Global trend according to estimated number of occupational accidents and fatal work-related diseases at region and country level

Background

Although occupational accidents and work-related diseases have been of interest for a long time, due to lack of proper recording and notification systems the official numbers of occupational accidents and work-related diseases are missing for many countries. Presently, the demand for effectiveness and an interest in the economic aspects of accidents have increased prevention activities at company and country levels.

Methods

Occupational accident data of selected countries and of World Health Organization regional divisions together with the global burden of disease were used in estimating global occupational accidents and fatal work-related diseases. The trend of global occupational accidents and work-related diseases is presented at region and country levels. The years 1998, 2001, and 2003 are compared in the case of occupational accidents and the years 2000 and 2002 in the case of work-related diseases.

Results

The total number of occupational accidents and fatal work-related diseases has increased, but the fatality rates per 100,000 workers have decreased. There were almost 360,000 fatal occupational accidents in 2003 and almost 2 million fatal work-related diseases in 2002. Every day more than 960,000 workers get hurt because of accidents. Each day 5,330 people die because of work-related diseases.

Conclusions

Information on occupational accidents and work-related diseases is needed so that countries may understand better the importance of occupational health and safety at country and company level. Especially companies in developing countries are not familiar with occupational safety and health. Statistical data is essential for accident prevention; it is a starting point for the safety work.     

Age and lost working days as a result of an occupational accident: A study in a shiftwork rotation system

The present work analyzed the relationship of age and tenure with occupational accident severity of 156 male shiftworkers at an industrial plant. Based on past research, negative binomial regression analyses were performed to examine the association of age and tenure with the lost working days due to medically certified occupational accidents (LWDI). The main effects of age and tenure and the contribution of age by tenure interaction and age squared terms were examined. Regression results indicated a significant association of age by tenure interaction with LWDI. However, this relationship was non-significant when considering an age squared term in the regression equation, suggesting a non-linear association of age with LWDI. The findings are discussed in regard to the specific preventative measures of occupational accidents in shiftwork systems that could be addressed to different age groups.     

某公司食堂施工过程危险性分析及对策措施

我国大多建筑施工企业目前的安全管理只局限于对施工现场的检查和整改工作,而对施工现场的整体安全性缺乏分析和有效的监控,目前安全评价技术在建筑业的运用并不成熟.运用科学的安全评价方法,对建筑施工危险性进行系统分析和研究,可以补充、完善和指导施工现场的安全管理工作.     

城市家用天然气安全管理的研究

通过对100家广州市天然气家庭用户使用情况进行调查,主要针对天然气使用、燃气设施保护和安全意识等诸多问题,运用事故致因理论,分析其成因规律,提出从事故发生的根本原因入手,运用"预防为主、善后为辅"的积极、主动的方法,把事故消除在起始或孕育阶段。调查结果显示:造成城市燃气应用系统事故的原因主要包括:用户燃具不正确的选择、燃气设备安装不当、燃气安全知识水平不高、安全意识不强、燃具产品和服务质量良莠不齐等。并以事故预防控制理论为指导,提出广州市天然气应用预防与安全管理应采取的技术、教育、强化等3方面对策。     

Soil contamination of heavy metals in the Katedan Industrial Development Area, Hyderabad, India

Studies on quantitative soil contamination due to heavy metals were carried out in Katedan Industrial Development Area (KIDA), south of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India under the Indo-Norwegian Institutional Cooperation Programme. The study area falls under a semi-arid type of climate and consists of granites and pegmatite of igneous origin belonging to the Archaean age. There are about 300 industries dealing with dyeing, edible oil production, battery manufacturing, metal plating, chemicals, etc. Most of the industries discharge their untreated effluents either on open land or into ditches. Solid waste from industries is randomly dumped along roads and open grounds. Soil samples were collected throughout the industrial area and from downstream residential areas and were analysed by X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer for fourteen trace metals and ten major oxides. The analytical data shows very high concentrations of lead, chromium, nickel, zinc, arsenic and cadmium through out the industrial area. The random dumping of hazardous waste in the industrial area could be the main cause of the soil contamination spreading by rainwater and wind. In the residential areas the local dumping is expected to be the main source as it is difficult to foresee that rain and wind can transport the contaminants from the industrial area. If emission to air by the smokestacks is significant, this may contribute to considerable spreading of contaminants like As, Cd and Pb throughout the area. A comparison of the results with the Canadian Soil Quality Guidelines (SQGL) show that most of the industrial area is heavily contaminated by As, Pb and Zn and local areas by Cr, Cu and Ni. The residential area is also contaminated by As and some small areas by Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn. The Cd contamination is detected over large area but it is not exceeding the SQGL value. Natural background values of As and Cr exceed the SQGL values and contribute significantly to the contamination in the residential area. However, the availability is considerably less than anthropogenic contaminants and must therefore be assessed differently. The pre- and post-monsoon sampling over two hydrological cycles in 2002 and 2003 indicate that the As, Cd and Pb contaminants are more mobile and may expect to reach the groundwater. The other contaminants seem to be much more stable. The contamination is especially serious in the industrial area as it is housing a large permanent residing population. The study not only aims at determining the natural background levels of trace elements as a guide for future pollution monitoring but also focuses on the pollution vulnerability of the watershed. A plan of action for remediation is recommended.     

A Global Model Tracking Water, Nitrogen, and Land Inputs and Virtual Transfers from Industrialized Meat Production and Trade

Rising populations and incomes throughout the world have boosted meat demand by over 75% in the last 20years, intensifying pressures on production systems and the natural resources to which they are linked. As a growing proportion of global meat production is traded, the environmental impacts of production become increasingly separated from where the meat is consumed. In this paper, we quantify the use of three important resources associated with industrial livestock production and trade—water, land, and nitrogen—using a country-specific model that combines trade, agronomic, biogeochemical, and hydrological data. Our model focuses on pigs and chickens, as these animals are raised predominantly in intensive systems using concentrated, compound feeds. The results describe the geographical patterns of environmental resource use due to meat production, trade, and consumption. We show that US feed, animal, and meat destined for export require almost as much nitrogen and land, and 20% more water, than products destined for domestic consumption. Model results also demonstrate that among various production factors, improvements in crop yields and animal feed conversion efficiencies result in the most significant reductions in environmental harm. By explicitly tracking the externalities of meat production, we hope to bolster suppliers’ accountability and provide better information to meat consumers.

关于淮安市饮用水源地污染应急监测的思

回顾分析了淮安市饮用水源地污染事件的应急监测和处置方法,总结了应急监测及处置工作的经验教训和启示,对更好地驾驭今后可能发生的各种复杂的环境事件提供了帮助。     

2008年我国环境保护投资总体特征分析

立足于环保投资数据库,从投资构成、空间分布和行业分布3个方面对我国环保投资进行综合分析。2008年,全国环保投资增幅持续保持较快增长,环保投资弹性系数为1.9,环保投资增速大大超过经济增速,"三同时"项目成为拉动环保投资的主要驱动力。引入了环保投资平衡度的概念,在此基础上对各地区环保投资的合理性进行了初步分析。重点行业环保投资方面,工业治污设施运行费用远远大于同期固定资产投资,一定程度上说明了应对治污运行费用来源给予充分重视,采取措施确保稳定可靠的资金渠道。     

吴淞工业区大气降尘变化规律及趋势

吴淞工业区是重工业聚集区,烟(粉)尘的排放量非常大,造成该地区空气污染严重.为了解降尘的污染特征、变化规律及趋势,以近10 a监测数据为依据,运用方差分析等数理统计方法对工业区降尘量进行分析,检验不同季节降尘的差异并简要分析原因,使用秩相关系数法对其进行趋势分析.结果表明,工业区降尘量较混合区与清洁区明显不同; 工业区与混合区的降尘受本地源的影响较大,4季的降尘量没有明显差异,相反清洁区的4季降尘呈显著差异.10 a来工业区及其周边地区的降尘量下降了56%,说明环境综合整治取得了显著效果,使区域环境空气质量得到改善.     

日本工伤事故瞒报问题的原因及对策分析

从经济全球化引发的雇用形态的变化入手,分析日本工伤事故瞒报问题的原因;针对已有的事故瞒报手法及危害,介绍对其防范、发现和处治的主要措施;通过对比分析中日两国事故瞒报防范工作的特点,提出更有利于事故控制预防、更有效地解决我国工伤事故瞒报问题的重要思路,即:在加大对事故瞒报单位的惩治力度、提高其违法成本的同时,还应建立针对依法报告事故单位的不惩罚机制或制定降低依法报告事故后的被处罚成本方面的规定;在行政责任追究和领导绩效考核时,不仅仅以事故后果或事故多少而是以其在强化安全管理方面"作为"与否为更重要的根据来进行。