مجله مهندسی بهداشت حرفه ای
سال نهم شماره 2 (تابستان 1401)

The rapid emergence of the SARS-COV-2 and its variants has shown the importance of transmitting infectious diseases through airborne particles. Bioaerosols are generally airborne either directly or by using other particles as a substrate. The ability of viruses to become airborne plays an important role in its spread. For this reason, sampling and air analysis are very important for qualitative and quantitative detection of viruses in preventing and controlling their spread. The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the advantages and limitations of previously reported sampling methods for airborne viruses, especially those have been used for the new coronaviruses. In this study, more than 100 articles focusing on sampling and evaluation of airborne viruses, characteristics and factors affecting the accuracy and precision of sampling have been investigated. To date, many sampling methods such as liquid impingers, impactors, filters, electrostatic precipitators have been proposed for sampling airborne viruses. Efficiency and effectiveness of virus sampling methods can be affected by some factors such as the aerodynamic diameter of viruses, the challenges of quantifying sampled viruses, the impossibility of differentiating between active and inactive viruses in the collected samples, the possibility of damage/inactivation during sampling and analysis and other environmental factors. Thus, each of these methods has advantages and disadvantages that limit their application.

Double-glazing is one of the methods of sound control. The use of materials other than gas inside double-glazing can develop sound transmission loss. The present study aims to make a double-glazing filled with A200 hydrogel at different ratios and measure the sound transmission loss.

In the present study, 4 samples of double-glazing were made with water and A200 hydrogel. The mixing ratios of hydrogel with water were 1:20, 1:75, and 1: 150. The sound transmission loss of each sample was measured three times by AvaSina impedance tube using the sound pressure level through two microphones installed on both sides of the sample according to ISO 10534-1. Then, the results were analyzed by SPSS software (version 24) and repeated measures test.

According to the results, the highest amount of sound transmission loss was related to the water sample at 250 and 500 Hz and the A200-1:20 sample at 1000 and 2000 Hz. Meanwhile, the A200-1:75 sample had the lowest sound transmission loss at 250, 500, and 1000 Hz, and the water sample at 2000 Hz.

The present study indicated that filling empty space of double-glazing with hydrogel increases transmission loss in high frequencies and decreases it in low frequencies compared to that of the water sample. Also, transmission loss of the air sample was found significantly different from all other samples except the A200-1:150 sample by comparing the water and hydrogel samples with the air sample as a control.

Biological needs are basic human needs for survival according to Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Therefore, the relationship between socioeconomic status and safety behaviors is not far-fetched. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of socioeconomic status on safety behavior in workers of the subway construction project in Qom, Iran.

The present cross-sectional study was conducted on workers of the subway construction project in Qom in 2020. The sample size was determined by a census of 200 people based on the study criteria. Socioeconomic status and safety behavior questionnaires were subsequently completed for the participants. The data were extracted and analyzed by SPSS software (version 21) after completing the questionnaires.

The results of the study revealed no significant relationship between the level of education and safety behavior (P-value> 0.05); however, a significant relationship was observed between that and safety compliance (P-value= 0.006). No significant relationship was discovered between the type of employment and socioeconomic status (P-value=0.008). Also, No significant relationship was found between economic status with safety observation, participation, and behavior (P-value> 0.05).

The results of the present study indicated no significant relationship between socio-economic status and compliance, participation, and safety behavior of individuals. Organizational, cultural, and individual factors affect safety and safety behavior along with socioeconomic status. No relationship was observed between socioeconomic status and employee safety behavior which can be attributed to coverage of other factors that failed to be examined in this study.

 Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are among the most common types of occupational diseases. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between lifestyle and mental workload components with the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in employees of the automotive industry.

 This cross-sectional study was conducted among 303 employees of a car manufacturing complex in Iran. Demographic information was collected by a demographic questionnaire. To study the prevalence of musculoskeletal discomfort, lifestyle, and mental workload, Cornell questionnaires, Walker health-promoting lifestyle questionnaires, and NASA-TLX questionnaires, were used, respectively.

70.70 percent of the participants experienced musculoskeletal disorders in at least one of their organs. It was found that there was a significant relationship between age, work experience, level of education, health responsibility, exercise, physical workload and time pressure, and prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (P-Value <0.05).

 The present study results revealed that the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and related disabilities in the automotive industry is high, and lifestyle and mental workload parameters are among the most critical risk factors in the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, so taking control measures by controlling the levels of individual, physical and cognitive risk factors to reduce the prevalence of these disorders has a top priority.

The inherent and unique risks of mining projects quite often present key challenges that health and safety risks are among the most significant risks in mining projects since the mining industry is characterized by a relatively high injury and death rate compared to other industries. Various factors including human, environmental, machinery and tools affect mining safety that the role of human factor is significant at different levels and based on it, it is necessary to assess the risks associated with human factors separately. In mining project management, safety risk assessment is an important step toward identifying potential hazards and evaluating the risks associated with the hazards. Proper safety risk prioritization is very crucial during the risk assessment for planning, budgeting and managing safety-related risks. Despite the importance of the risk assessment, in many Iranian mines, some of which include large mines, there is a lack of appropriate and scientific approach to the issue.

In the present paper, we have tried to examine the application of Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) as a quantitative method for risk assessment with a special focus on the open pit mining industry. The identification and classification of risk assessment is based on the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) model. Then, the analysis is performed by collecting experts grading to determine the weights of important accident-causing factors at various levels of a working system in open pit mines.

The weight of human factor indices has been evaluated at four levels. At different levels, organizational atmosphere factors, improper performance of fault correction, resource management and decision error have been identified as the most significant factors leading to human accidents in open pit mines.

By using AHP method, the role and importance of various factors affecting safety in open pit mines at different levels of managerial and organizational factors, supervisory and leadership factors, preventive factors and executive factors have been investigated. This analysis can play a decisive role in the field of establishment and optimization of the safety management system, including formulation of policies, organization, planning, evaluation and implementation of activities in a safe manner.

Neck pain is one of the most common symptoms of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs). One way to measure neck pain is using valid questionnaires. Therefore, this study aimed to translate the Northwick Park Questionnaire (NPQ) into Persian and validate the Persian version.

The present study is a descriptive one that was conducted in 2021 on workers of a housekeeping service company to validate the Persian version of the NPQ. The Backward-Forward technique was used to validate the questionnaire. Afterward, the questionnaire was distributed among 100 female workers, and the Intraclass Correlation Test (ICC) was used to measure reliability. Data were analyzed using the Spearman and Kappa tests in the SPSS software (version 22).

In the validity analysis, Kappa and Spearman coefficients were used to determine the agreement and correlation between the questions. The reliability of the questionnaire using the ICC test was 0.906. Additionally, a significant relationship was found between the overall pain intensity in the questionnaire and all its questions.

This study aimed to translate the NPQ questionnaire into Persian, validate the Persian version, and determine its applicability in Iran. The findings showed that the Persian version of the NPQ questionnaire is a valid, reliable, and usable tool for neck pain assessment.

Safety climate includes employees' overall perceptions and feelings about policies, procedures, and the importance of safety in the workplace. This study aimed to investigate the effect of safety climate on employees' organizational commitment mediated by organizational ethics in a gas refining company.

This cross-sectional and descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2020. The study sample consisted of 220 employees of Parsian Gas Refinery selected through the Morgan Table. The instruments included three standard Safety Climate questionnaires by Haywick et al. (2009), Modaye et al. (1979), and Lozier (1993). Data were analyzed using the PLS software. The combined reliability of the structures was above 0.78, and Cronbach's alpha was 0.79. Furthermore, the value of the convergence of variables was above 57%.

The results showed that most subjects had an average age of 41-50 years, over 15 years of work experience, and undergraduate degrees. Additionally, the path coefficient was 0.79 between the safety climate and the organizational commitment, 0.82 between the safety climate and the organizational ethics, and 0.88 between the organizational ethics and the organizational commitment. Therefore, significant positive relationships were found between the safety climate and the organizational commitment of employees, between the organizational commitment and the organizational ethics of employees, and between the safety climate and the organizational ethics of employees (P<0.05).

The findings indicated that the safety climate explains 79% of the organizational commitment and 82% of the organizational ethics. Organizational ethics also explains 88% of the organizational commitment.

Various studies have shown that paying attention to HSE principles in urban constructions can contribute to sustainable urban development. This study is designed to provide a model for environmental protection in urban construction projects.

This cross-sectional study was performed in 2021. In the first step, a comprehensive study was conducted with the aim of compiling a preliminary list of indicators of sustainable urban development. Then the factors affecting the management of the urban environment were studied and in the next step, the initial conceptual model was formed. In the final step, the validity and reliability of the model were determined through Delphi technique and factor analysis method. The adequacy of the measurement model in structural equation modeling was examined. Data analysis was performed using SPSS and Smart PLS software.

The results showed the reliability of structural factors (7-question), content factors (7-question) and barriers and injuries (13-question) respectively 0.716, 0.821 and 0.831 and the amount of factor loading for all measures were estimated above 0.4. The goodness-of-fit indices of this model including χ2/df, RMSEA, GFI, AGFI, CFI and NNFI were estimated at 2.25, 0.061, 0.96, 0.91, 0.98 and 0.97, respectively.

The findings indicated that considering each of the 27 indicators in urban HSE management can be an effective step towards protecting the urban environment as much as possible in constructions and urban sustainable development.