scholarly journals Pain characteristics and its influence in the labor activities in northeastern Brazilian farmers

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 196
Author(s):  
Cristiano Barreto De Miranda ◽  
Isabela Freire Azevedo-Santos ◽  
Natália Lupinacci ◽  
José Aderval Aragão ◽  
Sheila Schneiberg
Keyword(s):  
Poor Performance ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Work Activity ◽  
Agricultural Work ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Rural Farmers ◽  
Pain Scales ◽  
Transversal Study ◽  
Dangerous Activity ◽  
Intensity Characteristic

Introduction: Agricultural work is considered a dangerous activity with physical and mental stress. Pain is one of the most common disabilities among agricultural workers. Objective: To determine the incidence, intensity, characteristic of pain and its impact on labor activities in farmers. Methods: Transversal study, pain evaluations consist of: 1) presence / intensity; 2) characteristic of painful experience; 3) episode of pain in the last 30 days and 4) interference of pain at work. Validated and specific pain scales were used, and descriptive statistics were applied. Results: 157 rural farmers were recruited, 128 farmers, 40.4 (11.4) years, participated in the study, 25% of the farmers reported pain at the time of evaluation with mean of 5.5 (0.47) intensity. The predominant pain characteristic was the evaluative type (34%), followed by affective (30%), 83 (65%) of farmers reported pain in the last four weeks, and 60% of these farmers reported pain interference in work activity. Conclusion: Pain, according to farmers in this study, is the main cause of absence and poor performance at work. To accurately assess the intensity of work-related pain, instruments may need to be applied over a continuous period of time, preferably during work day.Key-words: worker health, pain, pain assessment.

Women's healthcare providers: Work factors, personality, and stress

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (7) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Victoria A. Farrow ◽  
Anthony Ahrens ◽  
Kathleen C. Gunthert ◽  
Jay Schulkin
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Differences ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Work Factors ◽  
Physician Stress ◽  
Linear Regressions

We assessed neuroticism, perceived stress, and work-related factors among obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyns), and examined the relationships between these variables. Surveys were sent to 500 physician members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and we received 287 (57.4%) completed responses. Analyses included descriptive statistics and linear regressions. Ob-gyns reported high levels of perceived stress. After controlling for neuroticism, variables that significantly predicted stress levels included average hours worked, perception of working too many hours, colleague support for work–home balance, isolation due to gender/cultural differences, and perception of workplace control. Because these work-related factors are linked to stress even when controlling for neuroticism, administrators and physicians may consider whether any of these factors are modifiable to mitigate physician stress. This in turn may affect physicians' own health and the quality of care patients receive.

scholarly journals Using Coronial Records to Provide Novel In-Depth Insights into Work-Related Fatal Injury

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebbecca Lilley ◽  
Gabrielle Davie ◽  
Bronwen McNoe ◽  
Tim Driscoll
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Population Data ◽  
Traffic Fatalities ◽  
Fatal Injury ◽  
Work Activities ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Additional Group ◽  
Data Collections ◽  
Official Data

IntroductionNew Zealand’s (NZ) workplace fatality record is very poor compared to similar OECD countries. The reasons for NZ’s poor performance are highly debated yet inadequately informed due to a lack of high quality fatality data. Due to incomplete official data on work fatalities in NZ, it is not currently possible to use routine official data collections to reliably report: i) who is fatally injured due to work activities, and ii) what groups should be prioritised for action. Objectives and ApproachThis study uses coronial records to overcome the limitations of existing official data collections to provide the most complete and detailed evidence platform for occupational safety policy and action in NZ. A work-related fatal injury dataset spanning the period 2005-2014 was created by: 1) identifying possible cases aged 0-84 years from the Mortality Collection using selected external cause of injury codes, 2) linking these to Coronial records and 3) identifying and coding work-related cases. ResultsOf 7,730 injury fatalities with corresponding Coronial records retrieved and reviewed, 1,924 (24%) were work-related, of which 955 were workers. Fifty-nine per cent more worker deaths were identified compared to available official NZ Government estimates from notification and compensation data. Workers killed on public roads were the main additional group identified. Official data do not provide occupation-based fatality rates; our study found ‘Miners and drillers’, ‘deckhands and fishermen’ and ‘loggers’ had the highest rates of fatal injury. Conclusion / ImplicationsCoronial records offer a rich source of population data on work-related fatal injury deaths, providing better estimates of work-traffic fatalities and high risk occupations than are otherwise available as well as evidence for establishing prevention strategies in NZ.

scholarly journals A Data-Driven Model to Identify Fatigue Level Based on the Motion Data from a Smartphone

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Swapnali Karvekar ◽  
Masoud Abdollahi ◽  
Ehsan Rashedi
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Exertion ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Machine Learning Algorithms ◽  
Motion Sensors ◽  
Motion Data ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Proactive Approach ◽  
Fatiguing Exercise ◽  
Four Levels ◽  
Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorder

AbstractThe fatigue due to repetitive and physically challenging jobs may result in workers’ poor performance and Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorder (WMSD). Thus, it is imperative to frequently monitor fatigue and take necessary recovery actions. Our purpose was to develop a methodology to objectively classify subjects’ fatigue level in the workplace utilizing the motion sensors embedded in the smartphones. An experiment consisting of twenty-four participants (12 M, 12 F) with a smartphone attached to their right shank was conducted using a fatiguing exercise (squatting), targeted mainly the lower extremity musculature. After each set of an exercise (2-min squatting), participants were asked about their ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), then a reference gait data were collected during a straight walk of 20-32 steps. This process was continued until they reported strong fatigue (≥17). Using the RPE to label the gait data, we have developed machine learning algorithms (i.e., binary and multi-class SVM models) to classify the individuals’ gait into two (no-vs. strong-fatigue) and four levels (no-, low-, medium-, and strong-fatigue). The models reached the accuracies of 91% and 61% for two and four-level classification, respectively. The outcomes of this study may facilitate the implementation of a proactive approach in continuous monitoring of operators’ fatigue level, which may subsequently increase the workers’ performance and reduce the risk of WMSDs.

scholarly journals SELF-COMPACTING CONCRETE USE FOR CONSTRUCTION WORK ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 724-734 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romuald Rwamamara ◽  
Peter Simonsson
Keyword(s):  
Work Environment ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Musculoskeletal Injury ◽  
Construction Work ◽  
Casting Method ◽  
Self Compacting Concrete ◽  
Work Activity ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Work Tasks ◽  
Concrete Casting

Many of those working on construction sites are exposed to demanding work loads; construction workers lift and carry heavy materials and work in awkward postures. Occupational injuries and accidents due to poor ergonomics are more common in the construction industry and many times lead to human tragedies, disrupt construction processes and adversely affect the cost, productivity, and the reputation of the construction industry. In Sweden, it is reported that concrete workers have the highest relative work-related musculoskeletal injury frequency. Therefore, the use of ergonomic production methods to prevent this can have a significant human, social and financial impact. Research introduced here presents a case study of comparative analyses of ergonomic situations for concrete workers performing concrete casting processes. Three different ergonomic risk assessment methods were used to assess the physical strain, hand-arm vibration and noise affects risks involved in concrete casting work tasks. The combination of technical and managerial factors results in a system where workers are as efficient and safe as possible during their work tasks, and thus, makes the construction work environment sustainable. The aim of our research is to find practical methods to evaluate and compare two different concrete casting methods from an ergonomic perspective. The focus is on the production of cast-in-place concrete bridge constructions where the traditional concrete casting method is compared with the SCC (Self-Compacting concrete) casting method. To be able to identify work-related musculoskeletal injury risks due to concrete casting work tasks, QEC (Quick Exposure Check for musculoskeletal risks), PLIBEL (Checklist for identification for Ergonomics Hazards) and ErgoSAM (Ergonomic production technology method) methods were used. Ergonomic risks analysis methods QEC, PLIBEL and ErgoSAM have all shown capabilities to evaluate construction work activities and thus determine whether a construction work activity constitutes a musculoskeletal risk to the worker or not before any ergonomic intervention is introduced. As a result the present ergonomic risks emanating from work methods used in the traditional concrete placing can be significantly reduced with the use of self-compacting concrete (SCC) that eliminates awkward work postures, noise and hand arm vibration, thereby reducing if not eliminating musculoskeletal injuries among concrete workers during their concrete casting work tasks.

Nonfatal agricultural work-related injuries: A case study from Northeast India

Work ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 367-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thaneswer Patel ◽  
P.K. Pranav ◽  
M. Biswas
Keyword(s):  
Northeast India ◽  
Agricultural Work ◽  
Work Related

scholarly journals O8B.1 Risk of heat related illness in latino agricultural workers: environmental temperature and activity levels

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. A71.3-A72
Author(s):  
Marc Schenker ◽  
Diane Mitchell ◽  
Tracey Armitage ◽  
Daniel Tancredi
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Analysis Data ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Activity Data ◽  
Work Activity ◽  
Piece Rate ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
And Gender

IntroductionFarmworkers are at risk of heat related illness (HRI). The main contributors are thought to be environmental temperatures and activity levels, but the association has not been objectively assessed.MethodsCalifornia farmworkers were monitored for one work-shift each in the summers of 2014 and 2015. Interviewers recorded personal and demographic information. Wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) was collected in minute intervals over the shift as were accelerometer activity data from each participant. This data was grouped into physiologically meaningful 15 min increments, with the average used for analysis. Data from the previous 15 min were used to predict current activity. Generalized Additive Modeling was used to determine the form of the association between WBGT and activity level. This information was used to build an appropriate repeated measures model including demographics and work-related attributes.ResultsFinal analyses included 318 Latina/o farmworkers. Only 70 subjects (22%) were a healthy BMI, and 115 subjects (36%) were considered obese (BMI ≥30). None were underweight. The majority of participants were paid hourly (n=233, 73%) as opposed to piece-rate (n=85, 27%). Activity counts averaged 452, or a low intensity activity level. In the final repeat measures model, work activity was inversely associated with WBGT, for every oC increase in WBGT activity decreased by 4.5 counts (95% CI 1.2–7.6) P 0.01. Other independent negative associations with activity were found with age and male gender. An interaction was found between piece-rate workers and gender. Male piece rate workers did not decrease activity levels with WBGT, but females and hourly paid workers did.ConclusionIn general, farmworkers decrease their work activity with increasing environmental heat. Men, especially piece-rate workers are less likely to decrease their activity levels putting them at increased risk of HRI.

scholarly journals An Empirical Assessment of the Sources of Police Job Satisfaction

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-81
Author(s):  
Eugene A. Paoline ◽  
Jacinta M. Gau
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Police Department ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Job Turnover ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Explanatory Factors ◽  
Work Avoidance ◽  
Police Job Satisfaction

Dissatisfied workers are at risk for negative occupational behaviors such as job turnover, poor performance, work avoidance, decreased morale among coworkers, and physical or legal liability. Relying heavily on demographic (e.g., sex, race, education) and occupational (e.g., rank, experience, assignment) explanatory factors, early empirical studies failed to effectively model the statistical correlates of police officer job satisfaction. Recent inquiries have found more success in explaining the variation in job satisfaction by examining a variety of work-related attitudes. The current study adds to this burgeoning area of research by assessing the role of internal and external dimensions of the work environment, as well as views of fairness and effectiveness, on the job satisfaction of police officers. Based on survey data from a midsized municipal police department in Florida, the multivariate analysis reveals a number of successful predictors of job satisfaction, especially for those officers with a street-level assignment. A second analysis, based on qualitative coding of open-ended survey questions, finds differences in positive and negative features of the occupation across varying levels of satisfied and dissatisfied respondents. Implications of these findings for police practitioners and researchers are discussed.

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