Archives Of Occupational Health
Volume:2 Issue: 3, Jul 2018

The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of volatile organic compounds in the air of laboratories in Kurdistan Medical Sciences University and its related factors in 2017.
This was a descriptive-analytic study. After measuring the concentration of volatile organic compounds, the relationship of the factors affecting the concentration of these compounds was determined. In this study, eight laboratories in the health, medical and nursing faculty were entered into the study by the census method. The concentration of volatile organic compounds was measured by using the Phocheck machine of the tiger model, made in England, equipped with a PID bulb. Other variables affecting the concentration of these compounds, including temperature, moisture, type of service provided during the visit, and the type of ventilation in seasons of spring and summer were measured. Then statistical analysis was performed using SPSS v.18 software, t-test, and ANOVA.
The results of the study showed that the maximum concentrations of organic compounds were related to toluene (mean of concentration 374.61 ppb) and the lowest was related to ethylbenzene (mean of concentration 124.24 ppb). Also, the results showed that there was a significant relationship between the concentration of these compounds and the factors affecting them.
Due to the lack of proper ventilation in all laboratories, it is recommended that a suitable ventilation system could be used to reduce the contamination concentration.

Noise is the most common occupational exposure. Over an extended period, especially in occupational settings, it causes an increased risk of coronary artery disease and high blood pressure. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between exposure to noise and cardiovascular function based on the results of electrocardiography in the ceramic tile industry.
In this cross-sectional study, 94 healthy workers with at least one year of work experience in Yazd's ceramic tile industry were selected by simple sampling method. After completing the demographic and occupational questionnaire, electrocardiography and sounding were performed. Then, the data were analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and correlation test using SPSS 21 software.
In this study, all participants were male. The mean and standard deviation of age and work experience of the population under study were 35.10 (6.03) and 9.95 (4.62) years, respectively. There was no statistically significant relationship between age and work experience with electrocardiographic parameters. Although there was a significant relationship between noises and the PR interval, there was no significant relationship with other parameters.
In this study, the only significant correlation was found between the noise and the PR interval. Also, although the relationship between exposure to noise and heart rate was not statistically significant, it was reversible.

The highest aerobic capacity (VO2max) is one of the criteria that can be used to create a balance between work and worker. To maintain the health and physical capacity of individuals, as well as to increase production and profitability, physical work capacity (PWC) can be used to put individuals in jobs proportional to their capacities.
This cross-sectional study was performed on 120 women working in hospitals aged 21-49 years old. Individuals were evaluated by a single-stage Ebbeling test. A questionnaire about general health, job fatigue and job satisfaction was used, along with a treadmill. Data were analyzed by SPSS V22 software using the Pearson correlation and t-test.
According to the results, the highest aerobic capacity, physical working capacity and general health were ml/kg body weight per minute, kcal/min and respectively, and mean and standard deviation of fatigue and job satisfaction scores were and respectively. In this study, there was a significant relationship between VO2max and age, weight, body mass index (BMI), fatigue and job satisfaction.
According to the results, since fatigue and job satisfaction are related to worker's VO2max, it is recommended that, in addition to considering the aspects of physical fitness in the workplace, special attention should be paid to mental aspects, since they affect the physical and, consequently, the productivity of workers.

Designing training aids for students to increase their practical capability and skills is done by using modern educational methods. The aim of this study was to design a simulator of airborne pollutants for measuring gases, vapors and particles in the lab for student training.
The present study investigated different systems based on reviewing the literature of conducted research studies around the world. Then, designing the simulator system of the airborne pollutants was carried out after studying the capabilities of available systems, considering the viewpoints of experts and focusing on the aims of the study.
The designed chamber consisted of a main component which, in addition to some complexes such as the blowing system, the evacuation funnel, the warming chamber, and control box, made the production and simulation of the particle and gaseous pollutants feasible in different atmospheric conditions.
The production and simulation of airborne pollutants in an experimental chamber under controlled conditions can facilitate the accomplishment of different assessments on pollutants. The designed device benefits both having a simple yet creative fabricated system and low manufacturing costs. Therefore, it can be used readily as a suitable device for extensive research on pollutants in the educational and research centers.

Sound complications, from health and comfort aspects, are important in different environments, patients, and hospitals staff; furthermore, health care services are affected by the sources of noise pollution. A quiet environment is needed for the suitable activity and service of the health team, the comfort and the improving process of the patients. This study was conducted to determine the degree of sound pollution in hospitals in Bojnourd in 2013.
This was a descriptive-analytic study. The measurements were carried out in different departments (7 sections in Imam Reza Hospital, 8 sections in Imam Ali Hospital and 4 large sections in Bent-Alhoda Hospital). Educational programs in Bojnourd were performed in two shifts in the morning and afternoon by a sound meter device of the CEL 62x model. The device was calibrated by the piston-phones and they were compared with the recommended standard values ​​ by the World Health Organization (45 dB per Sunset and 30 dB per night). Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 16 using paired t-test and ANOVA.
The results of the study showed that the mean volume of sound at Imam Reza Hospital in morning and evening were 56.6 and 59.2 dB respectively and the average volume of sound at Bent-Alhoda Hospital in the morning and afternoon were 54.3 and 61.3 dB respectively. In the Imam Ali Hospital, the average volume in morning and evening shifts were 57.4 and 62.6 dB respectively, and in all parts the sound was higher than the standard values.
The rate of sound in the hospitals of Imam Ali, Imam Reza and Bent-Alhoda in all sections and in most of the working hours was higher than the standard. With regard to the severity of sound and the sources of sound production in different parts of hospitals, it is possible to establish a degree of sound intensity closer to the permissible limits. Therefore, the adoption of engineering and management measures to reduce the sound pollution are the recommendation of this study.

It is necessary to identify and determine the probability of human error in order to improve the level of health and safety of employees and reduce accidents. For this reason, this study was conducted to identify human error in the flour production process using the "Hazard and Operability” technique.
Data collection was carried out through business case sheets and interviews with workers who have been involved in events as well as affected workers, and through the application of Human Hazop technique. Potential errors of people were predicted, analyzed and the controls were provided.
Human Hazop work-sheet analysis showed that the total number of human errors detected in the studied job tasks was 144, 75% of which were eliminated. The results of the study on the causes of the error show that the highest cause of the error is fatigue factor with 33.3%.
With the precise application of the Hazard and Operability Method, possible types of operator errors and their consequences can be identified, and control paths to reduce human error can be provided. It canultimately create a safer environment and reduce the number of accidents.

Today, organizations need to comply with environmental standards, employees, customers, and others in order to achieve competitive advantage and performance globally. One of these standards is an integrated management system. One of the standards in an integrated management system is safety and health that is currently being considered as one of the most important worldwide issues, and emphasizes the goals of identifying harmful factors, evaluating, controlling, and managing. This study tries to measure the efficiency of an integrated management system by analyzing the annual report of work place damage before and after implementing this system.
This descriptive-analytic study was carried out in one of tile factories from 2009 to 2014 in Yazd. The data on the measurement of occupational harmful factors (sound, lighting, thermal stress, total dust) during the years of the study were collected and analyzed by the SPSS software version 19.
According to the results of measuring the harmful factors of the work place in this research, the establishment of an integrated management system on the environmental factors (sound, lighting, thermal stress and total dust) in the studied industry environment was positive and reduced issues out of standard and increased standard stations.
The integrated management system establishment had positive effects on physical and chemical environmental factors and reduces costs, eliminates performance and ultimately improves the performance and efficiency.

Epidemiological studies have shown a change in blood biochemical parameters due to short and long exposure to airborne particles. Long Exposure to airborne particles can increase the risk of blood lipid disorders through oxidative stress. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between respiratory exposure with inhaled particles and blood lipid parameters in workers of a ceramic tile factory.
In this descriptive-analytical study, a sample size based on similar studies and Cochran formula, 128 healthy workers (77 exposed and 51 unexposed) were estimated in the age range of 24-40 years and randomly selected from among the factory workers. Sampling of the breathing region of all individuals was performed to determine the concentration of respirable particles based on the NIOSH_0600 method. Blood lipid parameters of people having cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL, and LDL were measured using standard methods. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 software.
The Mean of exposure to respirable particles in different units were 73.29 ± 7.75 mg / m3 and lower than standard (3 mg / m3). In this study, the levels of triglyceride and HDL were higher in the exposed group and the mean of these two parameters were statistically different. There was no correlation between lipid parameters and density of respirable particles and work experience (P value> 0.05); however, the body mass index had a positive correlation with cholesterol, triglyceride and HDL. Moreover, cholesterol and triglycerides showed a positive correlation with systolic hypertension.
Exposure to particles has relationship with levels of lipid-related markers factors and can change the level of some of the lipid parameters. Therefore, protecting workers in units with high levels of dust and constant efforts to train and supervise workers to enhance safety and monitoring the proper and consistent use of these equipment is essential.