levels. But, in the intermediate and deep levels, this difference is statistically significant (p <0.001).Conclusion: Based on the results, whole body vibration is an effective factor in individual’s response time and mental performance, which can lead to a reduction in the accuracy of the work.

Introduction: Hospital acquired infections recognize as an important risk factor in health care. In this regard health care and hand hygiene is the first step in controlling the infections. This study, carried out with the aim of comparing the effect of hand washings in the usual way with disinfectants without water in microbial contamination of the hospitals hand nurses.Material and Method: Accordingly, samples were taken from hand of 30 nurses in the wards of surgery, pediatrics, emergency, CCU, ICU and cardiology in 4 steps before and after washing with soap and washing with liquid hand rub. Samples were cultured in EMB and Blood Agar medium, then identified by gram staining, catagase and coagugas tests and growth on manitol salt agar.Result: The findings showed that 30 samples were not grown on EMB medium، but 30 samples of Blood agar, before and after washing with soap and liquid hand rub, were grown and applying hand rub alcohol liquid is most effective than washing with soap. Identification of bacteria in manitol salt agar medium and coagulas test revealed %80 were coagulas negative staphylococcus and %20 coagulas positive staphylococcus. Conclusion: In this study washing with soap dose not effect on hand hygiene of nurses but disinfectant with liquid alcohol shows significant correlation in reducing microbial load on personnels’ hand that is revealed alcohol was more effective in reducing pollution.

Introduction: Job stress is one of the occupational hazards in the modern era. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health introduced the nursing job as a top 40 stressful jobs. In this job, multiple training techniques are considered to reduce stress and stress factors. This study was conducted to response the question “Is the use of health education programs can be effective in reducing job stress?”Material and Method: Electronic search was done using key words in Persian and English database (Medical Sciences, Iran Medex), Scientific Information Database (SID), Bio Med Central, Pub Med, Science Direct) and were found 3,412 paper totally. Articles examined based on defined criteria and 9 qualified articles were discussed systematically.Result: Among the reviewed studies, educational interventions in 7 studies were without, and 2 studies were with the use of health education models. The results of studies indicated significant effect of educational interventions on reducing job stress and using health education models in interventions had a greater effect on reducing job stress.Conclusion: The results highlights the importance of educational interventions based on health education models to reduce occupational stress among nurses.