• Title/Summary/Keyword: Health and safety risks

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Assessment of Semi-Quantitative Health Risks of Exposure to Harmful Chemical Agents in the Context of Carcinogenesis in the Latex Glove Manufacturing Industry

  • Yari, Saeed;Asadi, Ayda Fallah;Varmazyar, Sakineh
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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    • 제17권sup3호
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    • pp.205-211
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    • 2016
  • Excessive exposure to chemicals in the workplace can cause poisoning and various diseases. Thus, for the protection of labor, it is necessary to examine the exposure of people to chemicals and risks from these materials. The purpose of this study is to evaluate semi-quantitative health risks of exposure to harmful chemical agents in the context of carcinogenesis in a latex glove manufacturing industry. In this cross-sectional study, semi-quantitative risk assessment methods provided by the Department of Occupational Health of Singapore were used and index of LD50, carcinogenesis (ACGIH and IARC) and corrosion capacity were applied to calculate the hazard rate and the biggest index was placed as the basis of risk. To calculate the exposure rate, two exposure index methods and the actual level of exposure were employed. After identifying risks, group H (high) and E (very high) classified as high-risk were considered. Of the total of 271 only 39 (15%) were at a high risk level and 3% were very high (E). These risks only was relevant to 7 materials with only sulfuric acid placed in group E and 6 other materials in group H, including nitric acid (48.3%), chromic acid (6.9%), hydrochloric acid (10.3%), ammonia (3.4%), potassium hydroxide (20.7%) and chlorine (10.3%). Overall, the average hazard rate level was estimated to be 4 and average exposure rate to be 3.5. Health risks identified in this study showed that the manufacturing industry for latex gloves has a high level of risk because of carcinogens, acids and strong alkalisand dangerous drugs. Also according to the average level of risk impact, it is better that the safety design strategy for latex gloves production industry be placed on the agenda.

Food Safety and Health Issues of Cultured Meat

  • Akter, Mst Khodeza;Kim, Myunghee
    • 급식외식위생학회지
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    • 제3권1호
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    • pp.19-27
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    • 2022
  • The use of cultured meat, also known as in vitro meat, is claimed to be a way of meeting the growing demand for meat worldwide in a safe and disease-free manner, without sacrificing animal and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. However, its economic feasibility is limited by its cost, scale-up complexity, public neophobia and technophobia, and an imperfect knowledge of its impacts on human health. Cultured meat, which is obtained from stem cells using tissue engineering techniques, has been described as a potential alternative to the current meat production systems, which have extensive negative effects. To ensure that a food product is safe for human consumption, it is important to consider all aspects of its life cycle. In this context, the current review analyzes the major elements of the cultured meat life cycle, including the incorrect use of chemicals, such as pesticides or antibiotics, as well as improper processing and storage methods that determine the food safety of cultured meat. The purpose of this review is to determine food safety, health issues, and the potential risks associated with cultured meat production.

Korean Emotional Laborers' Job Stressors and Relievers: Focus on Work Conditions and Emotional Labor Properties

  • Lee, Garam
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • 제6권4호
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    • pp.338-344
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    • 2015
  • Background: The present study aims to investigate job stressors and stress relievers for Korean emotional laborers, specifically focusing on the effects of work conditions and emotional labor properties. Emotional laborers are asked to hide or distort their real emotions in their interaction with clients. They are exposed to high levels of stress in the emotional labor process, which leads to serious mental health risks including burnout, depression, and even suicide impulse. Exploring job stressors and relieving factors would be the first step in seeking alternatives to protect emotional laborers from those mental health risks. Methods: Using the third wave data of Korean Working Conditions Survey, logistic regression analysis was conducted for two purposes: to examine the relations of emotional labor and stress, and to find out job stressors and relievers for emotional laborers. Results: The chances of stress arousal are 3.5 times higher for emotional laborers; emotional laborers experience double risk-burden for stress arousal. In addition to general job stressors, emotional laborers need to bear burdens related to emotional labor properties. The effect of social support at the workplace is not significant for stress relief, unlike common assumptions, whereas subjective satisfaction (wage satisfaction and work-life balance) is proven to have relieving effects on emotional laborers' job stress. Conclusion: From the results, the importance of a balanced understanding of emotional labor for establishing effective policies for emotional laborer protection is stressed.

Worker Safety in Modular Construction: Investigating Accident Trends, Safety Risk Factors, and Potential Role of Smart Technologies

  • Khan, Muhammad;Mccrary, Evan;Nnaji, Chukwuma;Awolusi, Ibukun
    • 국제학술발표논문집
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    • The 9th International Conference on Construction Engineering and Project Management
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    • pp.579-586
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    • 2022
  • Modular building is a fast-growing construction method, mainly due to its ability to drastically reduce the amount of time it takes to construct a building and produce higher-quality buildings at a more consistent rate. However, while modular construction is relatively safer than traditional construction methods, workers are still exposed to hazards that lead to injuries and fatalities, and these hazards could be controlled using emerging smart technologies. Currently, limited information is available at the intersection of modular construction, safety risk, and smart safety technologies. This paper aims to investigate what aspects of modular construction are most dangerous for its workers, highlight specific risks in its processes, and propose ways to utilize smart technologies to mitigate these safety risks. Findings from the archival analysis of accident reports in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation Summaries indicate that 114 significant injuries were reported between 2002 and 2021, of which 67 were fatalities. About 72% of fatalities occurred during the installation phase, while 57% were caused by crushing and 85% of crash-related incidents were caused by jack failure/slippage. IoT-enabled wearable sensing devices, computer vision, smart safety harness, and Augment and Virtual Reality were identified as potential solutions for mitigating identified safety risks. The present study contributes to knowledge by identifying important safety trends, critical safety risk factors and proposing practical emerging methods for controlling these risks.

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CLARIFYING THE PARADIGM ON RADIATION EFFECTS & SAFETY MANAGEMENT: UNSCEAR REPORT ON ATTRIBUTION OF EFFECTS AND INFERENCE OF RISKS

  • Gonzalez, Abel J.
    • Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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    • 제46권4호
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    • pp.467-474
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    • 2014
  • The aim of this paper is to describe a relatively recent international agreement on the widely debated concepts of: (i) attributing effects to low dose radiation exposure situations that have occurred in the past and, (ii) inferring radiation risk to situations that are planned to occur in the future. An important global consensus has been recently achieved on these fundamental issues at the level of the highest international intergovernmental body: the General Assembly of the United Nations. The General Assembly has welcomed with appreciation a scientific report on attributing health effects to radiation exposure and inferring risks that had been prepared the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) following a formal request by the General Assembly.

Prevalence of Accident Occurrence Among Scientific Laboratory Workers of the Public University in Lebanon and the Impact of Safety Measures

  • Nasrallah, Inaam M.;El Kak, Assem K.;Ismaiil, Lina A.;Nasr, Rihab R.;Bawab, Wafa T.
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • 제13권2호
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    • pp.155-162
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    • 2022
  • Background: Workers are exposed to several risks in academic laboratories due to the presence of potentially hazardous substances. The main objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of accident occurrence and associated risk factors among laboratory workers at the scientific laboratories of the public university in Lebanon and the impact of safety measures training and availability. Methods: In this observational study, a survey was conducted for one year in scientific laboratories at faculties of the public university. Results: Among the participants (N = 220), 45.0% have had accidents; the main cause was exposure to chemicals (73.7%) and more specifically by inhalation (45.4%). Females (85.9%) were more exposed to accidents than males. Laboratory workers with a master's degree, a full-time schedule, and more than ten years of experience were significantly more exposed to accidents (p < 0.05). A significant association was found between accident occurrence and training on management of hazardous products (p = 0.044), risks related to workplace (p = 0.030), eyewash and emergency shower (p < 0.001), first aid (p = 0.012), and facial protection availability (p = 0.019). In spite of the lack of safety culture and efficient training on laboratory safety, participants have shown a very good perception regarding safety measures to be applied in case of work accidents. Conclusion: Based on our findings, the prevalence of accident occurrence is elevated among lab workers at the public university. The impact of regular training on laboratory safety preventive measures is of great importance to ensure the efficiency of occupational health and safety in scientific laboratories.

Psychosocial Risk Management in the Teaching Profession: A Systematic Review

  • Wischlitzki, Elisabeth;Amler, Nadja;Hiller, Julia;Drexler, Hans
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • 제11권4호
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    • pp.385-396
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    • 2020
  • Teachers are facing various job demands with psychosocial aspects being fundamental due to the nature of the occupation. Although teachers' work is associated with different psychosocial health risks, little is known on how to identify and tackle those. Thus, a systematic literature search as per the PRISMA statement was conducted via MEDLINE (PubMed), PSYNDEX (PubPsych), and ScienceDirect. Two reviewers independently screened 2261 titles and abstracts and 169 full-texts. According to the inclusion criteria established a priori, articles from peer-reviewed journals (English or German) on psychosocial risk management in teachers were incorporated. Despite a comprehensive and sensitive search, only four publications could be identified, outlining a process to implement risk management and different assessment tools. Taken together, data presented in the articles were scarce. Recommendations for process steps and the assessment of psychosocial risks can be derived from the findings. To implement effective psychosocial risk management in the teaching profession, further research is needed, though. Effective and practicable approaches, which are accepted by the target group, should be further developed and investigated. Relevant causes of occupational strain in the teaching profession must be identified and assessed reliably. Low-threshold interventions should be implemented, and the outcome must be evaluated afterward.

Consumer use of social media for food risk information: Survey findings in the United States and implications for the Korean context

  • Shim, Min Sun
    • 보건교육건강증진학회지
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    • 제33권3호
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    • pp.83-93
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    • 2016
  • Objectives: This study aimed (1) to share findings from the U.S. on customer use of social media for information seeking and sharing about food recall risks, and (2) to discuss the implications of the findings for the context of food safety and risk communication in Korea. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 1,026 social media users aged 18 years or older in the U.S., recruited from the Knowledge Network's nationally representative panel. Results: About 26 percent of respondents used social media either to seek or share food recall information in the past year, with social networking sites being the most popular tool. With respect to social media use for information seeking, being married, perceived risk of getting foodborne diseases, and trust in Internet were significant, positive predictors; being Whites and trust in health professionals were negative predictors. Social media use for information sharing was positively associated with education, being married, foodborne disease history, and perceived risk of foodborne diseases; Whites, income, and trust in health professionals were negative predictors. Conclusions: The study gives theoretical, methodological, and practical implications for the context of food safety and risks in Korea.

유해물질 관리정책의 과학화 (Scientific Management Policy for Hazardous Substances)

  • 정기화
    • 한국식품위생안전성학회지
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    • 제26권2호
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    • pp.171-181
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    • 2011
  • Though food safety efforts of the government has been increasing, but the health hazards resulting from food does not stop and thus increases consumers' anxiety and distrust of government. For more reliable safety management, developing analysis and intake measurement methods and strengthening regulatory control with strict criteria is necessary. In addition, as not only the known hazards by now, but also unknown but obvious hazards are simultaneously ongoing in current environments, the unified risk management and health assessment for food, health food and medicines from the media is critical. As risks and damage to health may show up after a long time after exposure, preventive measures and strategies for safety control is also needed.