نشریه طب کار
سال پنجم شماره 3 (پیاپی 12، پاییز1392)

Job stress is one of the basic problems in industrial that can underlie a number of problems such as cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal diseases, early retirement to employees. On the other hand early retirement from workplace has increased, is one of the problems of today's industries. Hereof, improving work ability is one of the most effective ways to enhance the ability and preventing disability and early retirement. The aim of This study is determine the relationship between job stress score, work ability and educational level in refinery workers. This is a cross-sectional study in which 171 workers in refinery who were working in different occupational groups participated. Based on appropriate assignment sampling, 33 office workers, 69 operational workers, and 69 maintenance workers, respectively, were invited to participate in this study. Two questionnaires including work related-stress and WAI were filled in. Finally, the information was analyzed using the SPSS-20 and statistic tests namely, Pearson correlation coefficient, ANOVA and t-test. Analysis showed that 86% and 14% participants had extreme and moderate stress, respectively. Average score of stress and standard deviation was 158.7±17.3 that was in extreme stress range. Average score and standard deviation of WAI questionnaire were 37.18 and 3.86 respectively. That placed in a good range. Pearson correlation coefficient showed that WAI score had significant reversed relationship with a score of stress. Stress is one of the most important factors that influence the ability of employees, so learning to cope with stress in order to maintain and enhance the ability of staff is recommend.

Different packing materials are used in wet scrubbers that each one has its own advantages and limitations. Common ceramic packing materials have high removal efficiency but they are heavy، fragile and high head loss along the bed. Finding a suitable replacement for these materials has always been concerned by researchers. The objective of the present study was to compare the ammonia removal efficiency from air by a wet scrubber packed with ceramic racshig rings and PVC. A laboratory scale column was randomly packed in 30 cm depth with ceramic racshig rings as well as PVC. Ammonia laden air was injected into the column at three air flow rates including 5، 10 and 15 lit/s. Ammonia gas was applied to the column in three concentration ranges including 23-26، 40. 2-43. 7 and 55-60 PPM using water scrubbing liquid. The result of 54 experiments revealed that the efficiency of column packed with racshig rings was higher than the efficiency of column packed with PVC in all three studied air flow rates. The removal efficiency of column increased significantly in both packing (P<0. 001) as the inlet concentration of ammonia gas was increased. The head loss across the bed was significantly increased (P<0. 001) as air flow rate was increased from 5 to 10 and 10 to 15 lit/s. PVC can be considered as a suitable substitute for ceramic racshig rings in wet packed scrubbers.

Nearly 8. 5 million of employees in Iran are carpet-weavers and musculoskeletal disorders especially in their shoulder region are prevalent. As regards muscle fatigue is a risk factor for musculoskeletal disorders its reduction may improve health promotion among the weavers and also lead to improved quality and quantity of this national product. Muscle fatigue manifestations in electromyography are mean power frequency decrease and root mean square increase in time. This study aimed to assess muscle fatigue in the upper trapezious of carpet-weavers. In this cross-sectional study، regarding inclusion and exclusion criteria، 12 carpet-weavers (9 females، 3 males) were selected. During 210 minutes carpet weaving، data were collected via surface electromyography and body part discomfort rate scale. Electromyography parameters and body part discomfort rate scale were analyzed with repeated measures ANOVA (sex and experiences as independent variable). During 210 minutes carpet weaving، mean power frequency in right and left upper trapezius decreased and P-value=0. 002 and P-value=0. 001 was significant respectively، but root mean square and body part discomfort rate changes were not significant. Assessment of objective and subjective development of muscle fatigue، showed significant decrease in mean power frequency، but root mean square and body part discomfort rate have not significant changes. No obvious significant correlation was found between objective and subjective muscle fatigue assessments.

Psychological capital intervention of Luthans (PCI) is a training program whose effectiveness on decreasing some work-related problems has been confirmed. Therefore، it could be possible to reduce job burnout which is considered of work-related side effects، with devastating effects on individual and organization. The aim of present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Luthans intervention program on job burnout. The study used a semi-experimental design with pretest and posttest. Statistical population was 650 experts working in Iran Khodro Diesel company. Among them 60 people were selected by random sampling method and divided into two groups of 30 people. Maslach job burnout questionnaire was used as assessment tool. After the implementation of the questionnaire، Luthans intervention program was applied to experimental group after each participant was tested again using questionnaire. Data was analyzed by SPSS software and independent T-test. According to the results، burnout pretest scores show a small difference in both groups (2. 87& 2. 9). But considering job burnout (2. 12) and subscales of emotional exhaustion (1. 34) and depersonalization (0. 72) the average score has decreased significantly in experimental group post test (p<0. 01). There was no significant difference in personal accomplishment (p=0. 466)، but as questionnaire indicates، the scores of experimental group has changed from moderate to high levels of accomplishment. Given the findings، it can be concluded that Luthans intervention program is effective in reducing job burnout، especially subscales of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Therefore، it could be an appropriate strategy to reduce job burnout.

Incident of fire within or outside the metro rail trains happened because of a number of reasons that cause catastrophic losses and shock to the community. This study aimed to assess the risk of fire in DC trains and subway lines in Tehran. For performing this research، after identification of fire hazards in metro trains through observation، interview techniques and review the documentation، Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) was used to determine the causes of fires in DC trains at Tehran metro. Also with quantitative analysis of the fault tree، fire risk probability was calculated during a year. The main effective causes of DC trains fires in Tehran metro were lack of a regular program of preventive maintenance، lack of proper maintenance، poor quality equipment، not embedded data logger for monitoring resistance roof train temperature changes and the mode of train navigation. The probability of a hazard was calculated as one in each 1. 3 years. By training courses for personnel involved and careful monitoring during maintenance and installation of equipment، installation of thermal monitoring equipment and appropriate training of operators could significantly reduce the fire occurrence risk.

Symptoms such as headache، dizziness، nausea، cough and sneeze، irritated mucous membrane، eyes، throat، nose، inflammation and itching skin are associated with one of indoor air quality diseases، called sick building syndrome. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of symptoms of the syndrome and some related factors in educational hospital intensive care nurses in Kerman University of medical sciences. This study was a cross-sectional study. All intensive care nurses who were willing to cooperate in the study were enrolled in the census. The standard MM040EA questionnaire associated with sick building syndrome and indoor air quality was used in this study to determine prevalence of this syndrome. Data collected from the questionnaires were analyzed using chi-square test and ANOVA. Some symptoms included lack of focus (60. 2%)، headache and fatigue (58. 3%)، dry and irritated skin (57. 3%) and eye irritation (48. 5%) were more common than other symptoms. The syndrome did not depend on age، gender، employment and working conditions، and environmental factors. Environmental factors influence the development of the syndrome، including the noise and unpleasant smell the workplace (P<0. 05). According to high prevalence of sick building syndrome in nurses and its relationship to environment noise and unpleasant smell work، more attention to improvement of environment conditions، such as increasing the efficiency of air conditioning and fresh air to enhance the quality of work life for nurses segments and increase the efficiency of motivation of the working environment is needed.

The main aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the prevalence of fecundity and other reproductive problems among a group of farmers in Kavar district of Fars province، southern Iran. A total of 268 randomly selected married male farm workers were investigated. A questionnaire was devised and validated (Cronbach’s α-coefficient (0. 81)). Subjects were directly interviewed and the questionnaire forms were completed for them. The prevalence of current primary infertility among the studied population was about 7. 4%. In addition، the delayed time-to-pregnancy index (TTP) was noted in 19. 4% of subjects’ spouses. Similarly، 6. 3% of farm workers had offsprings with congenital malformations. Finally، 1. 5% and 9% of farmers’ wives had a history of stillbirth and abortion، respectively. It was concluded that the prevalence of current primary infertility and spontaneous abortion were significantly higher among farm workers families than in the normal population. Additionally، stillbirth was more common in the wives of farm workers than in the normal population، although the difference did not reach statistical significance. These effects are likely to be attributed to the exposure of farm workers to pesticides.

Human error is the cause of many serious accidents in the world. In medical jobs، it causes the patients to get much worse or lost their life. Therefore، current study was conducted to identify and evaluate human error among physicians working at emergency ward using Systematic Human Error and Reduction Prediction Approach (SHERPA) technique in an educational hospital in Semnan، Iran. This study was conducted using SHERPA method. First، the aim and methodology of the study was described to the physicians and then a job analysis of physicians was implemented by Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA) method. At the next phase، kinds of errors for each task and subtasks were indentified، applying SHERPA checklist. Finally، worksheet was completed for each of them. In total، 35 tasks and 128 errors were indentified in the physicians’ clinical activity at emergency ward. The highest percentage of the errors was belonged to the “Action error” while، the “Selection error” were in lowest level. About 1. 56% of the errors were in an unacceptable level and all were as retrieval errors، 53. 13% of errors were in undesirable risk level and mostly recovery error types. The highest percentage of errors was undesirable while the lowest one was related to the unacceptable errors. According to the findings in this study، most of the medical errors of its related task and subtask were indentified and evaluated and then remedy actions was proposed for error reduction and control

Health promoting activities (Lifestyle) is an indicator of the health of the bilateral relationship between physical and mental health and can be used as a predictor of mental health. It also aimed at comparing their different lifestyles. Using random sampling، 400 office staff and workers in Yazd were selected to participate in this descriptive analytical study. A questionnaire used to collect data included two sections: demographic section and standard questionnaire of HPLP II to evaluate lifestyle. The demographic characteristics and lifestyle of different levels by HPLP II: The difference between life style and 6 subscales in office staff and labor were three levels. Data analysis were done using SPSS program for windows (v. 16) by conducting several statistical operations such as t-test، chi-square، one-way ANOVA، pearson correlation coefficient، and linear regression. It was indicated that there were significant difference in lifestyle and its six subcategories comparing workers. Concerning both groups، the highest among these subcategories belonged to spiritual growth and interpersonal relations and the lowest scores belonged to physical activities، different social، economic and cultural impact on the lifestyle of employees. In spite of the increase in blue collar workers’ wages، it seems that besides workplace، the social، economic، and cultural differences affect the differences in lifestyles of white collar and blue collar workers.

Various statistics of the incidence and prevalence of medical errors in hospitals have been published. is common. This study aimed to identify the initial state of the current level of risk management in the hospital was rahnemon. This descriptive-analytical study was performed on the nurses of shahid rahnemon hospital. Data collected by the census questionnaire given to all nurses and the number was 250. The 6 scale variable levels of risk management staff to identify، organize the risk management policies status، condition training، risk management، risk management، status monitoring and analysis، risk assessment and control of the 45 questions on a Likert scale of five options are examined. Data 16 SPSS software was analyzed using. Knowledge workers to manage risk rating 2. 40±/18، the state organize risk management rating 2. 27±/13، the policies and procedures Score2. 17±. 0. 02، Education Risk Management Rating2. 18±. /04، the position of Managing Risk Score2. 65±. /08، monitoring، analyzing، evaluating and controlling risk، rated 2. 79±. /05to themselves. According to the obtained scores 6 area of risk management component; the overall risk was assessed as weak. Clinical governance systems، developing training programs، adopt and implement policies and procedures in line with current regulatory programs، risk management should be looking seriously at the hospital.

Welding is considered as an essential component of many industries and the National Institute for Safety and Health in 1988 estimated that at least two million workers are working as welder; so knowing how to control occupational exposures in this industry، to protect and promote the health of welders is essential. This reviewing article consists of several parts، including: definition and history of welding industry، introduction a variety of welding methods، occupational exposures in the welding industry، diseases caused by occupational exposures in this industry، hazard control techniques in welding industry and welders، health monitoring. Welders are exposed to a variety of physical and chemical hazards and a level of hazardous exposure in different welding methods also is different. Among the exposure factors that could be harmful، gases and fumes، heat stress، noise، non-ionizing radiations، ergonomic exposures and safety hazards are noted. Due to this exposure، welders are at risk of respiratory diseases such as rhinitis، asthma، chronic bronchitis and emphysema، and… as well as diseases caused by harmful physical agents. After identification of exposures، using appropriate control methods including substitution، general and local ventilation، shielding protection، personal protective equipment، periodically health monitoring of welder، welder training، and compliance with laws and standards.