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Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety Jan 2021Risk assessment is an important tool in predicting the possible risk to health. It heightens awareness by estimating the probability of adverse health effects in humans...
Risk assessment is an important tool in predicting the possible risk to health. It heightens awareness by estimating the probability of adverse health effects in humans who are exposed to chemicals in the course of their work. Therefore, the present work aims to determine the occupational exposure of operating room staff to the volatile anesthetic gases, isoflurane and sevoflurane, and estimates non-cancer risk using the United States Environmental Protection Agency method. Air samples from the breathing zone of staff members were collected using the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Method 103 and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. The results indicate that the measured concentrations of isoflurane and sevoflurane are below the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health standard (2 ppm) for technicians and nurses, but not for anesthesiologists and surgeons. Moreover, the estimated non-cancer risk due to isoflurane is above the acceptable value for anesthesiologists (but acceptable for other occupational categories). A sensitivity analysis indicates that exposure time has the most effect on calculated risk (53.4%). Occupational exposure to anesthetic gases may endanger the health of operating room personnel. Therefore, control measures, such as daily testing of anesthetic devices, ensuring the effectiveness of ventilation systems, advanced scavenging methods, and regular training of staff are highly recommended.
Topics: Air Pollutants, Occupational; Anesthetics, Inhalation; Humans; Isoflurane; Occupational Exposure; Operating Rooms; Risk Assessment; Sevoflurane; United States
PubMed: 32949927
DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111270 -
Scandinavian Journal of Work,... Jan 2022
Topics: Air Pollutants, Occupational; Gases; Humans; Occupational Exposure; Welding
PubMed: 34821369
DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.4002 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2022Like nanotechnology, translational science is a relatively new and transdisciplinary field. Translational science in occupational safety and health (OSH) focuses on the... (Review)
Review
Like nanotechnology, translational science is a relatively new and transdisciplinary field. Translational science in occupational safety and health (OSH) focuses on the process of taking scientific knowledge for the protection of workers from the lab to the field (i.e., the worksite/workplace) and back again. Translational science has been conceptualized as having multiple phases of research along a continuum, beyond scientific discovery (T), to efficacy (T), to effectiveness (T), to dissemination and implementation (D&I) (T), to outcomes and effectiveness research in populations (T). The translational research process applied to occupational exposure to nanomaterials might involve similar phases. This builds on basic and efficacy research (T and T) in the areas of toxicology, epidemiology, industrial hygiene, medicine and engineering. In T, research and evidence syntheses and guidance and recommendations to protect workers may be developed and assessed for effectiveness. In T, emphasis is needed on D&I research to explore the multilevel barriers and facilitators to nanotechnology risk control information/research adoption, use, and sustainment in workplaces. D&I research for nanomaterial exposures should focus on assessing sources of information and evidence to be disseminated /implemented in complex and dynamic workplaces, how policy-makers and employers use this information in diverse contexts to protect workers, how stakeholders inform these critical processes, and what barriers impede and facilitate multilevel decision-making for the protection of nanotechnology workers. The T phase focuses on how effective efforts to prevent occupational exposure to nanomaterials along the research continuum contribute to large-scale impact in terms of worker safety, health and wellbeing (T). Stakeholder input and engagement is critical to all stages of the translational research process. This paper will provide: (1) an illustration of the translational research continuum for occupational exposure to nanomaterials; and (2) a discussion of opportunities for applying D&I science to increase the effectiveness, uptake, integration, sustainability, and impact of interventions to protect the health and wellbeing of workers in the nanotechnology field.
Topics: Humans; Nanostructures; Occupational Exposure; Occupational Health; Translational Science, Biomedical; Workplace
PubMed: 35757639
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.816578 -
Current Allergy and Asthma Reports Oct 2018Agriculture environments contain a variety of inflammatory aerosols that may increase risk for lung inflammation and disease in exposed individuals. In addition,... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
Agriculture environments contain a variety of inflammatory aerosols that may increase risk for lung inflammation and disease in exposed individuals. In addition, epidemiological studies have also identified protective effects of rural environments and farming exposures.
RECENT FINDINGS
In this review, we will discuss recent literature published since 2016 that investigates the impact of differing agricultural exposures on respiratory health. Discussions include the impact of farming modernization, education, and personal protective equipment usage among workers, timing and duration in mediating lung health outcomes, and population studies investigating the association between exposure and risk for numerous lung diseases.
Topics: Agriculture; Animals; Humans; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Pesticides; Protective Devices; Respiratory Tract Diseases
PubMed: 30291457
DOI: 10.1007/s11882-018-0820-8 -
Journal of Occupational and... 2015The fundamental goal of this article is to describe, define, and analyze the components of the risk characterization process for occupational exposures. Current methods...
The fundamental goal of this article is to describe, define, and analyze the components of the risk characterization process for occupational exposures. Current methods are described for the probabilistic characterization of exposure, including newer techniques that have increasing applications for assessing data from occupational exposure scenarios. In addition, since the probability of health effects reflects variability in the exposure estimate as well as the dose-response curve-the integrated considerations of variability surrounding both components of the risk characterization provide greater information to the occupational hygienist. Probabilistic tools provide a more informed view of exposure as compared to use of discrete point estimates for these inputs to the risk characterization process. Active use of such tools for exposure and risk assessment will lead to a scientifically supported worker health protection program. Understanding the bases for an occupational risk assessment, focusing on important sources of variability and uncertainty enables characterizing occupational risk in terms of a probability, rather than a binary decision of acceptable risk or unacceptable risk. A critical review of existing methods highlights several conclusions: (1) exposure estimates and the dose-response are impacted by both variability and uncertainty and a well-developed risk characterization reflects and communicates this consideration; (2) occupational risk is probabilistic in nature and most accurately considered as a distribution, not a point estimate; and (3) occupational hygienists have a variety of tools available to incorporate concepts of risk characterization into occupational health and practice.
Topics: Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Humans; Models, Statistical; Occupational Exposure; Occupational Health; Risk Assessment; Risk Management; Uncertainty
PubMed: 26302336
DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2015.1084421 -
Journal of Occupational Health Jan 2022Following the Fukushima nuclear accident in March 2011, decontamination and related works have been carried out over a wide area, mainly in Fukushima Prefecture. In... (Review)
Review
Following the Fukushima nuclear accident in March 2011, decontamination and related works have been carried out over a wide area, mainly in Fukushima Prefecture. In November 2013, the Radiation Dose Registration and Management System for Decontamination Workers was established to manage the occupational exposure doses of workers engaged in such work. The Radiation Effects Association mainly operates the registration system. This paper summarizes existing reports on this system and occupational health issues among decontamination workers. We collected previous reports and related regulatory laws on occupational health management for decontamination workers working in Fukushima Prefecture, summarized the outline of the radiation dose registration and management system for these decontamination workers, and discussed future issues related to their health management. Approximately 100 000 decontamination workers were registered in the system as of 2020, but none showed radiation doses that exceeded the dose limit. To our knowledge, there have been no reports of decontamination workers presenting physical symptoms suspected to be related to radiation exposure. On the other hand, heatstroke countermeasures and anxiety about radiation exposure have been reported as possible issues in the occupational health management of decontamination workers. Although decontamination workers are unlikely to experience biological effects from radiation exposure, epidemiological studies are needed to examine this evidence. Further analysis is also needed on non-radiation effects, which pose occupational health concerns for decontamination workers. The registration system would allow for tracking decontamination workers, providing data for analyzing radiological and non-radiological effects.
Topics: Humans; Decontamination; Fukushima Nuclear Accident; Japan; Nuclear Power Plants; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Occupational Health; Radiation Exposure
PubMed: 36377572
DOI: 10.1002/1348-9585.12357 -
International Journal of Occupational... 2015The working environment is the special case of the non-natural environment created by man in which the increased production activity brings about the concentration of... (Review)
Review
The working environment is the special case of the non-natural environment created by man in which the increased production activity brings about the concentration of stimulators particularly aggressive to the human organism, such as chemical hazards, noise, vibration, extreme temperatures, and finally, intensified psychological and emotional stress. Depending on the nature and intensity, working environment factors have been classified into dangerous, harmful and annoying. The workers are more and more frequently exposed to dangerous chemicals in the working environment. The chemicals cause many diseases including, in the 1st place, respiratory insufficiency, inflammatory skin conditions, psychoneurological disorders and neoplastic diseases. Occupational exposure limit values (OELs), the main criteria for occupational exposure assessment, constitute an important factor for the safe use of chemicals in the working environment. In Poland, to date there are 524 chemical substances and 19 dusts for which maximum admissible concentrations (MAC) have been established.
Topics: Carcinogens, Environmental; Dust; Environmental Monitoring; Hazardous Substances; Humans; Maximum Allowable Concentration; Occupational Exposure; Occupational Health; Poland
PubMed: 26182920
DOI: 10.13075/ijomeh.1896.00243 -
Current Environmental Health Reports Sep 2021The purpose of this review is to consolidate exposure assessment methods for occupational research on engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) published within the past 5 years... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
The purpose of this review is to consolidate exposure assessment methods for occupational research on engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) published within the past 5 years (2015-2020).
RECENT FINDINGS
The three ENMs that generated the highest volume of new research include titanium dioxide, graphene, and aluminum oxide. A multi-metric approach, using both online and offline instruments and analyses, has been found to be a useful method to characterize ENM workplace exposures and was commonly used in the recently published literature. Particle number concentration was the most common online exposure metric used, followed by the metrics of mass and surface area. There are currently no consensus methods for offline analyses of most ENMs. Researchers generally used gravimetric or elemental analyses for carbonaceous nanomaterials, titanium dioxide, and other nanometals, but there was little overlap between other ENM materials reviewed. Using biological markers of exposure, such as urinary oxidative stress biomarkers, as an indication of chronic exposure may also be useful for some ENMs and should be further researched. Generally, similar online instrumentation and offline electron microscopy methods were used for all ENMs. However, this consistency was not observed for offline mass analysis methods within specific ENMs. Consolidation of the most recent methods and results of exposure assessments within this broad material category can guide researchers toward future areas of study. Establishing consensus methods of exposure assessment for each individual ENM is crucial to characterizing workplace exposures, pooling data to fully understand their associated risks, and developing useful occupational exposure limits.
Topics: Humans; Nanostructures; Occupational Exposure; Workplace
PubMed: 34101152
DOI: 10.1007/s40572-021-00316-6 -
European Journal of Epidemiology Jan 2024Numerous epidemiologic studies and a few systematic reviews have investigated the association between occupational solar exposure and basal cell carcinoma (BCC).... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Numerous epidemiologic studies and a few systematic reviews have investigated the association between occupational solar exposure and basal cell carcinoma (BCC). However, previous reviews have several deficits with regard to included and excluded studies/risk estimates and the assessment of risk of selection bias (RoSB). Our aim was to review epidemiologic studies with a focus on these deficits and to use meta-(regression) analyses to summarize risk estimates.
METHODS
We systematically searched PubMed (including MEDLINE) and Embase for epidemiologic studies. Study evaluation considered four main aspects of risk of bias assessments, i.e. Selection of subjects (selection bias); Exposure variables; Outcome variables; Data analysis.
RESULTS
Of 56 identified references, 32 were used for meta-(regression) analyses. The overall pooled risk estimate for BCC comparing high/present vs. low/absent occupational solar exposure was 1.20 (95% CI 1.02-1.43); among studies without major deficits regarding data analysis, it was 1.10 (95% CI 0.91-1.33). Studies with low and high RoSB had pooled risk estimates of 0.83 (95% CI 0.73-0.93) and 1.95 (95% CI 1.42-2.67), respectively. The definitions of exposure and outcome variables were not correlated with study risk estimates. Studies with low RoSB in populations with the same latitude or lower than Germany had a pooled risk estimate of 1.01 (95% CI 0.88-1.15).
CONCLUSION
Due to the different associations between occupational solar exposure and BCC among studies with low and high RoSB, we reason that the current epidemiologic evidence base does not permit the conclusion that regular outdoor workers have an increased risk of BCC.
Topics: Humans; Carcinoma, Basal Cell; Germany; Occupational Exposure; Selection Bias; Skin Neoplasms
PubMed: 38170370
DOI: 10.1007/s10654-023-01061-w -
Annals of Work Exposures and Health Oct 2021Diisocyanates are a chemical group that are widely used at workplaces in many sectors. They are also potent skin- and respiratory sensitizers. Exposure to diisocyanates...
OBJECTIVES
Diisocyanates are a chemical group that are widely used at workplaces in many sectors. They are also potent skin- and respiratory sensitizers. Exposure to diisocyanates is a main cause of occupational asthma in the European Union. To reduce occupational exposure to diisocyanates and consequently the cases of diisocyanate-induced asthma, a restriction on diisocyanates was recently adopted under the REACH Regulation in the European Union.
METHODS
A comprehensive evaluation of the data on occupational exposure to the most important diisocyanates at workplaces was made and is reported here. The diisocyanates considered are methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), toluene diisocyanate (TDI), and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), accounting for more than 95% of the market volume in the EU. The exposure assessment is based on data from Chemical Safety Reports (CSRs) of REACH Registration Dossiers, workplace air monitoring data from Germany, from the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE), and literature data relevant for the EU, and the USA.
RESULTS
Occupational exposure to diisocyanates is particularly relevant in: (i) C.A.S.E. applications (Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants, Elastomers), (ii) production of polyurethanes (PUs) (e.g. slab-stock foam), (iii) handling of partly uncured PU products (e.g. cutting, demoulding, spray application of foam), and (iv) when diisocyanates/PUs are heated (e.g. hot lamination, foundry applications/casting forms). Ranking of the reported data on inhalation to diisocyanate exposure at workplaces (maximum values) leads to following order: (i) HDI and its oligomers in coatings, (ii) MDI in spray foam applications, (iii) TDI in manufacture of foam, (iv) TDI in manufacture of PUs and PU composite materials, (v) TDI in adhesives, (vi) MDI in adhesives, (vii) MDI in manufacture of PUs and PU composite materials, (viii) TDI in coatings, (ix) MDI in manufacture of foam, and (x) HDI in adhesives.
Topics: European Union; Humans; Inhalation Exposure; Occupational Exposure; Polyurethanes; Toluene 2,4-Diisocyanate
PubMed: 33889955
DOI: 10.1093/annweh/wxab021