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.     

安全人机工效虚拟仿真实验系统设计

虚拟仿真技术可有效解决安全生产领域基础理论和应用技术研究过程不能进行试验验证的技术难题.首先阐述了安全人机工效虚拟仿真实现系统的构成以及各部分功能,确定了以Jack软件的可视性分析、可达性分析、工作姿势分析、疲劳恢复分析、受力分析等人因分析功能为核心,建立集开发平台、展示平台、交互平台和数据分析平台为一体的安全人机工效虚拟仿真实验系统.分析了系统集成的关键技术,对比了不同类型动作捕捉器的基本原理和优缺点,结合安全人机工效实验需求,确定了采用电磁式动作捕捉器的系统集成方案,以及动作捕捉器、数据手套和虚拟仿真展示平台的集成方法,并对本实验系统的应用前景进行了展望.     

Association between psychosocial,organizational and personal factors and prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in office workers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between organizational and personal (individual) factors with the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in office workers of the Iranian Gas Transmission Company. The participants rated two questionnaires – the standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire to measure the prevalence of MSDs, and the Veterans Healthcare Administration All Employee Survey questionnaire (2004 version) – to measure psychosocial, organizational and individual aspects of job satisfaction and workplace climate. The highest prevalence of MSDs was found in the lower back (49.7%) and neck (49.0%) regions. Results of the logistic regression models showed that some psychosocial and organizational factors and also some individual factors were associated with prevalence of MSDs (p < 0.05).These ?ndings illustrate the need to consider all elements of the work system as a whole in future studies and in organizational planning.     

Evaluation of a new ballistic vest design for compliance with Standard No. PN-V-87000:2011 using physiological tests

Research into newly developed ballistic vests to be worn by police officers under clothing was carried out with air temperature conditions of +20 °C. A ballistic vest should incorporate protective features, comfort and ergonomics. The thermal strain on users who wore the vests was evaluated as an average and individually, after they had been conditioned in high (+50 °C), low (?40 °C) or neutral (+20 °C) air temperatures, while performing various occupational activities. Research involved six police officers aged 36–42 years, who wore civilian clothing used in moderate environmental conditions. During the tests, physiological parameters (internal temperature, local skin temperatures and amount of sweat secreted) were determined. The ease of doing exercises while wearing the vests, vest service and level of discomfort in use were assessed. Research showed that the vests tested, both as an average and individually, meet the requirements of Standard No. PN-V-87000:2011 (clause 4.5).     

基于人机工程学的油田单井设计优化

针对塔里木油田试采单井设计方面在实际工作中暴露出来的一些问题,从人机工程学角度论述这些问题可能对员工操作造成的影响,并给出了建议和意见。     

Implementation of participatory organizational change in long term care to improve safety

Introduction: Long Term Care (LTC) facilities are fast-paced, demanding environments placing workers at significant risk for injuries. Health and safety interventions to address hazards in LTC are challenging to implement. The study assessed a participatory organizational change intervention implementation and impacts. Methods: This was a mixed methods implementation study with a concurrent control, conducted from 2017 to 2019 in four non-profit LTC facilities in Ontario, Canada. Study participants were managers and frontline staff. Intervention sites implemented a participatory organizational change program, control sites distributed one-page health and safety pamphlets. Program impact data were collected via Survey (self-efficacy, control over work, pain and general health) and observation (Quick Exposure Checklist). Interviews/focus groups were used to collect program implementation data. Results: Participants described program impacts (hazard controls through equipment purchase/modification, practice changes, and education/training) and positive changes in culture, communication and collaboration. There was a statistically significant difference in manager self-efficacy for musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) hazards between the control and intervention sites over time but no other statistical differences were found. Key program implementation challenges included LTC hazards, staff shortage/turnover, safety culture, staff time to participate, and communication. Facilitators included frontline staff involvement during implementation, management support, focusing on a single unit, training, and involving an external program facilitator. Conclusion: A participatory program can have positive impacts on identifying and reducing MSD hazards. Key to success is involving frontline staff in identifying hazards and creating solutions and management encouragement on a unit working together. High turnover rates, staffing shortages, and time constraints were barriers as they are for all organizational change efforts in LTC. The implementation findings are likely applicable in any jurisdiction. Practical Application: Implementing a participatory organizational change program to reduce MSD hazards is feasible in LTC and can improve communication and aid in identification and control of hazards.     

飞机驾驶舱人机几何适配性评价指标研究

飞机驾驶舱人机几何适配性评价对于保障人机效能的充分发挥和飞行安全至关重要。针对一些评价指标制定了相关标准和规范,但未形成一套可操作的指标体系。针对该问题,提出采用改进德尔菲法建立飞机驾驶舱人机几何适配性评价指标体系。通过对现有相关标准、规范和技术数据进行分析研究,初步确定出38个评价指标。针对确定的指标,聘请了飞过多种型号飞机的23名现役有经验飞行员作为专家咨询人员进行了两轮咨询,在对咨询结果进行统计处理的基础上,筛选出了21个评价指标,该指标体系的建立为飞机驾驶舱人机几何适配性综合评价奠定了基础,也可为航空工程部门的评价工作提供科学依据,并有一定的指导作用和实用价值。     

热应激与人的行为特性

在许多作业环境中，人们都要受到热应激的作用，热应激不仅能引起不良的生理反应，还会对人的行为特性有不利的影响。人们往往注重于热应激引起的生理反应及生理耐受极限，忽视了它对人的行为特征的影响。本文侧重论述热应激对人的行为影响，以加深了解热应激的作用，为存在热应激的人－机系统设计及改善人－机关系综合措施提供理论依据。     

Manual Handling Injuries in Health Care Workers

Nursing aides are particularly susceptible to manual handling injuries because they have the primary responsibility for heavy lifting. The aim of this study was to determine why a specific group of nursing aides have the highest manual handling injury rate in their hospital. The study investigated the adequacy of the manual handling training program, knowledge of manual handling, mechanical aid availability, and use of mechanical aids. Results indicated that the nursing aides’ manual handling knowledge was adequate but that they rarely used mechanical aids. This lack of use of aids was in part due to an over-reliance on their own strength and abilities. This may have been due to a lack of suitable mechanical aids on the wards or a lack of familiarity with the available aids. This study suggests that neither training alone nor the purchase of equipment alone is likely to resolve manual handling problems.     

Agricultural work related injury and Ill-health and the economic cost

This paper contains a literature review of the occupational injuries and ill-health in agriculture world-wide and a survey of the attempts that have been made to estimate the resulting economic and social costs. Agricultural workers suffer a wide variety of disorders as a result of their occupation. These range from minor (cuts, bruises) to more severe (deep wounds, fractures), permanent (amputation, spinal cord injury) and fatal injury. Ill-health as a result of contact with animals, micro-organisms, plant material dusts or chemicals are associated with certain types of agriculture. There is an underlying but unquantified incidence of pain, stress and injury as a result of ergonomic problems due to poor working procedures and conditions. Statistics from many countries or regions show that agriculture consistently has one of the highest accident and injury rates of the industrial sectors. There are many causes for the work related injury and ill-health in agricultural workers. In developed countries, tractors and other machinery cause a significant proportion of the accidents and are a major cause of occupational deaths. In less developed countries, accidents due to hand tools such as hoes, sickles and cutting instruments are most prevalent. Animals are a significant cause of injury and ill-health in many countries. Debilitating allergic reactions in the respiratory tract or the skin are caused by exposures to organic dusts, or by contact with allergenic plants in the field respectively. Where comparative data are available, occupational pesticide poisoning in agriculture is a small proportion (< 1–4%) of the total work related disorders. Because of the wide variety of occupational risks to agricultural workers, it is emphasised that if one type of agricultural practice is replaced by another then the risks from the alternative procedure need to be considered. If, for example, agrochemical pest control practices are replaced by methods involving the increased use of machinery, draught animals or manual operations, then an assessment of the resulting risks should be taken into account. Some of the economic costs of occupational injury and ill-health in agriculture can be quantified directly, such as medical costs, the cost of rehabilitation and loss of earnings. Other costs are more difficult to estimate such as loss of opportunity and income foregone for permanent and fatal injury and for the effect on a victim’s family. The estimation of the overall economic costs to farming communities and national agriculture requires further development. When one agricultural practice is replaced wholly or partly by another, for example agrochemical pest control by alternative control methods, then it is necessary to take into account the occupational health costs of the alternative procedure for realistic comparative assessment. There are a number of issues which require continued or increased attention by the relevant national and international authorities and by the agricultural industry. These include the improved collection and collation of occupational health statistics, a better understanding of the extent of ergonomic problems in agriculture, more realistic assessments of the cost of occupational injury and ill-health and the continued need to reduce occupational health disorders by appropriate training and education in agricultural practices and the use of agricultural equipment.