The relationship between video display terminals (VDTs) usage and dermatologic manifestations : a cross sectional study

BACKGROUND: Recently, it has been observed that Video Display Terminals (VDTs) usage for long periods can cause some dermatological manifestations on the face. An analytical cross-sectional study was designed in order to determine this relationship. METHODS: In this study, 600 office workers were chosen randomly from an organization in Tehran (Iran). The subjects were then divided into two groups based on their exposure to VDTs. 306 workers were considered exposure negative (non VDT user) who worked less than 7 hours a week with VDTs. The remainders 294 were exposure-positive, who worked 7 hours or more with VDTs. The frequency of dermatologic manifestations was compared in these two groups. RESULTS: In the exposure-positive and exposure-negative groups, the frequency of these dermatologic manifestations were 27 and 5 respectively. After statistical analysis, a P.value of < 0.05 was obtained indicating a statistically significant difference between these two groups for dermatological manifestations. CONCLUSION: According to our study, there is a relationship between dermatologic manifestations on the face and exposure to VDTs

n-HEXANE NEUROPATHY DUE TO SHOEMAKING: REPORT OF FIVE CASES

n-hexane neuropathy has been described after glue sniffing and industrial exposure. Onset may be subacute and reminiscent of Guillain-Barre&apos; syndrome. Five patients (15-18 years old) presented with paresthesia, severe weakness of the extremities particularly lower extremities, as well as muscular atrophy, total areflexia and gait disturbances were admitted in hospital in March 2003. All of these boys were workers of a small footwear production unit. They worked as gluers of leather pieces. Nerve conduction velocity studies showed latency prolongation and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis showed normal protein. In the workplace assessment, it was found that hexacarbone-containing adhesives were used in an inappropriate ventilated place and without any personal protective devices. These patients were re-examined 8 months later. Sensory and autonomic symptoms were alleviated but two of them still had gait disturbance and decreased reflexes

Analyzing occupational lung disease among turquoise miners

Background and aims   Low dose and long term exposure to inorganic, organic, irritant and allergic substances in workplaces can slowly and gradually cause chronic diseases such as chronic bronchitis ,asthma and pneumoconiosis. The purpose of this study is the exact determination of  lung diseases prevalence in Turquoise Miners and determination of associated factors in these diseases.   Methods   In this cross-sectional survey, 117 of retired and present workers of Nishabour Turquoise Mine were studied about lung diseases. Data was collected by using respiratory questionnaire, interview, lung examination, spirometry, chest X-Ray and Manto test.   Results   Mean age of workers was 42.9, Experience mean was 11.5 years.7 workers suffered from simple silicosis and one worker suffered from PMF. All of patients had been retired.  Abnormal spirometry was presented in 30/3% that 25% of them were obstructive, 4% of were restrictive and 13% of them were mixed.   Conclusion   The results of this survey show that exposure to silica dust besides of silicosis, causes obstructive lung diseases. Because of cureless complications and permanent disability of this disease, preventive measures in mines especially primary preventive measures are effective methods for prevention that must be considered by employee, employers and occupational health specialists

A knowledge-based ergonomics assessment system for WMSD prevention using AHP methodology

This research develops a knowledge-based ergonomics assessment system (KBEAS) that measure and predicts the degree of criticality of risk factors related to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD). Predicting WMSD individual risk level provides critical decision support information to occupational safety and health (OSH) practitioners in the ergonomic analysis. The KBEAS is based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) methodology. The current study integrates AHP method with real workplace ergonomics risk data and design web-based system assisting a sensible multi-criteria WMSD related risk factors. The objectives involve knowledge acquisition performed through preliminary study, MSD symptom study, literature analysis, and tacit knowledge analysis and practitioner survey to identify the ergonomics risk factors that include individual, organizational, physical and psychosocial. The application of this system shows that the design of the proposed KBEAS for WMSD risk factors has been validated and gets each risk factors weight easily by using AHP. The study findings showed that ‘organizational ergonomics risk factors’ is more critical than other factors. The overall prioritization revealed that ‘exposure to physical demands’ had a priority vector of 26.33%, and it was perceived as the item with the most critical factor. The KBEAS could help the user to make an objective judgement on the subjective description and get the correct result of the ergonomics risk factors

Opting to wear prismatic spectacles was associated with reduced neck pain in dental personnel : A longitudinal cohort study

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate effects on perceived exertion, work ability self-reported neck pain and clinically diagnosed conditions in the neck, of an intervention with prismatic spectacles among dental personnel. Methods: In this cohort study a baseline questionnaire including questions about frequency of neck pain, perceived exertion during work and background information was distributed to dental personnel in municipal dental care units. In connection, personnel from 78 out of 110 dental care units underwent a clinical neck examination and rated their perceived work ability with the single-item question from the Work Ability Index. The study population consisted of 564 participants; 366 in the questionnaire group, 321 in the examination group, whereof 123 participated in both assessments. In total 371 belonged to the intervention group and received individually adjusted prismatic spectacles after the baseline assessments (inclusion based on self-selection) and 193 belonged to the reference group. At the 12-month follow-up the clinical examination was repeated and the same questionnaire with additional questions was completed. Fisher's exact test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used to assess differences between the intervention group and the reference group at baseline. Differences at follow up between the two groups were assessed by means of Linear-by Linear association test for trends. Results: A significant decrease in neck pain (p = 0.047), clinical diagnoses in the neck (p = 0.025), and perceived exertion (p = 0.003) was observed at follow up for the intervention group compared to the reference group. Moreover, for the intervention group a significantly improved self-rated work ability (p = 0.040) was reported. Finally, opting to wear prismatic spectacles during dental work appeared to have a preventive effect on neck pain. Conclusions: Dental personnel opting to wear prismatic spectacles reduced their neck pain significantly more at follow up compared with the reference group. These results are worthwhile testing in a randomised design. The practical implication of this study is that recommendations regarding ergonomics for dental professionals may include the use of prismatic glasses, both as primary and secondary prevention of work-related neck pain. Such glasses should also be tested in other working situations where the work tasks include high visual demands in sustained awkward neck postures