Prevalence of probable kerosene dermatoses among ball-bearing factory workers

The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence rate of dermatoses among workers in a ball-bearing factory and its possible association with their exposure to kerosene. Two groups of female workers participated in the study. The first group included 79 persons with major kerosene exposure during work, while the second, a reference group, was composed of 263 zipper-manufacturing workers with a similar age distribution, educational background, and income. Dermatologic examinations were used to determine the prevalence rate of hand dermatoses (erythema, scaling, and eczema). In the exposed group 51 persons (65%) had erythema with or without desquamation over the interdigital spaces, 12 persons (15%) had eczematous lesions, 3 persons (4%) had defatting dermatitis, and only 13 persons (16%) were apparently asymptomatic. In the reference group only one person had hand eczema (less than 1%). The difference in the occurrence of dermatoses between the two groups was significant according to the Mantel-Haenszel summary chi-square test. Patch tests on five workers with eczematous lesions revealed one to be sensitive to mercury. The findings indicate that kerosene is a skin irritant. Antirust oil used on the ball-bearings may also contribute to the irritant effect.     

Occupational dermatoses among workers in slag separation plants of the low-carbon ferrichrome industry

Slag separation shops in low-carbonaceous ferrochromium production, although provided with ecologically and economically justified closed waste-free technological scheme, are marked by occupational dermato-pathologies among the workers (epidermitis, contact dermatitis, allergic dermatoses) as well as by certain prevalence of some non-occupational skin and fat-tissue disorders caused by hazardous labour conditions. The article reveals the complex characteristics of slag's affecting the skin, which include primary irritating factors (alkali) and allergenic factors (chromium-hapten). The contributors propose a set of diagnostic and preventive measures with due account of the occupational diseases' specificity.     

Use of complementary and alternative medicines among factory workers: investigation of workers in manufacturing]

To elucidate the situation of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) in an occupational health setting, workers in a factory of a housing construction business were surveyed using self-administered questionnaires on their utilization of CAM in the past 12 months, out-of-pocket expenditures on CAM and ordinary western medicines (OWM), and reasons for the use of CAM. A total of 263 workers (84.3%) completed the questionnaires. Among them, 134 (51%) had received CAM therapy in the last 12 months: i.e. nutritional and tonic drinks (35.4%), supplements (16.3%), massage (13.7%), chiropractic or osteopathy (8.7%), health-related appliances (6.5%), herb or kampo (3.4%), aromatherapy (1.9%), acupuncture (1.9%), or other therapy (1.5%). Reasons for the use of CAM was "the condition was not serious enough to warrant OWM" and "expectation of health promotion or disease prevention" for 70 (51.9%) and 53 (39.3%) subjects, respectively. Average annual out-of-pocket expenditures for CAM and OWM were 17,500 and 21,300 yen, respectively. It seems important to further widen awareness and knowledge of CAM in occupational health.     

广州市某纺织印染厂职业健康监护结果分析

目的 了解某纺织印染厂作业人员的职业健康状况, 为制定干预措施提供科学依据。
方法 对某纺织印染厂参加2015年职业健康检查的1 027名作业人员体检结果进行分析。
结果 该纺织印染厂作业场所存在的职业危害因素有噪声、粉尘、高温及化学品, 仅有23.86%人员体检结果正常, 检出72名职业禁忌证人员和5名疑似职业病人员。1 027名体检者中, 尿常规、血常规的异常检出率女性高于男性, 血压、血清ALT、血清AST的异常检出率男性高于女性, 差异均有统计学意义(P < 0.05或0.01)。噪声作业人员纯音听阈测试异常检出率为32.30%, 粉尘作业人员肺功能异常检出率为17.65%, 高温作业人员血糖、血压的异常检出率分别为8.40%、25.77%。仅噪声作业人员纯音听阈测试异常率随年龄升高而呈上升趋势(P < 0.05), 且男性纯音听阈测试异常率高于女性(P < 0.05)。
结论 纺织印染企业接触高温、噪声人群的健康问题最为突出, 企业应该重视并切实做好职业健康监护工作。
     

手套生产针车工人职业紧张与精神卫生状况及其影响因素分析

目的 调查某手套生产企业针车工人职业紧张与精神卫生状况,分析精神卫生状况的影响因素,为企业职业健康促进提供依据。
方法 以该企业全部针车工人作为观察组,选取性别构成相同、年龄相似的非针车工人作为对照组,两组各131人,分别对其进行麦克林职业紧张问卷和哥德伯格普通健康问卷调查;并对针车工人精神卫生状况的影响因素进行logistic回归分析。
结果 观察组和对照组在性别、年龄、婚姻状况、文化程度、月平均收入的差异均无统计学意义（P>0.05）。观察组的职业紧张程度大、应付能力弱、精神卫生异常的发生率分别是20.61%、18.32%和32.82%,均高于对照组,差异有统计学意义（P < 0.05）。观察组职业紧张问卷的职业紧张因素、应付能力2个维度的得分均高于对照组,差异有统计学意义（P < 0.05）;观察组工作满意感维度得分（30.50±4.92）低于对照组（30.64±3.62）,但差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。观察组普通健康问卷的积极性项目平均异常率为25.06%,较对照组（10.81%）高,除“感觉愉快”条目外,其他条目的异常率均高于对照组,且差异有统计学意义（P < 0.01）;对照组消极性项目平均异常率为14.50%,较观察组（29.39%）低,除“因焦虑失眠”条目外,观察组其他条目的异常率均高于对照组,且差异有统计学意义（P < 0.05）。应付能力弱（OR=3.576,95% CI:1.405~9.101）是针车工人精神卫生异常的危险因素。
结论 与企业其他员工相比,该手套生产企业针车工人的职业紧张程度较高,企业应针对针车工人的应付能力弱、工作满意感差等问题,制定职业健康促进干预措施,以预防职业紧张与精神卫生异常的发生与发展。
     

Mortality among workers in a shoe manufacturing company

Several epidemiologic studies have suggested that leather workers have an elevated risk of bladder cancer, nasal cancer, and leukemia. A case-control analysis of patient files at a large cancer treatment facility in New York State indicated that several bladder cancer patients had worked at a large shoe manufacturing company in upstate New York. A mortality study was initiated to determine whether there was an unusual cancer risk associated with employment in this facility. Because company records were not available, local newspaper obituaries were used to identify former company employees who died between 1960 and 1979. Proportionate mortality (PMR) analyses were conducted by using 4,734 death certificates and the general U.S. population for comparison. There were no excess deaths from nasal cancer or bladder cancer, and mortality from leukemia was slightly lower than expected. Increased relative frequencies of digestive cancers were seen among men and women. There were significant excesses of deaths from multiple myeloma among both men (PMR = 193) and women (PMR = 346).     

Occupational deaths among healthcare workers

Recent experiences with severe acute respiratory syndrome and the US smallpox vaccination program have demonstrated the vulnerability of healthcare workers to occupationally acquired infectious diseases. However, despite acknowledgment of risk, the occupational death rate for healthcare workers is unknown. In contrast, the death rate for other professions with occupational risk, such as police officer or firefighter, has been well defined. With available information from federal sources and calculating the additional number of deaths from infection by using data on prevalence and natural history, we estimate the annual death rate for healthcare workers from occupational events, including infection, is 17-57 per 1 million workers. However, a much more accurate estimate of risk is needed. Such information could inform future interventions, as was seen with the introduction of safer needle products. This information would also heighten public awareness of this often minimized but essential aspect of patient care.     

某院医务人员职业暴露监测

目的了解医务人员发生职业暴露人群的分布特征、危险因素与风险环节。方法对某院所有医务人员2011年1月—2014年6月发生的职业暴露进行风险监控,分别从发生职业暴露者的职业类别,暴露的地点、环节以及方式进行数据统计。结果 286例次职业暴露者中,男性63例(22.03%),女性223例(77.97%);2011年111例次(38.81%),2012年75例次(26.22%),2013年67例次(23.43%),2014年1—6月份33例次(11.54%);对不同人群发生职业暴露者统计数据显示,各年度不同人群发生职业暴露所占百分比相似,由高到低依次为护士(31.97)%、医师(19.90%)、护工(15.79%)、技师(7.64%)、护师(4.17%)和保洁员(2.84%);整理废物、拔针或更换针头、丢弃锐器入利器盒、手术缝合或器械传递、各种穿刺(含抽血)操作时的锐器伤是医务人员发生职业暴露损伤的主要风险环节,其构成比分别为22.38%、19.58%、14.34%、12.94%和11.19%;各年度职业暴露发生地点相似,主要是病房、手术室和注射(治疗)室,其构成比分别为51.40%、19.58%和11.54%。结论医院应建立完善的职业暴露监控与风险管理体系,强化标准预防,加强对职业暴露高危人群的培训,对风险环节及危险因素进行监控和干预,以有效降低医务人员职业暴露发生率。     

Mortality among workers in an Italian cigarette factory

A cohort study was conducted to evaluate the mortality pattern among female and male workers in a cigarette factory. The study followed 972 female workers and 761 male workers with at least 6 months of cumulative employment from 1 January 1962 through 1 July 1996. Among women, mortality from all causes of death [standardized mortality ratio (SMR) = 0.9; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.8-1.1] and mortality from all malignant neoplasms (SMR = 1.1; CI = 0.9-1.3) were consistent with reference rates. Male workers had a significantly reduced overall mortality (SMR = 0.8; CI = 0.7-0.9), while mortality from all malignant neoplasms was as expected (SMR = 0.9; CI = 0.7-1.0). Among female workers the frequencies of deaths from diseases of nervous system (SMR = 2.0; CI = 1.1-3.4) and from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) (SMR = 2.7; CI = 1.0-5.6) were elevated at a statistically significant level. No association between duration of employment and diseases of nervous system was observed. A higher risk for NHL, based on three deaths, was reported among female workers with 15 or more years of employment (SMR = 8.1; CI = 2.2-21.0). Although based on small numbers, the excess of NHL here reported suggests that potential exposure to foliar residues of pesticides should be thoroughly considered in tobacco manufacturing.