scholarly journals The Efficacy of Earplugs at a Major Hazard Facility

Author(s):  
Kah Heng Lee ◽  
Geza Benke ◽  
Dean McKenzie

Abstract Introduction:At a major hazard facility, sporadic cases of occupational noise-induced hearing loss have occurred despite the use of hearing protection devices. Preliminary testing with a system for measuring personal attenuation ratings (PAR) suggested that earplugs may not achieve the attenuation implied by their Australian Class designation in field-use conditions. We believe that ours to be a world-first study at the time it was conducted to check the relationship between Personal Attenuation Rating (PAR) and the Australian SLC80 classification for hearing protection devices, and the findings can be used to complement studies based on the American Noise Reduction Ratio (NRR).Methods:A cross-sectional study was performed with 65 volunteers. Participants were recruited from Operations and Maintenance Technicians at the major hazard facility. The participants had their PARs checked with different earplug types using the 3MTM E-A-RfitTM system. An earplug is deemed to have achieved a ‘pass’ if it achieved 22 dB attenuation for 80% of users (the definition for Australian Class 4 hearing protection)Results:None of the earplug types achieved the attenuation implied by their class rating when tested in field-use conditions. There were statistically significant differences in the frequency of achieving a ‘Pass’, and in PAR, depending on earplug type. Roll-down foam earplugs may provide superior attenuation compared to pre-moulded earplugs.Conclusion:Earplugs are unlikely to achieve the attenuation found in laboratory conditions during field-use. Personalised selection of hearing protection devices based on fit-testing results should be encouraged.

2015 ◽  
Vol 49 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatiane Costa Meira ◽  
Vilma Sousa Santana ◽  
Silvia Ferrite

OBJECTIVE To analyze whether sociodemographic, occupational, and health-related data are associated with the use of hearing protection devices at work, according to gender. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2006, using a random sample of 2,429 workers, aged between 18 and 65 years old, from residential sub-areas in Salvador, BA, Northeastern Brazil. Questionnaires were used to obtain sociodemographic, occupational, and health-related data. Workers who reported that they worked in places where they needed to shout in order to be heard were considered to be exposed to noise. Exposed workers were asked whether they used hearing protection devices, and if so, how frequently. Analyses were conducted according to gender, with estimates made about prevalence of the use of hearing protection devices, prevalence ratios, and their respective 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS Twelve percent (12.3%) of study subjects reported that they were exposed to noise while working. Prevalence of the use of hearing protection devices was 59.3% for men and 21.4% for women. Men from higher socioeconomic levels (PR = 1.47; 95%CI 1.14;1.90) and who had previous audiometric tests (PR = 1.47; 95%CI 1.15;1.88) were more likely to use hearing protection devices. For women, greater perceived safety was associated with the use of protection devices (PR = 2.92; 95%CI 1.34;6.34). This perception was specifically related to the presence of supervisors committed to safety (PR = 2.09; 95%CI 1.04;4.21), the existence of clear rules to prevent workplace injuries (PR = 2.81; 95%CI 1.41;5.59), and whether they were informed about workplace safety (PR = 2.42; 95%CI 1.23;4.76). CONCLUSIONS There is a gender bias regarding the use of hearing protection devices that is less favorable to women. The use of such devices among women is positively influenced by their perception of a safe workplace, suggesting that gender should be considered as a factor in hearing conservation programs.


Author(s):  
Patrick McGuinn ◽  
Conor Buggy ◽  
Anne Drummond ◽  
Penpatra Sripaiboonkij

Background: Workers who are exposed to high levels of noise should consider wearing HPDs when elimination of noise cannot be put in place. There are several factors including health and safety management systems, peers and policy that could influence workers to either use or not use HPDs. Objectives: To determine worker’s perception of noise risk in a mining setting and to determine if there is an association between organisational rules, knowledge, and the wearing of Hearing Protection Devices (HPDs). Methods: A cross- sectional study was conducted at a mining setting in Ireland in which 116 workers participated; a self-administered questionnaire survey was used. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics and binary regression analysis. Results: The study had a response rate of 94% of the entire population. The mean exposure to noise levels that require HPDs is 5.32 hours. The results showed an association between using HPDs and organisation rules; and no association between preventing abnormal hearing, perceived influences in the workplace, knowledge and information. Conclusion: Factors that can influence workers likelihood to wear HPDs are organisation rules; this is unaffected by the influence of colleagues. Each company should have a clear policy to encourage workers to wear HPDs for preventing Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Application: The findings highlighted that a company’s health and safety policy is important to encourage employees to wear HPDs. Mine settings or noisy workplaces should have transparent policies for employees to follow and benefit their hearing health, even if an employee is not aware of the full content of a policy, aspects are known.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-64
Author(s):  
Ambar Sulianti ◽  
Shofa Mutiara Arafah

Indonesia is the country with the highest number of cervical cancer sufferers in the world. Although the use of sanitary pads containing harmful whitening agents has been known as one of the predispositions of cervical cancer, the rate of cervical cancer continues to increase. This study aims to analyze the relationship between knowledge and perceived severity of cervical cancer with the behavior of choosing sanitary napkin in college students. This study used a quantitative method of cross-sectional study on 125 research subjects. The results showed that there were no significant differences in the selection of pads both in the knowledge of high and low cervical cancer. However, there is interaction between high knowledge and high perceived severity on sanitary pads selection.


Crisis ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 272-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison S. Christian ◽  
Kristen M. McCabe

Background: Deliberate self-harm (DSH) occurs with high frequency among clinical and nonclinical youth populations. Although depression has been consistently linked with the behavior, not all depressed individuals engage in DSH. Aims: The current study examined maladaptive coping strategies (i.e., self-blame, distancing, and self-isolation) as mediators between depression and DSH among undergraduate students. Methods: 202 students from undergraduate psychology courses at a private university in Southern California (77.7% women) completed anonymous self-report measures. Results: A hierarchical regression model found no differences in DSH history across demographic variables. Among coping variables, self-isolation alone was significantly related to DSH. A full meditational model was supported: Depressive symptoms were significantly related to DSH, but adding self-isolation to the model rendered the relationship nonsignificant. Limitations: The cross-sectional study design prevents determination of whether a casual relation exists between self-isolation and DSH, and obscures the direction of that relationship. Conclusions: Results suggest targeting self-isolation as a means of DSH prevention and intervention among nonclinical, youth populations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 115
Author(s):  
Dini Yuliansari

The well is one of the source water used for bathing, washing, and drinking by the citizens in Jiken Hamlet, Rarang Village, Terara Sub-District. Poor dug well construction conditions can affect the amount of coliform bacteria contained in the dug well water. The purpose of this study is to identify the construction of dug wells and the content of coliform bacteria in dug well water and determine the relationship between dug well construction and the content of coliform bacteria. This research is analytic with a cross sectional study design. The results were obtained from 11 samples of dug wells which were observed in construction and the coliform content was known that all samples did not requirements as good dug well construction. Coliform content test results showed that as many as 5 dug well water samples did not pass the clean water quality standards. The results of data analysis with the chi-square test variable construction of dug wells with coliform content variable  showed 0,172 > 0,05, then the concluded is the dug well not suitable to use by people in that area as a source of water for daily needs.


2016 ◽  
pp. 41-45
Author(s):  
Lam Huong Le

Objectives: To study the relationship between serum estradiol and physical disorders after hysterectomy. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study on 151 women after total hysterectomy from 12/2008 to 11/2010 at Hue Cental Hospial. Results: Serious disorders in total hysterectomy group include: physical disorders (34.78%), maternal disorders (71.74%), sexual disorders (58.70%). There were significant differences these disorders between total hysterectomy group and hysterectomy with/without accessiory remove group, as well as menopause group. Conclusion: Serum estradiol levels was inversely correlated with physical disorders, martenal disorders, sexual disorders and other disorders. Key words: hysterectomy, serum estradiol


Author(s):  
Dina Dewi Anggraini

ABSTRACT   The study aims todetermine the relationship between parenting style and the level of independence of Personal Hygiene Hand Wasting and Tooth Brush in Preschoolers in Kindergarten Negeri Pembina Blora in 2019. The study is a quantitative study, based on the research location including the type of field reseaerch, based on the ansence of the treatment of subjects including survey research, based on time is a cross sectional study, and based on objectives includin correlation analytics. The population in this study were all parents in Kindergarten Negeri Pembina Blora as many as 85 respondents. Based on the sample calculation, the sample obtained in this study that most parent in Kindergarten Negeri Pembina Blora amounted to 70 respondents. Srearmen’s rho test analysis results parenting parents with the level of independence of personal hygiene hand wasting result obtained p value = 0,000 < α (0,05), and parenting patters with the independence of personal hygiene tooth brush obtained results p value = 0,000 < α (0,05). So it can be concluded that were is a significant relationship between parenting parents with the level of independence of personal hygiene washing hands and brushing their tooth at preschoolers in Kindergarten Negeri Pembina Blora in 2019. Keywords: parenting; personal hygiene, preschool ABSTRAK   Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui Hubungan Pola Asuh Orangtua Terhadap Tingkat Kemandirian Personal Hygiene Cuci Tangan dan Gogok Gigi pada Anak Prasekolah di TK Negeri Pembina Blora Tahun 2019. Penelitian ini adalah penelitian kuantitatif, berdasarkan tempat penelitian termasuk jenis penelitian lapangan, berdasarkan tidak adanya perlakuan terhadap subjek termasuk penelitian survey, berdasarkan waktu merupakan penelitian cross sectional, dan berdasarkan tujuan termasuk analitik korelasi. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah seluruh orangtua di TK Negeri Pembina Blora sebanyak 85 responden. Berdasarkan perhitungan sampel  maka diperoleh sampel pada penelitian ini adalah sebagian orangtua di TK Negeri Pembina Blora sebanyak 70 responden. Hasil analisis uji spearmen’s rho pola asuh orangtua dengan tingkat kemandirian personal hygiene cuci tangan didapatkan hasil p value = 0,000 < α (0,05), dan pola asuh orangtua dengan kemandirian personal hygiene gosok gigi didapatkan hasil p value = 0,000 < α (0,05). Sehingga dapat disimpulkan bahwa ada hubungan yang signifikan antara pola asuh orang tua dengan tingkat kemandirian personal hygiene cuci tangan dan gosok gigi pada anak prasekolah di TK Negeri Pembina Blora Tahun 2019. Kata kunci: pola asuh; personal hygiene; prasekolah


1997 ◽  
Vol 35 (11-12) ◽  
pp. 35-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Genthe ◽  
N. Strauss ◽  
J. Seager ◽  
C. Vundule ◽  
F. Maforah ◽  
...  

Efforts to provide water to developing communities in South Africa have resulted in various types of water supplies being used. This study examined the relationship between the type of water supply and the quality of water used. Source (communal taps, private outdoor and indoor taps) and point-of-use water samples were examined for heterotrophic plate counts (HPC), total and faecal coliforms, E. coli, and coliphages. Ten percent of samples were also analysed for enteric viruses, Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Approximately 320 households were included in a case-control study. In addition, a cross-sectional study was conducted. Both studies examined the relationship between different types of water facilities and diarrhoea among pre-school children. The source water was of good microbial quality, but water quality was found to have deteriorated significantly after handling and storage in both case and control households, exceeding drinking water quality guideline values by 1-6 orders of magnitude. Coliphage counts were low for all water samples tested. Enteric viruses and Cryptosporidium oocysts were not detected. Giardia cysts were detected on one occasion in case and control in-house samples. Comparisons of whether in-house water, after handling and storage, complied with water quality guideline values demonstrated households using communal taps to have significantly poorer quality than households using private outdoor or indoor taps for HPC and E. coli (χ2 = 14.9, P = 0.001; χ2 = 6.6, P = 0.04 respectively). A similar trend (although not statistically significant) was observed for the other microbial indicators. The cross-sectional study demonstrated an apparent decrease in health risk associated with private outdoor taps in comparison to communal taps. This study suggests that a private outdoor tap is the minimum level of water supply in order to ensure the supply of safe water to developing communities.


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