Globalisation, Occupational Disease and Workers’ Abuse in Turkey:A Case Cluster Study Analysis

In the globalized world, occupational health problems continue to appear in the working environment, while new health problems are also being discovered mainly due to low-quality jobs with minimal chance for advancement, precarious employment conditions, high production quotas as well as weak national regulations and lack of monitoring by the state actors. For instance, Turkish legal framework on the protection of the health and safety of employees has significant shortcomings hampering workers’ enjoyment of their “rights-to-work”. This article analyses a case cluster study conducted on workers in export processing zones (EPZs) who were exposed to subdued employment conditions in their workplaces and abandoned to their own fates subsequent to dismissals by their employers due to their diagnosis of occupational diseases by the occupational health specialists. Keywords: Developing countries, Occupational Health and Safety, Dismissals, Legal Enforcement, Labour Rights, Human Rights, Multinational Companies, Turkey, Export Processing Zones, Turkey

Indoor environmental quality in chemistry and chemical engineering laboratories at Izmir Institute of Technology

AbstractIndoor air pollution in university research laboratories may be important to building occupants, especially for those who work in the laboratories. In this study, indoor air quality (IAQ) and indoor environmental comfort were investigated in research laboratories of two departments at a university. PM2.5, PM10, TVOC (total volatile organic compounds), and CO concentrations, and three comfort variables which are temperature, relative humidity, and CO2 were measured. PM2.5 concentration was determined gravimetrically by collecting particles on glass fiber filters, whereas the remaining pollutants and comfort variables were measured using a monitoring device. IAQ measurements showed that levels of all pollutants were under the limits in both of the departments except for TVOC in one laboratory which had a mean concentration of 182ppb. The comfort variables were in the comfort ranges for laboratories in both of the departments except for temperature in one laboratory with a mean value of 30 °C. In conclusion, measures are needed for extensive uses of organic solvents because ventilation may not be sufficient to keep VOC concentrations within the limits, and to provide thermal comfort

Indoor air quality in a restaurant kitchen using margarine for deep-frying

Indoor air quality has a great impact on human health. Cooking, in particular frying, is one of the most important sources of indoor air pollution. Indoor air CO, CO2, particulate matter (PM), and volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations, including aldehydes, were measured in the kitchen of a small establishment where a special deep-frying margarine was used. The objective was to assess occupational exposure concentrations for cooks of such restaurants. While individual VOC and PM2.5 concentrations were measured before, during, and after frying events using active sampling, TVOC, PM10, CO, CO2, temperature, and relative humidity were continuously monitored through the whole period. VOC and aldehyde concentrations did not increase to considerable levels with deep-frying compared to the background and public indoor environment levels, whereas PM10 increased significantly (1.85 to 6.6 folds). The average PM2.5 concentration of the whole period ranged between 76 and 249 μg/m3. Hence, considerable PM exposures could occur during deep-frying with the special margarine, which might be sufficiently high to cause health effects on cooks considering their chronic occupational exposures.Dokuz Eylul University (BAP-2011.KB.SAG.017

General aspect of pneumoconiosis in Turkey

During the past 20 years number of definitive occupational diseases has not increased above 1500 case/year according to official statistics in Turkey. Although pneumoconiosis is the most diagnosed occupational disease, incidence of pneumoconiosis is very low

ORTA - AĞIR ŞİDDETLİ KRONİK OBSTRÜKTİF AKCİĞER HASTALIĞI OLAN OLGULARDA 6 DAKİKA YÜRÜME TESTİ SONUÇLARININ DİĞER DEĞERLENDİRME FAKTÖRLERİYLE İLİŞKİSİ

Yaş ortalaması 66.37 olan 60 orta ağır şiddetli kronik obstrüktif akciğer hastası çalışmaya alındı

CİNSİYET FAKTÖRÜ ALGILANAN EFOR DİSPNE ŞİDDETİNİ ETKİLER Mİ ?

Kronik obstrüktif akciğer hastalığı olan olgularda egzersiz kapasitesinde azalma önemli bir morbidite nedenidir

Comparison of six-minute walking tests conducted with and without supplemental oxygen in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and exercise-induced oxygen desaturation

<b>Background: </b> There are contradictory reports in the literature on the effects of supplemental oxygen admin-istered before or after exercise tests. In light of this, we compared the results of 6-minute walking tests performed in room-air conditions (A6MWT) and with supplemental oxygen (O6MWT) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and exercise-induced oxygen desaturation. <b> Patients and Methods: </b> Thirty-one patients with COPD were included in the study. The A6MWT and O6MWT were performed in randomized order on each patient. During the tests, severity of dyspnea and tiring of the leg were evaluated by the Modified Borg Scale. Heart rate and pulsed oxygen saturation and blood pres-sure were measured by pulse oximeter. <b> Results: </b> Walking distance was longer with the O6MWT than with the A6MWT (P=0.001). The O6MWT resulted in a smaller increase in dyspnea, leg fatigue, and heart rate and a smaller drop in pulsed saturation than the A6MWT (P&#60; 0.05). The walking distance with the O6MWT correlated with respiratory function and hemo--dynamic parameters (P&#60; 0.05). <b> Conclusion: </b> The O6MWT, which produced less hemodynamic stress and was safer than the A6MWT, might provide more accurate information on exercise limitation for patients with COPD. These results suggest that the O6MWT can be used as a standard walking exercise test for patients with COPD and exercise-induced oxygen desaturation