Effective exposure to solar UV in building workers: influence of local and individual factors.

Excessive exposure to solar UV light is the main cause of skin cancers in humans. UV exposure depends on environmental as well as individual factors related to activity. Although outdoor occupational activities contribute significantly to the individual dose received, data on effective exposure are scarce and limited to a few occupations. A study was undertaken in order to assess effective short-term exposure among building workers and characterize the influence of individual and local factors on exposure. The effective exposure of construction workers in a mountainous area in the southern part of Switzerland was investigated through short-term dosimetry (97 dosimeters). Three altitudes, of about 500, 1500 and 2500 m were considered. Individual measurements over 20 working periods were performed using Spore film dosimeters on five body locations. The postural activity of workers was concomitantly recorded and static UV measurements were also performed. Effective exposure among building workers was high and exceeded occupational recommendations, for all individuals for at least one body location. The mean daily UV dose in plain was 11.9 SED (0.0-31.3 SED), in middle mountain 21.4 SED (6.6-46.8 SED) and in high mountain 28.6 SED (0.0-91.1 SED). Measured doses between workers and anatomical locations exhibited a high variability, stressing the role of local exposure conditions and individual factors. Short-term effective exposure ranged between 0 and 200% of ambient irradiation, indicating the occurrence of intense, subacute exposures. A predictive irradiation model was developed to investigate the role of individual factors. Posture and orientation were found to account for at least 38% of the total variance of relative individual exposure, and were also found to account more than altitude on the total variance of effective daily exposures. Targeted sensitization actions through professional information channels and specific prevention messages are recommended. Altitude outdoor workers should also benefit from preventive medical examination.

The effect of a smoking ban introduction to environmental tobacco smoke exposure in Swiss hospitality workers : Abstracts of the 23rd Annual Conference of the International Society of Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE), September 13-16, 2011, Barcelona, Spain

Background and Aims: To protect the population from environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) Switzerland introduced a nationwide rather heterogeneous smoking ban in May 2010. The exposure situation of non-smoking hospitality workers before and after implementation of the new law is being assessed in a prospective cohort study. Methods: Exposure to ETS was measured using a novel method developed by the Institute for Work and Health in Lausanne. It is a passive sampler called MoNIC (Monitor of NICotine). The nicotine of the ETS is fixed onto a filter and transformed into salt of not volatile nicotine. Subsequently the number of passively smoked cigarettes is calculated. Badges were placed at the workplace as well as distributed to the participants for personal measuring. Additionally a salivary sample was taken to determine nicotine concentration. Results: At baseline Spearman's correlation between workplace and personal badge was 0.47. The average cigarette equivalents per day at the workplace obtained by badge significantly dropped from 5.1 (95%- CI: 2.4 to 7.9) at baseline to 0.3 (0.2 to 0.4) at first follow-up (n=29) three months later (p<0.001). For personal badges the number of passively smoked cigarettes declined from 1.5 (2.7 to 0.4) per day to 0.5 (0.3 to 0.8) (n=16).Salivary nicotine concentration in a subset of 13 participants who had worked on the day prior to the examination was 2.63 ng/ml before and 1.53 ng/ml after the ban (p=0.04). Spearman's correlation of salivary nicotine was 0.56 with workplace badge and 0.79 with personal badge concentrations. Conclusions: Workplace measurements clearly reflect the smoking regulation in a venue. The MoNIC badge proves to be a sensitive measuring device to determine personal ETS exposure and it is a demonstrative measure for communication with lay audiences and study participants as the number of passively smoked cigarettes is an easily conceivable result.

Long-Term Control of Endemic Hospital-Wide Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA): The Impact of Targeted Active Surveillance for MRSA in Patients and Healthcare Workers

To evaluate the long-term impact of successive interventions on rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization or infection and MRSA bacteremia in an endemic hospital-wide situation. DESIGN:Quasi-experimental, interrupted time-series analysis. The impact of the interventions was analyzed by use of segmented regression. Representative MRSA isolates were typed by use of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. SETTING:A 950-bed teaching hospital in Seville, Spain. PATIENTS:All patients admitted to the hospital during the period from 1995 through 2008. METHODS:Three successive interventions were studied: (1) contact precautions, with no active surveillance for MRSA; (2) targeted active surveillance for MRSA in patients and healthcare workers in specific wards, prioritized according to clinical epidemiology data; and (3) targeted active surveillance for MRSA in patients admitted from other medical centers. RESULTS:Neither the preintervention rate of MRSA colonization or infection (0.56 cases per 1,000 patient-days [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.49-0.62 cases per 1,000 patient-days]) nor the slope for the rate of MRSA colonization or infection changed significantly after the first intervention. The rate decreased significantly to 0.28 cases per 1,000 patient-days (95% CI, 0.17-0.40 cases per 1,000 patient-days) after the second intervention and to 0.07 cases per 1,000 patient-days (95% CI, 0.06-0.08 cases per 1,000 patient-days) after the third intervention, and the rate remained at a similar level for 8 years. The MRSA bacteremia rate decreased by 80%, whereas the rate of bacteremia due to methicillin-susceptible S. aureus did not change. Eighty-three percent of the MRSA isolates identified were clonally related. All MRSA isolates obtained from healthcare workers were clonally related to those recovered from patients who were in their care. CONCLUSION:Our data indicate that long-term control of endemic MRSA is feasible in tertiary care centers. The use of targeted active surveillance for MRSA in patients and healthcare workers in specific wards (identified by means of analysis of clinical epidemiology data) and the use of decolonization were key to the success of the program.

Individual monitoring of internal exposure for nuclear medicine workers in Switzerland.

Monitoring of internal exposure for nuclear medicine workers requires frequent measurements due to the short physical half-lives of most radionuclides used in this field. The aim of this study was to develop screening measurements performed at the workplace by local staff using standard laboratory instrumentation, to detect whether potential intake has occurred. Such measurements do not enable to determine the committed effective dose, but are adequate to verify that a given threshold is not exceeded. For radioiodine, i.e. (123)I, (124)I, (125)I and (131)I, a calibrated surface contamination monitor is placed in front of the thyroid to detect whether the activity threshold has been exceeded. For radionuclides with very short physical half-lives (≤6 h), such as (99m)Tc and those used in positron emission tomography  imaging, i.e. (11)C, (15)O, (18)F and (68)Ga, screening procedures consist in performing daily measurements of the ambient dose rate in front of the abdomen. Other gamma emitters used for imaging, i.e. (67)Ga, (111)In and (201)Tl, are measured with a scintillation detector located in front of the thorax. For pure beta emitters, i.e. (90)Y and (169)Er, as well as beta emitters with low-intensity gamma rays, i.e. (153)Sm, (177)Lu, (186)Re and (188)Re, the procedure consists in measuring hand contamination immediately after use. In Switzerland, screening procedures have been adopted by most nuclear medicine services since such measurements enable an acceptable monitoring while taking into account practical and economic considerations.

The relationships of stress, health and wellbeing among workers

The precise relationship between the positive psychological state of work (i.e. engagement ) and the negative psychological state (i.e. burnout) has recently received research attention. Some view these as opposite states on the same similar continuum, while others take the position that they represent different biobehavioral spheres. This study expands our knowledge of the phenomenta engagement and burnout by analyzing their separate and joint manifestations. Using a sample of 2094 nurses, respondents were analyzed to determine the configuration of antecedents leading to separate and joint states of engagement and burnout, the configuration of engagement and burnout leading to mental, physical and organizational outcomes, and the relationship between engagement, bornout, and risk of metabolic syndrome. The study found that while both work engagement and burnout are highly correlated to health and organizational outcomes, the relative statistical power of burnout has a greater direct effect on health. It is important for workers and managers to adress the sources of burnout before addressing the positive psychological aspects of worker engagement.

Clara cell protein and surfactant protein B in garbage collectors and in wastewater workers exposed to bioaerosols

OBJECTIVES: Inhalation of bioaerosols has been hypothesised to cause "toxic pneumonitis" that should increase lung epithelial permeability at the bronchioloalveolar level. Serum Clara cell protein (CC16) and serum surfactant protein B (SPB) have been proposed as sensitive markers of lung epithelial injury. This study was aimed at looking for increased lung epithelial permeability by determining CC16 and SPB in workers exposed to bioaerosols from wastewater or garbage. METHODS: Subjects (778 wastewater, garbage and control workers; participation 61%) underwent a medical examination, lung function tests [American Thoracic Society (ATS) criteria], and determination of CC16 and SPB. Symptoms of endotoxin exposure and several potential confounders (age, gender, smoking, kidney function, obesity) were looked for. Results were examined with multiple linear or logistic regression. RESULTS: Exposure to bioaerosols increased CC16 concentration in the wastewater workers. No effect of exposure on SPB was found. No clue to work-related respiratory diseases was found. CONCLUSIONS: The increase in CC16 in serum supports the hypothesis that bioaerosols cause subclinical "toxic pneumonitis", even at low exposure. [Authors]

Development of a retrospective job exposure matrix for PCB-exposed workers in capacitor manufacturing

Objectives: Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are considered probable human carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and one congener, PCB126, has been rated as a known human carcinogen. A period-specific job exposure matrix (JEM) was developed for former PCB-exposed capacitor manufacturing workers (n=12,605) (1938-1977). Methods: A detailed exposure assessment for this plant was based on a number of exposure determinants (proximity, degree of contact with PCBs, temperature, ventilation, process control, job mobility). The intensity and frequency of PCB exposures by job for both inhalation and dermal exposures, and additional chemical exposures were reviewed. The JEM was developed in nine steps: (1) all unique jobs (n=1,684) were assessed using (2) defined PCB exposure determinants; (3) the exposure determinants were used to develop exposure profiles; (4) similar exposure profiles were combined into categories having similar PCB exposures; (5) qualitative intensity (high-medium-low-baseline) and frequency (continuous-intermittent) ratings were developed, and (6) used to qualitatively rate inhalation and dermal exposure separately for each category; (7) quantitative intensity ratings based on available air concentrations were developed for inhalation and dermal exposures based on equal importance of both routes of exposure; (8) adjustments were made for overall exposure, and (9) for each category the product of intensity and frequency was calculated, and exposure in the earlier era was weighted. Results: A period-specific JEM modified for two eras of stable PCB exposure conditions. Conclusions: These exposure estimates, derived from a systematic and rigorous use of the exposure determinant data, lead to cumulative PCB exposure-response relationships in the epidemiological cancer mortality and incidence studies of this cohort. [Authors]

MPWC : Manage projects, workers and contacts

El proyecto nace de la necesidad de implementar una herramienta de gestión a medida para la empresa Sonicon Systems S.L., dado que la herramienta actual no se adapta completamente a los requerimientos y, en algunos casos, es compleja o dispone de demasiada información.

Contingency Workers Study, December 2001

Contingency Workers Study by the Iowa Commission on the Status of Women

Suboptimal access to primary healthcare among street-based sex workers in southwest Switzerland.

OBJECTIVES: Street-based sex workers (SSWs) in Lausanne, Switzerland, are poorly characterised. We set out to quantify potential vulnerability factors in this population and to examine SSW healthcare use and unmet healthcare requirements. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey among SSWs working in Lausanne's red light district between 1 February and 31 July 2010, examining SSW socio-demographic characteristics and factors related to their healthcare. RESULTS: We interviewed 50 SSWs (76% of those approached). A fifth conducted their interviews in French, the official language in Lausanne. 48 participants (96%) were migrants, of whom 33/48 (69%) held no residence permit. 22/50 (44%) had been educated beyond obligatory schooling. 28/50 (56%) had no health insurance. 18/50 (36%) had been victims of physical violence. While 36/50 (72%) had seen a doctor during the preceding 12 months, only 15/50 (30%) were aware of a free clinic for individuals without health insurance. Those unaware of free services consulted emergency departments or doctors outside Switzerland. Gynaecology, primary healthcare and dental services were most often listed as needed. Two individuals (of 50, 4%) disclosed positive HIV status; of the others, 24/48 (50%) had never had an HIV test. CONCLUSIONS: This vulnerable population comprises SSWs who, whether through mobility, insufficient education or language barriers, are unaware of services they are entitled to. With half the participants reporting no HIV testing, there is a need to enhance awareness of available facilities as well as to increase provision and uptake of HIV testing.

Male production by workers in the polygynous ant Prolasius advenus

The ability of workers to produce male individuals is reported here for the first time in a species of the formicine ant genus Prolasius. We show that Prolasius advenus workers possess ovaries and demonstrate that they are able to produce adult males in queenless colonies. We also experimentally tested the influence of queen volatiles on the level of worker reproduction. Workers produced fewer eggs in treatments where they could perceive odors from queens. Some volatile compounds emitted by queens may thus have a signaling or inhibitory effect on worker reproduction. This effect of queen presence did not entirely stop worker reproduction, however, as adult males still emerged under these conditions. Worker-produced males were absent only in treatments with the physical presence of queens. Dissections of workers collected from queenright nests in the field revealed signs of egg-laying activity in more than half of individuals. Together, these results suggest that in nature P. advenus workers produce males at least in orphaned colonies or in situations where the physical presence of queens is limited.

Influence of the number of queens on nestmate recognition and attractiveness of queens to workers in the Argentine ant, Iridomyrmex humilis (Mayr)

To investigate the influence of the number of queens per colony on nestmate recognition in Iridomyrmex humilis, comparative assays were performed to study the attraction of workers to queens. These assays demonstrated that a phenomenon of recognition is superimposed on the attraction of workers to queens. Workers could discriminate non-nestmate queens from their nestmate queen to which they were significantly more attracted. This discrimination is probably based on the learning by workers of queen and colony odour. The level of attraction of workers to non-nestmate queens was similar in monogynous and polygynous colonies, whereas the level of attraction of workers to nestmate queens was significantly lower in polygynous colonies. This difference in the level of attraction of workers to nestmate queens almost certainly resulted from a lower efficiency in nestmate recognition in polygynous colonies. It is hypothesized that the mixture of several pheromonal sources produced by less related individuals in polygynous colonies may result in a less distinct colony odour than in monogynous colonies. The results are discussed with regard to some implications of polygyny and particularly to the loss of intercolonial aggression in I. humilis as well as in other polygynous ant species