Computer Professionals and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is an important problem among computer professionals. Hence the prevalence of CTS among computer professionals and risk factors were studied. 648 subjects were selected from 4,276 computer professionals from 21 companies with a simple random sampling method. CTS was diagnosed based on clinical features.

The prevalence of CTS was found to be 13.1% (95% CI 10.5–15.7%). Subjects with over 8 years of computer work, over 12 hrs of work per day and system administrators were at a higher risk for CTS (OR 3.3, 4.9 and 2.5 respectively). Flexed or extended hand position had higher risk for CTS.

Higher risk for CTS was found with higher exposure to computer work. Ergonomic considerations are important in facilitating proper positioning of hand while working with a computer. Further studies on CTS risk factors among computer professionals are essential for planning prevention.     

Defending the Wrist Deviation Test for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Screening: A Comparison of Vibration Thresholds and Distal Motor Latency

This research used distal motor latency (DML) and vibration thresholds (VT) to evaluate 84 hand activity and wrist deviation combinations to determine the best association with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Female volunteers, 2 healthy and 2 CTS diagnosed, were age matched and operated a keyboard for 4 hrs a day. Room temperature was 28°C(±2). Beginning DML and VT were taken with a relaxed neutral posture hand. The wrist was deviated in a randomly selected combination, and determinations were taken at 5-min intervals. The trial ended at 20 min or when discomfort was felt. The CTS conditions were discriminated by pain four times, DML once, and VT 14 times. Vibrometry was the most consistent CTS discriminator. The best VT results for wrist positions were obtained with wrist extension and extended extension, whereas the unclenched, clenched, and loaded power grip activities proved to be the most consistent hand activities.     

Workplace bullying in risk and safety professionals

IntroductionPrevious research demonstrates that workplace bullying impacts the welfare of victimized employees, with further consequences for the organization and profession. There is, however, a paucity of information relating to the bullying directed at risk and safety professionals. The present study was conducted to address this issue.MethodRisk and safety professionals (N = 420) completed the Negative Acts Questionnaire – Revised and Brief Cope, and reported the extent to which they had been pressured to make or amend a risk or safety based decision.ResultsThose experiencing workplace bullying were more likely to engage in a range of coping behaviors, with exposure to work-related and personal bullying particularly influential. Workplace bullying also predicted pressure to make or change a risk or safety based decision. Work related and physically intimidating bullying were particularly important for this aspect of professional practice.ConclusionsFindings are discussed with regard to current practice and the support available to risk and safety professionals.Practical applicationsRisk and safety professionals require additional support in relation to workplace bullying and specifically guidance to resist pressure to make or change a risk or safety based decision.     

Correlates of career-oriented mentoring for early career managers and professionals

This study examines several different kinds of correlates of career-oriented mentoring experiences among early career managers and professionals. Survey data were collected from 416 respondents employed in a wide variety of jobs, organizations, and industries. The respondents averaged 30 years of age, and 28 per cent were women. Results indicated that younger, more work-involved respondents from higher socioeconomic origins received more career-oriented mentoring. In addition, managers received more mentoring than professionals, as did those who were higher in the organization hierarchy. While gender of the protégé was unrelated to the amount of career mentoring received, reasons are offered for this result. Various boundary conditions likely to affect mentoring processes are discussed and several directions are recommended for future research on mentoring.     

Preconditions of three types of alienation in young managers and professionals

The study tested predictions derived from Korman (1977) and from Sarason (1977) about factors leading to alienation among occupationally-successful young adults. The sample consisted of 434 college graduates (median age = 29 years), 85 per cent of whom were employed full-time. Respondents completed self-report questionnaires including measures of family and college background; expectations at college graduation for positive outcomes in personal, interpersonal, and work areas; current fulfilment in each of these areas; and alienation (estrangement from self, other people, and occupation or profession). Results of subgroup analysis showed that respondents whose backgrounds included high socio-economic status and graduation from elite colleges were more likely than other subjects to experience alienation when encountering lack of fulfilment. However, moderator regressions failed to show similar moderator effects, indicating that family and college backgrounds may produce discontinuous and qualitatively different subgroup effects. One implication of this study is to suggest more care in selecting individuals for high-risk job assignments with low probability of success.     

Evaluation of alternative models of commitments and job attitudes of professionals

Different and sometimes contradictory assumptions can be found in the literature about the relationships between the commitments of professionals to their profession and to the employing organization, and the consequences of these relationships for other work attitudes. Two of the basic alternative theoretical formulations are examined and their viability tested on a sample of 1206 accountants. One formulation assumes inconsistency between commitments leading to a commitment dilemma, the other assumes congruity between them. The findings point at the latter formulation as the more viable one, and suggests minor modifications in it to improve its fit with the data. The results demonstrate the need to compare competing models in order to increase theoretical clarity and consistency.     

The relationship between age and job performance evaluations for entry-level professionals

This study examined the relationship between age and job performance evaluations for newcomers recently hired into entry-level positions in public accounting firms. We predicted and found a negative relationship between age and job performance evaluations. This relationship was eliminated after controlling for undergraduate grade average and prior work experience, operationalized as the number of jobs that a newcomer had previously held. Results are discussed in terms of the possibility of negative age effects in entry-level positions and the potential reasons for such findings. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Patterns of burnout among managers and professionals: a comparison of models

Using structural equation modeling, this paper compares the intertemporal sequences of the burnout components proposed by Maslach (1982) and Golembiewski (1989) using responses from 354 human resource professionals. The relationship between the burnout components and several critical variables that are theoretically linked to the phenomenon are also investigated. Studying human resource professionals allows us to examine the generalizability of burnout. This group of employees provides a range of services to a largely internal client group, and thus experience strain from interpersonal interactions. Results support Maslach's three-factor sequential model of burnout, although its superiority over the Golembiewski sequential model is not definitive. A post hoc analysis reveals a significant path between emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment, and an insignificant path between depersonalization and personal accomplishment. Investigation of the relationship between the burnout components and several critical, theoretically linked variables indicates significant paths between (a) role overload and emotional exhaustion, (b) noncontingent punishment and depersonalization, and (c) contingent rewards and personal accomplishment. The work documents the generalizability of burnout to managers and professionals in corporate settings. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The BG measurement system for hazardous substances (BGMG) and the exposure database of hazardous substances (MEGA).

German employers' liability insurance associations or Berufsgenossenschaften (BGs)--institutions for statutory accident insurance--maintain a measurement system for hazardous substances, the so-called BGMG. The aim of the BGMG is to determine and document valid results of measurements of exposure primarily for prevention purposes. The data are collected systematically, in parallel to the sampling in a company. Parameters which are supposed to have a visible effect on exposure levels are documented. The MEGA database (documentation of measurement data relating to workplace exposure to hazardous substances) holds 1,629 million measurement values, which have been compiled in since 1972. The database offers a host of selection possibilities for assessments depending on the evaluation strategy.     

Stayers versus movers: Social capital and early career imprinting among young professionals

We investigate what interfirm career mobility patterns would emerge if individuals are motivated by the job rewards they obtain as a function of their experience in organizations. We articulate two career strategies that individuals employ to navigate their early careers—commitment to a single employer and “job hopping” between different employers. Each strategy generates social capital (an individual's structure of social relations) but of a different kind. Embeddedness in the same organization over time develops a strong local identity and reputation within the firm. Boundary spanning through experience in different organizations creates opportunities for connecting people and ideas and for knowledge transfer between firms. We posit and present evidence that the choice between these two strategies is conditioned by social experience at the onset of one's career—the length of tenure with the first employer—which sorts individuals into “stayers” and “movers.”     

Computer and fluid modelling of evacuation

One of the most important areas in the field of “Life Safety” is the escape movement of individuals in emergency situations It is not yet possible to accurately model very complex psychological reactions, such as panic and confusion, but many parameters can be simulated, especially in the case of crowd movement. These basic parameters include speed fluctuations; crowd flow behaviour, travel distances and overall evacuation time, based upon certain assumptions. The evacuation characteristics of a building can be assessed in different ways. The statutory regulations (BSI, 1983) use general rules based upon the maximum crowd flow rates through specific exit route widths. These figures are based upon data produced in the 1950s (Hankin and Wright, 1958) that were intended primarily for application in building plans with fairly regular room/corridor plan configurations. This paper discusses two techniques for assessing crowd movement: fluid modelling and computer simulation. The fluid modelling is intended to provide a greater degree of understanding about the mechanism of crowd flow. The computer model SIMULEX combines spatial analysis with the escape movement of large numbers of individuals in a building, and is intended for eventual use as a design tool.     

Developing a competency model for safety professionals: Correlations between competency and safety functions

IntroductionPersonal competency is an important factor influencing individual performance. The objective of this study was to develop a competency model of safety professionals and investigate the factors contributing to their competency to achieve greater safety performance.MethodIn this study, 299 participants (153 safety professionals and 146 safety educators) completed self-administered questionnaires. The response rate was 75%.ResultsThe results of exploratory factor analysis and cluster analysis revealed that the competency scale for safety professionals comprised five factors. Additionally, the factor “safety and health training and management” explained most of the variance in the competency. The multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) results showed that the respondents’ perception of professional competency was significantly influenced by the following factors: occupation, age, job tenure, level of education, and work status. Additionally, the Pearson product–moment correlation coefficient analysis indicated that a safety professional's perceived competencies and safety functions were positively correlated.Impact on industryThis study discusses possible reasons for the influence of the factors previously mentioned and explains how the results can contribute to the development of safety competencies and curricula.     

隧道底板隆起的成因、分类与控制

在工程实践的基础上 ,全面地分析了隧底隆起的成因、分类与控制技术途径 ;总结和分析了隧底隆起破坏的 3种基本外在表现形式 ;在对引起隧底隆起的物理、力学与结构原因分析的基础上 ,提出了隧底隆起分类的 4种基本形式 ;同时也给出了按隆起破坏力学特征分类的 4种基本形式 ;总结归纳了隆起控制的一般原则 ,并提出了隧底隆起控制的技术途径。     

Whole-body vibration knowledge survey of U.S. occupational safety and health professionals

Problem

Whole-body vibration (WBV) is an occupational issue of concern due to adverse health effects or simple discomfort and annoyance. Unlike in Europe, WBV is an emerging topic in the U.S. safety and health (S&H) professional community. We hypothesized that at least one-half of the U.S. occupational S&H professionals knew little or nothing about WBV.

Method

We conducted a cross-sectional study (survey) of WBV knowledge among members of the American Society of Safety Engineers. A Likert scale (1-none to 5-expert) was used to determine WBV topic knowledge levels (KL_1-5).

Results

Analysis of 2,764 responses revealed that 69.5% of the participants self-reported a less than basic WBV understanding. The WBV KL_1-5 mean for all participants was 1.94 ± 1.00, corresponding to an awareness of WBV without a depth of understanding.

Summary

Many at-risk U.S. workers may not be supported by occupational S&H professionals with adequate WBV knowledge.

Impact on Industry

A significant number of U.S. workers may be exposed to unhealthy levels of whole-body vibration. However, the U.S. occupational safety and health community is generally unprepared to anticipate, monitor, and control the whole-body vibration hazard.     

Occupational health and safety professionals and management: identity, marriage, servitude or supervision?

The role and training of occupational health and safety professionals is a continuing subject of debate in the light of recent European legislation. This paper discusses the possible roles of professionals in the context of the complexities of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management. It presents the roles using the metaphor of parent-adult-child relationships (Harris, 1970) and discusses the ways in which different relationships can lead to different problems of functioning. It concludes with presenting the possible role of training in tackling these problems.     

某铁路隧道内空气污染物分析及治理

对某铁路隧道空气污染物及其来源进行调查分析,调查结果表明,该铁路隧道内的污染物呈增加趋势,部分时间段污染物浓度超过国家标准。在分析隧道内空气污染源及产生原因的基础上,提出在隧道预留风机段内加装机械通风、优化生产流程、加强个人防护等治理建议。     

隧道工程施工的事故分析与安全措施

全面分析了隧道开挖、装岩运输等环节常见的事故原因及类别,并从施工安全技术、安全管理、安全防护等方面提出了预防与控制事故的安全措施,以减少事故发生,确保施工安全.     

巷道木材火灾试验与数值模拟对比研究

通过应用煤炭科学研究总院重庆研究院某水平巷道全尺寸木材火灾实验和流体力学软件FULENT的数值模拟方法,研究风速为0.7m/s和1.1m/s时8,00kg木材燃烧以及风速为0.7m/s时,400kg木材燃烧火源下风侧各热物理参数变化规律。结果表明:3次燃烧试验和模拟均为富氧燃烧类型,验证了A.罗伯特燃烧判定准则的正确性。同时试验和模拟火源下风侧CO,CH4和H2危害性气体浓度和出口风门处温度,对比结果证明,巷道富氧类燃烧难以产生次生灾害。研究也表明,环境因素或巷道物理结构变化能改变巷道火灾燃烧类型。