International Journal of Environmental Health Engineering
Volume:11 Issue: 1, Nov 2022

 Safe driving is influenced by various factors, including the driver's level of cognitive performance and thermal comfort. The aim of this study was to investigate temperature indicators, thermal comfort, and mental function parameters among taxi drivers in winter. 

 This cross-sectional study was performed on 30 taxi drivers in the morning and evening (8–9AM, 4–6PM). In this study, temperature parameters, including dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity, thermal comfort indices, demographic parameters and cognitive performance parameters, including accuracy, work speed, attention, number of errors, mental fatigue, concentration skills, and auditory short-term memory, were measured. Statistical analyzes were performed using SPSS version 26. 

 The average dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity inside the cabin in the morning and evening were 23.2%, 22.1%, 22.3%, and 21.3%, respectively. The results showed that the drivers' dissatisfaction with the temperature in the morning and evening shifts was 6% and 5.6%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the measured parameters in the morning and evening shifts (P > 0.05). The results showed that there was a significant relationship between age and some cognitive function parameters (P < 0.05). 

 More than 90% of drivers feel comfortable when the average dry bulb temperature of 22%–23% can be used to adjust the optimal temperature of the cabin vehicle in winter. Age is an effective factor in the cognitive performance of drivers and the cognitive performance of the drivers was not in a favorable condition, which requires further study to investigate the causes of this issue.

 A high error rate among laboratory staff leads to accidents. This study aimed to investigate the effect of gender, work experience, age, and job stress on the number of errors and work speed in laboratory employees. 

 This cross-sectional study was performed on 32 laboratory staff via census method. The instruments used in this study were the General Health Questionnaire Mental Health Questionnaire, demographic questionnaire capturing age, gender, work experience, and level of education, and Health and Safety Executive Job Stress Questionnaire in England. A precision targeting vibrometer was used to measure the speed and number of errors. Independent t-test and Mann–Whitney U-test as well as Pearson's and Spearman's correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the relationship between the parameters using SPSS software version 26. 

 The mean and standard deviation of age, work experience, and job stress were 43.56 ± 7.80 years, 205.68 ± 107.43 months, and 132.59 ± 12.55, respectively. Furthermore, the mean and standard deviation of the number of errors and work speed were 4.90 ± 4.09 and 14.27 ± 5.84, respectively. A significant positive correlation was found between age and the number of errors. 

 The results indicated that gender, work experience, and job stress do not affect the number of errors and work speed in laboratory staff, but age affects the number of errors in employees, and the number of errors increases with age. Explaining the factors affecting the accuracy and speed of staff in the laboratory can lead to use of appropriate manpower and ultimately enhance productivity and reduce accidents in laboratories.

Alkaline electrolyzed water (AEW) usually has a pH value ranging from of 8 to 10, and is postulated to produce many health benefits. Alkaline water consumption still invites a lot of controversy among health professionals and researchers. There were no comprehensive large-scale studies till date that compared the effects of AEW across various disease states targeting multiple system changes as outcomes. The present literature review was carried out to collate all the available clinical research works on Alkaline Water or AEW in improving disease state or promoting health. Search in various databases and search engines brought out 19 articles, of which nine met the eligibility criteria and were included for the analysis in the present study. The risk of bias and quality for every study included in the study were assessed. For all the randomized trials included in the study bias assessment was carried out using the Cochrane Risk-of-bias tool, and nonrandomized trials were assessed using nonrandomized studies of interventions tool. Reviewed studies have reported effects of AEW on oxidative stress, gastric cancer, blood sugar levels, exercise performance, blood viscosity, and gastrointestinal symptoms. AEW has shown considerable positive health effects in small-scale clinical studies. However, presently available evidence from the research works are not sufficient enough for recommendation to the mass in general or for use as a therapeutic intervention. Research works with larger study samples and among population of different demography are required.

Environmental health issues and epidemic pandemic aspects including infection spread during managing dead bodies revealed that infectious diseases and the associated mortality were often caused by infectious pathogens due to mismanagement of dead bodies. Dead body management is one of the main environmental health challenges during and after disasters and emergencies, especially following epidemic. This systematic review aimed to investigate the dead body management of epidemic victims. This systematic review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. In this study, electronic databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Pro Quest, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library, were searched from March 1, 1970, to September 30, 2021. A comprehensive literature search was performed using scientific databases and gray literature. A thematic synthesis approach was used to analyze the data. In total, 2764 articles were identified, 11 of which met the inclusion criteria for entering the process of final synthesis. The findings showed three main sections, including (1) dead body management in the hospital and transfer of epidemic victims, (2) mortuary, shrouding, funeral, and burial of epidemic victims, and (3) management of families and risk communication. Implementation of the standards and protocols during dead body management of epidemic victims is essential with the aim of saving the lives of service providers and participants in ceremonial washing and burial.

 The present study aims to design, manufacture, and evaluate the performance of an active liquid cooling vest (ALCV) to control the heat strain in hot laboratory conditions. 

 An ALCV was designed with a cold liquid circulation system in tubes embedded inside the vest. A performance of ALCV in the hot laboratory conditions with an average temperature of 38.5°C and relative humidity of 40% was done with ALCV and none-ALCV (NALCV). Parameters such as heart rate, oral temperature (OT), thermal sensation (TS), perceived exertion (PE), and chest temperature (CT), forehead temperature (FT), and scapula temperature (ST) were measured. Paired t-test was used to compare the average of the data. 

 The results illustrated that the difference between the average temperature of the ST and CT with ALCV and NALCV, it was 2°C ± 0.5°C. There was a statistically significant difference between the average PE and TS in two testing conditions (P < 0.05). Paired t-test showed that there is no significant difference between the average FT and OT in the two testing conditions (P > 0.05). 

 Due to the positive effects of the designed ALCV in reducing skin temperature, heat sensation, and PE, this cooling vest can be used as a useful and cost-effective solution to reduce the level of heat strain in hot environments.

A rise in the COVID-19 pandemic has led to increase in biomedical waste (BMW) all over the globe that leads to the perilous situation. Hence, this review has made an attempt to gather all the guidelines for appropriate BMW management in dental practice during COVID-19 pandemic. The keywords such as Biomedical waste management guidelines, COVID-19, dental waste management, and India were used in the literature search engines such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar along with the various guidelines provided by international, national agencies and verified government websites with a focus on the BMW management in dentistry during COVID-19. The result enumerated that Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016, categorizes the bio-medical waste generated from the health-care facility into four categories based on the segregation pathway and color code. These guidelines were reshaped in 2018, 2019, and in 2020 for COVID-19 pandemic. Collection and segregation of biomedical waste separately before handling it to the Common Bio-medical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility was highly recommended that should be labeled with “COVID-19” both in medical and dental waste management guidelines. This review revealed that BMW management guidelines should be followed by all the health-care fraternities including oral health professionals as they are at a heightened risk of COVID-19, it is vital that they are informed of the most up-to-date protocols for BMW disposal in this pandemic.

 The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge and attitude of the staff of a university of medical sciences about housing health in Kermanshah, Iran. 

 For this cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study, based on Morgan Table 100 people were randomly selected and knowledge and attitudes about housing health were assessed based on a researcher-made questionnaire in 2017. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS software version 18 and paired t-test on Likert scale. 

 A total of 100 employees were studied, more than half of them (60%) were female and more in the group of 20–29 years. The mean scores of knowledge and attitude of the target group regarding housing health were 18.35 and 78.00, respectively. The mean score of knowledge in men and women is significantly different (P < 0.001). However, the attitude scores of the two groups were not statistically significant (P = 0.15). Although knowledge of housing quality was reasonable among respondents, the method of disposing of sanitary waste and housing maintenance was poor. The highest score of women's attitude was related to the groups with diploma and/or associate degree and the highest score of knowledge and attitude in men was related to the groups with bachelor's degree or higher. 

 This study showed that people with higher education have better knowledge and attitudes about housing health than people with lower education. However, more research is needed to fully understand the link between housing and adverse health outcomes.

 This study aimed to determine the medical staff's burnout level and its related factors at Daran Shahid Rajaee Hospital. 

 The total number of participants was 145 medical staff who participated in this cross-sectional study. Data were collected employing such various instruments as demographic information questionnaires, general health questionnaires, job satisfaction (JS), and Maslach burnout inventory. Then, the researcher analyzed the data with correlation, t-tests, and variance by using the SPSS software version 26. 

 The findings indicated that 79% of the medical staff suffer from high burnout level. The results showed that the correlation between burnout levels and JS was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Moreover, the correlation of depersonalization levels with marital status, age, work experience, and type of employment was significant (P < 0.001) as well. 

 The results indicated that, during the pandemic of COVID-19, the medical staff's burnout was at a high level. Interestingly, on the emotional exhaustion scale, the medical staff burnout was more than other burnout levels requiring organizational interventions to lessen medical staff burnout.

 The purpose of this article is to analyze subjective self-evaluation of thermal and respiratory discomfort experienced by workers in the foundry industry. 

 One hundred and sixty-one workers aged 18–55 years participated in this study. Discomfort due to high temperatures, hot work, skin rashes, cramps, fatigue, weakness, respiratory problems, and inhalation was subjectively evaluated by the questionnaire survey. The questionnaire is validated, and Cronbach's alpha test and Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin's test are applied to ensure data reliability and adequacy. 

 The results indicated that the highest and lowest percentage of workers experiencing at least one discomfort is 86% and 4%, respectively. Furthermore, 11 out of 19 discomfort factors scored above the average thermal and respiratory discomfort score of 2.5 on the scale of 5. 

 According to this study outcome, more exploration is needed on the relationship among thermal and respiratory discomfort and its effect on the workers in the foundry environment.

 Today, low back pain (LBP) is one of the major challenges among occupational health professionals in various jobs. The objective of this study was to investigate the relation between work limitation and functional disability with LBP in Iranian nurses. 

 Overall, 400 subjects were examined systematic random sampling in this cross-sectional-comparative study. Participants were divided into the case (195 persons with LBP) and control (205 persons without LBP) groups. Data were collected using a comprehensive questionnaire including demographic information form, Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, Oswestry Disability Questionnaire, and Work Limitation Questionnaire. The collected data analyzed using SPSS statistical software version 20. 

 Findings showed that age, marital status, and family history were significantly associated with LBP (P < 0.001). The most common cause of back pain among nurses was work-related LBP (56.9%) and genetics (heredity) (30.2%). Furthermore, the mean score of functional disability and work limitation in the case group was higher than the control group (P < 0.001). 

 Although, based on statistical analyzes, the frequency distribution and mean score of functional disability, work limitation, and all subscales in the group with LBP were higher than the group without LBP, it seems that back pain does not put nurses in working functional disruptive conditions.

 In dental clinic environment, dental staff and patients are daily exposed to many types of infectious agents transported by aerosols and droplets, promoting an increased risk of cross infection. The aim of this study was to assess the level of bacterial contamination of air and surfaces in different wards of the educational clinic in Arak University of Medical Sciences. 

 Samples were obtained from the air and surfaces of five active wards of the dental school clinic. Air sampling was performed actively at ½ and 2 m distances from two random units in each ward. Sampling from surfaces was conducted using a wet sterile swab from the washing sink and handpiece after disinfection. Grown colonies were counted and bacterial phenotyping was based primarily on morphology, Gram-staining, endospore formation, catalase activity, and cytochrome oxidase presence. For statistical analysis, the Kruskal–Wallis test was used at a significance level of P < 0.05. 

 Bacterial contamination was detected in all of 80 samples taken from the surfaces of different sections. Regarding the total number of colonies growing from surface samples, there was no significant difference between the studied wards (P > 0.05). The mean concentration of airborne bacteria in the pediatric ward (488 CFU/m3) at a distance of 0.5 m and the surgical ward (339 CFU/m3) at a distance of 2 m had the highest value compared to other wards. In general, there was no statistically significant difference between the total density of airborne bacteria at distances of 0.5 and 2 m (P > 0.05). 

 Bacterial contamination in the environment of the dentistry clinic increases during the treatment process. The clinic's space, the types of the ward and treatment process, and distance from the unit are among the factors affecting the type and diffusion extent of microbial aerosols.