Evaluation of Safety Climate and its associated factors in Base Hospital Avissawella

The safety climate is “the summary of molar perceptions that employees share about their work environments” and associated with several factors. A descriptive cross-sectional study was done among a randomly selected sample of medical officers (n= 109) and nursing officers (n=193) to evaluate the safety climate and its associated factors in Base Hospital Avissawella Sri Lanka. Among the six safety climate dimensions personal protective and engineering control equipment availability (mean=3.94, SD=0.67) was perceived at the highest level. The lowest scored perceptual dimension was absence of job hindrances (mean=3.27, SD=0.83). Among the respondents 219 (83.5%) had at least one exposure incident. There is no significant relationship between job category and workplace exposure incidents (p= 0.388). Only 28.3% (n=62) had reported about their injuries. Only 60.7% (n=159) were strictly compliant to safe work practices and the compliance of nursing officers was better than of medical officers (p=0.000). The safety climate had a negative association with workplace exposure incidents (OR< 1.0) and a positive association with compliance to safe work practices. (OR>1.0). The respondents had negative perceptions about some of the safety climate dimensions. Workplace exposure incidents were common and the reporting behavior about injuries was poor among both categories of staff, but comparatively the nursing officers were better. Majority were “Strict compliant” to the safe work practices and compliance was better among nursing officers. Safety climate was negatively associated with exposure incidents and positively with the compliance. The hospital managers should pay more attention on safety of employees, provide adequate training opportunities on occupational safety and encourage employees’ reporting behavior.

Investigating Multi-Mycotoxin Exposure in Occupational Settings: A Biomonitoring and Airborne Measurement Approach

Investigating workplace exposure to mycotoxins is of the utmost importance in supporting the implementation of preventive measures for workers. The aim of this study was to provide tools for measuring mycotoxins in urine and airborne samples. A multi-class mycotoxin method was developed in urine for the determination of aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin M1, ochratoxin A, ochratoxin α, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, α-zearalenol, β-zearalenol, fumonisin B1, HT2-toxin and T2-toxin. Analysis was based on liquid chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry. Sample pre-treatments included enzymatic digestion and an online or offline sample clean-up step. The method was validated according to the European Medicines Agency guidance procedures. In order to estimate external exposure, air samples collected with a CIP 10 (Capteur Individuel de Particules 10) personal dust sampler were analyzed for the quantification of up to ten mycotoxins, including aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, fumonisin B1 and HT-2 toxin and T-2 toxin. The method was validated according to standards for workplace exposure to chemical and biological agents EN 482. Both methods, biomonitoring and airborne mycotoxin measurement, showed good analytical performances. They were successfully applied in a small pilot study to assess mycotoxin contamination in workers during cleaning of a grain elevator. We demonstrated that this approach was suitable for investigating occupational exposure to mycotoxins.

An integrated and multi-technique approach to characterize airborne graphene flakes in the workplace during production phases

Workplace exposure to airborne few layer graphene: real time measurements (PNC, average diameter and LDSA) and characterization technique using electron microscopes (SEM, EDS, TEM, SAED) and Raman spectroscopy.

Employer Liability for “Take-Home” COVID-19

Workplace exposure to SARS-CoV-2 has sickened workers and, subsequently, their family members. Family members might be able to recover from the employer in a negligence action using “take-home” liability theory.

A Human-Relevant 3D In Vitro Platform for an Effective and Rapid Simulation of Workplace Exposure to Nanoparticles: Silica Nanoparticles as Case Study

In this contribution, we show the suitability of a 3D airway model, when coupled with a nebulizer system, for simulating workplace exposure to nanoparticles. As a proof of concept, workplace exposure to silica nanoparticles was experimentally measured in an occupational facility where nanoparticles are produced weekly, and compared with the official limit value for bulk silica materials. These values of potential exposure were simulated in a 3D airway model by nebulizing low doses (from 0.90 to 55 µg/cm2) of silica nanoparticles over a prolonged period (12 weeks of repeated exposure, 5 days per week). Overall, the results suggest the efficiency of the defense mechanisms of the respiratory system and the clearance of the breathed silica nanoparticles by the mucociliary apparatus in accordance with the recent in vivo data. This in vitro platform shows that the doses tested may correlate with the occupational exposure limit values. Such relationship could provide regulatory-oriented data useful for risk classification of nanomaterials.