International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health (nepjol.info)
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Improving the Snakebite Envenoming First Aid Treatment of Farmers in Rural Areas of Indonesia: An Educational Intervention Program
Get PDFIntroduction: Snakebite Envenoming (SBE) cases are a worldwide health problem. Farmers have a big risk of becoming victims of SBE. SBE management is an issue that needs to be resolved due to a lack of information regarding the appropriate management of SBE. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of educational intervention programs on the knowledge, attitude, practice, and self-efficacy of farmers toward SBE management.
Methods: The design of this study was a non-blinded cluster randomized controlled trial design, applied to 80 farmers in six subdistricts from rural areas of Indonesia. A multistage sampling was used to select participants. Data collection tools included a three-part questionnaire that consisted of demographics, knowledge, self-efficacy, and an observation checklist for SBE first aid practices for farmers. Education and training sessions were carried out for eight weeks for the intervention group by providing eight sessions of education and training activities. The effectiveness of the intervention was analyzed using a dependent t-test, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with p<0.05 was considered significant.
Results: The results of this study showed that there were significant differences in knowledge, attitude, practice, and self-efficacy (p<0.05) of farmers in SBE first aid before and after the program. The intervention group showed better results compared to the control group after the follow-up.
Conclusion: The educational intervention programs using the digital health education method with snakebite first aid applications have proven positive effect in increasing knowledge, attitudes, practices, and self-efficacy of SBE first aid among farmers
Work-related injuries and stress among iron and steel fabrication workers in Bhubaneswar, Odisha: A cross-sectional study
Get PDFIntroduction: Any personal injury or death due to an occupational accident is classified as an occupational injury by the International Labor Organization. The metal fabrication work in automotive, aerospace, and electronic manufacturing industries can be physically and mentally exhausting. No research is available on work-related injuries and stress among iron and steel fabrication workers in Odisha. This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of work-related injuries and the risk factors associated with them.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was done from November 2020 to June 2022 in eligible and consenting iron and steel fabrication workers, selected by multistage random sampling. Data was collected by a pretested questionnaire and the Workplace Stress Scale. Data was analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences v23. Descriptives, chi-square test, and logistic regression were used for interpretation. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Out of 386 male workers, the majority (80.83%) were 18-40 years old. Around 76.33% had at least one episode of injury in the past year. Injury to fingers (79.33%) was most common. The most common type was cuts (80.33%) and the major source was hand tools (81%). Marital status, education, occupation, and work conditions were significantly associated with injury (p = 0.001). Around 39.39% had severe stress levels.
Conclusion: We identified the hazardous working conditions increasing the risk of injury among workers. Creating awareness regarding safety measures can avert such injuries
Assessment of dust concentrations and chemical composition among exposed workers during low-rise building construction
Get PDFIntroduction: Construction processes generate diverse types of dust. This study aimed to specify the concentration of total dust (TD), respirable dust (RD), and particulate matter less than 2.5 (PM2.5) among exposed workers and to identify the chemical composition contained in dust.
Methods: A cross-sectional study; TD, RD, and PM2.5 were personally collected among the workers during the low-rise building construction processes according to NIOSH 0500, NIOSH 0600, and EPA-IP-10A, respectively. The concentrations of dust were analyzed by gravimetric method. The element and chemical composition were determined using X-ray diffraction and ICP-OES. One-way ANOVA was used to test the different concentrations of dust.
Results: The mean concentrations (GM ± GSD) were 1.43 ± 0.55 mg/m3 of TD, 1.08 ± 0.33 mg/m3 of RD, and 0.84 ± 0.25 mg/m3 of PM2.5. The dust concentrations were not significantly different between sites for TD (p = 0.086), RD (p = 0.124), PM2.5 (p = 0.065), and TD and RD concentrations met the standard regulated by OSHA. The XRD pattern presented peaks of aluminum oxide, calcite, ferric oxide, magnesium oxide, and amorphous silica. Ca was the highest concentration in all dust types, followed by a little of Fe, Al, and Mg, like those found in cement powder. Concrete drilling generated the highest dust concentration, followed by sweep cleaning tasks.
Conclusion: Construction workers are exposed to many chemicals in a dusty working environment. Assessing dust concentrations and their physicochemical properties is an imperative tool for improving safety in construction industries
COVID-19 pandemic and perceived stress in Information Technology professionals
Get PDFIntroduction: Novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), a pandemic was declared by WHO on 11 March 2020. The lockdown had an evident impact on various sectors including the Information Technology sector. Few studies have been conducted to find out the levels of stress in Information Technology professionals. During the COVID-19 pandemic, all employees of Information Technology companies were informed to work remotely at their homes without any prior information, training and mental acceptance i.e. ‘work from home’. Information technology professionals have occupational stress &working from home during COVID-19 has added mental stress. The present study was planned to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perceived stress in Information Technology professionals.
Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional observational study. Volunteers of the Information Technology sector (n=200) of either sex in the age group of 25 to 55 years participated in the study. PSS was administered through Google Forms and scores were analyzed.
Results: The association of various stressors with PSS was done which showed a significantly positive association. The mean PSS score of subjects was 23.53 ± 7.39. Twelve (6%) employees had mild, twenty (60%) had moderate and sixty-eight (34%) had high stress levels. This study explored that IT professionals experienced an additional level of stress during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Conclusion: The present study concluded statistically significant moderate levels of stress in IT professionals of either sex with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic
The Impact of Physical and Psychological Job Demands on Nurses’ Work-Related Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Get PDFIntroduction: In spite of the important advancement in methods and tools associated with nurses’ Work-Related Lower Back Pain (WrLBP) prevention and treatment, there is still poor worldwide understanding of the phenomena of nurses’ WrLBP with high prevalence, therefore, the aim of the current review is to evaluate the significant predictors of nurses’ WrLBP (i.e. physical job demands, psychological job demands).
Methods: There are few systematic reviews on the prevalence of nurses’ WrLBP in one place; hence, this study was planned. The overall prevalence of nurses’ WrLBP was evaluated. A systematic search from Google scholar, MEDLINE, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Sciences was carried out and retrieved 37 eligible articles published worldwide from 2000 to 2023.
Results: The statistical analysis of data was conducted using MedCalc® software. The overall pooled prevalence of nurses’ WrLBP was (67.051 %, 95%CI: 66.324-67.771; p<0.001). The current review showed a strongly significant correlation between LPB and physical job demands (P<0.001). Similarly, a meta-analysis of these studies revealed a significant correlation between psychological job demands and nurses’ WrLBP (P = 0.037).
Conclusion: The study indicated that the prevalence data would help in formulating and strict implementation of control measures in hospital areas to reduce the level of nurses’ WrLBP
Estimation of Intrinsic And Extrinsic Hand Muscle Performance in Chronic Smartphone Users
Get PDFIntroduction: In recent years, smartphone use has significantly expanded, and the majority of daily tasks are now completed on them. Therefore, extended use may result in improper posture, which may result in several musculoskeletal pains. It\u27s crucial to assess the relationship between smartphone addiction and musculoskeletal pain. The length-tension relationship between the intrinsic and extrinsic hand muscles might alter due to the repetitive movement of the hand muscles. The purpose of the study is to determine the length tension relationship of the intrinsic and extrinsic hand muscles in chronic smartphone users.
Methods: The cross-sectional design of this study allowed for the selection of 80 participants based on both inclusion and exclusion criteria. The information that was gathered included demographic information, smartphone usage patterns, hand grip strength, and length-tension relationships. The subjects\u27 pain levels were also measured using the smart phone addiction scale. The male and female scores on the smartphone addiction scale were >31 and >33, respectively.
Results: The findings of this study among 80 chronic smartphone users demonstrated that 50 (62.5%) of them fell in the 25–30 age bracket, whereas 30 (12.5%) were in the 30-35 range. Amongst them, 69 (86.25%) were right-handed, while 11 (13.75%) were left-handed. Upper Limb Tension Test, Visual Analogue Scale, and Smartphone Addiction Scale mean + SD readings were 37.77 + 9.5, 5.66 + 1.47, and 0.76 + 0.42, respectively.
Conclusion: According to the outcomes of this research, we established a link between smartphone use and the length-tension of the hand muscles. We can therefore draw the conclusion that among subjects who used cell phones frequently, there was a change in the length-tension relation of the hand muscles, which resulted in a reduction in hand grip strength.
Ergonomic Design of Noseless Bicycle Saddle using UPVC/Silica-Aerogel
Get PDFIntroduction: During cycling most of the people suffer from perineal pain due to the pressure acting on the perineal area by the nose of the seat. Also Unsupported sitting on the saddle in a forward bending posture for longer time induce low back pain (LBP) among cyclists. So this paper presents the design of noseless bicycle seat with backrest using UPVC/Silica-Aerogel.
Methods: This seat is designed as per the anthropometric dimensions of human body. Various parameters such as Lumbar position, seat tilt angle, seat position, backrest angle, seat height, backrest height, seat and backrest width are considered and the optimal value is determined while designing. The material chosen for the base of seat is UPVC/Silica- Aerogel composite and the cushioning material is chosen as polyurethene foam. The design is executed in 3D modelling software and validated using FEA package.
Results: The maximum stresses induced in the newly proposed material UPVC/Silica-Aerogel (4.41MPa) is lesser than its yield strength (59 MPa). The maximum anterior stress of noseless seat is found out to be 24.5 kPa which is lower than that of the saddle with nose (41 kPa).
Conclusion: As the anterior stress of noseless seat is lesser, the perineal pressure of cyclists is greatly reduced and this decreases the health problems associated with the perineal pressure. Also the backrest of the seatpan enhances the supporting of back muscles and reduces LBP among cyclists
Prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and ergonomic risk assessment among production workers of pig slaughterhouse in the town municipality of Ang Thong, Thailand
Get PDFIntroduction: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are a significant health concern among workers, especially in the meat processing industry. Their impacts have been well documented and reported on numerous occasions. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of WMSDs and the ergonomic assessment of exposure to their risk factors.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a pig slaughterhouse in the town municipality of Ang Thong, Thailand. Data were collected from April to July 2021 from 108 participants who answered a questionnaire. The descriptive questionnaire for WMSDs was adapted from the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire in Thai and the Bureau of Occupational and Environmental Diseases, Department of Disease Control of Thailand. Ten individuals received an ergonomic assessment of their exposure to risk factors using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) method.
Results: According to the study, 94.4% of participants working in pig slaughterhouse production reported experiencing the prevalence of WMSDs in the last seven days. Additionally, 93.5% of workers reported experiencing the prevalence of these disorders within the past 12 months. It has been observed that 29.6% of participants experience higher pain levels in their hands, while 25.9% experience it in their wrists, respectively. Based on the results of an ergonomic risk assessment using the REBA method, the half-cutting operator position presents a moderate level of risk.
Conclusion: The study revealed that most of the workers at the pig slaughterhouse had to use their hands and arms to apply repeated pressure consistently. The occurrence rates of WMSDs within the last seven days and 12 months were highest in the hands or wrists, followed by the upper arms and shoulders. Therefore, it is crucial to implement ergonomic measures to minimize the risk factors for WMSDs among production workers in pig slaughterhouses
Musculoskeletal disorders and related risk factors among Iranian farmers: applying Protection Motivation Theory
Get PDFIntroduction: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are one of the main occupational health problems worldwide. Among different careers, the farming profession is highly prone to MSDs. A variety of factors to prevent MSDs can be named such as preventive behaviors. To determine the factors in health-related behaviors, protection motivation theory (PMT) is widely accepted as a framework. Therefore, the present study is an attempt to determine the MSD preventive factors using PMT in farmers in rural areas of Tuyserkan County.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study among 285 farmers living in Tuyserkan County in 2021. The farmers were selected through cluster random sampling from 54 health houses affiliated with the health center of the county. In the next stage, the participants were selected through simple random sampling. Data gathering was done online using a questionnaire of the constructs of PMT and a Nordic questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS 24 using linear and binary regression tests.
Results: The mean work experience of the farmers was 22.11 years, and the activity in 81.8% of the participants was in standing and sitting positions. In addition, 55.4% of the participants had at least one of the MSD symptoms and the most common symptoms were back pain (67%) and pain in the knee area (35.5%). The majority of farmers did not observe MSD alleviation behaviors. The variables perceived susceptibility, fear, self-efficacy, and behavior had protective effects against MSDs in the farmers; while, monthly income, age, work hours per day, and type of activity had intensifying effects on MSDs.
Conclusions: Farming is recognized as a risky job for health and several evidences show a relationship between failure to perform preventive behaviors and the prevalence of MSDs. Given the paucity of studies using health education theories and models to examine the factors in MSDs, the present study employed the PMT framework to examine MSD factors in farmers
Identification of Musculoskeletal Disorder among Eco-Brick Workers in Indonesia
Get PDFIntroduction: Plastic waste is considered one of the common vital waste problems in developing countries such as Indonesia. One proposed alternative way to reduce plastic waste is by reusing and recycling it into bricks. Eco-bricks are a form of recycled plastic waste that can be used as an alternative building construction material. Unfortunately, manufacturing workers do not ergonomically perform this work during their working hours. Therefore, it causes inappropriate body postures and leads to musculoskeletal disorders easily. This study intends to identify the posture of workers in the manufacture of eco-bricks in Indonesia
Methods: A cross-sectional study was done with purposively selected 32 eco-bricks workers from 10 waste bank communities in Central Java and Yogyakarta. Sampling was done by snowball method. This research was conducted by interviewing and collecting data on body complaints using a Nordic Body Map (NBM) questionnaire.
Results: All respondents (100%) experienced musculoskeletal disorder complaints while producing eco-bricks. Based on the results gained from the Nordic Body Map Questionnaire, the common complaints perceived by eco-bricks workers are upper neck, lower neck, back, waist, buttock, and bottom. In addition, workers also perceived complaints on the right side of the body, particularly the right shoulder, right upper arm, right elbow, right lower arm, right wrist, and right hand
Conclusion: Working postures that are not well-organized in terms of ergonomics during the production process of eco-bricks will provoke complaints on the limbs caused by the continuous load on the muscles on the right side of the body