Occupational back pain among schoolteachers in Jordan: estimated prevalence and factors associated with self-reported pain and work limitations

Purpose. To investigate the point prevalence of upper back pain and lower back pain in Jordanian schoolteachers and to estimate the work-related reported disability. Method. A cross-sectional survey was used to assess back pain in a convenience sample of teachers in Jordan. Crude and weighted prevalence estimates of self-reported spinal pain and limited productivity were described. Demographic and occupational factors associated with self-reported pain and limited productivity were identified by multinomial/logistic regression. Results. Crude rates differed by gender, geographic location, school funding and grade levels of teaching. Weighted estimates for self-reported pain were 46% for females and 36% for males. Pain with limitation was 55% for males and 49% for females. Pain without limitation was associated with female gender (odds ratio [OR]?=?5.26). Pain with limitations was associated with female gender (OR?=?2.92), teaching in public school (OR?=?2.06) and body mass index (OR?=?1.1). Among subjects with pain, limitations were associated with male gender (OR?=?2.34), teaching in public school (OR?=?3.18) and pain in both upper and lower back (OR?=?4.64). Conclusions. Pain and occupational limitations are highly prevalent in schoolteachers in Jordan.     

Occupational noise exposure and hearing defects among sawmill workers in the south of Thailand

The aim of this study was to investigate occupational noise exposure and hearing defects among sawmill workers in the south of Thailand. Seven hundred sawmill workers participated, of which 335 (47.9%) were male. The mean age of the sawmill workers was 33.5 years (SD 10.2), and more than 60% were <35 years old; 75.1% of the workers had less than 5 years of work experience. Only about one in four workers (25%) had been trained in use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and half of the participants never or rarely wore PPE while working. The prevalence rate of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) was 22.8% (N?=?42). Male workers had significantly higher risk than female workers (odds ratio [OR]?=?2.21). Workers aged older than 25 years had significantly higher risks for NIHL (OR?=?3.51–12.42) than workers younger than 25 years. Sawing workers had higher risk for NIHL than office workers (OR?=?3.07).     

Hand-arm vibration disorder among grass-cutter workers in Malaysia

Introduction. Prolonged exposure to hand-transmitted vibration from grass-cutting machines has been associated with increasing occurrences of symptoms and signs of occupational diseases related to hand–arm vibration syndrome (HAVS). Methods. A cross-sectional study was carried out using an adopted HAVS questionnaire on hand–arm vibration exposure and symptoms distributed to 168 male workers from the grass and turf maintenance industry who use hand-held grass-cutting machines as part of their work. The prevalence ratio and symptom correlation to HAVS between high and low–moderate exposure risk groups were evaluated. Results. There were positive HAVS symptoms relationships between the low–moderate exposure group and the high exposure group among hand-held grass-cutting workers. The prevalence ratio was considered high because there were indicators that fingers turned white and felt numb, 3.63, 95% CI [1.41, 9.39] and 4.24, 95% CI [2.18, 8.27], respectively. Less than 14.3% of workers stated that they were aware of the occupational hand–arm vibration, and it seemed to be related to the finger blanching and numbness. Conclusion. The results suggest that HAVS is under-diagnosed in Malaysia, especially in the agricultural sectors. More information related to safety and health awareness programmes for HAVS exposure is required among hand-held grass-cutting workers.     

Multiple dimensions of work-related risk factors and their relationship to work ability among industrial workers in Iran

Objectives. The present study was designed to investigate the simultaneous effects of physical, psychosocial and other work-related risk factors on the work ability index (WAI) score among industrial workers. Methods. This study used a cross-sectional design with a questionnaire survey. A total of 280 workers were included in the study. Data were collected using three questionnaires including the Persian version of the WAI, the Persian version of the job content questionnaire and an author-developed measure (to assess work-related factors, health-related factors and socio-demographic characteristics). Results. The majority of the participants were young, but they had poor WAI scores (mean 37.3?±?6.4) and 44.3% of them had poor or moderate work ability. Occupational accidents and injuries were found to be the strongest predictors of WAI scores. Additionally, there was a strong association between WAI scores and supervisor support, skill discretion, occupational training, sleep quality, work nature and educational level. Conclusions. Intervention programs should focus on improving supervisor support, sleep quality, job skills and knowledge and on decreasing physical and mental work demands. Additionally, implementing a comprehensive occupational health and ergonomics program for controlling and reducing hazardous working environments and occupational injury rates should be considered.     

Demographic determinants of chemical safety information recall in workers and consumers in South Africa: A cross sectional study

BackgroundChemical hazard communication is intended to alert users of the potential hazards of chemicals. Hazard information needs to be understood and recalled. Recall of hazard communication is critical when the written form of the information is not available at the time it is required.MethodsA cross-sectional study investigating associations between recall of chemical safety information on labels amongst 402 participants including 315 workers and 87 consumers in two provinces of South Africa.ResultsRespondents were predominantly male (67.7%), the median age was 37 years (IQR: 30-46 years) and less than half of the participants completed high school (47.5%). Multivariate analysis identified the following positive associations with the recall of all the label elements listing the strongest association: call appropriate services and industrial vs consumer sector (OR = 2.4; 95% CI: 1.2; 4.6 ); call appropriate services and transport vs consumer sector (OR = 4.4; 95% CI: 1.2; 16.0); flammable symbol and male vs female gender (OR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.0; 5.3); flammable symbol and home language English vs African languages (OR = 6.6; 95% CI: 2.1; 21.2); any hazard statement and home language Afrikaans vs African languages (OR = 14.0; 95% CI: 3.6; 54.2), any first aid statement and further education vs none (OR = 3.3; 95% CI: 1.3; 8.0), correct chemical name and industry blue collar workers vs non-industry blue collar workers (OR = 2.6; 95% CI: 1.1; 6.1), correct chemical name and non-industry white collar occupations vs non-industry blue collar workers (OR = 2.7; 95% CI: 1.0; 7.1).ConclusionThe study found a number of potential positive associations which influence recall of label elements of which some (e.g., sector, gender, occupation) suggest further research. Relevant policies in South Africa should ensure that the safety information on chemical labels is clearly visible to read and understandable which aids recall and the reduction in harmful chemical exposures.     

Combined Effects of Physical Demands and Shift Working on Low Back Disorders Among Nursing Personnel

The aim of this study was to investigate the synergistic effects of physical demands and shift working on low back disorders (LBDs) among nursing personnel. The study used 2 questionnaires: a self-administered questionnaire composed of parts of Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire to assess LBDs and job content questionnaire to assess physical demands. The participants were divided into 4 groups: from group 1 (low physical demands day workers) to group 4 (high physical demands shift workers). In regression analysis, high physical demands were associated with the prevalence of LBDs independently (OR 4.4, 95% CI [2.40, 8.00] and p < .05), but there was no association between shift working and LBDs (p > .05). Odds ratio in high physical demands shift workers was 9.33 compared to the reference group (p < .001). Calculated synergistic index was 7.37. Simultaneous impacts of shift working and high physical demands may increase the prevalence of LBDs among nursing personnel.     

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among workers in an MDF furniture factory in eastern Thailand

The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors contributing to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among 439 workers in an MDF furniture factory using questionnaires and the risk assessment form of the Ergonomic Assessment Tool for Arthritis technique to assess aspects of the workstations and working postures of jobs. With regard to factors that affected MSDs, it was found that workers older than 50 years were having knee symptoms: their adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 18.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.51, 226.40]. Those who had been working for 1–2 years were having neck pain symptoms: aOR 12.01, 95% CI [1.82, 79.43]. The recommendation of this study is that health monitoring should be provided for workers who have pain in various parts of their bodies, especially those who have been working for 6–10 years, and those who are over 50 years old with knee pain.     

Epidemiology of occupational accidents among Iranian insured workers

Work-related accidents are considered as a major health problem worldwide. The aim of present study was to determine the epidemiological pattern of occupational accidents among workers insured by the Iranian Social Security Organization (ISSO) between 2001 and 2005.Subjects consisted of all workers and drivers who had a work-related accident during 2001–2005 and were registered in the Iranian Social Security Organization (ISSO) database according to the inspection reports. An ordinal logistic regression model (proportional odds regression model) was used to assess the concurrent effects of independent variables on accident outcomes.Overall, 86,437 work-related accidents were investigated. The accidents were more frequent in metal workplaces and electrical industries, respectively. More than half of the accidents were due to incautious activities. Workers’ age (age at the time of accident) (OR = 0.99, CI: 0.989–0.994), gender (OR = 1.3, CI: 1.191–1.683), marital status (OR = 1.25, CI: 1.143–1.675) as well as accident setting (OR = 1.88, CI: 1.728–1.975) had significant effect on accident outcomes. Pattern of occupational injuries in Iran was consistent with the global pattern for accident outcomes.     

Injury-related hospital admission of female firefighters in South Korea

Purpose. The main objective of this study was to ascertain whether injury-related hospital admission in all South Korea female firefighters is greater than that in the general population. Methods. To perform this comparison, the standardized admission ratios (SARs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by person-years and mortality computation software. Results. Compared to the general population, the SARs for overall injury (SAR?=?1.57, 95% CI [1.24, 1.96]) and for injury to the lower back (SAR?=?2.78, 95% CI [1.81, 4.07]) in the female firefighters were significantly higher. The SARs for injury to the knee (SAR?=?2.48, 95% CI [1.18, 4.55]) in emergency medical services (EMS) workers were significantly higher than those in the general population. Conclusions. Our study shows that the SARs of overall injury and injury to the lower back in female firefighters and knee injury in the EMS were significantly higher than those in the general population. Further studies are needed to protect the lower back of firefighters and the knees of EMS.     

The relationship of occupational injury and use of mental health care

Introduction: Symptoms of depression and anxiety are a common consequence of occupational injury regardless of its cause and type. Nevertheless, mental health care is rarely covered by workers’ compensation systems. The aim of this study was to assess the use of mental health care post-injury. Methods: We used a subsample of patient-care workers from the Boston Hospital Workers Health Study (BHWHS). We matched one injured worker with three uninjured workers during the period of 2012–2014 based on age and job title (nurse or patient-care associate) and looked at their mental health care use pre- and post-injury using medical claims data from the employer sponsored health plan. We used logistic regression analysis to assess the likelihood of mental health care use three and six months post-injury controlling for any pre-injury visits. Analyses were repeated separately by job title. Results: There were 556 injured workers between 2012 and 2014 that were matched with three uninjured workers at the time of injury (n = 1,649). Injured workers had a higher likelihood of seeking mental health care services than their uninjured counterparts during the six months after injury (OR = 1.646, 95% CI: 1.23–2.20), but not three months post-injury (OR = 0.825, 95% CI: 0.57–1.19). Patient-care associates had a higher likelihood to seek mental health care post-injury, than nurses (OR: 2.133 vs OR: 1.556) during the six months period. Conclusions: Injured workers have a higher likelihood to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety based on their use of mental health care post-injury and use is more predominant among patient-care associates; however, our sample has a small number of patient-care associates. Practical Applications: Treating depression and anxiety as part of the workers’ compensation system has the potential of preventing further physical ailment and improving the return to work process regardless of nature of injury.     

I can't get no job satisfaction: Meta‐analysis comparing permanent and contingent workers

Scholars are concerned that contingent workers experience more adverse psychological job outcomes than permanent employees, but the empirical work on job satisfaction is mixed. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively summarize the potential mean differences in job satisfaction between contingent workers and permanent employees. Meta‐analytic results from 72 primary studies (N = 237 856) suggest that compared with permanent employees, contingent workers experience lower job satisfaction (d = ?0.21); but when outlying primary studies are removed, the mean difference is small but significant (d = ?0.06). Methodological artifacts explain small but significant differences in job satisfaction but do not account for much variance. Moderator analyses support previous findings that contingent workers are not a homogeneous group; some contingent workers (e.g., agency workers) experience lower job satisfaction than permanent employees, whereas the job satisfaction of other contingent workers (e.g., contractors) is similar to permanent employees. The findings have implications for increasing our understanding of job satisfaction by showing that job satisfaction appears to vary by employment type. Practical implications suggest that extending human resource practices to contingent workers may increase their job satisfaction, which has been shown to influence job performance, citizenship behaviors, and turnover. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Knowledge,attitudes and practices of occupational risks in Colombian taxi drivers

Objective. The objective of this study was to learn about the health and safety strategies in a sample of taxi drivers in Bucaramanga, Colombia. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 138 taxi drivers. A survey was used to identify the socio-demographic and working characteristics, knowledge, attitudes and practices according to their occupational risk. Results. Eighty-five percent of the workers labored 9–15?h/day. Of those who suffered accidents, 27% were not affiliated to an occupational risk administrator (p = 0.028). Of the workers who had a work-related accident, 58% considered that the use of a cell phone while driving would not always reduce their attention, 50% always used their seat belt and 7% took active breaks and wore their seat belt (p = 0.01). Conclusions. Within this group of taxi drivers, having or believing to possess knowledge regarding an occupational risk did not ensure that they had a safe attitude or safe working practices.     

Facilitators and barriers to occupational health and safety in small and medium-sized enterprises: a descriptive exploratory study in Ontario,Canada

Purpose. The purpose of this particular study was to test a newly created instrument in describing the facilitators and barriers to occupational health and safety in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ontario, Canada. Methods. A cross-sectional design was used to identify the occupational health and safety culture of SMEs in public and private sectors in Ontario. Results. A total of 153 questionnaires were completed. The majority of respondents were female (84%) with a mean age of 49.8 years (SD 10.6). Seventy-four percent were supervisors. Seventy percent of respondents were from the private sector while 30% derived from the public sector including healthcare, community services, and non-profit organizations. Further, conducting regular external safety inspections of the workplace was found to be statistically associated with a safe work environment 2.88 95% CI [1.57, 5.27]. Conclusions. Strategies and training opportunities that focus on how to adapt occupational health and safety legislation to the nature and diversity of SMEs are recommended. Furthermore, employers may use such information to improve safety in their SMEs, while researchers can hopefully use such evidence to develop interventions that are applicable to meeting the occupational health and safety needs of SMEs.     

Job control and occupational health: the moderating role of national R&D activity

Workers (n = 17 275) from 14 European Union (EU) member states provided data on job control, job dissatisfaction, perceived risk of occupational stress, and absence. For each state, level of research and development (R&D) activity was assessed. Associations between individual levels of control and occupational health were stronger where national R&D activity was higher. The moderation occurred for individuals' levels of control in relation to job dissatisfaction, perceived risk of occupational stress, and absence. The findings with job dissatisfaction and absence were replicated in a sample of workers from 10 Eastern European former Communist countries (n = 7926). Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Occupational hazards to health of port workers

Objectives. The aim of this article is to reduce the risk of occupational hazards and improve safety conditions by enhancing hazard knowledge and identification as well as improving safety behavior for freight port enterprises. Methods. In the article, occupational hazards to health and their prevention measures of freight port enterprises have been summarized through a lot of occupational health evaluation work, experience and understanding. Results. Workers of freight port enterprises confront an equally wide variety of chemical, physical and psychological hazards in production technology, production environment and the course of labor. Such health hazards have been identified, the risks evaluated, the dangers to health notified and effective prevention measures which should be put in place to ensure the health of the port workers summarized. Discussion. There is still a long way to go for the freight port enterprises to prevent and control the occupational hazards. Except for occupational hazards and their prevention measures, other factors that influence the health of port workers should also be paid attention to, such as age, work history, gender, contraindication and even the occurrence and development rules of occupational hazards in current production conditions.     

Comparative assessment of respiratory and other occupational health effects among elementary workers

Objective. This study was conducted to assess hazards faced by elementary workers. Methods. A questionnaire survey and a respiratory function test (spirometry) were carried out on 150 respondents. Results. Major hazards identified related to sharp objects, heavy weight lifting, thermally harsh conditions, working at height, whole body vibration, chemicals, pathogens, increased noise levels and confined space entry. Workers suffered from upper and lower respiratory disorder symptoms, digestive problems, optical and musculoskeletal issues, etc. Spirometric measurement showed obstructive lung disorders to be highest among construction workers (CW) (48%) followed by sanitation workers (SW) (32%) and solid waste pickers (SWP) (28%). Restrictive lung pattern was dominant among SW (56%) followed by SWP (46%) and CW (42%). The observed FEV₁/FVC in diseased SWP, SW and CW ranged from 51 to 96%, from 52 to 98% and from 31 to 99% respectively while observed mean FEV₁ was 2.15, 1.79 and 1.70 L, respectively. Conclusion. The study findings show that occupational exposure can significantly influence respiratory system impairment and contribute to other ailments among elementary workers. The study recommends use of appropriate protective equipment and regular medical examination for early recognition of any health risk so that timely interventions for effective management may be undertaken.     

Anthropometric hand dimensions in a population of Iranian male workers in 2012

Background. The mismatch between the hand size of workers and the size of industrial instruments is a growing concern; it can lead to various musculoskeletal complications. Currently, there are few reliable studies available to address this concern in Iran. This study was conducted to measure 30 upper-extremity parameters in a group of Iranian industrial workers. Methods. This study is a cross-sectional study on 529 workers. The study population was randomly selected from male Iranian industrial workers who were referred to the Yazd hospital occupational medicine clinic for surveillance evaluations. Results. The M (SD) age of the participants was 30.13 (8.29) years. Statistical analysis was performed using the mean, standard deviation and 5th, 50th and 90th percentiles for each measured hand dimension. A considerable number of dimensions were significantly different between the measurements of right and left hands in each examinee. The results showed significant differences between Iranian hand size and that of other populations. Conclusion. This study provided a valuable databank of hand dimensions in a population of Iranian male workers. These data can be used by manufacturers in designing high-quality hand-tools and industrial gloves, taking into consideration Iranian worker characteristics.     

Associations Between Worker Characteristics,Workplace Factors,and Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Cross-Sectional Study of Male Construction Workers in Nigeria

Objective. This study assessed the association between worker characteristics, workplace factors, and work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) in Nigeria’s construction industry. Methods. A cross-sectional site-by-site survey was conducted in 5 existing construction companies in Uyo, Nigeria. The subjects (n = 1200 males), aged 18-55 years, filled in the semistructured Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire and the job content questionnaire on demographics, work and lifestyle characteristics, and workplace risk factors for WMSDs. Results. The overall prevalence of WMSDs was 39.25%. Differences in age, race, weight, body mass index (BMI), education status, and employment status were significantly associated with the prevalence of WMSDs. Prevalence according to trade was as follows: ironworkers highest at 49% and administrative staff lowest at 31%. Ironworkers (55.7%), administrative staff (53.3%), and security staff (38.7%) scored higher on physical, psychosocial, and individual risk factors, respectively. Workplace factors with increased odds for WMSDs were psychological demands and mental workload, age, BMI, low work experience, low education status, awkward movement of head and arms, working against force or vibration, fast work pace, and race. Conclusion. The recorded high prevalence was multifactorial in etiology; hence, multi-intervention strategies are required.