Annals Of Work Exposures and Health最新文献

Sodium fluoroacetate, better known as 1080, is a vertebrate toxin used for predator elimination in New Zealand. Sodium fluoroacetate itself is non-toxic but is readily converted by the body into highly toxic fluorocitrate, a metabolic poison known to impair mitochondrial function through inhibition of the enzyme aconitase, a key step in the citric acid cycle. The New Zealand workplace exposure standard of 0.05 mg/m3 is unlikely to protect workers from chronic exposure health risks. The chronic protective airborne exposure limit presented herein was derived from a NOAEL of 0.075 mg/kg/day via application of an uncertainty factor of 3,000. A UF of 3,000 was chosen based on 3 for toxicodynamic differences between species; 10 for intraspecies variation; 10 for extrapolation from a short-term duration study; and 10 for database limitations. The resulting reference dose of 0.025 µg/kg/day was converted to an inhalable 8-h equivalent TWA assuming a conservative 60 kg person and a ventilation rate during medium metabolic activity of 6 L/min. This gave a workplace exposure limit for sodium fluoroacetate of 0.52 µg/m3, which should be protective of chronic health risk resulting from quantal myocardial and testicular toxicity. A corresponding BEI of 0.15 µg/L was derived using methodology previously described by Beasley et al. (2009).

Background: Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) performance indicators are important to ensure effective management and contribute to organizational decision-making processes regarding health risk mitigation strategies. Recently, the resurgence of "black lung" and silicosis have increased awareness of work-related health impacts on workers and industry. Occupational health impacts are often under-reported compared to occupational safety impacts. Where they are addressed, the emphasis is typically on lagging indicators such as illness and disease rates. The inadequacy of lagging indicators such as workplace compensation statistics in revealing the full extent of worker illness and disease is widely acknowledged. A framework of leading indicators could provide workplaces with tools that can measure occupational health outcomes more effectively, allowing for early intervention and risk mitigation.

Method: This study aims to identify reliable leading health indicators that can support workplaces to identify and manage risk factors that impact worker health, using a mixed-method review approach. Initially, a literature review to identify and rate the quality of key occupational health indicators was conducted, followed by a qualitative survey to collect stakeholder feedback. Indicators were stratified for quality and type (leading or lagging), in the categories of leadership, strategy, organization, employees, and partnership. The survey results were collated to reflect categories and sub-categories of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management system areas.

Results: Of the 153 leading health performance indicators that were identified through the literature, 28 (18%) were evaluated as high quality, 80 (52%) as medium quality, and 45 (29%) as low quality. A total of 106 lagging indicators were extracted, 42 rated as high quality (40%), 39 (37%) as medium quality, and 25 (24%) as low quality. Results of the data review indicated that occupational health performance indicators centred on risk control systems (n = 7; 25%) and communication (n = 4; 14%) were rated as higher quality leading indicators. High-quality performance indicators pertaining to employees (competence, awareness, and involvement) were lacking (n = 2; 7%). A framework of leading indicators that can be used by companies to evaluate and ensure health risks are controlled is proposed.

Conclusion: To effectively address occupational health risks, including injuries and illnesses that develop over time due to hazardous exposures, it is essential to integrate OHS metrics as a core component of health and safety management systems. This research established a baseline framework to assist the industry in establishing key occupational health performance objectives enabling them to achieve their duty of care to protect the health of workers.

Introduction: Research training and research collaboration have been identified as a means of improving the standing and impact of occupational health and hygiene (OHH) professionals, especially in rapidly industrializing countries. The 2 key measures of research achievement relate to publication in high-impact (Q1) peer-reviewed journals and awarding of competitive research grants. However, there appears to be little formal research training guidance in the OHH field. In order to address the OHH training need, 2 introductory modules addressing publications and grants were developed by the University of Adelaide and the University of Indonesia and trialled in Indonesia.

Methods: The Carpe Diem course design approach, with team-based storyboarding, was used. The training was delivered in hybrid mode to postgraduate and PhD students and early career researchers. The modules provided a focus on the value and context of OHH research and key elements scrutinized by editors, reviewers, and selection panels. Characterization of research "players," gamification and storytelling were used to enhance interest amongst the relatively young audience.

Results: Feedback from participants was positive, including design, interest, and meeting expectations. In an online survey, respondents stated that they would attend a similar training activity, and 96% would recommend this training to others.

Discussion and conclusions: This research training activity is the first to focus on OHH research, and was successfully piloted in a country where industry and occupational hygiene are rapidly growing. Young researchers appreciated the novel learning design. Research training in developing countries may assist in making untapped exposure data available, expanding and enriching the OHH literature.

Objectives: Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), particularly nano-titanium dioxide (nano-TiO2), are widely used across industries in Singapore, raising concerns about potential worker exposure. This study aimed to quantify occupational exposures and emissions at workplaces handling nano-TiO2, assessing work practices, usage patterns and workplace controls.

Methods: Occupational exposure to nano-TiO2 was assessed across 7 workplaces (laboratories, manufacturing, downstream application, and recycling). Methods for characterizing personal exposure included personal gravimetric sampling (NIOSH 0600), elemental analysis (NIOSH 7300), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while real-time particle number concentration (PNC) monitoring was done to understand the particle distribution in the workplace environment during the tasks performed. Workplace observations included measurement of dimensions of the work area, existing control measures (engineering, administrative, and personal protective equipment), nature of nano-TiO2 handling practices, forms, quantities, particle size, and state changes of the nano-TiO2 used.

Results: Personal exposure samples were collected from 30 workers across workplaces. These include: 7 in laboratory, 10 in manufacturing, 6 in spraying, and 7 in shredding/recycling. Of these, 3 samples, collected during bulk loading and spraying activities, exceeded the NIOSH recommended exposure limit (REL) for ultrafine nano-TiO2 (0.3 mg/m3). Electron microscopy analysis of the samples exceeding the NIOSH REL for ultrafine nano-TiO2 during spraying revealed that the nano-TiO2 particles were predominantly in the size range of 80 to 147 nm. Respirable dust concentration and PNC were positively correlated for higher-risk activities, with peak PNC observed at the workplaces where spraying applications were performed.

Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating nano-TiO2 workplace exposure in Singapore. Exposure levels were generally low, likely due to prevalence of small-scale and research-based applications but varied significantly across workplaces for activities such as spraying, bulk loading and manufacturing. Singapore's current regulatory approach (TR 73) establishes exposure limits but lacks specific guidance on control measures. A more holistic regulatory framework is needed, providing tailored recommendations for diverse workplace exposure scenarios.

This study evaluated hand-arm vibration (HAV) risks associated with common tools and tasks performed by automotive trades workers (boilermakers, tire fitters, and heavy vehicle (HV) mechanics) in a workshop that serviced HVs and some light vehicles (LVs). Assessment of task and daily HAV exposure occurred over a week and followed the methodology from AS ISO 5349:2013. Screening for task-based ergonomic hazards was conducted using the Manual Tasks Risk Assessment Tool V 2.0 (ManTRA) and Quick Exposure Check (QEC) tools to inform the HAV assessment. Workers (with varied prior HAV exposure) also completed a screening questionnaire for related health effects that may be caused or exacerbated by HAV exposure. Boilermakers had typical and individual daily HAV exposures exceeding the recommended exposure action value (EAV) of 2.5 m/s2. In comparison, HAV exposures for mechanics and tire fitters were below the EAV. The use of pneumatic needle scalers and impact wrenches was associated with the highest exposure to HAV. Ergonomic risk factor scores were higher for the hand and arm during several boilermaker and tire fitter tasks. Several workers who completed the screening questionnaire were referred for further medical review. Task vibration measurements had a strong positive linear correlation (r = 0.932, P-value <0.001) with the 75th percentile values reported by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for tools used prior to 2015. A conservative approach to the management of HAV risks is recommended, based on the variability and uncertainty in measurements and existing risk models.

In the absence of regulatory criteria, the National Environmental Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) Measure (the NEPM) Health Investigation Level (HIL) for lead in soil has been used to assess risks to adults that may have workplace exposure to lead-containing dust on internal surfaces of buildings, and the subsequent requirement for lead specific remediation. The NEPM HIL A screening criteria of 300 mg/kg for lead in soil was developed to protect young children who may display pica behaviours. This commentary explains why application of this screening criteria to occupational exposures arising from lead-containing dust in government buildings has resulted in the overestimation of potential lead exposure risk in adult workers performing building refurbishment or facility maintenance activities, and the unnecessary implementation of lead specific remediation activities. Work-specific and site-specific exposure assessments should follow screening activities to ensure worker protection with or without lead-specific remediation of the site.

Exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is known to increase the risk of the development of silicosis, in addition to lung cancer and other diseases. While much evidence of the link between underground tunnel construction and the resultant development of silicosis exists, limited information is available on the levels of occupational exposure to RCS or the prevalence of RCS-related disease in tunnelling in Australia. Publicly available RCS exposure data were sourced from the construction of 3 major Queensland tunnelling projects between 2007 and 2013. Statistical evaluation was performed to estimate RCS exposure, and together with estimates of workforce size and risk estimates, the future excess number of silicosis and lung cancer in that tunnelling workforce were estimated. In a cohort of around 2,000 workers who serviced the Queensland tunnel projects, it was estimated that between 20 and 30 cases of lung cancer and between 200 and 300 cases of silicosis would develop over their lifetime as a result of exposure to RCS. This paper highlights the likely future burden of disease, the need for case-finding and better control measures to reduce RCS exposure in this high-risk cohort.