Health Risk Factors in Different Seasons of Carpet Industry in Kashmir,India

Abstract

Carpet workers are exposed to different types of health risk factors in different seasons of the year. As the environmental conditions become harsh, risk for developing various types of diseases increases. These problems are further aggravated when the environmental conditions at the workplace deteriorate. An attempt has been made to study the health risk factors in the carpet industry in different seasons of the year. It has been concluded that in winter weavers are affected by several types of health risk factors as compared to the other seasons.     

Musculoskeletal symptoms as related to ergonomic factors in Iranian hand-woven carpet industry and general guidelines for workstation design.

Carpet weaving is a high risk occupation for developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The objectives of the present study, which was carried out in the Iranian hand-woven carpet industry, were determination of the prevalence of MSD symptoms, identification of major factors associated with MSD symptoms and development of guidelines for workstation design. 1,439 randomly selected weavers participated in this study. A questionnaire was used to collect data on MSD symptoms. The results revealed that the prevalence rates for symptoms in different body regions were high as compared to the general Iranian population (for neck, back and large joints, p <.0001). The results of multivariate analyses showed that major ergonomic factors associated with musculoskeletal symptoms were loom type, working posture, daily working time and seat type. Based on the results, some general guidelines for designing weaving workstations were developed. A prototype test showed that the new workstation was acceptable for subject tests and that it improved working posture.     

Reliability of a questionnaire and an ergonomic checklist for assessing working conditions and health at call centres.

BACKGROUND: The purpose was to study the test-retest reliability and internal consistency of questions in a questionnaire concerning working conditions and health and the inter-rater reliability of observations and measurements according to an ergonomic checklist. METHOD: Fifty-seven operators participated in a retest questionnaire and 58 operators participated in an inter-observer test. RESULTS: The questions had fair to good or higher reliability in 142 of the total of 312. Twenty-seven of the total of 44 variables in the ergonomic checklist were classified as having fair to good or higher reliability. CONCLUSIONS: About half of the questions had fair to good or higher reliability and can be recommended for further analyses. The majority of variables in the ergonomic checklist were classified as having fair to good or higher reliability. Low reliability does not necessarily indicate that the reliability of the test, per se, is low but may signify that the conditions measured vary over time or that the answers are aggregated in one part of the scale.     

Workers' active involvement in the improvement of occupational safety and health in a textile enterprise--a case study.

Part of the Polish-Swedish OSHMAN project was carried out in a textile company. It aimed at implementing and improving effective health and safety management with workers' active involvement at all levels of the enterprise. The two main problems to be solved during the project were decreasing occupational risk and improving workers' poor knowledge on occupational risk. Training courses, workshops and practical activities were undertaken. As expected, there were changes in work organisation and improvement in the way workstations were looked after, which led to a decrease in occupational risk. Workers were highly committed during the project. Nevertheless it seems that more training should be directed at middle management.     

基于模糊贝叶斯网络的煤气化职业健康风险分析

针对煤气化行业职业健康风险影响因素不确定及模糊的特点,建立了职业健康风险计算模型。该模型将模糊数学与贝叶斯网络相耦合,模拟事件概率,找出导致风险的主要因素。通过分析煤气化行业中存在的多种风险因素,应用问卷调查法和模糊集理论模拟了根节点的发生概率,得出职业健康风险概率的预测值;应用贝叶斯网络反向推理的功能计算根节点后验概率并排序,确定了薄弱环节。该模型不仅能解决概率缺失情况下的风险量化推算问题,定量进行职业健康风险评估,还可以实现关键因素的识别,并能有针对性地提出改进措施,为职业健康风险预防提供决策依据。     

Comparisons of ergonomic evaluation tools (ALLA,RULA, REBA and OWAS) for farm work

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to validate the agricultural lower limb assessment (ALLA) ergonomic checklist, which was developed for various agricultural tasks in Korea. Methods. One hundred and ninety-six working postures were selected from the real agricultural tasks to verify ALLA, a lower limb body posture assessment tool, and then evaluated by 16 ergonomic experts. Hit rate, quadratic weighted κ, one-way analysis of variance and t-test analyses were applied to compare ALLA with other assessment tools. Results. ALLA analysis had a superior hit rate with ergonomic expert assessment compared with other assessment tools. Quadratic weighted κ analysis also showed that ALLA provided superior estimates of risk levels for farm working postures. Discussion. ALLA would be an appropriate assessment tool to estimate risk factors for various lower limb body postures which frequently occur in agricultural tasks in Korea. ALLA is a simple and accurate risk assessment tool that could be usefully applied to identify and mitigate risk factors and work-related musculoskeletal disorders in agricultural tasks, and also to evaluate the effects of control and intervention for working conditions.     

An Ergonomics Study of a Semiconductors Factory in an IDC for Improvement in Occupational Health and Safety

The study aimed to conduct an ergonomic intervention on a conventional line (CL) in a semiconductor factory in Malaysia, an industrially developing country (IDC), to improve workers’ occupational health and safety (OHS). Low-cost and simple (LCS) ergonomics methods were used (suitable for IDCs), e.g., subjective assessment, direct observation, use of archival data and assessment of noise. It was found that workers were facing noise irritation, neck and back pains and headache in the various processes in the CL. LCS ergonomic interventions to rectify the problems included installing noise insulating covers, providing earplugs, installing elevated platforms, slanting visual display terminals and installing extra exhaust fans. The interventions cost less than 3 000 USD but they significantly improved workers’ OHS, which directly correlated with an improvement in working conditions and job satisfaction. The findings are useful in solving OHS problems in electronics industries in IDCs as they share similar manufacturing processes, problems and limitations.     

Identification of ergonomic issues that affect workers in oilrigs in desert environments.

The main objective of this research was to conduct an assessment of ergonomic-related problems in oilrigs in a desert environment. A checklist, physical audit and medical records were used in the investigation. The results showed significant health, environment and work-related problems that could be attributed to ergonomic deficiencies in the work system of the oilrig. Some major ergonomic issues identified were hard physical work, back pain, discomfort, hot environment, long shift, and diverse schedule. Ninety-four percent of the employees perceived the workday as very long, 79% were dissatisfied with the work schedule, while 61% of the employees perceived the summer work environment as extremely hot. Ergonomics should be considered in the work system design so as to reduce or eliminate problems in oilrigs in hot desert environments.     

Occupational injuries and health problems in the Egyptian Mediterranean fisheries

Marine fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations. So far, no studies addressing occupational safety and health in the Egyptian fisheries have been conducted. The objective of this study is to explore and identify the types and causes of, as well as some factors associated with, occupational accidents and illnesses in the Egyptian marine fisheries. A sample of 686 fishermen in El-Maaddiya fishing port were interviewed for collecting relevant data. This paper presents the types of injuries mentioned by the interviewed fishermen and their potential causes in terms of accident type and involved agency/agency part. Also, major health problems and potential causes are presented. Furthermore, a logistic regression analysis was performed to study the significance of the association of some factors, such as age, experience, education and fishing gear with the occurrence of injuries and illnesses. The results of this study show that the Egyptian fishing industry involve many hazardous work conditions and practices that result in high morbidity and mortality rates, and high injury rates. The study recommends further research on suitable measures for the management of this problem.     

Ergonomic interventions for prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in a small manufacturing assembly line

This study involves performing improvements in workstation specification using a three-dimensional human modeling tool and proposing well-balanced work scheduling (WBWS) to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) in a small manufacturing plant. To analyze risk factors of WMSDs, various tasks at 10 different types of workstation were evaluated with detailed motion analysis using a customized checklist. Questionnaires were administered to 27 workers to evaluate symptoms related to WMSDs. Revised workstation specifications were suggested based on anthropometric characteristics of workers using before–after analyses as an engineering control. Additionally, WBWS was proposed as an administrative control to avoid continuous physical stress on specific body parts in repetitive tasks. A software tool for WBWS was developed for convenient and easy application. The results of the study may aid managers in applying ergonomic interventions with time and cost savings, and enhance worker satisfaction and motivation due to improvements in working conditions to prevent WMSDs.     

The unequal distribution of occupational health and safety risks among immigrants to Canada compared to Canadian-born labour market participants: 1993–2005

ObjectivesTo examine the prevalence of occupational health and safety risk factors among immigrants to Canada compared to Canadian-born labour force participants.MethodsUsing data from Statistic Canada’s Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics, we examined the differential probabilities of six different occupational health and safety risks: non-membership in a union or collective bargaining agreement; employment in physically demanding occupations; employment in a workplace with less than 20 employees; regular shift work; irregular shift work; and having non-permanent employment. Our main independent variables were length of time in Canada, visible minority status, mother tongue, and location where highest level of education was attained. Models were adjusted for age, gender, education, marital status, province of residence, living in an urban or rural location, and industry group.ResultsOf the six occupational health and safety risks examined we found that our main independent variables describing aspects of immigration status were associated with five; the exception being irregular shift work. Adjustment for industry did not attenuate these relationships to a large extent.ConclusionsImmigrants to Canada are faced with many occupational health and safety risks compared to Canadian-born respondents. These risks may be heightened among immigrants as they may not have knowledge of workplace rights and protections or have problems communicating health and safety risks or concerns. The timely provision information on occupational health and safety to immigrants before they start working should be a priority as they integrate into the Canadian labour market.     

Upper trapezius fatigue in carpet weaving: the impact of a repetitive task cycle

Introduction. Shoulder disorders are one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders among carpet weavers. The most important cause of these disorders is muscle fatigue. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of carpet weaving characteristics on upper trapezius (UTr) muscle fatigue during a task cycle. Method. In this cross-sectional study, 9 women and 3 men participated. During an 80-min cycle of carpet weaving, a times-series model was applied to assess electromyography amplitude and frequency changes. Result. According to the joint analysis of electromyogram spectrum and amplitude method, the participants experienced 0% force decrease, 0.9% recovery, 18% force increase and 72% fatigue in the left UTr. Furthermore, the rates of force decrease, recovery, force increase and fatigue in the right UTr were 18%, 18%, 18% and 45%, respectively. Fatigue in the right and the left UTr was reported to be the dominant state during one carpet weaving task cycle. Conclusion. Task cycle appears to have a significant impact on UTr fatigue in participants, and UTr fatigue can be considered a serious risk factor in shoulder musculoskeletal disorders. Hence, further studies should focus on better workstations and work–rest periods during various subtasks.     

An Exploratory Study of Meanings of Risk Control for Long Term and Acute Effect Occupational Health and Safety Risks in Small Business Construction Firms

A qualitative study of employers' and employees' meanings of occupational health and safety (OHS) risk control was conducted among a sample of small businesses engaged in the Australian construction industry. Two OHS risks relevant to the construction industry were selected for study. One risk (falls from height) represented an immediate consequence, whereas the other (occupational skin disease) represented a long-term health effect. Meanings of the sources and control for these risks were explored during in-depth interviews. Participants perceived the immediate effect, falls from height OHS risk, as being more important in their workplaces than the delayed effect, skin disease OHS risk. The risk of falls from height was perceived to be controllable but requiring a great deal of effort to prevent, whereas there was a fatalistic resignation to the risk of occupational skin disease. Meanings of risk control for both occupational skin disease and falls from height focused on individual rather than technological risk controls. Organizational barriers to the adoption of technological OHS risk controls in the construction industry were identified.     

Pushing and pulling: an assessment tool for occupational health and safety practitioners

A tool has been developed for supporting practitioners when assessing manual pushing and pulling operations based on an initiative by two global companies in the manufacturing industry. The aim of the tool is to support occupational health and safety practitioners in risk assessment and risk management of pushing and pulling operations in the manufacturing and logistics industries. The tool is based on a nine-multiplier equation that includes a wide range of factors affecting an operator’s health risk and capacity in pushing and pulling. These multipliers are based on psychophysical, physiological and biomechanical studies in combination with judgments from an expert group consisting of senior researchers and ergonomists. In order to consider usability, more than 50 occupational health and safety practitioners (e.g., ergonomists, managers, safety representatives and production personnel) participated in the development of the tool. An evaluation by 22 ergonomists supports that the push/pull tool is user friendly in general.     

木制家具生产行业的职业危害与个体防护

通过对木制家具生产工艺流程及加工过程的调研分析,归纳出木粉尘、噪声、有机挥发物、机械伤害等10种主要危害因素,将各种危害因素对安全健康的影响和致病形式进行总结,并对木制家具生产企业进行现场调查。指出企业在职业危害防护措施方面的欠缺与不足,同时对木制家具生产行业职业危害的防护措施、个体防护装备的选用以及防护装备使用中的注意事项进行说明。研究认为,木制家具生产行业中危害因素多且危害程度严重,安监部门应加强对企业的监督管理,企业应为职工提供有效防护措施和个体防护装备。     

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.     

工作场所超细颗粒物暴露评估与风险评估研究进展

纳米技术产业的快速发展促使纳米材料需求量不断增长,纳米材料的规模化生产及使用,增加了暴露于超细颗粒物的职业人群数量,且工种复杂多样,尤其在自动化程度低、工人职业卫生防护意识薄弱的作业场所,对接触者有潜在的职业暴露风险.从现场暴露评估策略、检测方法、接触限值以及风险评估手段,综述针对超细颗粒物这一新型职业危害因素的研究进...     

Working conditions,psychological/physical symptoms and occupational accidents. Bayesian network models

Each day thousands of workers suffer occupational accidents of varying degrees of severity. Accidents at work render workers incapable of carrying out their day to day activities, either temporarily or permanently, and they also have detrimental effects on family life, the company, and the general public. In order to reduce the occupational accident rate, it is necessary to determine the causes of those accidents. Although there are many different types of accidents, they generally stem from poor working conditions. The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of working conditions on occupational accidents from data gathered in the VI National Survey of Working Conditions (VI NSWCs) in 2007. This survey utilized a random sample of the active population of Spain. The sample comprised 11,054 people (5917 males and 5137 females). In order to carry out the study, a probabilistic model was built using Bayesian networks. The model included the following variables: hygiene conditions, ergonomic conditions, job demands, physical symptoms, psychological symptoms, and occupational accidents. The study demonstrated that there were strong relationships between hygiene conditions and occupational accidents; it has been shown that poor hygienic conditions duplicate the probability of accident. Physical symptoms increased almost 50% due to poor ergonomic conditions. And finally, high job demands almost duplicated the psychological symptoms. The investigation also showed a high degree of interdependence between physical and psychological symptomatologies and the relationship between these and occupational accidents.     

Reliability of a Questionnaire and an Ergonomic Checklist for Assessing Working Conditions and Health at Call Centres

Background. The purpose was to study the test-retest reliability and internal consistency of questions in aquestionnaire concerning working conditions and health and the inter-rater reliability of observations andmeasurements according to an ergonomic checklist. Method. Fifty-seven operators participated in a retestquestionnaire and 58 operators participated in an inter-observer test. Results. The questions had fair to good or higher reliability in 142 of the total of 312. Twenty-seven of the total of 44 variables in the ergonomicchecklist were classified as having fair to good or higher reliability. Conclusions. About half of the questionshad fair to good or higher reliability and can be recommended for further analyses. The majority of variablesin the ergonomic checklist were classified as having fair to good or higher reliability. Low reliability does notnecessarily indicate that the reliability of the test, per se, is low but may signify that the conditions measuredvary over time or that the answers are aggregated in one part of the scale.     

城市污水处理厂职业健康风险评估研究进展

为进一步开展城市污水处理厂职业健康风险评估工作,运用文献调研方法对国内外城市污水处理厂职业健康风险评估研究现状进行综述和展望。研究结果表明:目前,污水处理厂职业健康风险评估主要针对有毒有害气体和生物气溶胶2类危害因素;主要采用问卷调查、矩阵法和剂量-反应模型等3种评估方法;噪声和人机工程等职业危害因素的健康风险评估、暴露特征污染物的识别、复合污染物的健康风险评估、职业与非职业危害因素对工人健康影响等研究工作还有待开展。