First epidemiological study on occupational radar exposure in the French Navy: a 26-year cohort study

This retrospective cohort study deals with the causes of death among 57,000 military personnel who served in the French Navy surface vessels and were observed over the period 1975–2000. We successively compared the mortality rate and the specific causes of death between two groups differing in their potential exposure levels to radar. Occupational exposure was defined according to the on-board workplace (radar and control groups). The age-adjusted death ratios of the navy personnel were compared. For all causes of death, the results showed that 885 deaths in the radar group and 299 in the control group occurred (RR = 1.00 (95?% CI: 0.88–1.14)). RRs were 0.92 (95?% CI: 0.69–1.24) for neoplasms. For the duration of follow-up, the results did not show an increased health risk for military personnel exposed to higher levels of radio frequencies in the radar group, but the number of deaths was very small for some cancer sites.     

Semi-Destructive and Non-Destructive Tests of Timber Structure of Various Moisture Contents

The condition of heritage and historic timber constructions depends on how they are exploited. Numerous environmental factors degrade the physical and mechanical properties of timber and hence, affect the load-bearing capacity of constructions. As a result, frequent evaluations of their technical condition become necessary. Currently, modern technologies allow for extensive diagnostics of timber constructions using non-destructive and semi-destructive methods; yet, in contrast to classical laboratory tests, there is insufficient knowledge of the impact of individual factors on the results of such studies. This article presents an assessment of the influence of the moisture content of timber elements on the results of ultrasonic stress wave, sclerometric, and resistance drilling tests. Additionally, computed tomography scans were performed on selected samples to demonstrate the destruction mechanism occurring during the semi-destructive tests. The research involved three types of wood: pine, spruce, and fir of different moisture contents. The results reveal a strong relation between the moisture of timber and all the tests conducted in terms of both hygroscopic and capillary moisture.     

How much do workers’ health examinations add to health and safety at the workplace? Occupational preventive usefulness of routine health examinations

ObjectiveDespite no evidence in favour, routine workers’ health examinations, mostly pre-employment and periodic, are extensively performed worldwide with important allocation of resources. In Spain they are performed within a theoretical job-specific health surveillance system. Our objective was to ascertain their occupational preventive usefulness from the perspective of occupational health professionals.MethodsCross sectional study. Online survey addressed to all physicians and nurses members of the Catalan Society of Safety and Occupational Medicine (n = 539) in 2011. Univariate and bivariate analyses of prevalence and prevalence differences of answers.ResultsResponse rate 53% (n = 285). According to more than 70% of respondents the health surveillance system isn’t cost-effective, doesn’t meet the goal of early detection of health damage related to work, and doesn’t contribute to improve the occupational risk prevention system. Further deficiencies were identified regarding specificity and scientific basis for health examinations, quality of collective health surveillance and referral of suspected cases to mutual insurance companies for diagnosis and treatment. Bivariate analysis showed a significantly more negative opinion for several items amongst physicians (versus nurses) and amongst professionals working in external prevention services (versus internal services).ConclusionsThis study raises serious concerns about how health examinations are performed within our workers’ health surveillance system, which should be reviewed to ensure the fulfilment of its occupational preventive objective. Our results might encourage other countries with similar practices to assess them in order to assure their fitness for purpose.     

Endpoints as human biomarkers in exposure assessment of triazoles fungicides

Potential endpoint biomarkers were evaluated in the assessment of exposure to triazoles, in the southern region of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Volunteers were divided into three groups: occupationally exposed and rural residents (n = 21), non-occupationally exposed and rural residents (n = 35) and non-occupationally exposed and urban residents (n = 30). Of all endpoints evaluated, plasma concentration of androstenedione (p < 0.001) and glycine-conjugated bile acids presented statistical differences in the three studied groups (p < 0.05). However, our findings concerning oxidative stress and testosterone levels, plus that related to unconjugated and taurine conjugated bile acids, suggested that more studies are necessary to evaluate their potential as biomarkers for triazole exposure, as statistical significance was not attained between the groups. Our human population data contributes to the development of triazole exposure risk assessment with respect to these potential effect biomarkers, in potentially vulnerable groups and individuals.     

铅作业人群职业健康影响因素及干预措施

目的分析职业健康教育对铅作业人群的干预效果。方法选取2017年3月—2019年2月本市某企业的铅作业人群298名,对其进行健康教育,分析比较干预措施实施前后健康知识的知晓率和血铅变化情况。结果健康教育干预措施前,工人对健康知识的知晓率是51.68%,实施后,工人的知晓率是87.92%,对比可知铅作业人群健康知识的知晓率大幅升高,P<0.05,差异具有统计学意义;干预前工人的血铅含量是(1.54±0.63)μmol/L,干预后的血铅含量是(1.10±0.52)μmol/L,对比可知,健康教育措施实施后,工人的血铅值有下降趋势,P<0.05,差异具有统计学意义。结论为铅作业人群进行健康教育,提升工人对健康教育的知晓率,在预防铅作业人群的职业性慢性铅中毒时,能够获得较为理想的效果。     

西安市某制药厂片剂生产线职业病危害因素调查分析

目的了解西安市某制药厂片剂生产线产生的职业病危害因素接触水平与分布,分析职业病防护设施、个人防护用品、职业健康监护及职业卫生管理。方法采用职业危害现场调查、系统工程分析、现场检测、实验室分析等方法进行综合分析与评价。结果片剂生产线存在的主要职业病危害因素为其他粉尘、噪声。检测结果表明,各岗位接触噪声8 h等效声级在69.8-80.4 dB(A)之间,符合职业卫生限值要求;工作场所粉尘浓度均符合职业卫生限值要求。结论该药厂采取的防尘、防噪声等设施设置合理有效,应重点加强设备、防护设施的日常管理和维护以及职业健康监护和管理工作,确保工人的健康。     

医护人员职业暴露造成医院感染因素分析及对策

目的分析医护人员职业暴露造成医院感染因素,并制定相应的管理对策。方法抽取2017年1月-2019年1月在该院工作的200名医护人员作为主要研究对象,其中于2017年1月-2018年1月调查的医护人员未实施相关管理,作为对照组,而2018年2月-2019年1月调查的医护人员接受针对性管理,作为观察组,比较观察组与对照组医护人员的职业暴露发生率、医院感染发生率,并对暴露方式、暴露部位、暴露源以及暴露后的处理情况进行对比。结果观察组的医护人员职业暴露发生率和医院感染发生率均显著低于对照组,两组比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);两组在暴露方式、暴露部位和暴露源方面比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),但观察组出现职业暴露后处理更加及时,相比于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论导致医护人员职业暴露的原因较多,而医护人员职业暴露是造成医院感染的主要原因,因此,要对职业暴露原因进行分析,并根据具体的原因制定相应的干预管理对策,以降低医院感染的发生率。     

广东某电网企业职工2种模式职业紧张与职业倦怠相关性分析

目的 探讨广东某电网企业职工2种职业紧张模式与职业倦怠的相关性。方法 对广东某电网企业1091名职工整群抽样,分别采用《工作内容问卷》、《付出-回报失衡问卷》和《职业倦怠通用量表》对工作需求-自主模式职业紧张、付出-回报失衡模式职业紧张和职业倦怠进行评估。采用Wilcoxon秩和检验或Kruskal-Wallis检验进行单因素分析,二元logistic回归分析职业倦怠影响因素。结果 本研究检出轻度职业倦怠139人（14.5%）;重度职业倦怠467人（48.7%）。单因素分析结果显示,不同电磁辐射（Z=-2.149）、高温高空（Z=-2.493）、视屏作业（Z=-3.366）、吸烟（Z=-2.019）、运动（Z=-3.082）和睡眠时间（Z=-4.554）组间职业倦怠发生率的差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。Logistic回归分析显示,JDC模式下,职业紧张、吸烟、缺乏运动和睡眠时间短是发生职业倦怠的危险因素（P<0.05）;ERI模式下,职业紧张、缺乏运动和睡眠时间短是发生职业倦怠的危险因素（P<0.05）。结论 该电网企业高职业紧张职工发生职业倦怠的风险较大,吸烟、运动和睡眠时长是职业倦怠发生的影响因素。