Semi-quantitative risk assessment of occupational exposure area industrial wastewater Treatment unit in an oil refinery and chemical contaminants

Introduction: The chemical pollution in industries has make an unacceptable risk for the human health. For the risk assessment of the human exposure, it is necessary to be considered the material dangers based on the consumption rate, dose, toxic properties, and evaluation of potential effects on the human health. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the semi-quantitative risk of the occupational exposure to chemical contaminants among workers of the industrial wastewater unit in an oil refinery as a model to predict the exposure.  Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytic study was performed in the industrial wastewater unit of Abadan oil refinery in 2016. After the similar exposure groups (SEGs) were determined and information were collected, fourteen materials were measured by the short-time personal sampling and real-time monitoring methods using the ION- First Check. The exposure rate of workers to chemical contaminants was determined using the Industrial Hygiene Statistics software (IHS) based on the results of the sampling and analysis. At the first, the Exposure Rate (ER) and then the Hazard Rate (HR) were calculated to determine the exposure risk level. Results: Based on the results of this study, pools were cleaned four times per day and fourteen hours per week by workers. The results showed that weekly exposure of workers to ethylene oxide (16.7 ppm), nitrobenzene (16 ppm), and nitrogen dioxide (15 ppm) had the highest values, respectively. Lowest values of the exposure were related to the carbon monoxide (2.8 ppm) and carbon disulfide (1.5 ppm), respectively. Benzene (12.5), ethylene oxide (10), acrolein (10), nitro benzene (7.5), hydrogen sulfide (7.5), hydrogen peroxide (7.5) and aniline (6) had the highest risk level, respectively. Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that workers of the industrial wastewater unit have a very high risk level of the exposure to chemical contaminants. Therefore, the prioritization of control measures such as new wastewater treatment methods using the semi-quantitative health risk assessment is one of the most important ways to prevent and decrease the exposure of workers to contaminants.   &#160

Investigation of the Accidents Recorded at an Emergency Management Center Using the Pareto Chart: A Cross-Sectional Study in Gonabad, Iran, During 2014-2016

Background: This study investigated the accidents recorded at the Gonabad Hospital Management Center for Hospital Management from 2014 to 2016, and identified important causes or parameters that influenced the incidence of accidents using the Pareto chart. Materials and Methods: This descriptive and analytic study examined 25,414 incidents recorded at the Gonabad Hospital Management Center. The key variables such as the types of accident, age, time, types of lesion, and treatment, were collected for transport and non-transport accident. Data analysis was performed using Pareto chart as well as Minitabver v.16 and SPSS v.21 software. Results: Based on the results, the highest rate of the accidents (39.79%) were among people aged between 0-10 years. Transport accidents (17.61%) and heart attacks (10.92%) were the most common that occurred during the study. The spring had the highest rate of accidents, while the winter had the lowest. Conclusion: Transportation accidents had the highest rate of incidents and injuries; therefore, the safety of transportation and vehicles should be taken more seriously

Survey of discomfort glare from the headlamps of cars widely used in Iran

<p><b>Objective</b>: On 2-lane roads, discomfort glare can cause annoyance, discomfort, inconvenience, stress, and fatigue to drivers, posing a risk of accidents. The aim of this study is to evaluate discomfort glare from the headlamps of cars widely used in Iran.</p> <p><b>Methods</b>: The discomfort glare of new vehicles including Pride Saba model GTX, Pride Model 131SL, Samand Soren, Peugeot 405, Megane, and Peugeot Pars was examined at distances of 5 to 100 m at a background luminance of 50 cd/m² (late twilight/early dawn lighting) and 1 cd/m² (nighttime) using Schmidt-Clausen and Bindels model and de Boer's subjective scale.</p> <p><b>Results</b>: According to the de Boer scale, at a background luminance of 50 cd/m², the discomfort glare for all studied vehicles was between 1.98 and 4.05 in high-beam mode and between 3.5 and 5.4 in low-beam mode. At a background luminance of 1 cd/m², discomfort glare was between 0.41 and 2.48 in high-beam mode and between 1.93 and 3.84 in low-beam mode. In high-beam mode, the average levels of discomfort glare of these vehicles gradually increased when the distance between cars was reduced by up to about 20 m. In low-beam mode, there was no discomfort glare up to a vehicle distance of 40 m. In addition, at an angle of 1.15°–5.73° between the line of sight and light of vehicles in high-beam mode, the level of discomfort glare was increased, but at an angle of 5.73°–22.9° the level of discomfort glare was reduced. In low-beam mode at an angle of 2.86°–22.9°, the level of discomfort glare was almost identical. The results show that in high-beam mode and with a 100-m distance between vehicles as well as in low-beam mode at intervals of less than 40 m between cars, discomfort glare is created.</p> <p><b>Conclusion</b>: It can be concluded that by providing solutions such as installing road lighting system, an increase in luminance of roads, separating or widening road lanes, increasing the lateral distance between vehicles, and increasing the angle between lighted vehicles and drivers can noticeably reduce discomfort glare.</p

Exposure assessment of arc welders to extremely low frequency magnetic field: its relationship with the secretion of paratormone hormone and mood states

Introduction: Nowadays, exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic field has been interested in many studies due to possible effects on human physical-mental health. Therefore, this study aimed to assess arc welders&rsquo; exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic field and to determine its relationship with the secretion of paratormone (PTH) hormone and mood states. Material and Method: The present study has been conducted among 35 healthy production workers (as exposed group) and 35 healthy administrative personnel (as unexposed group). After checking the work activities of participants according to the guide recommended by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), ELF magnetic fields were measured using an ELF measurement device in the regions including trunk, head, and neck. The plasma levels of PTH hormone of both groups were evaluated by the Electrochemiluminescence method. Stress-Arousal Checklist (SACL) was used to assess the mode states of subjects in both groups. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS software version 16. Result: There was a significant difference between the exposed and unexposed groups with respect to the exposure level to ELF magnetic fields (P-value<0.0001). Mean PTH hormone level in exposed group (34.54 pg/ml) was lower than unexposed ones (37 pg/ml), however these mean values weren&rsquo;t significantly different (P-value=0.67). Score of &ldquo;stress&rdquo; subscale related to the &ldquo;pleasure&rdquo; and score of &ldquo;arousal&rdquo; subscale&nbsp; related to the &ldquo;activities and alertness&rdquo; in the unexposed group were significantly higher than those in exposed group (p<0.0001). Regarding the relationship between exposure level to ELF electromagnetic field and scores of&nbsp; stress, arousal, and PTH hormone level in the two groups, it should be stated that only a significant and positive association was found between the average exposure to ELF magnetic fields and PTH levels in the exposed group (P-value<0.009, r=0.44). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that continuous welding can be considered as an exposure source to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields. More accurate and comprehensive laboratory and field studies are needed to prove the hypothesis of the potential impact of extremely low frequency magnetic fields on people&rsquo;s psychological states and mood through changes of parathyroid hormone level