Exploring occupational irritant hand dermatitis amongst healthcare workers in NHS Grampian. [Poster]

Occupational Irritant Hand Dermatitis (OIHD) is emerging as an important risk caused by or made worse by work. OIHD can be responsible for significant and long-term health issues and can impact on the individual's employment. Healthcare workers are amongst the occupations with the highest incidence rates of OIHD. The principle aim of this Doctoral research study was to explore OIHD amongst healthcare workers (HCWs) in NHS Grampian, Scotland. In order to provide a broad overview of the subject matter, this research used a three-study approach to explore, appraise and assess OIHD amongst HCWs. Three studies were undertaken: 1) An exploration of the period prevalence and incidence of OIHD in NHS Grampian and the UK, 2) Effectiveness of interventions for the prevention of OIHD: a quantitative systematic review and, 3) A mixed-methods exploration of the OIHD in wet workers in NHS Grampian

Variability in body size and shape of UK offshore workers: a cluster analysis approach.

Male UK offshore workers have enlarged dimensions compared with UK norms and knowledge of specific sizes and shapes typifying their physiques will assist a range of functions related to health and ergonomics. A representative sample of the UK offshore workforce (n=588) underwent 3D photonic scanning, from which 19 extracted dimensional measures were used in k-means cluster analysis to characterise physique groups. Of the 11 resulting clusters four somatotype groups were expressed: one cluster was muscular and lean, four had greater muscularity than adiposity, three had equal adiposity and muscularity and three had greater adiposity than muscularity. Some clusters appeared constitutionally similar to others, differing only in absolute size. These cluster centroids represent an evidence-base for future designs in apparel and other applications where body size and proportions affect functional performance. They also constitute phenotypic evidence providing insight into the ‘offshore culture’ which may underpin the enlarged dimensions of offshore workers

Review of 3 and 3 rotation in operation.

This survey was commissioned by the Offshore Contractors Association (OCA), working in conjunction with the recognised Trade Unions and ACAS. These together form the Joint Working Party (JWP) which provided guidance during the research process. The remit was to provide clear evidence for the ongoing discussion surrounding the three and three (3/3) equal time rotation between the OCA, Unions and ACAS. The commissioning of this report shows a commitment to detailed consideration of the impact of the 3/3 rotation on the workforce from both employers and unions. The survey focus was an analysis of workforce perceptions with regard to health, safety, wellbeing and work-life balance. This impartial research is designed to support ongoing work of the JWP

Survival suit volume reduction associated with immersion: implications for buoyancy estimation in offshore workers of different size.

Rationale: It is currently unknown how body size affects buoyancy in submerged helicopter escape. Method: Eight healthy males aged 39.6±12.6year (mean±SD) with BMI 22.0–40.0kgm−2 wearing a standard survival (‘dry’) suit undertook a normal venting manoeuvre and underwent 3D scanning to assess body volume (wearing the suit) before and after immersion in a swimming pool. Results: Immersion-induced volume loss averaged 14.4±5.4l, decreased with increasing dry density (massvolume−1) and theoretical buoyant force in 588 UK offshore workers was found to be 264±46 and 232±60N using linear and power functions, respectively. Both approaches revealed heavier workers to have greater buoyant force. Discussion: While a larger sample may yield a more accurate buoyancy prediction, this study shows heavier workers are likely to have greater buoyancy. Without free-swimming capability to overcome such buoyancy, some individuals may possibly exceed the safe limit to enable escape from a submerged helicopter. Practitioner Summary: Air expulsion reduced total body volume of survival-suited volunteers following immersion by an amount inversely proportional to body size. When applied to 588 offshore workers, the predicted air loss suggested buoyant force to be greatest in the heaviest individuals, which may impede their ability to exit a submerged helicopter

Perceived Discrimination, Race and Health in South Africa

To assess the levels of perceived acute and chronic racial and non-racial discrimination in South Africa, their association with health, and the extent to which they contribute to racial differences in physical and mental health, data were used from a national probability sample of adults, the South African Stress and Health Study (SASH). All Black groups in South Africa (African, Coloured and Indian) were two to four times more likely than Whites to report acute and chronic experiences of racial discrimination. Africans and Coloureds report higher levels of ill health than Whites, but acute and chronic racial discrimination were unrelated to ill health and unimportant in accounting for racial differences in self-rated health. In contrast, all Black groups had higher levels of psychological distress than Whites, and perceived chronic discrimination was positively associated with distress. Moreover, these experiences accounted for some of the residual racial differences in distress after adjustment for socioeconomic status. Our main findings indicate that, in a historically racialized society, perceived chronic racial and especially non-racial discrimination acts independently of demographic factors, other stressors, psychological factors (social desirability, self-esteem and personal mastery), and multiple SES indicators to adversely affect mental health

Effectiveness of interventions for preventing occupational irritant hand dermatitis: a quantitative systematic review.

Background: - The most significant occupational skin problem potentially encountered in wet work occupations is occupational dermatitis. When the skin comes into contact with hazardous substances at work, this can cause occupational dermatitis to occur. Substances which might cause occupational dermatitis include cleaning products, organic solvents, metalworking fluids, cement, flour, adhesives, other chemicals, and even certain plants. Occupational skin disease has adverse effects on quality of life and the long term prognosis for skin health is poor unless workplace exposures are addressed. To date, no systematic review has been undertaken to determine the effectiveness of interventions for the primary prevention of Occupational Irritant Hand Dermatitis (OIHD) in wet workers. Objective: - The aim of this review was to identify, appraise and synthesize the best available evidence on the effectiveness of moisturizers, barrier creams, protective gloves, skin protection education, and complex interventions (a combination of two or more of the interventions listed here) in preventing OIHD in wet workers, comparing each intervention to an alternative intervention or to usual care (workers regular skin care regime)

Rendimiento de dos variedades mejoradas de frijol, sembrados al voleo al espeque, en Moss Pam, Waspam, Río Coco

This article presents the agronomic behavior of the beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in two varieties: (DOR-364 and M-46), that were established through the analysis of two planting methods (broadcast and handspike) to measure the production. The experiment was conducted in the academic farm of Snaky/URACCAN, located in the community of Moss Pam, municipality of Waspam, Rio Coco, North Autonomous Atlantic Region (RAAN). The bean crop is of great importance in the lives of indigenous communities, since just as the rice, it constitutes the most important grain in the family’s diets. It should be noted that the indigenous communities of the RAAN basically used two methods of planting (broadcast and handspike), however, productions is always low, so is necessary to make the study with the conditions that have been described. A bifactorial design in randomized complete blocks was used, where the factor A: is equivalent to the two varieties of beans (DOR-364 and H-46), and factor B, is equivalent to two methods of planting (broadcast and handspike). The evaluation was made on the morphometric characteristics presented in the vegetative and reproductive phase of the crop. The information processing was done with the statistical program InfoStat, making an investigation from the analysis of ANAVA and Kruskal-Wallis test. The results showed high germination viability (95%), with statistical differences between treatments in the variables: height and diameter, in the vegetative stage. In the reproductive stage the variables: number of pods/plants and seeds/pods/plants, were the one that presented statistical differences between treatments, contrary to the variables: number of flowers/plants and length of pods/plants, that showed no differences. Finally, the ANAVA with 95 percent of reliability found differences in the variable: performance. Is recommended to plant the variety H-46 using the broadcast method and that DOR-364 variety be planted by handspike, because it present the best production with 77.63 and 71.33 qq/mz.Este articulo presenta el comportamiento agronómico del frijol (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) en dos variedades:(DOR-364 y H-46), establecidos a través del análisis de dos métodos de siembra (al voleo y al espeque),  para medir la variable rendimiento. El experimento se realizó en la finca académica SNAKY/URACCAN, ubicada en la comunidad Moss Pam, en el municipio de Waspam río Coco, Región Autónoma Atlántico Norte (RAAN). El cultivo de frijol es de gran relevancia en la vida de las comunidades indígenas, ya que constituye al igual que el arroz, el grano de mayor importancia en la dieta familiar. Es de mencionar que las comunidades indígenas de la RAAN utilizan básicamente dos métodos de siembra (al voleo y al espeque); no obstante, siempre los rendimientos son bajos, por lo que se hace necesario el estudio con las condiciones descritas.  Se utilizó un diseño bifactorial en bloques completos al azar, en donde el factor A: equivale a las dos variedades de frijol (DOR-364 y H-46), y el factor B: dos métodos de siembra (al voleo y al espeque). La evaluación se hizo sobre las características morfométricas presentadas en la fase vegetativa y reproductiva del cultivo. El procesamiento de la información se hizo con el programa estadístico InfoStat, indagando desde el análisis del ANAVA y la prueba Kruskal-Wallis. Los resultados mostraron una alta viabilidad germinativa (95%), con diferencias estadísticas entre tratamientos en las variables altura y diámetro en la etapa vegetativa. En la etapa reproductiva las variables: número de vainas/plantas y granos/vainas/plantas, fueron las que presentaron diferencias estadísticas entre tratamientos, contrario a las variables número de flores/plantas y longitud de vainas/plantas que no mostraron diferencias. Finalmente el ANAVA con un 95 por ciento de confiabilidad encontró diferencias de medias en la variable rendimiento. Se recomienda el establecimiento de la variedad H-46 sea sembrada al voleo y la variedad DOR-364 sembrada al espeque, por presentar los mejores rendimientos con 77.63 y 71.33 qq/mz

Hierarchy of graph matchbox manifolds

We study a class of graph foliated spaces, or graph matchbox manifolds, initially constructed by Kenyon and Ghys. For graph foliated spaces we introduce a quantifier of dynamical complexity which we call its level. We develop the fusion construction, which allows us to associate to every two graph foliated spaces a third one which contains the former two in its closure. Although the underlying idea of the fusion is simple, it gives us a powerful tool to study graph foliated spaces. Using fusion, we prove that there is a hierarchy of graph foliated spaces at infinite levels. We also construct examples of graph foliated spaces with various dynamical and geometric properties.Comment: New examples added at the end of Section 2; Introduction is rewritten. To appear in Topology and its Application