The effect of hand arm vibration symptoms among palm oil harvester with the usage of cantas machine in Selangor

A cross sectional study was conducted to determine the effect of hand arm vibration symptoms on ‘Cantas’ machine among palm oil harvester in Selangor.Questionnaire survey is use as strategy of enquiry for achieving the objectives. A vibration analyser HVM 100 attached to a tri-accelerometer was used.The vibration level for working hours is 2.30 m/s2and is deemed safe as specified in ISO 5349-1. The prevalence of hand-arm vibration syndrome(HAVS)based on reported symptoms through questionnaires was 39.4%. None of them reported persistence in the symptoms. The ergonomics risk factor mean score was 2.93 out of 4. The issues on ergonomic design was weight, maintenance, portability, ease of usage and efficiency. In conclusion, regular screening for early signs of vibration-related damage is needed as an important part of preventing the aggravation of health problems. The workers also gained awareness regarding vibration exposure and safe working procedure on using Cantas machine

Ergonomic Perspective: Mismatch Between Seat Drivers and Anthropometric Measures Of Elderly Taxi Drivers In Malaysia

The ageing community may keep resuming their service even after the pension, which was influenced by their previous work environment. One of the occupations that elderly individuals could engage in is taxi drivers. Feelings of discomfort are generated among drivers when there is a mismatch between the product/device and the user. This study's principal objective is to assess the mismatch between seat drivers and anthropometric measurements among elderly taxi drivers to improve their work environment in term of safety and health. A cross-sectional study was led utilizing a self-administered survey instrument that involved four taxi cars from Proton products on seat measurement. Secondary data applied to obtain anthropometric measurements of elderly taxi drivers, which involved 56 elderly (male) drivers. The anthropometric parameters and seat parameters measured. The mismatch can be determined at any value over 95% or less than 80% of the respondents' total number. The measurements between 80% to 99% are classified as matched to the reference value of the respondents. The cushion width based on the proposed size at 95th percentiles show as much as 91.8% is matched to the width of the hip of the elderly taxi drivers. The backrest width which refers to the proposed measurement at 95th percentiles matched 94.0% the length of elderly taxi drivers' shoulder. The proposed cushion length measurement with knee-length to the buttock of elderly taxi drivers at a 5th percentile is 92.8% matched. The study provides a concrete foundation to identify a mismatch between current seat size with anthropometric of elderly taxi drivers that cause injury or pain due to discomfort while driving in Malaysia. It also helps us initiate the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in health and safety. The baseline data is believed to benefit the automotive industry before the designing process.&nbsp

Systematic review on knowledge and awareness of breast cancer and risk factors among young women

Introduction: Breast cancer is considered the primary cancer to affect women according to the global context. Due to its crucial escalation, it has become vital to inform the general population regarding breast cancer symptoms, risk factors and earlier detection methods. The main aim of the present study is to conduct a systematic review of breast cancer and the risk factors affecting young adult women. Methods: A systematic literature review was carried out to garner global studies on breast cancer risk factors as well as to understand the degree to which breast cancer and its associated risk factors are understood. The primary study included the exploration of databases and journal websites, PubMed, Google Scholar and Medline. The articles studied for the review was focused on the printed original English articles from the year 2008 to December, 2017. This review highlights the necessity for further studies regarding knowledge of breast cancer and its risk factors among young adult women are understood. Conclusion: Knowledge about breast cancer and its risk factors among young women was inadequate. Furthermore, cultural sensitivities should be adjusted to ensure optimal awareness among the public, in particular teenagers and young adult women. Intensive educational campaigns should be planned to increase breast cancer awareness in order to minimize the observed deficit of knowledge. The role of prevention and procedures to screen breast examinations in clinics as well as mammography should all be highlighted in order to achieve these goals and obtain the required data

Ergonomics Review : Identify Discomfort Seating Posture Among Elderly Taxi Drivers at Malaysia Perspective.

World Health Organization (WHO) describes people aged above 60 years old fall under a category of elderly.The alternative profession could involve with this community is to be taxi drivers.Therefore, numerous factors should take part to ensure the eldery taxi drivers could serve their best performance and in good health condition

Ergonomic Perspective : Driving awkward body posture cause health problem among older taxi driver’s in Malaysia

World Health Organization (WHO) describe people who age above 60 years old falls into a category of older. Therefore, a 0lder community may continue to serve their services to others jobs after pension or looking light works accordance to their ability or do as a part-time job to support family economic financial and to sustain life in the challenging world. The alternative profession could involve with this community is to be taxi driver. Therefore, numerous factors should take part to ensure the older taxi drivers could serve their best performance and in good health condition. This paper aimed to drive awkward body posture cause health problem among older taxi drivers in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted with older taxi drivers using a self-administered questionnaire. It included questions on socio-demographic data, work characteristics and discomfort older taxi drivers seating posture relative to body parts (Likert scale). Purposive method sampling used base on inclusive criteria; age 60 years old and above, self-driving taxi more than 1 years, no disabilities and register with Land Public Transport Commission (LPTC). SPSS software version 2.0 used to analyze data. Total of 120 respondents participated in the study. Most of older taxi driver used hired car (76.7%) type of taxi and work as a permanent job (93.3%). More than half (53.7%) work as self-employed and smoking (55.0%). More than half respondents (76.7%) having feeling back pain past 12 months and 67.5% feeling back pain last seven days. The lower body parts potentially having musculoskeletal disorders (MSD’s) symptom and low back pain (LBP) injuries. Inappropriate seating posture among older taxi drivers may cause to discomfort and developing to MSD’s. The low awareness on ergonomics education could reflect quality lifestyle and health among older taxi drivers in Malaysia

Ergonomic perspective: mismatch between seat drivers and anthropometric measures of elderly taxi drivers in Malaysia

The ageing community may keep resuming their service even after the pension, which was influenced by their previous work environment. One of the occupations that elderly individuals could engage in is taxi drivers. Feelings of discomfort are generated among drivers when there is a mismatch between the product/device and the user. This study's principal objective is to assess the mismatch between seat drivers and anthropometric measurements among elderly taxi drivers to improve their work environment in term of safety and health. A cross-sectional study was led utilizing a self-administered survey instrument that involved four taxi cars from Proton products on seat measurement. Secondary data applied to obtain anthropometric measurements of elderly taxi drivers, which involved 56 elderly (male) drivers. The anthropometric parameters and seat parameters measured. The mismatch can be determined at any value over 95% or less than 80% of the respondents' total number. The measurements between 80% to 99% are classified as matched to the reference value of the respondents. The cushion width based on the proposed size at 95th percentiles show as much as 91.8% is matched to the width of the hip of the elderly taxi drivers. The backrest width which refers to the proposed measurement at 95th percentiles matched 94.0% the length of elderly taxi drivers' shoulder. The proposed cushion length measurement with knee-length to the buttock of elderly taxi drivers at a 5th percentile is 92.8% matched. The study provides a concrete foundation to identify a mismatch between current seat size with anthropometric of elderly taxi drivers that cause injury or pain due to discomfort while driving in Malaysia. It also helps us initiate the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in health and safety. The baseline data is believed to benefit the automotive industry before the designing process

Latex glove industry: prevalence of heat‐related illness among Malaysian workers

Glove production involves work processes with a high temperature. However, few studies have been conducted on the hazards of high temperature among workers. This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of heat‐related illness among glove industry workers under heat stress conditions. This cross‐sectional study was conducted in a glove factory at Selangor. The total number of workers (n = 82) were interviewed using adapted questionnaires. The highest prevalent heat‐related illnesses in respondents were dehydration (82.2%), followed by heat exhaustion (81.1%), heat cramps (23.2%), heat rashes (22.2%), heat stroke (5.6%), and heat syncope (4.4%). The workers are highly exposed to dehydration and heat exhaustion illness. Therefore, prevention of heat stress is very important in this industry. It is the duty of the employers to implement suitable prevention measures to protect the health and safety of their workers. As a recommendation, personal protective equipment such as a cool vest also helps in protection from the hot working environment. The cool vest has inserted frozen liquid placed between the fabrics and is worn on the upper trunk. This helps in giving workers freedom to move around, as it has no attached lines. This suit has a constant and steady cooling effect on the whole body. Besides this, training on heat stress and on the ways of controlling heat stress should be provided by employers. This training program can help in educating and creating awareness among workers on the symptoms of heat‐related illness, which can help in preventing any worst case of heat stress from occurring. The training program may include the description of heat stress, including the symptoms of heat‐related illness and the first‐aid measures for each disorder

Exploring cancer development in adulthood: cholinesterase depression and genotoxic effect from chronic exposure to organophosphate pesticides among rural farm children

Children are the vulnerable group in the agricultural community due to their early exposure to pesticides through the dynamic interplay between genetic predisposition, environment, and host-related factors. This study aims to identify the possible association between the depression in blood cholinesterase level and genotoxic effect among farm children. The results of micronuclei assay and comet assay showed that the reduced blood cholinesterase level from organophosphate pesticide exposure is significantly associated with an increase in chromosome breakage and DNA strand breaks. These genotoxicity end points suggest that farm children's cells experience early DNA damage that may lead to uncontrolled cell proliferation during their adulthood. Thus, farm children who grow up near pesticide-treated farmland have a higher probability of developing cancer than children with minimal or zero exposure to pesticides

Biological monitoring of genotoxicity to organophosphate pesticide exposure among rice farmers: exposure-effect continuum study

Background: This study has used biomarker of exposure-effect continuum to examine the biological characteristics of organophosphate (OP) toxicity and its genotoxic effect among rice farmers. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 160 pesticide exposed rice farmers and 160 adults from the fishing village as the unexposed group. They share the common socio-economical background for inter-individual comparison in human toxicology assessment. In this study depression of blood cholinesterase is used as a biomarker of exposure to OP toxicity. Two genotoxic assays (micronuclei and comet assay) were conducted as a biomarker of genotoxic effect among the adult population. In this context, m icronuclei assay is used to indicate the chromosome breakage and comet assay to estimate the possible DNA damage. Results: The study showed a significant difference of blood cholinesterase level (p=0.001) between the exposed- unexposed groups. Besides, the results showed that farmers had at least 2-2.5 folds of significant increase (p=0.001) in MN frequency (in 1000 cells) and comet tail length (µm) compared to the unexposed group . In addition, regression analysis among farmers showed that blood cholinesterase level decreased with the genotoxic effects. A small variation (R2=0.148) of MN frequency could be explained by the depression of blood cholinesterase level; however, a significant reduction (p=0. 001), with strong changes (R2=0.712) in comet tail length was attributed to the depression of blood cholinesterase levels. Risk factors like age, body mass index, smoking status and year s of working showed the different strength of the relationship with these genotoxic effects. Conclusions: This study suggests that chronic exposure to OP shows an inhibition to blood cholinesterase level, which is associated with the potential DNA breakage as indicated by comet assay. Aqe, smoking and years of working are the contributing factors influencing the biomarker of effects

Incorporating Malaysian's Population Anthropometry Data in the Design of an Ergonomic Driver's Seat

AbstractAn ergonomically designed driver's seat is crucial in ensuring quality, comfort and safe driving. The increase in road accidents every year is mostly linked to drivers’ fatigue. Therefore, posture comfort is an important aspect in driver's seat design. The aim of this study is to design a driver's seat which is suitable for Malaysians. There are three main objectives in this study; firstly, to investigates the comfort level and safety system of the existing driver's seat, secondly, to identify and determine parameters which may affect comfort and the driver's seat safety system, and lastly, to develop and design an ergonomic driver's seat. Anthropometric data of drivers should be used during the driver's seat design stage. Critical dimensions of the driver's seat and anthropometric data must be taken into consideration in order to optimize the comfort level and safety of the seat. Previous studies showed that the evaluation of driver's seat discomfort should include both objective and subjective evaluations. The seat discomfort will negatively affect the driver's performance. All information pertaining to the driver's seat design was obtained through research on the related subjects. In the data collection phase, the objective evaluation method was used in determining the seat's dimension while subjective evaluation was used to gather information on the drivers’ experience. Anthropometric data from 1405 male and female subjects were collected and stored in a database. Meanwhile, subjective evaluation on driver's seat discomfort was conducted on 100 male and female respondents. The SPSS software was used to analyse the data. Every parameter that affects the safety and comfort of the driver's seat were then used to design a new driver's seat. The parameters that were taken into account are backrest height, cushion width, cushion length and adjustability. These parameters were then matched with the Malaysian drivers’ anthropometric data. Finally, the dimensions of the new driver's seat were determined: 520mm cushion width; 380mm cushion length, 480mm backrest width, 407.5mm backrest height and 180mm adjustability