Industrial Health最新文献

Daily rest period (DRP) refers to the interval between the end of one workday and the start of the next. This study examined the joint association of DRP and sleep duration with subsequent sick leave among Japanese daytime employees. Participants (n=5,593) were measured for DRP and sleep duration at baseline and for sick leave at 1-year follow-up. They were categorized into 10 groups based on their DRP and daily sleep duration. Logistic regression analyses for individuals experiencing sick leave for longer than a month showed that the combination of short DRP (<11 h) and sleep duration (<6 h) had a higher odds ratio (4.981, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.126-22.046) than the reference group. Furthermore, the combination of short DRP and normal sleep duration had a higher odds ratio (8.152, 95% CI = 1.801-36.902) than the reference group. Short DRP was associated with subsequent long sick leave.

To investigate factors contributing to the mental health of Vietnamese technical intern trainees in the food manufacturing industry, a questionnaire survey was conducted twice with a six-month interval. A total of 111 technical trainees who participated in two surveys were included in the analysis. We used a mixed-effects model, where items with statistically significant associations in the univariate analysis were fixed effects, factories were random effects, and the outcome was defined as the K6 score at follow-up. The mean K6 score increased from 3.13 (SD 3.5) at baseline to 3.86 (SD 4.1) at follow-up, with 26.1% and 34.2% exhibiting poor mental health (K6≥5) at baseline and follow-up, respectively. Insomnia and years of training experience were significantly associated with the K6 score at follow-up. Those with insomnia had significantly higher K6 score at follow-up. Compared to the first year of training, K6 score at follow-up increased significantly for training in their third year or more. It is important to understand the sleeping conditions of trainees and support them based on their years of training experience.

Workplace violence is a significant problem in industry, especially among rank-and-file workers, known as "blue-collar workers". This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to evaluate the suitability of the reduced Negative Acts Questionnaire (NAQ-R) as an instrument to measure workplace violence in this type of population and synthesize the results of studies that have used it in different industrial sectors. A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 statement. Publications describing populations of industrial workers were identified and included in the meta-analysis. For meta-analysis, we extracted data that allowed us to estimate the effect size of the included studies. We used a random-effects model to estimate the overall effect size and assessed heterogeneity between studies using the I² statistic. The global effect size test showed that the overall effect size was significantly different from zero (3.00, t=22.28, p<0.001), indicating an overall effect in relation to workplace violence measured by the NAQ-R in industrial workers. Our results support the claim that the NAQ-R is an effective tool for assessing workplace violence among industrial workers. These findings have important implications for practitioners and researchers working in the field of industrial psychology and occupational health.

Supportive measures for employees raising children may have increased workloads on other nurses, causing psychological stress. This study aimed to clarify the differences in working conditions and psychological status among female Japanese nurses based on child-rearing attributes. We used data from 1,600 female nurses at 10 Japanese hospitals collected by the study of the Work Environment for Hospital Nurses in Japan conducted in 2016. The variables included work conditions (number of night shifts per month, daily overtime, number of paid holidays per year, and social support received), psychological status (sense of coherence, emotional exhaustion, and work engagement), and sociodemographic characteristics. An analysis of covariance was performed on the differences between the three groups (without children, with preschool-age children, and with children of other ages groups). The group without children had a relatively higher workload (p<0.01) and lower social support (p<0.01 and p<0.05). Additionally, they had higher emotional exhaustion and lower work engagement (p<0.01). This study confirmed the uneven distribution of work environment by work-life balance measures.

Healthcare services provided by registered dietitians and dietitians have been changing because of evolving lifestyles and population dynamics, leading to subsequent changes in the occupational status and experiences of these professionals. However, few studies have examined occupational stress among registered dietitians and dietitians. This study involved a cross-sectional survey to investigate the status and associated factors of work engagement among registered dietitians and dietitians, whose professions differ based on licensing processes and scope of work. A total of 3,593 questionnaires were distributed, 1,890 responses were received, and 1,654 valid questionnaires were analyzed. Work engagement was measured using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the associations between work engagement and each factor. The work engagement scores of dietitians were significantly lower than those of registered dietitians. Further, work engagement was associated with age, workplace, coworker support, and effort-reward ratio for both registered dietitians and dietitians. However, exercise habit was a significant factor associated with work engagement only among dietitians. Work engagement among registered dietitians was comparable to that of typical Japanese workers, whereas it was lower among dietitians. The findings highlight the importance of considering associated factors to improve work engagement further, especially among dietitians.

Laughter is associated with better health and occurs most frequently during casual conversations. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has impaired social interactions, which may have reduced the frequency of laughter and led to poor well-being among workers. This study investigated the relationship between laughter frequency and work engagement among Japanese employees during the pandemic. We conducted a web-based survey among Japanese employees (20-59 yr) via an internet survey company in December 2021; 1,058 valid data were analysed. Of the respondents, 65.1% laughed at least once a week, but the frequency was much lower than that reported in previous studies conducted before the pandemic. Additionally, those who laughed at least once a week had significantly higher work engagement scores than those who laughed less than once a month. Although employees reduced their frequency of laughter during the pandemic, a certain frequency of laughter may be important for maintaining their work engagement.

Given the recognized carcinogenicity of cadmium, several regulatory interventions have been carried out over the years to protect exposed workers. The aim of the study is to investigate the prevalence and extent of exposure to cadmium among Italian workers. Data was collected from a nation-wide occupational exposure registry (SIREP, 1996-2022). Gender-specific statistical analysis was carried out for some exposure-related variables (cadmium compound, activity sector, occupational group, firm size). Potentially exposed workers were estimated for some industrial sectors. Concurrent exposures were investigated using cluster analysis. Overall 4,264 measurements were analyzed. Four industrial sectors were found to be most involved by cadmium exposure: base metal manufacturing, fabricated metal products, machinery and equipment, and other transport equipment (55% of measurements). Jewellery/precious-metal workers, and glass/ceramic plant operators were found to be most at exposure risk. A total of 26,470 workers potentially exposed was estimated (69% men). Concurrent exposures to other occupational carcinogens were detected quite frequently (52% of workers). Several situations of exposure and co-exposure to cadmium deserve attention and awareness in order to minimize the risks associated with workers' health. Recognition of potentially hazardous exposure conditions is an important step in prevention strategies to better protect workers against cancer-causing agents.

The introduction and implementation of chemical risk assessment is difficult, especially at small and medium-sized manufacturing and construction companies. This study aimed to identify the factors that inhibit or facilitate such assessment. Twelve individuals in charge of risk assessment at one medium-sized client company and eight small and medium-sized contract companies and responsible for innovation in the manufacturing and construction industries were interviewed. The interview transcripts were analyzed via text mining using KH Corder ver. 3 and a co-occurrence network was used to identify the keywords' connections and each factor in consideration of the interviews. Six factors inhibited or facilitated risk assessment: (1) education on hazardous work in the workplace, (2) improvement suggestions and reduction measures from client and staff, (3) cooperation between employees and contractors in the workplace, (4) thoroughly explanation of SDS content for better understanding, (5) risk awareness based on accident examples, and (6) difficulties imagining the hazards of chemical substances. Factors (1), (2), (3), and (5) were positive, facilitating factors; (4) and (6) were negative, inhibiting factors. This study highlights that it is necessary to educate workers about chemical substance risks using safety data sheets and accident examples in chemical risk assessment.

This report focuses on the occupational health risks associated with the use of artificial stones containing high levels of crystalline silica in the production of kitchen countertops. It presents the case of a 43-yr-old man who developed severe silicosis due to his occupation involving cutting and polishing quartz stone raw materials. A retrospective analysis of the patient's medical records and occupational history was conducted. The diagnosis of severe silicosis, moderate restrictive lung disease, and bilateral pneumothorax was based on clinical manifestations, pulmonary function test, radiological findings, and histological reports. The patient underwent lung transplantation, and his pulmonary function improved post-surgery. The study highlights the significant health risks associated with procedures involving artificial stones and emphasizes the importance of awareness and protective measures for employees and workers. Clinicians should be cautious when diagnosing respiratory symptoms in patients with a history of occupational exposure to artificial stones containing high levels of crystalline silica.