Awareness of occupational hazards and utilization of PPE amongst welders in Jos metropolis, Nigeria

Background: Welding poses a range of both well-known and subtle hazards to health and safety. These hazards can act quickly or may show up only in the long term. They can be rapidly fatal (electric shock or exposure to cadmium fumes) or have delayed effects (lung changes over time). This study aimed to assess the awareness of occupational hazards and utilization of PPE amongst welders in Jos metropolis.Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study involving 295 welders in Jos metropolis. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data which was entered and analyzed using Epi-info version 3.5.4 statistical software. A probability value of p≤0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: All the respondents were males with a mean age of 24.6±7.7 years. The study revealed that 293 (99.3%) were aware of occupational hazards in welding. In this study, goggles were the most frequently used PPE 98%, then gloves 65.4%, boots 58%, overalls 36.3%, facemask 30.6% and earplugs 12.9%. A statistically significant (p≤0.05) relationship was found between employment pattern as well as working hours per day and the use of safety devices.Conclusions: The study showed that most of the welders had fair knowledge of welding related health problems, hazards and safety devices, and utilization of safety devices was less than optimal. An educational campaign on workplace hazards, types and proper use of different personal protective devices should be instituted for welders on a regular basis by the welders association, local and state government.

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Occupational Hazards Exposure and Knowledge, Attitude and Practice towards Meat Safety amongst Abattoir Workers, Hawassa City, Southern Ethiopia

International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health ◽

10.3126/ijosh.v11i2.36306 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 108-115

Author(s):

Sina Temesgen Tolera ◽

Dechassa Adere Mengistu

Keyword(s):

Health And Safety ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Southern Ethiopia ◽

Occupational Hazards ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Meat Safety ◽

Attitude And Practice ◽

Handling Practices ◽

Knowledge Attitude And Practice ◽

Abattoir Workers

Introduction: Food-borne diseases and occupational problems due to poor knowledge, attitude,s and practice towards safe food handling practices in developing countries are common. The purpose of the study was to determine occupational hazards exposure and to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice towards meat safety among abattoir workers. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 216 abattoir workers from December 1st to February 30th, 2018 in Hawassa city. Systematic random sampling and semi-structured questionaries were used to collect data. Ethical approval for data collection was obtained from Hawassa University. Results: The study indicated that the majority of them had fair knowledge (42.3%), positive attitude (43.8%), and fair practice (45.3%) towards food safety and compliance with abattoir law. The study also revealed the positive relationship between knowledge and attitude (p<0.01); knowledge and practice (p<0.001), attitude and practice (p<0.01). The main three frequently reported occupational hazards were ergonomic hazard (19.7%), mechanical hazard (18.9%), and psychological hazard (16.7%). Conclusion: The study concluded that there was a poor level of knowledge, negative attitudes, and poor practices of abattoir workers towards meat handling, and compliance with the abattoir law. The study also found that occupational-related hazards most common in this work setting, which are persisting were needed to be improved, through training and occupational health and safety service.

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Influence of nursing staff working hours on the stress level during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional online survey

10.1101/2020.08.12.20173385 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Manuela Hoedl ◽

Silvia Bauer ◽

Doris Eglseer

Keyword(s):

Perceived Stress ◽

Stress Level ◽

Online Survey ◽

Quality Care ◽

Health And Safety ◽

Working Hours ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Snowball Sampling ◽

Cross Sectional

Background: Working as a nurse means being responsive and highly accountable 24/7 and to be able to offer high-quality care, specifically during pandemics. Studies have shown that the average number of working hours per week is a significant predictor of stress and that the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the nurses stress levels. Objective: Therefore, we investigated (1) if a change had occurred in the nurses working hours during the COVID-19 pandemic as compared to the hours employed and (2) the influence of the nursing staffs working hours during COVID-19 pandemic on the perceived level of stress. Design: We used an online survey in this Austrian cross-sectional study, distributed using a snowball sampling method. Participants and methods: In the online survey, we asked the nurses many relevant questions, including how many hours they are employed per week and how many hours they had worked on average per week since the outbreak of COVID-19. We used the Perceived Stress scale to measure stress level among these nurses. Data were collected between mid-May and mid-July 2020. Results: Three-quarters of the 2600 participating nurses reported changes in their working hours during the COVID-19 pandemic. The nursing staffs hours of employment were statistically significantly associated with their average number of working hours during the COVID-19 pandemic. About two-thirds of the nurses who were employed either less than 10 hours or for 31-40 hours worked for more than 40 hours. Most of the nurses experienced a moderate level of stress. We identified a statistically significant association between increasing the number of working hours per week and the nurses perceived stress level. In addition, 15% of the nurses who had worked more than 40 hours reported experiencing a high level of stress. In addition, we found that nurses who worked more hours during the pandemic experienced higher stress than nurses who reduced their working hours or kept the same working hours. Conclusions: We found a statistically significant association between an increase in the nursing staffs working hours and their level of stress. We believe that these results reflect the negative consequences of prolonged working hours. For this reason, a (inter-)national discussion is needed on the topic of restricting the working hours of healthcare workers during such pandemics. This discussion can improve the health and safety of the health care workers, the patients, as well as members of the general population.

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Occupational health hazards and use of personal protective equipment among auto mechanics in Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Nepal

International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health ◽

10.3126/ijosh.v11i1.33495 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 16-24

Author(s):

Rabina Khadka ◽

Indira Pandey ◽

Laxmi Gautam

Keyword(s):

Working Hours ◽

Educational Status ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Health Hazards ◽

Occupational Hazards ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Safety Measures ◽

Metropolitan City ◽

Adequate Knowledge ◽

Service Training

Introduction: Auto mechanics are workers who repair and overhaul cars and other automotive vehicles, or their systems and parts. The main objective of the study was to assess knowledge of occupational hazards and the use of safety measures among automobile repair artisans in Kathmandu Metropolitan City. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried among 400 auto mechanics working garages in Kathmandu Metropolitan City. The data collection was done from May 15th to Jun 13th, 2019. Results: Among the 400 respondents, only 31% had adequate knowledge about occupational hazards due to vehicle repairing. Age, educational status, working hours, years of employment and pre-service training were found to be associated with knowledge on hazards. Two-thirds (63.5%) of the surveyed workers knew the use of PPE and this knowledge was statistically significant with age, educational status, working hours and pre-service training. The study showed that only half (53.5%) of the respondents use one or more PPE during their work despite being exposed to lots of hazards in the working area. Conclusion: Knowledge on health hazards was inadequate. Also, there was a difference in knowledge on PPE and its use. So, there is a need to put the knowledge into practice.

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Awareness and practice of safety measures against occupational hazards among aluminium foundry workers in Jos, Nigeria

International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences ◽

10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20212222 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 1561

Author(s):

Yetunde O. Tagurum ◽

Onyedika B. Ezeani ◽

Kingsley A. Bakoshi ◽

Zainab M. Adam ◽

Tolulope O. Afolaranmi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Working Hours ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Extreme Heat ◽

P Value ◽

Occupational Hazards ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Safety Measures ◽

Respiratory Problems ◽

The Government ◽

Foundry Workers

Background: Founding predisposes the worker to hazards (extreme heat, dust, fumes, sharp objects), which if unchecked, can cause health problems (burns, respiratory problems, cuts). This study aimed to assess the awareness and practice of safety measures against occupational hazards among aluminium foundry workers in Jos-North LGA.Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study, which involved 125 aluminium foundry workers in Laranto-Katako area of Jos-North LGA. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Analysis of data was done using EPI-Info® version 3.5.4 statistical software package. A probability value of p≤0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: All 125 (100%) respondents were males with a mean age of 24.8±9.7 years and 52 (41.2%) were less than 20 years of age. The study revealed that 118 (94.4%) of them were aware of occupational hazards associated with foundries; The hazards most known were fires with 116 (92.8%) mentions, extreme heat, 85 (68.0) and sharp objects, 85 (68.0%), and with the least being, long working hours, 25 (20.0%). A majority, 118 (94.4%) were aware of hand gloves, 114 (91.2%) nose masks with overalls having the least awareness, 13 (10.4%). The most frequently used safety measures were nose masks, 73 (58.4%), then hand gloves, 57 (45.6%). A statistically significant relationship, with p value of 0.0321, was found between the level of education and the practice of safety measures.Conclusions: The study showed that most of the foundry workers had good knowledge of the hazards, safety measures; however, there was low use of safety measures. An educational campaign on the hazards and use of safety measures, accompanied by the efforts of the government, should be instituted for the foundry workers regularly to help safeguard their health.

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Burnout Syndrome during Residency Training in Jordan: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Implications

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18041557 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 1557

Author(s):

Abdullah Nimer ◽

Suzan Naser ◽

Nesrin Sultan ◽

Rawand Said Alasad ◽

Alexander Rabadi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Working Hours ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

University Hospital ◽

Burnout Syndrome ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Resident Physicians ◽

Healthcare Professions

Burnout syndrome is common among healthcare professions, including resident physicians. We aimed to assess the prevalence of burnout among resident physicians in Jordan, and a secondary aim was to evaluate the risk factors associated with the development of burnout syndrome in those residents, including gender, working hours, psychological distress, training sector, and specialty. In this cross-sectional study, 481 residents were recruited utilizing multistage stratified sampling to represent the four major health sectors in Jordan. Data were collected using an online questionnaire, where the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) was used to assess the prevalence of burnout. The prevalence, group differences, and predictors of burnout were statistically analyzed using STATA 15. Overall, 373 (77.5%) residents were found to have burnout. Factors associated with higher levels of burnout were psychological stress (β = 2.34, CI = [1.88–2.81]), longer working hours (β = 4.07, CI = [0.52–7.62], for 51–75 h a week, β = 7.27, CI = [2.86–11.69], for 76–100 h a week and β = 7.27, CI = [0.06–14.49], for >100 h a week), and obstetrics/gynecology residents (β = 9.66, CI = [3.59–15.73]). Conversely, medical sub-specialty residents, as well as private and university hospital residents, had lower burnout levels. We concluded that decreasing the workload on residents, offering psychological counseling, and promoting a safety culture for residents might help in mitigating burnout consequences.

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Alcohol Use Disorder among Patients Suffered from Road Collisions in a Vietnamese Delta Province

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16132423 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (13) ◽

pp. 2423 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Hai Minh Vu ◽

Tung Thanh Tran ◽

Giang Thu Vu ◽

Cuong Tat Nguyen ◽

Chau Minh Nguyen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alcohol Consumption ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Drinking Behavior ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Problematic Drinking ◽

Current Context ◽

Educational Campaign ◽

Causes Of Deaths ◽

The Relationship

Traffic collisions have continuously been ranked amongst the top causes of deaths in Vietnam. In particular, drinking has been recognized as a major factor amplifying the likelihood of traffic collisions in various settings. This study aims to examine the relationship between alcohol use and traffic collisions in the current context of Vietnam. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 413 traffic collisions patients in six health facilities in the Thai Binh Province to investigate the level of alcohol consumption and identify factors influencing alcohol use among these patients. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) scale was used to determine the problematic drinking behavior of the participants. The percentage of patients having problematic drinking was more than 30%. Being male, having a high household income, and working as farmer/worker were risk factors for alcohol abuse. People causing accidents and patients with a traumatic brain injury had a higher likelihood of drinking alcohol before the accidents. This study highlights the necessity of more stringent laws on reducing drink-driving in Vietnam. In addition, more interventions, especially those utilizing mass media like educational campaign of good behavior on social networks, are necessary to reduce alcohol consumption in targeted populations in order to decrease the prevalence and burden of road injuries.

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Shedding Light on the Direct and Indirect Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Lebanese Radiographers or Radiologic Technologists: A Crisis within Crises

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9030362 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 362

Author(s):

Rasha Itani ◽

Mohammed Alnafea ◽

Maya Tannoury ◽

Souheil Hallit ◽

Achraf Al Faraj

Keyword(s):

Health And Safety ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Knowledge Development ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Radiologic Technologists ◽

Staff Members ◽

Workplace Conditions ◽

Novel Coronavirus ◽

Effective Diagnosis

With the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the need for radiologic procedures is increasing for the effective diagnosis and follow-up of pulmonary diseases. There is an immense load on the radiographers’ shoulders to cope with all the challenges associated with the pandemic. However, amidst this crisis, Lebanese radiographers are also suffering from a socioeconomic crisis and record hyperinflation that have posed additional challenges. A cross-sectional study was conducted among registered Lebanese radiographers to assess the general, workplace conditions, health and safety, mental/psychologic, financial, and skill/knowledge development impacts. Despite applying an adapted safety protocol, institutions are neither providing free RT-PCR testing to their staff nor showing adequate support for infected staff members, thus causing distress about contracting the virus from the workplace. Aggravated by the deteriorating economic situation that affected the radiographers financially, they additionally suffer from severe occupational physical and mental burnout. Regardless of that, they used their free time during the lockdown for skill/knowledge development and have performed many recreational activities. This cross-sectional study highlighted the different ways the pandemic has impacted the radiographers: physically, psychologically, and financially. It aimed to shed light on what these frontline heroes are passing through in the midst of all these unprecedented crises.

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Temporal Trends in the Severity and Mortality of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy in the Era of Hypothermia

Neonatology ◽

10.1159/000518654 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Cristina Vega-Del-Val ◽

Juan Arnaez ◽

Sonia Caserío ◽

Elena Pilar Gutiérrez ◽

Marta Benito ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Temporal Trends ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Annual Incidence ◽

Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Incidence And Mortality ◽

Changes Over Time ◽

Ischemic Encephalopathy ◽

Annual Decline ◽

Over Time

Introduction: There is a paucity of studies examining temporal trends in the incidence and mortality of moderate-to-severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) during the last decade of therapeutic hypothermia (TH). Methods: Multicenter cross-sectional study of all infants ≥35 weeks gestational age diagnosed with moderate-to-severe HIE within 6 h of birth in an extensive region of Spain between 2011 and 2019, in order to detect trend changes over time in the (1) annual incidence, (2) severity of neurological and systemic organ involvement, and (3) neonatal death from HIE. Results: Annual incidence rate of moderate-to-severe HIE was 0.84 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.7–0.97) per 1,000 births, without trend changes over time (p = 0.8), although the proportion of severe HIE infants showed an average annual decline of 0.86 points (95% CI 0.75–0.98). There were 102 (70%) infants diagnosed with moderate HIE and 44 (30%) with severe HIE. TH was offered to 139/146 (95%) infants. Infants with clinical and/or electrical seizures showed a decreasing trend from 56 to 28% (p = 0.006). Mortality showed a nonstatistically significant decline (p = 0.4), and the severity of systemic damage showed no changes (p = 0.3). Obstetric characteristics remained unchanged, while higher perinatal pH values (p = 0.03) and Apgar scores (p = 0.05), and less need for resuscitation (p = 0.07), were found over time. Conclusion: The annual incidence of moderate-to-severe HIE has stabilized at around 1 per 1,000 births, with a temporal trend toward a decrease in severe HIE infants and a slight decline of mortality. No association was found between temporal trends and changes in perinatal/obstetric characteristics over time.

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Medical interns’ attitudes towards One Health approach

Turkish Journal of Biochemistry ◽

10.1515/tjb-2021-0078 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Ceren Varer Akpinar ◽

Seyfi Durmaz

Keyword(s):

One Health ◽

Health And Safety ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Study Data ◽

Self Report ◽

Related Factors ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Health Concept ◽

Medical Interns ◽

The One

Abstract Objectives One Health approach to health considers human, animal, and ecosystem health as a whole and advocates cooperation across disciplines to reach the highest level of health. The aim of the study is to determine the attitudes of the medical interns’ toward the One Health approach and to evaluate related factors. Methods This cross-sectional study targeted all interns of the Faculty of Medicine of 2019–2020 academic year (n=356). Sociodemographic characteristics, health status, habits, and attitudes toward One Health were asked in the questionnaire, which was created by the researchers using the literature. The study data were collected based on self-report during occupational health and safety training, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were also performed. Results The study group included a fair gender distribution (47.8% female), and the average age was 23.6 ± 1.2. Out of the 316 participants, 40.2% had not heard the One Health concept before. In total, 85.4% of them declared a positive attitude toward the concept. The probability of high attitude was found to be 5.03 times (95% CI 1.10–23.12) higher in those with above-average success status and 4.08 times (95% CI 1.15–14.52) higher in those who had kept animals. In students’ responses to the attitude questionnaire items, the epidemic sub-dimension had the highest level as 86.1%, and the antibiotic resistance sub-dimension had the lowest level as 77.2%. Conclusions The current study revealed that the awareness on One Health concept among medical interns is limited, however, students’ attitudes are positive. Recent SARS-CoV 2 pandemic showed us the urgent need for proper implementation of’ One Health approach in the medical education curriculum. Meanwhile, One Health focused courses should be introduced into the curriculum of final year medicine and related programs.

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