Harmful outcome of occupational exposure to petrol: Assessment of liver function and blood parameters among gas station workers in Kermanshah city, Iran

Background: Petrol is an integral ingredient in industrial world. According to the US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, there are typically more than 150 chemicals in petrol, including small amounts of benzene, toluene, xylene, ethyl benzene, and trace amounts of some contaminants, such as lead. The aim of this study was to measure the possible deleterious effect of long-term exposure to petrol on blood parameters and liver function. Methods: This is a case–control study conducted on 160 participants. Among them, 80 participants worked in a gas station for at least 4 years and 80 participants appeared with no history of occupational exposure to petrol. Blood sample was taken at the time of admonition to the tardive office at each station at 10 AM to measure the association of number of total and differential leukocyte and liver functions. Results: Based on the results, significant reduction in total leukocyte numbers was found in exposed group compared to unexposed group (1347 ± 4.59, <0.001). However, there was a significant increase in neutrophil (75.9 ± 3.50 in exposed group compared with 58.9 ± 3.15 among unexposed group, P < 0.001). However, no significant difference was found in liver enzymes between both groups. Conclusions: Long-term exposure to petrol fumes has deleterious effect on white blood cells. A significant reduction in the number of total and differential lymphocyte seems to be attributed to the toxic effect of petrol ingredients

The Relationship between exposure to manganese in welding fumes and incidence of migraine headache symptoms

Background: Welding generates complex metal aerosols, inhalation of which is linked to adverse health effects among welders. Exposure to manganese (Mn) fume in welding processes can have a harmful effect on welders&rsquo; health. Long-term, high-level exposure to Mn is associated with impaired central nervous system (CNS) function. The present study aims to investigate relationship between exposure to manganese in welding fumes and incidence of migraine headache symptoms. Methods: This cross-sectional analytic study was conducted in March 2017 in an Iron Smelting Industry. Forty welders were selected as the exposure group and thirty-five employees were selected from the administrative unit as the control group. Data related to symptoms of migraine headache were collected using with Ahvaz migraine questionnaire (AMQ). Air samples were collected on mixed cellulose ester membrane filters in personal air samplers and then analyzed using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) (NIOSH Method 7300). Results: The average concentration of welder&rsquo;s exposure to manganese was 7.24&plusmn;2.91 mg/m3, which is very higher (37 times) than the occupational exposure limit (Threshold limit value-time-weighted average). There was no significant difference between the mean age and work experience of the two groups (P<0.05). Comparison of the mean of migraine headache symptoms in the two groups of welders and office workers also showed that the frequency of these symptoms among welders was significantly higher than those reported by administrative staff (P<0.05). The correlation between the frequency of symptoms of migraine headache and the concentration of manganese in the air of the welders&rsquo; respiratory area was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: Frequency of migraine headache symptoms was higher among welders compared to control group. Statistically the significant relationship was found between airborne Manganese concentration and occurrence of migraine headache; however, a conclusive conclusion is based on more comprehensive studies with larger sample size

Investigating the combined effects of heat and lighting on students reaction time in laboratory condition

Introduction: In many workplaces there is exposure to heat and light simultaneously. This study investigated the combined effect of heat and lighting on some cognitive performance, i.e. reaction time. Methodology: the present semi-experimental study was conducted 2015 on 33 healthy students (16 girls and 17 boys) with a mean age of 22.1 in the thermal stress chamber. The reaction time parameter by the reaction time measurement device, after exposure to different heat surfaces (dry temperatures 22 &deg;C and 37 &deg;C) and lighting surfaces (200, 500 and 1500 lux). Data were analyzed using ANOVA test in SPSS-20. Results: The results showed that the average simple, diagnostic, two-color selective, two-sound selective reaction times and reaction time error increased after combined exposure to heat and lighting and showed a significant difference (P<0.05). The maximum score of reaction time belong to temperature of 37 c&deg; and lighting of 1500 lux, the minimum score of reaction time belong to temperature of 22 &deg;c and lighting of 1500 lux

Determination of Key Safety Performance Indicators Using Delphi Method: A Case Study on Electricity Distribution Company in Alborz Province

Introduction: Many general indicators have been proposed to assess an organization’s safety performance. However, due to their holistic nature, these indicators may not always reflect safety-specific aspects of an organization’s performance. In other words, the nature of an organization’s activities necessitates the use of specific criteria to better reflect safety performance. This study aimed to identify and measure key safety performance indicators using the Delphi method in Alborz Province Electric Power Distribution Company. Material and Methods: This descriptive, survey-based study utilized the Delphi method to collect the opinions of 11 safety experts in the electric power distribution industry. Opinions were gathered in four phases, and key indicators were determined in the last phase of the study. These indicators were subsequently used to evaluate the safety performance of Alborz Electric Power Distribution Company for three months. Results: This study identified and documented 34 safety activities. The expert group proposed 20 indicators in the first phase of the Delphi method. In the second and third phases, four and one indicators were eliminated, respectively, because they did not receive the required score. The content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI) were calculated for the remaining 15 indices in the fourth phase. The results revealed that the mean quarterly performance scores of Alborz Province electric power distribution districts and departments in 2016, including Nazarabad, Savojbolagh, Mehrshahr, Fardis, West, East, Taleghan, and Eshtehard, were 78.9, 54.7, 78.8, 75.9, 75.7, 80.8, 61, and 83.5 out of 100 points, respectively. Conclusion: The Delphi method is useful for identifying key safety performance indicators. The indicators discovered using this technique are active indicators (pre-accident) that are crucial in determining Alborz Electric Power Distribution Company’s safety performance. These indicators are suggested for use in evaluating the safety performance of other electric power distribution companies

Safety culture and perception of warning signs of chemical hazards among hospital cleaning workers: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Due to the type of activities and the long-term exposure to chemicals, hospital cleaning workers require the necessary knowledge about the chemicals used and proper safety culture. This study aimed to evaluate the safety culture and perception of hospital cleaning workers' warning signs of chemical hazards. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022 with the participation of 68 cleaning workers with the mean age ± (SD) and work experience ± (SD) of 36.19 ± (7.619) and 9.21 ± (5.462), respectively, in four selected Tehran hospitals in Iran. After ensuring the confidentiality of the received information and completing the demographic information checklist, each participant completed Global Harmonization System (GHS) sign perception and the safety culture questionnaires in this survey. Data were analyzed using regression and Pearson correlation tests. Results This study showed that the participant's correct perception in nine cases (81.8%) of presented GHS signs was lower than the ANSI Z535.3 standard. Among the investigated signs, "Flammable substances" and "Harmful to the environment" signs had the highest, and "Skin irritant" signs had the lowest correct perception. In addition, it was found that 55 people (80.9%) had an overall positive attitude toward the safety culture. The levels of "Work environment" (83.8%) and "Information exchange" (76.5%) had the highest and lowest positive scores for safety culture. Furthermore, there is a direct and significant relationship between the overall score of safety culture and the overall perception of the symptoms of GHS (CC = 0.313, P = 0.009). Conclusion According to the obtained results, it is recommended to take the necessary measures to increase the employees' perception of the signs of chemical substances and improve their safety culture