• 제목/요약/키워드: Health hazards

검색결과 627건 처리시간 0.033초

Applications, Shortcomings, and New Advances of Job Safety Analysis (JSA): Findings from a Systematic Review

  • Fakhradin Ghasemi;Amin Doosti-Irani;Hamed Aghaei
    • Safety and Health at Work
    • /
    • 제14권2호
    • /
    • pp.153-162
    • /
    • 2023
  • Background: Job safety analysis (JSA) is a popular technique for hazard identification and risk assessment in workplaces that has been applied across a wide range of industries. This systematic review was conducted to answer four main questions regarding JSA: (1) which sectors and areas have used JSA? (2) What has been the aim of employing JSA? (3) What are the shortcomings of JSA? (4) What are the new advances in the field of JSA? Methods: Three main international databases were searched: SCOPUS, Web of Science, and PubMed. After screening and eligibility assessment, 49 articles were included. Results: Construction industries have used JSA the most, followed by process industries and healthcare settings. Hazard identification is the main aim of JSA, but it has been used for other purposes as well. Being time-consuming, the lack of an initial list of hazards, the lack of a universal risk assessment method, ignoring hazards from the surrounding activities, ambiguities regarding the team implementing JSA, and ignorance of the hierarchy of controls were the main shortcomings of JSA based on previous studies. Conclusion: In recent years, there have been interesting advances in JSA making attempts to solve shortcomings of the technique. A seven-step JSA was recommended to cover most shortcomings reported by studies.

고주파 방사에 대한 수신 안테나로 작용하는 구조물에서의 전격 및 점화 위험성 평가 (An Evaluation on Electrical Shock and Ignition Hazards in Metallic Structures Acting Receiving Antennas of Radio-frequency Radiation)

  • 최상원;이형수;이관형
    • 대한전기학회:학술대회논문집
    • /
    • 대한전기학회 1999년도 하계학술대회 논문집 E
    • /
    • pp.2280-2283
    • /
    • 1999
  • Close to high power radio/radar transmitters, there is a possibility that electrical sparks may occur at discontinuities in metallic structures. If these structures are in an area where flammable mixtures are present, there is a danger that fire or explosion may happen by these sparks. Voltage may be induced on these metallic structures by the radio-frequency transmitter. In this case, a person who comes into contact with these structure may be undergone a severe electrical shock. In this paper, assessment of the these hazards was investigated through experimental and evaluation for actual tower cranes near AM radio transmitters.

  • PDF

근로자의 건강보호를 위한 알릴 염화물의 포유류 배양세포 염색체이상시험 (In Vitro Mammalian Chromosomal Aberration Test of Allyl Chloride for Workers' Health)

  • 임경택;김수진
    • 한국산업보건학회지
    • /
    • 제24권2호
    • /
    • pp.160-168
    • /
    • 2014
  • Objectives: Chemical hazard evaluations are important for workers' health and working environments. Allyl chloride (CAS No. 107-05-1) is used in many industries, leading to concerns about the possibility of threats to the health of workers. Since only insufficient or controversial information is available about potential related hazards, an in vitro mammalian chromosomal aberration (CA) assay was conducted in order to gain additional information concerning any such hazards. Moreover, toxicological information from this study could be applied for workers' rights to know, and to prepare or update the Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for a number of industries. Methods and Results: The assay was performed using the Chinese hamster lung fibroblast cell (ATCC, CRL-1935), by the direct method (-S9) and by the metabolic activated method (+S9 mix). Using the direct method, the seven dosages in the 48-hour treatment group did not show that the frequency of CA is proportionate to the dosage. The frequency of CA is not proportionate to the dosage addition for a six-hour treatment using the metabolic activated method. Conclusions: From these findings, it was decided that this chemical does not induce chromosomal aberrations under the tested conditions.

Whole-Body Vibration Exposure vis-à-vis Musculoskeletal Health Risk of Dumper Operators Compared to a Control Group in Coal Mines

  • Kumar, Vivekanand;Palei, Sanjay K.;Karmakar, Netai C.;Chaudhary, Dhanjee K.
    • Safety and Health at Work
    • /
    • 제13권1호
    • /
    • pp.73-77
    • /
    • 2022
  • Background: Whole-body vibration (WBV) exposure of coal mine dumper operators poses numerous health hazards. The case-control study was aimed at assessing the relative musculoskeletal health risk of dumper operators' exposure to WBV with reference to the nonexposed group. Methods: Measurements of WBV exposure were taken at the operator-seat interface using a human vibration analyzer for 110 dumper operators in three coal mines. This vibration measurement was supplemented by a questionnaire survey of 110 dumper operators exposed to WBV and an equal number of workers not exposed to WBV. The relative risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) has been assessed through the case-control study design. Results: ISO guidelines were used to compare the health risk. It was observed that the prevalence of pain in the lower back was 2.52 times more in the case group compared to the control group. The case group of Mine-2 was 2.0 times more prone to vibration hazards as compared to Mine-3. Conclusion: The case group is more vulnerable to MSDs than the control group. The on-site measurement as well as the response of the dumper operators during the questionnaire survey corroborates this finding.

Opportunistic Insights into Occupational Health Hazards Associated with Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking Premises in the United Kingdom

  • Al-Bakri, Ali;Jawad, Mohammed;Salameh, Pascale;al'Absi, Mustafa;Kassim, Saba
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
    • /
    • 제16권2호
    • /
    • pp.621-626
    • /
    • 2015
  • Background: Smokefree laws aim to protect employees and the public from the dangers of secondhand smoke. Waterpipe premises have significantly increased in number in the last decade, with anecdotal reports of poor compliance with the smokefree law. The literature is bereft of information pertaining to waterpipe premise employees. This study aimed to opportunistically gather knowledge about the occupational health hazards associated with working in waterpipe premises in London, England. Materials and Methods: Employees from seven convenience-sampled, smokefree-compliant waterpipe premises in London were observed for occupational activities. Opportunistic carbon monoxide (CO) measurements were made among those with whom a rapport had developed. Observations were thematically coded and analysed. Results: Occupational hazards mainly included environmental smoke exposure. Waterpipe-serving employees were required to draw several puffs soon after igniting the coals, thereby providing quality assurance of the product. Median CO levels were 27.5ppm (range 21-55ppm) among these employees. Self-reported employee health was poor, with some suggestion that working patterns and smoke exposure was a contributory factor. Conclusions: The smokefree law in England does not appear to protect waterpipe premise employees from high levels of CO. Continued concerns surrounding chronic smoke exposure may contribute to poor self-reported physical and mental wellbeing.

부산지역 종합병원환자의 흡연실태 및 원내 흡연정책에 관한 인식도 조사 (Hospital Patients' Smoking Behaviors and Perceptions of Smoking Policies in Pusan.)

  • 남은우;류황건;박재성;민체류
    • 보건교육건강증진학회지
    • /
    • 제18권3호
    • /
    • pp.1-10
    • /
    • 2001
  • The purposes of this study were to identify patients' perceptions toward regulations of smoking in general hospitals and hazards caused by smoking. Moreover this study also identified smoking behaviors and punishment experience due to in-hospital smoking and education experiences of smoking in general hospitals. Around 88.0% of all respondents regardless of either smokers or non-smokers knew that hospitals are non-smoking area. However, 71.6% of smokers smoked during their hospital visits. For their smoking, only 51.0% of smokers utilized smoking rooms or areas for their smoking. Only 55.1% of smokers experienced punishments or notifications of warning due to their smoking. Around 93.0% of inpatients and outpatients acknowledged hazards toward their health caused by smoking. However, smokers did not realize the dangerous effects of passive smoking to other persons. Only 38.1% of smokers said that passive smoking causes hazard of others' health. 63.8% of smokers hoped for secession of smoking but only 42.8% of them sustained their non-smoking periods over 5 moths. Based on these results, this study insists that a more enforced smoking policy in general hospitals be desperately needed for protecting patients' health and controlling smoking at unapproved areas. Moreover hospitals should take proactive actions to prevent smoking in hospitals. A health education program in hospitals should promote patients' self-efficacy to stop smoking and patients' understanding of the hazardous effects of passive smoking in hospitals.

  • PDF

생강 저장굴에서 발생한 건강 피해 (Health hazards occurred in the underground storing places of ginger roots)

  • 임현술;김헌;배근량;김두희
    • 농촌의학ㆍ지역보건
    • /
    • 제23권2호
    • /
    • pp.251-258
    • /
    • 1998
  • Ginger has been cultivated for thousands of years. It is very popular in the food industry as an additive to ginger ale, candies, pastries and cakes. The root has a strong, sweet scent. It contains protein, fat, carbohydrates, ash, calcium, potassium, vitamin A. thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and ascorbic acid. In korea, farmers keep ginger roots into underground holes from the harvest time to the seedtime. They dig 6 meters under the ground and preserve the cultivated ginger roots. This study was conducted to evaluate the health hazards occurred in the underground storing places of ginger roots. Authors reviewed the accidents occurred in those places, therefore transported by the public emergency system in Seo-cheon city from Jan, 1 1996 to Dec, 31 1997. We could confirm 8 persons on transport records. Among them, 5 persons were due to poisoning, 3 persons were due to injuries. We would like to suggest that poisoning could be induced by hypoxia and injuries occurred from a fall into the underground hole. These should be prevented by the health education for farmers. And further investigations are needed to understand their magnitude and the pathogenic mechanisms.

  • PDF

반도체 산업의 작업환경과 질병의 경험들 (Working Environment and Experiences of Diseases in Semiconductor Industry)

  • 공유정옥
    • 한국산업보건학회지
    • /
    • 제22권1호
    • /
    • pp.32-41
    • /
    • 2012
  • Objectives: Information of chemical in electronics industry has not been known enough, although workers' health hazards by chemicals in this industry have been regarded serious. The who always contribute to reveal and control the health hazards and risks in electronics industry have not been the industry but the occupational or environmental victims and grassroot organizations. The similar phenomena can be observed in Korea. Methods: The experiences of individual workers on the occuapational safety and health in semiconductor factory were heard separately and integrated with related literatures. Results:: The first part of this article is largely based on the memories and experiences of individual workers of semiconductor factories, mainly from S semiconductor. Common features of those experiences can be a good resource for detail understanding of the workplace, especially under the situation without any transparent disclosure of information by the governments or the companies. The second part of this article deals with several factors to be considered for control of exposure in workplace; characteristics of workplace and workforce, types of chemicals used, and the way of using the chemicals. Then the current social issues on work-relatedness of cancers of S semiconductor workers are presented briefly. Conclusions: As a conclusion, current OSH situations and issues in Korean electronics industry raise the need of changes in OSH culture. General adaptation of precautionary principle, internalization of costs, and extended responsibility of producers are needed urgently. The OSH professionals both in public and private sectors should support these agendas under their social obligation to protect workers' health.

Working in a Risky Environment: Coping and Risk Handling Strategies Among Small-scale Miners in Ghana

  • Wireko-Gyebi, Rejoice Selorm;Arhin, Albert Abraham;Braimah, Imoro;King, Rudith Sylvana;Lykke, Anne Mette
    • Safety and Health at Work
    • /
    • 제13권2호
    • /
    • pp.163-169
    • /
    • 2022
  • Background: It is estimated that about 13 million artisanal and small-scale miners carry out their activities under harsh, precarious, unfriendly, and risky conditions. Yet, our understanding of the extent to which these workers use personal protective equipment (PPE) and navigate through the various risks and hazards they face is still limited. This article has two main objectives. First, it explores the extent of usage of PPE among artisanal and small-scale miners for the prevention of hazards and risks. Second, it examines the coping strategies used by these miners as a response to experiences of occupational injuries and risks Methods: A cross-sectional survey of small-scale miners was conducted in six communities across three districts in Ghana, West Africa. The mixed methods approach was adopted. A total of 148 small-scale miners participated in the study. Six focus group discussions (FGDs) were held across the six communities. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Chi-square tests were used to analyse the relationship between some socio-demographic characteristics (sex, age, and educational background) and the usage of PPE. Open-ended questions and responses from FGDs were analysed based on the content and verbatim quotations from miners. Results: Findings suggest that 78% of the miners interviewed do not use the appropriate PPE citing reasons such as cost, and their personal discomfort associated with use of PPE. There was no significant relationship between socio-demographic characteristics (i.e., sex, age, education and major mining activity) and the usage of PPE. The study further revealed four main coping strategies used by miners to handle the risks. These are rest, taking unprescribed medication and hard drugs, registration with health insurance scheme and savings and investments. Conclusion: This study shows that very few artisanal miners use PPE despite the significant hazards and risks to which they are exposed. The study recommends to the government to put in place measures to ensure that miners adhere to health and safety regulations before undertaking mining activities. This means that health and safety plans and use of PPE should be linked to the license acquisition process for miners.