Trial-based economic evaluations in occupational health: principles, methods, and recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

van Dongen, Johanna M; van Wier, Marieke F; Tompa, Emile; Bongers, Paulien M; van der Beek, Allard J; van Tulder, Maurits W; Bosmans, Judith E

2014-06-01

To allocate available resources as efficiently as possible, decision makers need information on the relative economic merits of occupational health and safety (OHS) interventions. Economic evaluations can provide this information by comparing the costs and consequences of alternatives. Nevertheless, only a few of the studies that consider the effectiveness of OHS interventions take the extra step of considering their resource implications. Moreover, the methodological quality of those that do is generally poor. Therefore, this study aims to help occupational health researchers conduct high-quality trial-based economic evaluations by discussing the theory and methodology that underlie them, and by providing recommendations for good practice regarding their design, analysis, and reporting. This study also helps consumers of this literature with understanding and critically appraising trial-based economic evaluations of OHS interventions.

Current Trends in Radiation Protection Recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomaa, M.A.

2008-01-01

The third generation of the ICRP recommendations was adopted in April 2007. The recommendations rely on situations (planned, emergency and existing), individual (occupational, public and patient) and radiation protection system (justification, optimization and dose limits). In the present work attention is paid to discuss the new recommendations and role of IAEA in updating its Basic Safety Standards for protection against ionizing radiation and safety of radiation sources and its impact for the national regulations

48 CFR 1352.271-82 - Department of Labor occupational safety and health standards for ship repair.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... occupational safety and health standards for ship repair. 1352.271-82 Section 1352.271-82 Federal Acquisition... of Provisions and Clauses 1352.271-82 Department of Labor occupational safety and health standards... Occupational Safety and Health Standards for Ship Repair (APR 2010) The contractor, in performance of all work...

48 CFR 1371.113 - Department of Labor occupational safety and health standards for ship repair.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... occupational safety and health standards for ship repair. 1371.113 Section 1371.113 Federal Acquisition... CONSTRUCTION AND SHIP REPAIR Provisions and Clauses 1371.113 Department of Labor occupational safety and health standards for ship repair. Insert clause 1352.271-82, Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health...

Radiation protection guidance to Federal agencies for occupational exposure. Recommendations approved by the President. Part II The President

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, Lee M.

1987-01-01

This memorandum transmits recommendations that would update previous guidance to Federal agencies for the protection of workers exposed to ionizing radiation. These recommendations were developed cooperatively by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Environmental Protection Agency. In addition, the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP), the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD) of the States, and the Health Physics Society were consulted during the development of this guidance. These recommendations are based on consideration of (1) current scientific understanding of effects on health from ionizing radiation, (2) recommendations of international and national organizations involved in radiation protection, (3) proposed 'Federal Radiation Protection Guidance for Occupational Exposure' published on January 23, 1981 (46 FR 7836) and public comments on that proposed guidance, and (4) the collective experience of the Federal agencies in the control of occupational exposure to ionizing radiation. A summary of the considerations that led to these recommendations is provided

Recommending a minimum English proficiency standard for entry-level nursing.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Neill, Thomas R; Tannenbaum, Richard J; Tiffen, Jennifer

2005-01-01

When nurses who are educated internationally immigrate to the United States, they are expected to have English language proficiency in order to function as a competent nurse. The purpose of this research was to provide sufficient information to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) to make a defensible recommended passing standard for English proficiency. This standard was based upon the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A large panel of nurses and nurse regulators (N = 25) was convened to determine how much English proficiency is required to be minimally competent as an entry-level nurse. Two standard setting procedures, the Simulated Minimally Competent Candidate (SMCC) procedure and the Examinee Paper Selection Method, were combined to produce recommendations for each panelist. In conjunction with collateral information, these recommendations were reviewed by the NCSBN Examination Committee, which decided upon an NCSBN recommended standard, a TOEFL score of 220. Because the adoption of this standard rests entirely with the individual state, NCSBN has little more to do with implementing the standard, other than answering questions and providing documentation about the standard.

[The System and Human Resources for Occupational Health in Thailand - For Japanese Enterprises to Manage Proper Occupational Health Activities at Overseas Workplaces].

Science.gov (United States)

Fukai, Nanae; Hiraoka, Ko; Kajiki, Shigeyuki; Kobayashi, Yuichi; Thanachokswang, Chatchai; Arphorn, Sara; Uehara, Msamichi; Nakanishi, Shigemoto; Mori, Koji

We collected information necessary for conducting occupational health activities in Thailand with regard to occupational safety and health management systems (OSHMS). Based on an information collection check sheet developed in our previous research, we conducted a literature research and visited four local business bases, one ISO certification body and two higher educational institutions. The legal framework concerning occupational health in Thailand consists of the Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Act of 2011 and 13 ordinances from the Ministry of Labor under that act. The original OSHMS standards for Thailand have been published, and the number of companies, especially large ones, introducing systems conforming to these standards has increased in recent years. For occupational health specialists, there are training programs for specialized occupational health physicians, professional safety officers and occupational nurses. Professional safety officers also play a central role in occupational health in the workplace. In Thailand, it is necessary to ensure compliance with related acts and regulations, and to conduct voluntary activities that satisfy workplace conditions as based on the OSHMS standards. Additionally, to improve occupational health performance, it is essential to use high-quality external services and/or occupational health professionals. Headquarters of Japanese companies have considered taking countermeasures such as recommending active use of professional safety officers, as well as issuing global standards.

Revision of the occupational health examination form for radiation workers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Chang'an; Chen Erdong

2005-01-01

Objective: To revise the Occupational Health Examination Form for Radiation Workers, which is served as annex 3 of Management Regulations for Occupational Health Surveillance (Decree No.23 of Ministry of Health, P.R. China), so as to further improve and standardize the occupational health management for radiation workers. Methods: Based on corresponding laws, standards and general principles of occupational medicine. Results: The new version of the Form was established and passed auditing. Conclusion: The theoretical foundation, intention and methods of the revision process are briefly introduced. Requirements and necessary recommendations for implement the new Form are also described. (authors)

Historical review of the List of Occupational Diseases recommended by the International Labour organization (ILO)

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

The list of occupational diseases established in the international and national legal system has played important roles in both prevention of and compensation for workers’ diseases. This report reviewed the historical development in the ILO list of occupational diseases and suggested implications of the trends. Since the first establishment of the ILO list of occupational diseases in 1925, the list has played a key role in harmonizing the development of policies on occupational diseases at the international level. The three occupational diseases (anthrax, lead poisoning, and mercury poisoning) in the first ILO list of occupational diseases, set up in 1925 as workmen’s compensation convention represented an increase of occupational diseases from the Industrial Revolution. Until the 1960s, 10 occupational diseases had been representative compensable occupational diseases listed in Convention No. 121, which implies that occupational diseases in this era were equated to industrial poisoning. Since 1980, with advancements in diagnostic techniques and medical science, noise-induced hearing loss, and several bronchopulmonary diseases have been incorporated into the ILO occupational list. Since 2002, changes in the structure of industries, emerging new chemicals, and advanced national worker’s compensation schemes have provoked the ILO to revise the occupational disease list. A new format of ILO list appended in Recommendation 194 (R194) was composed of two dimensions (causes and diseases) and subcategories. Among 50 member states that had provided their national lists of occupational diseases, until 2012 thirty countries were found to have the list occupational diseases having similar structure to ILO list in R194. PMID:24472440

Historical review of the List of Occupational Diseases recommended by the International Labour organization (ILO).

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Eun-A; Kang, Seong-Kyu

2013-08-05

The list of occupational diseases established in the international and national legal system has played important roles in both prevention of and compensation for workers' diseases. This report reviewed the historical development in the ILO list of occupational diseases and suggested implications of the trends. Since the first establishment of the ILO list of occupational diseases in 1925, the list has played a key role in harmonizing the development of policies on occupational diseases at the international level. The three occupational diseases (anthrax, lead poisoning, and mercury poisoning) in the first ILO list of occupational diseases, set up in 1925 as workmen's compensation convention represented an increase of occupational diseases from the Industrial Revolution. Until the 1960s, 10 occupational diseases had been representative compensable occupational diseases listed in Convention No. 121, which implies that occupational diseases in this era were equated to industrial poisoning. Since 1980, with advancements in diagnostic techniques and medical science, noise-induced hearing loss, and several bronchopulmonary diseases have been incorporated into the ILO occupational list. Since 2002, changes in the structure of industries, emerging new chemicals, and advanced national worker's compensation schemes have provoked the ILO to revise the occupational disease list. A new format of ILO list appended in Recommendation 194 (R194) was composed of two dimensions (causes and diseases) and subcategories. Among 50 member states that had provided their national lists of occupational diseases, until 2012 thirty countries were found to have the list occupational diseases having similar structure to ILO list in R194.

Population Health and Occupational Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Braveman, Brent

2016-01-01

Occupational therapy practitioners play an important role in improving the health of populations through the development of occupational therapy interventions at the population level and through advocacy to address occupational participation and the multiple determinants of health. This article defines and explores population health as a concept and describes the appropriateness of occupational therapy practice in population health. Support of population health practice as evidenced in the official documents of the American Occupational Therapy Association and the relevance of population health for occupational therapy as a profession are reviewed. Recommendations and directions for the future are included related to celebration of the achievements of occupational therapy practitioners in the area of population health, changes to the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework and educational accreditation standards, and the importance of supporting, recognizing, rewarding, and valuing occupational therapy practitioners who assume roles in which direct care is not their primary function. Copyright © 2016 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Recommendation for an European wind turbine safety standard

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hjuler Jensen, P.; Hauge Madsen, P.; Winther-Jensen, M.; Machielse, L.; Stam, W.; Einsfeld, V.; Woelfel, E.; Elliot, G.; Wilde, L. de

1988-09-15

The objective is to establish an European standard for wind safety which should apply for all member countries of the European Communities. The document contains a list of recommended safety requirements in relation to the system, structure, electrical installations, operation and maintenance of wind turbines. The recommended safety standards cover electricity producing wind turbines connected to electricity grids in both single and cluster applications and with a swept area in excess of 25 square meters and/or a rated power of 10kW. The document should be used in combination with The European Standards for Wind Turbine Loads and other relevant European Standards. Environmental condition, with the emphasis of wind conditions and more extreme climatic conditions, are also considered in relation to safety requirements. (AB).

Illinois Occupational Skill Standards: HVAC/R Technician Cluster.

Science.gov (United States)

Illinois Occupational Skill Standards and Credentialing Council, Carbondale.

This document, which is intended to serve as a guide for work force preparation program providers, details the Illinois occupational skill standards for programs preparing students for employment in jobs in the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC/R) industry. Agency partners involved in this project include: the…

The OSHA hazardous chemical occupational exposure standard for laboratories.

Science.gov (United States)

Armbruster, D A

1991-01-01

OSHA's chemical occupational exposure standard for laboratories is an outgrowth of the previously issued Hazard Communication Standard. The standard relieves laboratories from complying with general industry standards but does require compliance with specific laboratory guidelines. The heart of the standard is the creation of a Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP). The CHP addresses major issues such as safety equipment and procedures, work practices, training, the designation of a chemical hygiene officer, and the provision of medical consultation and examination for affected employees. This new standard, in full effect as of January 31, 1991, presents yet another regulatory challenge to laboratory managers but also ensures a safer environment for laboratory workers.

Trends in occupational exposure control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wrixon, A.D.

1996-01-01

The latest recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection were agreed in 1990. A major component was the revision of its recommended dose limits, prompted by the revised risk factors relating to exposure to ionising radiation that became available in the second half of the 1980s. But other changes were introduced which necessitated development. In particular a Task Group has been developing guidance on the implementation of the recommendations relating to the protection of workers. This guidance is intended to replace that given in Publication 35. The proposed guidance will be considered by ICRP at its meeting in Paris in November 1996. A guide on occupational radiation protection is also being prepared by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The intention is to develop the principles given in the International Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources, account being taken of the work of the ICRP Task Group. Members States of the European Communities are obliged to comply with the requirements of a Directive dealing with the basic standards for radiation protection. This Directive has recently been revised in the light of the ICRP recommendations. This paper will discuss these developments and their possible impact on the control of occupational exposure in the UK. (author)

Implications of ICRP recommendations on the management of radiation protection of workers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huyskens, C.J.

1992-01-01

The new ICRP recommendations [1] give a slightly revised definition of occupational exposure. Guidance is given with respect to the exposure at work related no natural radiation sources. Where ICRP recommends a source related definition of occupational exposure, the Basic Safety Standards of the European Communities [3] and consequently legislation in member states depart from an effect related definition of workers. Mutual divergence regarding this identification issue will be discussed in this paper. Operational radiation protection is commonly based on the principles of classification of workers, classification of working conditions and classification of places of work. From the management view point, the rationale for applying classification is to balancing the nature and the scale of control measures, monitoring and surveillance, using resources in the most appropriate way. In previous recommendations [2] ICRP has given criteria for classification, based on the projected level of individual annual dose, relative to the recommended dose limits for occupational exposure. This guidance is now regarded as crude and arbitrary and therefore withdrawn. This paper will address some consequences of the revised recommendations as well as options for implementation in the European Community basic safety standards. (author)

EMPLOYEE PERCEPTIONS OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS IN THE STEEL INDUSTRY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Mojapelo

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The inability to follow occupational health and safety standards typically resultsin accidents that place severe financial burdens on both employees as well asorganisations. The aim of this studyis to explore the perceptionsof employees inthe steel industry towards occupational health and safety standards in the steelindustry in South Africa. A survey was conducted in which a structuredquestionnaire was distributed to a purposive sample of 165 employees employedby a largesteel processing company in Gauteng Province. The collected data wereanalysed using SPSS (Version 22.0. A combination of descriptive statistics andanalysis of mean scores was applied to meet the aim of the study. The resultsreveal that employees in the steel industry perceived that occupational health andsafety standards were satisfactory in all seven occupational health and safetydimensions considered in this study. These are (1 information and training, (2health and safety awareness, (3 employee behaviour (4 role of the supervisor, (5health and safety reporting mechanisms, (6 workplace inspection, and (7workplace environment. Among these dimensions, safety awareness emerged asthe most important dimension to employees. The results may be utilised bymanagers in the steel industry to identify and direct their attention to the keyoccupational health and safety factors in their different contexts.

Using Social Judgment Theory method to examine how experienced occupational therapy driver assessors use information to make fitness-to-drive recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Unsworth, Carolyn; Harries, Priscilla; Davies, Miranda

2015-02-01

As people with a range of disabilities strive to increase their community mobility, occupational therapy driver assessors are increasingly required to make complex recommendations regarding fitness-to-drive. However, very little is known about how therapists use information to make decisions. The aim of this study was to model how experienced occupational therapy driver assessors weight and combine information when making fitness-to-drive recommendations and establish their level of decision agreement. Using Social Judgment Theory method, this study examined how 45 experienced occupational therapy driver assessors from the UK, Australia and New Zealand made fitness-to-drive recommendations for a series of 64 case scenarios. Participants completed the task on a dedicated website, and data were analysed using discriminant function analysis and an intraclass correlation coefficient. Accounting for 87% of the variance, the cues central to the fitness-to-drive recommendations made by assessors are the client's physical skills, cognitive and perceptual skills, road law craft skills, vehicle handling skills and the number of driving instructor interventions. Agreement (consensus) between fitness-to-drive recommendations was very high: intraclass correlation coefficient = .97, 95% confidence interval .96-.98). Findings can be used by both experienced and novice driver assessors to reflect on and strengthen the fitness-to-drive recommendations made to clients.

77 FR 72998 - Policy Statement on Occupational Safety and Health Standards for Aircraft Cabin Crewmembers

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-07

... [Docket No.: FAA-2012-0953] Policy Statement on Occupational Safety and Health Standards for Aircraft... regarding the regulation of some occupational safety and health conditions affecting cabin crewmembers on aircraft by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This policy statement will enhance...

Review of the Commission program for standardization of nuclear power plants and recommendations to improve standardization concepts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-02-01

This is a report of a staff study describing the need and utility of specific changes to the Commission's standardization program. The various matters considered in the study include: (1) A discussion of industry use to date of the standardization program. (2) A discussion of the experience to date with each of the standardization concepts. (3) A review of public comments on the standardization program and the staff response to each principal comment. (4) A review of the need for standardization considering the likely number of license applications to be submitted in the coming years. (5) A discussion of the reference system concept, including review of applicable experience and recommended changes to the concept. (6) A discussion of the duplicate plant concept, including review of applicable experience and recommended changes to the concept. (7) A discussion of the manufacturing license concept, including review of applicable experience and recommended changes to the concept. (8) A discussion of the replicate plant concept, including review of applicable experience and recommended changes to the concept. (9) A discussion of the effective periods for approved designs under all four standardization concepts. (10) A description of continuing staff activities related to the standardization program

75 FR 6123 - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Occupant Crash Protection

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-08

... motor vehicle safety standard is in effect under this chapter, a State or a political subdivision of a... [Docket No. NHTSA-2009-0156] RIN 2127-AK57 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Occupant Crash...'s response to petitions for reconsideration of a November 12, 2008 final rule that amended the child...

Using Social Judgment Theory method to examine how experienced occupational therapy driver assessors use information to make fitness-to-drive recommendations

Science.gov (United States)

Harries, Priscilla; Davies, Miranda

2015-01-01

Introduction As people with a range of disabilities strive to increase their community mobility, occupational therapy driver assessors are increasingly required to make complex recommendations regarding fitness-to-drive. However, very little is known about how therapists use information to make decisions. The aim of this study was to model how experienced occupational therapy driver assessors weight and combine information when making fitness-to-drive recommendations and establish their level of decision agreement. Method Using Social Judgment Theory method, this study examined how 45 experienced occupational therapy driver assessors from the UK, Australia and New Zealand made fitness-to-drive recommendations for a series of 64 case scenarios. Participants completed the task on a dedicated website, and data were analysed using discriminant function analysis and an intraclass correlation coefficient. Results Accounting for 87% of the variance, the cues central to the fitness-to-drive recommendations made by assessors are the client’s physical skills, cognitive and perceptual skills, road law craft skills, vehicle handling skills and the number of driving instructor interventions. Agreement (consensus) between fitness-to-drive recommendations was very high: intraclass correlation coefficient = .97, 95% confidence interval .96–.98). Conclusion Findings can be used by both experienced and novice driver assessors to reflect on and strengthen the fitness-to-drive recommendations made to clients. PMID:26435572

A Review of the New European Technical Recommendations for Monitoring Individuals Occupationally Exposed to External Radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dijk, J.W.E. van; Alves, J.G.; Ambrosi, P.; Bartlett, D.T.; Currivan, L.; Fantuzzi, E.; Kamenopoulou, V.

2013-01-01

This paper reviews the revised Technical Recommendations for Monitoring Individuals Occupationally Exposed to External Radiation as issued by the European Commission as Radiation Protection 160. These recommendations are aimed at all stakeholders in radiation protection dosimetry with an emphasis in the responsible technical staff of approved dosimetry services. This paper briefly touches each Chapter and ends with a more in depth section on the uncertainty evaluation of dose measurements. -- Highlights: ► Recommendations on all aspects of running an approved dosimetry service. ► Radiation protection framework. ► Metrology of personal dosimeters. ► QC and QA of individual monitoring

77 FR 75600 - Policy Statement on Occupational Safety and Health Standards for Aircraft Cabin Crewmembers...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-21

... [Docket No. FAA-2012-0953] Policy Statement on Occupational Safety and Health Standards for Aircraft Cabin... announced a proposed policy statement regarding the regulation of some occupational safety and health conditions affecting cabin crewmembers on aircraft by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The...

Occupational Trends and Program Priorities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dan Rosenthal

2001-07-01

Full Text Available Institutions of higher education that respond to the economic base in their region will remain competitive and be better positioned to obtain public funds and donor support. In addition to mandated program viability standards based on measures such as graduation rate, individual institutions and state coordinating boards can use ten-year occupational trend data to assess future program viability. We used an occupational demand model to determine whether academic programs can meet projected statewide needs for high demand and high growth occupations. For example, computer engineering, the highest growth rate occupation in Alabama, is projected to have 365 annual average job openings, with 93.6% total growth over ten years. But only 46 computer engineering majors graduate annually from all Alabama institutions of higher education. We recommend using an occupational demand model as a planning tool, decision-making tool, and catalyst for collaborative initiatives.

Dietary Differences in Male Workers among Smaller Occupational Groups within Large Occupational Categories: Findings from the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS).

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Rie; Tsuji, Mayumi; Senju, Ayako; Kusuhara, Koichi; Kawamoto, Toshihiro

2018-05-11

Studies examining workers' diet according to smaller occupational groups within "large occupational categories" are sparse. The aim of this study was to examine the potential differences in workers' diets based on the classification of workers into smaller occupational groups that comprise "large occupational categories". The subjects of this study were working fathers who had participated in the Japan Environment and Children's Study (N = 38,656). Energy and nutrient intake were calculated based on data collected from the Food Frequency Questionnaire. Occupations were classified according to the Japanese Standard Occupational Classification. Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the adherence to current dietary recommendations within smaller occupational groups. In particular, significant differences were observed among the categorical groups of "professional and engineering workers", "service workers", and "agricultural, forestry, and fishery workers". In "professional and engineering workers", teachers showed higher odds of adherence to calcium intake recommendations compared with nurses (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 2.02⁻3.14; p < 0.001). In "agricultural, forestry, and fishery workers", agriculture workers showed higher odds of adherence to calcium (OR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.46⁻3.15; p < 0.001) and vitamin C (OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.31⁻2.74, p = 0.001) intake recommendations compared with forestry and fishery workers. These findings may be beneficial from a research perspective as well as in the development of more effective techniques to improve workers' diet and health.

Effects of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout) standard on rates of machinery-related fatal occupational injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Bulzacchelli, Maria T; Vernick, Jon S; Webster, Daniel W; Lees, Peter S J

2007-10-01

To evaluate the impact of the United States' federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration's control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout) standard on rates of machinery-related fatal occupational injury. The standard, which took effect in 1990, requires employers in certain industries to establish an energy control program and sets minimum criteria for energy control procedures, training, inspections, and hardware. An interrupted time-series design was used to determine the standard's effect on fatality rates. Machinery-related fatalities, obtained from the National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities surveillance system for 1980 through 2001, were used as a proxy for lockout/tagout-related fatalities. Linear regression was used to control for changes in demographic and economic factors. The average annual crude rate of machinery-related fatalities in manufacturing changed little from 1980 to 1989, but declined by 4.59% per year from 1990 to 2001. However, when controlling for demographic and economic factors, the regression model estimate of the standard's effect is a small, non-significant increase of 0.05 deaths per 100 000 production worker full-time equivalents (95% CI -0.14 to 0.25). When fatality rates in comparison groups that should not have been affected by the standard are incorporated into the analysis, there is still no significant change in the rate of machinery-related fatalities in manufacturing. There is no evidence that the lockout/tagout standard decreased fatality rates relative to other trends in occupational safety over the study period. A possible explanation is voluntary use of lockout/tagout by some employers before introduction of the standard and low compliance by other employers after.

Effects of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout) standard on rates of machinery‐related fatal occupational injury

Science.gov (United States)

Bulzacchelli, Maria T; Vernick, Jon S; Webster, Daniel W; Lees, Peter S J

2007-01-01

Objective To evaluate the impact of the United States' federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration's control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout) standard on rates of machinery‐related fatal occupational injury. The standard, which took effect in 1990, requires employers in certain industries to establish an energy control program and sets minimum criteria for energy control procedures, training, inspections, and hardware. Design An interrupted time‐series design was used to determine the standard's effect on fatality rates. Machinery‐related fatalities, obtained from the National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities surveillance system for 1980 through 2001, were used as a proxy for lockout/tagout‐related fatalities. Linear regression was used to control for changes in demographic and economic factors. Results The average annual crude rate of machinery‐related fatalities in manufacturing changed little from 1980 to 1989, but declined by 4.59% per year from 1990 to 2001. However, when controlling for demographic and economic factors, the regression model estimate of the standard's effect is a small, non‐significant increase of 0.05 deaths per 100 000 production worker full‐time equivalents (95% CI −0.14 to 0.25). When fatality rates in comparison groups that should not have been affected by the standard are incorporated into the analysis, there is still no significant change in the rate of machinery‐related fatalities in manufacturing. Conclusions There is no evidence that the lockout/tagout standard decreased fatality rates relative to other trends in occupational safety over the study period. A possible explanation is voluntary use of lockout/tagout by some employers before introduction of the standard and low compliance by other employers after. PMID:17916891

TDA Assessment of Recommendations for Space Data System Standards

Science.gov (United States)

Posner, E. C.; Stevens, R.

1984-01-01

NASA is participating in the development of international standards for space data systems. Recommendations for standards thus far developed are assessed. The proposed standards for telemetry coding and packet telemetry provide worthwhile benefit to the DSN; their cost impact to the DSN should be small. Because of their advantage to the NASA space exploration program, their adoption should be supported by TDA, JPL, and OSTDS.

The occupational health and safety of flight attendants.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, Robin F; Powell, David M C

2012-05-01

In order to perform safety-critical roles in emergency situations, flight attendants should meet minimum health standards and not be impaired by factors such as fatigue. In addition, the unique occupational and environmental characteristics of flight attendant employment may have consequential occupational health and safety implications, including radiation exposure, cancer, mental ill-health, musculoskeletal injury, reproductive disorders, and symptoms from cabin air contamination. The respective roles of governments and employers in managing these are controversial. A structured literature review was undertaken to identify key themes for promoting a future agenda for flight attendant health and safety. Recommendations include breast cancer health promotion, implementation of Fatigue Risk Management Systems, standardization of data collection on radiation exposure and health outcomes, and more coordinated approaches to occupational health and safety risk management. Research is ongoing into cabin air contamination incidents, cancer, and fatigue as health and safety concerns. Concerns are raised that statutory medical certification for flight attendants will not benefit either flight safety or occupational health.

Business Financial Occupations: Skill Standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Vocational Technical Education Consortium of States, Decatur, GA.

This report organizes the information provided by 71 individuals in finance-related occupations in 11 states into skills inventories for persons in these jobs. The skills inventories contain the following sections: (1) occupation-specific knowledge (communication, mathematics, science); (2) workplace behaviors (work ethics, interpersonal…

[Evaluation of the standard application of Delphi in the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease caused by occupational irritant chemicals].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, L; Yan, Y J

2017-11-20

Objective: To investigate the problems encountered in the application of the standard (hereinafter referred to as standard) for the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease caused by occu-pational irritant chemicals, to provide reference for the revision of the new standard, to reduce the number of missed patients in occupational COPD, and to get rid of the working environment of those who suffer from chronic respiratory diseases due to long-term exposure to poisons., slowing the progression of the disease. Methods: Using Delphi (Delphi) Expert research method, after the senior experts to demonstrate, to under-stand the GBZ 237-2011 "occupational irritant chemicals to the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary dis-ease" standard evaluation of the system encountered problems, to seek expert advice, The problems encoun-tered during the clinical implementation of the standards promulgated in 2011 are presented. Results: Through the Delphi Expert investigation method, it is found that experts agree on the content evaluation and implemen-tation evaluation in the standard, but the operational evaluation of the standard is disputed. According to the clinical experience, the experts believe that the range of occupational irritant gases should be expanded, and the operation of the problem of smoking, seniority determination and occupational contact history should be challenged during the diagnosis. Conclusions: Since the promulgation in 2011 of the criteria for the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease caused by occupational stimulant chemicals, there have been some problems in the implementation process, which have caused many occupationally exposed to irritating gases to suffer from "occupational chronic respiratory Diseases" without a definitive diagnosis.

[Criteria for the assessment of the noise-induced occupational hearing loss: international and national standards].

Science.gov (United States)

Izmerov, N F; Denisov, É I; Adeninskaia, E E; Gorblianskiĭ, Iu Iu

2014-01-01

The objective of the present paper was to review international and national standards for the criteria of assessment of the noise-induced occupational loss of hearing. The importance of healthy hearing for the occupational safety is emphasized which implies the necessity of the more rigorous criteria for hearing conservation in the workers engaged in the noisy technological environment compared with those for the general population. A rationale for the development of the standard program of hearing conservation in the workers engaged in the noisy technological environment is proposed including hygienic norms and rules or national state standards.

Electronic Health Record in Occupational Medicine: Specific Aspects and Requirements of Data Structuring and Standardization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dorin TRIFF

2009-07-01

Full Text Available The service of occupational medicine of a specific economic agent, as integrated part of the System of Labor Health and Safety, requires efficient, well-organized information management through standardized and computerized data processing and exploitation. Legal requirements and practical aspects of information management in occupational medicine trigger necessary operational modifications in the Electronic Health File. The goal of the paper is to present basic requirements of structuring the electronic health file and the necessary standards in recording specific data.

15 CFR 10.7 - Procedure when a recommended standard is not supported by a consensus.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Procedure when a recommended standard is not supported by a consensus. 10.7 Section 10.7 Commerce and Foreign Trade Office of the Secretary... recommended standard is not supported by a consensus. If the Department determines that a recommended standard...

Radiation protection standards for the occupational workers and the public

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minkin, S.C.; Dickson, R.L.; Halford, D.K.

1987-01-01

Federal Regulations concerning radiation protection standards have been undergoing significant changes within the last decade. In addition to these changes, a proliferation in the number of Federal radiation standards has also occurred. A tabulation of these regulations aids in the understanding of which current standards apply to the nuclear industry with respect to environmental contamination and exposure to workers, and the public. Furthermore, most of the current regulations, proposed revisions, and proposed new rulings fall into several major categories. A tabulation of these categories illustrates common public, occupational, and environmental needs for which the DOE, NRC, and EPA have developed their specific radiation standards. Finally, risk based systems for radiation protection have been proposed by the DOE, NRC, and EPA, although these agencies are not entirely consistent in the application of this methodology. 2 tables

Occupational radiation protection. Safety guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

Guides together reflect the current internationally accepted principles and recommended practices in occupational radiation protection, with account taken of the major changes that have occurred over the past decade. The three Safety Guides on occupational radiation protection are jointly sponsored by the IAEA and the International Labour Office. The present Safety Guide provides general guidance on the establishment of an effective radiation protection programme for occupational exposure, in accordance with the requirements of the Basic Safety Standards and appropriate for the sources of radiation likely to be encountered in the workplaces in question

Occupational radiation protection. Safety guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

Guides together reflect the current internationally accepted principles and recommended practices in occupational radiation protection, with account taken of the major changes that have occurred over the past decade. The three Safety Guides on occupational radiation protection are jointly sponsored by the IAEA and the International Labour Office. The present Safety Guide provides general guidance on the establishment of an effective radiation protection programme for occupational exposure, in accordance with the requirements of the Basic Safety Standards and appropriate for the sources of radiation likely to be encountered in the workplaces in question

Occupational radiation protection. Safety guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

Guides together reflect the current internationally accepted principles and recommended practices in occupational radiation protection, with account taken of the major changes that have occurred over the past decade. The three Safety Guides on occupational radiation protection are jointly sponsored by the IAEA and the International Labour Office. The present Safety Guide provides general guidance on the establishment of an effective radiation protection programme for occupational exposure, in accordance with the requirements of the Basic Safety Standards and appropriate for the sources of radiation likely to be encountered in the workplaces in question

Occupational radiation protection. Safety guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

Guides together reflect the current internationally accepted principles and recommended practices in occupational radiation protection, with account taken of the major changes that have occurred over the past decade. The three Safety Guides on occupational radiation protection are jointly sponsored by the IAEA and the International Labour Office. The present Safety Guide provides general guidance on the establishment of an effective radiation protection programme for occupational exposure, in accordance with the requirements of the Basic Safety Standards and appropriate for the sources of radiation likely to be encountered in the workplaces in question

Recommendations concerning classification of and discharge standards for radionuclide laboratories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-01-01

In the report recommendations are made for the limitation of the radioactive gaseous and liquid effluents from radionuclide laboratories. The recommended values are based on a radiation exposure for members of a critical group in the population corresponding to 1% of the dose limit for individual members of the public as recommended by the ICRP. Based on these standards a classification of radionuclide laboratories is proposed. It is recommended to retain the present Dutch classification in A-, B-, C- and D-laboratories. The report contains appendices with detailed data about the transport routes of radionuclides in the environment and the subsequent irradiation of members of the public. (orig.)

Future preparation of occupational health nurse managers.

Science.gov (United States)

Scalzi, C C; Wilson, D L; Ebert, R

1991-03-01

This article presents the results of a national survey of job activities of corporate level occupational health nurse managers. The survey was designed to identify the relative amount of time spent and importance attributed to specific areas of their current job. In general this sample tended to have more management experience and educational preparation than previously cited studies: over 50% had completed a graduate degree. The scores for importance and time spent were highly correlated. That is, occupational health corporate nurse managers seemed to allocate their time to job responsibilities they considered most important. Management activities related to policy, practice standards, quality assurance, staff development, and systems for client care delivery appear to represent the core responsibilities of occupational health nursing management. Curriculum recommendations for management positions in occupational health include: health policy, program planning, and evaluation; business strategy; applications of management information systems; quality assurance; and marketing.

Core Outcome Set-STAndards for Development: The COS-STAD recommendations.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jamie J Kirkham

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The use of core outcome sets (COS ensures that researchers measure and report those outcomes that are most likely to be relevant to users of their research. Several hundred COS projects have been systematically identified to date, but there has been no formal quality assessment of these studies. The Core Outcome Set-STAndards for Development (COS-STAD project aimed to identify minimum standards for the design of a COS study agreed upon by an international group, while other specific guidance exists for the final reporting of COS development studies (Core Outcome Set-STAndards for Reporting [COS-STAR].An international group of experienced COS developers, methodologists, journal editors, potential users of COS (clinical trialists, systematic reviewers, and clinical guideline developers, and patient representatives produced the COS-STAD recommendations to help improve the quality of COS development and support the assessment of whether a COS had been developed using a reasonable approach. An open survey of experts generated an initial list of items, which was refined by a 2-round Delphi survey involving nearly 250 participants representing key stakeholder groups. Participants assigned importance ratings for each item using a 1-9 scale. Consensus that an item should be included in the set of minimum standards was defined as at least 70% of the voting participants from each stakeholder group providing a score between 7 and 9. The Delphi survey was followed by a consensus discussion with the study management group representing multiple stakeholder groups. COS-STAD contains 11 minimum standards that are the minimum design recommendations for all COS development projects. The recommendations focus on 3 key domains: the scope, the stakeholders, and the consensus process.The COS-STAD project has established 11 minimum standards to be followed by COS developers when planning their projects and by users when deciding whether a COS has been developed using

Core Outcome Set-STAndards for Development: The COS-STAD recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirkham, Jamie J; Davis, Katherine; Altman, Douglas G; Blazeby, Jane M; Clarke, Mike; Tunis, Sean; Williamson, Paula R

2017-11-01

The use of core outcome sets (COS) ensures that researchers measure and report those outcomes that are most likely to be relevant to users of their research. Several hundred COS projects have been systematically identified to date, but there has been no formal quality assessment of these studies. The Core Outcome Set-STAndards for Development (COS-STAD) project aimed to identify minimum standards for the design of a COS study agreed upon by an international group, while other specific guidance exists for the final reporting of COS development studies (Core Outcome Set-STAndards for Reporting [COS-STAR]). An international group of experienced COS developers, methodologists, journal editors, potential users of COS (clinical trialists, systematic reviewers, and clinical guideline developers), and patient representatives produced the COS-STAD recommendations to help improve the quality of COS development and support the assessment of whether a COS had been developed using a reasonable approach. An open survey of experts generated an initial list of items, which was refined by a 2-round Delphi survey involving nearly 250 participants representing key stakeholder groups. Participants assigned importance ratings for each item using a 1-9 scale. Consensus that an item should be included in the set of minimum standards was defined as at least 70% of the voting participants from each stakeholder group providing a score between 7 and 9. The Delphi survey was followed by a consensus discussion with the study management group representing multiple stakeholder groups. COS-STAD contains 11 minimum standards that are the minimum design recommendations for all COS development projects. The recommendations focus on 3 key domains: the scope, the stakeholders, and the consensus process. The COS-STAD project has established 11 minimum standards to be followed by COS developers when planning their projects and by users when deciding whether a COS has been developed using reasonable

Occupancy schedules for energy simulation in new prEN16798-1 and ISO/FDIS 17772-1 standards

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahmed, Kaiser; Akhondzada, Ali; Kurnitski, Jarek

2017-01-01

This study reports the development of occupancy, lighting and appliance hourly schedules for new energy calculation input data standards. Developed schedules apply for 10 building categories which are described by one to three space categories, and include the separation between weekdays and week......This study reports the development of occupancy, lighting and appliance hourly schedules for new energy calculation input data standards. Developed schedules apply for 10 building categories which are described by one to three space categories, and include the separation between weekdays......-1 standards, supported by appliances and lighting schedules which are similarly needed as energy calculation input data. Hourly schedules allow to model occupant behaviour effects, for instance the peak cooling load in an office room was increased by factor of 1.1–1.3 compared to the use of constant average...

RECOMMENDED FOUNDATION FILL MATERIALS CONSTRUCTION STANDARD OF THE FLORIDA RADON RESEARCH PROGRAM

Science.gov (United States)

The report summarizes the technical basis for a recommended foundation fill materials standard for new construction houses in Florida. he radon-control construction standard was developed by the Florida Radon Research Program (FRRP). ill material standards are formulated for: (1)...

Promoting health and safety virtually: key recommendations for occupational health nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolf, Debra M; Anton, Bonnie B; Wenskovitch, John

2014-07-01

Nurses' use of the Internet and social media has surfaced as a critical concern requiring further exploration and consideration by all health care organizations and nursing associations. In an attempt to support this need, the American Nurses Association (2011) published six principles of social networking that offered guidance and direction for nurses. In addition, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (2011) published a nurse's guide to using social media. Surfing the Internet and using social media for professional and personal needs is extremely common among nurses. What is concerning is when nurses do not separate their professional and personal presence in the virtual world. This article presents an Institutional Review Board-approved pilot survey that explored nurses' use of social media personally and professionally and offers recommendations specifically directed to the occupational health nurse. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

Recommendations for energy conservation standards for new residential buildings - volume 3: Introduction and Background to the Standard Development Effort

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1989-05-01

The Energy Conservation for New Buildings Act of 1976, as amended, 42 U.S.C Section 6831 et. seq. requires the US Department of Energy to issue energy conservation standards for the design of new residential and commercial buildings. The standards will be mandatory only for the design of new federal buildings, and will serve as voluntary guidelines for the design of new non-federal buildings. This report documents the development and testing of a set of recommendations, from the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE) Special Projects Committee No. 53, designed to provide the technical foundation for the Congressionally-mandated energy standard for new residential buildings. The recommendations have been developed over the past 25 months by a multidisciplinary project team, under the management of the US Department of Energy and its prime contractor, Pacific Northwest Laboratory. Volume III -- Introduction and Background to the Standard Development Effort is a description of the Standard development process and contains the rationale for the general approach and specific criteria contained within the recommendations.

Radiological protection worker: occupational medical aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mora Ramirez, Erick

2008-01-01

International Organizations involved with radiation protection are presented in the first part. Also some documents related to the radiation that have been published by these organizations. Among the analyzed contents are the radiation and their patients, how to avoid the damage of radiation, pregnancy and exposure to medical radiation, effects of radiation, recommendations for the protection and safety standards. Occupational exposure is defined as the exposure received and understood by a worker during a period of work. In addition, it shows the types of occupational exposure, the protection that workers must have with the radiation, regulations, laws and the regulatory authority that protects the medical personnel in the uses of radiology [es

An analysis of violations of Osha's (1987) occupational exposure to benzene standard.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Pamela R D

2014-01-01

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which was formed by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act), establishes enforceable health and safety standards in the workplace and issues violations and penalties for non-compliance with these standards. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the number and type of violations of the OSHA (1987) Occupational Exposure to Benzene Standard. Violations of the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), particularly those that may pertain to specific provisions of the benzene standard, were also assessed. All analyses were based on OSHA inspection data that have been collected since the early 1970s and that are publicly available from the U.S. Department of Labor enforcement website. Analysis of these data shows that fewer than a thousand OSHA violations of the benzene standard have been issued over the last 25+ years. The results for benzene are in contrast to those for some other toxic and hazardous substances that are regulated by OSHA, such as blood-borne pathogens, lead, and asbestos, for which there have been issued tens of thousands of OSHA violations. The number of benzene standard violations also varies by time period, standard provision, industry sector, and other factors. In particular, the greatest number of benzene standard violations occurred during the late 1980s to early/mid 1990s, soon after the 1987 final benzene rule was promulgated. The majority of benzene standard violations also pertain to noncompliance with specific provisions and subprovisions of the standard dealing with initial exposure monitoring requirements, the communication of hazards to employees, and medical surveillance programs. Only a small fraction of HCS violations are attributed, at least in part, to potential benzene hazards in the workplace. In addition, most benzene standard violations are associated with specific industries within the manufacturing sector where benzene or benzene

1990 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection adopted by the Commission in November 1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

This publication represents a completely new set of basic recommendations, outdating ICRP Publication 26. They aim to: a) take account of new biological information and of trends in setting safety standards; b) improve the presentation of the recommendations: c) maintain as much stability in the recommendations as is consistent with the new information. The recommendations cover quantities, biological aspects, the conceptual framework of radiological protection, proposed and continuing practices (occupational, medical and public exposure) and implementation of the Commission's Recommendations. (UK)

Good practice recommendations - medical-professional control of internal exposure to radionuclides in nuclear base installations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berard, Philippe; Blanchin, Nicolas; Fottorino, Robert; Gonin, Michele; Quesne, Benoit; Agrinier, Anne-Laure; Bourgaut, Laurent; Blanchardon, Eric; Challeton de Vathaire, Cecile; Franck, Didier; Piechowski, Jean; Fritsch, Paul; Poncy, Jean-Luc

2011-07-01

The first part of this voluminous report presents the context and method of definition of recommendations for a clinical practice and comprises a literature review of national, European and international recommendations, standards and work-group reports. The second part develops recommendations under four main themes: assessment of the committed effective dose (objectives, implementation, communication, traceability and archiving), control programs, dosimetric estimation based on results, and health risk and taking into care by the occupational physician. The authors adopted the same structure for each sub-theme or issue: target extract of regulatory and standard requirements and international recommendations, analysis of literature and of data from professional practices, opinion of the work-group, and graded recommendations with respect to the proof level

Forest management practices and the occupational safety and health administration logging standard

Science.gov (United States)

John R. Myers; David Elton Fosbroke

1995-01-01

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established safety and health regulations for the logging industry. These new regulations move beyond the prior OSHA pulpwood harvesting standard by including sawtimber harvesting operations. Because logging is a major tool used by forest managers to meet silvicultural goals, managers must be aware of what...

Standards for Quality Programs in Agricultural Occupations in the Secondary Schools and Area Vocational Centers of Illinois. Phase II. A Progress Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Stitt, Thomas R.; And Others

The purpose of this project was to prepare materials to be used in the review and evaluation of an agricultural occupations program. Based on standards validated by Illinois agricultural occupations teachers, a standards workbook was developed that included standards specific to agricultural production, agricultural sales and service, agricultural…

Radon in the Workplace: the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Ionizing Radiation Standard.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Robert K

2016-10-01

On 29 December 1970, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 established the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This article on OSHA, Title 29, Part 1910.1096 Ionizing Radiation standard was written to increase awareness of the employer, the workforce, state and federal governments, and those in the radon industry who perform radon testing and radon mitigation of the existence of these regulations, particularly the radon relevant aspect of the regulations. This review paper was also written to try to explain what can sometimes be complicated regulations. As the author works within the Radon Division of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Radiation Protection, the exclusive focus of the article is on radon. The 1910.1096 standard obviously covers many other aspects of radiation and radiation safety in the work place.

49 CFR 571.201 - Standard No. 201; Occupant protection in interior impact.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... than 3 milliseconds. S5.2.1The requirements of S5.2 do not apply to seats installed in school buses which comply with the requirements of Standard No. 222, School Bus Passenger Seating and Occupant... the midpoint of the two extreme positions. S8.8Temperature and humidity. (a) The ambient temperature...

OSHA's approach to risk assessment for setting a revised occupational exposure standard for 1,3-butadiene.

Science.gov (United States)

Grossman, E A; Martonik, J

1990-01-01

In its 1980 benzene decision [Industrial Union Department, ALF-CIO v. American Petroleum Institute, 448 U.S. 607 (1980)], the Supreme Court ruled that "before he can promulgate any permanent health or safety standard, the Secretary [of Labor] is required to make a threshold finding that a place of employment is unsafe--in the sense that significant risks are present and can be lessened by a change in practices" (448 U.S. at 642). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has interpreted this to mean that whenever possible, it must quantify the risk associated with occupational exposure to a toxic substance at the current permissible exposure limit (PEL). If OSHA determines that there is significant risk to workers' health at its current standard, then it must quantify the risk associated with a variety of alternative standards to determine at what level, if any, occupational exposure to a substance no longer poses a significant risk. For rulemaking on occupational exposure to 1,3-butadiene, there are two studies that are suitable for quantitative risk assessment. One is a mouse inhalation bioassay conducted by the National Toxicology Program (NTP), and the other is a rat inhalation bioassay conducted by Hazelton Laboratories Europe. Of the four risk assessments that have been submitted to OSHA, all four have used the mouse and/or rat data with a variety of models to quantify the risk associated with occupational exposure to 1,3-butadiene. In addition, OSHA has performed its own risk assessment using the female mouse and female rat data and the one-hit and multistage models.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:2401254

Proposed draft standard ANS 11.18: recommendations to facilitate decontamination and decommissioning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jenkins, C.E.; LaGuardia, T.S.; Jones, J.W.

1981-01-01

The purpose of ANS Standard 11.18 is to recommend design guides to facilitate decontamination and eventual decommissioning of a remotely operated radioactive facility. This design guide contains generic recommendations to assist in the planning, selection and arrangement of equipment and materials, and the protection of surfaces to enhance system decontamination and disassembly

Recommendations for a proposed standard for performing systems analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LaChance, J.; Whitehead, D.; Drouin, M.

1998-01-01

In August 1995, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a policy statement proposing improved regulatory decisionmaking by increasing the use of PRA [probabilistic risk assessment] in all regulatory matters to the extent supported by the state-of-the-art in PRA methods and data. A key aspect in using PRA in risk-informed regulatory activities is establishing the appropriate scope and attributes of the PRA. In this regard, ASME decided to develop a consensus PRA Standard. The objective is to develop a PRA Standard such that the technical quality of nuclear plant PRAs will be sufficient to support risk-informed regulatory applications. This paper presents examples recommendations for the systems analysis element of a PRA for incorporation into the ASME PRA Standard

Recommendation of standardized health learning contents using archetypes and semantic web technologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Legaz-García, María del Carmen; Martínez-Costa, Catalina; Menárguez-Tortosa, Marcos; Fernández-Breis, Jesualdo Tomás

2012-01-01

Linking Electronic Healthcare Records (EHR) content to educational materials has been considered a key international recommendation to enable clinical engagement and to promote patient safety. This would suggest citizens to access reliable information available on the web and to guide them properly. In this paper, we describe an approach in that direction, based on the use of dual model EHR standards and standardized educational contents. The recommendation method will be based on the semantic coverage of the learning content repository for a particular archetype, which will be calculated by applying semantic web technologies like ontologies and semantic annotations.

Proposals for changes in radiation protection standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowker, K.W.

1990-01-01

The International Commission on Radiological Protection has proposed changes to its recommendations on radiation protection standards. The proposed new control regime would distinguish between planned, potential and pre-existing exposure situations and between occupational, medical and public exposures. The proposals are expected to be published formally later this year. (author)

16 CFR 1207.4 - Recommended standards for materials of manufacture.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Recommended standards for materials of manufacture. 1207.4 Section 1207.4 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION CONSUMER PRODUCT... materials of manufacture. (a) General. The materials used in swimming pool slides should be compatible with...

A modified Delphi method toward multidisciplinary consensus on functional convalescence recommendations after abdominal surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

van Vliet, Daphne C R; van der Meij, Eva; Bouwsma, Esther V A; Vonk Noordegraaf, Antonie; van den Heuvel, Baukje; Meijerink, Wilhelmus J H J; van Baal, W Marchien; Huirne, Judith A F; Anema, Johannes R

2016-12-01

Evidence-based information on the resumption of daily activities following uncomplicated abdominal surgery is scarce and not yet standardized in medical guidelines. As a consequence, convalescence recommendations are generally not provided after surgery, leading to patients' insecurity, needlessly delayed recovery and prolonged sick leave. The aim of this study was to generate consensus-based multidisciplinary convalescence recommendations, including advice on return to work, applicable for both patients and physicians. Using a modified Delphi method among a multidisciplinary panel of 13 experts consisting of surgeons, occupational physicians and general practitioners, detailed recommendations were developed for graded resumption of 34 activities after uncomplicated laparoscopic cholecystectomy, laparoscopic and open appendectomy, laparoscopic and open colectomy and laparoscopic and open inguinal hernia repair. A sample of occupational physicians, general practitioners and surgeons assessed the recommendations on feasibility in daily practice. The response of this group of care providers was discussed with the experts in the final Delphi questionnaire round. Out of initially 56 activities, the expert panel selected 34 relevant activities for which convalescence recommendations were developed. After four Delphi rounds, consensus was reached for all of the 34 activities for all the surgical procedures. A sample of occupational physicians, general practitioners and surgeons regarded the recommendations as feasible in daily practice. Multidisciplinary convalescence recommendations regarding uncomplicated laparoscopic cholecystectomy, appendectomy (laparoscopic, open), colectomy (laparoscopic, open) and inguinal hernia repair (laparoscopic, open) were developed by a modified Delphi procedure. Further research is required to evaluate whether these recommendations are realistic and effective in daily practice.

Relations of occupational stress to occupational class in Japanese civil servants : analysis by two occupational stress models

OpenAIRE

Kawaharada, Mariko; Saijo, Yasuaki; Yoshioka, Eiji; Sato, Tetsuro; Sato, Hirokazu; Kishi, Reiko

2007-01-01

The aim of the present study was to identify relations between occupational stress and occupational class in Japanese civil servants, using two occupational stress models – the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) Model and the Job Demand-Control (JDC) Model. The subjects were employees of three local public organizations. We distributed self-administered questionnaires and assessed occupational stress by ERI and JDC. We used seven occupational categories based on the Standard Occupational Classific...

Review of ICRP recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldfinch, E.P.

1987-01-01

Events in both the scientific world and in the public domain have added pressure to review the recommendations of the ICRP on which radiation protection legislation in most countries is founded. A brief editorial pleads for clarity in ICRP recommendations, suggests the use solely of cumulative with age individual occupational dose limits, suggests that collective doses including both occupational and to the public should be kept as low as reasonably achievable, judged on quantitative economic grounds, and suggests the setting of a probability for serious accidents which may be disregarded in planning. (UK)

Regulatory perspective on NAS recommendations for Yucca Mountain standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brocoum, S.J.; Nesbit, S.P.; Duguid, J.A.; Lugo, M.A.; Krishna, P.M.

1996-01-01

This paper provides a regulatory perspective from the viewpoint of the potential licensee, the US Department of Energy (DOE), on the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report on Yucca Mountain standards published in August 1995. The DOE agrees with some aspects of the NAS report; however, the DOE has serious concerns with the ability to implement some of the recommendations in a reasonable manner

Framework for Assessing the ICT Competency in Teachers up to the Requirements of "Teacher" Occupational Standard

Science.gov (United States)

Avdeeva, Svetlana; Zaichkina, Olga; Nikulicheva, Nataliya; Khapaeva, Svetlana

2016-01-01

The paper deals with problems of working out a test framework for the assessment of teachers' ICT competency in line with the requirements of "Teacher" occupational standard. The authors have analyzed the known approaches to assessing teachers' ICT competency--ISTE Standards and UNESCO ICT CFT and have suggested their own approach to…

Analysis of occupational doses in radioactive and nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curti, A.; Gomez P, I.; Pardo, G.; Thomasz, E.

1996-01-01

Occupational doses were analyzed in the most important nuclear and radioactive facilities in Argentina, on the period 1988-1994. The areas associated with uranium mining and milling, and medical uses of radiation facilities were excluded from this analysis. The ICRP publication 60 recommendations, adopted in 1990, and enforced in Argentine in 1994, keep the basic criteria of dose limitation system and recommend a substantial reduction in the dose limits. The reduction of the dose limits will affect the individual dose distributions, principally in those installations with occupational doses close to 50 mSv. It were analyzed Occupational doses, principally in the following facilities: Atucha-I and Embalse Nuclear Power Plants, radioisotope production plants, research reactors and radioactive waste management plants. The highest doses were identified in each facility, as well as the task associated with them. Trends in the individual dose distribution and collective and average doses were analyzed. It is concluded, that no relevant difficulties should appear in accomplishing with the basic standards for radiological safety, except for the Atucha-I Nuclear Power Plant. In this NPP a significant effort for the optimization of radiological safety procedures in order to diminish the occupational doses, and a change of the fuel channels by new ones free of cobalt are being carried out. (authors). 4 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs

Occupational health

CERN Document Server

Fingret, Dr Ann

2013-01-01

Offers a comprehensive view of health and safety issues at work. An invaluable resource for managers, personnel professionals and occupational health practitioners. Recommended by the Institute of Personnel Management.

Transition of radiation protection standards in ICRP recommendations and Japan's response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shirabe, Masashi

2016-01-01

Radiation protection standards are the standards set for the purpose of preventing radiation hazard and other damage. This paper confirm what the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommended against the standard value on public exposure in Japan's laws and regulations, and how the Japanese government responded in introducing it into Japan's laws and regulations. There were delays of 6 to 12 years for the introduction of ICRP recommendations into the laws and regulations. Compared with response to the copyright treaty, which was extremely quick with the delays of only 1 to 2 years, these delays were very large. In Japan's laws and regulations, there are no regulations on the standard value for public exposure, and introduction of the recommended standard value of 1 mSv/year from ICRP has been avoided by the government. It is supposed that the reason for not introducing radiation dose limit and dose constraint value of public exposure was due to the lobbying of electric companies. After the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, the former Nuclear Safety Commission set the reference level for emergency exposure situation at 20 mSv/year. Although there is the long-term target of 1 mSv/year for existing exposure, no reference level has been set yet. Due to these delays or avoidances, the rights of people suffering from radiation exposure are restricted, while perhaps the benefits of electric companies are being protected. (A.O.)

The Application of Standards and Recommendations to Clinical Ethics Consultation in Practice: An Evaluation at German Hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Schochow, Maximilian; Rubeis, Giovanni; Steger, Florian

2017-06-01

The executive board of the Academy for Ethics in Medicine (AEM) and two AEM working groups formulated standards and recommendations for clinical ethics consultation in 2010, 2011, and 2013. These guidelines comply with the international standards like those set by the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities. There is no empirical data available yet that could indicate whether these standards and recommendations have been implemented in German hospitals. This desideratum is addressed in the present study. We contacted 1.858 German hospitals between September 2013 and January 2014. A follow-up survey was conducted between October 2014 and January 2015. The data of the initial survey and the follow-up survey were merged and evaluated. The statements of the participants were compared with the standards and recommendations. The standards of the AEM concerning the tasks of clinical ethics consultation (including ethics consultation, ethics training and the establishment of policy guidelines) are employed by a majority of participants of the study. Almost all of these participants document their consultation activities by means of protocols or entries in the patient file. There are deviations from the recommendations of the AEM working groups regarding the drafting of statutes, activity reports, and financial support. The activities of clinical ethics consultation predominantly comply with the standards of the AEM and recommendations for the documentation. The recommendations for evaluation should be improved in practice. This applies particularly for activity reports in order to evaluate the activities. Internal evaluation could take place accordingly.

American National Standard: neutron and gamma-ray flux-to-dose rate factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1977-01-01

This Standard presents data recommended for computing biological dose rates due to neutron and gamma-ray radiation fields. Neutron flux-to-dose-rate conversion factors for energies from 2.5 x 10 -8 to 20 MeV are given; the energy range for the gamma-ray conversion factors is 0.01 to 15 MeV. Specifically, this Standard is intended for use by shield designers to calculate wholebody dose rates to radiation workers and the general public. Establishing dose-rate limits is outside the scope of this Standard. Use of this Standard in cases where the dose equivalents are far in excess of occupational exposure guidelines is not recommended

On ethical issues in radiation protection. Radiation protection recommendations and standards seen from an ethical perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corbett, R.H.; Persson, L.

2004-01-01

International radiation protection recommendations and standards of the ICRP, the IAEA, the European Union and the ILO are surveyed from an ethical perspective. The authors come to the conclusion that the insights of ethical theories provide a number of ways in which current recommendations and standards for radiation protection could improve. (orig.) [de

Recommendations for physical and occupational therapy practice from the perspective of clients undergoing therapy for breast cancer-related impairments.

Science.gov (United States)

Lattanzi, Jill B; Giuliano, Susan; Meehan, Caitlin; Sander, Beth; Wootten, Rachel; Zimmerman, Amanda

2010-01-01

Evidence points to the efficacy of physical and occupational therapy intervention for the management of impairments and functional limitations related to the treatment of breast cancer. However, few studies give voice to the women participating in the physical rehabilitation programs intended to ameliorate their deficits. The purpose of this qualitative investigation was to explore the experience of physical rehabilitation as well as to identify recommendations for physical and occupational therapy practice from the perspective of the client undergoing therapy for breast cancer-related impairments. A phenomenological design was chosen and included a purposive sample of women (n = 10) undergoing physical rehabilitation for impairments related to breast cancer treatment. Data included semistructured interviews and artifact examination. Ten semistructured interviews were conducted at a setting of the participants' choice. Data collection continued until saturation was reached. Data analysis was cyclical and ongoing and involved all six researchers in analyzing and triangulating all pieces of data. Member checks and a peer review were conducted to confirm relevance and validity. Five themes emerged: 1) challenges with obtaining referrals, 2) challenges with patient education, 3) improvements in functional impairments, 4) emotional support, and 5) benefits of a specialized clinic environment. Consideration of the five themes led to four recommendations for physical and occupational therapist practice from the perspective of the client: 1) advocate for presurgical therapy consultations, 2) be competent in the management of all impairments and functional limitations associated with breast cancer treatment, 3) be aware of the emotional support the therapist has the capacity to provide or not provide, and 4) as much as possible, create an inviting, nonclinical environment.

Occupational health and safety for agricultural workers in Thailand: gaps and recommendations, with a focus on pesticide use.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaewboonchoo, Orawan; Kongtip, Pornpimol; Woskie, Susan

2015-05-01

Over 16.7 million workers in Thailand (42 percent of the working population) are engaged in agriculture, disproportionately from the lower socioeconomic strata of Thai society. Most agricultural workers (over 93 percent) work in the informal sector without the protections of regulations or enforcement of labor or health and safety laws or enrollment in a social security system. Although Thailand's use of herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides is growing, there is little regulation of the sale, use, or application of these potentially toxic chemicals. This paper summarizes the research to date on occupational health and safety for Thai agricultural workers, identifies gaps in pesticide regulations and the current systems for occupational health and safety and social support for Thai agricultural workers, and makes recommendations for future policy and research initiatives to fill the identified gaps. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

[Occupational hearing loss--problem of health and safety].

Science.gov (United States)

Denisov, É I; Adeninskaia, E E; Eremin, A L; Kur'erov, N N

2014-01-01

On the basis of the literature review the critical analysis of the recommendations (the letter of Ministry of Health of Russia from 6/11/2012 N 14-1/10/2-3508) on occupation noise-induced hearing loss (HL) assessment is presented. Need of more strict criteria of HL assessment for workers, than for the general population according to ICF (WHO, 2001), in order to avoid growth of accidents and injury rate is proved. The illegitimacy of a deduction of statistical presbiacusia values from individual audiograms as human rights violation is stressed. Some terminological defects are noted. It is necessary to cancel recommendations and to develop the sanitary norms or state standard with the program of hearing conservation at work.

The occupational exposure limit for fluid aerosol generated in metalworking operations: limitations and recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Donguk

2012-03-01

The aim of this review was to assess current knowledge related to the occupational exposure limit (OEL) for fluid aerosols including either mineral or chemical oil that are generated in metalworking operations, and to discuss whether their OEL can be appropriately used to prevent several health risks that may vary among metalworking fluid (MWF) types. The OEL (time-weighted average; 5 mg/m(3), short-term exposure limit ; 15 mg/m(3)) has been applied to MWF aerosols without consideration of different fluid aerosol-size fractions. The OEL, is also based on the assumption that there are no significant differences in risk among fluid types, which may be contentious. Particularly, the health risks from exposure to water-soluble fluids may not have been sufficiently considered. Although adoption of The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's recommended exposure limit for MWF aerosol (0.5 mg/m(3)) would be an effective step towards minimizing and evaluating the upper respiratory irritation that may be caused by neat or diluted MWF, this would fail to address the hazards (e.g., asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis) caused by microbial contaminants generated only by the use of water-soluble fluids. The absence of an OEL for the water-soluble fluids used in approximately 80-90 % of all applicants may result in limitations of the protection from health risks caused by exposure to those fluids.

2001 updated standard options and recommendations for radiotherapy in non metastatic breast cancer patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fourquet, A.; Sigal-Zafrani, B.; Cutuli, B.; Luporsi, E.; Lesur, A.

2002-01-01

Context. - The 'Standards, Options an Recommendations' (SOR) project, started in 1993, is a collaboration between the Federation of french cancer centers (FNCLCC), the 20 french cancer centers, and specialists from french public universities, general hospitals and private clinics. The main objective is the development of clinical practice guidelines to improve the quality of health care and the outcome of cancer patients. The methodology is based on a literature review and critical appraisal by a multidisciplinary group of experts, with feedback from specialists in cancer care delivery. Objectives. -To develop clinical practice guidelines for non metastatic breast cancer patients according to the definitions of the Standards, Options and Recommendations project. Methods. -Data were identified by searching Medline, web sites, and using the personal reference lists of members of the expert groups. Once the guidelines were defined, the document was submitted for review to 148 independent reviewers. Results. - This article presents the chapter radiotherapy resulting from the 2001 update of the version first published in 1996. The modified 2001 version of the standards, options and recommendations takes into account new information published. The main recommendations are (1) Breast irradiation after conservative surgery significatively decrease the risk of local recurrence (level of evidence A) and the decrease in the risk of local recidivation after chest wall irradiation is greater as the number of risk factors for local recurrence increases (level of evidence A). (2) After conservative surgery, a whole breast irradiation should be performed at a minimum dose of 50 Gy in 25 fractions (standard, level of evidence A). (3) A boost in the tumour bed should be performed in women under 50 years, even if the surgical margins are free (standard, level of evidence B). (4) Internal mammary chain irradiation is indicated for internal or central tumours in the absence of axillary

Handwriting and Common Core State Standards: Teacher, Occupational Therapist, and Administrator Perceptions From New York State Public Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Collette, Debra; Anson, Kylie; Halabi, Nora; Schlierman, April; Suriner, Allison

Handwriting is the cornerstone of written performance and communication for school-age children. This mixed-methods study explored the impact of Common Core State Standards on handwriting instruction and its effects on perceptions regarding children's written responses in elementary school. Using surveys and interviews of elementary teachers, occupational therapists, and administrators in New York State public schools, we sought to understand current trends in handwriting instruction, changes in time spent on handwriting instruction in the classroom, supports offered to students who did not meet expectations for handwriting, and the impact of Common Core on children's written expression. Themes emerged revealing decreased handwriting instruction time and inconsistent use of handwriting instructional programs in the classroom after implementation of Common Core. Handwriting should be considered as a greater component in the foundational standards in Common Core. Occupational therapy services can support handwriting instruction implementation. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Predictors of restraint use among child occupants.

Science.gov (United States)

Benedetti, Marco; Klinich, Kathleen D; Manary, Miriam A; Flannagan, Carol A

2017-11-17

The objective of this study was to identify factors that predict restraint use and optimal restraint use among children aged 0 to 13 years. The data set is a national sample of police-reported crashes for years 2010-2014 in which type of child restraint is recorded. The data set was supplemented with demographic census data linked by driver ZIP code, as well as a score for the state child restraint law during the year of the crash relative to best practice recommendations for protecting child occupants. Analysis used linear regression techniques. The main predictor of unrestrained child occupants was the presence of an unrestrained driver. Among restrained children, children had 1.66 (95% confidence interval, 1.27, 2.17) times higher odds of using the recommended type of restraint system if the state law at the time of the crash included requirements based on best practice recommendations. Children are more likely to ride in the recommended type of child restraint when their state's child restraint law includes wording that follows best practice recommendations for child occupant protection. However, state child restraint law requirements do not influence when caregivers fail to use an occupant restraint for their child passengers.

Radiation safety standards: space hazards vs. terrestrial hazards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sinclair, W.K.

1983-01-01

Policies regarding the setting of standards for radiation exposure for astronauts and other workers in space are discussed. The first recommendations for dose limitation and the underlying philosophy of these recommendations, which were put out in 1970, are examined, and consequences for the standards if the same philosophy of allowing a doubling in overall cancer risk for males aged 30-35 over a 20-year period were applied to more recent risk estimates are calculated, leading to values about a factor of 4 below the 1970 recommendation. Standards set since 1930 for terrestrial occupational exposures, which lead to a maximum lifetime risk of about 2.3 percent, are then considered, and the space and terrestrial exposure risks for fatal cancers at maximum lifetime dose are compared with industrial accidental death rates. Attention is also given to the question of the potential effects of HZE particles in space and to the possibility that HZE particle effects, rather than radiation carcinogenesis, might be the limiting factor. 17 references

ENETS Consensus Recommendations for the Standards of Care in Neuroendocrine Neoplasms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knigge, U.; Capdevila, J.; Bartsch, D. K.

2017-01-01

and coming WHO classification and ENETS/UICC recommendations for TNM staging. The recommendations for follow-up in patients with thymic, bronchopulmonary and gastroenteropancreatic NEN are given in Table 1. However, it should be stressed that evidence-based studies for follow-up are largely missing.......ENETS consensus recommendations for the standards of care in neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN) concerning follow-up and documentation are considered in this review. The documentation of patients with NEN should include the most relevant data characterizing an individual patient from the first contact...... with his/her physician/hospital until his/her last presentation during follow-up. It is advocated that follow-up occurs in specialized NEN centers with regular NEN tumor boards with expert panels. The follow-up should be in accordance with the ENETS consensus guidelines from 2011 and 2016, the present...

From the Analysis of Work-Processes to Designing Competence-Based Occupational Standards and Vocational Curricula

Science.gov (United States)

Tutlys, Vidmantas; Spöttl, Georg

2017-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to explore methodological and institutional challenges on application of the work-process analysis approach in the design and development of competence-based occupational standards for Lithuania. Design/methodology/approach: The theoretical analysis is based on the review of scientific literature and the analysis of…

The Occupational Exposure Limit for Fluid Aerosol Generated in Metalworking Operations: Limitations and Recommendations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Donguk Park

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this review was to assess current knowledge related to the occupational exposure limit (OEL for fluid aerosols including either mineral or chemical oil that are generated in metalworking operations, and to discuss whether their OEL can be appropriately used to prevent several health risks that may vary among metalworking fluid (MWF types. The OEL (time-weighted average; 5 mg/m3, short-term exposure limit ; 15 mg/m3 has been applied to MWF aerosols without consideration of different fluid aerosol-size fractions. The OEL, is also based on the assumption that there are no significant differences in risk among fluid types, which may be contentious. Particularly, the health risks from exposure to water-soluble fluids may not have been sufficiently considered. Although adoption of The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's recommended exposure limit for MWF aerosol (0.5 mg/m3 would be an effective step towards minimizing and evaluating the upper respiratory irritation that may be caused by neat or diluted MWF, this would fail to address the hazards (e.g., asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis caused by microbial contaminants generated only by the use of water-soluble fluids. The absence of an OEL for the water-soluble fluids used in approximately 80-90 % of all applicants may result in limitations of the protection from health risks caused by exposure to those fluids.

Transitioning From Occupational Therapy Student To Practicing Occupational Therapist: First Year of Employment.

Science.gov (United States)

McCombie, Randy P; Antanavage, Meredith E

2017-04-01

This research examined the transition from occupational therapy student to practicing occupational therapist over the course of one's first year of professional employment, as recalled by a sample of occupational therapists. Surveys were mailed to 500 occupational therapists randomly selected from membership in the American Occupational Therapy Association resulting in 202 returned surveys. Median year of graduation was 1998, ranging from 1967 to 2014. In general, respondents indicated the transition was positive. Having a mentor was related to high job satisfaction and good clinical fit, while supervising an occupational therapy assistant and low self-confidence were viewed as negative impact factors. Recent graduates presented with lower ratings of a positive transition and higher ratings of likelihood of experiencing burnout and initial job stress than earlier graduates. Recommendations for improving the transition experience are presented.

Assessment of occupational exposure due to intakes of radionuclides. Safety guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

Occupational exposure due to radioactive materials can occur as a result of various human activities. These include work associated with the different stages of the nuclear fuel cycle, the use of radioactive sources in medicine, scientific research, agriculture and industry, and occupations which involve the handling of materials containing enhanced concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides. In order to control this exposure, it is necessary to be able to assess the magnitude of the doses involved. Three interrelated Safety Guides, prepared jointly by the IAEA and the International Labour Office (ILO), provide guidance on the application of the requirements of the Basic Safety Standards with respect to occupational exposure. Reference [3] gives general advice on the exposure conditions for which monitoring programmes should be set up to assess radiation doses arising from external radiation and from intakes of radionuclides by workers. More specific guidance on the assessment of doses from external sources of radiation can be found in Ref. [4] and the present Safety Guide deals with intakes of radioactive materials. Recommendations related to occupational radiation protection have also been developed by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) [5]. These and other current recommendations of the ICRP [6] have been taken into account in preparing this Safety Guide. The purpose of this Safety Guide is to provide guidance for regulatory authorities on conducting assessments of intakes of radioactive material arising from occupational exposure. This Guide will also be useful to those concerned with the planning, management and operation of occupational monitoring programmes, and to those involved in the design of equipment for use in internal dosimetry and workplace monitoring

Assessment of occupational exposure due to intakes of radionuclides. Safety guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

Occupational exposure due to radioactive materials can occur as a result of various human activities. These include work associated with the different stages of the nuclear fuel cycle, the use of radioactive sources in medicine, scientific research, agriculture and industry, and occupations which involve the handling of materials containing enhanced concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides. In order to control this exposure, it is necessary to be able to assess the magnitude of the doses involved. Three interrelated Safety Guides, prepared jointly by the IAEA and the International Labour Office (ILO), provide guidance on the application of the requirements of the Basic Safety Standards with respect to occupational exposure. Reference [3] gives general advice on the exposure conditions for which monitoring programmes should be set up to assess radiation doses arising from external radiation and from intakes of radionuclides by workers. More specific guidance on the assessment of doses from external sources of radiation can be found in Ref. [4] and the present Safety Guide deals with intakes of radioactive materials. Recommendations related to occupational radiation protection have also been developed by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) [5]. These and other current recommendations of the ICRP [6] have been taken into account in preparing this Safety Guide. The purpose of this Safety Guide is to provide guidance for regulatory authorities on conducting assessments of intakes of radioactive material arising from occupational exposure. This Guide will also be useful to those concerned with the planning, management and operation of occupational monitoring programmes, and to those involved in the design of equipment for use in internal dosimetry and workplace monitoring

Assessment of occupational exposure due to intakes of radionuclides. Safety guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

Occupational exposure due to radioactive materials can occur as a result of various human activities. These include work associated with the different stages of the nuclear fuel cycle, the use of radioactive sources in medicine, scientific research, agriculture and industry, and occupations which involve the handling of materials containing enhanced concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides. In order to control this exposure, it is necessary to be able to assess the magnitude of the doses involved. Three interrelated Safety Guides, prepared jointly by the IAEA and the International Labour Office (ILO), provide guidance on the application of the requirements of the Basic Safety Standards with respect to occupational exposure. Reference [3] gives general advice on the exposure conditions for which monitoring programmes should be set up to assess radiation doses arising from external radiation and from intakes of radionuclides by workers. More specific guidance on the assessment of doses from external sources of radiation can be found in Ref. [4] and the present Safety Guide deals with intakes of radioactive materials. Recommendations related to occupational radiation protection have also been developed by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) [5]. These and other current recommendations of the ICRP [6] have been taken into account in preparing this Safety Guide. The purpose of this Safety Guide is to provide guidance for regulatory authorities on conducting assessments of intakes of radioactive material arising from occupational exposure. This Guide will also be useful to those concerned with the planning, management and operation of occupational monitoring programmes, and to those involved in the design of equipment for use in internal dosimetry and workplace monitoring

Assessment of occupational exposure due to intakes of radionuclides. Safety guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

Occupational exposure due to radioactive materials can occur as a result of various human activities. These include work associated with the different stages of the nuclear fuel cycle, the use of radioactive sources in medicine, scientific research, agriculture and industry, and occupations which involve the handling of materials containing enhanced concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides. In order to control this exposure, it is necessary to be able to assess the magnitude of the doses involved. Three interrelated Safety Guides, prepared jointly by the IAEA and the International Labour Office (ILO), provide guidance on the application of the requirements of the Basic Safety Standards with respect to occupational exposure. Reference [3] gives general advice on the exposure conditions for which monitoring programmes should be set up to assess radiation doses arising from external radiation and from intakes of radionuclides by workers. More specific guidance on the assessment of doses from external sources of radiation can be found in Ref. [4] and the present Safety Guide deals with intakes of radioactive materials. Recommendations related to occupational radiation protection have also been developed by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) [5]. These and other current recommendations of the ICRP [6] have been taken into account in preparing this Safety Guide. The purpose of this Safety Guide is to provide guidance for regulatory authorities on conducting assessments of intakes of radioactive material arising from occupational exposure. This Guide will also be useful to those concerned with the planning, management and operation of occupational monitoring programmes, and to those involved in the design of equipment for use in internal dosimetry and workplace monitoring

Assessment of occupational exposure due to intakes of radionuclides. Safety guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

Occupational exposure due to radioactive materials can occur as a result of various human activities. These include work associated with the different stages of the nuclear fuel cycle, the use of radioactive sources in medicine, scientific research, agriculture and industry, and occupations which involve the handling of materials containing enhanced concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides. In order to control this exposure, it is necessary to be able to assess the magnitude of the doses involved. Three interrelated Safety Guides, prepared jointly by the IAEA and the International Labour Office (ILO), provide guidance on the application of the requirements of the Basic Safety Standards with respect to occupational exposure. Reference [3] gives general advice on the exposure conditions for which monitoring programmes should be set up to assess radiation doses arising from external radiation and from intakes of radionuclides by workers. More specific guidance on the assessment of doses from external sources of radiation can be found in Ref. [4] and the present Safety Guide deals with intakes of radioactive materials. Recommendations related to occupational radiation protection have also been developed by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) [5]. These and other current recommendations of the ICRP [6] have been taken into account in preparing this Safety Guide. The purpose of this Safety Guide is to provide guidance for regulatory authorities on conducting assessments of intakes of radioactive material arising from occupational exposure. This Guide will also be useful to those concerned with the planning, management and operation of occupational monitoring programmes, and to those involved in the design of equipment for use in internal dosimetry and workplace monitoring

[Recommendations for the Stepwise Occupational Reintegration: Can the Characteristic of the Patients Explain the Differences Between the Rehabilitation Centers?].

Science.gov (United States)

Schmid, L; Jankowiak, S; Kaluscha, R; Krischak, G

2016-06-01

The first step to initiate a stepwise occupational reintegration (SOR) is the recommendation of the rehabilitation centers. Therefore rehabilitation centers have a significant impact on the use of SOR. There is evidence that the recommendation rate between the rehabilitation centers differs clearly. The present survey therefore analyses in detail the differences of the recommendation rate and examines which patient-related factors could explain the differences. This study is based on analysis of routine data provided by the German pension insurance in Baden-Württemberg (Rehabilitationsstatistikdatenbasis 2013; RSD). In the analyses rehabilitation measures were included if they were conducted by employed patients (18-64 years) with a muscular-skeletal system disease or a disorder of the connective tissue. Logistic regression models were performed to explain the differences in the recommendation rate of the rehabilitation centers. The data of 134 853 rehabilitation measures out of 32 rehabilitation centers were available. The recommendation rate differed between the rehabilitation centers from 1.36-18.53%. The logistic regression analysis showed that the period of working incapacity 12 month before the rehabilitation and the working capacity on the current job were the most important predictors for the recommendation of a SOR by the rehabilitation centers. Also the rehabilitation centers themselves have an important influence. The results of this survey indicate that the characteristic of the patients is an important factor for the recommendation of SOR. Additionally the rehabilitation centers themselves have an influence on the recommendation of SOR. The results point to the fact that the rehabilitation centers use different criteria by making a recommendation. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Standardized Letter of Recommendation for Otolaryngology Residency Selection

Science.gov (United States)

Perkins, Jonathan N.; Liang, Conan; McFann, Kim; Abaza, Mona M.; Streubel, Sven-Olrik; Prager, Jeremy D.

2013-01-01

Objectives/Hypothesis Develop a standardized letter of recommendation (SLOR) for otolaryngology residency application that investigates the qualities desired in residents and letter writer’s experience. Compare this SLOR to narrative letters of recommendation (NLOR). Study Design Prospective SLOR/NLOR Comparison. Methods The SLOR was sent to a NLOR writer for each applicant. The applicant’s NLOR/SLOR pair was blinded and ranked in seven categories by three reviewers. Inter-rater reliability and NLOR/SLOR rankings were compared. Means of cumulative NLOR and SLOR scores were compared to our departmental rank list. Results Thirty-one SLORs (66%) were collected. The SLORs had higher inter-rater reliability for applicant’s qualifications for otolaryngology, global assessment, summary statement, and overall letter ranking. Writer’s background, comparison to contemporaries/predecessors, and letter review ease had higher inter-rater reliability on the NLORs. Mean SLOR rankings were higher for writer’s background (p=0.0007), comparison of applicant to contemporaries/predecessors (p=0.0031), and letter review ease (p<0.0001). Mean SLOR writing time was 4.17±2.18 minutes. Mean ranking time was significantly lower (p<0.0001) for the SLORs (39.24±23.45 seconds) compared to the NLORs (70.95±40.14 seconds). Means of cumulative SLOR scores correlated with our rank list (p=0.004), whereas means of cumulative NLOR scores did not (p=0.18). Means of cumulative NLOR and SLOR scores did not correlate (p=0.26). Conclusions SLORs require little writing time, save reviewing time, and are easier to review compared to NLORs. Our SLOR had higher inter-rater reliability in 4 of 7 categories and was correlated with our rank list. This tool conveys standardized information in an efficient manner. PMID:23172646

Recommendations for the Technical Infrastructure for Standardized International Rights Statements

OpenAIRE

Charles, Valentine; Cowles, Esmé; Estlund, Karen; Isaac, Antoine; Johnson, Tom; Matienzo, Mark A.; Peiffer, Patrick; Urban, Richard J.; Zeinstra, Maarten

2015-01-01

This white paper is the product of a joint Digital Public Library of America (DPLA)-Europeana working group organized to develop minimum rights statement metadata standards for organizations that contribute to DPLA and Europeana. This white paper deals specifically with the technical infrastructure of a common namespace (rightsstatements.org) that hosts the rights statements to be used by (at minimum) the DPLA and Europeana. These recommendations for a common technical infrastructure for righ...

Standard precautions: occupational exposure and behavior of health care workers in Ethiopia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayalu A Reda

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids is a serious concern for health care workers, and presents a major risk for the transmission of infections such as HIV and hepatitis viruses. The objective of this study was to investigate occupational exposures and behavior of health care workers (HCWs in eastern Ethiopia.We surveyed 475 HCWs working in 10 hospitals and 20 health centers in eastern Ethiopia using a structured questionnaire with a response rate of 84.4%. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis using logistic regression were performed.Life time risks of needle stick (30.5%; 95% CI 26.4-34.6% and sharps injuries (25.7%; 95% CI 21.8-29.6% were high. The one year prevalence of needle stick and sharps injury were 17.5% (95% CI 14.1-20.9% and 13.5% (95% CI 10.4-16.6% respectively. There was a high prevalence of life time (28.8%; 95% CI = 24.7-32.9% and one year (20.2%; 95% CI = 16.6-23.8% exposures to blood and body fluids. Two hundred thirteen (44.8% HCWs reported that they were dissatisfied by the supply of infection prevention materials. HCWs had sub-optimal practices and unfavorable attitudes related to standard precautions such as needle recapping (46.9% and discriminatory attitudes (30.5% toward HIV/AIDS patients.There was a high level of exposure to blood and body fluids among HCWs. We detected suboptimal practices and behavior that put both patients and HCWs at significant risk of acquiring occupational infections. Health authorities in the study area need to improve the training of HCWs and provision of infection prevention equipment. In addition, regular reporting and assessment of occupational exposures need to be implemented.

77 FR 27776 - Safety and Occupational Health Study Section (SOHSS), National Institute for Occupational Safety...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-11

... Occupational Health Study Section (SOHSS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) In... Services Office, CDC, pursuant to Public Law 92-463. Purpose: The Safety and Occupational Health Study... standard grants review and funding cycles pertaining to research issues in occupational safety and health...

76 FR 18220 - Safety and Occupational Health Study Section (SOHSS), National Institute for Occupational Safety...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-01

... Occupational Health Study Section (SOHSS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) In... Services Office, CDC, pursuant to Public Law 92-463. Purpose: The Safety and Occupational Health Study... standard grants review and funding cycles pertaining to research issues in occupational safety and health...

Review of carcinogenicity of hexavalent chrome and proposal of revising approval standards for an occupational cancers in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jungwon; Seo, Sangyun; Kim, Yangho; Kim, Dae Hwan

2018-01-01

The objective of this study is to suggest revised recognition standards for occupational disease due to chromium (VI) by reflecting recent domestic and international research works and considering domestic exposure status with respect to target organs, exposure period, and cumulative exposure dose in relation to the chromium (VI)-induced occupational disease compensation. In this study, the reports published by major international institutions such as World Health Organization (WHO) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) (2012), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) (2006), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) (2013), American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) (2004), National Toxicology Program (NTP) (2014), and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ASTDR) (2012) were reviewed and the recent research works searched by PubMed were summarized. Considering the recent research works and the domestic situation, only lung cancer is conserved in the legislative bill in relation to chromium (VI), and the exposure period is not included in the bill. Nasal and paranasal sinus cancer was excluded from the list of cancers that are compensated as the chromium (VI)- induced occupational disease, while lung cancer remains in the list. In the view of legislative unity, considering the fact that only the cancers having sufficient evidence are included in the conventional list of cancers compensated as occupational disease, nasal and paranasal sinus cancer having limited evidence were excluded from the list.The exposure period was also removed from the legislative bill due to the insufficient evidence. Recent advices in connection with cumulative exposure dose were proposed, and other considerable points were provided with respect to individual occupational relevance. It is suggested that the current recognition standard which is "Lung cancer or nasal and paranasal sinus cancer caused by exposure

Radiation protection: occupational exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shah, G.A.

1990-01-01

The basis of the occupational exposure limit of 50 mSv recommended by the ICRP is questioned. New dosimetry at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the fact that the dose-response curve may be non-linear and that the relative risk model may be applicable, are some of the arguments advanced to support a reduction in the occupational exposure dose limits. 5 refs., 2 tabs., 3 figs

Occupational safety and health textbook for radiological personnel employed in structural material testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abraham, J.

1981-01-01

The comprehensive textbook for X-ray and radiological testing personnel includes requirements and rules of occupational safety and health on the basis of Hungarian and international (mainly German) literature. In the chapter Fundamentals, X-ray and radioactive radiations, their measurements and biological effects, doses etc are described. In the chapter Occupational safety and health, the jobs representing radiation hazards are listed and safety regulations for them are reported. Finally, information for prevention and first aid is presented. Control questions are added to each part. The Appendix contains safety standards and regulations, information on legal aspects of safety and radiation protection as well as recommendations. (Sz.J.)

77 FR 23250 - HIT Standards Committee; Schedule for the Assessment of HIT Policy Committee Recommendations

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-18

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HIT Standards Committee; Schedule for the Assessment of HIT Policy Committee Recommendations AGENCY: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information... 2009 mandates that the HIT Standards Committee develop a schedule for the assessment of policy...

76 FR 25355 - HIT Standards Committee; Schedule for the Assessment of HIT Policy Committee Recommendations

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-04

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HIT Standards Committee; Schedule for the Assessment of HIT Policy Committee Recommendations AGENCY: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information... 2009 mandates that the HIT Standards Committee develop a schedule for the assessment of policy...

78 FR 29134 - HIT Standards Committee; Schedule for the Assessment of HIT Policy Committee Recommendations

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-17

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HIT Standards Committee; Schedule for the Assessment of HIT Policy Committee Recommendations AGENCY: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information... 2009 mandates that the HIT Standards Committee develop a schedule for the assessment of policy...

Occupation and multiple myeloma: an occupation and industry analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gold, Laura S; Milliken, Kevin; Stewart, Patricia; Purdue, Mark; Severson, Richard; Seixas, Noah; Blair, Aaron; Davis, Scott; Hartge, Patricia; De Roos, Anneclaire J

2010-08-01

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma cell malignancy with a poorly understood etiology. The purpose of our research was to examine the relationships between lifetime occupations and MM in a relatively large case-control study. MM cases (n = 180) were identified through cancer registries in the Seattle-Puget Sound area and Detroit. Population-based controls (n = 481) were identified using random digit dialing and Medicare and Medicaid Services files. In-person interviews were conducted to ascertain occupational histories. Standard occupational classification (SOC) and standard industrial classification (SIC) codes were assigned to each job held by each participant. Unconditional logistic regression was used to generate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between MM and having ever worked in each occupation/industry and according to duration of employment in an occupation/industry. The risk of MM was associated with several manufacturing occupations and industries, including machine operators and tenders, not elsewhere classified (SOC 76) (OR = 1.8, CI = 1.0-3.3); textile, apparel, and furnishing machine operators and tenders (SOC 765) (OR = 6.0, CI = 1.7-21); and machinery manufacturing, except electrical (SIC 35) (OR = 3.3, CI = 1.7-6.7). Several service occupations and industries, such as food and beverage preparation (SOC 521) (OR = 2.0, CI = 1.1-3.8), were also associated with MM. One occupation that has been associated with MM in several previous studies, painters, paperhangers, and plasterers (SOC 644) was associated with a non-significantly elevated risk (OR = 3.6, CI = 0.7-19). We found associations between the risk of MM and employment in several manufacturing and service-related occupations and industries. Copyright 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Occupational psychosocial hazards among the emerging U.S. green collar workforce

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez, Cristina A.; Moore, Kevin; McClure, Laura A.; Caban-Martinez, Alberto J.; LeBlanc, William G.; Fleming, Lora E.; Cifuentes, Manuel; Lee, David J.

2016-01-01

Objective To compare occupational psychosocial hazards in green collar versus non-green collar workers. Methods Standard Occupational Classification codes were used to link the 2010 National Health Interview Survey to the 2010 Occupational Information Network Database. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to predict job insecurity, work-life imbalance, and workplace harassment in green versus non-green collar workers. Results Most participants were white, non-Hispanic, 25–64 years of age, and obtained greater than a high school education. The majority reported not being harassed at work, no work-life imbalance, and no job insecurity. Relative to non-green collar workers (n=12,217), green collar workers (n=2,588) were more likely to report job insecurity (OR=1.13; 95% CI=1.02–1.26) and work-life imbalance (1.19; 1.05–1.35), but less likely to experience workplace harassment (0.77; 0.62–0.95). Conclusions Continuous surveillance of occupational psychosocial hazards is recommended in this rapidly emerging workforce. PMID:28045790

Occupational dermatoses from cutting oils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alomar, A; Conde-Salazar, L; Romaguera, C

1985-03-01

230 patients with occupational dermatitis in the metallurgic industry were studied with standard patch test (GEIDC) and an oil series. An occupational and clinical questionnaire survey was carried out. Responses to paraphenylenediamine, chrome, cobalt in the standard series, and benzisothiazolone, triethanolamine, and Grotan BK were the main positive results.

Occupational syncarcinogenesis in the skin - combined effects of two carcinogens from the German occupational disease list.

Science.gov (United States)

Dickel, Heinrich; Blome, Otto; Dickel, Beate; Bruckner, Thomas; Stockfleth, Eggert; Soemantri, Silas Paras

2016-12-01

Though scientifically undisputed, cutaneous syncarcinogenesis is not reflected in German occupational disease (OD) regulations, which tend to be guided by the tenet of monocausality. Recognition of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) and its precursor lesions as OD requires individual assessment as to whether the requirements pursuant to either OD 5103 (occupational exposure to natural UV radiation) or OD 5102 (occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) are fulfilled. Retrospective analysis of 28 patients (median age 72.5 years) with NMSC and respective precursor lesions who had been occupationally exposed to natural UV radiation and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. All cases had undergone expert medical assessment between September 2012 and September 2015. According to our assessments, all 28 cases met the occupational requirements pursuant to OD 5103 and 5102. In 26 cases (93 %), we recommended recognition of skin cancer as occupational disease pursuant to both OD 5103 and OD 5102. The competent occupational insurance association (BG) followed our recommendation in four cases. In eight cases, recognition was solely based on OD 5103; in ten cases, only on OD 5102. Four cases were denied recognition. Following adequate cumulative occupational exposure to natural UV light as well as occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, NMSC or its precursor lesions arising in UV-exposed areas should be reported to the competent occupational insurance association as "OD 5103 and 5102 in terms of syncarcinogenesis". Apart from the fact that the ensuing recognition proceedings will be able to more adequately reflect real-life workplace conditions, filing a report pursuant to both ODs also allows for recognition of basal cell carcinoma as occupational disease. According to current regulations, this would not be possible, if the assessment were solely based on OD 5103. © 2016 Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft (DDG). Published by John Wiley & Sons

Recommendations of ICRP-60 for occupationally exposed pregnant women. Compliance evaluation in six health centres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Espana, M.L.; Prieto, C.; Perez, L.; Tomasi, L.; Lopez Franco, P.

1997-01-01

The decrease in the limits of dose equivalent at the entry of the abdomen of occupationally exposed pregnant women, as recommended by ICRP-60, necessitates to evaluate with dosimeter the various professional positions in different services existing in a health care centre, to guarantee that such limits cannot be exceeded, and thus ensure the protection of the foetus. The results obtained in this work, related exclusively to external radiation dose, show that the radiation protection system currently in force is in compliance with the regulation in the majority of the professional positions evaluated, though stricter criteria for pregnant women workers must be established with the aim of obtaining a better dose optimization. The fact that pregnant operators are working in Nuclear Medicine requires an additional effort to ensure that doses in excess of the limits stated are prevented

Reliable surveillance of tick-borne encephalitis in European countries is necessary to improve the quality of vaccine recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Stefanoff, Pawel; Polkowska, Aleksandra; Giambi, Cristina; Levy-Bruhl, Daniel; O'Flanagan, Darina; Dematte, Luca; Lopalco, Pier Luigi; Mereckiene, Jolita; Johansen, Kari; D'Ancona, Fortunato

2011-02-01

In July-November 2009, 26 European Union (EU) Member States (MSs), Norway and Iceland, participated in a survey seeking information on national tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) vaccination recommendations. Information on TBE surveillance, methods used to ascertain endemic areas, vaccination recommendations, vaccine coverage and methods of monitoring of vaccine coverage were obtained. Sixteen countries (57%) reported presence of TBE endemic areas on their territory. Vaccination against TBE was recommended for the general population in 8 (28%) countries, for occupational risk groups - in 13 (46%) countries, and for tourists going abroad - in 22 (78%) countries. Although vaccination recommendations for country residents, and for tourists always referred to endemic areas, there was no uniform, standardized method used to define endemic areas. For this reason, clear recommendations for tourists need to be developed, and standardized surveillance directed to efficient assessment of TBE risk need to be implemented in European countries. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Student midwives' duty hours: risks, standards, and recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawrence, Rachel; Kantrowitz-Gordon, Ira; Landis, Andrea

2014-01-01

A growing body of literature has emerged describing the risks of extended-duty shifts and sleep deprivation. Worldwide, midwifery organizations have not adopted standards for practitioner or student duty shifts. This project reviews the literature related to extended-duty shifts in an effort to develop evidence-based recommendations for student nurse-midwives/student midwives (SNMs/SMs). A comprehensive literature search was conducted through electronic databases, major journals, and reference lists published in English since January 2001. Primary research studies evaluating sleep deprivation and shift duration were included. Studies that did not include the target population (shift workers) and those that formed conclusions related to extended-duty shifts greater than 30 hours were excluded. In addition, an extensive worldwide review of duty-hour recommendations from more than 300 health care organizations was conducted. A total of 40 studies met the inclusion criteria. Extended-duty shifts (those greater than 12 hours) increased the risk for cognitive and physical functional errors, safety concerns, and decreased quality of life from sleep deprivation. Cognitive function errors included attention lapses, visual tracking errors, decreased mentation and immediate recall, and decreased learning capacity. Physical errors included decreased motor skills and slowed reaction times in clinical simulations. These deficits led to an increased risk of motor vehicle accidents, needle sticks, and performance equivalent to unsafe blood alcohol concentrations. An overall decrease in quality of life and job satisfaction was linked to extended-duty shifts. Seven organizations for medical residents or advanced practice nurses have developed policy statements on duty shifts, with extended-duty shift limitations between 12 and 24 hours. The risks associated with extended-duty shifts may inhibit the development of SNMs/SMs into competent practitioners and place patients at risk. It

Recommendations for enforcing and administering lighting-efficiency standards in existing public buildings in New York State. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1977-09-30

To determine the most efficient, cost-effective means of enforcing lighting standards in existing public buildings, various enforcement procedures were investigated. A summary of conclusions and recommendations are presented. In Chapter 1, the adoption of a modified version of the sections of the proposed ASHRAE 100 standards that relate to lighting is recommended. The basic features of the proposed ASHRAE 100 standards are described and compared with those of other types of standards, and the modifications recommended to facilitate implementation are then presented. In Chapter 2, the structure is outlined and the details are provided of the enforcement strategy devised based on self-certification and penalties for noncompliance. Chapter 3 is intended to guide the state in implementing that strategy; it is suggested that the State Energy Office begin to conduct inspections of buildings selected first randomly and then according to a specific discriminant-analysis scheme. The timetable that should be followed and the management responsibilities that should be assigned if the state is to meet its 1980 goals related to saving energy through the implementation of lighting-efficiency standards are delineated in Chapter 4. The appendixes provide additional information and data supporting the specific conclusions and recommendations presented throughout the text. (MCW)

Implementation of the 1990 Recommendations of ICRP in the countries of the European community

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stather, J.W.; Clarke, R.H.

1992-01-01

The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has published new Recommendations in ICRP Publication 60. These 1990 Recommendations provide a System of Radiological Protection that takes account of the most recent information on the effects on health of exposure to ionizing radiation and trends in the setting of safety standards. Within the European Community the Recommendations of ICRP are implemented through a Euratom Directive which is binding on Member States and which is at present being revised by the Article 31 Group and must eventually be ratified by the Council of Ministers. It is expected that the new Directive will broadly endorse the principles of protection given in the 1990 recommendations together with the dose limits for both workers and members of the public. There are likely to be some modifications to the 1990 Recommendations that are mainly related to their practical application. As it will be some time before the Directive is incorporated in national regulations a number of Member States have taken independent initiatives. The development of dose constraints for occupational, medical and public exposure is being seen by national organizations in many countries as a significant new approach to improving standards of radiation protection. (author)

Definition and denomination of occupations in libraries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jelka Gazvoda

1998-01-01

Full Text Available In the first part of the article, the author presents the modern definition of occupation as defined in the ISCO-88 standard, and consecutively in the Slovenian Standard Classification of Occupations; occupations in the field of library and information science are then placed in a wider frame of information occupations which are present in ali spheres of activities. The following part of the article is focused on information occupations in libraries, especially on their contents definitions and denominations.Based on the analysis of job descriptions in three Slovenian libraries (National and University Library, University Library of Maribor and Central Technical Library,the author came to the following conclusion: the existent practice in libraries shows that the contents and denominations of occupations in library and information jobs are defined too loosely. In most cases, the contents of occupation is defined by the contents of the job, while for its denomination the required educational title of the employee is often used. Therefore, the author proposes the establishment of a work force which would define the contents and design denominations to library and information occupations according to the principles contained in the Standard Classification of Occupations.

The scientific rationale for the World Organisation for Animal Health standards and recommendations on avian influenza.

Science.gov (United States)

Pasick, J; Kahn, S

2014-12-01

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) prescribes standards for the diagnosis and control of avian influenza, as well as health measures for safe trade in birds and avian products, which are based on up-to-date scientific information and risk management principles, consistent with the role of the OIE as a reference standard-setting body for the World Trade Organization (WTO). These standards and recommendations continue to evolve, reflecting advances in technology and scientific understanding of this important zoonotic disease. The avian influenza viruses form part of the natural ecosystem by virtue of their ubiquitous presence in wild aquatic birds, a fact that human intervention cannot change. For the purposes of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code (Terrestrial Code), avian influenza is defined as an infection of poultry. However, the scope of the OIE standards and recommendations is not restricted to poultry, covering the diagnosis, early detection and management of avian influenza, including sanitary measures for trade in birds and avian products. The best way to manage avian influenza-associated risks to human and animal health is for countries to conduct surveillance using recommended methods, to report results in a consistent and transparent manner, and to applythe sanitary measures described in the Terrestrial Code. Surveillance for and timely reporting of avian influenza in accordance with OIE standards enable the distribution of relevant, up-to-date information to the global community.

Tracking occupational hearing loss across global industries: a comparative analysis of metrics.

Science.gov (United States)

Rabinowitz, Peter M; Galusha, Deron; McTague, Michael F; Slade, Martin D; Wesdock, James C; Dixon-Ernst, Christine

2012-01-01

Occupational hearing loss is one of the most prevalent occupational conditions; yet, there is no acknowledged international metric to allow comparisons of risk between different industries and regions. In order to make recommendations for an international standard of occupational hearing loss, members of an international industry group (the International Aluminium Association) submitted details of different hearing loss metrics currently in use by members. We compared the performance of these metrics using an audiometric data set for over 6000 individuals working in 10 locations of one member company. We calculated rates for each metric at each location from 2002 to 2006. For comparison, we calculated the difference of observed-expected (for age) binaural high-frequency hearing loss (in dB/year) for each location over the same time period. We performed linear regression to determine the correlation between each metric and the observed-expected rate of hearing loss. The different metrics produced discrepant results, with annual rates ranging from 0.0% for a less-sensitive metric to more than 10% for a highly sensitive metric. At least two metrics, a 10dB age-corrected threshold shift from baseline and a 15dB nonage-corrected shift metric, correlated well with the difference of observed-expected high-frequency hearing loss. This study suggests that it is feasible to develop an international standard for tracking occupational hearing loss in industrial working populations.

Standards, options and recommendations for brachytherapy of prostate cancer: efficacy and toxicity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pommier, P.; Villers, A.; Bataillard, A.

2001-01-01

Context. - The 'Standards, Options and Recommendations' (SOR) collaborative project was initiated in 1993 by the Federation of the French Cancer Centres (FNCLCC), with the 20 French Regional Cancer Centres, several French public university and general hospitals, as well as private clinics and medical specialty societies. Its main objective is the development of serviceable clinical practice guidelines in order to improve the quality of health care and the outcome of cancer patients. The methodology is based on a literature review, followed by a critical appraisal by a multidisciplinary group of experts. Draft guidelines are produced, then validated by specialists in cancer care delivery. Objectives. - Produce technical practice guidelines for the brachytherapy of prostate cancer using the methodology developed by the Standards, Options and Recommendations project. Methods. - The FNCLCC and the French Urology Association (AFU) first designated the multidisciplinary group of experts. Available data were collected by a search of Medline and lists selected by experts in the group. A first draft of the guidelines was written, they validated by independent reviewers. Results. - The main recommendations are: 1/ Brachytherapy with permanent seeds alone is a possible curative treatment for prostate cancer patients with the following prognosis factors: tumour stage T1 or T2a (TNM 1992), Gleason score ≤ 6 and PSA 7 and/or PSA > 10. 3/ Combination of brachytherapy and external beam radiation therapy can be proposed to prostate cancer patients with intermediate prognosis. 4/ Before and after seed implantation, risks of infection must be prevented by appropriate antibiotic therapy (recommendation). 5/ Brachytherapy must not be performed within 2 months of trans-urethral prostate resection. 6/The height of the urethra receiving more than 200 of the prescribed dose must be reported. The portion of the rectum receiving 100 and 120 % of the prescribed dose must be limited to 10

A client-centred, occupation-based occupational therapy programme for adults with psychiatric diagnoses.

Science.gov (United States)

Schindler, Victoria P

2010-09-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a client-centred, occupation-based occupational therapy programme for individuals with psychiatric diagnoses. The study took place in a college campus. A pre-test/post-test design was used. There were 38 participants which included college students and community members who desired to attend college, work and/or address life skill goals. The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) was used as a pre- and post-test measure. Goals were based on problems identified in the COPM, reflected academic, vocational, life skill, and leisure goals, and were systematically addressed weekly through activities developed by the participant and a graduate occupational therapy student who acted as a mentor. The Participant Overall Satisfaction Scale was completed by each participant. A case study was used to describe the programme in more depth. The results support that the client-centred, occupation-based occupational therapy programme increased client scores on satisfaction and performance of occupational performance problems identified on the COPM. Further research is recommended to explore how client-centred occupational therapy programmes can be effective in improving academic, vocational and life skill goals. Copyright 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Monitoring of occupational and environmental aeroallergens-- EAACI Position Paper. Concerted action of the EAACI IG Occupational Allergy and Aerobiology & Air Pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

Raulf, M; Buters, J; Chapman, M; Cecchi, L; de Blay, F; Doekes, G; Eduard, W; Heederik, D; Jeebhay, M F; Kespohl, S; Krop, E; Moscato, G; Pala, G; Quirce, S; Sander, I; Schlünssen, V; Sigsgaard, T; Walusiak-Skorupa, J; Wiszniewska, M; Wouters, I M; Annesi-Maesano, I

2014-10-01

Exposure to high molecular weight sensitizers of biological origin is an important risk factor for the development of asthma and rhinitis. Most of the causal allergens have been defined based on their reactivity with IgE antibodies, and in many cases, the molecular structure and function of the allergens have been established. Significant information on allergen levels that cause sensitization and allergic symptoms for several major environmental and occupational allergens has been reported. Monitoring of high molecular weight allergens and allergen carrier particles is an important part of the management of allergic respiratory diseases and requires standardized allergen assessment methods for occupational and environmental (indoor and outdoor) allergen exposure. The aim of this EAACI task force was to review the essential points for monitoring environmental and occupational allergen exposure including sampling strategies and methods, processing of dust samples, allergen analysis, and quantification. The paper includes a summary of different methods for sampling and allergen quantification, as well as their pros and cons for various exposure settings. Recommendations are being made for different exposure scenarios. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Occupational skin diseases and prevention among sanitation ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Little research has been focused on the health status or the occupational protection awareness of sanitation workers. The policy recommendations on the occupational safety and health of sanitation workers based on the scientific research are also insufficient in developing countries like China. Objective: To ...

The CIPM list of recommended frequency standard values: guidelines and procedures

Science.gov (United States)

Riehle, Fritz; Gill, Patrick; Arias, Felicitas; Robertsson, Lennart

2018-04-01

A list of standard reference frequency values (LoF) of quantum transitions from the microwave to the optical regime has been recommended by the International Committee for Weights and Measures (Comité international des poids et mesures, CIPM) for use in basic research, technology, and for the metrology of time, frequency and length. The CIPM LoF contains entries that are recommended as secondary representations of the second in the International System of Units, and entries that can be used to serve as realizations of the definition of the metre. The historical perspective that led to the CIPM LoF is outlined. Procedures have been developed for updating existing, and validating new, entries into the CIPM LoF. The CIPM LoF might serve as an entry for a future redefinition of the second by an optical transition.

Basic standards for radiation protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Webb, G.A.M.

1982-01-01

The basic standards for radiation protection have been based, for many years, on the recommendations of the International Commission of Radiological Protection. The three basic standards recommended by the Commission may be summarized as ''justification, optimization of protection and adherence to dose limitations. The applications of these basic principles to different aspects of protection are briefly summarized and the particular ways in which they have been applied to waste described in more detail. The application of dose limits, both in the control of occupational exposure and in regulating routine discharges of radioactive effluents is straight forward in principle although the measurement and calculational requirements may be substantial. Secondary standards such as derived limits may be extremely useful and the principles underlying their derivation will be described. Optimization of protection is inherently a more difficult concept to apply in protection and the various techniques used will be outlined by with particular emphasis on the use of cost benefit analysis are recommended by the ICRP. A review will be given of the problems involved in extending these basic concepts of the ICRP to probabilistic analyses such as those required for assessing the consequences of accidents or disruptive events in long term repositories. The particular difficulties posed by the very long timescales involved in the assessment of waste management practices will be discussed in some detail. (orig./RW)

Workplace Safety and Health Topics: Industries and Occupations

Science.gov (United States)

... Submit Search The CDC The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Note: Javascript is disabled or is not ... September 6, 2017 Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Education and Information Division Email Recommend Tweet YouTube ...

Do school classrooms meet the visual requirements of children and recommended vision standards?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kalpa Negiloni

Full Text Available Visual demands of school children tend to vary with diverse classroom environments. The study aimed to evaluate the distance and near Visual Acuity (VA demand in Indian school classrooms and their comparison with the recommended vision standards.The distance and near VA demands were assessed in 33 classrooms (grades 4 to 12 of eight schools. The VA threshold demand relied on the smallest size of distance and near visual task material and viewing distance. The logMAR equivalents of minimum VA demand at specific seating positions (desk and among different grades were evaluated. The near threshold was converted into actual near VA demand by including the acuity reserve. The existing dimensions of chalkboard and classroom, gross area in a classroom per student and class size in all the measured classrooms were compared to the government recommended standards.In 33 classrooms assessed (35±10 students per room, the average distance and near logMAR VA threshold demand was 0.31±0.17 and 0.44±0.14 respectively. The mean distance VA demand (minimum in front desk position was 0.56±0.18 logMAR. Increased distance threshold demand (logMAR range -0.06, 0.19 was noted in 7 classrooms (21%. The mean VA demand in grades 4 to 8 and grades 9 to 12 was 0.35±0.16 and 0.24±0.16 logMAR respectively and the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.055. The distance from board to front desk was greater than the recommended standard of 2.2m in 27 classrooms (82%. The other measured parameters were noted to be different from the proposed standards in majority of the classrooms.The study suggests the inclusion of task demand assessment in school vision screening protocol to provide relevant guidance to school authorities. These findings can serve as evidence to accommodate children with mild to moderate visual impairment in the regular classrooms.

Responses to Human Bioeffluents at Levels Recommended by Ventilation Standards

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Xiaojing; Wargocki, Pawel; Lian, Zhiwei

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine whether exposure to human bioeffluents, at the levels recommended by the current ventilation standards, would cause any effects on humans. Ten subjects were exposed in a low-emission stainless-steel climate chamber for 4.25 hours. The outdoor air supply rate...... was set to 33 or 4 l/s per person, creating two levels of bioeffluents with carbon dioxide (CO2) at 500 or 1600 ppm. Subjective ratings were collected, cognitive performance was examined and physiological responses were monitored. The results show that exposures to human bioeffluents at ventilation rate...

Proposed performance standards for the Agricultural Hazardous Occupations Order certification training program.

Science.gov (United States)

French, B F; Field, W E; Tormoehlen, R

2007-07-01

The performance standards that accompany Gearing Up for Safety, the agricultural production safety training curriculum for youth, were designed to meet the certification testing requirements of the Agricultural Hazardous Occupations Order (AgHOs) certification training program. The AgHOs requires that certain youth who are older than 13 and younger than 16 years of age complete a prescribed training program before being eligible for employment on farms to perform certain tasks considered hazardous. These training resources will be available for implementation and can be accessed by contacting the second author. To our knowledge, up until this time, few, if any, standardized testing procedures or instruments have had the necessary psychometric evidence to support use of the resulting scores to assess the readiness of youth to meet the basic certification requirements contained in the AgHOs. This article describes the rationale, methods, and key findings from a standard-setting session held to establish minimum passing scores for a proposed testing process. The test will be used as a component of the Gearing Up for Safety certification process for youth workers seeking employment to perform job functions as specified under the AgHOs. Readers may be able to apply this standardized testing process, or similarly accepted processes, to other or future testing and certification projects involving agricultural safety and health.

International and national radiation protection standards and recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swindon, T.N.

1989-01-01

The recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and their basis are discussed with particular emphasis on the extensive review of its earlier recommendations undertaken by the ICRP during the 1970s. The new recommendations issued in 1977 after this review are described. The dose limits for various organs and tissues before and after 1977 are compared. The optimization principle contained in the 1977 recommendations is assessed. The implementation of the 1977 recommendations, the subsequent changes to them and the ICRP's 1987 statement on cancer risk assessments are discussed. The National Radiological Protection Board's October 1987 radiation protection recommendations are outlined. 8 refs., 1 fig

Report on external occupational dosimetry in Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-12-01

In light of the new recommendations of the ICRP in Report 60 on dose quantities and dose limits, this working group was set up to examine the implications for external dosimetry in Canada. The operational quantities proposed by the ICRU are discussed in detail with regard to their applicability in Canada. The current occupational dosimetry services available in Canada are described as well as the several performance intercomparisons that have been carried out within the country as well as internationally. Recommendations are given with respect to standards for dosimetry, including accuracy and precision. More practical advice is given on the choice of dosimeter to use for external dosimetry, frequency of monitoring, and who should be monitored. Specific advice is given on the monitoring of pregnant workers and problem of non-uniform irradiation. Accident and emergency dosimetry are dealt with briefly. Suggestions are given regarding record keeping both for employers and for the national dose registry. 48 refs., 6 tabs., 1 fig

Tracking occupational hearing loss across global industries: A comparative analysis of metrics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter M Rabinowitz

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Occupational hearing loss is one of the most prevalent occupational conditions; yet, there is no acknowledged international metric to allow comparisons of risk between different industries and regions. In order to make recommendations for an international standard of occupational hearing loss, members of an international industry group (the International Aluminium Association submitted details of different hearing loss metrics currently in use by members. We compared the performance of these metrics using an audiometric data set for over 6000 individuals working in 10 locations of one member company. We calculated rates for each metric at each location from 2002 to 2006. For comparison, we calculated the difference of observed-expected (for age binaural high-frequency hearing loss (in dB/year for each location over the same time period. We performed linear regression to determine the correlation between each metric and the observed-expected rate of hearing loss. The different metrics produced discrepant results, with annual rates ranging from 0.0% for a less-sensitive metric to more than 10% for a highly sensitive metric. At least two metrics, a 10dB age-corrected threshold shift from baseline and a 15dB nonage-corrected shift metric, correlated well with the difference of observed-expected high-frequency hearing loss. This study suggests that it is feasible to develop an international standard for tracking occupational hearing loss in industrial working populations.

Occupational risk involving students of health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Éder Oliveira Rocha

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: To analyze the social representations of occupational risks involving students in the area of health. Method: Exploratory research with 160 students from nursing, medicine and dentistry, through interviews. The data were processed in ALCESTE 4.8 and lexical analysis done by descending hierarchical classification. Results: In four semantic classes, namely: occupational risks involving students in the area of health, the work environment and occupational risks, exposure to accidents with sharps and adoption of standard precautions as biosecurity measures. Conclusion: Students healthcare represent occupational risks, such as a concern for the prevention of cross infection in the workplace, should both professionals and students of health, adopt standard precautions and biosecurity measures in the environment work.

75 FR 63888 - Occupational Information Development Advisory Panel Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-18

... independent advice and recommendations on plans and activities to replace the Dictionary of Occupational...: Medical and vocational analysis of disability claims; occupational analysis, including definitions... to our disability programs and improve the medical-vocational adjudication policies and processes...

E-learning as a technological tool to meet the requirements of occupational standards in training of it specialists

Science.gov (United States)

Tokareva, N. A.; Tyatyushkina, O. Y.; Cheremisina, E. N.

2016-09-01

We discuss issues of updating educational programs to meet requirements of the labor market and occupational standards of IT industry. We suggest the technology of e-learning that utilizes an open educational resource to provide the employers' participation in the development of educational content and the intensification of practical training.

Evidence based guidelines for the prevention, identification, and management of occupational asthma.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholson, P J; Cullinan, P; Taylor, A J Newman; Burge, P S; Boyle, C

2005-05-01

Occupational asthma is the most frequently reported work related respiratory disease in many countries. This work was commissioned by the British Occupational Health Research Foundation to assist the Health and Safety Executive in achieving its target of reducing the incidence of occupational asthma in Great Britain by 30% by 2010. The guidelines aim to improve the prevention, identification, and management of occupational asthma by providing evidence based recommendations on which future practice can be based. The literature was searched systematically using Medline and Embase for articles published in all languages up to the end of June 2004. Evidence based statements and recommendations were graded according to the Royal College of General Practitioner's star system and the revised Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network grading system. A total of 474 original studies were selected for appraisal from over 2500 abstracts. The systematic review produced 52 graded evidence statements and 22 recommendations based on 223 studies. Evidence based guidelines have become benchmarks for practice in healthcare and the process used to prepare them is well established. This evidence review and its recommendations focus on interventions and outcomes to provide a robust approach to the prevention, identification, and management of occupational asthma, based on and using the best available medical evidence. The most important action to prevent cases of occupational asthma is to reduce exposure at source. Thereafter surveillance should be performed for the early identification of symptoms, including occupational rhinitis, with additional functional and immunological tests where appropriate. Effective management of workers suspected to have occupational asthma involves the identification and investigation of symptoms suggestive of asthma immediately they occur. Those workers who are confirmed to have occupational asthma should be advised to avoid further exposure completely

77 FR 39561 - Recommendations from Airman Testing Standards and Training Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC)

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-03

... site at: http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/draft_docs/arc . Issued in Washington, DC on June 12, 2012. Melvin... Standards and Training Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA... report from the ARC, which presents recommendations to enhance the content, process, and methodology for...

Wanted: entrepreneurs in occupational therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Kristin M; Nelson, David L

2011-01-01

The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) has challenged occupational therapy practitioners to advance the profession so that we may become more "powerful" and "widely recognized" by the year 2017 (AOTA, 2007a). To fully achieve this vision, this article argues that the profession should encourage occupational therapy entrepreneurship. As Herz, Bondoc, Richmond, Richman, and Kroll (2005, p.2) stated, "Entrepreneurship may provide us with the means to achieve the outcomes we need to succeed in the current health care environment." This article also argues the urgency of seizing the many opportunities that entrepreneurship offers and recommends specific actions to be taken by AOTA and by therapists.

[Individual prevention of occupational contact dermatitis: protective gloves and skin protection recommendations as part of the patient management scheme by the public statutory employers' liability insurance].

Science.gov (United States)

Wilke, A; Skudlik, C; Sonsmann, F K

2018-05-02

The dermatologist's procedure is a pivotal tool for early recognition of occupational contact dermatitis (OCD), for reporting OCD cases to the statutory accident insurance and for treating the diseases. The employer is in charge of implementing skin protection measures at the workplace. However, in terms of an individual prevention approach it may be necessary to propose targeted skin protection recommendations in specific patient cases. The patient's own skin protection behavior significantly contributes to regenerating and maintaining healthy skin. This behavior includes the use of occupational skin products, and in particular the correct use of appropriately selected protective gloves. Protective gloves are the most important personal protective measure in the prevention of OCD. Prevention services, occupational health and safety specialists, occupational physicians and centers specialized in occupational dermatology can support the identification of suitable protective measures. Nowadays, suitable protective gloves exist for (almost) every occupational activity and exposure. However, improper use in practice can become a risk factor by itself for the skin (e. g., incorrectly used gloves). Therefore, it is of utmost importance to identify application errors, to educate patients in terms of skin protection and to motivate them to perform an appropriate skin protection behavior. With particular focus on protective gloves, this article gives an overview of various types, materials and potentially glove-related allergens, presents strategies for reducing occlusion effects and discusses some typical application errors and solutions.

Occupational exposures during routine activities in coal-fueled power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bird, M.J.; MacIntosh, D.L.; Williams, P.L. [University of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). Dept. of Environmental Health Science

2004-06-15

Limited information is available on occupational exposures during routine, nonoutage work activities in coal-fueled power plants. This study evaluated occupational exposures to the principal contaminants in the facilities, including respirable dust (coal dust), arsenic, noise, asbestos, and heat stress. The data were collected over a 3-month period, during the summer of 2001. Each of the 5 facilities was divided into 5 similar exposure groups based on previous exposure assessments and job tasks performed. Of the nearly 400 air samples collected, only 1 exceeded the allowable occupational exposure value. For the noise samples, 55 (about 18%) were equal to or greater than the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 8-hour hearing conservation program level of 85 dBA, and 12 (about 4%) were equal to or greater than the OSHA 8-hour permissible exposure level of 90 dBA. Heat stress monitoring at the facilities indicates that 26% of the 1-hour TWAs were exceeded for one or all of the recommended heat stress limits. The data also concluded that some work sites were above the heat stress ceiling values recommended by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Four of the 20 employees personally monitored exceeded the recommended limits for heart rate or body core temperature. This suggests there is a potential for heat strain if signs and symptoms are ignored. Recommendations are made to better control the heat stress exposure.

75 FR 10545 - Occupational Information Development Advisory Panel Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-08

... and recommendations on plans and activities to replace the Dictionary of Occupational Titles used in... following areas: Medical and vocational analysis of disability claims; occupational analysis, including... system suited to its disability programs and improve the medical-vocational adjudication policies and...

Working Safely with Robot Workers: Recommendations for the New Workplace

Science.gov (United States)

Murashov, Vladimir; Hearl, Frank; Howard, John

2016-01-01

The increasing use of robots in performing tasks alongside or together with human coworkers raises novel occupational safety and health issues. The new 21st century workplace will be one in which occupational robotics plays an increasing role. This paper describes the increasing complexity of robots and proposes a number of recommendations for the practice of safe occupational robotics. PMID:26554511

Working safely with robot workers: Recommendations for the new workplace.

Science.gov (United States)

Murashov, Vladimir; Hearl, Frank; Howard, John

2016-01-01

The increasing use of robots in performing tasks alongside or together with human co-workers raises novel occupational safety and health issues. The new 21st century workplace will be one in which occupational robotics plays an increasing role. This article describes the increasing complexity of robots and proposes a number of recommendations for the practice of safe occupational robotics.

The assessment of occupational protection conditions in workplaces with high levels of exposure to natural radiation. Report from a technical committee meeting. Working material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

Occupational exposure from natural radiation is, in the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) 2000 Report, estimated to contribute to more than 80 percent of the world-wide annual collective dose from occupational exposure, uranium mining excluded. The Agency's Radiation Safety Standards Series, the Requirements, and the Safety Guides (jointly sponsored by the Agency and the International Labour Office), address the control of occupational exposures from natural sources of radiation. In addition, some Safety Reports on specific issues are in the process of being finalized. Following upon recommendations to the Agency from its Member States to provide further guidance on the control of occupational exposure to natural radiation, a Technical Committee Meeting on Assessment of Occupational Radiation Protection Conditions in Workplaces with High Levels of Exposure to Natural Radiation was held in Vienna from 7 to 11 May 2001. The objective of the meeting was to produce an inventory of problem areas, make an assessment of the problem and propose a draft work plan for the Agency, This IAEA Working Material includes the report from the meeting, including the presentations made. Based on the recommendations made by the Technical Committee, a work plan is being initiated, implying that more attention will be paid to occupational exposure from natural radiation sources in the Occupational Radiation Protection programme

Directives and recommendations of the European Communities on health protection against ionizing radiations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-11-01

The CNEN has published a third edition, with comments, of the Directives and Recommendations of the European Communities on health protection against ionizing radiations, following their revision in 1976. This revision takes account of recent developments in the ICRP recommendations which serve as guidelines in the legislation of many countries for establishing general radiation protection principles as well as basic criteria and technical standards. The new Directive, while keeping to the basic principles established in 1959, introduces new methods for improved medical surveillance of workers; also, the previous difference between occupationally exposed workers and those occasionally exposed is eliminated. Finally, a new concept of critical groups is introduced as regards protection of the population, as a basis for its protection. (NEA) [fr

High-level waste storage tank farms/242-A evaporator standards/requirements identification document (S/RID), Vol. 7

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-04-01

This Requirements Identification Document (RID) describes an Occupational Health and Safety Program as defined through the Relevant DOE Orders, regulations, industry codes/standards, industry guidance documents and, as appropriate, good industry practice. The definition of an Occupational Health and Safety Program as specified by this document is intended to address Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Recommendations 90-2 and 91-1, which call for the strengthening of DOE complex activities through the identification and application of relevant standards which supplement or exceed requirements mandated by DOE Orders. This RID applies to the activities, personnel, structures, systems, components, and programs involved in maintaining the facility and executing the mission of the High-Level Waste Storage Tank Farms.

High-level waste storage tank farms/242-A evaporator standards/requirements identification document (S/RID), Vol. 7

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-04-01

This Requirements Identification Document (RID) describes an Occupational Health and Safety Program as defined through the Relevant DOE Orders, regulations, industry codes/standards, industry guidance documents and, as appropriate, good industry practice. The definition of an Occupational Health and Safety Program as specified by this document is intended to address Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board Recommendations 90-2 and 91-1, which call for the strengthening of DOE complex activities through the identification and application of relevant standards which supplement or exceed requirements mandated by DOE Orders. This RID applies to the activities, personnel, structures, systems, components, and programs involved in maintaining the facility and executing the mission of the High-Level Waste Storage Tank Farms

Occupational radiation protection: Protecting workers against exposure to ionizing radiation. Contributed papers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-07-01

objective of the Conference was to foster the exchange of information on current issues related to the exposure of workers to ionizing radiation in the course of their work and to formulate recommendations, as appropriate, regarding measures to strengthen international co-operation in occupational radiation protection. The Conference addressed the issue of establishing occupational radiation protection standards and providing for their application. It will focus on a number of specific problems, inter alia, the complex issue of controlling occupational exposure to natural sources of radiation. This document contain contributed papers to the Conference

Key elements on implementing an occupational health and safety management system using ISO 45001 standard

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Darabont Doru Costin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Occupational health and safety (OHS management system is one of the main elements of the company’s general management system. During last decade, Romanian companies gained a valuable experience on implementing this type of management systems, using OHSAS 18001 referential and standard. However, the projected release of the ISO 45001 represents a new approach which requires the companies to take in consideration new key elements for a successful implementation of the OHS management system. The aim of the paper is to identify and analyse these key elements, by integration of the following issues: standard requirements, Romanian OHS legislation and good practice examples, including the general control measures for new and emerging risks such as psycho-social risks, workforce ageing and new technologies. The study results represent an important work instrument for each company interested to implement or upgrade its OHS management system using ISO 45001 standard and could be used regardless the company size or activity domain.

NIOH and NIOSH basis for an occupational health standard: Chlorobenzene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hellman, B.

1993-01-01

Information relevant for assessing potential adverse health effects from occupational exposure to chlorobenzene was reviewed and summarized. Topics included physical properties, chemical properties, production levels, industrial uses, occupational exposure levels, toxicokinetics, acute and chronic toxicity, organ system toxicity, immunotoxicity, allergy, genotoxicity, carcinogenicity, teratogenicity, reproductive toxicity, dose/response relationships, and research needs. Studies have indicated that chlorobenzene is absorbed via respiratory and dermal routes and has resulted in headaches, dizziness, somnolence, and dyspeptic disorders in humans chronically exposed. There were no case reports or epidemiological studies available concerned with the potential carcinogenicity of chlorobenzene in humans. There was some limited evidence indicating that the compound is genotoxic and that it may induce hematopoietic toxicity at relatively moderate doses. The author concludes that the central nervous system effects and the hepatotoxic effects should be considered in setting occupational exposure limits

Civilian law: from occupational medicine to occupational event.

Science.gov (United States)

Mpotos, N; Watelet, J B

Civilian law:from occupational medicine to occupational event. Despite the growing importance of objective measurements, the health effects of many occupational risk factors are currently not fully quantified. Occupational noise, as a widespread risk factor, is illustrative in this regard; there is a strong body of evidence linking it to an important health outcome (hearing loss), but it is less decisively associated with others (such as psychological disorders). It is also distinct from environmental noise, and therefore falls under the responsibility of employers as well as individuals. Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is, at present, incurable and irreversible. However, it is preventable, if effective and global hearing conservation programmes can be implemented. These programmes should not be isolated efforts, but should be integrated into the overall hazard prevention and control programme of the workplace. Belgian law encompasses a set of provisions for prevention and the protection of the health and safety of workers within the workplace, including aspects pertaining to the hygiene of the workplace and psychosocial aspects at work (stress, violence, bullying and sexual harassment, among others). In principle, combating environmental noise is fully addressed in this country. However, other levels of policy-making also play an important role in this regard. For example, the federal government is in charge of product standards, and therefore also of noise emission standards for products. The interpretation and enforcement of Belgian legislation on well-being at work converts European directives and international agreements on well-being at work into Belgian law.

[Occupational skin cancer : Prevention and recommendations for UV protection as part of the treatment approved by the public statutory employers' liability insurance].

Science.gov (United States)

Rocholl, M; Ludewig, M; Skudlik, C; Wilke, A

2018-04-27

In Germany, approximately 2 to 3 million employees work in outdoor professions. They are exceptionally exposed to solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation for a large part of their daily working time. Cumulative UV exposure is associated with a significantly increased risk of skin cancer for outdoor workers from various occupational groups (e. g. landscape and horticulture, agriculture and forestry, fisheries and seafaring, construction and trade, as well as sports teachers, lifeguards and mountain guides). Since 1 January 2015, squamous cell carcinoma and multiple actinic keratosis due to natural UV radiation can be recognised as occupational disease No. 5103 by the German statutory social accident insurance. Reducing cumulative UV exposure is the main prevention aspect of this type of skin damage. Therefore, technical, organisational and personal UV protection measures should be implemented in the professional and private environment. Moreover, they have to be regularly used in an appropriate way. In addition to guideline-oriented therapy, training and counselling of patients with already existing actinic skin damage or a recognised occupational disease No. 5103 is therefore of particular importance. The focus should be on improving the individual UV protection behaviour. This article gives an overview of current recommendations for UV protection in the professional environment. It outlines possible solutions for patient counselling in terms of UV protection in everyday practice.

Resource needs of an occupational health service to accommodate a hepatitis B vaccination programme.

Science.gov (United States)

Jachuck, S J; Jones, C; Nicholls, A; Bartlett, M

1990-01-01

The administrative, organizational and clinical commitment of an occupational health department to implement the DHSS recommendation for a hepatitis B vaccination programme for the health care workers in a District General Hospital was reviewed to evaluate the resource implications needed to accommodate the additional workload. The deficiencies observed in the existing DHSS guidance in implementing the plan are described. It is suggested that the Department of Health, while making future recommendations for vaccination, should be more precise in identifying those at risk, in describing the desired titre to be achieved after vaccination, and in describing the follow-up plan for those who accept the vaccination, those who refuse and those who do not seroconvert. The recommendation should describe the commitment of the Health Authorities and must include recommendations for appropriate and adequate resources to support such a programme. Vaccination for 1000 employees at risk required 4000 additional consultations necessitating 16 additional hours of occupational health commitment per week. Eighteen months after initiating the vaccination programme, 677 employees had accepted the vaccine. After receiving 3 vaccines 508 (75 per cent) recipients had protective seroconversion (anti-Hbs greater than 100 I.U.) and a further 61 (9 per cent) converted after the 4th injection, thereby offering protective immunity to 84 per cent of the recipients. During the period 84 (12.4 per cent) were lost to follow-up. Recommendations have been made to accommodate the additional commitment through the vaccination programme to standardize our care and prevent disruption of the existing service.

Constraints to Occupational Diversification among Rural Women in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The mean of farm income was .31,022.8 while the mean of non-farm income was .125,364 (t= 12.136; p=0.05). The study recommends the inclusion of non-farm occupations in rural extension services especially value chain of cash crops as a means of improving income generation. Key words: Occupation, diversification, ...

Occupational skin diseases and prevention among sanitation workers in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Yuehua; Wang, Xinggang; Wu, Jianbo; Xu, Li

2015-09-01

Little research has been focused on the health status or the occupational protection awareness of sanitation workers. The policy recommendations on the occupational safety and health of sanitation workers based on the scientific research are also insufficient in developing countries like China. To study the incidence of dermatoses and the relevance with occupational exposure, protection awareness and protective measures among sanitation workers for better management and protection of the sanitation workers. 273 sanitation workers and 113 administrative staff from 11 streets of Wuhan were recruited. Dermatological problems were evaluated and recorded by physical examination. Occupational exposure, protection awareness, the use of protective equipments and personal history of skin disease were assessed by questionnaires. Compared with administrative staff, sanitation workers had much more occupational dermatological problems and had a much higher rate of harmful ultraviolet ray exposure. Young sanitation workers were more aware of occupational self-protection and a relatively higher rate of them using protective equipments compared with old ones. Exposure to multiple health hazards and the poor use of protective equipments are related to skin diseases in sanitation workers. Prejob training of self-protection and the use of protective equipments are recommended.

Occupational health management: an audit tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Shelmerdine, L; Williams, N

2003-03-01

Organizations must manage occupational health risks in the workplace and the UK Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has published guidance on successful health and safety management. This paper describes a method of using the published guidance to audit the management of occupational health and safety, first at an organizational level and, secondly, to audit an occupational health service provider's role in the management of health risks. The paper outlines the legal framework in the UK for health risk management and describes the development and use of a tool for qualitative auditing of the efficiency, effectiveness and reliability of occupational health service provision within an organization. The audit tool is presented as a question set and the paper concludes with discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of using this tool, and recommendations on its use.

Occupational asthma in maritime environments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lucas, David; Loddé, Brice; Jepsen, Jørgen Riis

2016-01-01

In 2006 we published our first review based on the available literature on occupational asthma in maritime environments in the “International Maritime Health” journal. Since then, we have obtained a great deal of new knowledge on asthma in seafood workers and fishermen and on the impact...... of exposures from sulphites preservatives, container fumigants etc. in maritime workers. This review aims to provide an update of the current knowledge base about occupational asthma in a maritime context and to provide recommendations regarding medical surveillance of workers at risk....

Standardized letters of recommendation and successful match into otolaryngology.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimple, Adam J; McClurg, Stanley W; Del Signore, Anthony G; Tomoum, Mohamed O; Lin, Feng-Chang; Senior, Brent A

2016-05-01

Historically, narrative letters of recommendation have been utilized in the selection of applicants for otolaryngology residency programs. In the last two application cycles, our specialty adopted a standardized letter of recommendation (SLOR). The intent was to decrease time burden for letter writers and to provide readers with an objective evaluation of applicants. The objective of this study was to determine attributes in the SLOR that correlate with matching into a residency program. We performed a retrospective study using SLOR, United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) step 1 scores, and matched outcomes of applicants who applied to our institution for the 2013 and 2014 match cycle. We included the following variables from the SLOR in the statistical analysis to determine which ones were associated with matching: patient care, medical knowledge, communication skills, procedural skills, research, initiative and drive, commitment to otolaryngology, commitment to academic medicine, match potential, and USMLE1 scores. We identified 532 applicants and 963 SLOR. In successful applicants, scores for patient care, medical knowledge, communication skills, initiative and drive, and match potential were statistically higher (P otolaryngology, commitment to academic medicine, and USMLE step 1 scores were not higher among successfully matched applicants. Although SLOR can save time for letter writers and provide an objective description of applicants, the utility of individual domains within the SLOR is questionable. Additionally, it is concerning that applicants' professionalism and procedural skills are not correlated with matching in our specialty. NA. Laryngoscope, 126:1071-1076, 2016. © 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Money Matters: Recommendations for Financial Stress Research in Occupational Health Psychology.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinclair, Robert R; Cheung, Janelle H

2016-08-01

Money is arguably the most important resource derived from work and the most important source of stress for contemporary employees. A substantial body of research supports the relationship between access to financial resources and health and well-being, both at individual and aggregated (e.g. national) levels of analysis. Yet, surprisingly little occupational health psychology research has paid attention to financial issues experienced specifically by those in the labour force. With these issues in mind, the overarching goal of the present paper was to address conceptual and measurement issues in the study of objective and subjective aspects of financial stress and review several assessment options available to occupational health psychology researchers for both aspects of financial stress. Where appropriate, we offer guidance to researchers about choices among various financial stress measures and identify issues that require further research attention. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Occupational exposures worldwide and revision of international standards for protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Czarwinski, R.; Crick, M. J.

2011-01-01

United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) has become the world authority on the levels and effects of ionising radiation. Since 1975, UNSCEAR has evaluated inter alia the level of occupational exposure worldwide. Based on revised questionnaires, more detailed information is now available. The results of the last evaluation (1995-2002) will be shown in the paper. Lessons learned from the responses by UN Member States will be given, as well as an outline of plans for data collection in future cycles. The requirements for protection against exposure to ionising radiation of workers, the public and patients are established in the International Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Ionising Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources (BSS), published in 1996. As a result of a review of the BSS in 2006, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) started a process for the revision of these standards in 2007. International organisations including the joint sponsoring organisations of the BSS-IAEA, FAO, ILO, OECD/NEA, PAHO and WHO-as well as potential new joint sponsoring organisations of the revised BSS-the European Commission and UNEP-were involved from the beginning in the revision process. The paper also provides a summary of the status of the Draft Revised BSS and describes the new format. The paper focuses, in particular, on requirements for the protection of workers as well as record keeping requirements, which provide the legal basis for the collection of specific data; these data are of the type that can be used by UNSCEAR. (authors)

Comparison of AIHA ISO 9001-based occupational health and safety management system guidance document with a manufacturer's occupational health and safety assessment instrument.

Science.gov (United States)

Dyjack, D T; Levine, S P; Holtshouser, J L; Schork, M A

1998-06-01

Numerous manufacturing and service organizations have integrated or are considering integration of their respective occupational health and safety management and audit systems into the International Organization for Standardization-based (ISO) audit-driven Quality Management Systems (ISO 9000) or Environmental Management Systems (ISO 14000) models. Companies considering one of these options will likely need to identify and evaluate several key factors before embarking on such efforts. The purpose of this article is to identify and address the key factors through a case study approach. Qualitative and quantitative comparisons of the key features of the American Industrial Hygiene Association ISO-9001 harmonized Occupational Health and Safety Management System with The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. management and audit system were conducted. The comparisons showed that the two management systems and their respective audit protocols, although structured differently, were not substantially statistically dissimilar in content. The authors recommend that future studies continue to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of various audit protocols. Ideally, these studies would identify those audit outcome measures that can be reliably correlated with health and safety performance.

Occupational Therapy Predischarge Home Visits in Acute Hospital Care: A Randomized Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Clemson, Lindy; Lannin, Natasha A; Wales, Kylie; Salkeld, Glenn; Rubenstein, Laurence; Gitlin, Laura; Barris, Sarah; Mackenzie, Lynette; Cameron, Ian D

2016-10-01

To determine whether an enhanced occupational therapy discharge planning intervention that involved pre- and postdischarge home visits, goal setting, and follow-up (the HOME program) would be superior to a usual care intervention in which an occupational therapy in-hospital consultation for planning and supporting discharge to home is provided to individuals receiving acute care. Randomized controlled trial. Acute and medical wards. Individuals aged 70 and older (N = 400). Primary outcomes: activities daily living (ADLs; Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living) and participation in life roles and activities (Late Life Disability Index (LLDI)). Occupational therapist recommendations differed significantly between groups (P occupational therapy recommendations as the in-hospital only consultation, which had a greater emphasis on equipment provision, but HOME did not demonstrate greater benefit in global measures of ADLs or participation in life tasks than in-hospital consultation alone. It is not recommended that home visits be conducted routinely as part of discharge planning for acutely hospitalized medical patients. Further work should develop guidelines for quality in-hospital consultation. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

Recommendations for codes and standards to be used for design and fabrication of high level waste canister

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bermingham, A.J.; Booker, R.J.; Booth, H.R.; Ruehle, W.G.; Shevekov, S.; Silvester, A.G.; Tagart, S.W.; Thomas, J.A.; West, R.G.

1978-01-01

This study identifies codes, standards, and regulatory requirements for developing design criteria for high-level waste (HLW) canisters for commercial operation. It has been determined that the canister should be designed as a pressure vessel without provision for any overpressure protection type devices. It is recommended that the HLW canister be designed and fabricated to the requirements of the ASME Section III Code, Division 1 rules, for Code Class 3 components. Identification of other applicable industry and regulatory guides and standards are provided in this report. Requirements for the Design Specification are found in the ASME Section III Code. It is recommended that design verification be conducted principally with prototype testing which will encompass normal and accident service conditions during all phases of the canister life. Adequacy of existing quality assurance and licensing standards for the canister was investigated. One of the recommendations derived from this study is a requirement that the canister be N stamped. In addition, acceptance standards for the HLW waste should be established and the waste qualified to those standards before the canister is sealed. A preliminary investigation of use of an overpack for the canister has been made, and it is concluded that the use of an overpack, as an integral part of overall canister design, is undesirable, both from a design and economics standpoint. However, use of shipping cask liners and overpack type containers at the Federal repository may make the canister and HLW management safer and more cost effective. There are several possible concepts for canister closure design. These concepts can be adapted to the canister with or without an overpack. A remote seal weld closure is considered to be one of the most suitable closure methods; however, mechanical seals should also be investigated

Occupational exposure in the National Institute of Nuclear Research between 1990-1994. Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escobar A, L.; Molina, G.

1996-01-01

In this paper an analysis of the occupational doses of the workers is performed, in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the programs and activities of the radiological occupational control that the Radiological Protection Department has been carrying out in order to execute the ALARA Recommendation. It is also discussed the possibility of adopting the recommendations about dose limits of ICRP 60. (authors). 4 refs., 6 figs

Permissible dose from external sources of ionizing radiation. Recommendations of the National Committee on Radiation Protection. Handbook 59

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1954-09-24

The Advisory Committee on X-ray and Radium Protection was formed in 1929 upon the recommendation of the International Commission on Radiological Protection, under the sponsorship of the National Bureau of Standards, and with the cooperation of the leading radiological organizations. The small committee functioned effectively until the advent of atomic energy, which introduced a large number of new and serious problems in the field of radiation protection. The present report deals primarily with the protection of persons occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation from external sources. An attempt has been made to cover most of the situations encountered in practice. However, it has not always been possible to make recommendations in quantitative terms. In such cases the recommendations are intended to serve as practical guides. The recommendations are based on presently available information and cannot be regarded as permanent. For this reason and on general grounds it is strongly recommended that exposure to radiation be kept at the lowest practicable level in all cases.

Permissible dose from external sources of ionizing radiation. Recommendations of the National Committee on Radiation Protection. Handbook 59

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1954-01-01

The Advisory Committee on X-ray and Radium Protection was formed in 1929 upon the recommendation of the International Commission on Radiological Protection, under the sponsorship of the National Bureau of Standards, and with the cooperation of the leading radiological organizations. The small committee functioned effectively until the advent of atomic energy, which introduced a large number of new and serious problems in the field of radiation protection. The present report deals primarily with the protection of persons occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation from external sources. An attempt has been made to cover most of the situations encountered in practice. However, it has not always been possible to make recommendations in quantitative terms. In such cases the recommendations are intended to serve as practical guides. The recommendations are based on presently available information and cannot be regarded as permanent. For this reason and on general grounds it is strongly recommended that exposure to radiation be kept at the lowest practicable level in all cases

Occupational health in Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Rampal, Krishna Gopal; Aw, Tar-Ching; Jefferelli, Shamsul Bahrin

2002-01-01

This article provides a detailed examination of Malaysian occupational health agencies and their roles in formulating and enforcing standards, promoting occupational health and safety (OSH), and providing advisory services. Available OSH training is described, and the need for policies and personnel in various industries is outlined. Further, the authors discuss how international models and collaboration have influenced Malaysian OSH, and how some successes can be repeated and failures remedied.

Workers and the ICRP recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zerbib, J.C.

1979-01-01

In both the preparation and the application of the recommendations presented by the ICRP one important voice has been absent: that of the workers in the nuclear industry. A large number of specialists are studying their situation from all points of view, in their different capacities as workers, consumers and male or female members of the public, but this extensive study is being done without consulting them, without their opinion even being asked for. The paper discusses such deficiencies, in particular all those aspects which distinguish these recommendations from a legal text. The lack of conciseness in the definition of the limit which the average annual dose to a large group of workers must not exceed (500 mrad) is considered. The possibility of a large number of workers being exposed for a long period is not acceptable if the decision is left to the manager of a nuclear facility alone. Cost-benefit analysis, as it is described in the ICRP text, cannot be considered to provide credible protection from the point of view of workers. Moreover, the various ICRP recommendations fail to mention such important matters as allowance for low-dose effects, disparities in the social security coverage offered to various categories of workers in the event of occupational illness, and the increasing use of migrant workers for difficult decontamination and maitenance tasks. At a time when it is thought that nuclear technology can be standardized, the French Democratic Labour Confederation (CFDT) expresses its fears concerning the practical application of the ICRP recommendations; for example, the text of ICRP Publication 26 has not yet been translated into French, but Euratom has already proposed directives for its application in Member States

Occupation: nurse; occupational hazard: radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nickson, K.

1984-01-01

The work of the occupational health nurses at the Pickering Generating Station is described. A staff of two nurses teach first aid and safety, practice an emergency plan, and monitor personnel for minimum health standards for radiation workers. Special attention is paid to problems which might be aggravated by radiation, such as skin complaints, respiratory diseases, emotional stability, or phobias regarding heights, plastic suits, or radiation itself. Procedures used in treating contaminated personnel are outlined

Occupation: nurse; occupational hazard: radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nickson, K

1984-03-01

The work of the occupational health nurses at the Pickering Generating Station is described. A staff of two nurses teach first aid and safety, practice an emergency plan, and monitor personnel for minimum health standards for radiation workers. Special attention is paid to problems which might be aggravated by radiation, such as skin complaints, respiratory diseases, emotional stability, or phobias regarding heights, plastic suits, or radiation itself. Procedures used in treating contaminated personnel are outlined.

Energy Saving Recommended: Delivering improved product standards, market presence and quality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lock, Tom; Galvanoni, Frances [Energy Saving Trust (United Kingdom)

2007-07-01

CO{sub 2} emissions from the home equate to 27 % of UK total emissions. In order for consumers to use less energy, and reduce their environmental impact, the Energy Saving Recommended (ESR) voluntary product labelling scheme for domestic energy saving products was established to direct the consumer to choose better products and make smarter choices. With over 2000 certified products, ESR is present across 5 sectors and covers 24 product categories; 9 sets of standards were reviewed and revised in 2005/6 and a further 13 were delivered in 2006/7. ESR is now implementing existing and developing new standards in consumer electronics - from integrated digital televisions and recorders, to intelligent mains sockets and set-top-boxes, as well as assessing the feasibility of endorsing domestic ICT equipment. The Energy Saving Trust, through its marketing activities, acts as an enabler to make energy saving action simpler, easier and cheaper for the consumer to undertake. Using a variety of communication strategies the trade is engaged through the provision of value added member benefits; a holistic approach is taken with key partners to integrate energy efficiency throughout their businesses. Merchandising support helps product standards to be implemented in the market place; evaluation and research work demonstrates that markets can be changed and shows a 1 in 3 label recognition rate. The credibility and integrity of the label are reinforced through compliance testing, in-store and online label monitoring and legal enforcement, frequent data checks and the integration of ISO best practice standards through the certification system.

A Career Story Approach to Management, Business, and Financial Occupations

Science.gov (United States)

Brott, Pamelia E.

2012-01-01

Business, management, and financial occupations are found in organizations in which individuals direct activities and perform tasks related to business and finance. The career cluster includes 144 occupational titles across 57% of the 23 major Standard Occupational Classification groups, with almost half of the occupations considered "bright…

Radiation measurements in Egyptian pyramids and tombs -- occupational exposure of workers and the public

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bigu, J; Hussein, Mohamed I; Hussein, A Z

2000-02-01

A radiation survey of seven archaeological sites within Egyptian pyramids and tombs has been conducted in the Saggara area. Measurements were made of radon ({sup 222}Rn) and its short-lived decay products (progeny), as well as thoron ({sup 220}Rn) progeny and {gamma}-radiation. The results of these measurements have been used to calculate the maximum annual effective dose (MAD) and other important occupational radiation exposure variables. It was found that for the limited time to which occupational workers and visitors were exposed, their respective MAD values were lower than that recommended by the regulatory agency (i.e., 20 mSv per year for occupational workers and 1 mSv in a year for the public). However, it is shown that if the exposure times for occupational workers were to increase to 'normal' working schedules their MAD would be exceeded at three archaeological sites. Implementation of improved ventilation practices is recommended in those sites to reduce the exposure to occupational workers were their working schedules to be significantly increased. It is also recommended that further monitoring be conducted in the future to verify these results.

Radiation measurements in Egyptian pyramids and tombs -- occupational exposure of workers and the public

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bigu, J.; Hussein, Mohamed I.; Hussein, A.Z.

2000-01-01

A radiation survey of seven archaeological sites within Egyptian pyramids and tombs has been conducted in the Saggara area. Measurements were made of radon ( 222 Rn) and its short-lived decay products (progeny), as well as thoron ( 220 Rn) progeny and γ-radiation. The results of these measurements have been used to calculate the maximum annual effective dose (MAD) and other important occupational radiation exposure variables. It was found that for the limited time to which occupational workers and visitors were exposed, their respective MAD values were lower than that recommended by the regulatory agency (i.e., 20 mSv per year for occupational workers and 1 mSv in a year for the public). However, it is shown that if the exposure times for occupational workers were to increase to 'normal' working schedules their MAD would be exceeded at three archaeological sites. Implementation of improved ventilation practices is recommended in those sites to reduce the exposure to occupational workers were their working schedules to be significantly increased. It is also recommended that further monitoring be conducted in the future to verify these results

Croatian Recommendations for Dialysis of HIV-Positive Patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gulin Marijana

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection may be associated with renal impairment since about 0.4% of all HIV-positive patients develop end-stage renal disease. The share of patients with HIV infection in hemodialysis centers throughout the world ranges from 0.3% to as high as 38%. In Croatia, renal replacement therapy was needed by 1% of all the HIV-positive patients from 1985 until the end of 2014. Healthcare professionals (HP should be aware of the risks of occupational exposure to blood-borne infections in their daily work. Performing dialysis in HIV-positive patients increases the risk of exposure to HIV during the extracorporeal circulation of the infected blood. However, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP with effective antiretroviral drugs significantly reduces the risk of infection after occupational exposure. On behalf of the Croatian Society of Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, the authors of this paper have proposed recommendations for the management of HIVpositive patients on dialysis, which aim to prevent the transmission of HIV among patients and HPs. The important recommendations include the following: 1. when the need arises, it is necessary to provide HIV-positive patients with dialysis in the vicinity of their place of residence. 2. HIV-positive patients should be dialyzed with a separate hemodialysis machine in an isolated area. Alternatively, they can be dialyzed in an area for the hemodialysis of HCV-positive and/or HBVpositive patients. 3. Specialized and trained personnel should be provided during the hemodialysis procedure, together with strict compliance with the standard precautions for the prevention of blood-borne infections. 4. There should be a good and prompt cooperation with the National Referral Center for HIV infection.

National and international standards and recommendations on fire protection and fire safety assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berg, H.P.

2007-01-01

Experience feedback from events in nuclear facilities worldwide has shown that fire can represent a safety significant hazard. Thus, the primary objectives of fire protection programmes are to minimize both the probability of occurrence and the consequences of a fire. The regulator body expects that the licensees justify their arrangements for identifying how fires can occur and spread, assess the vulnerability of plant equipment and structures, determine how the safe operation of a plant is affected, and introduce measures to prevent a fire hazard from developing and propagating as well as to mitigate its effects in case the fire cannot be prevented. For that purpose usually a comprehensive regulatory framework for fire protection has been elaborated, based on national industrial regulations, nuclear specific regulations as well as international recommendations or requirements. Examples of such national and international standards and recommendations on fire protection and fire safety assessment as well as ongoing activities in this field are described. (orig.)

Occupational therapy and the treatment of the colles' fracture.

Science.gov (United States)

Naunton, D

1988-01-01

Colles' fracture is a frequently occurring injury, particularly in the older population, and well-known to most occupational therapists working in the area of physical dysfunction. The residual deficits associated with this fracture cause major functional problems for the patient and may be avoided by early referral to occupational therapy. Stages of fracture healing will be discussed with recommendations for timely therapeutic intervention. The importance of developing an automatic, early referral system between physicians and occupational therapy departments is stressed, in order to provide thoughtful, preventive, effective treatment to patients with this potentially disabling fracture.

Occupational Accidents And Preventive Measures

CERN Document Server

Fassnacht, V

2006-01-01

This report presents the 2005 statistics concerning occupational accidents involving members of the CERN personnel and contractors' personnel. It sets out the accident frequency and severity rates and provides a breakdown of accidents by cause and injury. It also contains a summary analysis of the most serious accidents and the associated recommendations.

Review and Implementation of the Emerging CCSDS Recommended Standard for Multispectral and Hyperspectral Lossless Image Coding

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez, Jose Enrique; Auge, Estanislau; Santalo, Josep; Blanes, Ian; Serra-Sagrista, Joan; Kiely, Aaron

2011-01-01

A new standard for image coding is being developed by the MHDC working group of the CCSDS, targeting onboard compression of multi- and hyper-spectral imagery captured by aircraft and satellites. The proposed standard is based on the "Fast Lossless" adaptive linear predictive compressor, and is adapted to better overcome issues of onboard scenarios. In this paper, we present a review of the state of the art in this field, and provide an experimental comparison of the coding performance of the emerging standard in relation to other state-of-the-art coding techniques. Our own independent implementation of the MHDC Recommended Standard, as well as of some of the other techniques, has been used to provide extensive results over the vast corpus of test images from the CCSDS-MHDC.

Recommendations for reducing the effect of grain dust on the lungs. Canadian Thoracic Society Standards Committee.

Science.gov (United States)

Becklake, M; Broder, I; Chan-Yeung, M; Dosman, J A; Ernst, P; Herbert, F A; Kennedy, S M; Warren, P W

1996-11-15

To assess the appropriateness of the current Canadian standards for exposure to grain dust in the workplace. The current permissible exposure limit of 10 mg of total grain dust per cubic metre of air (expressed as mg/m3) as an 8-hour time-weighted average exposure, or a lower permissible exposure limit. Acute symptoms of grain-dust exposure, such as cough, phlegm production, wheezing and dyspnea, similar chronic symptoms, and spirometric deficits revealing obstructive or restrictive disease. Articles published from 1924 to December 1993 were identified from Index Medicus and the bibliographies of pertinent articles. Subsequent articles published from 1994 (when the recommendations were approved by the Canadian Thoracic Society Standards Committee) to June 1996 were retrieved through a search of MEDLINE, and modification of the recommendations was not found to be necessary. Studies of interest were those that linked measurements of total grain dust levels to the development of acute and chronic respiratory symptoms and changes in lung function in exposed workers. Papers on the effects of grain dust on workers in feed mills were not included because other nutrients such as animal products may have been added to the grain. Unpublished reports (e.g., to Labour Canada) were included as sources of information. A high value was placed on minimizing the biological harm that grain dust has on the lungs of grain workers. A permissible exposure limit of 5 mg/m3 would control the short-term effects of exposure to grain dust on workers. Evidence is insufficient to determine what level is needed to prevent long-term effects. The economic implications of implementing a lower permissible exposure limit have not been evaluated. The current Canadian standards for grain-dust exposure should be reviewed by Labour Canada and the grain industry. A permissible exposure level of 5 mg/m3 is recommended to control short-term effects. Further measurements that link the levels of exposure to

Implications of the 1990 ICRP recommendations for the mining industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fry, R.M.

1992-01-01

Significant radiological protection problems arise in the mining and processing of uranium and thorium bearing ores, beach sands and other materials that have enhanced levels of uranium (e.g. phosphate). They are at their most extreme in the underground mining of uranium. Under the new ICRP 60 occupational dose limits it may be necessary to subject virtually all mining operations to some degree of radiological surveillance. There are three principal modes of radiation exposure in uranium mining operations: gamma rays, an external whole body radiation hazard; the inhalation of radon daughter products; and the inhalation of ore dust containing the long-lived alpha emitting daughter products of uranium, principally 230Th and 226Ra. A number of the new recommendations in ICRP60 considered to have significant implications for the mining industry in general and the above mentioned issues in particular are discussed. These include the definition of occupational exposure occupational dose limit, the review of the radon dose limits, the system of radiological protection. The major conclusions and recommendation of the IAEA Technical Committee to Explore the Impact of the new ICRP Occupational Dose Limits in the operation of underground mines are also summarized. 18 refs., 1 tab

OSHA 101: an introduction to OSHA for the occupational health nurse.

Science.gov (United States)

Fell-Carlson, Deborah

2004-10-01

The OSHA standards become easy to use with experience. Occupational health nurses who are unfamiliar with the standards are better served to use them as a reference, rather than attempting to read the entire document. Many of the standards have booklets published to assist users in understanding the information. These booklets are available within the publications link of the OSHA website. Occupational health nurses who have taken the initiative to gain knowledge about OSHA and to become fluent in navigating the OSHA standards soon discover that the ability to access the information contained in the standards quickly is a marketable skill. Employers depend on occupational health nurses to develop comprehensive programs that achieve the goal of injury prevention and also meet compliance requirements. The standards contain a wealth of information to do just that.

Recommended survey designs for occupancy modelling using motion-activated cameras: insights from empirical wildlife data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Graeme Shannon

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Motion-activated cameras are a versatile tool that wildlife biologists can use for sampling wild animal populations to estimate species occurrence. Occupancy modelling provides a flexible framework for the analysis of these data; explicitly recognizing that given a species occupies an area the probability of detecting it is often less than one. Despite the number of studies using camera data in an occupancy framework, there is only limited guidance from the scientific literature about survey design trade-offs when using motion-activated cameras. A fuller understanding of these trade-offs will allow researchers to maximise available resources and determine whether the objectives of a monitoring program or research study are achievable. We use an empirical dataset collected from 40 cameras deployed across 160 km2 of the Western Slope of Colorado, USA to explore how survey effort (number of cameras deployed and the length of sampling period affects the accuracy and precision (i.e., error of the occupancy estimate for ten mammal and three virtual species. We do this using a simulation approach where species occupancy and detection parameters were informed by empirical data from motion-activated cameras. A total of 54 survey designs were considered by varying combinations of sites (10–120 cameras and occasions (20–120 survey days. Our findings demonstrate that increasing total sampling effort generally decreases error associated with the occupancy estimate, but changing the number of sites or sampling duration can have very different results, depending on whether a species is spatially common or rare (occupancy = ψ and easy or hard to detect when available (detection probability = p. For rare species with a low probability of detection (i.e., raccoon and spotted skunk the required survey effort includes maximizing the number of sites and the number of survey days, often to a level that may be logistically unrealistic for many studies. For common

Occupational risk factors and voice disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Vilkman, E

1996-01-01

From the point of view of occupational health, the field of voice disorders is very poorly developed as compared, for instance, to the prevention and diagnostics of occupational hearing disorders. In fact, voice disorders have not even been recognized in the field of occupational medicine. Hence, it is obviously very rare in most countries that the voice disorder of a professional voice user, e.g. a teacher, a singer or an actor, is accepted as an occupational disease by insurance companies. However, occupational voice problems do not lack significance from the point of view of the patient. We also know from questionnaires and clinical studies that voice complaints are very common. Another example of job-related health problems, which has proved more successful in terms of its occupational health status, is the repetition strain injury of the elbow, i.e. the "tennis elbow". Its textbook definition could be used as such to describe an occupational voice disorder ("dysphonia professional is"). In the present paper the effects of such risk factors as vocal loading itself, background noise and room acoustics and low relative humidity of the air are discussed. Due to individual factors underlying the development of professional voice disorders, recommendations rather than regulations are called for. There are many simple and even relatively low-cost methods available for the prevention of vocal problems as well as for supporting rehabilitation.

Occupational lung diseases in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoy, Ryan F; Brims, Fraser

2017-11-20

Occupational exposures are an important determinant of respiratory health. International estimates note that about 15% of adult-onset asthma, 15% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 10-30% of lung cancer may be attributable to hazardous occupational exposures. One-quarter of working asthmatics either have had their asthma caused by work or adversely affected by workplace conditions. Recently, cases of historical occupational lung diseases have been noted to occur with new exposures, such as cases of silicosis in workers fabricating kitchen benchtops from artificial stone products. Identification of an occupational cause of a lung disease can be difficult and requires maintaining a high index of suspicion. When an occupational lung disease is identified, this may facilitate a cure and help to protect coworkers. Currently, very little information is collected regarding actual cases of occupational lung diseases in Australia. Most assumptions about many occupational lung diseases are based on extrapolation from overseas data. This lack of information is a major impediment to development of targeted interventions and timely identification of new hazardous exposures. All employers, governments and health care providers in Australia have a responsibility to ensure that the highest possible standards are in place to protect workers' respiratory health.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards and recommendations on radioactive waste and transport safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warnecke, E.; Rawl, R.

1996-01-01

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) publishes standards and recommendations on all aspects of nuclear safety in its Safety Series, which includes radioactive waste management and transport of radioactive materials. Safety Series documents may be adopted by a State into its national legal framework. Most of the States used the IAEA transport regulations (Safety Series No. 6) as a basis for their national regulation. The two highest ranking documents of the Radioactive Waste Safety Standards (RADWASS) programme, the Safety Fundamentals and the Safety Standard on the national waste management system, have been published. Both provide impetus into the waste management safety convention, a legally binding document for signatory states, which is being drafted. The already existing Convention on Nuclear Safety covers the management of radioactive waste at land-based civil nuclear power plants. (author) 1 fig., 18 refs

29 CFR 1926.96 - Occupational foot protection.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... § 1926.96 Occupational foot protection. Safety-toe footwear for employees shall meet the requirements and specifications in American National Standard for Men's Safety-Toe Footwear, Z41.1-1967. [58 FR 35152, June 30... Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR...

Human rights in occupational therapy education: A step towards a more occupationally just global society.

Science.gov (United States)

Crawford, Emma; Aplin, Tammy; Rodger, Sylvia

2017-04-01

Education on human rights will place occupational therapists in a strong position to address societal inequities that limit occupational engagement for many client groups. The imminent changes to the Minimum Standard for the Education of Occupational Therapists engender efforts towards social change and will require university-level human rights education. This education might enhance the profession's influence on disadvantaging social structures in order to effect social change. To contribute to the evidence base for social change education in occupational therapy, this research aims to understand the knowledge, skills, confidence and learning experiences of occupational therapy students who completed a human rights course. Final year occupational therapy students responded to questionnaires which included listing human rights, a human rights scale measuring knowledge and confidence for working towards human rights, and open questions. Numbers of rights listed, knowledge scores and confidence scores were calculated. Responses to the open questions were thematically analysed. After completing a human rights course, students had good knowledge and moderate confidence to work with human rights. Three themes were identified including 'learning about human rights', 'learning about structural, societal and global perspectives on occupational engagement' and 'learning how occupational therapists can work with groups, communities and populations: becoming articulate and empowered'. Human rights education fosters the development of occupational therapists who are skilled, knowledgeable, confident and empowered to address occupational injustices, according to these research findings. To develop a more occupationally just global society, education that considers iniquitous social structures and human rights is necessary. © 2016 Occupational Therapy Australia.

A Comparative Analysis of Motivations for Occupational Choice or ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A Comparative Analysis of Motivations for Occupational Choice or Preference between ... The results showed that these factors (external influence, extrinsic ... are drawn, and recommendations made for career counselling of students.

Clinical practice guidelines: 2004 standards, options and recommendations for the management of patient with adenocarcinoma of the stomach - radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ychou, M.; Duffour, J.; Lemanski, C.; Masson, B.; Gory-Delabaere, G.; Bosquet, L.; Blanc, P.; Giovannini, M.; Monge, G.; Guillemin, F.; Marchal, F.; Conroy, T.; Merrouche, Y.; Adenis, A.; Bosset, J.F.; Bouche, O.; Pezet, D.; Triboulet, J.P.

2004-01-01

Context. - The 'Standards, Options and Recommendations' (SOR) project, started in 1993, is a collaboration between the Federation of French Cancer Centers (FNCLCC), the 20 French regional cancer centers, and specialists from French Public Universities, General Hospitals and Private Clinics. The main objective is the development of clinical practice guidelines to improve the quality of health care and the outcome of cancer patients. Objectives. - To elaborate clinical practice guidelines for patients with stomach adenocarcinoma. These recommendations cover the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of these tumors. Methods. - The methodology is based on a literature review and critical appraisal by a multidisciplinary group of experts, with feedback from specialists in cancer care delivery. The Standards, Options and Recommendations are thus based on the best available evidence and expert agreement. Results. - Adjuvant radiation therapy alone is not a standard treatment for patients with stomach adenocarcinoma. Adjuvant concomitant chemoradiotherapy is not a standard treatment for patients with stage II or III stomach adenocarcinoma R0, with D1 or D2 lymphadenectomy who have undergone surgery. Following surgical resection, adjuvant concomitant chemoradiotherapy should be proposed to patients without de-nutrition with a lymphadenectomy < D1 (fewer than 15 lymph nodes examined) and those with T3 and/or N+ tumours following the protocol used in the MacDonald trials (SWOG-9008) (Level of evidence B1). Adjuvant concomitant chemoradiotherapy can be administered to patients without de-nutrition with D1 or D2 lymphadenectomy and with involvement of regional lymph nodes (N2 or N3). (authors)

Occupational exposure and ovarian cancer risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Le, Nhu D; Leung, Andy; Brooks-Wilson, Angela; Gallagher, Richard P; Swenerton, Kenneth D; Demers, Paul A; Cook, Linda S

2014-07-01

Relatively little work has been done concerning occupational risk factors in ovarian cancer. Although studies conducted in occupational settings have reported positive associations, their usefulness is generally limited by the lack of information on important confounders. In a population-based case-control study, we assessed risk for developing epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) associated with occupational exposure while accounting for important confounders. Participants were identified through provincial population-based registries. Lifetime occupational history and information on potential confounding factors were obtained through a self-administered questionnaire. Unconditional logistic regression and the likelihood ratio test were used to assess EOC risk with each occupation (or industry), relative to all other occupations (or industries), adjusting for potential confounders including body mass index, oral contraceptive use, menopausal hormone therapy, parity, age at first childbirth, age at menarche, age at menopause, family history of breast and ovarian cancer in mother and sister(s), tubal ligation, partial oophorectomy, and hysterectomy. Occupations and industries were coded according to the Canadian Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) and Standard Industrial Classification (SIC). Significant excess risk was observed for several groups of teaching occupations, including SOC 27, teaching and related (adjusted OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.15-2.81) and SOC 279, other teaching and related (adjusted OR 3.11, 95% CI 1.35-8.49). Significant excess was also seen for a four-digit occupational group SOC 4131, bookkeepers and accounting clerks (adjusted OR 2.80, 95% CI 1.30-6.80). Industrial sub-groups showing significant excess risk included SIC 65, other retail stores (adjusted OR 2.19, 95 % CI 1.16-4.38); SIC 85, educational service (adjusted OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.00-2.13); and SIC 863, non-institutional health services (adjusted OR 2.54, 95% CI 1.13-6.52). Our study found

Epidemiology, occupational hygiene and health physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonnell, J.A.

1980-01-01

The contribution of radiation protection practices to the practice of occupational medicine and hygiene is discussed. For example, accurate studies of a number of biological systems were stimulated. It is suggested that an accurate epidemiological assessment of workers exposed at or below the recommended radiation dose limits be undertaken. (H.K.)

Executive functioning: a scoping review of the occupational therapy literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Cramm, Heidi A; Krupa, Terry M; Missiuna, Cheryl A; Lysaght, Rosemary M; Parker, Kevin H

2013-06-01

Increasingly recognized as an important factor in the performance of complex, goal-directed tasks, executive functioning is understood in different ways across disciplines. The aim was to explore the ways in which executive functioning is conceptualized, discussed, described, and implied in the occupational therapy literature. A scoping review of the occupational therapy literature was conducted following Levac, Colquhoun, and O'Brien's (2010) recommended methodology. Executive functioning is described both as a set of performance component skills or processes and as the executive occupational performance inherent in complex occupations. Executive functioning is implicit in occupational performance and engagement, and some health conditions seem to be commonly associated with impaired executive functioning. Assessing executive functioning requires dynamic occupation- and performance-based assessment. Interventions targeting executive functioning are grounded in metacognitive approaches. Executive functioning is a complex construct that is conceptualized with considerable variance within the occupational therapy literature, creating barriers to effective service delivery.

2003 update of standards, options and recommendations for radiotherapy for patients with salivary gland malignant tumors (excluding lymphoma, sarcoma and melanoma)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bensadoun, R.J.; Chauvel, P.; Dassonville, O.; Demard, F.; Ettore, F.; Marcy, P.Y.; Allavena, C.; Dieu-Bosquet, L.; Gory-Delabaere, G.; Lacau St Guilly, J.; Reyt, E.

2003-01-01

Context. - The Standards, Options and Recommendations (SOR) project, which started in 1993, is a collaboration between the Federation of French Cancer Centers (FNCLCC), the 20 French Regional Cancer Centers, and specialists from French public universities, general hospitals and private clinics. The main objective is the development of clinical practice guidelines to improve the quality of health care and the outcome of cancer patients. Objectives. - To update clinical practice guidelines for the management of patients with salivary gland malignant tumors previously validated in 1997. These recommendations cover diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with these tumors. Methods. - The methodology is based on a literature review and critical appraisal by a multidisciplinary group of experts who define the CPGs according to the definitions of the Standards, Options and Recommendations project. Once the guidelines have been defined, the document is submitted for review by independent reviewers. Results. - This article presents the updated clinical practice guidelines concerning irradiation of patient with salivary gland tumors. The main recommendations are: - 3 dimensional conformal radiotherapy (with or without intensity modulation) or 2-D irradiation can be used; - for surgical complete resected patients, postoperative photon radiotherapy should not be used in case of low grade stage I and II tumors (standard, level of evidence B2) but should be used for high grade stage II, II and IV tumors and for low grade stage III and IV tumors (standard, level of evidence B2). Neutron therapy should not be used in all of these cases (standard, level of evidence D); o for patients presenting an incomplete macroscopic or microscopic surgical residual disease, postoperative irradiation must be delivered (standard). Neutron or photon therapy can be either delivered (options); for non operable patients neutron or photon therapy can be either delivered (options, level of

Standard recommended practice for examination of fuel element cladding including the determination of the mechanical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1975-01-01

Guidelines are provided for the post-irradiation examination of fuel cladding and to achieve better correlation and interpretation of the data in the field of radiation effects. The recommended practice is applicable to metal cladding of all types of fuel elements. The tests cited are suitable for determining mechanical properties of the fuel elements cladding. Various ASTM standards and test methods are cited

Ornamental Horticulture Production Occupations. Curriculum Guide.

Science.gov (United States)

Reneau, Fred; And Others

This curriculum guide contains guidesheets for the ornamental horticulture production occupations. Each guidesheet provides a job-relevant task; performance objective, with task, performance standard, source of standard, and conditions for performance of task; enabling objectives; a list of resources; teaching activities; a criterion-referenced…

Radioactive isotopes in occupational health

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Favino, Angelo.

1976-01-01

It is highly desirable today to know and use for industrial medicine purposes all scientific and technological data available in the field of nuclear medicine. The present textbook is an inventory of all possibilities given to occupational doctors in order to pronounce a judgement of ability to work on the occasion of preemployment or routine medical examinations. Such applications require a high degree of competence in radiological protection and also require observation of the basic Safety Standards of Euratom and of the recommendations of the International Committee on Radiological Protection, the same safety principles having been incorporated in all the legislations of the Member States of the Community. In this book a number of chapters are devoted to the description of the basic principles for maximum permissible doses, dosimetric surveillance, medical supervision of workers exposed to ionizing radiations, and medical treatments to be used after a radioactive contamination. In addition a small number of preventive measures are described for all utilisations of radioactive substances for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes

Managing Science and Technology Occupations of Women in Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helen Olubunmi Aderemi

2009-10-01

Full Text Available The study examined the occupational activities of female graduates in science and technology related fields with a view to assessing factors influencing their performance and make recommendations to enhance women work experiences in S&T occupations. The data for the study was collected through questionnaire and interview schedule from a sample of 2110 respondents comprising of employed female Science and Technology (S&T graduates and heads of departments in tertiary institutions and S&T firms in Nigeria. The study reveal that most female S&T graduates (FSTGs employed in tertiary institutions and research institutions were engaged in S&T based occupations. However, in corporate firms, most of the FSTGs work either in administration, finance or R&D departments. In addition, a large proportion takes less paying non S&T jobs for domestic reasons and lack of suitable vacancies. This suggests gross under-utilization of human resource. Some S&T organizations did not have any female working in S&T departments. Recommendations were made to enhance the recruitment, retention and performance of women in S&T employment in Nigeria.

Occupational stress in the armed forces: An Indian army perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sakshi Sharma

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This study attempts to explore factors influencing occupational stress faced by Indian army soldiers and evaluate applicability of the scale used for measuring occupational stressors. Structured interview schedules were used to collect first hand data from a sample of 415 soldiers. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA highlights lack of control at work, role conflict, inadequate awareness about profession, workload and job pressure, and indifferent organisational attitude as the major occupational stressors in the Indian army. In addition, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA confirms occupational stressor as an eight factor model in the army. The study recommends implementing commitment-based management approach and techniques such as Sahaja Yoga meditation in the army.

METHODOLOGY FOR PROJECTION OF OCCUPATIONAL TRENDS IN THE DENVER STANDARD METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA.

Science.gov (United States)

FISHMAN, LESLIE; AND OTHERS

THE FINAL STAGE OF A PROGRAM FOR ACHIEVING A BALANCE BETWEEN THE AGGREGATE SUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR LABOR IS THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE INDUSTRY EMPLOYMENT ESTIMATES INTO OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENTS BASED ON PROJECTIONS OF OCCUPATIONAL PATTERNS BY INDUSTRY. THIS CAN BE USED TO EVALUATE POTENTIAL AREAS OF SUBSTANTIAL SURPLUS OR SHORTAGE, AND PROVIDE THE…

Beyond crosswalks: reliability of exposure assessment following automated coding of free-text job descriptions for occupational epidemiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Burstyn, Igor; Slutsky, Anton; Lee, Derrick G; Singer, Alison B; An, Yuan; Michael, Yvonne L

2014-05-01

Epidemiologists typically collect narrative descriptions of occupational histories because these are less prone than self-reported exposures to recall bias of exposure to a specific hazard. However, the task of coding these narratives can be daunting and prohibitively time-consuming in some settings. The aim of this manuscript is to evaluate the performance of a computer algorithm to translate the narrative description of occupational codes into standard classification of jobs (2010 Standard Occupational Classification) in an epidemiological context. The fundamental question we address is whether exposure assignment resulting from manual (presumed gold standard) coding of the narratives is materially different from that arising from the application of automated coding. We pursued our work through three motivating examples: assessment of physical demands in Women's Health Initiative observational study, evaluation of predictors of exposure to coal tar pitch volatiles in the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Integrated Management Information System, and assessment of exposure to agents known to cause occupational asthma in a pregnancy cohort. In these diverse settings, we demonstrate that automated coding of occupations results in assignment of exposures that are in reasonable agreement with results that can be obtained through manual coding. The correlation between physical demand scores based on manual and automated job classification schemes was reasonable (r = 0.5). The agreement between predictive probability of exceeding the OSHA's permissible exposure level for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, using coal tar pitch volatiles as a surrogate, based on manual and automated coding of jobs was modest (Kendall rank correlation = 0.29). In the case of binary assignment of exposure to asthmagens, we observed that fair to excellent agreement in classifications can be reached, depending on presence of ambiguity in assigned job classification (κ

75 FR 4406 - Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control Special Emphasis Panel: Occupational...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-27

... recommendations to the Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control SEP: Occupational Safety and Health... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Disease, Disability, and Injury Prevention and Control Special Emphasis Panel: Occupational Safety and Health Training...

Recommended HVAC standard of the Florida Radon Research Program. Final report, Mar-Sep 90

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cummings, J.B.

1992-01-01

The report contains the recommended language for the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) section of the 'Florida Code for Radon-resistant Construction and Mitigation.' It deals with elements of construction that relate to the HVAC of houses. Its primary intent is to prevent pressure differentials in houses that can increase the transport of radon into houses. Three pathways of compliance are available to meet the requirements of the HVAC portion of the standards. The first is purely prescriptive. The second is a performance and prescriptive approach. The third is a marketplace approach

Occupational radiation protection in the mining and processing of raw materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

The mining and processing of uranium ore, thorium ore and other raw materials containing natural radionuclides are carried out in a number of Member States. There is a clear need to update the guidance on the radiation protection of the workers involved, and this Safety Guide provides such updated guidance. Material from two previous publications has been adapted for inclusion in this Safety Guide. These previous publications - Radiation Monitoring in the Mining and Milling of Radioactive Ores (Safety Series No. 95) and Radiation Protection of Workers in the Mining and Milling of Radioactive Ores (Safety Series No. 26, hereby superseded) - dealt principally with activities involving uranium ore and thorium ore. Activity concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides are elevated in other mineral deposits such as heavy mineral sands and phosphate rock. Furthermore, high radon levels may be found in mines, irrespective of the activity concentrations of natural radionuclides in the raw material being extracted. In recognition of these circumstances, this Safety Guide is intended to apply also to the mining and processing of any raw material for which radiation protection measures need to be considered. The IAEA Safety Fundamentals publication on Radiation Protection and the Safety of Radiation Sources presents the principles, concepts and objectives of protection and safety. Safety requirements based on the objectives and principles specified in these Safety Fundamentals, including requirements for the protection of workers exposed to ionizing radiation, are established in the International Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources (the Basic Safety Standards or Bss). These requirements also reflect the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). Safety Guides provide recommendations on the basis of international experience on the fulfilment of the requirements

Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems recommendation for space data system standards: Telecommand. Part 2.1: Command operation procedures

Science.gov (United States)

1991-01-01

This recommendation contains the detailed specification of the logic required to carry out the Command Operations Procedures of the Transfer Layer. The Recommendation for Telecommand--Part 2, Data Routing Service contains the standard data structures and data communication procedures used by the intermediate telecommand system layers (the Transfer and Segmentation Layers). In particular, it contains a brief description of the Command Operations Procedures (COP) within the Transfer Layer. This recommendation contains the detailed definition of the COP's in the form of state tables, along with definitions of the terms used. It is assumed that the reader of this document is familiar with the data structures and terminology of part 2. In case of conflict between the description of the COP's in part 2 and in this recommendation, the definition in this recommendation will take precedence. In particular, this document supersedes section 4.3.3.1 through 4.3.3.4 of part 2.

Standards, options and recommends for the external radiotherapy of patients reached by prostate carcinoma: evaluation of dose effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pommier, P.; Fervers, B.; Villers, A.; Bataillard, A.

2002-01-01

The 'Standards, Options and Recommendations' (SOR) collaborative project was initiated in 1993 by the Federation of the French Cancer Centres (FNCLCC), with the 20 French Regional Cancer Centres (FNCCLCC), with the 20 French Regional Cancer Centres, several French public university and general hospitals, as well as private clinics and medical specialty societies. Its main objective is the development of serviceable clinical practice guidelines in order to improve the quality of health care and the outcome of cancer patients. The methodology is based on a literature review, followed by critical appraisal by a multidisciplinary group of experts. Draft guidelines for the radiotherapy of prostate cancer using the methodology developed by the Standards, Options and Recommendations project. The FNCLCC and the French Urology Association (AFU) designated the multidisciplinary group of experts. Available data were collected by a search of Medline and lists selected by experts in the group A first draft of the guidelines was written, they validated by independent reviewers. The main recommendations are: a minimal dose of 70 Gy; patients with intermediate prognosis are the ones who benefit most from the dose escalation effect over 74 Gy, provided they receive exclusive radiation therapy; whenever possible, patients should be included in controlled trials designed to assess the effects of dose escalation and hormonotherapy. (author)

Management of occupational health risks in small-animal veterinary practices.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Souza, Eva; Barraclough, Richard; Fishwick, David; Curran, Andrew

2009-08-01

Small-animal work is a major element of veterinary practice in the UK and may be hazardous, with high levels of work-related injuries and ill-health reported in Australia and USA. There are no studies addressing the management of occupational health risks arising from small-animal work in the UK. To investigate the sources of health and safety information used and how health and safety and 12 specific occupational health risks are managed by practices. A cross-sectional postal survey of all small-animal veterinary practices in Hampshire. A response was mandatory as this was a Health & Safety Executive (HSE) inspection activity. A total of 118 (100%) practices responded of which 93 were eligible for inclusion. Of these, 99 and 86%, respectively, were aware of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) practice standards and had British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) staff members, while only 51% had previous contact with HSE (publications, advice and visit). Ninety per cent had health and safety policies, but only 31% had trained responsible staff in health and safety. Specific health hazards such as occupational allergens and computer use were relatively overlooked both by practices and the RCVS/BSAVA guidance available in 2002. Failings in active health risk management systems could be due to a lack of training to ensure competence in those with responsibilities. Practices rely on guidance produced by their professional bodies. Current RCVS guidance, available since 2005, has remedied some previous omissions, but further improvements are recommended.

Occupational exposures and health outcomes among Latina hotel cleaners.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsieh, Yu-Chin Jerrie; Apostolopoulos, Yorghos; Hatzudis, Kiki; Sönmez, Sevil

2014-01-01

The poor working conditions of Latina hotel cleaners render them particularly vulnerable to elevated occupational hazards that lead to adverse health outcomes. This article presents a comprehensive review of occupational risks (including physical, chemical, biological, and psychosocial risk factors) and health outcomes (including musculoskeletal disorders, respiratory diseases, dermatological diseases and allergies, and psychological disorders) for Latina hotel cleaners, within their unique sociocultural contexts. Preventive interventions for improving Latina hotel cleaners' work and health conditions are recommended.

Recommendations for the treatment of aging in standard technical specifications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orton, R.D.; Allen, R.P.

1995-09-01

As part of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Nuclear Plant Aging Research Program, Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) evaluated the standard technical specifications for nuclear power plants to determine whether the current surveillance requirements (SRs) were effective in detecting age-related degradation. Nuclear Plant Aging Research findings for selected systems and components were reviewed to identify the stressors and operative aging mechanisms and to evaluate the methods available to detect, differentiate, and trend the resulting aging degradation. Current surveillance and testing requirements for these systems and components were reviewed for their effectiveness in detecting degraded conditions and for potential contributions to premature degradation. When the current surveillance and testing requirements appeared ineffective in detecting aging degradation or potentially could contribute to premature degradation, a possible deficiency in the SRs was identified that could result in undetected degradation. Based on this evaluation, PNL developed recommendations for inspection, surveillance, trending, and condition monitoring methods to be incorporated in the SRs to better detect age- related degradation of these selected systems and components

Occupational burnout among nursing personel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sylwia Wieder-Huszla

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Background. Occupational stress and the related burnout syndrome is undoubtedly one of the most important challenges for public health. Objectives . The objective of the study was identifying occupational burnout among nurses. Material and methods . The questionnaire was responded by 408 professionally active male and female nurses, working in the territory of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. In the evaluation of occupational burnout the standardized Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI was applied. Results . Mean values of the level of occupational burnout for the study group amounted to 39.3 ± 30.9 with regard to emotional exhaustion, 30.64 ± 27.89 with respect to the depersonalization subscale and 66.26 ± 27.94 – the lowered level of job satisfaction. Conclusions . 1. The studied nursing personnel showed symptoms of occupational burnout in all dimensions of the syndrome, i.e. high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization as well as low job satisfaction. 2. Individuals with higher education scored lower on the emotional exhaustion scale. 3. Emotional exhaustion is influenced by workplace and position.

Revision of the recommended international general standard for irradiated foods and of the recommended international code of practice for the operation of radiation facilities used for the treatment of foods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-11-01

In view of the findings and statements of the Joint FAO/IAEA/WHO Expert Committee on the Wholesomeness of Irradiated Food, convened in Geneva from 27 October to 3 November 1980, a Consultation Group, convened in Geneva from 1 to 3 July 1981 suggested the revision of the Recommended International General Standard for Irradiated Foods and of the Recommended International Code of Practice for the Operation of Radiation Facilities. The proposed changes are given and justified and the revised wording of the documents presented

Comparison of the rationale used in setting occupational exposure standards for ionizing radiation and hazardous chemical substances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halton, D.M.

1986-12-01

Ten chemicals which create significant occupational hazard are reviewed. They are toluene diisocyanate, hydrogen fluoride, n-hexane, carbon disulphide, cadmium, inorganic mercury, cobalt, nitroglycerol, silica and vinyl chloride. Each is discussed under the headings of physiological intake and elimination in humans, characteristics of acute and chronic toxicity, sites of occupational exposure and rationale for limits of such exposure. Since radioactive substances yield ionizing radiation as the common hazard the treatment of the current permissible levels of exposure is somewhat simpler. Having set out industrial standards for exposure to hazardous substances and radionuclides, a detailed comparison is made. Exposure limits to ioninzing radiation are sufficiently low to remove the appearance of directly related injury. It is expected however that low level exposure may have a stochastic effect, that is, there is the possibility of a slightly increased incidence of neoplasms in a large exposed population, but numbers will be too small to be able to attribute any particular case to the exposure. TLVs on the other hand, depending on the particular chemical, may be high enough in the workplace to permit some directly related signs or symptoms in the exposed individual. 244 refs

Danger zone: Men, masculinity and occupational health and safety in high risk occupations.

Science.gov (United States)

Stergiou-Kita, Mary; Mansfield, Elizabeth; Bezo, Randy; Colantonio, Angela; Garritano, Enzo; Lafrance, Marc; Lewko, John; Mantis, Steve; Moody, Joel; Power, Nicole; Theberge, Nancy; Westwood, Eleanor; Travers, Krista

2015-12-01

The workplace is a key setting where gender issues and organizational structures may influence occupational health and safety practices. The enactment of dominant norms of masculinity in high risk occupations can be particularly problematic, as it exposes men to significant risks for injuries and fatalities. To encourage multi-disciplinary collaborations and advance knowledge in the intersecting areas of gender studies, men's health, work and workplace health and safety, a national network of thirteen researchers and health and safety stakeholders completed a critical literature review examining the intersection between masculinities and men's workplace health and safety in order to: (i) account for research previously undertaken in this area; (ii) identify themes that may inform our understanding of masculinity and workplace health and safety and; (iii) identify research and practice gaps in relation to men's workplace health and safety. In this paper we present key themes from this review. Recommendations are made regarding: (i) how to define gender; (ii) how to attend to and identify how masculinities may influence workers' identities, perceptions of occupational risks and how institutionalized practices can reinforce norms of masculinity; (iii) the importance of considering how masculinities may intersect with other variables (e.g. historical context, age, class, race, geographical location) and; (iv) the added significance of present-day labour market forces on men's occupational health and safety.

Occupational Exposure to Carbon Nanotubes and Nanofibers

Science.gov (United States)

... 4, 2017 Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Education and Information Division Email Recommend Tweet YouTube Instagram Listen Watch RSS ABOUT About CDC Jobs Funding LEGAL Policies Privacy FOIA No Fear Act OIG 1600 Clifton Road Atlanta , GA 30329-4027 USA 800-CDC-INFO ( ...

Illinois Occupational Skill Standards: Welding Cluster.

Science.gov (United States)

Illinois Occupational Skill Standards and Credentialing Council, Carbondale.

These Illinois skill standards for the welding cluster are intended to serve as a guide to workforce preparation program providers as they define content for their programs and to employers as they establish the skills and standards necessary for job acquisition. They could also serve as a mechanism for communication among education, business,…

Psychotherapy: a profile of current occupational therapy practice in Ontario.

Science.gov (United States)

Moll, Sandra E; Tryssenaar, Joyce; Good, Colleen R; Detwiler, Lisa M

2013-12-01

Psychotherapy can be an important part of psychosocial occupational therapy practice; however, it requires specialized training to achieve and maintain competence. Regulation varies by province, and in Ontario, occupational therapists were recently authorized to perform psychotherapy. The purpose of this study was to explore the psychotherapy practice, training, and support needs of Ontario occupational therapists. An online survey was sent to occupational therapists who had clients with mental health or chronic pain issues, asking about their expertise and support needs in relation to nine psychotherapy approaches. Of the 331 therapists who responded, there were variations in the nature and frequency of psychotherapy practice. Experienced therapists in outpatient settings were more likely to practice psychotherapy, and cognitive-behaviour therapy, motivational interviewing, and mindfulness were the most common approaches. Supervision and training varied, with many therapists interested in occupational therapy-specific training. Recommendations for a framework of support include education about the nature of psychotherapy, training and supervision guidelines, and advocacy for occupational therapy and psychotherapy.

20 CFR 702.212 - Notice; when given; when given for certain occupational diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... occupational diseases. 702.212 Section 702.212 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ADMINISTRATION... occupational diseases. (a) For other than occupational diseases described in (b), the employee must give notice...). (b) In the case of an occupational disease which does not immediately result in disability or death...

GRADE: Assessing the quality of evidence in environmental and occupational health.

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Rebecca L; Thayer, Kristina A; Bero, Lisa; Bruce, Nigel; Falck-Ytter, Yngve; Ghersi, Davina; Guyatt, Gordon; Hooijmans, Carlijn; Langendam, Miranda; Mandrioli, Daniele; Mustafa, Reem A; Rehfuess, Eva A; Rooney, Andrew A; Shea, Beverley; Silbergeld, Ellen K; Sutton, Patrice; Wolfe, Mary S; Woodruff, Tracey J; Verbeek, Jos H; Holloway, Alison C; Santesso, Nancy; Schünemann, Holger J

2016-01-01

There is high demand in environmental health for adoption of a structured process that evaluates and integrates evidence while making decisions and recommendations transparent. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) framework holds promise to address this demand. For over a decade, GRADE has been applied successfully to areas of clinical medicine, public health, and health policy, but experience with GRADE in environmental and occupational health is just beginning. Environmental and occupational health questions focus on understanding whether an exposure is a potential health hazard or risk, assessing the exposure to understand the extent and magnitude of risk, and exploring interventions to mitigate exposure or risk. Although GRADE offers many advantages, including its flexibility and methodological rigor, there are features of the different sources of evidence used in environmental and occupational health that will require further consideration to assess the need for method refinement. An issue that requires particular attention is the evaluation and integration of evidence from human, animal, in vitro, and in silico (computer modeling) studies when determining whether an environmental factor represents a potential health hazard or risk. Assessment of the hazard of exposures can produce analyses for use in the GRADE evidence-to-decision (EtD) framework to inform risk-management decisions about removing harmful exposures or mitigating risks. The EtD framework allows for grading the strength of the recommendations based on judgments of the certainty in the evidence (also known as quality of the evidence), as well as other factors that inform recommendations such as social values and preferences, resource implications, and benefits. GRADE represents an untapped opportunity for environmental and occupational health to make evidence-based recommendations in a systematic and transparent manner. The objectives of this article are

78 FR 35559 - Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Signage

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-13

...; Signage AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Labor. ACTION: Direct... signage standards by adding references to the latest versions of the American National Standards Institute... earlier ANSI standards, ANSI Z53.1-1967, Z35.1-1968 and Z35.2-1968, in its signage standards, thereby...

Occupational exposures during routine activities in coal-fueled power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mona J. Bird; David L. MacIntosh; Phillip L. Williams [University of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States). Dept. of Environmental Health Science

2004-06-15

Limited information is available on occupational exposures during routine, nonoutage work activities in coal-fueled power plants. This study evaluated occupational exposures to the principal contaminants in the facilities, including respirable dust (coal dust), arsenic, noise, asbestos, and heat stress. The data were collected over a 3-month period, during the summer of 2001, in 5 representative power plants of a large southeastern power-generating company. From 4 of the 5 facilities, 392 air samples and 302 noise samples were collected with approximately 50 respirable coal dust, 32 arsenic, 15 asbestos, and 70 noise samples from each of the 4 plants. One of the previously surveyed facilities was also evaluated for heat stress, and 1 additional coal-fueled power plant was surveyed for a total of 20 personal heat stress samples. Of the nearly 400 air samples collected, only 1 exceeded the allowable occupational exposure value. For the noise samples, 55 were equal to or greater than the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 8-hour hearing conservation program level of 85 dBA, and 12 were equal to or greater than the OSHA 8-hour permissible exposure level of 90 dBA. The data concluded that some work sites were above the heat stress ceiling values recommended by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Four of the 20 employees personally monitored exceeded the recommended limits for heart rate or body core temperature.

Independence: proposing an initial framework for occupational therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Bethan

2017-11-01

The concept of independence is common in occupational therapy theory and practice but has rarely been clearly defined or conceptualized within in occupational therapy literature and there seems to be no standard definition. This can result in ambiguity, which potentially jeopardizes client-centred practice. This paper proposes an occupational therapy independence framework (OTIF) that synthesizes the range of characterizations of independence in a practically useful and occupation-centred manner. A review of literature, clinical experience, doctoral research and conversations with occupational therapists and disabled people, in particular those involved in a disability activism group and people with physical disabilities, has led to the development of the OTIF. Independence and interdependence, as characterized in the OTIF, occur when an individual exerts choice over occupational performance and can engage in occupations in a manner acceptable to the individual. Interdependence results when occupations are performed with another person whereas independence involves solitary occupational performance. Dependence typically results from inability to choose occupations or a mismatch between performance capacity and environmental factors. The OTIF has the potential to clarify the conceptualization of independence within occupational therapy theory and practice. This initial proposal is presented to stimulate debate and discussion.

Power and confidence in professions: lessons for occupational therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Florence A

2010-12-01

Powerful professions have the capacity to obtain leadership positions, advocate successfully in the policy arena, and secure the resources necessary to achieve their professional goals. Within the occupational therapy profession, cultivating power and confidence among our practitioners is essential to realize our full capacity for meeting society's occupational needs. Drawing from a historical analysis of the medical and nursing professions, this paper discusses the implications of power and disempowerment among health professions for their practitioners, clients, and public image. Theoretical perspectives on power from social psychology, politics, organizational management, and post-structuralism are introduced and their relevance to the profession of occupational therapy is examined. The paper concludes with recommendations for occupational therapy practitioners to analyze their individual sources of power and evaluate opportunities to develop confidence and secure power for their professional work--in venues both in and outside the workplace.

DOE standard: Radiological control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-07-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) has developed this Standard to assist line managers in meeting their responsibilities for implementing occupational radiological control programs. DOE has established regulatory requirements for occupational radiation protection in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 835 (10 CFR 835), ''Occupational Radiation Protection''. Failure to comply with these requirements may lead to appropriate enforcement actions as authorized under the Price Anderson Act Amendments (PAAA). While this Standard does not establish requirements, it does restate, paraphrase, or cite many (but not all) of the requirements of 10 CFR 835 and related documents (e.g., occupational safety and health, hazardous materials transportation, and environmental protection standards). Because of the wide range of activities undertaken by DOE and the varying requirements affecting these activities, DOE does not believe that it would be practical or useful to identify and reproduce the entire range of health and safety requirements in this Standard and therefore has not done so. In all cases, DOE cautions the user to review any underlying regulatory and contractual requirements and the primary guidance documents in their original context to ensure that the site program is adequate to ensure continuing compliance with the applicable requirements. To assist its operating entities in achieving and maintaining compliance with the requirements of 10 CFR 835, DOE has established its primary regulatory guidance in the DOE G 441.1 series of Guides. This Standard supplements the DOE G 441.1 series of Guides and serves as a secondary source of guidance for achieving compliance with 10 CFR 835

DOE standard: Radiological control

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1999-07-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) has developed this Standard to assist line managers in meeting their responsibilities for implementing occupational radiological control programs. DOE has established regulatory requirements for occupational radiation protection in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 835 (10 CFR 835), ``Occupational Radiation Protection``. Failure to comply with these requirements may lead to appropriate enforcement actions as authorized under the Price Anderson Act Amendments (PAAA). While this Standard does not establish requirements, it does restate, paraphrase, or cite many (but not all) of the requirements of 10 CFR 835 and related documents (e.g., occupational safety and health, hazardous materials transportation, and environmental protection standards). Because of the wide range of activities undertaken by DOE and the varying requirements affecting these activities, DOE does not believe that it would be practical or useful to identify and reproduce the entire range of health and safety requirements in this Standard and therefore has not done so. In all cases, DOE cautions the user to review any underlying regulatory and contractual requirements and the primary guidance documents in their original context to ensure that the site program is adequate to ensure continuing compliance with the applicable requirements. To assist its operating entities in achieving and maintaining compliance with the requirements of 10 CFR 835, DOE has established its primary regulatory guidance in the DOE G 441.1 series of Guides. This Standard supplements the DOE G 441.1 series of Guides and serves as a secondary source of guidance for achieving compliance with 10 CFR 835.

Strategies to facilitate professional development of the occupational health nurse in the occupational health setting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicolene de Jager

2016-10-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify the needs for professional development of the OHN in the occupational health setting. Method: An explorative, descriptive, contextual generic and qualitative research method was used in this study. The purposive sampling method was used as the OHNs surveyed described their personal need for professional development in the occupational health setting. Data was collected by means of semi-structured individual interviews. Eight interviews were done by an interviewer who held a doctoral degree in community health nursing and a qualification in occupational health and was affiliated with a private occupational health institution at the time of the study. The interviews were conducted during August 2012. Results: The OHNs reported that professional development needs have to be identified by the OHNs. Short courses need to be designed by training institutions and should be attended by the OHNs to improve their operational functioning on a day-to-day basis in the occupational health setting. The OHNs experienced that their role and function in the workplace were not valued by their managers. The results of this study revealed four major themes, namely constraints hindering the OHN in developing professionally, positive aspects identified by the OHNs regarding the need for professional development, professional development needs of the OHN and suggestions of how to meet the OHNs' professional development needs. Conclusion: There is a need for OHNs to identify their professional development needs and recommendations were made to meet these needs.

Occupational Disease Registries–Characteristics and Experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Davoodi, Somayeh; Haghighi, Khosro Sadeghniat; Kalhori, Sharareh Rostam Niakan; Hosseini, Narges Shams; Mohammadzadeh, Zeinab; Safdari, Reza

2017-01-01

different in countries. Conclusion: Because occupational diseases are often preventable, but not curable, it is necessary to all countries, to consider prevention and early detection of occupational diseases as the objectives of their registry systems. Also it is recommended that all countries reach an agreement about global characteristics of occupational disease registries. This enables country to compare their data at international levels. PMID:28883681

Occupational Disease Registries-Characteristics and Experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Davoodi, Somayeh; Haghighi, Khosro Sadeghniat; Kalhori, Sharareh Rostam Niakan; Hosseini, Narges Shams; Mohammadzadeh, Zeinab; Safdari, Reza

2017-06-01

preventable, but not curable, it is necessary to all countries, to consider prevention and early detection of occupational diseases as the objectives of their registry systems. Also it is recommended that all countries reach an agreement about global characteristics of occupational disease registries. This enables country to compare their data at international levels.

Choosing the Path of Leadership in Occupational Therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clark Patrick Heard D.OT Reg. (Ont.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Leadership is vital to the success and sustainability of any group, organization, or profession. Using a qualitative phenomenological methodology, consistent with interpretative phenomenological analysis, this study examines why occupational therapists choose the path of leadership. Data was collected through the completion of semistructured interviews with 10 occupational therapy leaders in Ontario, Canada. This collected data was transcribed verbatim and coded for themes by multiple coders. Several methods were employed to establish trustworthiness. Results identify that a desire to influence the profession or care delivery, a need for personal or career development, and a need for change motivate those occupational therapists who might choose the path of leadership. Recommendations for supporting new or developing leaders include a focus on linking occupational therapy practice and leadership theory at the curriculum and professional levels. Moreover, application of novel approaches to mentorship for new and developing leaders, such as supportive communities of practice, are also considered.

Monitoring audiometry for occupational hearing loss: A case for eliminating 500 Hz

Science.gov (United States)

Stephenson, Mark

2003-04-01

Audiometric monitoring is an important element in hearing conservation programs. Nearly every existing hearing conservation standard dictate that hearing thresholds should be measured at specific frequencies, and that 500 Hz be among those frequencies tested. Actual and estimated noise-induced permanent threshold shifts were evaluated as a function of exposure duration and exposure level. The results demonstrate 500 Hz to be of little value in assessing noise-induced hearing loss for typical industrial noise exposures of up to 40 years, at least for time-weighted average exposures of up to 100 dBA. Furthermore, few hearing conservation programs currently require audiometric monitoring to be performed in an environment that meets ANSI standards for maximum permissible background noise levels. This is particularly likely to compromise hearing testing at 500 Hz. As a result, this paper argues against the need for testing at 500 Hz, and recommends it be eliminated as a required test frequency in audiometric monitoring for noise-induced occupational hearing loss.

Health and safety implications of occupational exposure to engineered nanomaterials.

Science.gov (United States)

Stebounova, Larissa V; Morgan, Hallie; Grassian, Vicki H; Brenner, Sara

2012-01-01

The rapid growth and commercialization of nanotechnology are currently outpacing health and safety recommendations for engineered nanomaterials. As the production and use of nanomaterials increase, so does the possibility that there will be exposure of workers and the public to these materials. This review provides a summary of current research and regulatory efforts related to occupational exposure and medical surveillance for the nanotechnology workforce, focusing on the most prevalent industrial nanomaterials currently moving through the research, development, and manufacturing pipelines. Their applications and usage precedes a discussion of occupational health and safety efforts, including exposure assessment, occupational health surveillance, and regulatory considerations for these nanomaterials. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Occupational open globe injuries.

Science.gov (United States)

Vasu, U; Vasnaik, A; Battu, R R; Kurian, M; George, S

2001-03-01

Occupational ocular trauma is an important cause of acquired monocular blindness in a rapidly industrialising country like India. Knowledge of the epidemiology of occupational eye injuries is essential to formulate viable industrial safety measures. We retrospectively reviewed all patients with occupational open globe injuries between 1994 and 1998. We documented the circumstances of the injuries, their clinical findings and the use of appropriate protective eyewear at the time of the injury. The visual acuity 6 months after the injury was the final outcome measure. In this study period we examined 43 patients with open globe injuries sustained at the work place. Thirty-four (79.1%) patients were young males. The iron and steel industry accounted for 19 (44.2%) cases while 8 (18.6%) patients each were from the agricultural, mining and other small scale industrial sectors. At the time of the injury, 33 (76.7%) were not wearing the recommended protective eyewear and 6 (13.9%) were under the influence of alcohol. The injuries were mild in 6 (13.9%), moderate in 18 (41.9%) and severe in 19 (44.2%) patients. At the end of 6 months, 2 (4.7%) patients had a visual acuity of 6/12 or better, 4 (9.3%) had a visual acuity of 6/18 to 6/60 and 29 (67.4.%) had a vision of eyewear and alcohol-free environment at the work place is likely to reduce the incidence of severe occupational open globe injuries.

Assessment of the benefits and impacts in the U.S. Nuclear Power Industry of hypothesized lower occupational dose limits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andersen, R.L.; Schmitt, J.F. [Nuclear Energy Institute, Washington, DC (United States)

1995-03-01

The International Commission on Radiological Protection and the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements have issued recommendations that would limit occupational exposure of individuals to doses lower than regulatory limits contained in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission`s 10 CFR Part 20, {open_quotes}Standards for Protection Against Radiation{close_quotes}. Because of this situation, there is interest in the potential benefits and impacts that would be associated with movement of the NRC regulatory limits toward the advisory bodies recommendations. The records of occupational worker doses in the U.S. commercial nuclear power industry show that the vast majority of these workers have doses that are significantly below the regulatory limit of 50 mSv (5 rem) per year. Some workers doses do approach the limits, however. This is most common in the case of specially skilled workers, especially those with skills utilized in support of plant outage work. Any consideration of the potential benefits and impacts of hypothesized lower dose limits must address these workers as an important input to the overall assessment. There are also, of course, many other areas in which the benefits and impacts must be evaluated. To prepare to provide valid, constructive input on this matter, the U.S. nuclear power industry is undertaking an assessment, facilitated by the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), of the potential benefits and impacts at its facilities associated with hypothesized lower occupational dose limits. Some preliminary results available to date from this assessment are provided.

Assessment of the benefits and impacts in the U.S. Nuclear Power Industry of hypothesized lower occupational dose limits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersen, R.L.; Schmitt, J.F.

1995-01-01

The International Commission on Radiological Protection and the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements have issued recommendations that would limit occupational exposure of individuals to doses lower than regulatory limits contained in the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's 10 CFR Part 20, open-quotes Standards for Protection Against Radiationclose quotes. Because of this situation, there is interest in the potential benefits and impacts that would be associated with movement of the NRC regulatory limits toward the advisory bodies recommendations. The records of occupational worker doses in the U.S. commercial nuclear power industry show that the vast majority of these workers have doses that are significantly below the regulatory limit of 50 mSv (5 rem) per year. Some workers doses do approach the limits, however. This is most common in the case of specially skilled workers, especially those with skills utilized in support of plant outage work. Any consideration of the potential benefits and impacts of hypothesized lower dose limits must address these workers as an important input to the overall assessment. There are also, of course, many other areas in which the benefits and impacts must be evaluated. To prepare to provide valid, constructive input on this matter, the U.S. nuclear power industry is undertaking an assessment, facilitated by the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), of the potential benefits and impacts at its facilities associated with hypothesized lower occupational dose limits. Some preliminary results available to date from this assessment are provided

Evaluation of Occupational and Environmental Factors in the Assessment of Chronic Cough in Adults: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Tarlo, Susan M; Altman, Kenneth W; French, Cynthia T; Diekemper, Rebecca L; Irwin, Richard S

2016-01-01

Several recent cough guidelines have advised consideration of occupational or environmental causes for chronic cough, but it is unclear how frequently this recommendation has been routinely applied. Therefore, we undertook a systematic review to address this aspect. Cough guidelines and protocols were reviewed to identify recommendations for assessment of occupational and environmental aspects of chronic cough. The systematic search previously used to identify intervention fidelity to the use of protocols for diagnosis and management of chronic cough in adults was used for this review after extension to June 2015. PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library were searched using the same search terms and inclusion criteria as previously. Papers that met our criteria were then reviewed to identify methods used to assess occupational and environmental aspects of chronic cough and the outcomes of these assessments. Among the 10 general chronic cough guidelines and protocols identified, only the three published since 2006 included details advising detailed occupational and environmental assessments. One additional cough statement focused entirely on occupational cough. Of the 28 cohort studies of patients with chronic cough that specifically noted that they followed guidelines or protocols, none provided details of occupational and environmental assessments. Despite published recommendations, it is not apparent that occupational and environmental causes for chronic cough are addressed in detail during assessments of patients with chronic cough. This leaves open to speculation whether lack of recognition of an occupational cause may delay important preventive measures, put additional workers at risk, and/or be the reason why a chronic cough may remain unexplained. Copyright © 2016 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Migrant Workers and Their Occupational Health and Safety.

Science.gov (United States)

Moyce, Sally C; Schenker, Marc

2018-04-01

In 2015, approximately 244 million people were transnational migrants, approximately half of whom were workers, often engaged in jobs that are hazardous to their health. They work for less pay, for longer hours, and in worse conditions than do nonmigrants and are often subject to human rights violations, abuse, human trafficking, and violence. Worldwide, immigrant workers have higher rates of adverse occupational exposures and working conditions, which lead to poor health outcomes, workplace injuries, and occupational fatalities. Health disparities of immigrant workers are related to environmental and occupational exposures and are a result of language/cultural barriers, access to health care, documentation status, and the political climate of the host country. Recommendations on global and local scales are offered as potential solutions to improving the health of immigrant workers.

76 FR 65729 - Board of Scientific Counselors, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BSC, NIOSH)

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-24

... Recommendations for Respiratory Diseases, Hearing Loss Prevention, Personal Protective Technologies, and Health... Scientific Counselors, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BSC, NIOSH) In accordance with..., and demonstrations relating to occupational safety and health and to mine health. The Board of...

Relationship between Occupational Stress and Gastric Disease in Male Workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Lihm, Ho-Seob; Park, Sang-Hyun; Gong, Eun-Hee; Choi, Jong-Soon; Kim, Jung-Won

2012-09-01

Physical and mental health of workers is threatened due to various events and chronic occupational stress. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between occupational stress and gastric disease in male workers of the shipbuilding industry. Occupational stress measured among a total of 498 workers of a shipbuilding firm who visited the hospital for health examination using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS)-short form, and the relationship between sociodemographic factors, health-related behaviors, occupational stress, and gastric disease, and the distribution of occupational stress by sociodemographic factors in the gastric disease group was examined. There was no significant association between gastric disease and total occupational stress score and its seven sub-factors. The analysis showed that risk of gastric disease was significantly higher in the Q1 group in which the stress caused by occupational discomfort among seven sub-factors was lowest than that in the Q4 group (odds ratio, 2.819; 95% confidence interval, 1.151 to 6.908). Analysis only on the gastric disease group showed that the stress score of laborers was higher in the four sub-factors than that of office workers (P occupational stress in the low-educated and laborers. It is recommended for future studies to confirm the causal relationship between occupational stress and gastric disease by large scale studies using a KOSS which appropriately reflects workplace culture.

Occupational stress, job satisfaction and job performance among hospital nurses in Kampala, Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Nabirye, Rose C; Brown, Kathleen C; Pryor, Erica R; Maples, Elizabeth H

2011-09-01

To assess levels of occupational stress, job satisfaction and job performance among hospital nurses in Kampala, Uganda; and how they are influenced by work and personal characteristics. Occupational stress is reported to affect job satisfaction and job performance among nurses, thus compromising nursing care and placing patients' lives at risk. Although these factors have been studied extensively in the US and Europe, there was a need to explore them from the Ugandan perspective. A correlational study was conducted with 333 nurses from four hospitals in Kampala, Uganda. A questionnaire measuring occupational stress, job satisfaction and job performance was used. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and anova. There were significant differences in levels of occupational stress, job satisfaction and job performance between public and private not-for-profit hospitals, nursing experience and number of children. Organizational differences between public and private not-for-profit hospitals influence the study variables. On-the-job training for nurse managers in human resource management to increase understanding and advocacy for organizational support policies was recommended. Research to identify organizational, family or social factors which contribute to reduction of perceived occupational stress and increase job satisfaction and job performance was recommended. 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

[Field investigation of occupational disease diagnosis in Guangdong Provincial Hospital for Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment from 2009 to 2014: an analysis of 136 cases].

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, C Y; Li, X D; Wen, W; Wang, Y Y; Zhang, Y; Lang, L

2016-04-20

To investigate the characteristics of 136 patients with occupational diseases, to summarize key techniques used in field investigation, and to provide a scientific basis for the development of standard operating procedures for field investigation of occupational disease diagnosis. Field investigation and routine data analysis were performed to analyze the cases diagnosed by Guangdong Provincial Hospital for Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment from January 2009 to December 2014. A total of 136 cases of occupational diseases were diagnosed by Guangdong Provincial Hospital for Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment from 2009 to 2014, and there were 66 cases of leukemia, 18 cases of suspected occupational benzene poisoning, 12 cases of suspected occupational handarm vibration disease, and 11 cases of suspected pneumoconiosis. Of all these patients, 41.91% were engaged in at least three types of work, 70.59% were exposed to at least three types of chemicals, 25.74% experienced changes in technical processes and chemicals, and 47.06% had disputes on the chemicals they were exposed to during verification by both parties. Occupational hazard factors were detected. Most samples (358)were used to measure benzene concentration in workplace air, among which 11.7% had a benzene concentration of >6.00 mg/m(3)(exceeding standard), 13.41% had a benzene concentration of 3.26~6.00 mg/m(3), 75.42% had a benzene concentration ofoccupational hand-arm vibration disease, suspected pneumoconiosis, and suspected occupational noiseinduced hearing loss had high overstandard rates (100%, 93.8%, and 83.3%, respectively). Field investigation of occupational disease diagnosis reveals large numbers of cases of leukemia, suspected occupational benzene poisoning, suspected occupational hand-arm vibration disease, and suspected pneumoconiosis. The key aspects of field investigation include confirmation of the history of occupational exposure, identification of occupational hazard

High occupational stress and low career satisfaction of Korean surgeons.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Sang Hee; Boo, Yoon Jung; Lee, Ji Sung; Han, Hyung Joon; Jung, Cheol Woong; Kim, Chong Suk

2015-02-01

Surgery is a demanding and stressful field in Korea. Occupational stress can adversely affect the quality of care, decrease job satisfaction, and potentially increase medical errors. The aim of this study was to investigate the occupational stress and career satisfaction of Korean surgeons. We have conducted an electronic survey of 621 Korean surgeons for the occupational stress. Sixty-five questions were used to assess practical and personal characteristics and occupational stress using the Korean occupational stress scale (KOSS). The mean KOSS score was 49.31, which was higher than the average of Korean occupational stress (45.86) or that of other specialized professions (46.03). Young age, female gender, long working hours, and frequent night duties were significantly related to the higher KOSS score. Having spouse, having hobby and regular exercise decreased the KOSS score. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that long working hours and regular exercise were the independent factors associated with the KOSS score. Less than 50% of surgeons answered that they would become a surgeon again. Most surgeons (82.5%) did not want to recommend their child follow their career. Korean Surgeons have high occupational stress and low level of career satisfaction.

NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) testimony to Department of Labor on the Mine Safety and Health Administration proposed rule: ionizing radiation standards for metal and nonmetal mines, August 13, 1987 by R. Niemeier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

Recommendations were offered for protecting workers against the health effects of ionizing radiation in metal and nonmetal mines. Available data demonstrating such health effects was reviewed and evidence supporting the technical feasibility of reducing the current Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) standard was presented. Five recent studies indicated a significant increase in lung cancer rates associated with radon progeny exposure in underground mines. Additional studies indicated an exposure/response relationship in uranium miners. The influence of smoking on the association between radon progeny exposure and lung cancer was cited. Evidence has indicated that exposure to radon progeny carries a potential risk of developing occupationally induced lung cancer. Risk-assessment data supported the conclusion that miners with the same characteristics as the United States Public Health Service uranium miners cohort and who accrue a cumulative occupational exposure of 120 working level months, would have a lung cancer excess lifetime risk of about 35 to 40 lung cancer deaths per 1000 exposed miners. Modern mining methods using dilution ventilation as well as bulkheading and backfilling techniques make it possible to achieve substantial reductions in the cumulative exposure to radon progeny. Information was provided on sampling strategy, control technology, ventilation systems, respirators, and medical surveillance programs

Implications for Occupational Radiation Protection of the New Dose Limit for the Lens of the Eye. Interim Guidance for Use and Comment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-12-01

The IAEA Safety Requirements Safety Standards Series No. GSR Part 3 (Interim), Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: International Basic Safety Standards, was approved by the IAEA Board of Governors at its meeting in September 2011 and published in November 2011. The equivalent dose limit for the lens of the eye for occupational exposure in planned exposure situations was reduced from 150 mSv per year to 20 mSv per year, averaged over defined periods of five years, with no annual dose in a single year exceeding 50 mSv. This reduction in the dose limit for the lens of the eye follows the recommendation of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) in its statement on tissue reactions on 21 April 2011. At the time when the draft General Safety Requirements (GSR) Part 3 was approved by the Commission on Safety Standards, the Secretariat was asked to develop guidance as early as possible to assist Member States in the observance of the new dose limit. In the longer term, the guidance provided in this TECDOC will form the basis for the consensus guidance in relation to the new dose limit for the lens of the eye that is to be provided in two safety guides currently being developed, Occupational Radiation Protection and Radiation Safety in the Medical Uses of Ionizing Radiation. It is expected that these will be published in 2015-2016. It is recognized that guidance material is required before the two safety guides are finalized in order to give Member States the opportunity to put appropriate actions in place and to plan for the introduction of the new dose limit for the lens of the eye. The purpose of the current publication is to provide advice on the implications for occupational radiation protection of the new dose limit for the lens of the eye and to allow comment on detailed recommendations that may be incorporated into the safety guides

Recommendations for a Standardized Pulmonary Function Report. An Official American Thoracic Society Technical Statement.

Science.gov (United States)

Culver, Bruce H; Graham, Brian L; Coates, Allan L; Wanger, Jack; Berry, Cristine E; Clarke, Patricia K; Hallstrand, Teal S; Hankinson, John L; Kaminsky, David A; MacIntyre, Neil R; McCormack, Meredith C; Rosenfeld, Margaret; Stanojevic, Sanja; Weiner, Daniel J

2017-12-01

The American Thoracic Society committee on Proficiency Standards for Pulmonary Function Laboratories has recognized the need for a standardized reporting format for pulmonary function tests. Although prior documents have offered guidance on the reporting of test data, there is considerable variability in how these results are presented to end users, leading to potential confusion and miscommunication. A project task force, consisting of the committee as a whole, was approved to develop a new Technical Standard on reporting pulmonary function test results. Three working groups addressed the presentation format, the reference data supporting interpretation of results, and a system for grading quality of test efforts. Each group reviewed relevant literature and wrote drafts that were merged into the final document. This document presents a reporting format in test-specific units for spirometry, lung volumes, and diffusing capacity that can be assembled into a report appropriate for a laboratory's practice. Recommended reference sources are updated with data for spirometry and diffusing capacity published since prior documents. A grading system is presented to encourage uniformity in the important function of test quality assessment. The committee believes that wide adoption of these formats and their underlying principles by equipment manufacturers and pulmonary function laboratories can improve the interpretation, communication, and understanding of test results.

Dermatitis, an approach from occupational medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Felipe Martínez Lomakin

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Occupational dermatitis is one of the most common occupational diseases in clinical practice. Prevalence varies according to the job activities and types of exposure, with figures of up to 37% reported in the literature. Its origin may be irritant or allergic. Atopy and frequent hand washing or exposure to wetness or humidity is described has been described as risk factors, while evidence for gender and tobacco consumption, among others, is controversial. Diagnosis is based on physical examination, etiological patch testing and certification of occupational origin using standardized criteria. The condition has been associated with reduced productivity, absenteeism and occupational changes, as well as significant decreases in the quality of life of patients. Prevention is based primarily on education and restriction of exposure. These strategies are coupled with the treatment, which include the use of drugs such as topical steroids and calcineurin inhibitors.(X Close Abstract

Improvisation as an adaptive strategy for occupational therapy practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Krusen, Nancy E

2012-01-01

ABSTRACT As health care environments become increasingly complex, practitioners must develop new adaptive skills to master practice. The idea of using theatrical improvisation (improv) in health care is relatively new. Occupational therapy students were taught a module of improvisational techniques as part of an academic seminar, learning improvisation rules, and enacting solutions to typical daily professional challenges. The purpose of this article is to recommend improvisational techniques as an adaptive skill to effectively blend art and science for occupational therapy practice in fast-paced and unpredictable health care environments.

Biological Monitoring Prospects in Occupational and Environmental Medicine

CERN Document Server

Angerer, Jürgen

2003-01-01

At the invitation of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), a round-table discussion was held on 9 and 10 March 2000, dealing with future possibilities for biomonitoring in occupational and environmental medicine. Biomonitoring has reached a high standard in Germany over the past 30 years, not least due to the fact that the results of the Senate commission on materials hazardous to health at the workplace have been directly implemented as part of the jurisdiction relating to occupational safety. This book combines the expertise gathered from various areas within toxicology, occupational me

Occupant Protection Data Mining and Modeling Project

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Current National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) occupant protection standards and requirements are based on extrapolations of biodynamic models, which...

Examination of respiratory tract in workers occupationally exposed to beryllium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cianciara, M.; Swiatkowski, J.

1989-01-01

In a group (30) occupationally exposed to beryllium below the Maximum Allowed Concentration, deviations from the norm were found in 13% of chest x rays and impairments of lung ventilatory reserves in 46%. The low intensity and non-specific character of the changes did not allow confirmation of connection with occupational exposure. Radiological examination of the lungs, expanded functional testing of the respiratory system and measurements of blood gases are recommended to identify workers with respiratory changes at an early stage. (UK)

Occupational exposure in radiodiagnostics in Cuba from 1991 to 1994

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saez, D.G.; Guevara, C.R.; Larrinaga, E.F.; Calzado, Y.

1997-01-01

The results of the study of occupational exposure in radiodiagnostics during the period 1991-1994 is presented. This period follows the last report of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Study of Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). The study has been done according to the recommendations of UNSCEAR. A sharp reduction has been observed in a number of workers exposed to measurable levels after 1991. The repercussions on these results of the new allowable dose limit for the occupational exposition is discussed

The entry-level occupational therapy clinical doctorate: advantages, challenges, and international issues to consider.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Ted; Crabtree, Jeffrey L; Mu, Keli; Wells, Joe

2015-04-01

Internationally, occupational therapy education has gone through several paradigm shifts during the last few decades, moving from certificate to diploma to bachelors to masters and now in some instances to clinical doctorate as the entry-level professional credential to practice. In the United States there is a recommendation under consideration by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) that by 2025, all occupational therapy university programs will move to the clinical doctorate level. It should be noted, however, that the AOTA Board can only make recommendations and it is the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) who has regulatory authority to approve such a change. What are the potential implications for the profession, our clients, and funders of occupational therapy services? What are the primary drivers for the move towards the clinical doctorate being the educational entry point? Is the next step in the evolution of occupational therapy education globally a shift to the entry-level clinical doctorate? This article reviews current literature and discusses issues about the occupational therapy entry-level clinical doctorate. The published evidence available about the occupational therapy entry-level clinical doctorate is summarized and the perceived or frequently cited pros and cons of moving to the clinical doctorate as the singular entry point to occupational therapy practice are considered. The potential impacts of the introduction of the clinical doctorate as the entry-to-practice qualification across the United States on the occupational therapy community internationally will be briefly discussed. If the United States moves toward the entry-level clinical doctorate as the only educational starting point for the profession, will other jurisdictions follow suit? Further discourse and investigation of this issue both inside and outside of the United States is needed so that informed decisions can be made.

World Federation of Occupational Therapists' Position Statement on Telehealth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

World Federation of Occupational Therapists

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this document is to state the World Federation of Occupational Therapists’ (WFOT position on the use of telehealth for the delivery of occupational therapy services. Telehealth is the use of information and communication technologies (ICT to deliver health-related services when the provider and client are in different physical locations. Additional terms used to describe this service delivery model include: tele-occupational therapy, telerehabilitation, teletherapy, telecare, telemedicine, and telepractice, among other terms. Telehealth may be used by occupational therapy practitioners for evaluation, intervention, monitoring, supervision, and consultation (between remote therapist, client, and/or local health-care provider as permitted by jurisdictional, institutional, and professional regulations and policies governing the practice of occupational therapy.Occupational therapy services via telehealth should be appropriate to the individuals, groups and cultures served,and contextualized to the occupations and interests of clients. Important considerations related to licensure/registration, collaboration with local occupational therapists, client selection, consent to treat, professional liability insurance, confidentiality, personal and cultural attributes, provider competence/standards of care, reimbursement/payer guidelines, and authentic occupational therapy practice are discussed.

Occupational exposure to beryllium in French enterprises: a survey of airborne exposure and surface levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, Raymond; Catani, Jacques; Créau, Yvon; Frocaut, Anne-Marie; Good, Andrée; Goutet, Pierre; Hou, Alain; Leray, Fabrice; André-Lesage, Marie-Ange; Soyez, Alain

2009-06-01

An assessment survey of occupational exposure to beryllium (Be) was conducted in France between late 2004 and the end of 2006. Exposure estimates were based on the analytical results of samples collected from workplace air and from work surfaces in 95 facilities belonging to 37 sectors of activity. The results of this study indicated airborne Be concentrations in excess of the occupational exposure limit value of 2 microg m(-3) recommended in France. Metallurgy and electronic component manufacturing represented the activities and occupations where workers had the highest arithmetic mean exposures to Be. Surface contamination levels were also high and frequently exceeded thresholds recommended by different bodies. These results should prompt the development of prevention programmes that include Be substitution, process control and surface decontamination, in conjunction with suitable medical surveillance.

Priority Setting for Occupational Cancer Prevention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheryl E. Peters

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Selecting priority occupational carcinogens is important for cancer prevention efforts; however, standardized selection methods are not available. The objective of this paper was to describe the methods used by CAREX Canada in 2015 to establish priorities for preventing occupational cancer, with a focus on exposure estimation and descriptive profiles. Methods: Four criteria were used in an expert assessment process to guide carcinogen prioritization: (1 the likelihood of presence and/or use in Canadian workplaces; (2 toxicity of the substance (strength of evidence for carcinogenicity and other health effects; (3 feasibility of producing a carcinogen profile and/or an occupational estimate; and (4 special interest from the public/scientific community. Carcinogens were ranked as high, medium or low priority based on specific conditions regarding these criteria, and stakeholder input was incorporated. Priorities were set separately for the creation of new carcinogen profiles and for new occupational exposure estimates. Results: Overall, 246 agents were reviewed for inclusion in the occupational priorities list. For carcinogen profile generation, 103 were prioritized (11 high, 33 medium, and 59 low priority, and 36 carcinogens were deemed priorities for occupational exposure estimation (13 high, 17 medium, and 6 low priority. Conclusion: Prioritizing and ranking occupational carcinogens is required for a variety of purposes, including research, resource allocation at different jurisdictional levels, calculations of occupational cancer burden, and planning of CAREX-type projects in different countries. This paper outlines how this process was achieved in Canada; this may provide a model for other countries and jurisdictions as a part of occupational cancer prevention efforts. Keywords: cancer prevention, carcinogen exposure, occupational health

Using systematic review in occupational safety and health.

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, John; Piacentino, John; MacMahon, Kathleen; Schulte, Paul

2017-11-01

Evaluation of scientific evidence is critical in developing recommendations to reduce risk. Healthcare was the first scientific field to employ a systematic review approach for synthesizing research findings to support evidence-based decision-making and it is still the largest producer and consumer of systematic reviews. Systematic reviews in the field of occupational safety and health are being conducted, but more widespread use and adoption would strengthen assessments. In 2016, NIOSH asked RAND to develop a framework for applying the traditional systematic review elements to the field of occupational safety and health. This paper describes how essential systematic review elements can be adapted for use in occupational systematic reviews to enhance their scientific quality, objectivity, transparency, reliability, utility, and acceptability. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Medical and occupational dose reduction in pediatric barium meal procedures

Science.gov (United States)

Filipov, D.; Schelin, H. R.; Denyak, V.; Paschuk, S. A.; Ledesma, J. A.; Legnani, A.; Bunick, A. P.; Sauzen, J.; Yagui, A.; Vosiak, P.

2017-11-01

Doses received in pediatric Barium Meal procedure can be rather high. It is possible to reduce dose values following the recommendations of the European Communities (EC) and the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). In the present work, the modifications of radiographic techniques made in a Brazilian hospital according to the EC and the ICRP recommendations and their influence on medical and occupational exposure are reported. The procedures of 49 patients before and 44 after the optimization were studied and air kerma-area product (PK,A) values and the effective doses were evaluated. The occupational equivalent doses were measured next to the eyes, under the thyroid shield and on each hand of both professionals who remained inside the examination room. The implemented modifications reduced by 70% and 60% the PK,A and the patient effective dose, respectively. The obtained dose values are lower than approximately 75% of the results from similar studies. The occupational annual equivalent doses for all studied organs became lower than the limits set by the ICRP. The equivalent doses in one examination were on average below than 75% of similar studies.

Factors Affecting Adoption of Recommended Cauliflower Production Technology in Nepal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pankaj Raj Dhital

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Binary logit regression model of econometrics was used to identify the factors affecting adoption of recommended agricultural technology by the commercial farmers of Nepal. A survey was carried out in 2012 in 120 households from Kavre district, Nepal. The objective was to appraise factors affecting adoption of recommended technology of cauliflower, finding out the level of adoption, identifying the constraints of cauliflower cultivation, assessing the perceived level of satisfaction and studying the relationship of certain selected variables on the adoption. Education, Occupation, contact with Personal Localite sources of information, Group membership and Experience were the most influencing factors for adoption of recommended technology. Though, other factors were not strong enough to contribute significantly but indirectly influence the adoption decision of farmers as combined effects. Occupation was found as negatively associated. Landholding size was strongly and positively influencing among the non significant factors. The level of satisfaction and the constraints of cauliflower production were also identified. Transfer of technology will be effective if and only if the client adopts the technology. For an effective transfer of technology, it is better to go for activities for the welfare of the socioeconomic factors of the farmers.

A systematic review of the effectiveness of occupational health and safety training.

Science.gov (United States)

Robson, Lynda S; Stephenson, Carol M; Schulte, Paul A; Amick, Benjamin C; Irvin, Emma L; Eggerth, Donald E; Chan, Stella; Bielecky, Amber R; Wang, Anna M; Heidotting, Terri L; Peters, Robert H; Clarke, Judith A; Cullen, Kimberley; Rotunda, Cathy J; Grubb, Paula L

2012-05-01

Training is regarded as an important component of occupational health and safety (OHS) programs. This paper primarily addresses whether OHS training has a beneficial effect on workers. The paper also examines whether higher engagement OHS training has a greater effect than lower engagement training. Ten bibliographic databases were searched for pre-post randomized trial studies published in journals between 1996 and November 2007. Training interventions were included if they were delivered to workers and were concerned with primary prevention of occupational illness or injury. The methodological quality of each relevant study was assessed and data was extracted. The impacts of OHS training in each study were summarized by calculating the standardized mean differences. The strength of the evidence on training's effectiveness was assessed for (i) knowledge, (ii) attitudes and beliefs, (iIi) behaviors, and (iv) health using the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Guide to Community Preventive Services, a qualitative evidence synthesis method. Twenty-two studies met the relevance criteria of the review. They involved a variety of study populations, occupational hazards, and types of training. Strong evidence was found for the effectiveness of training on worker OHS behaviors, but insufficient evidence was found of its effectiveness on health (ie, symptoms, injuries, illnesses). The review team recommends that workplaces continue to deliver OHS training to employees because training positively affects worker practices. However, large impacts of training on health cannot be expected, based on research evidence.

Expanding horizons. Integrating environmental health in occupational health nursing.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, B; Cox, A R

1998-01-01

1. Environmental hazards are ubiquitous. Many exist in the workplace or occur as a result of work process exposures. 2. Environmental health is a natural component of the expanding practice of occupational health nursing. 3. AAOHN's vision for occupational and environmental health will continue to set the standard and provide leadership in the specialty.

Social, occupational and cultural adaptation in Antarctica

Science.gov (United States)

Nicolas, Michel; Bishop, Sheryl; Weiss, Karine; Gaudino, Marvin

2016-07-01

Life in isolated and confined environments (ICEs, e.g., polar stations, submarine or space missions), is subject to important constraints which can generate psychosociological impaired outcomes. This study investigated psychological, social, occupational and cultural variables which are among the most important determinants in adaptation to a one-year wintering in Antarctica with 13 international participants. Our findings confirm and give further insight into the role of social (Cohesiveness, Social Support) and occupational (Implementation / Preparedness, Counterproductive Activity, Decision Latitude and Psychological Job Demands) dimensions of adaptation to ICE environments. Relationships between various social and occupational dimensions studies reflected detrimental effects ranging from decrements in cohesiveness, social support and work performance which differed across professional status and multicultural factors. These psychosocial issues have important implications for pre-mission selection and training, monitoring and support of crews during the mission and post-mission readaptation. Operational recommendations are suggested to improve adaptation, success and well-being for long-term ICE missions, e.g., to Mars and beyond.

Occupational exposure to radio frequency/microwave radiation and the risk of brain tumors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berg, Gabriele; Spallek, Jacob; Schüz, Joachim

2006-01-01

It is still under debate whether occupational exposure to radio frequency/microwave electromagnetic fields (RF/MW-EMF) contributes to the development of brain tumors. This analysis examined the role of occupational RF/MW-EMF exposure in the risk of glioma and meningioma. A population-based, case....... "High" exposure was defined as an occupational exposure that may exceed the RF/MW-EMF exposure limits for the general public recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection. Multiple conditional logistic regressions were performed separately for glioma and meningioma...

Relationship between Occupational Stress and Gastric Disease in Male Workers

Science.gov (United States)

Lihm, Ho-Seob; Park, Sang-Hyun; Gong, Eun-Hee; Kim, Jung-Won

2012-01-01

Background Physical and mental health of workers is threatened due to various events and chronic occupational stress. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between occupational stress and gastric disease in male workers of the shipbuilding industry. Methods Occupational stress measured among a total of 498 workers of a shipbuilding firm who visited the hospital for health examination using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS)-short form, and the relationship between sociodemographic factors, health-related behaviors, occupational stress, and gastric disease, and the distribution of occupational stress by sociodemographic factors in the gastric disease group was examined. Results There was no significant association between gastric disease and total occupational stress score and its seven sub-factors. The analysis showed that risk of gastric disease was significantly higher in the Q1 group in which the stress caused by occupational discomfort among seven sub-factors was lowest than that in the Q4 group (odds ratio, 2.819; 95% confidence interval, 1.151 to 6.908). Analysis only on the gastric disease group showed that the stress score of laborers was higher in the four sub-factors than that of office workers (P occupational stress in the low-educated and laborers. It is recommended for future studies to confirm the causal relationship between occupational stress and gastric disease by large scale studies using a KOSS which appropriately reflects workplace culture. PMID:23115706

Load carriage, human performance, and employment standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Nigel A S; Peoples, Gregory E; Petersen, Stewart R

2016-06-01

The focus of this review is on the physiological considerations necessary for developing employment standards within occupations that have a heavy reliance on load carriage. Employees within military, fire fighting, law enforcement, and search and rescue occupations regularly work with heavy loads. For example, soldiers often carry loads >50 kg, whilst structural firefighters wear 20-25 kg of protective clothing and equipment, in addition to carrying external loads. It has long been known that heavy loads modify gait, mobility, metabolic rate, and efficiency, while concurrently elevating the risk of muscle fatigue and injury. In addition, load carriage often occurs within environmentally stressful conditions, with protective ensembles adding to the thermal burden of the workplace. Indeed, physiological strain relates not just to the mass and dimensions of carried objects, but to how those loads are positioned on and around the body. Yet heavy loads must be borne by men and women of varying body size, and with the expectation that operational capability will not be impinged. This presents a recruitment conundrum. How do employers identify capable and injury-resistant individuals while simultaneously avoiding discriminatory selection practices? In this communication, the relevant metabolic, cardiopulmonary, and thermoregulatory consequences of loaded work are reviewed, along with concomitant impediments to physical endurance and mobility. Also emphasised is the importance of including occupation-specific clothing, protective equipment, and loads during work-performance testing. Finally, recommendations are presented for how to address these issues when evaluating readiness for duty.

Apps in therapy: occupational therapists' use and opinions.

Science.gov (United States)

Seifert, Anna M; Stotz, Nicole; Metz, Alexia E

2017-11-01

To gather information on occupational therapy practitioners' use and opinions of apps, an online survey was distributed to occupational therapy practitioners licensed in the state of Ohio. The survey sought information regarding clinical populations and skill areas for which apps are used, potential barriers to use of apps and preferred apps/app features. OTs working in medical and education-based settings and with clients of all ages responded to the survey. Over half (53%) reported not using apps in therapy, with "not having access to the technology at work" being the leading reason endorsed. Of practitioners who did report using apps, the majority used them with ≤25% of their case load and primarily used tablets to do so. Clinicians indicated that they use apps for a wide variety of reasons, including to promote skill building and to support the therapeutic process. Preferred features included the ability to grade difficulty up/down, multiple uses and accurate feedback. Recommendations from peers were the most commonly reported way respondents found new apps. The results suggest that occupational therapy practitioners employ clinical reasoning when implementing apps in therapy. Possible ways to improve access to apps for therapists who would like to implement them are discussed. Implications for Rehabilitation Many occupational therapy practitioners are using apps with at least a portion of their caseloads. Therapists select apps based on peer recommendations, most commonly selecting those which promote skill building and support the therapeutic process. More therapists might make use of apps if potential barriers were reduced or eliminated, including availability of technology in the clinical practice setting, therapist training and education, therapist input into app development and an enhanced evidence base.

Occupational safety management: the role of causal attribution.

Science.gov (United States)

Gyekye, Seth Ayim

2010-12-01

The paper addresses the causal attribution theory, an old and well-established theme in social psychology which denotes the everyday, commonsense explanations that people use to explain events and the world around them. The attribution paradigm is considered one of the most appropriate analytical tools for exploratory and descriptive studies in social psychology and organizational literature. It affords the possibility of describing accident processes as objectively as possible and with as much detail as possible. Causal explanations are vital to the formal analysis of workplace hazards and accidents, as they determine how organizations act to prevent accident recurrence. Accordingly, they are regarded as fundamental and prerequisite elements for safety management policies. The paper focuses primarily on the role of causal attributions in occupational and industrial accident analyses and implementation of safety interventions. It thus serves as a review of the contribution of attribution theory to occupational and industrial accidents. It comprises six sections. The first section presents an introduction to the classic attribution theories, and the second an account of the various ways in which the attribution paradigm has been applied in organizational settings. The third and fourth sections review the literature on causal attributions and demographic and organizational variables respectively. The sources of attributional biases in social psychology and how they manifest and are identified in the causal explanations for industrial and occupational accidents are treated in the fifth section. Finally, conclusion and recommendations are presented. The recommendations are particularly important for the reduction of workplace accidents and associated costs. The paper touches on the need for unbiased causal analyses, belief in the preventability of accidents, and the imperative role of management in occupational safety management.

The new ICRP recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlesinger, T.

1977-01-01

The new ICRP recommendations are based on the concept of risk. The doses received by workers have to be justified and kept as low as practically achievable. The acceptable annual occupational risk is of the order of 10 -4 . This corresponds to an average annual dose equivalent of about 5 mSv(0.5 Rem). The annual dose equivalent limit for whole body irradiation will remain 50 mSv/year (5 Rem/year) provided that the average is about 1/10th of this value. The concept of the critical organ is abandoned and is replaced by the concept of equidetriment. (author)

Current and new challenges in occupational lung diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara De Matteis

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Occupational lung diseases are an important public health issue and are avoidable through preventive interventions in the workplace. Up-to-date knowledge about changes in exposure to occupational hazards as a result of technological and industrial developments is essential to the design and implementation of efficient and effective workplace preventive measures. New occupational agents with unknown respiratory health effects are constantly introduced to the market and require periodic health surveillance among exposed workers to detect early signs of adverse respiratory effects. In addition, the ageing workforce, many of whom have pre-existing respiratory conditions, poses new challenges in terms of the diagnosis and management of occupational lung diseases. Primary preventive interventions aimed to reduce exposure levels in the workplace remain pivotal for elimination of the occupational lung disease burden. To achieve this goal there is still a clear need for setting standard occupational exposure limits based on transparent evidence-based methodology, in particular for carcinogens and sensitising agents that expose large working populations to risk. The present overview, focused on the occupational lung disease burden in Europe, proposes directions for all parties involved in the prevention of occupational lung disease, from researchers and occupational and respiratory health professionals to workers and employers.

SIOP PODC adapted treatment recommendations for standard-risk medulloblastoma in low and middle income settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Parkes, Jeannette; Hendricks, Marc; Ssenyonga, Peter; Mugamba, John; Molyneux, Elizabeth; Schouten-van Meeteren, Antoinette; Qaddoumi, Ibrahim; Fieggen, Graham; Luna-Fineman, Sandra; Howard, Scott; Mitra, Dipayan; Bouffet, Eric; Davidson, Alan; Bailey, Simon

2015-04-01

Effective treatment of children with medulloblastoma requires a functioning multi-disciplinary team with adequate neurosurgical, neuroradiological, pathological, radiotherapy and chemotherapy facilities and personnel. In addition the treating centre should have the capacity to effectively screen and manage any tumour and treatment-associated complications. These requirements have made it difficult for many low and middle-income countries (LMIC) centres to offer curative treatment. This article provides management recommendations for children with standard-risk medulloblastoma (localised tumours in children over the age of 3-5 years) according to the level of facilities available. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A new spirometry-based algorithm to predict occupational pulmonary restrictive impairment.

Science.gov (United States)

De Matteis, S; Iridoy-Zulet, A A; Aaron, S; Swann, A; Cullinan, P

2016-01-01

Spirometry is often included in workplace-based respiratory surveillance programmes but its performance in the identification of restrictive lung disease is poor, especially when the prevalence of this condition is low in the tested population. To improve the specificity (Sp) and positive predictive value (PPV) of current spirometry-based algorithms in the diagnosis of restrictive pulmonary impairment in the workplace and to reduce the proportion of false positives findings and, as a result, unnecessary referrals for lung volume measurements. We re-analysed two studies of hospital patients, respectively used to derive and validate a recommended spirometry-based algorithm [forced vital capacity (FVC) 55%] for the recognition of restrictive pulmonary impairment. We used true lung restrictive cases as a reference standard in 2×2 contingency tables to estimate sensitivity (Sn), Sp and PPV and negative predictive values for each diagnostic cut-off. We simulated a working population aged spirometry-based algorithm may be adopted to accurately exclude pulmonary restriction and to possibly reduce unnecessary lung volume testing in an occupational health setting. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The difficulties in establishing an occupational exposure limit for carbon nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Ellenbecker, M.; Tsai, S.-J.; Jacobs, M.; Riediker, M.; Peters, T.; Liou, S.; Avila, A.; FossHansen, S.

2018-05-01

Concern over the health effects from the inhalation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has been building for some time, and adverse health effects found in animal studies include acute and chronic respiratory damage, cardiac inflammation, and cancer including mesothelioma, heretofore only associated with asbestos exposure. The strong animal evidence of toxicity requires that the occupational hygiene community develops strategies for reducing or eliminating worker exposures to CNTs; part of this strategy involves the setting of occupational exposure limits (OELs) for CNTs. A number of government agencies and private entities have established OELs for CNTs; some are mass-based, while others rely on number concentration. We review these various proposed standards and discuss the pros and cons of each approach. We recommend that specific action be taken, including intensified outreach to employers and employees concerning the potential adverse health effects from CNT inhalation, the development of more nuanced OELs that reflect the complex nature of CNT exposure, a broader discussion of these issues among all interested parties, and further research into important unanswered questions including optimum methods to evaluate CNT exposures. We conclude that current animal toxicity evidence suggests that strong action needs to be taken to minimize exposures to CNTs, and that any CNT OEL should be consistent with the need to minimize exposures.

Study on a model for future occupational health: proposal for an occupational health service model in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Higashi, Toshiaki

2006-10-01

submit reports on risk evaluation and improvement measures; (2) establishment of the obligation to prepare a report on results of medical examinations in all sizes of businesses. 4. Introduction of a merit system into businesses in establishment of a new system: the application of the special merit system of the workers' compensation insurance shall be revised to add occupational health activities, cover business with 20 or more to 100 or less employees and expand the period of application for three years under the present laws to five years. 5. Ensuring of international coordination: harmonization of standards of individual countries for occupational health and safety; thorough (1) ensuring of international agreement on high-level specialist qualifications; (2) mutual recognition of qualifications of occupational physician, nurse, occupational hygienist, ergonomist, and counselor; (3) preparation of guidelines for occupations relating to occupational health businesses.

Evaluation of occupational exposure in intraoral radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miguel, Cristiano; Barros, Frieda S.; Rocha, Anna S.P.S.; Godoi, Walmor C.; Tilly Junior, Joao G.

2014-01-01

The intraoral radiography is widely performed in the dental office due to low cost and agility. The doses in intraoral radiology are considered low, however it is known that doses below the threshold for deterministic radiation has the potential to induce stochastic effects. An intraoral radiography has a risk of inducing fatal cancer or serious in order of 1:10,000,000. Besides the patient, the dentist may also be being exposed to radiation during the work with the radiographics practices. The bibliographies demonstrates the lack of information on radiation protection of dentists, however, the occupational dose reduction was observed in radiology over the past 14 years. This work aims to evaluate the effective dose of radiation to which workers can be exposed dentists in dental offices to perform intraoral radiographs. In this context, a study was be conducted between June 2013 and May 2014 with 44 professionals in Curitiba city. For each dentist was given a personal dosimeter to be used for 30 days. During this period, the number of radiographies and the length of the cable triggers of the X-ray equipment was registered and, the dosimeter´s dose was read. It was observed that the cables triggers meet regulatory standards and allow dentists to get the mean minimum distance of two meters from the radiation source in 93% of cases. Through analysis of the doses, it was concluded that occupational exposures of these workers are within the recommended threshold by regulatory 453/1998 of the Ministry of Health from Brazil. (author)

SARIS: a tool for occupational radiation protection improvement in a Nuclear Medicine Department

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez Diaz, A.

2015-01-01

Self-assessment is an organization's internal process to review its current status. The IAEA has developed the SARIS system (Self-Assessment of the Regulatory Infrastructure for Safety) with the objective to improve and encourage the compliment of safety requirements and recommendations of the international safety standards. With the purpose to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the occupational radiation protection structure in the Nuclear Medicine Department (from 'Hermanos Ameijeiras' Hospital), we applied 3 questionnaires of the Occupational Radiation Protection Module of SARIS. During the answering phase we provided factual responses to questions, appended all necessary documentary evidence and avoided opinion that cannot be objectively supported by evidence. In the analysis phase we identified the strengths and weaknesses, the opportunities for improvement and the risks if action is not taken. We look the expert's opinion and made recommendations to prepare an action plan for improvement. The Cuban regulations have more strengths than weakness. The major weakness founded was: the documental evidence of the knowledge about the legislative safety responsibility of the management structure and workers could be improved. Upon completion of the self-assessment analysis phase, was developed an action plan, trying to cover all the discovered weakness, making emphasis in the improvement of all documental issue related to radiation safety responsibilities. Were defined the responsibilities and activities in the short, medium and long terms. The SARIS self-assessment tools let us to learn more about our organization and provided us the key elements for the organization's continuous development and improvement. (Author)

Patient Satisfaction Measurement in Occupational and Environmental Medicine Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Drury, David L; Adamo, Philip; Cloeren, Marianne; Hegmann, Kurt T; Martin, Douglas W; Levine, Michael J; Olson, Shawn M; Pransky, Glenn S; Tacci, James A; Thiese, Matthew

2018-05-01

: High patient satisfaction is a desirable goal in medical care. Patient satisfaction measures are increasingly used to evaluate and improve quality in all types of medical practices. However, the unique aspects of occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) practice require development of OEM-specific measures and thoughtful interpretation of results. The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine has developed and recommends a set of specific questions to measure patient satisfaction in OEM, designed to meet anticipated regulatory requirements, facilitate quality improvement of participating OEM practices, facilitate case-management review, and offer fair and accurate assessment of OEM physicians.

Occupational radiation exposure to norms in a gold mine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Darko, E. O.; Tetteh, G. K.; Akaho, E. H. K.

2005-01-01

Preliminary studies have been conducted into the occupational radiation exposure to NORMS from surface and underground mining operations in a gold mine in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. A brief description of the methods and instrumentation is presented. The annual effective dose has been estimated to be 0.26 ± 0.11 mSv for surface mining and 1.83 ± 0.56 mSv for the underground mines using the ICRP dose calculation method. The results obtained are found to be within the allowable limit of 20 mSv per annum for occupational exposure control recommended by the ICRP. (authors)

Decommissioning standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crofford, W.N.

1980-01-01

EPA has agreed to establish a series of environmental standards for the safe disposal of radioactive waste through participation in the Interagency Review Group on Nuclear Waste Management (IRG). One of the standards required under the IRG is the standard for decommissioning of radioactive contaminated sites, facilities, and materials. This standard is to be proposed by December 1980 and promulgated by December 1981. Several considerations are important in establishing these standards. This study includes discussions of some of these considerations and attempts to evaluate their relative importance. Items covered include: the form of the standards, timing for decommissioning, occupational radiation protection, costs and financial provisions. 4 refs

Occupational safety and health law handbook

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sarvadi, D.G. [ed.; Keller; Heckman

1999-09-01

This book reviews the regulations and standards governing the protection of employees in the workplace and provides insight into dealing with pertinent regulations and regulatory authorities. Written for safety professionals, industrial hygienists, human resource professionals, attorneys, and students, this companion to Government Institutes' best-selling ``Environmental Law Handbook'' offers the legal fundamentals behind occupational safety and health laws in one concise and authoritative volume. In 19 chapters, the authoring law firm of Keller and Heckman cover the OSHAct and its development; OSHA, NIOSH, and OSHRC; the roles played by other regulatory agencies; the OSHA rulemaking process; OSHA Standards and the General Duty Clause; record keeping and reporting; employers' and employees' rights; inspections; violations, penalties, and how to contest them; criminal prosecutions; state plans; industry-specific issues; OSHA reform; and international regulations and standards. This book references approximately 400 seminal OSHA legal decisions from the approximately 1,300 cases on record and includes coverage of Canadian and European Community regulations, making it the first comprehensive global overview of occupational safety and health law.

78 FR 66642 - Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Signage

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-06

...; Signage AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Labor. ACTION: Final... (78 FR 35559) a direct final rule that revised its signage standards for general industry and... revised its signage standards for general industry at 29 CFR 1910.97, 1910.145, and 1910.261, and...

Occupational cow horn eye injuries in Ibadan, Nigeria | Ibrahim ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This case series aims to describe the clinical features, management, and outcome of occupational eye injuries caused by cow horns and to recommend possible preventive measures. A review of patients with cow horn inflicted eye injuries seen at the University College Hospital, Ibadan between January 2006, and ...

Factors Associated With Non-compliance of Asbestos Occupational Standards in Brake Repair Workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Cely-García, María Fernanda; Curriero, Frank C; Giraldo, Margarita; Méndez, Lorena; Breysse, Patrick N; Durán, Mauricio; Torres-Duque, Carlos A; González-García, Mauricio; Pérez, Carolina; Parada, Patricia; Ramos-Bonilla, Juan Pablo

2016-10-01

Asbestos and non-asbestos containing brake products are currently used in low- and middle-income countries like Colombia. Because brake products are distributed detached from their supports, they require manipulation before installation, which release fibers and expose workers. Previous studies of our research group have documented exposures in excess of the widely accepted 0.1 f/cm(3) exposure guideline. The aim of this study is to identify factors associated with non-compliance of the 8-h time weighted average (TWA) 0.1 f/cm(3) asbestos occupational limit among brake mechanics (i.e. riveters). Eighteen brake repair shops (BRS) located in Bogotá (Colombia) were sampled during 3 to 6 consecutive days for the entire work-shift. Personal and short-term personal samples were collected following NIOSH methods 7400 and 7402. Longitudinal based logistic regression models were used to determine the association between the odds of exceeding the 8-h TWA 0.1 f/cm(3) asbestos occupational limit and variables such as type of tasks performed by workers, workload (number of products manipulated daily), years of experience as riveters, and shop characteristics. These models can be used to estimate the odds of being currently or historically overexposed when sampling data do not exist. Since the information required to run the models can vary for both retrospective and current asbestos occupational exposure studies, three models were constructed with different information requirements. The first model evaluated the association between the odds of non-compliance with variables related to the workload, the second model evaluated the association between the odds of non-compliance with variables related to the manipulation tasks, and the third model evaluated the association between the odds of non-compliance with variables related with both the type of tasks performed by workers and the workload. Variables associated with the odds of non-compliance included conducting at least one

Illinois Occupational Skill Standards: Accounting Services Cluster.

Science.gov (United States)

Illinois Occupational Skill Standards and Credentialing Council, Carbondale.

These Illinois skill standards for the accounting services cluster are intended to serve as a guide to workforce preparation program providers as they define content for their programs and to employers as they establish the skills and standards necessary for job acquisition. They could also serve as a mechanism for communication among education,…

Occupational stress and organisational commitment of employees at higher educational institution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simbarashe Zhuwao

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between occupational stress and organisational commitment of employees at a higher education institution. A random sample (N=30 was chosen from academic staff within the university. The study used a quantitative design. The Organisational Stress Screening Tool (ASSET and Allen and Meyer’s Organisational Commitment Tool (OCT were administered. The study revealed that a statistical significant relationship exists between occupational stress and organizational commitment of employees. The study also showed that academic staff overall experienced average levels of occupational stress and organisational commitment. Job characteristics and work relationship were found to be the major sources of occupation stress. It is recommended that higher education institutions should improve employee participation in decision making to reduce employees’ stress as a result of unmanageable workloads and overload.

A study on occupational exposure in a PET/CT facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vargas Castrillan, S.; Cutanda henraquez, F.

2011-01-01

Staff occupational exposure for 18 F-FDG studies has been assessed. For this purpose, different detectors, all traceable to PTB standards, have been used. Measurements were carried out in different working areas in the facility for different procedures and 400 MBq per patient standard injected activity. A radiological map of the patient lying on the couch was obtained; the largest dose rate result was obtained in contact with the patient's abdomen. The maximum dose to the most exposed staff member for this position is 3.6 mSv y -1 , under some conservative assumptions. A typical value would be 0.9±0.3 mSv y -1 close to the abdomen, taking into account staff rotations. These results have been obtained from a sample of 50 patients and average values have been statistically tested. Particularly, a negligible probability of reaching 20 mSv in a year (assuming no incidents or contamination) was obtained (P < 0.01). Annual dose received by personnel lies well within the recommended limits (International Commission on Radiological Protection), these measurements help to optimise working procedures in the facility. (authors)

European studies on occupational radiation exposure - ESOREX

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petrova, K.; Frasch, G.

2005-01-01

Full text: The ESOREX project was initiated by the European Commission in 1997. The objectives of this European study are: to provide the European Commission and the national competent radiation protection authorities with reliable information on how personal radiation monitoring, reporting and recording of dosimetric results is organized in European countries; to collect reliable and directly comparable data on individual and collective radiation exposure in all occupational sectors where radiation workers are employed. The information about the monitoring of occupational radiation exposure, the levels of individual personal doses of workers in the different work sectors, the changes and trends of these doses over a period of several years and the international comparison of these data are useful information for many stakeholders. The survey consists of two parts. Part I surveys how radiation protection monitoring, recording and reporting is arranged within each of the 30 European countries. Part II collects doses from occupational exposure of classified workers in the participating countries. For each country, information is provided on the number of workers in defined work categories and how annual individual personal doses are distributed. The summary and the conclusions provide tentative recommendations for harmonizing modifications of some of the national monitoring, reporting and recording arrangements. In all ESOREX studies a beneficial, effective and extensive information base about thirty European states has been created. The studies resulted in country reports describing the legislative, administrative, organizational and technical aspects of the national dose monitoring and recording systems for occupationally radiation exposed workers. These reports are standardized, i.e. they have as far as possible an internationally comparable structure. The dose distributions of the radiation workers and the annual average and collective doses in the various work

78 FR 35585 - Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Signage

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-13

...; Signage AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Labor. ACTION: Notice... Administration (``OSHA'' or ``the Agency'') proposes to update its general industry and construction signage... standards, ANSI Z53.1-1967, Z35.1-1968, and Z35.2-1968, in its signage standards, thereby providing...

78 FR 70415 - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Occupant Crash Protection

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-25

... single event, due in part to the high occupancy rate of the vehicles, the speed at which they travel, and..., ``NHTSA's Approach to Motorcoach Safety.'' \\2\\ In the plan, the term ``motorcoach'' referred to intercity... the first priority area of the NHTSA plan, to minimize intercity bus passenger and driver ejection by...

Manualization of Occupational Therapy Using Ayres Sensory Integration® for Autism.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunt, Joanne; van Hooydonk, Elke; Faller, Patricia; Mailloux, Zoe; Schaaf, Roseann

2017-07-01

This article reports on the development of a Stage 3 manual (following pilot effectiveness study) for implementing occupational therapy using Ayres Sensory Integration® (OT/ASI) for children with autism spectrum disorders to enhance participation in daily occupations. Three stakeholder groups were surveyed to aid in translation of manual from research to practice (i.e., Stage 3 manual) and an expert consensus meeting was held to finalize recommendations. Data indicated that the manuals usability could be improved by including a section on frequently encountered problems and solutions, and by including video case examples. Also recommended were greater chapter uniformity, improved clarity of forms and charts, and inclusion of a glossary. Changes were made and subject to expert review and consensus using modified Delphi process. The Stage 3 manual has been rigorously vetted and is ready for practice and research replication.

[The System and Human Resources for Occupational Health in Republic Of Indonesia for Japanese Enterprises to Manage Proper Occupational Health Activities at Overseas Workplaces].

Science.gov (United States)

Hiraoka, Ko; Kajiki, Shigeyuki; Kobayashi, Yuichi; Adi, Nuri Purwito; Soemarko, Dewi Sumaryani; Uehara, Masamichi; Nakanishi, Shigemoto; Mori, Koji

2017-11-30

To consider the appropriate occupational health system for Japanese enterprises in Indonesia with information on the regulations and development of the specialists. In this study, we used the information-gathering checklist developed by Kajiki et al. Along with literature and internet surveys, we surveyed local corporations owned and operated by Indonesians, central government agencies in charge of medical and health issues, a Japanese independent administrative agency supporting subsidiaries of overseas Japanese enterprises, and an educational institution formulating specialized occupational physician training curricula. In Indonesia, the Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Health administer occupational health matters. The act No. 1 on safety serves as the fundamental regulation. We confirmed at least 40 respective regulations in pertinent areas, such as the placement of medical and health professionals, health examinations, occupational disease, and occupational health service agencies. There are some regulations that indicate only an outline of activities but not details. Occupational physicians and safety officers are the two professional roles responsible for occupational health activities. A new medical insurance system was started in 2014, and a workers' compensation system was also established in 2017 in Indonesia according to the National Social Security System Act. Although safety and health laws and regulations exist in Indonesia, their details are unclear and the quality of expert human resources needed varies. To conduct high-quality occupational health activities from the standpoint of Japanese companies' headquarters, the active promotion of employing highly specialized professionals and cooperation with educational institutions is recommended.

77 FR 68717 - Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Head Protection

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-16

..., 1918, and 1926 [Docket No. OSH-2011-0184] RIN 1218-AC65 Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Head Protection AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor. ACTION: Proposed rule; withdrawal. SUMMARY: With this notice, OSHA is withdrawing the proposed rule that...

The effect of occupational exposure to formaldehyde on blood platelets of employees in a wood industry company

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Existing literatures indicate that occupational exposure to formaldehyde may decrease blood platelets. In this study, the influences of occupational exposure to formaldehyde on the number of blood plateletsand clinical symptoms were studied while determining the occupational exposure of employees of a wood industry to formaldehyde. .Material and Method: In a case study, the occupational exposure to formaldehyde was determined among 30 workers from production line and 30 administrative staffs of a wood company using US-NIOSH method No 2541. The number of blood platelets was determined using the normal blood count method and related indices. Demographic data as well as the clinical symptoms of exposure to formaldehyde were collected using a standard questionnaire. The smokers and those using drugs interacting with similar symptoms and blood characteristics were excluded from the study. Ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects announced in Helsinki declaration were considered. The research proposal had been approved by the university committee of ethics prior to its execution. Details of tests were explained for all subjects and a written consent was signed by each subject. .Result: Occupational exposure of workers in various parts of particle board production line ranged from 0.5 ppm to 1.52 ppm which was higher than the ceiling level (0.3 ppm recommended by US-ACGIH. The prevalence of all studied symptoms from formaldehyde exposure in workers was significantly higher than the administrative staffs. In case group, tearing rate was the highest average 8.98 while the chest pain with an average rate of 3.20 was the lowest. In control group, the prevalence of coughing with an average rate of 6.62 was the highest and the chest pain with an average rate of 5.53 was the lowest. The average number and standard deviation of blood platelets of workers in production line and staffs were statistically different with the

Radiation protection and occupational health

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cassels, B.M.; Carter, M.W.

1992-01-01

This paper examines trends in occupational and public health standard setting including those which apply to radiation protection practices. It is the authors' contention that while regulators, unions and employees demand higher standards of radiation protection and industry attempts to comply with tight controls of radiation exposure in the workplace, these standards are out of step with standards applied to health away from the workplace, recreational activity and other areas of industrial hygiene. The ultimate goal of an improvement in the health of the nation's workforce may no longer be visible because it has been submerged beneath the predominating concern for one aspect of health in the workplace. 35 refs., 5 tabs

Application of principles of quality assurance recommended by ISO 9000 Standards to Regulatory Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jova Sed, Luis Andres; Bilbao Alfonso, Alejandro Victor

2001-01-01

For several years, the necessity of applying the programs of quality assurance to the radiation protection activities has been highlighted; however there has been little progress in this direction, even in the philosophical and methodological development of the topic. The objective of this work is to transmit some recommendations of how the Regulatory Authorities of developing countries can organize the quality assurance system of their own activity, following the main precepts of the international standard series ISO 9000. In very tight synthesis it describes the importance that has the definition of a policy of quality for a Regulatory Authority, the quality objectives, the definition of the responsibilities and attributions in relation with quality assurance, and others elements of the ISO 9000, and how to apply it. (author)

Studying historical occupational careers with multilevel growth models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wiebke Schulz

2010-10-01

Full Text Available In this article we propose to study occupational careers with historical data by using multilevel growth models. Historical career data are often characterized by a lack of information on the timing of occupational changes and by different numbers of observations of occupations per individual. Growth models can handle these specificities, whereas standard methods, such as event history analyses can't. We illustrate the use of growth models by studying career success of men and women, using data from the Historical Sample of the Netherlands. The results show that the method is applicable to male careers, but causes trouble when analyzing female careers.

Occupational exposure of phosphate mine workers: airborne radioactivity measurements and dose assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khater, Ashraf E.; Hussein, M.A.; Hussein, Mohamed I.

2004-01-01

Under the Egyptian program for radiation safety and control, airborne radioactivity measurements and radiological dose assessment were conducted in some phosphate and uranium mines. Abu-Tartor mine is one of the biggest underground phosphate mines in Egypt. Airborne radioactivity, radon ( 222 Rn) and its short-lived decay products (progenies) and thoron ( 220 Rn), were measured in selected locations along the mine. The environmental gamma and workers dose equivalent rate (mSv/y) were measured inside and outside the mine using thermo-luminescence dosimeters (TLD). The results were presented and discussed. The calculated annual effective dose due to airborne radioactivity is the main source of occupational exposure and exceeding the maximum recommended level by ICRP-60 inside the mine tunnels. A number of recommendations are suggested to control the occupational exposures

Management of occupational exposure at Cernavoda NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chitu, C.; Popescu, I.; Simionov, V.

2009-01-01

Full text. Ionising radiations represent a particular risk associated with nuclear power plant operation. An effective and efficient radiation protection program must: - prevent the detriment of health due to deterministic effects; - keep all the exposures as low as reasonably achievable in order to limit the detriment of health due to stochastic effects. - provide safety and health conditions as good as other safe industries. Radiation protection of occupationally exposed workers is part of Health and Safety of Work Program. Effective dose limits, as recommended by ICRP and required by CNCAN regulations are reasonably low in order to avoid deterministic effects and to limit the probability of stochastic effects to an acceptable level. The health status of CNE Cernavoda employees is appropriately surveyed. There were not recorded cases of occupational diseases and / or other indicators of relevant biological effects in order to establish the specific response of the human body to the occupational illness risk factors. Starting since 2002 cytogenesis blood analysis for occupationally exposed individuals have been performed at the beginning of their employment and periodically for those working for more than five years in the plant. A number of up to 1900 employees have been investigated with no indication of genetic modifications. (authors)

77 FR 68684 - Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Head Protection

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-16

..., 1918, and 1926 [Docket No. OSHA-2011-0184] RIN 1218-AC65 Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Head Protection AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor. ACTION: Final rule; confirmation of effective date. SUMMARY: OSHA is confirming the effective date of its...

Occupational diseases in Poland, 2012

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Urszula Wilczyńska

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Background: The aim of the paper was to present basic statistical data on occupational diseases diagnosed in 2012. Material and Methods: The work was based on the data from "Occupational Disease Reporting Forms" received by the Central Register of Occupational Diseases in 2012. The data comprised information on nosologic units, gender and age of patients, duration of occupational exposure, sections of the national economy and voivodeships. The incidence was specified in terms of the number of cases in relation to paid employees or to employed people. Results: The number of occupational diseases accounted for 2402 cases. The incidence rate was 23 cases per 100 000 paid employees. In spite of the general decline in the number of cases, the incidence of infectious and parasitic diseases increased by 8.6%. The highest incidence was noted for infectious and parasitic diseases (6.8/100 000, pneumoconioses (5.5/100 000, hearing loss (2.1/100 000, diseases of: the peripheral nervous system (2/100 000, voice disorders (1.9/100 000 and the musculo-skeletal system pathologies (1.1/100 000. The pathologies specified above accounted in total for 84% of all occupational diseases. The industrial sectors of the national economy characterized by the highest incidence included mining and quarrying (288.3/100 000 and manufacturing (27.8/100 000. The highest incidence was recorded in the Silesian (46.2/100 000 and the lowest in the Opolskie (4.2/100 000 voivodeships. Conclusions: The downward trend in the incidence of occupational diseases continues. Different incidence of voice disorders among teachers in individual provinces suggests that uniform preventive, diagnostic and certification standards are missing. Med Pr 2013;64(3:317–326

Comments on the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pochin, E E; Rock Carling, Ernest; Court Brown, W M [Medical Research Council, Committee on Protection against Ionizing Radiations, London (United Kingdom); and others

1960-12-01

Full text: The Medical Research Council's Committee on Protection against Ionizing Radiations has considered the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection adopted September 9th, 1958 (Pergamon Press, 1959), and the explanatory statement and amendments to the 1958 recommendations made at the 1959 meeting of the Commission (Brit. J. Radiol., 1960, 33, 189). Subject to the following comments, the Committee advocates the acceptance of the Commission's recommendations. The text of these recommendations is not reproduced here and requires to be read in conjunction with these comments. References below to numbered paragraphs refer to the text of the Commission's recommendations. Occupational exposure - 1. The formula given in para. 47 relates the maximum permissible total occupational dose accumulated in the gonads or certain other organs to the age of a subject above the age of 18 by the relationship D= 5 (N - 8) where D is the tissue dose in rems and N is the age in years. The Committee notes that this formula would permit a maximum dose to the gonads of 60 rems by age 30 and is of the opinion that this dose is acceptable provided that the contribution from this source to the genetic dose for the whole population does not exceed I rem per head of population. 2. The Commission recommends (para. 51c) that, when a person begins to be occupationally exposed at an age of less than 18 years, the dose to various specified tissues shall not exceed 5 rems in any one year under age 18, and the dose accumulated to age 30 shall not exceed 60 rems. The Committee recommends that those persons between the ages of 6 and 18 years who are in occupational contact with radiation should not be allowed to receive, as a result of their occupation. an annual dose in excess of 1-5 rems. This should be sufficient to allow the training of such persons in the use of ionizing radiations in hospitals, industrial establishments, technical colleges and schools. However

Empowering people to change occupational behaviours to address critical global issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Ikiugu, Moses N; Westerfield, Madeline A; Lien, Jamie M; Theisen, Emily R; Cerny, Shana L; Nissen, Ranelle M

2015-06-01

The greatest threat to human well-being in this century is climate change and related global issues. We examined the effectiveness of the Modified Instrumentalism in Occupational Therapy model as a framework for facilitating occupational behaviour change to address climate change and related issues. Eleven individuals participated in this mixed-methods single-subject-design study. Data were gathered using the Modified Assessment and Intervention Instrument for Instrumentalism in Occupational Therapy and Daily Occupational Inventories. Quantitative data were analyzed using two- and three-standard deviation band methods. Qualitative data were analyzed using heuristic phenomenological procedures. Occupational performance changed for five participants. Participants' feelings shifted from frustration and helplessness to empowerment and a desire for action. They felt empowered to find occupation-based solutions to the global issues. Occupation-based interventions that increase personal awareness of the connection between occupational performance and global issues could empower people to be agents for action to ameliorate the issues.

Does unbelted safety requirement affect protection for belted occupants?

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Jingwen; Klinich, Kathleen D; Manary, Miriam A; Flannagan, Carol A C; Narayanaswamy, Prabha; Reed, Matthew P; Andreen, Margaret; Neal, Mark; Lin, Chin-Hsu

2017-05-29

Federal regulations in the United States require vehicles to meet occupant performance requirements with unbelted test dummies. Removing the test requirements with unbelted occupants might encourage the deployment of seat belt interlocks and allow restraint optimization to focus on belted occupants. The objective of this study is to compare the performance of restraint systems optimized for belted-only occupants with those optimized for both belted and unbelted occupants using computer simulations and field crash data analyses. In this study, 2 validated finite element (FE) vehicle/occupant models (a midsize sedan and a midsize SUV) were selected. Restraint design optimizations under standardized crash conditions (U.S.-NCAP and FMVSS 208) with and without unbelted requirements were conducted using Hybrid III (HIII) small female and midsize male anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) in both vehicles on both driver and right front passenger positions. A total of 10 to 12 design parameters were varied in each optimization using a combination of response surface method (RSM) and genetic algorithm. To evaluate the field performance of restraints optimized with and without unbelted requirements, 55 frontal crash conditions covering a greater variety of crash types than those in the standardized crashes were selected. A total of 1,760 FE simulations were conducted for the field performance evaluation. Frontal crashes in the NASS-CDS database from 2002 to 2012 were used to develop injury risk curves and to provide the baseline performance of current restraint system and estimate the injury risk change by removing the unbelted requirement. Unbelted requirements do not affect the optimal seat belt and airbag design parameters in 3 out of 4 vehicle/occupant position conditions, except for the SUV passenger side. Overall, compared to the optimal designs with unbelted requirements, optimal designs without unbelted requirements generated the same or lower total injury risks for

Technology transfer through a network of standard methods and recommended practices - The case of petrochemicals

Science.gov (United States)

Batzias, Dimitris F.; Karvounis, Sotirios

2012-12-01

Technology transfer may take place in parallel with cooperative action between companies participating in the same organizational scheme or using one another as subcontractor (outsourcing). In this case, cooperation should be realized by means of Standard Methods and Recommended Practices (SRPs) to achieve (i) quality of intermediate/final products according to specifications and (ii) industrial process control as required to guarantee such quality with minimum deviation (corresponding to maximum reliability) from preset mean values of representative quality parameters. This work deals with the design of the network of SRPs needed in each case for successful cooperation, implying also the corresponding technology transfer, effectuated through a methodological framework developed in the form of an algorithmic procedure with 20 activity stages and 8 decision nodes. The functionality of this methodology is proved by presenting the path leading from (and relating) a standard test method for toluene, as petrochemical feedstock in the toluene diisocyanate production, to the (6 generations distance upstream) performance evaluation of industrial process control systems (ie., from ASTM D5606 to BS EN 61003-1:2004 in the SRPs network).

Controlling occupational radiation exposure. Alternatives to regulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sagan, L.A.; Squitieri, R.; Wildman, S.S.

1980-01-01

The principal strategy adopted for the control of occupational radiation exposure has been the establishment of standards expressed as maximum permissible exposures. The use of such standards is subject to a number of defects, among which is the neglect of the economic impact of imposing such standards. Furthermore, such standards carry the implication of a threshold for radiation effects, a concept now widely challenged. Lastly, the use of standards makes it impossible to evaluate the efficiency of the regulatory agency or to compare its performance with other similar agencies. An alternative to the use of standards, i.e. cost-benefit analysis, is discussed. The advantages of this technique meet many of the objections to the use of standards alone and allow health and safety resources to be allocated in a manner most likely to save the most lives. The greatest disadvantage of cost-benefit analysis has been the difficulty in evaluating the benefit side of the equation. Although the risks of radiation exposure are not known with precision, they are nevertheless well understood. Therefore, the application of cost-benefit analysis to occupational radiation exposure is rational. There are a number of barriers to reform in the use of standards and the adoption of cost-benefit analysis. These attitudinal and institutional constraints are discussed. The nature of private or market systems of control are discussed, i.e. the use of liability and insurance mechanisms. These also have shortcomings that require further development but are seen as potentially more efficient for both employer and employee than is the use of regulatory standards. (author)

Labeling programs and efficiency standards to control the energy consumption of household appliances: current situation, main results and recommendations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menanteau, Ph.

2000-09-01

To control the rise in electricity consumption for specific uses, the industrialized countries started by introducing special programs aimed at improving energy efficiency. Among the different instruments available, labeling programs and minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) have proved to be very effective. The first part of this document presents the current situation, the main results and recommendations concerning the labeling programs and efficiency standards to control the energy consumption of household appliances. This analyze is done for each country in details providing the name of the program or measure, the date of implementation, the objective and the main characteristics of the program, the impacts and evaluation. (A.L.B.)

Required competencies of occupational physicians: a Delphi survey of UK customers.

Science.gov (United States)

Reetoo, K N; Harrington, J M; Macdonald, E B

2005-06-01

Occupational physicians can contribute to good management in healthy enterprises. The requirement to take into account the needs of the customers when planning occupational health services is well established. To establish the priorities of UK employers, employees, and their representatives regarding the competencies they require from occupational physicians; to explore the reasons for variations of the priorities in different groups; and to make recommendations for occupational medicine training curricula in consideration of these findings. This study involved a Delphi survey of employers and employees from public and private organisations of varying business sizes, and health and safety specialists as well as trade union representatives throughout the UK. It was conducted in two rounds by a combination of computer assisted telephone interview (CATI) and postal survey techniques, using a questionnaire based on the list of competencies described by UK and European medical training bodies. There was broad consensus about the required competencies of occupational physicians among the respondent subgroups. All the competencies in which occupational physicians are trained were considered important by the customers. In the order of decreasing importance, the competencies were: Law and Ethics, Occupational Hazards, Disability and Fitness for Work, Communication, Environmental Exposures, Research Methods, Health Promotion, and Management. The priorities of customers differed from previously published occupational physicians' priorities. Existing training programmes for occupational physicians should be regularly reviewed and where necessary, modified to ensure that the emphasis of training meets customer requirements.

EULAR recommendations for the non-pharmacological core management of hip and knee osteoarthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fernandes, Linda; Hagen, Kåre B; Bijlsma, Johannes W J

2013-01-01

The objective was to develop evidence -based recommendations and a research and educational agenda for the non-pharmacological management of hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA). The multidisciplinary task force comprised 21 experts: nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, rheumatologists...

Standards for collection of identifying information for health record keeping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carpenter, M.; Fair, M.E.; Lalonde, P.; Scott, T.

1988-09-01

A new recommended guideline for the standard data collection of individual identifying information has been developed and tested by Statistics Canada. The purpose of developing a standard method is to improve health record keeping in Canada: in particular for long term medical follow-up studies of individuals exposed to potentially hazardous agents for detection of possible health risks or delayed harm, e.g. individuals exposed to radiation through occupations, the environment, emergencies, or therapeutic practice. A data collection standard is also useful for epidemiological follow-up studies for other occupation groups such as chemical workers and miners, or for lifestyle, genetic and other studies. Statistics Canada, Health Division, Occupational and Environmental Health Research Unit (OEHRU), from their experience with long term health studies using the Canadian Mortality Data Base, has prepared a 'Data Collection Package' to include the developed and tested data collection guideline. It is anticipated this will help produce more thorough and comparable on-going record keeping while saving costs and time for many organizations e.g. Atomic Energy Control Board licensees who report radiation doses to the National Dose Registry, as well as for other companies and organizations across the country where long term medical follow-up studies are anticipated now or in the future. It may also allow for broader industrial, national and international comparisons. The guideline consists of a two page Individual Identity Summary (IIS): the first page for completion by the individual/employee to give unique identifying information; the second page for the study organizer/employer to include essential additional information (work history etc.). A third optional page can be used by organizations wishing to collect data on children. The Data Collection Package also includes brief explanatory notes, a suggested file record layout and detailed computer coding advice for entering

Hooked on a feeling: emotional labor as an occupational hazard of the post-industrial age.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, Bonnie K; Karcz, Susan; Rosenberg, Beth

2008-01-01

Emotional labor is a subtle but serious occupational hazard that is likely to spread rapidly as the global service economy continues to grow. Emotional labor requires more than just acting friendly and being helpful to customers; the worker must manage his or her emotions to create a company-dictated experience for customers. The practice of emotional labor in an unsupportive work environment produces work-related stress, which has a wide range of potentially serious health effects. Though many employers do not acknowledge the existence of emotional labor, it is a real occupational hazard that may generate life-altering effects on physical and emotional health. While no official regulations or identification standards specify emotional labor as an occupational hazard, some guidelines exist regarding its outcome: occupational stress. Emotional labor should be recognized as an occupational hazard by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), but this hazard does not lend itself to regulation through standards. The business culture that demands its performance is questioned.

Occupational Clusters.

Science.gov (United States)

Pottawattamie County School System, Council Bluffs, IA.

The 15 occupational clusters (transportation, fine arts and humanities, communications and media, personal service occupations, construction, hospitality and recreation, health occupations, marine science occupations, consumer and homemaking-related occupations, agribusiness and natural resources, environment, public service, business and office…

HEALTH OCCUPATIONS SUPPORTIVE TO NURSING, A STATEMENT OF POLICIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

Science.gov (United States)

American Nurses' Association, New York, NY.

TO SOLVE THE NURSING PERSONNEL SHORTAGE, THE AMERICAN NURSES' ASSOCIATION RECOMMENDED--(1) THE FIRST PRIORITY FOR FEDERAL MONIES FOR TRAINING HEALTH WORKERS FOR NURSING SERVICES SHOULD BE TO PREPARE REGISTERED NURSES FOR TEACHING, SUPERVISION, AND ADMINISTRATION, (2) A CONCERTED EFFORT SHOULD BE MADE TO RECRUIT YOUNG PEOPLE AND TO ATTRACT INACTIVE…

Conducting Organizational-level occupational health interventions: What works?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Karina; Randall, Raymond; Holten, Ann-Louise

2010-01-01

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in how organizational-level occupational health interventions aimed at improving psychosocial working conditions and employee health and well-being may be planned, implemented and evaluated. It has been claimed that such interventions have...... the alteration of the way in which work is designed, organized and managed. The methods identified are the Risk Management approach and the Management Standards from Great Britain, the German Health Circles approach, Work Positive from Ireland and Prevenlab from Spain. Comparative analyses reveal...... their appropriateness in conducting organizationallevel occupational health interventions. Finally, we discuss where we still need more research to determine the working ingredients of organizational-level occupational health interventions....

Codex general standard for irradiated foods and recommended international code of practice for the operation of radiation facilities used for the treatment of foods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-06-01

The FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission was established to implement the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme. The purpose of this programme is to protect the health of consumers and to ensure fair practices in the food trade. At its 15th session, held in July 1983, the Commission adopted a Codex General Standard for Irradiated Foods and a Recommended International Code of Practice for the Operation of Radiation Facilities used for the Treatment of Foods. This Standard takes into account the recommendations and conclusions of the Joint FAO/IAEA/WHO Expert Committees convened to evaluate all available data concerning the various aspects of food irradiation. This Standard refers only to those aspects which relate to the processing of foods by ionising energy. The Standard recognizes that the process of food irradiation has been established as safe for general application to an overall average level of absorbed dose of 10 KGy. The latter value shold not be regarded as a toxicological upper limit above which irradiated foods become unsafe; it is simply the level at or below which safety has been established. The Standard provides certain mandatory provisions concerning the facilities used and for the control of the process in the irradiation plants. The present Standard requires that shipping documents accompanying irradiated foods moving in trade should indicate the fact of irradiation. The labelling of prepackaged irradiated foods intended for direct sale to the consumer is not covered in this Standard

Codex general standard for irradiated foods and recommended international code of practice for the operation of radiation facilities used for the treatment of foods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-01-01

The FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission was established to implement the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme. The purpose of this programme is to protect the health of consumers and to ensure fair practices in the food trade. At its 15th session, held in July 1983, the Commission adopted a Codex General Standard for Irradiated Foods and a Recommended International Code of Practice for the Operation of Radiation Facilities used for the Treatment of Foods. This Standard takes into account the recommendations and conclusions of the Joint FAO/IAEA/WHO Expert Committees convened to evaluate all available data concerning the various aspects of food irradiation. This Standard refers only to those aspects which relate to the processing of foods by ionising energy. The Standard recognizes that the process of food irradiation has been established as safe for general application to an overall average level of absorbed dose of 10 kGy. The latter value should not be regarded as a toxicological upper limit above which irradiated foods become unsafe; it is simply the level at or below which safety has been established. The Standard provides certain mandatory provisions concerning the facilities used and for the control of the process in the irradiation plants. The present Standard requires that shipping documents accompanying irradiated foods moving in trade should indicate the fact of irradiation. The labelling of prepackaged irradiated foods intended for direct sale to the consumer is not covered in this Standard

78 FR 52848 - Occupational Safety and Health Standards for Aircraft Cabin Crewmembers

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-27

... air quality issues; food/beverage carts; and ergonomics. OSHA's noise, bloodborne pathogens, and... exposure, cabin air quality, food and beverage cart and ergonomic issues are not being considered at this... comments from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health that cited several studies it...

A Top-N Recommender System Evaluation Protocol Inspired by Deployed Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

A. Said (Alan); A. Bellogín Kouki (Alejandro); A.P. de Vries (Arjen)

2013-01-01

htmlabstractThe evaluation of recommender systems is crucial for their development. In today's recommendation landscape there are many standardized recommendation algorithms and approaches, however, there exists no standardized method for experimental setup of evaluation -- not even for widely used

[Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and its usefulness in occupational medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Czaja-Mitura, Izabela; Bortkiewicz, Alicja

2012-01-01

The application of long-term blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in the occupational medicine practice, its advantages and disadvantages and the diagnostic and prognostic values of the parameters determined during the test were reviewed. The circumstances (e.g., social meeting, phone call) in which blood pressure value significantly differs from its resting value were identified. The methodology and reference values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure proposed by the European Society of Hypertension and the European Society of Cardiology were discussed as well as the recommended values of the blood pressure load. Ihe use of ABPM in the assessment of circadian blood pressure rhythm and the prognostic value of insufficient nocturnal drop (in non-dippers) or excessive nocturnal drop of ABP (in extreme dippers), and inverted circadian ABP variation (in reverse-dippers) was discussed. Attention was paid to the prognostic value of BP variability over short periods of time, which is specified in terms of standard deviation or coefficient of variance. This variability is considered as a factor capable of modifying the course, complications and prognosis of the hypertensive disease. The phenomena of "white coat hypertension" and masked hypertension were also described. It was demonstrated that the use of ABPM in occupational medicine is feasible, especially for preventive purposes, in workers exposed to different adverse work-related factors (noise, electromagnetic fields, shift work).

The Environmental Impact on Occupational Therapy Interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Skubik-Peplaski, Camille Louise; Howell, Dana; Hunter, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the environment influenced the intervention choices occupational therapists made for patients recovering from a stroke in an inpatient rehabilitation hospital. Three occupational therapists were observed providing intervention for six patients over a 16-month period. Treatment spaces included a therapy gym, gym with kitchen combination, and a home-like space. Furniture was added to the therapy gym to be more home-like midway through the study. Observations included therapist selection of treatment location and interventions, and observational data of the environment and interactions among therapists and patients. This study found that inpatient rehabilitation environments did influence interventions. The occupational therapists provided therapy in the standard therapy gym environment most often, whether it was enhanced to be more home-like or not, and predominately used preparatory methods.

Systematically extracting metal- and solvent-related occupational information from free-text responses to lifetime occupational history questionnaires.

Science.gov (United States)

Friesen, Melissa C; Locke, Sarah J; Tornow, Carina; Chen, Yu-Cheng; Koh, Dong-Hee; Stewart, Patricia A; Purdue, Mark; Colt, Joanne S

2014-06-01

Lifetime occupational history (OH) questionnaires often use open-ended questions to capture detailed information about study participants' jobs. Exposure assessors use this information, along with responses to job- and industry-specific questionnaires, to assign exposure estimates on a job-by-job basis. An alternative approach is to use information from the OH responses and the job- and industry-specific questionnaires to develop programmable decision rules for assigning exposures. As a first step in this process, we developed a systematic approach to extract the free-text OH responses and convert them into standardized variables that represented exposure scenarios. Our study population comprised 2408 subjects, reporting 11991 jobs, from a case-control study of renal cell carcinoma. Each subject completed a lifetime OH questionnaire that included verbatim responses, for each job, to open-ended questions including job title, main tasks and activities (task), tools and equipment used (tools), and chemicals and materials handled (chemicals). Based on a review of the literature, we identified exposure scenarios (occupations, industries, tasks/tools/chemicals) expected to involve possible exposure to chlorinated solvents, trichloroethylene (TCE) in particular, lead, and cadmium. We then used a SAS macro to review the information reported by study participants to identify jobs associated with each exposure scenario; this was done using previously coded standardized occupation and industry classification codes, and a priori lists of associated key words and phrases related to possibly exposed tasks, tools, and chemicals. Exposure variables representing the occupation, industry, and task/tool/chemicals exposure scenarios were added to the work history records of the study respondents. Our identification of possibly TCE-exposed scenarios in the OH responses was compared to an expert's independently assigned probability ratings to evaluate whether we missed identifying

76 FR 28786 - Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-18

.... The sample size is based on recommendations related to qualitative interview methods and the research... than 10 employees (CPWR, 2007), and this establishment size experiences the highest fatality rate... out occupational safety and health training. This interview will be administered to a sample of...

The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses' Respiratory Protection Education Program and Resources Webkit for Occupational Health Professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Pompeii, Lisa; Byrd, Annette; Delclos, George L; Conway, Sadie H

2016-12-01

Organizations are required to adhere to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134) if they have workers that wear a respirator on the job. They must also have an employee "suitably trained" to administer their program. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and its National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory have worked to champion the occupational health nurse in this role by collaborating with the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses to develop free, online respiratory protection training and resources (RPP Webkit). This article describes the development, content, and success of this training. To date, 724 participants have completed the training, 32.6% of whom lead their organization's respiratory protection program, 15.3% who indicated they will lead a program in the near future, and 52% who did not lead a program, but indicated that the training was relevant to their work. The majority "strongly agreed" the training was applicable to their work and it enhanced their professional expertise. © 2016 The Author(s).

What are the short-term and long-term effects of occupation-focused and occupation-based occupational therapy in the home on older adults' occupational performance?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Tove Lise; Petersen, Kirsten Schultz; Nielsen, Claus Vinther

2016-01-01

critically appraised 13 of 995 detected papers. Extracted data were presented and summarised descriptively. Results Eight high-quality papers showed that occupation-focused and occupation-based occupational therapy using cognitive, behavioural and environmental strategies may significantly improve......Abstract Title What are the short-term and long-term effects of occupation-focused and occupation-based occupational therapy in the home on older adults’ occupational performance? A systematic review Background There is a lack of evidence-based knowledge about the effectiveness of home......-based occupational therapy for older adults aimed at improving occupational performance by practicing activities and tasks. Aim This review synthesizes and discusses evidence for the effectiveness of occupation-focused and occupation-based occupational therapy for older adults at home. Material and methods Peer...

[Which occupational groups in a hospital are particularly stressed?].

Science.gov (United States)

Schmid, K; Drexler, H; Fischmann, W; Uter, W; Kiesel, J

2011-07-01

Increasing workload in health professionals and resulting health consequences have frequently been reported. We analysed the results from an employee attitude survey within a network of workplace health promotion and compared three occupational groups of a university hospital with two samples of employees of other industries. The survey was conducted in the years 2005, 2006 and 2007 using a standardized method, addressing 1748 employees of six companies. In order to compare specific occupational groups, both within the hospital and amongst different companies, five occupational groups were selected (medical profession, nursing service and administration of the hospital, academics of another company and employees of a financial service provider). Some results were specific for an occupational group, such as lower back pain and skin diseases in nurses and exhaustion in clinicians. Regarding several items the responses of employees of the hospital's administration were similar to that of the medical professionals and differed significantly from the responses of administrative and related employees in other companies. Employees of all occupational groups of the hospital were often frustrated and felt their work was not appreciated. Frequent demands included improved work atmosphere, better appreciation of work and better information regarding innovations. The analysis of standardized survey results specific for companies and occupational groups is an appropriate way to identify targets of health promotion. Constant over three surveys, again a high burden of stress was found in health care workers even affecting the administrative staff, regarding several work-related stress factors. According to our results activities to improve the working conditions in hospitals are urgently needed. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Occupational disease among non-governmental employees in Malaysia: 2002-2006.

Science.gov (United States)

Abas, Adinegara Bin Lutfi; Said, Abdul Razzak Bin Mohd; Mohammed, Mohammed Azman Bin Aziz; Sathiakumar, Nalini

2008-01-01

In the absence of systematic occupational disease surveillance, other data collected by governmental agencies or industry is useful in the identification of occupational diseases and their control. We examined data on occupational diseases reported by non-governmental employees to the national workers' social security organization in Malaysia, 2002-2006. The overall incidence rate of occupational disease was 2.8 per 100,000 workers. There was an increase in the annual number and rates of occupational disease over time. The most frequently reported conditions were hearing impairment (32%) and musculoskeletal disorders (28%). Workers in the non-metallic manufacturing industry had the highest average incidence rate of hearing impairment (12.7 per 100,000 workers) and musculoskeletal disorders (3.5 per 100,000 workers), compared to all other industries. Preventive measures should focus on safety education, engineering control and workplace ergonomics. Enforcing workplace standards and incorporating an ongoing surveillance system will facilitate the control and reduction of occupational disease.

Awareness and Use of Electronic Health Records in Entry-Level Occupational Therapy and Occupational Therapy Assistant Curricula

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Louis F. Dmytryk

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE requires programs to instruct entrylevel occupational therapy (OT and occupational therapy assistant (OTA students in technology that may include electronic documentation systems, distance communication, virtual environments, and telehealth (standard B1.8. At this time, there are no publications describing if and how electronic health record (EHR instruction is implemented in entry-level OT and OTA programs. The purpose of this study is to investigate awareness and use of EHRs in entry-level OT and OTA curricula. Respondents from 76 nationally accredited entry-level programs (two OT doctoral, 24 OT masters, two OT combined bachelors/masters, and 48 OTA completed a survey. The findings showed inconsistent and incomplete EHR instruction in entry-level OT and OTA education. This study provides a baseline for investigating best practices in EHR education for entrylevel OT and OTA students

Rheumatology education for undergraduate nursing, physiotherapy and occupational therapy students in the UK: standards, challenges and solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Hewlett, S; Clarke, B; O'Brien, A; Hammond, A; Ryan, S; Kay, L; Richards, P; Almeida, C

2008-07-01

Rheumatological conditions are common, thus nurses (Ns) occupational therapists (OTs) and physiotherapists (PTs) require at least basic rheumatology knowledge upon qualifying. The aim of this study was to develop a core set of teaching topics and potential ways of delivering them. A modified Delphi technique was used for clinicians to develop preliminary core sets of teaching topics for each profession. Telephone interviews with educationalists explored their views on these, and challenges and solutions for delivering them. Inter-professional workshops enabled clinicians and educationalists to finalize the core set together, and generate methods for delivery. Thirty-nine rheumatology clinicians (12N, 14OT, 13PT) completed the Delphi consensus, proposing three preliminary core sets (N71 items, OT29, PT26). Nineteen educationalists (6N, 7OT, 6PT) participated in telephone interviews, raising concerns about disease-specific vs generic teaching and proposing many methods for delivery. Three inter-professional workshops involved 34 participants (clinicians: N12, OT9, PT5; educationalists: N2, OT3, PT2; Patient 1) who reached consensus on a single core set comprising six teaching units: Anatomy and Physiology; Assessment; Management and Intervention; Psychosocial Issues; Patient Education; and the Multi-disciplinary Team, recommending some topics within the units receive greater depth for some professions. An innovative range of delivery options was generated plus two brief interventions: a Rheumatology Chat Show and a Rheumatology Road Show. Working together, clinicians and educationalists proposed a realistic core set of rheumatology topics for undergraduate health professionals. They proposed innovative delivery methods, with collaboration between educationalists, clinicians and patients strongly recommended. These potential interventions need testing.

Occupational radiation protection legislation in Israel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tadmor, J.; Schlesinger, T.; Lemesch, C.

1980-01-01

A committee of experts appointed by the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs has proposed a comprehensive draft regulation, concerning the legal aspects of occupational radiation protection in Israel. The first section of the proposed regulation sets forth guidelines for control in facilities where workers handle radioactive materials or radiation equipment. This includes the duties of the managers of such places to ensure adequate radiation protection and also the maximum recommended doses (whole body and individual organs) for radiation workers. The second section deals with the monitoring regulations for radiation workers who may be exposed to doses in excess of 500 mRem/y. The third section outlines the nature of the mechanical supervision required, i.e. routine and special examinations. Finally the committee also proposed six miscellaneous recommendations for radiation protection. (UK)

The system of personal monitoring and the evaluation of occupational exposure to external ionizing radiation in Cuba

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molina, Daniel; Castro, Ailza; Martinez, Ernesto; Pernas, Rene

2008-01-01

Full text: Personal monitoring of workers is recommended or required by the International Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources. In our country the personal monitoring of external exposure to ionizing radiation is carried out by External Dosimetry Laboratory (LDE) of the Center for Radiation Protection and Hygiene (CPHR). We have implemented an individual monitoring service based on thermoluminescence dosimetry system. The service includes whole body and extremity dosimeters. We have two systems; one is base on a manual Toledo TLD reader and the other on an automatic RADOS TLD system. This service is recognized by the National Regulatory Authority in the field of radiation protection and safety. We have implemented a quality assurance (QA) programme designed according to the recommendations of the ISO/IEC 17025 standards. The papers deals with the presentation of these QA programme which includes administrative data and information, technical checking of the equipment, acceptance tests of new dosimeters and equipment, issuing and processing of the dosimeters, dose evaluation, record keeping and reporting, traceability, handling of complaints, internal reviews and external audits. The papers also describe the results of occupational exposure for the different practices during 2006-2007 period. (author)

Standards for reporting qualitative research: a synthesis of recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, Bridget C; Harris, Ilene B; Beckman, Thomas J; Reed, Darcy A; Cook, David A

2014-09-01

Standards for reporting exist for many types of quantitative research, but currently none exist for the broad spectrum of qualitative research. The purpose of the present study was to formulate and define standards for reporting qualitative research while preserving the requisite flexibility to accommodate various paradigms, approaches, and methods. The authors identified guidelines, reporting standards, and critical appraisal criteria for qualitative research by searching PubMed, Web of Science, and Google through July 2013; reviewing the reference lists of retrieved sources; and contacting experts. Specifically, two authors reviewed a sample of sources to generate an initial set of items that were potentially important in reporting qualitative research. Through an iterative process of reviewing sources, modifying the set of items, and coding all sources for items, the authors prepared a near-final list of items and descriptions and sent this list to five external reviewers for feedback. The final items and descriptions included in the reporting standards reflect this feedback. The Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) consists of 21 items. The authors define and explain key elements of each item and provide examples from recently published articles to illustrate ways in which the standards can be met. The SRQR aims to improve the transparency of all aspects of qualitative research by providing clear standards for reporting qualitative research. These standards will assist authors during manuscript preparation, editors and reviewers in evaluating a manuscript for potential publication, and readers when critically appraising, applying, and synthesizing study findings.

Psychometric properties of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure in home-dwelling older adults

Science.gov (United States)

Tuntland, Hanne; Aaslund, Mona Kristin; Langeland, Eva; Espehaug, Birgitte; Kjeken, Ingvild

2016-01-01

Background The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) is an occupational therapy instrument designed to help participants identify, prioritize, and evaluate performance of important occupations. Objective To investigate the validity, responsiveness, interpretability, and feasibility of the COPM when used by various health professions in home-dwelling older adults receiving reablement. Reablement is a new form of multidisciplinary home-based rehabilitation for older adults experiencing functional decline. Participants and methods The sample of 225 participants, mean age 80.8 years, who were in need of rehabilitation for various health conditions were included in the study. Data collection was conducted at baseline and at 10 weeks follow-up. The COSMIN guidelines and recommendations for evaluating methodological quality were followed. Results Content validity, construct validity, and feasibility were found to be adequate. Responsiveness, however, was moderate. Functional mobility was the most frequently prioritized occupational category of all. Regarding interpretability, the minimal important change was 3.0 points and 3.2 points for performance and satisfaction, respectively. The older adults reported that COPM was a useful and manageable instrument. The majority of the occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and nurses reported that they had the required expertise to conduct the COPM assessments. Conclusion The results support the multidisciplinary use of the COPM in clinical practice and research in a home-dwelling, heterogeneous population of older adults. Based on the findings, 3 points are recommended as a cutoff point to distinguish between older adults who have a minimal important change in COPM performance and COPM satisfaction and those who have not. PMID:27621647

State Skill Standards: Welding

Science.gov (United States)

Pointer, Mike; Naylor, Randy; Warden, John; Senek, Gene; Shirley, Charles; Lefcourt, Lew; Munson, Justin; Johnson, Art

2005-01-01

The Department of Education has undertaken an ambitious effort to develop statewide occupational skill standards. The standards in this document are for welding programs and are designed to clearly state what the student should know and be able to do upon completion of an advanced high-school program. The writing team determined that any statewide…

A Study on Musculoskeletal Disorders and Personal and Occupational Risk Factors among Surgeons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Tirgar

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Background and purpose: Surgery is a high risk profession owing to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs. Fine and precise operations cause surgeons to adopt prolonged fixed posture. As there is limited information in this region, the purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of MSDs and personal and occupational risk factors among surgeons in Babol (a northern city in Iran. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 45 surgeons during 2011 using a questionnaire in three parts including: Demographic and occupational data, Nordic standardized musculoskeletal disorders questionnaire (NMQ, and Body Discomfort Assessment technique. The working posture during operation was assessed by Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical indexes and chi- square test, and a p<0.05 was considered as significant. Results: According to the data, the mean of work experience was 19.9±6 years, and the mean of work hours was 54.2±14 (ranged 20-80 hours per week. Ninety five percent of surgeons reported experiencing one or more MSDs symptoms during the previous year. Neck pain (66.7% and low back pain (LBP (51% was the more frequent reported complaint. The results showed a significant statistical difference between LBP with weekly regular exercise and work experience. Conclusion: The results indicate that MSDs are the common problems among the surgeons and they are at risk because of their personal and occupational conditions. So, ergonomics interventions in order to prevent MSDs are recommended.

Assessment of occupational exposures to external radiation - IAEA recommendation 1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trousil, J; Plichta, J [CSOD, Praha (Czech Republic); Nikodemova, D [SOD, Bratislava (Slovakia)

1996-12-31

The IAEA recommendation contains the guidance on: (1) establishing monitoring programmes; (2) the interpretation of results; (3) records keeping; (4) quality assurance. The objectives for workplace monitoring including the recommended methods are also involved. The choice of personal dosemeter depends not only on the type of radiation but also on the method of interpretation what will be used: (1) photon dosemeters giving information only on the personal dose equivalent Hp(10) - mostly TL or RPL dosemeters are used; (2) photon dosemeter of discriminating type giving, in addition to Hp(10) and Hp(0.07), some indication of radiation type and effective energy and detection of electrons - data which must be known for E calculation -mostly film badge is used; (3) extremity dosemeters giving information on Hp(0.07) - mostly TL dosemeters are used; (4) neutron dosemeters giving information on Hp(10) -track-etch or albedo dosemeters are used. The monitoring service should have quality assurance testing which is an organization`s internal system of procedures and practices which assures the quality of its service. This process may be part of the approval performance testing which is a part of approved procedures carried out be the authoritative organization in regular intervals. The approved monitoring service should perform the dose records keeping which serve the protection of the workers and these data are the part of the Register of the Professional Exposures which is mostly organized by the authoritative body. (J.K.).

Assessment of occupational exposures to external radiation - IAEA recommendation 1995

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trousil, J.; Plichta, J.; Nikodemova, D.

1995-01-01

The IAEA recommendation contains the guidance on: (1) establishing monitoring programmes; (2) the interpretation of results; (3) records keeping; (4) quality assurance. The objectives for workplace monitoring including the recommended methods are also involved. The choice of personal dosemeter depends not only on the type of radiation but also on the method of interpretation what will be used: (1) photon dosemeters giving information only on the personal dose equivalent Hp(10) - mostly TL or RPL dosemeters are used; (2) photon dosemeter of discriminating type giving, in addition to Hp(10) and Hp(0.07), some indication of radiation type and effective energy and detection of electrons - data which must be known for E calculation -mostly film badge is used; (3) extremity dosemeters giving information on Hp(0.07) - mostly TL dosemeters are used; (4) neutron dosemeters giving information on Hp(10) -track-etch or albedo dosemeters are used. The monitoring service should have quality assurance testing which is an organization's internal system of procedures and practices which assures the quality of its service. This process may be part of the approval performance testing which is a part of approved procedures carried out be the authoritative organization in regular intervals. The approved monitoring service should perform the dose records keeping which serve the protection of the workers and these data are the part of the Register of the Professional Exposures which is mostly organized by the authoritative body. (J.K.)

Nordic Intervention Criteria for Nuclear or Radiological Emergencies. Recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

undertaking an intervention have been categorised into different groups according to their work. Radiation protection criteria for these workers are consistent with the international recommendations. Workers who are undertaking their normal occupation in the area affected by an accident, but who are not directly engaged with the accident itself, are regarded equally with members of the public. Some of these workers might be exposed to increased radiation due to their occupation, and they should receive detailed instructions on protective measures. (orig.)

RECOMMENDED HVAC STANDARD OF THE FLORIDA RADON RESEARCH PROGRAM

Science.gov (United States)

The report contains the recommended language for the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) section of the "Florida Code for Radon-resistant Construction and Mitigation." t deals with elements of construction that relate to the HVAC of houses. ts primary intent is to p...

New occupational diseases legislation rules – Functioning evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcin Rybacki

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Background: On 3 July 2009, new law pertaining to occupational diseases (ODs became effective in Poland. The article presents opinions of the representatives of the 1st degree ODs certification entities and sanitary inspectorates on the changes in OD law and the problems that may cause difficulties and/or certification errors. Material and Methods: A questionnaire study was performed covering representatives of 20 voivodeship occupational medicine centers and 40 national district sanitary inspectorates. We received 57 completed questionnaires which were analyzed. Results: Positive opinions were expressed on changes in procedures on reporting suspected occupational diseases (50%, keeping time limits for diagnosing ODs (89.2%, and changes pertaining to entities responsible for certifying infectious ODs (92.9%. A large group of respondents (66.7% was in favor of conducting jointly an occupational exposure risk analysis by occupational medicine physicians and occupational health and safety practitioners and/or sanitary inspectors. One-third of the respondents declared that changes in the list of ODs had no influence on the certification procedure. Conclusions: New law has improved the existing procedure of ODs certification. There is a need to elaborate detailed diagnostic guidelines on and criteria for ODs identification and recognition. A panel of experts should be established by the Ministry of Health to track the latest advancements in medicine and to update the list of ODs. Conducting jointly an occupational exposure risk analysis by occupational medicine physicians and occupational health and safety practitioners and/or sanitary inspectors should become a standard. Med Pr 2014;65(4:473–483

Occupational health care return-to-work practices for workers with job burnout.

Science.gov (United States)

Kärkkäinen, Riitta; Saaranen, Terhi; Räsänen, Kimmo

2018-02-23

Occupational health care supports return to work in cases of burnout; however, there is little research on return-to-work practices. To describe occupational health care return-to-work practices for workers with burnout and to identify potential for the development of the practices. Open-ended interviews and essays were used to collect data from 25 occupational health care professionals. A qualitative content analysis method was used. Occupational health care was involved in the return-to-work support in the off-work, work re-entry and maintenance phases during the return-to-work process. However, occupational health care had no influence in the advancement phase. The key return-to-work actions were: (i) defining burnout, (ii) supporting disengagement from work, (iii) supporting recovery, (iv) determining the return-to-work goal, (v) supporting re-engagement with work, (vi) monitoring the job-person match, (vii) re-evaluating the return-to-work goal, (viii) supporting the maintenance of the achieved return-to-work goal, and, where appropriate, (ix) supporting an alternative return-to-work goal. There were varied return-to-work practices among the occupational health care centers evaluated. The occupational health care return-to-work practices for workers with burnout are described with recommendations to further develop common practice guidelines.

75 FR 24746 - Occupational Exposure to Noise Standard; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-05

... workers of a loss in hearing based on comparing audiograms; training workers on the effects of noise... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Occupational Safety and Health Administration [Docket No. OSHA-2010-0017... Information Collection (Paperwork) Requirements AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA...

Melioidosis Cases and Selected Reports of Occupational Exposures to Burkholderia pseudomallei--United States, 2008-2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Benoit, Tina J; Blaney, David D; Gee, Jay E; Elrod, Mindy G; Hoffmaster, Alex R; Doker, Thomas J; Bower, William A; Walke, Henry T

2015-07-03

Melioidosis is an infection caused by the Gram-negative bacillus Burkholderia pseudomallei, which is naturally found in water and soil in areas endemic for melioidosis. Infection can be severe and sometimes fatal. The federal select agent program designates B. pseudomallei as a Tier 1 overlap select agent, which can affect both humans and animals. Identification of B. pseudomallei and all occupational exposures must be reported to the Federal Select Agent Program immediately (i.e., within 24 hours), whereas states are not required to notify CDC's Bacterial Special Pathogens Branch (BSPB) of human infections. 2008-2013. The passive surveillance system includes reports of suspected (human and animal) melioidosis cases and reports of incidents of possible occupational exposures. Reporting of suspected cases to BSPB is voluntary. BSPB receives reports of occupational exposure in the context of a request for technical consultation (so that the system does not include the full complement of the mandatory and confidential reporting to the Federal Select Agent Program). Reporting sources include state health departments, medical facilities, microbiologic laboratories, or research facilities. Melioidosis cases are classified using the standard case definition adopted by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists in 2011. In follow up to reports of occupational exposures, CDC often provides technical assistance to state health departments to identify all persons with possible exposures, define level of risk, and provide recommendations for postexposure prophylaxis and health monitoring of exposed persons. During 2008-2013, BSPB provided technical assistance to 20 U.S. states and Puerto Rico involving 37 confirmed cases of melioidosis (34 human cases and three animal cases). Among those with documented travel history, the majority of reported cases (64%) occurred among persons with a documented travel history to areas endemic for melioidosis. Two persons did not

Effect of warm air supplied facially on occupants' comfort

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaczmarczyk, J. [Department of Heating, Ventilation and Dust Removal Technology, Silesian University of Technology, Konarskiego 20, PL-44-101 Gliwice (Poland); Melikov, A.; Sliva, D. [Department of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy, Nils Koppels Alle, DTU, Building 402, 2800 Lyngby (Denmark)

2010-04-15

Human response to air movement supplied locally towards the face was studied in a room with an air temperature of 20 C and a relative humidity of 30%. Thirty-two human subjects were exposed to three conditions: calm environment and facially supplied airflow at 21 C and at 26 C. The air was supplied with a constant velocity of 0.4 m/s by means of personalized ventilation towards the face of the subjects. The airflow at 21 C decreased the subjects' thermal sensation and increased draught discomfort, but improved slightly the perceived air quality. Heating of the supplied air by 6 K (temperature increase by 4 K at the target area) above the room air temperature decreased the draught discomfort, improved subjects' thermal comfort and only slightly decreased the perceived air quality. Elevated velocity and temperature of the localized airflow caused an increase of nose dryness intensity and number of eye irritation reports. Results suggest that increasing the temperature of the air locally supplied to the breathing zone by only a few degrees above the room air temperature will improve occupants' thermal comfort and will diminish draught discomfort. This strategy will extend the applicability of personalized ventilation aiming to supply clean air for breathing at the lower end of the temperature range recommended in the standards. Providing individual control is essential in order to avoid discomfort for the most sensitive occupants. (author)

[Preventing occupational eye trauma (Geneva, Switzerland)].

Science.gov (United States)

Ngondi, C Emole; Chastonay, P; Dosso, A

2010-01-01

Occupational eye trauma causes injuries with often serious socioprofessional, medical-legal, and economic consequences, not only for workers themselves, but also for employers. In spite of today's legislation and the efforts to encourage prevention, the frequency of occupational ocular accidents remains relatively high despite how easy it is to protect the eyes. In this study, the reasons that these accidents persist despite the progress made in preventive measures was investigated. From January to July 2005, we analyzed the parameters related to 175 occupational eye injuries. All patients agreed to take part in this study, which was carried out in the emergency unit of the Ophthalmology Clinic at Geneva University Hospital. Additional data was collected in companies. Construction workers were the most exposed (41.1%). The activity with the greatest risk was grinding (19.4%). The most affected structure of the eye was the cornea (84%), 72.6% patients were not equipped with ocular protection at the time of the accident, and 17.4% wore poorly adapted eye protection. This can be explained by negligence, lack of awareness, etc. Overall, workers, employers, and the legislation in force are all responsible. Our results are comparable with those found in the literature, with certain particularities because heavy industry was underrepresented in our sample. Analysis of the law on the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases shows that the worker is not sufficiently aware of his responsibilities. To our knowledge, the legal aspects treated herein have not been studied. As done in certain studies, we emphasize the importance of preventive ophthalmologic examinations as well as improvement of both working conditions and worker awareness in the workplace. Primary prevention must be reinforced. Information campaigns within the workplace aimed at workers and revision of the laws on occupational safety are some of the recommendations that are proposed to control

Chapter 4. Manpower. Recommendations and standard operating procedures for intensive care unit and hospital preparations for an influenza epidemic or mass disaster

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sandrock, Christian; Christian, Michael D.; Camargo, Ruben; Ceraso, Daniel; Azoulay, Elie; Duguet, Alexandre; Guery, Benoit; Reinhart, Konrad; Adini, Bruria; Barlavie, Yaron; Benin-Goren, Odeda; Cohen, Robert; Klein, Motti; Leoniv, Yuval; Margalit, Gila; Rubinovitch, Bina; Sonnenblick, Moshe; Sprung, Charles L.; Steinberg, Avraham; Weissman, Charles; Wolff, Donna; Kesecioglu, Jozef; de Jong, Menno; Moreno, Rui; An, Youzhong; Du, Bin; Joynt, Gavin M.; Colvin, John; Loo, Shi; Richards, Guy; Artigas, Antonio; Pugin, Jerome; Amundson, Dennis; Devereaux, Asha; Beigel, John; Danis, Marion; Farmer, Chris; Hick, John L.; Maki, Dennis; Masur, Henry; Rubinson, Lewis; Talmor, Daniel; Truog, Robert; Zimmerman, Janice; Brett, Steve; Montgomery, Hugh; Rhodes, Andrew; Sanderson, Frances; Taylor, Bruce

2010-01-01

To provide recommendations and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital preparations for an influenza pandemic or mass disaster with a specific focus on manpower. Based on a literature review and expert opinion, a Delphi process was used to define the essential

[Management of breast nipple discharge: Recommendations].

Science.gov (United States)

Ouldamer, L; Kellal, I; Legendre, G; Ngô, C; Chopier, J; Body, G

2015-12-01

To investigate diagnostic value of imaging procedures and management strategies of the patients with nipple discharge (ND) to establish management recommendations. Bibliographical search in French and English languages by consultation of PubMed, Cochrane and Embase databases. Although, all ND require an systematic evaluation guided by clinical data, bloody ND could be a predictor of breast cancer risk among different colors of discharge particularly in patients of more than 50 years (LE2). The mammography and breast ultrasography are the imaging procedures to realize in first intention (grade C) but they turn out useful only when they detect radiological abnormalities (LE4). Galactography has only a localizing value of possible ductal abnormalities (when standard imaging procedures is not contributive) (LE4). Thus, in the diagnostic investigation of a suspicious ND, galactography it is not recommended in standard practice (grade C). The breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is recommended when breast standard imaging procedures are not contributive (grade C). The ND cytology is useful only if it is positive (i.e. reveal cancer cells). There is no proof on the diagnostic performance of the cytological analysis of the ND to allow a recommendation on its realization or not. In front of a suspicious ND, when breast-imaging procedures reveals an associated radiological lesion, an adapted percutaneous biopsy is recommended by percutaneous way (grade C). Vacuum-assisted breast biopsies is a diagnostic tool but can also be therapeutic allowing to avoid surgery in case of benign lesion but current literature data do not allow recommendations on the therapeutic aspect of vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (LE4). In the absence of associated radiological signal, and in case of reproducible bloody persistent ND, a pyramidectomy is recommended (grade C). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Recommendations for the clinical practice: Standards, options and recommendations 2003 for the use of recombinant erythropoietin (alpha and beta epoetine, alpha darbepoetine, EPO) in the taking charge of anemia in oncology for the patients treated by radiotherapy, update

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marchal, Ch.; Spaeth, C.; Casadevall, N.; Daouphars, M.; Marec-Berard, P.; Fabre, N.; Haugh, M.

2004-01-01

Standards, Options and Recommendations for the use of recombinant erythropoietin (epoietin alpha and beta darbepoietin alpha, EPO) in the management of anaemia in oncology for patient undergoing radiotherapy - UPDATE 2003. Context. - 'The Standards, Options and Recommendations' (SOR) project, started in 1993, is a collaboration between the Federation of French Cancer Centres (FNCLCC), the twenty French cancer centres, and specialists from French public universities, general hospitals and private clinics. The main objective is the development of clinical practice guidelines to improve the quality of health care and the outcome of cancer patients. The methodology is based on a literature review and critical appraisal by a multidisciplinary group of experts, with feedback from specialists in cancer care delivery. Objectives. - To update the Standards, Options and Recommendations clinical practice guidelines for the use of recombinant erythropoietin (epoietin alpha and beta darbepoietin-alpha, EPO) in the management of anaemia in oncology for patient undergoing radiotherapy. Methods. - The working group identified the questions requiring up-dating from the previous guideline. Medline and Embase were searched using specific search strategies from January 1999 to October 2002. Literature monitoring was performed to identify randomized clinical trials published between October 2002 to November 2003. In addition several Internet sites were searched in October 2002. Results. - There is no standard attitude for use of rHuEPO in patients undergoing radiotherapy. There is no evidence to support use of rHuEPO in patients with ENT cancer receiving radiotherapy alone. In patients undergoing curative radiotherapy, it is recommended to correct anaemia under 10 g/dL using transfusion rather than rHuEPO. When the haemoglobin concentration is between 12 g/dL and 14 g/dL initial use of rHuEPO can be an option under certain conditions for radio-chemotherapy if the risk of anaemia is

Management of work-related stress by Finnish occupational physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinnunen-Amoroso, M; Liira, J

2013-07-01

Occupational stress is a serious threat to the well-being of employees and organizations and may cause ill-health and loss of productivity. Determining the methods that occupational health (OH) services and employers use to manage work-related stress can help to detect both barriers and facilitating factors for effective stress management. To examine stress management methods used by OH physicians in Finland. Anonymous, self-administered e-mail questionnaire to Finnish OH physicians. A total of 222 OH physicians responded. Neither OH services nor their client organizations used standardized tools to assess or manage work-related stress. Work-related stress was assessed using patient interviews. Physicians reported that the main method used to manage occupational stress was supporting the individual employee. Half of the physicians attempted to involve workplaces in stress management by asking their patients to contact their supervisors regarding stress issues. In order to tackle work-related stress consistently and effectively employers and OH services should have agreed standardized protocols for managing stress in the workplace.

Framework for Continuous Assessment and Improvement of Occupational Health and Safety Issues in Construction Companies

OpenAIRE

Mahmoudi, Shahram; Ghasemi, Fakhradin; Mohammadfam, Iraj; Soleimani, Esmaeil

2014-01-01

Background: Construction industry is among the most hazardous industries, and needs a comprehensive and simple-to-administer tool to continuously assess and promote its health and safety performance. Methods: Through the study of various standard systems (mainly Health, Safety, and Environment Management System; Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series 180001; and British Standard, occupational health and safety management systems-Guide 8800), seven main elements were determined fo...

Revision of the Competency Standards for Occupational Therapy Driver Assessors: An overview of the evidence for the inclusion of cognitive and perceptual assessments within fitness-to-drive evaluations.

Science.gov (United States)

Fields, Sally M; Unsworth, Carolyn A

2017-08-01

Determination of fitness-to-drive after illness or injury is a complex process typically requiring a comprehensive driving assessment, including off-road and on-road assessment components. The competency standards for occupational therapy driver assessors (Victoria, Australia) define the requirements for performance of a comprehensive driving assessment, and we are currently revising these. Assessment of cognitive and perceptual skills forms an important part of the off-road assessment. The aim of this systematic review of systematic reviews (known as an overview) is to identify what evidence exists for including assessment of cognitive and perceptual skills within fitness-to-drive evaluations to inform revision of the competency standards. Five electronic databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, The Cochrane Library, OT Seeker) were systematically searched. Systematic review articles were appraised by two authors for eligibility. Methodological quality was independently assessed using the AMSTAR tool. Narrative analysis was conducted to summarise the content of eligible reviews. A total of 1228 results were retrieved. Fourteen reviews met the inclusion criteria. Reviews indicated that the components of cognition and perception most frequently identified as being predictive of fitness-to-drive were executive function (n = 13), processing speed (n = 12), visuospatial skills, attention, memory and mental flexibility (n = 11). Components less indicative were perception, concentration (n = 10), praxis (n = 9), language (n = 7) and neglect (n = 6). This overview of systematic reviews supports the inclusion of assessment of a range of cognitive and perceptual skills as key elements in a comprehensive driver assessment and therefore should be included in the revised competency standards for occupational therapy driver assessors. © 2017 Occupational Therapy Australia.

A Flexible Electronic Commerce Recommendation System

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Songjie

Recommendation systems have become very popular in E-commerce websites. Many of the largest commerce websites are already using recommender technologies to help their customers find products to purchase. An electronic commerce recommendation system learns from a customer and recommends products that the customer will find most valuable from among the available products. But most recommendation methods are hard-wired into the system and they support only fixed recommendations. This paper presented a framework of flexible electronic commerce recommendation system. The framework is composed by user model interface, recommendation engine, recommendation strategy model, recommendation technology group, user interest model and database interface. In the recommender strategy model, the method can be collaborative filtering, content-based filtering, mining associate rules method, knowledge-based filtering method or the mixed method. The system mapped the implementation and demand through strategy model, and the whole system would be design as standard parts to adapt to the change of the recommendation strategy.

Recommended standardized terminology of the anterior female pelvis based on a structured medical literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeppson, Peter C; Balgobin, Sunil; Washington, Blair B; Hill, Audra Jolyn; Lewicky-Gaupp, Christina; Wheeler, Thomas; Ridgeway, Beri; Mazloomdoost, Donna; Balk, Ethan M; Corton, Marlene M; DeLancey, John

2018-07-01

The use of imprecise and inaccurate terms leads to confusion amongst anatomists and medical professionals. We sought to create recommended standardized terminology to describe anatomic structures of the anterior female pelvis based on a structured review of published literature and selected text books. We searched MEDLINE from its inception until May 2, 2016, using 11 medical subject heading terms to identify studies reporting on anterior female pelvic anatomy; any study type published in English was accepted. Nine textbooks were also included. We screened 12,264 abstracts, identifying 200 eligible studies along with 13 textbook chapters from which we extracted all pertinent anatomic terms. In all, 67 unique structures in the anterior female pelvis were identified. A total of 59 of these have been previously recognized with accepted terms in Terminologia Anatomica, the international standard on anatomical terminology. We also identified and propose the adoption of 4 anatomic regional terms (lateral vaginal wall, pelvic sidewall, pelvic bones, and anterior compartment), and 2 structural terms not included in Terminologia Anatomica (vaginal sulcus and levator hiatus). In addition, we identified 2 controversial terms (pubourethral ligament and Grafenberg spot) that require additional research and consensus from the greater medical and scientific community prior to adoption or rejection of these terms. We propose standardized terminology that should be used when discussing anatomic structures in the anterior female pelvis to help improve communication among researchers, clinicians, and surgeons. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Research priorities in mental health occupational therapy: A study of clinician perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Hitch, Danielle; Lhuede, Kate

2015-10-01

The evidence to support mental health occupational therapy has proliferated in the early years of this century, but this growth has tended to be organic rather than targeted. Previous efforts to identify research priorities in this area of practice are either out dated, or encompass discrete areas of practice. The aim of this study was to identify priority areas for research in mental health occupational therapy from clinician's perspectives. A Policy Delphi method was used to enable occupational therapists to define and differentiate their perspectives on research priorities. Forty-two occupational therapists took part in the first two rounds of this method, with 69% (n = 29) going on to complete the third and final round of data collection. A Likert scale was used to rate the importance of each priority, and descriptive quantitative analysis undertaken to identify those most consistently identified as being highly important. Four research priorities were identified as being highly important in this study: (i) working in an occupationally focussed way; (ii) consumer experience of therapy groups; (iii) identifying factors which increase consumer engagement in occupation; and (iv) engaging patients on the inpatient unit in meaningful and positive occupation. Two of the priority areas are already the subject of substantial evidence bases, but there has been far less research into consumer experiences of groups and occupational engagement in acute settings. Collaboration between research teams and greater consumer inclusion are recommended for the future. This study provides an updated indication of research priorities for mental health occupational therapy in Australia. © 2015 Occupational Therapy Australia.

[Occupation-, transportation- and leisure-related physical activity: gender inequalities in Santander, Colombia].

Science.gov (United States)

Hormiga-Sánchez, Claudia M; Alzate-Posada, Martha L; Borrell, Carme; Palència, Laia; Rodríguez-Villamizar, Laura A; Otero-Wandurraga, Johanna A

2016-04-01

Objectives To estimate the prevalence of occupation-, transportation- and leisure-related physical activity, its compliance with recommendations, and to explore its association with demographic and socioeconomic variables in men and women of the Department of Santander (Colombia). Methods The sample consisted of 2421 people between 15 and 64 years of age, participants in the Risk Factors for Chronic Diseases of Santander cross-sectional study, developed in 2010. The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was used for data collection. Age-adjusted prevalence ratios were calculated and multivariate analysis models were built by sex using robust Poisson regression. Results The prevalence of occupational and leisure physical activity and compliance with recommendations were lower in women. Sexual division of labor and a low socioeconomic level negatively influenced physical activity in women, limiting the possibility of practice of those principally engaged in unpaid work at home. Young or single men and those living in higher socioeconomic areas were more likely to practice physical activity in leisure time and meet recommendations. Conclusion Physical activity surveillance and related public policies should take into account the inequalities between the practice of men and women related to their socioeconomic conditions and the sexual division of labor.

[Integral Care Guide for Early Detection and Diagnosis of Depressive Episodes and Recurrent Depressive Disorder in Adults. Integral Attention of Adults with a Diagnosis of Depressive Episodes and Recurrent Depressive Disorder: Part III: Treatment of Resistant Depression and Psychotic Depression, Occupational Therapy and Day Hospital Treatment].

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez-Restrepo, Carlos; Peñaranda, Adriana Patricia Bohórquez; Valencia, Jenny García; Guarín, Maritza Rodríguez; Ángel, Juliana Rodríguez; Jaramillo, Luis Eduardo; Acosta, Carlos Alberto Palacio; Pedraza, Ricardo Sánchez; Díaz, Sergio Mario Castro; de la Hoz Bradford, Ana María

2012-12-01

This article presents recommendations based on the evidence gathered to answer a series of clinical questions concerning the depressive episode and the recurrent depressive disorder. Emphasis was given to general treatment issues of resistant depression and psychotic depression, occupational therapy and day hospital treatment so as to grant diagnosed adult patients the health care parameters based on the best and more updated evidence available and achieve minimum quality standards. A practical clinical guide was elaborated according to standards of the Methodological Guide of the Ministry of Social Protection. Recommendation from NICE90 and CANMAT guides were adopted and updated so as to answer the questions posed while de novo questions were developed. Recommendations 23-25 corresponding to the management of depression are presented. Copyright © 2012 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

[The scale and application of the norm of occupational stress on the professionals in Chengdu and Chongqing area].

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Fan-Hua; Wang, Zhi-Ming; Wang, Mian-Zhen; Lan, Ya-Jia

2004-12-01

To establish the scale of the norm of occupational stress on the professionals and put it into practice. T scores were linear transformations of raw scores, derived to have a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10. The scale standard of the norm was formulated in line with the principle of normal distribution. (1) For the occupational role questionnaire (ORQ) and personal strain questionnaire (PSQ) scales, high scores suggested significant levels of occupational stress and psychological strain, respectively. T scores >/= 70 indicated a strong probability of maladaptive stress, debilitating strain, or both. T scores in 60 approximately 69 suggested mild levels of maladaptive stress and strain, and in 40 approximately 59 were within one standard deviation of the mean and should be interpreted as being within normal range. T scores /= 60) indicated increasingly strong coping resources. (2) This study provided raw score to T-score conversion tables for each OSI-R scale for the total normative sample as well as for gender, and several occupational groups, including professional engineer, professional health care, economic business, financial business, law, education and news. OSI-R profile forms for total normative samples, gender and occupation were also offered according to the conversion tables. The norm of occupational stress can be used as screening tool, organizational/occupational assessment, guide to occupational choice and intervention measures.

Occupational safety and health in Indonesia = Keselamatan dan kesehatan kerja di Indonesia

OpenAIRE

Markkanen, Pia K

2004-01-01

Reviews key issues in occupational safety and health in Indonesia. Examines policies and regulations, administration and enforcement, key agencies, research, training and information activities and international networking. Addresses issues for workers in hazardous industries and in the informal economy and makes recommendations for future activities.

Effluent standards

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geisler, G C [Pennsylvania State University (United States)

1974-07-01

At the conference there was a considerable interest in research reactor standards and effluent standards in particular. On the program, this is demonstrated by the panel discussion on effluents, the paper on argon 41 measured by Sims, and the summary paper by Ringle, et al. on the activities of ANS research reactor standards committee (ANS-15). As a result, a meeting was organized to discuss the proposed ANS standard on research reactor effluents (15.9). This was held on Tuesday evening, was attended by members of the ANS-15 committee who were present at the conference, participants in the panel discussion on the subject, and others interested. Out of this meeting came a number of excellent suggestions for changes which will increase the utility of the standard, and a strong recommendation that the effluent standard (15.9) be combined with the effluent monitoring standard. It is expected that these suggestions and recommendations will be incorporated and a revised draft issued for comment early this summer. (author)

Leukaemia [advice from COMARE on the study of parental occupations of children with leukaemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

This extract from Hansard records a parliamentary question concerning COMARE recommendations following the publication of a study of parental occupations of children with leukemia published in the Britich Medical Journal on 23 March 1991. (UK)

Diagnostic and therapeutic methods for occupational mercury poisoning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Zhanqi; Wang Xiuqin; Luo Futang

2003-01-01

A method of diagnosing and treating occupational mercury poisoning is reviewed in this paper. The treating measures for the chelating syndrome are also described. Based on his exposure history, urinary mercury, and clinical symptom, the employee who exposed occupationally to mercury can be diagnosed to a certain degree according to the related diagnostic standards. The chelating agent, such as meso-2, 3-dimercapto-succinicacid (DMSA), is used for mercury-lustrating treatment. By reducing the chelating agent dose and supplying necessary trace element, the side effect of chelating treatment is decreased. (authors)

CONFORMITY TO OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATIONS IN MALAYSIAN SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

OpenAIRE

Baba Md Deros; Ahmad Rasdan Ismail; Jaharah A. Ghani; Mohd Yusri Mohd Yusof

2014-01-01

Regulation on occupational safety and health in Malaysia had evolved from the prescriptive factory and machinery act to a self-regulated occupational safety and health act. However, from the authors’ observation the high standards of occupational safety and health culture that surpass the legal requirement were not widely practiced by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The two main objectives of this study are: First, first, to identify and determine the level of conformity and second...

[Occupational exposure of physical therapists to electric and magnetic fields and the efficacy of Faraday cages].

Science.gov (United States)

Messias, Iracimara de Anchieta; Okuno, Emico; Colacioppo, Sérgio

2011-10-01

Measure physical therapists' exposure to the electric and magnetic fields produced by 17 shortwave diathermy devices in physical therapy clinics in the city of Presidente Prudente, São Paulo State, Brazil. Compare the observed values with the exposure levels recommended by the International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). Observe the efficacy of Faraday cages as a means of protecting physical therapists from exposure to oscillating electric and magnetic fields. Electric and magnetic field measurements were taken at four points during actual physical therapy sessions: in proximity to the operator's pelvis and head, the devices' electrical cables, and the electrodes. The measuring equipment was a Wandel & Goltermann EMR-200. The values obtained in proximity to the electrodes and cables were 10 to 30 times higher than ICNIRP's recommended occupational reference levels. In the shortwave diathermy treatment rooms with Faraday cages, the fields were even higher than in treatment rooms not so equipped-principally the magnetic field, where the values were more than 100 times higher than the ICNIRP exposure limit. The electric and magnetic field intensities obtained in this study are generally above the exposure levels recommend in ICNIRP standards. It was also observed that the Faraday cage offers physical therapists no protection, and instead, increases their level of exposure.

Chapter 9. Educational process. Recommendations and standard operating procedures for intensive care unit and hospital preparations for an influenza epidemic or mass disaster

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Richards, Guy A.; Sprung, Charles L.; Christian, Michael D.; Camargo, Ruben; Ceraso, Daniel; Azoulay, Elie; Duguet, Alexandre; Guery, Benoit; Reinhart, Konrad; Adini, Bruria; Barlavie, Yaron; Benin-Goren, Odeda; Cohen, Robert; Klein, Motti; Leoniv, Yuval; Margalit, Gila; Rubinovitch, Bina; Sonnenblick, Moshe; Steinberg, Avraham; Weissman, Charles; Wolff, Donna; Kesecioglu, Jozef; de Jong, Menno; Moreno, Rui; An, Youzhong; Du, Bin; Joynt, Gavin M.; Colvin, John; Loo, Shi; Richards, Guy; Artigas, Antonio; Pugin, Jerome; Amundson, Dennis; Devereaux, Asha; Beigel, John; Danis, Marion; Farmer, Chris; Hick, John L.; Maki, Dennis; Masur, Henry; Rubinson, Lewis; Sandrock, Christian; Talmor, Daniel; Truog, Robert; Zimmerman, Janice; Brett, Steve; Montgomery, Hugh; Rhodes, Andrew; Sanderson, Frances; Taylor, Bruce

2010-01-01

To provide recommendations and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital preparations for an influenza pandemic or mass disaster with focus on education of all stakeholders, specifically the emergency executive control groups, ICU staff and staff co-opted to

Chapter 8. Medical procedures. Recommendations and standard operating procedures for intensive care unit and hospital preparations for an influenza epidemic or mass disaster

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zimmerman, Janice L.; Sprung, Charles L.; Christian, Michael D.; Camargo, Ruben; Ceraso, Daniel; Azoulay, Elie; Duguet, Alexandre; Guery, Benoit; Reinhart, Konrad; Adini, Bruria; Barlavie, Yaron; Benin-Goren, Odeda; Cohen, Robert; Klein, Motti; Leoniv, Yuval; Margalit, Gila; Rubinovitch, Bina; Sonnenblick, Moshe; Steinberg, Avraham; Weissman, Charles; Wolff, Donna; Kesecioglu, Jozef; de Jong, Menno; Moreno, Rui; An, Youzhong; Du, Bin; Joynt, Gavin M.; Colvin, John; Loo, Shi; Richards, Guy; Artigas, Antonio; Pugin, Jerome; Amundson, Dennis; Devereaux, Asha; Beigel, John; Danis, Marion; Farmer, Chris; Hick, John L.; Maki, Dennis; Masur, Henry; Rubinson, Lewis; Sandrock, Christian; Talmor, Daniel; Truog, Robert; Zimmerman, Janice; Brett, Steve; Montgomery, Hugh; Rhodes, Andrew; Sanderson, Frances; Taylor, Bruce

2010-01-01

To provide recommendations and standard operating procedures for intensive care unit and hospital preparations for an influenza pandemic or mass disaster with a specific focus on ensuring that adequate resources are available and appropriate protocols are developed to safely perform procedures in

[Occupational exposure investigation and protective measures in a tertiary infectious disease hospital].

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, H M; Zhou, X P; Huang, J Z

2018-02-20

Objective: To investigate the cause of occupational exposure among 136 nurses in a tertiary infectious disease hospital, and puts forward the prevention strategy. Methods: A total of 136 nurses exposed to occupational exposure between 2014 and 2016 were included in the study. Analysis was conducted from the years of work of nurses, exposure routes, and the pathogens. Results: The nurses suffer from the highest risk of occupational exposures (73.91%) .Nurses working for less than 5 years and interns are most likely to suffer occupational exposure (45.59% and 35.29% respectively) . Occupational exposure was mainly caused by needle injuries, in which infusion was the main route of occupational exposure (36.76%) . The improper treatment of needle pulling after infusion is the main link of needle puncture (36.76%) . Occupational exposure pathogens were mainly HBV (63.24%) . Conclusion: Nursing staff is the high-risk group of occupational exposure. Irregular operation, lack of awareness of protection, improper disposal after the needle withdrawal and poor safety assessment of the operating environment are the main causes of occupational exposure. It is suggested to strengthen the training of occupational safety and protection, enhance clinical nurses occupational safety protection consciousness, standardize medical operation, so as to prevent the occurrence of occupational exposure.

The effect of occupational meaningfulness on occupational commitment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Itai Ivtzan

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Existing research lacks a scholarly consensus on how to define and validly measure ‘meaningful work’ (e.g., Rosso, Dekas & Wrzesniewski, 2010. The following correlational study highlights the value of investigating meaningfulness in the context of occupational commitment. The study hypothesizes that occupational commitment is positively correlated with occupational meaningfulness, where meaningfulness is defined as the extent to which people’s occupations contribute to personal meaning in life. One-hundred and fifty-six full-time office based UK workers completed an online questionnaire including 18 questions measuring levels of occupational commitment (Meyer, Allen & Smith, 1993, in addition to six novel items measuring occupational meaningfulness. The results supported the hypothesis and also showed that the affective sub-type of occupational commitment had the highest correlation with occupational meaningfulness. Such results exhibit the importance of finding meaning at work, as well as the relevance of this to one’s level of commitment to his or her job. This paper argues that individuals should consider OM before choosing to take a specific role, whereas organizations ought to consider the OM of their potential candidates before recruiting them into a role. Possible directions for future research directions are also discussed.

Occupational exposures and risk of pancreatic cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santibanez, Miguel; Vioque, Jesus; Alguacil, Juan; Hera, Manuela Garcia de la; Moreno-Osset, Eduardo; Carrato, Alfredo; Porta, Miquel; Kauppinen, Timo

2010-01-01

The objective was to analyze the relationship between occupation (and specific occupational exposures) and risk of exocrine pancreatic cancer (EPC). We conducted a multicenter hospital-based case-control study in Eastern Spain. We included 161 incident cases of EPC (59.6% men, 94 with histological confirmation, of whom 80% had ductal adenocarcinoma). Cases were frequency-matched with 455 controls by sex, age and province of residence. Information was elicited using structured questionnaires. Occupations were coded according to the Spanish version of the International Standard Classification of Occupations 1988. Occupational exposure to a selection of carcinogenic substances was assessed with the Finnish Job-Exposure Matrix (FINJEM). Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by multiple logistic regression, adjusting for sex, age, province, education, alcohol and smoking. A higher risk of EPC was associated with having worked as 'Miners, shotfirers, stone cutters and carvers', 'Machinery mechanics and fitters', 'Building trades workers' and 'Motor vehicle drivers' in men, 'Office Clerks' in women, and 'Waiters' in both sexes. Cases with ductal adenocarcinomas were more likely to have been exposed to chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents (OR = 4.1, 95% CI: 1.1-15.2, p-trend = 0.04). We also observed significant associations with exposure to 'synthetic polymer dust exposure' and 'ionizing radiation'. Suggestive increases in risk were observed for 'pesticides', 'diesel and gasoline engine exhaust', and 'hydrocarbon solvents'. Results support the hypothesis that occupational exposure to chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents is associated with exocrine pancreatic cancer.

[Concept analysis of a participatory approach to occupational safety and health].

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshikawa, Etsuko

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze a participatory approach to occupational safety and health, and to examine the possibility of applying the concept to the practice and research of occupational safety and health. According to Rodger's method, descriptive data concerning antecedents, attributes and consequences were qualitatively analyzed. A total of 39 articles were selected for analysis. Attributes with a participatory approach were: "active involvement of both workers and employers", "focusing on action-oriented low-cost and multiple area improvements based on good practices", "the process of emphasis on consensus building", and "utilization of a local network". Antecedents of the participatory approach were classified as: "existing risks at the workplace", "difficulty of occupational safety and health activities", "characteristics of the workplace and workers", and "needs for the workplace". The derived consequences were: "promoting occupational safety and health activities", "emphasis of self-management", "creation of safety and healthy workplace", and "contributing to promotion of quality of life and productivity". A participatory approach in occupational safety and health is defined as, the process of emphasis on consensus building to promote occupational safety and health activities with emphasis on self-management, which focuses on action-oriented low-cost and multiple area improvements based on good practices with active involvement of both workers and employers through utilization of local networks. We recommend that the role of the occupational health professional be clarified and an evaluation framework be established for the participatory approach to promote occupational safety and health activities by involving both workers and employers.

Situation analysis of occupational and environmental health laboratory accreditation in Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Sithisarankul, Pornchai; Santiyanont, Rachana; Wongpinairat, Chongdee; Silva, Panadda; Rojanajirapa, Pinnapa; Wangwongwatana, Supat; Srinetr, Vithet; Sriratanaban, Jiruth; Chuntutanon, Swanya

2002-06-01

accreditation systems, and did not accept other bodies' standards and systems. This put a burden to private laboratories because they had to apply and get accredited from several governmental bodies, but still had to apply and get accredited from international ABs especially for those dealing with exports. There were only few calibration laboratories, not enough for supporting the calibration required for the equipment in testing laboratories' LA. Purchasing proficiency testing specimens from abroad was very expensive, and often got into troubles with the customs duty procedures. The authors recommend some strategies and activities to improve laboratory accreditation in Thailand. Improvement in occupational and environmental health laboratories would essentially be beneficial to laboratory accreditation of other areas such as clinical laboratory.

77 FR 3798 - Asbestos in Construction Standard; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-25

... Construction Standard (29 CFR 1926.1101). The standard protects workers from adverse health effects from... standard protects workers from adverse health effects from occupational exposure to asbestos, including... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Occupational Safety and Health Administration [Docket No. OSHA-2012-0002...

Occupational cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alderson, M.

1986-01-01

This book aims to review the occurrence and causes of occupational cancer and is aimed at assisting medical and safety staff, management and health and safety representatives. It is presented in the following chapters: 1) Epidemiological method 2) Agents causing occupationally induced cancer, including radiation 3) Occupations associated with risk of cancer 4) Aetiology of cancer 5) Control of occupationally induced cancer, research, prevention, legislation, national and international bodies, control of specific occupational carcinogens, including irradiation. (U.K.)

A Meta-Analysis of Typhoid Diagnostic Accuracy Studies: A Recommendation to Adopt a Standardized Composite Reference.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helen L Storey

Full Text Available Novel typhoid diagnostics currently under development have the potential to improve clinical care, surveillance, and the disease burden estimates that support vaccine introduction. Blood culture is most often used as the reference method to evaluate the accuracy of new typhoid tests; however, it is recognized to be an imperfect gold standard. If no single gold standard test exists, use of a composite reference standard (CRS can improve estimation of diagnostic accuracy. Numerous studies have used a CRS to evaluate new typhoid diagnostics; however, there is no consensus on an appropriate CRS. In order to evaluate existing tests for use as a reference test or inclusion in a CRS, we performed a systematic review of the typhoid literature to include all index/reference test combinations observed. We described the landscape of comparisons performed, showed results of a meta-analysis on the accuracy of the more common combinations, and evaluated sources of variability based on study quality. This wide-ranging meta-analysis suggests that no single test has sufficiently good performance but some existing diagnostics may be useful as part of a CRS. Additionally, based on findings from the meta-analysis and a constructed numerical example demonstrating the use of CRS, we proposed necessary criteria and potential components of a typhoid CRS to guide future recommendations. Agreement and adoption by all investigators of a standardized CRS is requisite, and would improve comparison of new diagnostics across independent studies, leading to the identification of a better reference test and improved confidence in prevalence estimates.

Occupational therapy practice in predriving assessment post stroke in the Irish context: findings from a nominal group technique meeting.

Science.gov (United States)

Stapleton, Tadhg; Connelly, Deirdre

2010-01-01

Practice in the area of predriving assessment for people with stroke varies, and research findings are not always easily transferred into the clinical setting, particularly when such assessment is not conducted within a dedicated driver assessment programme. This article explores the clinical predriving assessment practices and recommendations of a group of Irish occupational therapists for people with stroke. A consensus meeting of occupational therapists was facilitated using a nominal group technique (NGT) to identify specific components of cognition, perception, and executive function that may influence fitness to return to driving and should be assessed prior to referral for on-road evaluation. Standardised assessments for use in predriving assessment were recommended. Thirteen occupational therapists speed of processing; perceptual components of spatial awareness, depth perception, and visual inattention; and executive components of planning, problem solving, judgment, and self-awareness. Consensus emerged for the use of the following standardised tests: Behavioural Assessment of Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS), Test of Everyday Attention (TEA), Brain Injury Visual Assessment Battery for Adults (biVABA), Rivermead Perceptual Assessment Battery (RPAB), and Motor Free Visual Perceptual Test (MVPT). Tests were recommended that gave an indication of the patient's underlying component skills in the area of cognition, perception, and executive functions considered important for driving. Further research is needed in this area to develop clinical practice guidelines for occupational therapists for the assessment of fitness to return to driving after stroke.

IAEA occupational radiation protection programme: current status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deboodt, P.; Mrabit, K.

2006-01-01

As stated in Art.III.A.6 of its Statute, the International Atomic Energy Agency (commonly referred to as the Agency) is authorized to establish or adopt, in consultation and, where appropriate, in collaboration with the competent organs of the United Nations and with the specialized agencies concerned, standards of safety for protection of health and minimization of danger to life and property (including such standards for labour conditions), and to provide for the application of these standards to its own operation as well as to the operations making use of materials, services, equipment, facilities, and information made available by the Agency or at its request or under its control or supervision. The Agency s Occupational Radiation Protection Programme aims at harmonizing infrastructures for the control of radiation exposure of workers and for optimizing radiation protection in situation s of exposures due to external radiation and intakes of radionuclides from both artificial and natural sources of radiation. Under its regular and technical cooperation programmes, the Agency has been assigning high priority to both the establishment of safety standards for labour conditions and for the application of these standards through, Interalia, direct assistance under its technical cooperation (TC) programme, the rendering of services, the promotion of education and training, the fostering of information exchange and the coordination of research and development. The purpose of this paper is to present the current status and future IAEA activities in support of occupational radiation protection. (authors)

10 CFR 20.1502 - Conditions requiring individual monitoring of external and internal occupational dose.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... external and internal occupational dose. Each licensee shall monitor exposures to radiation and radioactive... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Conditions requiring individual monitoring of external and internal occupational dose. 20.1502 Section 20.1502 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION STANDARDS FOR...

Do the recommended standards for in vitro biopharmaceutic classification of drug permeability meet the "passive transport" criterion for biowaivers?

Science.gov (United States)

Žakelj, Simon; Berginc, Katja; Roškar, Robert; Kraljič, Bor; Kristl, Albin

2013-01-01

BCS based biowaivers are recognized by major regulatory agencies. An application for a biowaiver can be supported by or even based on "in vitro" measurements of drug permeability. However, guidelines limit the application of biowaivers to drug substances that are transported only by passive mechanisms. Regarding published permeability data as well as measurements obtained in our institution, one can rarely observe drug substances that conform to this very strict criterion. Therefore, we measured the apparent permeability coefficients of 13 drugs recommended by FDA's Guidance to be used as standards for "in vitro" permeability classification. The asymmetry of permeability data determined for both directions (mucosal-to-serosal and serosalto- mucosal) through the rat small intestine revealed significant active transport for four out of the nine high-permeability standards and for all four low-permeability standard drugs. As could be expected, this asymmetry was abolished at 4°C on rat intestine. The permeability of all nine high-permeability, but none of the low permeability standards, was also much lower when measured with intestinal tissue, Caco-2 cell monolayers or artificial membranes at 4°C compared to standard conditions (37°C). Additionally, concurrent testing of several standard drugs revealed that membrane transport can be affected by the use of internal permeability standards. The implications of the results are discussed regarding the regulatory aspects of biopharmaceutical classification, good practice in drug permeability evaluation and regarding the general relevance of transport proteins with broad specificity in drug absorption.

[History of occupational health physician and industrial safety and health law].

Science.gov (United States)

Horie, Seichi

2013-10-01

In Japan, an employer of a workplace with 50 or more employees is legally required to assign an occupational health physician. The assignment rate in 2010 was reported as 87.0%. This policy started with the provision of "factory physician"in the Factory Law in 1938, then the Labour Standard Law stipulated "physician hygienist" in 1947, and finally the Industrial Safety and Health Law defined "occupational health physician" in 1972. In 1996, a revision of the law then required those physicians to complete training courses in occupational medicine, as designated by an ordinance. Historically, an on-site physician was expected to cure injuries and to prevent communicable diseases of factory workers. The means of occupational hygienic management by working environment measurements, etc., and of health management by health examinations, etc., were developed. Localized exhaust ventilation and personal protection equipment became widely utilized. Qualification systems for non-medical experts in occupational hygiene were structured, and relationships between employers and occupational health physicians were stipulated in the legislative documents. Currently, the Japan Medical Association and the University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan educate and train occupational health physicians, and the Japan Society for Occupational Health maintains a specialized board certification system for these physicians. In the future, additional efforts should be made to strengthen the expertise of occupational health physicians, to define and recognize the roles of non-medical experts in occupational hygiene, to incorporate occupational health services in small enterprises, to promote occupational health risk assessment in the workplace, and to reorganize the current legislation, amended repeatedly over the decades.

An analysis of multimodal occupational exposure leading to blood borne infections among health care workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Priya, N Lakshmi; Krishnan, K Usha; Jayalakshmi, G; Vasanthi, S

2015-01-01

Occupational exposure poses a significant risk of transmission of blood-borne pathogens to healthcare workers (HCWs). Adherence to standard precautions, awareness about post exposure prophylaxis is poor in developing countries. This retrospective study analyzes the self-reported cases of occupational exposure in a tertiary care hospital. During the study period, 105 HCWs sustained occupational exposure to blood and body fluids. Majority of the victims 36 (34.2%) were interns and the clinical practice that led to the occupational exposure was withdrawal of blood (45.7%). Good infection control practices and emphasis on appropriate disposal are needed to increase the occupational safety for HCWs.

Occupational health and psychological well-being of industrial employees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Bhardwaj

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Background : In the present era of globalization of business the nature of work organizations and its environment are changing radically extending noticeable impact on individual′s job, safety, health, and well-being. Material & Methods : The present study was designed to examine the effects of overall occupational health on psychological well-being in a sample of 150 line-staff operating in a production organization. Psychometrically standardized scales were employed to assess the extent of occupational health and psychological well-being. Results : The analyses of the obtained data revealed that occupational health positively correlates with employees′ mental health. Conclusion : The employees who perceived their work and its physical and psycho-social environment as to be adequate and healthy maintained relatively better overall mental health.

Measuring occupational stress: development of the pressure management indicator.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, S; Cooper, C L

1998-10-01

The study of occupational stress is hindered by the lack of compact and comprehensive standardized measurement tools. The Pressure Management Indicator (PMI) is a 120-item self-report questionnaire developed from the Occupational Stress Indicator (OSI). The PMI is more reliable, more comprehensive, and shorter than the OSI. It provides an integrated measure of the major dimensions of occupational stress. The outcome scales measure job satisfaction, organizational satisfaction, organizational security, organizational commitment, anxiety--depression, resilience, worry, physical symptoms, and exhaustion. The stressor scales cover pressure from workload, relationships, career development, managerial responsibility, personal responsibility, home demands, and daily hassles. The moderator variables measure drive, impatience, control, decision latitude, and the coping strategies of problem focus, life work balance, and social support.

Efficient occupancy model-fitting for extensive citizen-science data

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Byron J. T.; Freeman, Stephen N.; Ridout, Martin S.; Brereton, Tom M.; Fox, Richard; Powney, Gary D.; Roy, David B.

2017-01-01

Appropriate large-scale citizen-science data present important new opportunities for biodiversity modelling, due in part to the wide spatial coverage of information. Recently proposed occupancy modelling approaches naturally incorporate random effects in order to account for annual variation in the composition of sites surveyed. In turn this leads to Bayesian analysis and model fitting, which are typically extremely time consuming. Motivated by presence-only records of occurrence from the UK Butterflies for the New Millennium data base, we present an alternative approach, in which site variation is described in a standard way through logistic regression on relevant environmental covariates. This allows efficient occupancy model-fitting using classical inference, which is easily achieved using standard computers. This is especially important when models need to be fitted each year, typically for many different species, as with British butterflies for example. Using both real and simulated data we demonstrate that the two approaches, with and without random effects, can result in similar conclusions regarding trends. There are many advantages to classical model-fitting, including the ability to compare a range of alternative models, identify appropriate covariates and assess model fit, using standard tools of maximum likelihood. In addition, modelling in terms of covariates provides opportunities for understanding the ecological processes that are in operation. We show that there is even greater potential; the classical approach allows us to construct regional indices simply, which indicate how changes in occupancy typically vary over a species’ range. In addition we are also able to construct dynamic occupancy maps, which provide a novel, modern tool for examining temporal changes in species distribution. These new developments may be applied to a wide range of taxa, and are valuable at a time of climate change. They also have the potential to motivate citizen

Process-oriented guided-inquiry learning: a natural fit for occupational therapy education.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaffe, Lynn; Gibson, Robert; D'Amico, Mariana

2015-04-01

After a brief review of the major group cooperative learning strategies, this article presents the format and use of Process-Oriented Guided-Inquiry Learning (POGIL) as a recommended teaching strategy for occupational therapy classes. This recommendation is based upon evidence of effectiveness of this strategy for enhancing critical thinking, content retention, and teamwork. Strategies for learning the process and suggestions for its use are based upon literature evidence and the authors' experiences with this strategy over 4 years in a class on evidence-based practice.

Effects of Social, Economic, and Labor Policies on Occupational Health Disparities

Science.gov (United States)

Siqueira, Carlos Eduardo; Gaydos, Megan; Monforton, Celeste; Slatin, Craig; Borkowski, Liz; Dooley, Peter; Liebman, Amy; Rosenberg, Erica; Shor, Glenn; Keifer, Matthew

2018-01-01

Background This article introduces some key labor, economic, and social policies that historically and currently impact occupational health disparities in the United States. Methods We conducted a broad review of the peer-reviewed and gray literature on the effects of social, economic, and labor policies on occupational health disparities. Results Many populations such as tipped workers, public employees, immigrant workers, and misclassified workers are not protected by current laws and policies, including worker’s compensation or Occupational Safety and Health Administration enforcement of standards. Local and state initiatives, such as living wage laws and community benefit agreements, as well as multiagency law enforcement contribute to reducing occupational health disparities. Conclusions There is a need to build coalitions and collaborations to command the resources necessary to identify, and then reduce and eliminate occupational disparities by establishing healthy, safe, and just work for all. PMID:23606055

The ICRP 2007 recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Streffer, C.

2007-01-01

The last comprehensive International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommendations have been published in 1991(1). Since that time new data in physics and biology that are relevant for radiological protection have appeared in the scientific literature. Also, the general thinking about safety standards at the workplace as well as for the protection of the public has developed. Thus, a review of the recommendations is needed. However, as the present standards have worked well, these new recommendations should build on the present ones. Only a process of further development should take place allowing for the following key points: - new biological and physical information and trends in the setting of safety standards; - improvement in the presentation of the recommendations; as much stability in the recommendations as is consistent with the new information and environmental aspects will be included. The fundamental principles of radiological protection will remain the same as they have been described in ICRP publication 60(1): Justification: Actions involving new exposures or changes in exposures of individuals have to be justified in advance. A positive net benefit must result. Optimisation: Exposures should be as low as reasonably achievable and should be optimised in relation to with dose constraints. Dose limits: The values will not to be changed from Publication 60. Dose constraints: Development of the concept proposed in Publication 60 will be explained. The ICRP Committees have prepared foundation documents in the fields for which they are responsible and their members have the corresponding expertise. These foundation documents will support the decisions and explain the various statements of the Main Commission in a broader sense. Some of them will be published as Annexes to the recommendations (Annex A: Biological and Epidemiological Information on Health Risks Attributable to Ionising Radiation; Annex B: Quantities used in Radiological

The ICRP 2007 recommendations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Streffer, C. [Chairman of ICRP Committee 2, Institute of Science and Ethics, University Duisburg-Essen, 45117 Essen (Germany)

2007-07-01

The last comprehensive International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recommendations have been published in 1991(1). Since that time new data in physics and biology that are relevant for radiological protection have appeared in the scientific literature. Also, the general thinking about safety standards at the workplace as well as for the protection of the public has developed. Thus, a review of the recommendations is needed. However, as the present standards have worked well, these new recommendations should build on the present ones. Only a process of further development should take place allowing for the following key points: - new biological and physical information and trends in the setting of safety standards; - improvement in the presentation of the recommendations; as much stability in the recommendations as is consistent with the new information and environmental aspects will be included. The fundamental principles of radiological protection will remain the same as they have been described in ICRP publication 60(1): Justification: Actions involving new exposures or changes in exposures of individuals have to be justified in advance. A positive net benefit must result. Optimisation: Exposures should be as low as reasonably achievable and should be optimised in relation to with dose constraints. Dose limits: The values will not to be changed from Publication 60. Dose constraints: Development of the concept proposed in Publication 60 will be explained. The ICRP Committees have prepared foundation documents in the fields for which they are responsible and their members have the corresponding expertise. These foundation documents will support the decisions and explain the various statements of the Main Commission in a broader sense. Some of them will be published as Annexes to the recommendations (Annex A: Biological and Epidemiological Information on Health Risks Attributable to Ionising Radiation; Annex B: Quantities used in Radiological

Risk of injury for occupants of motor vehicle collisions from unbelted occupants.

Science.gov (United States)

MacLennan, P A; McGwin, G; Metzger, J; Moran, S G; Rue, L W

2004-12-01

Unbelted occupants may increase the risk of injury for other occupants in a motor vehicle collision (MVC). This study evaluated the association between occupant restraint use and the risk of injury (including death) to other vehicle occupants. A population based cohort study. United States. MVC occupants (n = 152 191 unweighted, n = 18 426 684 weighted) seated between a belted or unbelted occupant and the line of the principal direction of force in frontal, lateral, and rear MVCs were sampled from the 1991-2002 National Automotive Sampling System General Estimates System. Offset MVCs were not included in the study. Risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals for injury (including death) for occupants seated contiguous to unbelted occupants compared to occupants seated contiguous to belted occupants. Risk ratios were adjusted for at risk occupant's sex, age, seating position, vehicle type, collision type, travel speed, crash severity, and at risk occupants' own seat belt use. Exposure to unbelted occupants was associated with a 40% increased risk of any injury. Belted at risk occupants were at a 90% increased risk of injury but unbelted occupants were not at increased risk. Risks were similar for non-incapacitating and capacitating injuries. There was a 4.8-fold increased risk of death for exposed belted occupants but no increased risk of death for unbelted occupants. Belted occupants are at an increased risk of injury and death in the event of a MVC from unbelted occupants.

DOE Basic Overview of Occupational Radiation Exposure_2011 pamphlet

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

ORAU

2012-08-08

This pamphlet focusses on two HSS activities that help ensure radiation exposures are accurately assessed and recorded, namely: 1) the quality and accuracy of occupational radiation exposure monitoring, and 2) the recording, reporting, analysis, and dissemination of the monitoring results. It is intended to provide a short summary of two specific HSS programs that aid in the oversight of radiation protection activities at DOE. The Department of Energy Laboratory Accreditation Program (DOELAP) is in place to ensure that radiation exposure monitoring at all DOE sites is precise and accurate, and conforms to national and international performance and quality assurance standards. The DOE Radiation Exposure Monitoring Systems (REMS) program provides for the collection, analysis, and dissemination of occupational radiation exposure information. The annual REMS report is a valuable tool for managing radiological safety programs and for developing policies to protect individuals from occupational exposure to radiation. In tandem, these programs provide DOE management and workers an assurance that occupational radiation exposures are accurately measured, analyzed, and reported.

Extending Beyond Qualitative Interviewing to Illuminate the Tacit Nature of Everyday Occupation: Occupational Mapping and Participatory Occupation Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Huot, Suzanne; Rudman, Debbie Laliberte

2015-07-01

The study of human occupation requires a variety of methods to fully elucidate its complex, multifaceted nature. Although qualitative approaches have commonly been used within occupational therapy and occupational science, we contend that such qualitative research must extend beyond the sole use of interviews. Drawing on qualitative methodological literature, we discuss the limits of interview methods and outline other methods, particularly visual methods, as productive means to enhance qualitative research. We then provide an overview of our critical ethnographic study that used narrative, visual, and observational methods to explore the occupational transitions experienced by immigrants to Canada. We describe our use of occupational mapping and participatory occupation methods and the contributions of these combined methods. We conclude that adopting a variety of methods can enable a deeper understanding of the tacit nature of everyday occupation, and is key to advancing knowledge regarding occupation and to informing occupational therapy practice.

The Role of Standardized Tests as a Means of Assessment of Young Children: A Review of Related Literature and Recommendations of Alternative Assessments for Administrators and Teachers.

Science.gov (United States)

Meadows, Stacie; Karr-Kidwell, P. J.

An extensive review of literature related to the role of standardized tests in the assessment of young children was conducted, and recommendations were made for alternative approaches more appropriate to the assessment of young children. The first section of the paper contains a literature review that provides a brief history of standardized tests…

Occupational Burnout among School Teachers and some Related Factors in Kashan 2007

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Hamidreza Saberi

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Occupational burnout is considered as side effect of occupational stress. It includes some mental, functional, and personal characteristics in which a person has some symptoms of them. Occupational burnout can be caused in all jobs therefore, diminishes performance and utilization, depression and disease. Due to the important role of teachers, this study was conducted to asses the occupational burnout in teachers in Kashan. Methods: This study was carried by Maslach standard questionnaires on 385 teachers and justify teachers under study in three fields: depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, diminished performance, and occupational burnout of was assessed by standard scorning. Results: The results indicated that the majority of school teachers had burnout in both internal and external dimensions in mild level. In this study three dimensions of burnoutwere: Depersonalization(mild84.5%,moderate10.9%,sever4.6%,emotional exhaustion (mild 71.9%, moderate 18%, sever10.1%,diminished performance(mild86.7%,moderate11.1%,sever2.2% negative significant association was founded with increasing age(p=0.002 and duration of work years(p=0.001 and burnout. We founded that positive significant association with increasing educational degree(p<0.05,gender (p<0.01, kind of house(p=0.003, psychological disorders(p=0.02, family dissatisfaction(p=0.031 and teacher’s burnout. Conclusion: It seems that most people under study had mild occupational burnout, and acute occupational burnout was observed in some teachers (depersonalization 15.4%, emotional exhaustion28.1% that need to more attention to them, because the role of teachers in our country is very important.

Dosimetry for occupational exposure to cosmic radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartlett, D.T.; McAulay, I.R.; Schrewe, U.J.

1997-01-01

Aircraft crew and frequent flyers are exposed to elevated levels of cosmic radiation of galactic and solar origin and secondary radiation produced in the atmosphere, aircraft structure, etc. This has been recognised for some time and estimates of the exposure of aircraft crew have been made previously and included in, for example, UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation) publications. The recent increased interest has been brought about by several factors - the consideration that the relative biological effectiveness of the neutron component was being underestimated; the trend towards higher cruising altitudes for subsonic commercial aircraft and business jet aircraft; and most importantly, the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) in Publication 60, and the revision of the Euratom Basic Safety Standards Directive (BSS). In 1992, the European Dosimetry Group (EURADOS) established a Working Group to consider the exposure to cosmic radiation of aircraft crew, and the scientific and technical problems associated with radiation protection dosimetry for this occupational group. The Working Group was composed of fifteen scientists (plus a corresponding member) involved in this field of study and with knowledge of radiation measurement at aviation altitudes. This paper is based on the findings of this Working Group. (author)

NASA Occupant Protection Standards Development

Science.gov (United States)

Somers, Jeffrey; Gernhardt, Michael; Lawrence, Charles

2012-01-01

Historically, spacecraft landing systems have been tested with human volunteers, because analytical methods for estimating injury risk were insufficient. These tests were conducted with flight-like suits and seats to verify the safety of the landing systems. Currently, NASA uses the Brinkley Dynamic Response Index to estimate injury risk, although applying it to the NASA environment has drawbacks: (1) Does not indicate severity or anatomical location of injury (2) Unclear if model applies to NASA applications. Because of these limitations, a new validated, analytical approach was desired. Leveraging off of the current state of the art in automotive safety and racing, a new approach was developed. The approach has several aspects: (1) Define the acceptable level of injury risk by injury severity (2) Determine the appropriate human surrogate for testing and modeling (3) Mine existing human injury data to determine appropriate Injury Assessment Reference Values (IARV). (4) Rigorously Validate the IARVs with sub-injurious human testing (5) Use validated IARVs to update standards and vehicle requirement

Inference for occupancy and occupancy dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connell, Allan F.; Bailey, Larissa L.; O'Connell, Allan F.; Nichols, James D.; Karanth, K. Ullas

2011-01-01

This chapter deals with the estimation of occupancy as a state variable to assess the status of, and track changes in, species distributions when sampling with camera traps. Much of the recent interest in occupancy estimation and modeling originated from the models developed by MacKenzie et al. (2002, 2003), although similar methods were developed independently (Azuma et al. 1990; Bayley and Petersen 2001; Nichols and Karanth, 2002; Tyre et al. 2003), all of which deal with species occurrence information and imperfect detection. Less than a decade after these publications, the modeling and estimation of species occurrence and occupancy dynamics have increased significantly. Special features of scientific journals have explored innovative uses of detection–nondetection data with occupancy models (Vojta 2005), and an entire volume has synthesized the use and application of occupancy estimation methods (MacKenzie et al. 2006). Reviews of the topical concepts, philosophical considerations, and various sampling designs that can be used for occupancy estimation are now readily available for a range of audiences (MacKenzie and Royle 2005; MacKenzie et al. 2006; Bailey et al. 2007; Royle and Dorazio 2008; Conroy and Carroll 2009; Kendall and White 2009; Hines et al. 2010; Link and Barker 2010). As a result, it would be pointless here to recast all that these publications have so eloquently articulated, but that said, a review of any scientific topic requires sufficient context and relevant background information, especially when relatively new methodologies and techniques such as occupancy estimation and camera traps are involved. This is especially critical in a digital age where new information is published at warp speed, making it increasingly difficult to stay abreast of theoretical advances and research developments.

Understanding the administrative regulation on occupational health and trend in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Zhijun

2018-03-27

With the immense economic growth and social development, China has gained worldwide attention. With the quick growth of industrialization, several international professionals are gaining interest in occupational management system and in the role of the Chinese Government in protecting the worker's health. The Law on Prevention and Control of Occupational Diseases and the Work Safety Law are the two most important laws in China, which highlight the responsibilities of the employer, employee, governmental agencies, authorized occupational health service agency, and other stakeholders. The State Council comprises two departments, namely, the State Administration on Work Safety (SAWS) and the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC), which are responsible for governing the occupational health work. A series of regulations and standards have been promulgated by the Chinese Government to encourage or instruct the employers to fulfill their responsibility; however, several issues persist related to occupational health work, including administrative, technological, and sociocultural aspects. At present, the Chinese Government wants to enhance the reform in both economic and administrative structures, and the adjustments for modifying and/or improving the occupational health regulatory system are expected. Notably, the occupational health work in China must be altered for better.

Work of ICRP Committee 4 on the implementation of the new ICRP recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lochard, J.

2010-01-01

ICRP Mission was founded in 1928 by the international Society of Radiology to advance for the public benefit the science of radiological protection, in particular by providing recommendations and guidance on all aspects of protection against ionizing radiation. The commission has five committees, plus a scientific secretariat. It has task groups and working parties which are established either by the main commission or by the committees. It consists of 82 members from 24 countries and six continents. It has 7 approximately 100 external experts participating in task groups. It also has an international community of experts in radiological protection. Committee 4 is concerned with providing advice on the application of the recommended system of protection in all its facets for occupational and public exposure. It also acts as the major point of contact with other international organizations and professional societies concerned with protection against ionizing radiation. The priorities of Committee 4 (2009 -2013) are to: . Develop advice on the implementation of the new recommendations and contribute to their dissemination . Review the ethics and values (precautionary principles, tolerability of risk, equity, sustainable development¡¦) underlying the principles and concepts of the radiation protection system . Enhance the dialogue and cooperation with international organizations and professionals The programme of work for Committee 4 was outlined: a) Task Group N¡Æ 76 : Application of the Commission.s Recommendations to NORM b) Task Group N¡Æ 80 : Application of the Commission.s Recommendations as applied to the geological disposal of long-lived solid radioactive waste c) Task Group N¡Æ 81 : Application of the Commission.s Recommendations to radon exposure d) Committee 4 programme of work (4): Task Group (to be established): Application of the Commission.s Recommendations to the protection of aircraft crew to cosmic rays e) Committee 4 programme of work (5

Occupation and the relevance of primatology to occupational therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Wood, W

1993-06-01

The adaptive functions of occupation during the phylogenetic history of the human species and the ontogenetic development of individual primates re examined through a review of relevant research of wild and captive nonhuman primates. This review suggests that the effectiveness of occupation as a therapeutic medium throughout life span development is fundamentally tied to humankind's phylogenetic history. It is accordingly argued that there is considerable justification to maintain occupational therapy's historical commitment to therapeutic occupation as the profession's primary treatment modality. To support this commitment, questions to guide practice and research are identified that emanate from the primate literature and that are highly germane to the therapeutic process in occupational therapy. These questions address: (a) the relationship between the press of the various environments in which occupational therapists practice and subsequent opportunities availed to patients for engagement in occupation; (b) the relationship between the extent to which patients are or are not empowered to exert real control over their use of time and their eventual development of disabling conditions; and (c) the therapeutic efficacy of occupation as compared with other treatment approaches that are not comparably holistic.

29 CFR 1960.16 - Compliance with OSHA standards.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Compliance with OSHA standards. 1960.16 Section 1960.16 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION... PROGRAMS AND RELATED MATTERS Standards § 1960.16 Compliance with OSHA standards. Each agency head shall...

The burden of mortality with costs in productivity loss from occupational cancer in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Binazzi, Alessandra; Scarselli, Alberto; Marinaccio, Alessandro

2013-11-01

The costs of productivity loss due to occupational cancer mortality are rarely investigated. An estimate of occupational cancer deaths in Italy in 2006 and an approximation of the resultant costs from medical and non-medical expenditures together with figures of remuneration lost are provided. Occupational cancer deaths, obtained from the application of the attributable fraction (AF) to mortality data (source: Italian National Institute of Statistics), were used to calculate the Potential Years of Life Lost (PYLLs), the Potential Years of Working Life Lost (PYWLLs) and the costs of the loss of productive life. The health care costs for any cancer was applied to the estimated number of occupational cancer cases to obtain the total cost. Around 8,000-8,500 deaths/year from occupational cancer are estimated to occur in Italy, corresponding to 170,000 PYLLs and more than 16,000 PYWLLs, leading to around 360,000,000 euros in indirect economic loss. Health care costs of occupational cancer are estimated at 456,000,000 euros. Occupational cancer is of major concern in terms of mortality and economic productivity loss. Preventive efforts in evaluating ongoing risks and current exposures are strongly recommended to health policy-makers. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Occupational medical prophylaxis for the musculoskeletal system: A function-oriented system for physical examination of the locomotor system in occupational medicine (fokus(C

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Schwarze Sieglinde

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Occupational physicians are very often confronted with questions as to the fitness of the postural and locomotor systems, especially the spinal column. Occupational medical assessment and advice can be required by patients with acute symptoms, at routine check-ups, by persons who have problems doing certain jobs, and for expert medical reports as to the fitness of persons with chronic disorders or after operations. Therefore, for occupational medical purposes a physical examination must aim primarily to investigate functions and not structures or radiologic evidence. The physical examination should be structured systematically and according to regions of the body and, together with a specific (pain anamnesis should provide a basis for the medical assessment. This paper presents a function-oriented system for physical examination of the locomotor system, named fokus(C (Funktionsorientierte Koerperliche Untersuchungssystematik, also available on DVD. fokus(C has been developed with a view to its relevance for occupational medical practice and does not aim primarily to provide a precise diagnosis. Decisive for an occupational medical assessment of disorders of the musculoskeletal system is rather information about functional disorders and any impairment of performance or mobility which they can cause. The division of the physical examination into a rapid screening phase and a subsequent more intensive functional diagnostic phase has proved its practicability in many years of day-to-day use. Here, in contrast to the very extensive measures recommended for orthopaedic and manual diagnosis, for reasons of efficiency and usability of the system in routine occupational medical examinations the examination is structured according to the findings. So it is reduced to that which is most necessary and feasible.

Sampling scales define occupancy and underlying occupancy-abundance relationships in animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Steenweg, Robin; Hebblewhite, Mark; Whittington, Jesse; Lukacs, Paul; McKelvey, Kevin

2018-01-01

Occupancy-abundance (OA) relationships are a foundational ecological phenomenon and field of study, and occupancy models are increasingly used to track population trends and understand ecological interactions. However, these two fields of ecological inquiry remain largely isolated, despite growing appreciation of the importance of integration. For example, using occupancy models to infer trends in abundance is predicated on positive OA relationships. Many occupancy studies collect data that violate geographical closure assumptions due to the choice of sampling scales and application to mobile organisms, which may change how occupancy and abundance are related. Little research, however, has explored how different occupancy sampling designs affect OA relationships. We develop a conceptual framework for understanding how sampling scales affect the definition of occupancy for mobile organisms, which drives OA relationships. We explore how spatial and temporal sampling scales, and the choice of sampling unit (areal vs. point sampling), affect OA relationships. We develop predictions using simulations, and test them using empirical occupancy data from remote cameras on 11 medium-large mammals. Surprisingly, our simulations demonstrate that when using point sampling, OA relationships are unaffected by spatial sampling grain (i.e., cell size). In contrast, when using areal sampling (e.g., species atlas data), OA relationships are affected by spatial grain. Furthermore, OA relationships are also affected by temporal sampling scales, where the curvature of the OA relationship increases with temporal sampling duration. Our empirical results support these predictions, showing that at any given abundance, the spatial grain of point sampling does not affect occupancy estimates, but longer surveys do increase occupancy estimates. For rare species (low occupancy), estimates of occupancy will quickly increase with longer surveys, even while abundance remains constant. Our results

THE DECREASE OF AIRLINE OCCUPATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL RISK FACTORS. LEGISLATIVE AND MEDICAL ASPECTS

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Vadim E. Andrusov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Russian Federation is entering a new system of Occupational standards as norm of competence that people are ex- pected to achieve in their work, and the knowledge and skills they need to apply effectively. There may be conflicts in pro- fessional co-operation between the new system of Occupational standards and the old system of Managers, specialists and workforce qualification reference books. It may affect the common area of occupational environmental hazards. Employ- ees, who passed compulsory medical examination, can have poor health conditions. It affects the inability of the employees to perform their aircraft maintenance duties. It may be a particular occupational environment factor. A five-point scale of possible damage severity was proposed for this factor. It is known that a sick employee's duties are redistributed among the remaining employees. Redistributing of a sick employee's duties increases the task load of the remaining ones in terms of overtime work for instance. It, ultimately, may compromise normal operation of employees. The results can be used when taking management decisions in process organization of airlines, as well as in other industries.

Violent Deaths Among Georgia Workers: An Examination of Suicides and Homicides by Occupation, 2006-2009.

Science.gov (United States)

Lavender, Antionette; Ramirez-Irizarry, Viani; Bayakly, A Rana; Koplan, Carol; Bryan, J Michael

2016-11-01

Workers in certain occupations may be at an increased risk of a violent-related death such as homicide or suicide. The purpose of this study is to describe rates of violent deaths among Georgia workers by occupation, including cases occurring at work and outside of the workplace, and identify leading circumstances surrounding suicides and homicides for the occupations most at risk. Data from the 2006-2009 Georgia Violent Death Reporting System were used. Occupational text fields were recoded into 23 major occupation categories based on the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification system. Crude rates and standardized mortality ratios for violent deaths (suicides and homicides) were calculated by occupation among Georgia workers aged ≥16 years. The leading circumstances precipitating violent deaths among the high-risk occupations were described. Analyses were conducted during 2012-2013 and 2015. A total of 4,616 Georgia resident workers were victims of a violent death during 2006-2009. Of these deaths, 2,888 (62.6%) were suicides and 1,728 (37.4%) were homicides. Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations had the highest rate of violent deaths at 80.5 per 100,000 workers followed by construction and extraction occupations at 65.5 per 100,000. The most common suicide circumstances among workers were having a current depressed mood, a current mental health problem, and an intimate partner problem. Use of the Violent Death Reporting System provides a unique opportunity to explore violent deaths among workers. This analysis shows the need to ensure that workers have access to workplace and community-based suicide and violence prevention services. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Occupational Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in a Danish Population-Based Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Würtz, Else Toft; Schlünssen, Vivi; Malling, Tine Halsen; Hansen, Jens Georg; Omland, Øyvind

2015-08-01

The aim was to explore the impact of occupation on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a cross-sectional population-based study among subjects aged 45 to 84 years. In a stratified sampling 89 general practitioners practices (GPP) in Denmark recruited 3106 males and 1636 females through the Danish Civil Registration System. COPD was defined by spirometry by the 2.5(th)-centile Lower Limit of Normal of FEV1 and FEV1/FVC. Information about smoking, occupational exposure and the respective occupations were obtained from questionnaires. Occupations followed the Danish adaptation of The International Standard Classification of Occupations, revision 1988 (DISCO-88). Exposure to vapour, gas, dust (organic and inorganic), and fume (VGDF) in each occupation (yes/no) was evaluated by two independent specialist in occupational medicine. Exposures were divided in no, low, medium, and high exposure as 0, occupation with VGDF exposure. Adjusted for smoking, age, sex, and GPP a dose-dependent association of COPD was found among workers in jobs with high organic dust exposure, with OR 1.56 (95% CI 1.09-2.24). Restricted to agriculture the OR was 1.59 (95% CI: 1.08-2.33). No association was observed for workers in jobs with inorganic dust, fume/gas, or vapour exposures. In summary, occupational organic dust exposure was associated to the prevalence of COPD.

The Relationship between Occupational Stress and Work Ability among Midwives in Mashhad, Iran

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Masoumeh Kordi

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Background and Aim: Occupational stress is one of the key factors in reducing staff productivity in organizations with physical and psychological impacts on employees. Nursing and midwifery are among the most stressful professions. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the relationship between occupational stress and work ability of midwives in Mashhad, Iran in 2011. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried on 123 midwives employed in the public hospitals and health centres in Mashhad, Iran using two-stage sampling method. Demographic and work-related data were obtained through a self-structured questionnaire. Occupational stress and work ability were measured using Occupational Stress Assessment Questionnaire (OSAQ and Work Ability Index Questionnaire (WAIQ. The statistical analysis was performed using student’s t-test, One Way ANOVA, correlation coefficient, and linear regression model through SPSS statistical software (version 11.5.   Results: The results showed that the mean score of occupational stress and work ability was 149 ± 0.01 and 38.81±0.05, respectively. There was a negative correlation between job-related stress and work ability. Midwives with higher occupational stress experienced poorer work ability (P=0.021, r=-0.061.   Conclusion: Sever work stress is associated with reduced work ability. So it is recommended to eliminate or decrease occupational stress and increase work ability among Iranian midwives using preventive measures, although identification of sources of occupational stress seems necessary in order to adopt appropriate stress management strategies.

The Relationship Between Burnout and Occupational Stress in Genetic Counselors.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnstone, Brittney; Kaiser, Amy; Injeyan, Marie C; Sappleton, Karen; Chitayat, David; Stephens, Derek; Shuman, Cheryl

2016-08-01

Burnout represents a critical disruption in an individual's relationship with work, resulting in a state of exhaustion in which one's occupational value and capacity to perform are questioned. Burnout can negatively affect an individual's personal life, as well as employers in terms of decreased work quality, patient/client satisfaction, and employee retention. Occupational stress is a known contributor to burnout and occurs as a result of employment requirements and factors intrinsic to the work environment. Empirical research examining genetic counselor-specific burnout is limited; however, existing data suggests that genetic counselors are at increased risk for burnout. To investigate the relationship between occupational stress and burnout in genetic counselors, we administered an online survey to members of three genetic counselor professional organizations. Validated measures included the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (an instrument measuring burnout on three subscales: exhaustion, cynicism, and professional efficacy) and the Occupational Stress Inventory-Revised (an instrument measuring occupational stress on 14 subscales). Of the 353 respondents, more than 40 % had either considered leaving or left their job role due to burnout. Multiple regression analysis yielded significant predictors for burnout risk. The identified sets of predictors account for approximately 59 % of the variance in exhaustion, 58 % of the variance in cynicism, and 43 % of the variance in professional efficacy. Our data confirm that a significant number of genetic counselors experience burnout and that burnout is correlated with specific aspects of occupational stress. Based on these findings, practice and research recommendations are presented.

78 FR 65932 - Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Signage

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-04

...; Signage AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Department of Labor. ACTION... accompanied its direct final rule revising its signage standards for general industry and construction. DATES... proposed rule (NPRM) along with the direct final rule (DFR) (see 78 FR 35585) updating its signage...

Contribution of occupational epidemiologic studies to radiation protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marks, S.

1982-01-01

Early evidence of health effects of occupational radiation exposure have made important contributions to the establishment of exposure standards, including those for internal emitters. Standards derived in this matter for radium body burdens and for air concentrations of radon and its daughters were especially influential. The body burden limits for plutonium and other bone-seeking radionuclides were based upon the radium standard. The exposure controls instituted as a consequence of those early limits have reduced the exposure of worker populations to the extent that the current, more sophisticated epidemiologic studies will probably not influence the revision of existing standards. The justification for conducting such studies is discussed. (author)

Analysis of third-party certification approaches using an occupational health and safety conformity-assessment model.

Science.gov (United States)

Redinger, C F; Levine, S P

1998-11-01

The occupational health and safety conformity-assessment model presented in this article was developed (1) to analyze 22 public and private programs to determine the extent to which these programs use third parties in conformity-assessment determinations, and (2) to establish a framework to guide future policy developments related to the use of third parties in occupational health and safety conformity-assessment activities. The units of analysis for this study included select Occupational Safety and Health Administration programs and standards, International Organization for Standardization-based standards and guidelines, and standards and guidelines developed by nongovernmental bodies. The model is based on a 15-cell matrix that categorizes first-, second-, and third-party activities in terms of assessment, accreditation, and accreditation-recognition activities. The third-party component of the model has three categories: industrial hygiene/safety testing and sampling; product, equipment, and laboratory certification; and, occupational health and safety management system registration/certification. Using the model, 16 of the 22 programs were found to have a third-party component in their conformity-assessment structure. The analysis revealed that (1) the model provides a useful means to describe and analyze various third-party approaches, (2) the model needs modification to capture aspects of traditional governmental conformity-assessment/enforcement activities, and (3) several existing third-party conformity-assessment systems offer robust models that can guide future third-party policy formulation and implementation activities.

Occupational and Environmental Contributions to Chronic Cough in Adults: Chest Expert Panel Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Tarlo, Susan M; Altman, Kenneth W; Oppenheimer, John; Lim, Kaiser; Vertigan, Anne; Prezant, David; Irwin, Richard S

2016-10-01

In response to occupational and environmental exposures, cough can be an isolated symptom reflecting exposure to an irritant with little physiological consequence, or it can be a manifestation of more significant disease. This document reviews occupational and environmental contributions to chronic cough in adults, focusing on aspects not previously covered in the 2006 ACCP Cough Guideline or our more recent systematic review, and suggests an approach to investigation of these factors when suspected. MEDLINE and TOXLINE literature searches were supplemented by articles identified by the cough panel occupational and environmental subgroup members, to identify occupational and environmental aspects of chronic cough not previously covered in the 2006 ACCP Cough Guideline. Based on the literature reviews and the Delphi methodology, the cough panel occupational and environmental subgroup developed guideline suggestions that were approved after review and voting by the full cough panel. The literature review identified relevant articles regarding: mechanisms; allergic environmental causes; chronic cough and the recreational and involuntary inhalation of tobacco and marijuana smoke; nonallergic environmental triggers; laryngeal syndromes; and occupational diseases and exposures. Consensus-based statements were developed for the approach to diagnosis due to a lack of strong evidence from published literature. Despite increased understanding of cough related to occupational and environmental triggers, there remains a gap between the recommended assessment of occupational and environmental causes of cough and the reported systematic assessment of these factors. There is a need for further documentation of occupational and environmental causes of cough in the future. Copyright © 2016 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A systematic review of yoga for state anxiety: considerations for occupational therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Chugh-Gupta, Neha; Baldassarre, Fulvia G; Vrkljan, Brenda H

2013-06-01

State anxiety can result from a variety of life situations. This type of anxiety can disrupt occupational engagement and performance, thereby affecting rehabilitation and recovery. Occupational therapists need to address the connection between mind-body-spirit and its relationship to performance and engagement in meaningful occupations. Yoga, when used as an adjunct to therapy, has the potential to address state anxiety. The aim was to systematically review the evidence concerning the effectiveness of yoga as a treatment approach for state anxiety. Six electronic databases, the authors' own files, and the references of included studies from 1990 to July 2011 were searched. A total of 25 unique studies represented by 26 publications made up the sample: two systematic reviews; 16 randomized controlled trials, and seven prospective, controlled, non-randomized studies. Evidence suggests yoga can be a viable therapeutic option for reducing state anxiety in certain situations. In making the determination to recommend yoga as an intervention, occupational therapists should consider the client's circumstances and values as well as the type and intensity of the yoga program.

Fact Sheet: Revisions to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Hazard Communication Standards (HCS)

Science.gov (United States)

On March 26, 2012, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) modified its HCS to conform to the United Nations’ (UN) Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS), to improve consistency and quality of information.

75 FR 50958 - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Motorcoach Definition; Occupant Crash Protection

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-18

... operated over 33,000 motorcoaches, they logged nearly 750 million passenger trips, and they traveled over 1..., and Puerto Rico. To be included in FARS, a crash must involve a motor vehicle traveling on a traffic...-occupant within 30 days of the crash. Motorcoaches are identified in FARS as ``cross-country intercity...

An analysis of multimodal occupational exposure leading to blood borne infections among health care workers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N Lakshmi Priya

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Occupational exposure poses a significant risk of transmission of blood-borne pathogens to healthcare workers (HCWs. Adherence to standard precautions, awareness about post exposure prophylaxis is poor in developing countries. This retrospective study analyzes the self-reported cases of occupational exposure in a tertiary care hospital. During the study period, 105 HCWs sustained occupational exposure to blood and body fluids. Majority of the victims 36 (34.2% were interns and the clinical practice that led to the occupational exposure was withdrawal of blood (45.7%. Good infection control practices and emphasis on appropriate disposal are needed to increase the occupational safety for HCWs.

Occupational and environmental hazard assessments for the isolation, purification and toxicity testing of cyanobacterial toxins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wickramasinghe Wasantha A

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Cyanobacteria can produce groups of structurally and functionally unrelated but highly potent toxins. Cyanotoxins are used in multiple research endeavours, either for direct investigation of their toxicologic properties, or as functional analogues for various biochemical and physiological processes. This paper presents occupational safety guidelines and recommendations for personnel working in field, laboratory or industrial settings to produce and use purified cyanotoxins and toxic cyanobacteria, from bulk harvesting of bloom material, mass culture of laboratory isolates, through routine extraction, isolation and purification. Oral, inhalational, dermal and parenteral routes are all potential occupational exposure pathways during the various stages of cyanotoxin production and application. Investigation of toxicologic or pharmacologic properties using in vivo models may present specific risks if radiolabelled cyanotoxins are employed, and the potential for occupational exposure via the dermal route is heightened with the use of organic solvents as vehicles. Inter- and intra-national transport of living cyanobacteria for research purposes risks establishing feral microalgal populations, so disinfection of culture equipment and destruction of cells by autoclaving, incineration and/or chlorination is recommended in order to prevent viable cyanobacteria from escaping research or production facilities.

Occupational and environmental hazard assessments for the isolation, purification and toxicity testing of cyanobacterial toxins

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

Cyanobacteria can produce groups of structurally and functionally unrelated but highly potent toxins. Cyanotoxins are used in multiple research endeavours, either for direct investigation of their toxicologic properties, or as functional analogues for various biochemical and physiological processes. This paper presents occupational safety guidelines and recommendations for personnel working in field, laboratory or industrial settings to produce and use purified cyanotoxins and toxic cyanobacteria, from bulk harvesting of bloom material, mass culture of laboratory isolates, through routine extraction, isolation and purification. Oral, inhalational, dermal and parenteral routes are all potential occupational exposure pathways during the various stages of cyanotoxin production and application. Investigation of toxicologic or pharmacologic properties using in vivo models may present specific risks if radiolabelled cyanotoxins are employed, and the potential for occupational exposure via the dermal route is heightened with the use of organic solvents as vehicles. Inter- and intra-national transport of living cyanobacteria for research purposes risks establishing feral microalgal populations, so disinfection of culture equipment and destruction of cells by autoclaving, incineration and/or chlorination is recommended in order to prevent viable cyanobacteria from escaping research or production facilities. PMID:19925679

Thermal stress, human performance, and physical employment standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheung, Stephen S; Lee, Jason K W; Oksa, Juha

2016-06-01

Many physically demanding occupations in both developed and developing economies involve exposure to extreme thermal environments that can affect work capacity and ultimately health. Thermal extremes may be present in either an outdoor or an indoor work environment, and can be due to a combination of the natural or artificial ambient environment, the rate of metabolic heat generation from physical work, processes specific to the workplace (e.g., steel manufacturing), or through the requirement for protective clothing impairing heat dissipation. Together, thermal exposure can elicit acute impairment of work capacity and also chronic effects on health, greatly contributing to worker health risk and reduced productivity. Surprisingly, in most occupations even in developed economies, there are rarely any standards regarding enforced heat or cold safety for workers. Furthermore, specific physical employment standards or accommodations for thermal stressors are rare, with workers commonly tested under near-perfect conditions. This review surveys the major occupational impact of thermal extremes and existing employment standards, proposing guidelines for improvement and areas for future research.

Hospital ventilation standards and energy conservation: a summary of the literature with conclusions and recommendations. Final report, FY 78

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hollowell, C.; Rosenfeld, A.

1978-09-01

This research examines the basis of current hospital HVAC standards and determines if they can be relaxed on criteria that do not compromise the health, safety, and comfort of patients and staff and has acceptance of the health care community. Chapter 2 summarizes existing standards in use throughout the United States governing hospital ventilation systems and the thermal environment. Chapter 3 explores the role of air in hospital-acquired infections. Chapter 4 explores the realm of indoor air quality within the hospital. Chapter 5 contains a discussion concerning the influence of thermal factors on patient comfort. Chapter 6 discusses the hospital odor problem with regards to ventilation rates. The final chapter includes conclusions and recommendations developed from the literature review and from a small working conference sponsored by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

Implementation of ICRP recommendation in nuclear fuel cycle operations: challenges and achievements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, V.K.

1999-01-01

The operating experience with regard to occupational exposure and environmental releases in Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities are described. The achievements of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Facilities in adhering to the revised radiological protection standards are highlighted, with particular reference to Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs). The downward trend of occupational and public doses due to nuclear power plant operation is emphasised. Some of the important radiologically significant jobs executed at NPPs are listed. With the vast experiences in the field of radiological protection, vis-a-vis stringent regulatory requirements, and design modifications envisaged in future facilities the radiological impact, both in the occupational and public domain is bound to be minimum. (author)

Chapter 7. Critical care triage. Recommendations and standard operating procedures for intensive care unit and hospital preparations for an influenza epidemic or mass disaster

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Christian, Michael D.; Joynt, Gavin M.; Hick, John L.; Colvin, John; Danis, Marion; Sprung, Charles L.; Christian, Micahel D.; Camargo, Ruben; Ceraso, Daniel; Azoulay, Elie; Duguet, Alexandre; Guery, Benoit; Reinhart, Konrad; Adini, Bruria; Barlavie, Yaron; Benin-Goren, Odeda; Cohen, Robert; Klein, Motti; Leoniv, Yuval; Margalit, Gila; Rubinovitch, Bina; Sonnenblick, Moshe; Steinberg, Avraham; Weissman, Charles; Wolff, Donna; Kesecioglu, Jozef; de Jong, Menno; Moreno, Rui; An, Youzhong; Du, Bin; Loo, Shi; Richards, Guy; Artigas, Antonio; Pugin, Jerome; Amundson, Dennis; Devereaux, Asha; Beigel, John; Farmer, Chris; Maki, Dennis; Masur, Henry; Rubinson, Lewis; Sandrock, Christian; Talmor, Daniel; Truog, Robert; Zimmerman, Janice; Brett, Steve; Montgomery, Hugh; Rhodes, Andrew; Sanderson, Frances; Taylor, Bruce

2010-01-01

To provide recommendations and standard operating procedures for intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital preparations for an influenza pandemic or mass disaster with a specific focus on critical care triage. Based on a literature review and expert opinion, a Delphi process was used to define the

Use of dose constraints for occupational exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaijage, Tunu

2015-02-01

The use of dose constraints for occupational exposure was reviewed in this project. The role of dose constraints as used in optimization of protection of workers was described. Different issues to be considered in application of the concept and challenges associated with their implementation were also discussed. The situation where dose constraints could be misinterpreted to dose limits is also explained as the two are clearly differentiated by the International Commission of Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 103. Moreover, recommendations to all parties responsible for protection and safety of workers were discussed. (au)

An analysis of multimodal occupational exposure leading to blood borne infections among health care workers

OpenAIRE

N Lakshmi Priya; K Usha Krishnan; G Jayalakshmi; S Vasanthi

2015-01-01

Occupational exposure poses a significant risk of transmission of blood-borne pathogens to healthcare workers (HCWs). Adherence to standard precautions, awareness about post exposure prophylaxis is poor in developing countries. This retrospective study analyzes the self-reported cases of occupational exposure in a tertiary care hospital. During the study period, 105 HCWs sustained occupational exposure to blood and body fluids. Majority of the victims 36 (34.2%) were interns and the clinical ...

The use of drama and puppetry in occupational therapy during the 1920s and 1930s.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, M E

1996-03-01

The occupational therapy literature was reviewed to determine how drama was used as a clinical modality in the 1920s and 1930s. It appears that the emergence of the Little Theater Movement in the early 1900s, which enabled amateurs to perform publicly, provided the impetus for occupational therapists to use drama as purposeful activity. The theatrical modes most frequently used were pageantry, puppetry, and comedic plays. Additionally, the collective nature of drama facilitated group-centered treatment. Noble, a psychiatrist at Sheppard and Enoch Pratt in Maryland, used drama for insight-oriented therapy and recommended that occupational therapists use drama for treatment of persons with mental illness. Drama in occupational therapy still exists in some psychiatric settings, although a new discipline known as drama therapy, which is a division of the creative arts therapies, has arisen. Although drama therapy addresses psychodynamic goals, drama also can be used in occupational therapy to promote competence, enhance self-concept, and improve socialization.

Contemporary Occupational Carcinogen Exposure and Bladder Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Cumberbatch, Marcus G K; Cox, Angela; Teare, Dawn; Catto, James W F

2015-12-01

Bladder cancer (BC) is a common disease. Despite manufacturing and legislative changes to workplace hygiene, many BCs still arise through occupational carcinogen exposure. To profile contemporary risks of occupational BC. A systematic review using PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Web of Science was performed in October 2012 (initial review) and May 2014 (final review) and was updated in June 2015. We identified 263 eligible articles. We excluded reports in which BC or occupation were not the main focus, and those with insufficient case, risk, or confidence interval data. We selected the most recent data from populations with multiple reports. Reports were selected by 2 of us independently. We combined odds ratios and risk ratios (RRs) to provide pooled RRs, using maximally adjusted RRs in a random effects model. Heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed using I2 and Begg and Egger tests. Risk estimates were annotated by occupational class using Nordisk Yrkesklassificering, or Nordic Occupational Classification, and International Standard Classifications of Occupations (NYK and ISCO-1958) Codes. Occupations were profiled by BC incidence and mortality risk over time. After data collection, we detected a sex difference in these profiles and recorded this as a secondary outcome. Meta-analysis revealed increased BC incidence in 42 of 61 occupational classes and increased BC-specific mortality in 16 of 40 occupational classes. Reduced incidence and mortality were seen in 6 of 61 and 2 of 40 classes, respectively. Risk varied with sex and was greatest in men (standardized incidence ratio, 1.03 [95% CI, 1.02-1.03]; P men and 1.27 (95% CI, 1.12-1.43) for women. In contrast, mortality risk declined for both sexes from the 1960s to the 1990s. The overall risk of BC mortality was also greater for men (standardized mortality ratio [SMR], 1.32 [95% CI, 1.18-1.48]) than for women (SMR, 1.14 [95% CI, 0.80-1.63]). Limitations include possible publication bias, that reports

Occupation as a risk factor for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bilhartz, Terry D; Bilhartz, Patty

2013-02-01

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are leading causes of morbidity and mortality and have been rising in incidence. Little is known about the effects of worker classifications on HDP. This large-scale study examines associations between occupational classifications and HDP. We examined 385,537 Texas Electronic Registrar Birth Registration 2005 birth certificates. Maternal occupations were coded using the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC). Crude and adjusted risks for HDP among working women within occupational groupings were analyzed and compared with risks of nonemployed women. The risk of developing HDP varies across SOC occupational classifications. After controlling for known confounders, women employed in business, management, and the legal and social services, teaching, counseling, and healthcare professions are at higher risk for developing HDP than women employed in support industries, such as food preparation, housekeeping, cosmetic and personal care services, or nonemployed women. Women employed in computer, engineering, architectural, and scientific occupations also carry greater risks, although these increased risks do not affect women of normal weight. Worker classification is an independent risk factor for HDP. Additional work must be done to examine the complex interactions among individual maternal genetics, biology, and physical and mental abilities and how they affect adverse health outcomes. Examining job stressors may shed light on these occupational variations and their potential HDP associations. Strategies to mitigate job stressors in the workplace should be considered.

Recommendations for Autonomous Industrial Vehicle Performance Standards

OpenAIRE

Bostelman , Roger

2016-01-01

International audience; A workshop was held at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, called: “Autonomous Industrial Vehicles: From the Laboratory to the Factory Floor”. Nine research papers were presented followed by a discussion session summarized in this paper. The workshop findings are intended to be useful for developing standards within the ASTM F45 Committee for Driverless Automatic Industrial Vehicles. This paper provides feedback from the discussion listing the...

The values of occupational therapy: Perceptions of occupational therapists in Quebec.

Science.gov (United States)

Drolet, Marie-Josée; Désormeaux-Moreau, Marjorie

2016-07-01

Recently, there has been increasing interest in the values of occupational therapy and the values held by occupational therapists. A wide range of values has been reported in the literature. Furthermore, despite the fact that values are an important part of professional identity, empirical studies have demonstrated that several occupational therapists possess an ambiguous professional identity. This study was undertaken to explore the values of Canadian occupational therapists, specifically French-speaking occupational therapists in Quebec. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 occupational therapists. Their narratives were subject to hermeneutic analysis, a method of textual analysis common in philosophical research. A total of 16 values were identified in the discourses of the occupational therapists interviewed: autonomy; human dignity; occupational participation; social justice and equity; professionalism; holism; partnership, environment, or ecological approach; quality of life; solicitude; honesty; integrity; health; creativity; professional autonomy; effectiveness; and spirituality. The results of this study are, in general, consistent with those reported in the few other empirical studies that have documented the values perceptions of occupational therapists. Finally, the explanation of the values of occupational therapists may reinforce their professional identity and favour best, or at least desirable, professional practices related to ethics and culture.

Heart Rate, Stress, and Occupational Noise Exposure among Electronic Waste Recycling Workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Katrina N; Sun, Kan; Fobil, Julius N; Neitzel, Richard L

2016-01-19

Electronic waste (e-waste) is a growing occupational and environmental health issue around the globe. E-waste recycling is a green industry of emerging importance, especially in low-and middle-income countries where much of this recycling work is performed, and where many people's livelihoods depend on this work. The occupational health hazards of e-waste recycling have not been adequately explored. We performed a cross-sectional study of noise exposures, heart rate, and perceived stress among e-waste recycling workers at a large e-waste site in Accra, Ghana. We interviewed 57 workers and continuously monitored their individual noise exposures and heart rates for up to 24 h. More than 40% of workers had noise exposures that exceeded recommended occupational (85 dBA) and community (70 dBA) noise exposure limits, and self-reported hearing difficulties were common. Workers also had moderate to high levels of perceived stress as measured via Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale, and reported a variety of symptoms that could indicate cardiovascular disease. Noise exposures were moderately and significantly correlated with heart rate (Spearman's ρ 0.46, p stress, and unfavorable physical working conditions. These findings suggest that occupational and non-occupational noise exposure is associated with elevations in average heart rate, which may in turn predict potential cardiovascular damage.

[An analysis of 148 outpatient treated occupational accidents].

Science.gov (United States)

Nicaeus, T; Erb, C; Rohrbach, M; Thiel, H J

1996-10-01

The most common eye injuries are non-perforating. Eye injuries in the workplace are a major cause of socioeconomical damage, morbidity and disability, despite well publicised standards for industrial eye protection. This study investigates the epidemiological and clinical aspects of 148 occupational cases. At the University Eye Clinic of Tübingen, 709 non-perforating eye injuries were registered as occupational accidents between 1995 and 1996. Of these cases, 148 were analysed retrospectively per random. The 5 most common injuries of 148 patients (m/f = 138/10; mean age 33.4 +/- 12 years) were related to corneal foreign body injuries (35%), chemical burns (15.5%), sub-conjunctival foreign bodies (12%), thermal/ultraviolet injuries (11%) and contusions (7.4%). Of these patients, 22.3% were employed as construction workers and 16.2% as metal workers. At the time of examination the visual acuity of the traumatic eye was 0.9 +/- 0.3. The interval between the beginning of work and accident was 6.2 +/- 6.4 hours in average (0.5-13.5 h). Of all accidents, 8.5% were caused during the first hour of work; in contrast 45.5% of all accidents were caused after 6 hours of work. Another 12.4 +/- 14.5 hours (5min.-72 h; median 7 h) passed by until the patients arrived for eye examination at the Eye Clinic of Tübingen. Only 6% of all patients arrived within the first hour, and 29.7% after 12 hours. Of all cases, 30.4% received first-aid treatment in their company by the factory doctor or by the eye doctor before examination at the Eye Clinic. Only 6.8% of all patients had protective spectacles during work. Incapacity was seen in 30.4%; the average in total was 5.5 +/- 10 days. Despite the late examination at the Eye Clinic the functional loss was mostly little except after chemical burns. Nevertheless, most occupational accidents can be avoided with better protective devices in order to reduce the incidence of injuries and socioeconomical damage. Therefore an intense campaign

ISFG: Recommendations on biostatistics in paternity testing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gjertson, David W; Brenner, Charles H; Baur, Max P

2007-01-01

The Paternity Testing Commission (PTC) of the International Society for Forensic Genetics has taken up the task of establishing the biostatistical recommendations in accordance with the ISO 17025 standards and a previous set of ISFG recommendations specific to the genetic investigations...... in paternity cases. In the initial set, the PTC recommended that biostatistical evaluations of paternity are based on a likelihood ratio principle - yielding the paternity index, PI. Here, we have made five supplementary biostatistical recommendations. The first recommendation clarifies and defines basic...... concepts of genetic hypotheses and calculation concerns needed to produce valid PIs. The second and third recommendations address issues associated with population genetics (allele probabilities, Y-chromosome markers, mtDNA, and population substructuring) and special circumstances (deficiency...

International short-term medical missions: a systematic review of recommended practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Roche, Stephanie D; Ketheeswaran, Pavinarmatha; Wirtz, Veronika J

2017-01-01

To identify practices for conducting international short-term medical missions (STMMs) recommended in the literature and examine how these link STMMs to recipient countries' existing health systems. Systematic review of PubMed-indexed articles on STMMs and their bibliographies using preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. Recommendations were organized using the World Health Organization Health Systems Framework. In 92 publications, 67 % offered at least one recommendation that would link STMMs to the recipient country's health system. Among these recommendations, most focused on service delivery and few on health financing and governance. There is a lack of consensus around a proper standard of care, patient selection, and trip duration. Comprehensive global standards are needed for STMM work to ensure that services are beneficial both to patients and to the broader healthcare systems of recipient countries. By providing an overview of the current recommendations and important gaps where practice recommendations are needed, this study can provide relevant input into the development of global standards for STMMs.