MedWorm: Health and Safety

Substance use and social, health and safety-related factors among fatally injured drivers. - Karjalainen K, Blencowe T, Lillsunde P.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:09:27 +0100

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine different socio-demographic, health and safety-related factors, and psychoactive substance use among fatally injured drivers in road traffic accidents in Finland during 2006-2008. METHODS: An accident informa... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

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Psychosocial safety climate moderates the job demand-resource interaction in predicting workgroup distress. - Dollard MF, Tuckey MR, Dormann C.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:09:27 +0100

Psychosocial safety climate (PSC) arises from workplace policies, practices, and procedures for the protection of worker psychological health and safety that are largely driven by management. Many work stress theories are based on the fundamental interacti... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Safety climate in OHSAS 18001-certified organisations: Antecedents and consequences of safety behaviour. - Fernández-Muñiz B, Montes-Peón JM, Vázquez-Ordás CJ.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:09:27 +0100

The occupational health and safety standard OHSAS 18001 has gained considerable acceptance worldwide, and firms from diverse sectors and of varying sizes have implemented it. Despite this, very few studies have analysed safety management or the safety clim... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Psychosocial safety climate moderates the job demand-resource interaction in predicting workgroup distress.

Accident; Analysis and Prevention. — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:21:06 +0100

Authors: Dollard MF, Tuckey MR, Dormann C Abstract Psychosocial safety climate (PSC) arises from workplace policies, practices, and procedures for the protection of worker psychological health and safety that are largely driven by management. Many work stress theories are based on the fundamental interaction hypothesis - that a high level of job demands (D) will lead to psychological distress and that this relationship will be offset when there are high job resources (R). However we proposed that this interaction really depends on the organizational context; in particular high levels of psychosocial safety climate will enable the safe utilization of resources to reduce demands. The study sample consisted of police constables from 23 police units (stations) with longitudinal survey ...

Substance use and social, health and safety-related factors among fatally injured drivers.

Accident; Analysis and Prevention. — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:20:09 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Substance abuse and mental health problems, as well as reckless driving behavior were more pronounced among fatally injured drivers with substance findings when compared to sober drivers. Thus, prevention and early intervention concerning substance abuse, mental health problems and DUI are essential. Improved traffic safety cannot be achieved by means of traffic policy only, but integration with other policies, such as health and social policy should be strengthened. PMID: 22269564 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Accident; Analysis and Prevention.)

Safety climate in OHSAS 18001-certified organisations: Antecedents and consequences of safety behaviour.

Accident; Analysis and Prevention. — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:19:48 +0100

Authors: Fernández-Muñiz B, Montes-Peón JM, Vázquez-Ordás CJ Abstract The occupational health and safety standard OHSAS 18001 has gained considerable acceptance worldwide, and firms from diverse sectors and of varying sizes have implemented it. Despite this, very few studies have analysed safety management or the safety climate in OHSAS 18001-certified organisations. The current work aims to analyse the safety climate in these organisations, identify its dimensions, and propose and test a structural equation model that will help determine the antecedents and consequences of employees' safety behaviour. For this purpose, the authors carry out an empirical study using a sample of 131 OHSAS 18001-certified organisations located in Spain. The results show that management's commitm...

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Keeping nurse researchers safe: workplace health and safety issues

Journal of Advanced Nursing — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions. Researcher health and safety should be carefully considered at all stages of the research process. Research focusing on sensitive data and vulnerable populations need to consider risk minimization through strategies such as appropriate researcher preparation, safety during data collection, and debriefing if required. (Source: Journal of Advanced Nursing)

Occupational cytotoxic medication exposure in pregnancy

NeLM - Drugs in Pregnancy — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Source: UK Teratology Information Service Area: Evidence > Drugs in Pregnancy SUMMARY: Chemotherapeutic agents used in the management of malignant disease and as immunosuppressants are cytotoxic and therefore potentially hazardous substances which may be mutagenic, carcinogenic and teratogenic. Epidemiological evidence suggests that substantial systemic absorption occurs in non-pregnant health professionals exposed to chemotherapeutic agents, therefore concerns exist regarding possible adverse fetal effects following maternal occupational exposure in pregnancy. The available data which investigate the risks of occupational exposure amongst pregnant women provide conflicting findings and may also be confounded due to differences in workplace health and safety meas...

Open access: Comprehensive occupational health and safety resource now available online

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) DFG provides no-cost access to MAK collection which is a milestone in establishment of free access to research data/transparent policy consultancy. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Status of occupational health and safety in Iran. - Vigeh M, Mazaheri M, Seyedaghamiri Z.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:32:08 +0100

In recent decades, Iran has had a steadily growing economy with an annual rate of 6% on average. The country's economy is dominantly influenced by oil and natural gas production and related industries like petrochemicals and fertilizers. There are two mill... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Cohesive Research Plan Needed To Help Avoid Potential Health And Environmental Risks From Nanotechnology

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Despite extensive investment in nanotechnology and increasing commercialization over the last decade, insufficient understanding remains about the environmental, health, and safety aspects of nanomaterials. Without a coordinated research plan to help guide efforts to manage and avoid potential risks, the future of safe and sustainable nanotechnology is uncertain, says a new report from the National Research Council. The report presents a strategic approach for developing research and a scientific infrastructure needed to address potential health and environmental risks of nanomaterials... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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[Series] Crowd and environmental management during mass gatherings

The Lancet Infectious Diseases — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:05:13 +0100

Crowds are a feature of large cities, occurring not only at mass gatherings but also at routine events such as the journey to work. To address extreme crowding, various computer models for crowd movement have been developed in the past decade, and we review these and show how they can be used to identify health and safety issues. State-of-the-art models that simulate the spread of epidemics operate on a population level, but the collection of fine-scale data might enable the development of models for epidemics that operate on a microscopic scale, similar to models for crowd movement. (Source: The Lancet Infectious Diseases)

Biosensors for the analysis of microbiological and chemical contaminants in food.

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

This article will provide a brief footing in history before reviewing the latest developments in biosensor applications for analysis of food contaminants (January 2007 to December 2010), focusing on the detection of pathogens, toxins, pesticides and veterinary drug residues by biosensors, with emphasis on articles showing data in food matrices. The main areas of development common to these groups of contaminants include multiplexing, the ability to simultaneously analyse a sample for more than one contaminant and portability. Biosensors currently have an important role in food safety; further advances in the technology, reagents and sample handling will surely reinforce this position. PMID: 22278073 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry)

Strategic Research Plan Needed to Help Avoid Potential Risks of Nanomaterials

News from the National Academies — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:36:52 +0100

Despite extensive investment in nanotechnology and increasing commercialization over the last decade, insufficient understanding remains about the environmental, health, and safety aspects of nanomaterials. Without a coordinated research plan to help guide efforts to manage and avoid potential risks, the future of safe and sustainable nanotechnology is uncertain, says a new report from the National Research Council. An effective implementation of such a plan would require sufficient management and budgetary authority to direct research across federal agencies. (Source: News from the National Academies)

Strategic research plan needed to help avoid potential risks of nanomaterials

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(National Academy of Sciences) Despite extensive investment in nanotechnology and increasing commercialization over the last decade, insufficient understanding remains about the environmental, health, and safety aspects of nanomaterials. Without a coordinated research plan to help guide efforts to manage and avoid potential risks, the future of safe and sustainable nanotechnology is uncertain, says a new report from the National Research Council. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Errors in Text, Table Legend, and End Matter in: Sleep Disorders, Health, and Safety in Police Officers [Correction]

JAMA — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Source: JAMA)

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Occupational Health and Safety Surveillance and Research Using Workers' Compensation Data. - Utterback DF, Schnorr TM, Silverstein BA, Spieler EA, Leamon TB, Amick BC.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 12:05:52 +0100

This article is a summary of the proceedings from an invitational workshop held in September 2009 to discuss the use of WC data for occupa... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Carpal tunnel syndrome and its relationship to occupation: a meta-analysis

Rheumatology — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion. Occupational exposure to excess vibration, increased hand force and repetition increase the risk of developing CTS. Workplace strategies to avoid overexposure to these risk factors should be implemented. (Source: Rheumatology)

Development and Validation of a Real‐Time TaqMan Assay for the Detection and Enumeration of Pseudomonas fluorescens ATCC 13525 Used as a Challenge Organism in Testing of Food Equipments

Journal of Food Science — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Abstract: Pseudomonas fluorescens ATCC 13525 is used as the challenge organism to evaluate the efficacy of the clean‐in‐place (CIP) process of food equipment (automatic ice‐maker) as per NSF/ANSI Standard 12. Traditional culturing methodology is presently used to determine the concentration of the challenge organism, which takes 48 h to confirm the cell density. Storage of the challenge preparation in the refrigerator might alter the cell density as P. fluorescens is capable of growing at 4 °C. Also, background organism can grow on the Pseudomonas F agar (PFA) used for the recovery of P. fluorescens thus affecting the results of the test. Real‐time TaqMan assay targeting the cpn60 gene was developed for the enumeration and the identification of P. fluorescens because of its spec...

Now is the perfect time to schedule your child's yearly physical

Pediatric Health Associates — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:41:00 +0100

Kim GubbinsCertified Pediatric Nurse PractitionerWant to beat the rush? Now is the best time to get your child’s physical/annual checkup completed! Why wait until the summer ‘check-up’ crowd. Scheduling it now gives you the opportunity to schedule an appointment when it's convenient for you.The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and PHA recommend that all children have an annual well child exam even if a physical form is not needed for sports or school that particular year. This visit will include a history of what is going on in the child's life, developmental screening (autism screening at 18 and 24 months), a physical examination, possible laboratory tests (such as hemoglobin, lead, cholesterol or a urinalysis) or vaccinations. There w...

VPM Job Opportunity.

Support for International Change : HIV AIDS — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:58:25 +0100

Volunteer Program Manager Job Description SIC seeks a dynamic and organized individual to take leadership of Tanzania-based volunteer programs in rural villages. This is an eight month position with possibility to extend. The position in based in Arusha, Tanzania, but may require a long term stay (eight to ten weeks) in Babati town. Responsibilities: The Responsibilities of the position are to: • Take overall responsibility for all Tanzania-based aspects of the development, planning, execution and evaluation of volunteer programs for International Volunteers and Tanzanians, including to • develop relationships with local leaders, teachers, and other nongovernmental organizations; • identify appropriate homestays; • ...

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VPM Job Opportunity

Support for International Change : HIV AIDS — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:58:25 +0100

Volunteer Program Manager Job Description: SIC seeks a dynamic and organized individual to take leadership of Tanzania-based volunteer programs in rural villages. This is an eight month position with possibility to extend. The position in based in Arusha, Tanzania, but may require a long term stay (eight to ten weeks) in Babati town. Responsibilities: • take overall responsibility for all Tanzania-based aspects of the development, planning, execution and evaluation of volunteer programs for international volunteers and Tanzanians, including to • develop relationships with local leaders, teachers, and other nongovernmental organizations • identify appropriate homestays • organize a ten day orientation seminar • ...

Combining a Job-Exposure Matrix with Exposure Measurements to Assess Occupational Exposure to Benzene in a Population Cohort in Shanghai, China

Annals of Occupational Hygiene — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: We provide a useful framework for combining quantitative exposure data with expert-based exposure ratings in population-based studies that maximized the information from both sources. Our framework calibrated the ratings to a concentration scale between ratings and across time and provided a mechanism to estimate exposure when a job/industry group reported by a subject was not represented in the exposure database. It also allowed the job/industry groups’ exposure levels to deviate from the pooled average for their respective JEM intensity ratings. (Source: Annals of Occupational Hygiene)

A pilot study of occupational injury and illness experienced by classical musicians. - Raymond DM, Romeo JH, Kumke KV.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 23:37:58 +0100

Limited attention is paid to the hazards experienced by orchestra musicians in the occupational health and safety literature. Within that literature, the primary focus has been on noise exposure. A focus on this area is warranted because high sound pressur... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Paramedics and the effects of shift work on sleep: a literature review

Emergency Medicine Journal — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions Shift work can affect health and well-being on a variety of levels, both physiologically and psychologically, affecting aspects of work and personal life. Further research is warranted to prevent the issues of patient safety, work-related fatigue and the cumulative effects of shift work. (Source: Emergency Medicine Journal)

Pediatricians: Governments need to prioritize kids

CTV Health — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:06:18 +0100

Canada's federal, provincial and territorial governments should be doing more to promote the health and safety of children and youth, says the Canadian Paediatric Society in its latest biennial report card. (Source: CTV Health)

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Health And Safety At Sea

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0100

The probability of being killed at work is 25 times higher for a coastal fisherman than for an offshore worker, according to a study from the UiS. Seafarers also run a high risk of accidents. Fifteen people died on vessels registered in Norway during 2010, figures from the Norwegian Maritime Directorate (NMD) show. Eight of these were fishermen. Although these statistics show that the number of work accidents went down in 2009-10, the total has remained at a high and stable level for many decades... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Health and safety of the older worker. - Farrow A, Reynolds F.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:09:00 +0100

BACKGROUND: In the UK, increasing numbers of paid employees are over 60 years with further increases expected as the state pension age rises. Some concern surrounds possible increased work-related illness and accidents for people working beyond the age of ... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

The role of toxicology interpretations in prevention of sudden death

Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 16:53:30 +0100

This study examined pathology reports and coroner’s findings between January 2002 and December 2008. Cases that included exposure to a selection of serotonergic drugs were examined to determine the role of different death investigators in drug-associated deaths in Victoria, Australia. Of the 326 cases identified, the involvement of drugs in the death was discussed to some degree in 66% of cases. Recommendations by the coroner pertaining to death prevention were made in 12 cases (4%). In 16 cases (5%) the drugs were not mentioned in the findings, including at least 11 cases of probable major adverse drug interactions. Death investigations serve an important public health and safety role, however, the potential involvement of drugs in many cases is not always recognized. Content...

Policy Statement--Creating Healthy Camp Experiences. -

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:21:09 +0100

The American Academy of Pediatrics has created recommendations for health appraisal and preparation of young people before participation in day or resident camps and to guide health and safety practices for children at camp. These recommendations are inten... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Predictors and economic burden of serious workplace falls in health care. - Alamgir H, Ngan K, Drebit S, Guiyun Li H, Keen D.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:21:09 +0100

AIMS: To examine the demographic and workplace risk factors of serious falls and associated economic burden in Canadian health care workers. METHODS: Fall Injury data during 2005-2008 from a workplace health and safety surveillance system were linked with ... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

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Psychosocial safety climate as a lead indicator of workplace bullying and harassment, job resources, psychological health and employee engagement. - Law R, Dollard MF, Tuckey MR, Dormann C.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:21:09 +0100

Psychosocial safety climate (PSC) is defined as shared perceptions of organizational policies, practices and procedures for the protection of worker psychological health and safety, that stem largely from management practices. PSC theory extends the Job De... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Workforce Implications of Injury Among Home Health Workers: Evidence From the National Home Health Aide Survey.

The Gerontologist — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: McCaughey D, McGhan G, Kim J, Brannon D, Leroy H, Jablonski R Abstract Purpose of study: The direct care workforce continues to rank as one of the most frequently injured employee groups in North America. Occupational health and safety studies have shown that workplace injuries translate into negative outcomes for workers and their employers. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Organization of Work and Occupational Safety and Health framework is used to examine (a) relationships between injuries and work outcomes as reported by home health aides (HHAs) and (b) the likely efficacy of employee training and supervisor support in reducing worker risk for injury. DESIGN AND METHODS: Data for this analysis were drawn from the 2007 National H...

An Aging Workforce and Injury in the Construction Industry

Epidemiologic Reviews — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

The relatively large birth cohort between 1946 and 1964, combined with the economic recession in the first decade of the 21st century, have led to an increase in the proportion of older workers in the US workplace. Understanding the health and safety needs of an aging workforce will be critical, especially in the construction industry, where physical job demands are high. This paper reviews the epidemiologic literature on the impact of age on injury among workers in the construction industry in terms of cause, type, and cost. PubMed was searched by using the following terms: older workers, construction, construction industry, injury, and age. The available studies reported that, among the construction industry workforce, older age at injury was related to higher injury costs but not to num...

Childcare health and health consultation curriculum: Trends and future directions in nursing education

Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractPurpose. The purpose of this study was to identify graduate and undergraduate nursing courses in health and health consultation in childcare and early education, and faculty awareness and interest in federal resources.Design and Methods. A questionnaire was sent electronically to 140 faculty in 45 schools of nursing.Results. Fifty‐nine faculty from 45 schools (42%) participated, and 80% reported at least one course related to childcare health and safety. Most faculty were not aware of federal initiatives to support childcare health and safety, and the role of nurse childcare health consultants; however, many were interested in receiving instructional materials.Practice Implications. Utilizing federal resources to augment nursing education in childcare health and safet...

Suggested evaluation approach for health and safety training.

Work — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: The evaluation set up also provides useful information about the links between the training process and the results produced in work situations. PMID: 22297781 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Work)

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Approach to the Pretransplant Evaluation of the Living Kidney Donor

Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:36:22 +0100

This article provides an approach to evaluating a donor, focusing on the complex issues that an evaluator is faced with. A careful assessment of risks and benefits to both the donor and recipient can lead to favorable outcomes. (Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology)

Criminal charges brought after researcher dies

Physics Today News Picks — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Nature: On 29 December 2008, chemistry research assistant Sheharbano Sangji suffered third-degree burns when the t-butyl lithium she was drawing from a bottle via a syringe burst into flames. She wasn’t wearing a lab coat, and her clothes caught fire. She died in the hospital 18 days later. In the wake of Sangji’s death, UCLA tightened its safety policies; but despite calls to improve academia’s safety standards across the US, there’s little evidence that bench scientists or laboratory heads outside of UCLA have changed their behavior. The Los Angeles district attorney has now charged UCLA and organic chemist Patrick Harran with three counts each of “willful violation of an occupational health and safety standard causing the death of an employee.” Harr...

An Aging Workforce and Injury in the Construction Industry. - Schwatka NV, Butler LM, Rosecrance JR.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:51:29 +0100

A novel approach for determining total titanium from titanium dioxide nanoparticles suspended in water and biosolids by digestion with ammonium persulfate.

Analytica Chimica Acta — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 13:10:46 +0100

Authors: Khosravi K, Hoque ME, Dimock B, Hintelmann H, Metcalfe CD Abstract Titanium dioxide (i.e. TiO(2)) in nano-form is a constituent of many nanomaterials that are used in sunscreens, cosmetics, industrial products and in biomedical applications. Quantification of TiO(2) nanoparticles in various matrixes is a topic of great interest for researchers studying the potential health and environmental impacts of nanoparticles. However, analysis of TiO(2) as Ti(4+) is difficult because current digestion techniques require use of strong acids that may be a health and safety risk in the laboratory. To overcome this problem, we developed a new method to digest TiO(2) nanoparticles using ammonium persulfate as a fusing reagent. The digestion technique requires short times to completion an...

Health and safety of the older worker

Occupational Medicine — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions Implications for health and safety risks cannot be assessed without longitudinal research on workforces with substantial numbers of workers over age 60 in order to address the healthy worker effect. (Source: Occupational Medicine)

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Workplace health improvement: perspectives of environmental health officers

Occupational Medicine — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions This study indicates a gap between the contemporary EHO role framed by professional bodies as holistic and contributing to public health goals and the role perceived by EHOs ‘on the ground’. A more traditional, protective and enforcement-based approach persists among EHOs in this sample, and few feel they have skills to address determinants beyond physical hazards to health. Yet, a minority of EHOs adopted a more health-promoting approach, suggesting that the potential contribution of EHOs to the workplace health improvement agenda should be explored further. (Source: Occupational Medicine)

Home Washing Machines: Source Of Potentially Harmful Ocean 'Microplastic' Pollution

Health News from Medical News Today — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 08:00:00 +0100

The latest episode in the American Chemical Society's (ACS) award-winning "Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions" podcast series discusses the discovery that household washing machines seem to be a major source of so-called "microplastic" pollution -- bits of polyester and acrylic smaller than the head of a pin -- that researchers now have detected on ocean shorelines worldwide. In the podcast, Mark Anthony Browne, Ph.D., explains that the accumulation of microplastic debris in marine environments has raised health and safety concerns... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

40% of police officers have a sleep disorder according to a JAMA study

Clinical Cases and Images — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:53:07 +0100

More than a third of police officers have a sleep disorder, and those who do are more likely to experience heart disease, problems with job performance and rage toward suspects and citizens, says the NYTimes, citing a study in the JAMA. That figure is at least double the estimated 15-20% rate of sleep disorders seen in the general population. Having a sleep disorder raised the odds of heart disease by 45%, and the odds of depression by 120%. It also raised the odds of being injured on the job by 22% and falling asleep while driving by 51%. The JAMA report video. The officers who had sleep disorders reported more instances of “uncontrolled anger” toward suspects and citizens and serious administrative errors. Sleep deprivation may affect the amygdala, a part of the brain where emot...

US asks scientific journals to censor bird flu studies

Guardian Unlimited Science — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 04:41:00 +0100

US requests scientific journals publish redacted versions of studies on a version of bird flu that could spread to humansThe US government has asked the scientific journals Nature and Science to censor data on a laboratory-made version of bird flu that could spread more easily to humans, fearing it could be used as a potential weapon. The US National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity asked the two journals to publish redacted versions of studies by two research groups that created forms of the H5N1 avian flu that could easily jump between ferrets - typically considered a sign the virus could spread quickly among humans. The journals are objecting to the request, saying it would restrict access to information that might advance the cause of public health. The request was a first for th...

Ready or Not: Public Health Preparedness Q&A with Paul Jarris

RWJF News Digest - Public Health — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

NewPublicHealth caught up with Paul Jarris, MD, Executive Director of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, to talk about the ninth annual Ready or Not? Protecting the Public from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism report and what cuts in public health preparedness funding mean for state and local health departments and for the health and safety of Americans. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health)

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Sleep Disorders, Health, and Safety in Police Officers [Original Contribution]

JAMA — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion Among a group of North American police officers, sleep disorders were common and were significantly associated with increased risk of self-reported adverse health, performance, and safety outcomes. (Source: JAMA)

Medics who put health and safety before saving lives: The disturbing trend that led a 999 crew to refuse to carry a dying teenager

the Mail online | Health — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 01:24:03 +0100

Some twisted interpretation of the phrase ‘health and safety’ is to blame for a litany of tragedies - including 14-year-old Shannon Powell's death. (Source: the Mail online | Health)

Application of a trapezoidal fuzzy AHP method for work safety evaluation and early warning rating of hot and humid environments - Zheng G, Zhu N, Tian Z, Chen Y, Sun B.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:13:31 +0100

Hot and humid environments are prevalent in many industries. People working in hot and humid environments are at great risk of specific heat-related disorders, the productivity decrease and safety problems. In order to guarantee workers' health and safety,... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Occupational health and safety risks: Towards the integration into project management - Badri A, Gbodossou A, Nadeau S.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:13:31 +0100

Project management in industrial settings in many cases is deficient with respect to integrating OHS risks. This deficiency manifests itself as problems affecting the safety of industrial practices and is explained generally by poor knowledge of OHS within... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Realistic evaluation as a new way to design and evaluate occupational safety interventions - Pedersen LM, Nielsen KJ, Kines P.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:13:31 +0100

Recent debates regarding the criteria for evaluating occupational health and safety interventions have focused on the need for incorporating qualitative elements and process evaluation, in addition to attempting to live up to the Cochrane criteria. Reflect... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

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Pediatricians offer tips to avoid holiday hazards

USATODAY.com Health — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:25:27 +0100

From buying a tree to stringing up lights, there are a number of health and safety issues parents should consider during the holidays. (Source: USATODAY.com Health)

Gender and occupational health and safety requirements among Saskatchewan farm adolescents. - Crouchman E, Ding K, Hagel L, Dosman J, Pickett W.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 00:35:12 +0100

Children on farms perform hazardous work that exposes them to risks for injury. Hazards include operation of heavy machinery, working with limited supervision, working at heights, and performing work prohibited by law in other industries. Incidence rates a... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

The NIOSH Construction Program: research to practice, impact, and developing a National Construction Agenda. - Gillen M.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 00:35:12 +0100

The U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducts research to improve and protect the health and safety of workers. This paper describes the experience of the NIOSH Construction Program with two recent program planning initiat... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Dangerous Dining: Health and Safety in the New York City Restaurant Industry. - Jayaraman S, Dropkin J, Siby S, Alston LR, Markowitz S.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 00:35:12 +0100

OBJECTIVE:: We characterized the health and safety conditions of New York City restaurant workers, a population comprising largely of immigrants and people of color. METHODS:: We conducted an anonymous questionnaire survey of 502 New York City restaurant w... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Namibia: Vagrants Trash Old Swakopmund Fire Station

AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:09:57 +0100

THE old Swakopmund fire station in Libertina Amathila Street has been trashed by vagrants; becoming a health and safety concern to neighbours and forcing the municipality to investigate with the possible assistance of the Police. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)

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Ion mobility spectrometry as a high-throughput analytical tool in occupational pyrethroid exposure.

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Armenta S, Blanco M Abstract The capabilities of ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) as a high throughput and green analytical tool in the occupational health and safety control, using pyrethroids as models has been evidenced. The method used for dermal and inhalation exposure assessment is based on the passive pyrethroid sampling using Teflon membranes, direct thermal extraction of the pyrethroids, and measurement of the vaporized analytes by IMS without reagent and solvent consumption. The IMS signatures of the studied synthetic pyrethroids under atmospheric pressure chemical ionization by investigating the formed negative ion products have been obtained. The main advantages of the proposed procedure are related to the obtained limits of detection, ranging from 0.08 to 5 ng...

Determinants of Occupational Injury: A Case Control Study among Textile Factory Workers in Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia

Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 12:47:24 +0100

Conclusion. Lack of training, sleeping disturbance, and job stress increased the risk of occupational injury. So, providing basic health and safety training with special emphasis on younger and male workers, reducing stressors, and providing sleep health education were recommended. (Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology)

Cancer 'timebomb' fear linked to chemical used in paint and dye industry

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:06:27 +0100

Lawyers point to rise in people with bladder cancer and say victims may not be aware of risk from past employmentLawyers are warning of a "ticking timebomb" as workers exposed to carcinogenic chemicals in the 1950s and 1960s start to develop potentially fatal cancers.Their plight has drawn parallels with workers who inhaled fibres from insulation material used in the 1970s and contracted asbestosis, the chronic inflammation of the lungs that does not appear in victims for up to 40 years.Pannone, a law firm that specialises in industrial disease cases, said it had observed a "small but highly significant" rise in bladder cancer cases being referred to it. It said it now had around 20 cases on its books, compared with none just a few years ago."My fear is that workers in a number of industri...

2011 Fact Sheet: Childhood Agricultural Injuries

Rural publications via the Rural Assistance Center — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:49:44 +0100

Discusses at risk population, childhood agricultural injuries, minority operated farms, and statistics and data. -- National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety (Source: Rural publications via the Rural Assistance Center)

Letters: Sellafield and the selling of nuclear 'solutions'

Guardian Unlimited Science — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:00:08 +0100

George Monbiot (We need to talk about Sellafield. The nuclear solution that ticks all our boxes, 6 December) complains that anti-nuclear campaigners have thrown the scientific process into reverse: "people have begun with their conclusions, then frantically sought evidence to support them".Around 1995-96, I worked for Nirex, the industry-owned body tasked with dealing with the nation's stockpile of nuclear waste. In 1992, an essentially political and financial decision had been made to dispose of much of that waste in underground tunnels dug on nuclear industry land at Sellafield.Many tens of millions of pounds were spent on experiments, scientists, consultants, lawyers, PR people, and so on, to deliver the project. During a five-month public inquiry near Sellafield a team of us then ...

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Drug Shortages Affecting Nurses and Patients

NurseZone.com Nursing News — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:07:30 +0100

December 4, 2011 - Drug shortages have increasingly become a problem for nurses, physicians, pharmacists and, most importantly, patients, as manufacturing difficulties, shipping delays and ingredient shortages result in threats to public health and safety. (Source: NurseZone.com Nursing News)

The European Influence on Workers' Compensation Reform in the United States

Environmental Health — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Workers' compensation law in the United States is derived from European models of social insurance introduced in Germany and in England. These two concepts of workers' compensation are found today in the federal and state workers' compensation programs in the United States. All reform proposals in the United States are influenced by the European experience with workers' compensation. In 2006, a reform proposal termed the Public Health Model was made that would abolish the workers' compensation system, and in its place adopt a national disability insurance system for all injuries and illnesses. In the public health model, health and safety professionals would work primarily in public health agencies. The public health model eliminates the physician from any role other than that of privately...

PerkinElmer Launches Integrated Solution To Advance The Identification And Validation Of New Drug Targets And Improve Assessment Of Drug Response

Pharmaceutical Online News — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 22:30:00 +0100

PerkinElmer Inc., a global leader focused on improving the health and safety of people and the environment, recently announced the availability of the VectraTM 2 automated slide imaging system, adding AQUA technology to Vectra's unique multispectral and image analysis capabilities. (Source: Pharmaceutical Online News)

Environmental Protection Agency To Collect Health And Safety Information On Fracking Fluids

Chemical and Engineering News — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 06:06:22 +0100

(Source: Chemical and Engineering News)

HUD Offers $114 Million in Grants to Clean up Lead and Other Housing-Related Health Hazards

News stories via the Rural Assistance Center — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 06:00:00 +0100

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced that it is making approximately $114 million in grants available to help eliminate dangerous lead-based paint hazards from lower income homes in order to protect young children from lead poisoning; help local communities set up programs to control other housing health and safety hazards; and conduct research on improving control methods. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)

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Denying a Patient’s Final Will: Public Safety vs. Medical Confidentiality and Patient Autonomy

Journal of Pain and Symptom Management — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

This article provides a concise summary of the medicolegal and ethical fundamentals concerning this difficult situation. If the patient’s and others’ health and safety are at risk, physicians may (and in some countries must) break medical confidentiality and disclose confidential patient information to the police and other authorities. Physicians should be able to professionally deal with such a conflict in all patients, not only in patients with advanced illness. (Source: Journal of Pain and Symptom Management)

The Influence of Dust Standards on the Prevalence and Severity of Coal Worker's Pneumoconiosis at Autopsy in the United States of America.

Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions.-The study confirms a beneficial impact of the first 25 years of the dust standard established by the 1969 act on the prevalence and severity of coal worker's pneumoconiosis in US coal miners. However, pneumoconiosis continues to occur among miners who have worked entirely within the contemporary standard, suggesting a need for further reductions in exposure to respirable coal mine dust. PMID: 22129182 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine)

Microbe‐I: fungal biota analyses of the Japanese experimental module KIBO of the International Space Station before launch and after being in orbit for about 460 days

Microbiology and Immunology — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

In conclusion, the cleanliness in KIBO was equivalent to that in a clean room environment on the ground. (Source: Microbiology and Immunology)

Employment conditions and health inequities: a case study of Brazil.

Cadernos de Saude Publica — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

We describe the Brazilian context of employment conditions, labor conditions and health, their characteristics and causal relationships. The social, political and economic factors that influence these relationships are also presented with an emphasis on social inequalities, and how they are reproduced within the labor market and thereby affect the health and wellbeing of workers. A literature review was conducted in SciELO, LILACS, Google and Google Scholar, MEDLINE and the CAPES Brazilian thesis database. We observed that there are more workers operating in the informal sector than in the formal sector and these former have no social insurance or any other social benefits. Work conditions and health are poor in both informal and formal enterprises since health and safety labor norms are n...

Health and safety implications of occupational exposure to engineered nanomaterials

Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Nanomedicine and Nanobiotechnology — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractThe rapid growth and commercialization of nanotechnology are currently outpacing health and safety recommendations for engineered nanomaterials. As the production and use of nanomaterials increase, so does the possibility that there will be exposure of workers and the public to these materials. This review provides a summary of current research and regulatory efforts related to occupational exposure and medical surveillance for the nanotechnology workforce, focusing on the most prevalent industrial nanomaterials currently moving through the research, development, and manufacturing pipelines. Their applications and usage precedes a discussion of occupational health and safety efforts, including exposure assessment, occupational health surveillance, and regulatory considerations for ...

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What matters for people with dementia in care homes? Aging and mental health.

Aging and Mental Health — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Care homes may be designed and organised according to the priorities of staff and managers rather than the needs of residents and family carers. Service planners need to be aware of this discrepancy and consider the views of residents. PMID: 22129467 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Aging and Mental Health)

EPA Plans To Collect Data On Fracking Fluids

Chemical and Engineering News — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:49:09 +0100

Health And Safety: Agency will draft rules to help make information about hydraulic fracturing mixtures available to public (Source: Chemical and Engineering News)

A sane approach at last to health and safety

Telegraph Health — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:38:35 +0100

The Lofstedt Review aimed at tackling needless rules and regulations would restore common sense to the workplace, says Philip Johnston. (Source: Telegraph Health)

EU safety rules costly and pointless, experts tell ministers

Telegraph Health — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:32:27 +0100

European Union health and safety laws are imposing "unnecessary costs" on British businesses "without obvious benefits," a Government study has concluded. (Source: Telegraph Health)

The Bhopal gas disaster and the poor state of occupational health and safety India. - Thomas G.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 00:42:13 +0100

[Abstract unavailable] Language: Eng... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

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Staff at fault for workplace injuries to be blocked from suing companies

Telegraph Health — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 20:26:39 +0100

Irresponsible workers who are injured at work because of their own mistakes should not be able to sue their employers for damages, a review of health and safety rules will say next week. (Source: Telegraph Health)

Inpatient Utilisation of Mobile Phones in a Surgical Setting -Communication, Cross-Contamination and Health and Safety Cautions: Category: Scientific free paper

Journal of Infection — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 11:05:46 +0100

Environmental bacterial contamination is associated with the incidence of local healthcare associated infection rates. Such rates are responsive to environmental decontamination interventions. (Source: Journal of Infection)

A Difference-in-Differences Analysis of Health, Safety, and Greening Vacant Urban Space

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Greening of vacant urban land may affect health and safety. The authors conducted a decade-long difference-in-differences analysis of the impact of a vacant lot greening program in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on health and safety outcomes. "Before" and "after" outcome differences among treated vacant lots were compared with matched groups of control vacant lots that were eligible but did not receive treatment. Control lots from 2 eligibility pools were randomly selected and matched to treated lots at a 3:1 ratio by city section. Random-effects regression models were fitted, along with alternative models and robustness checks. Across 4 sections of Philadelphia, 4,436 vacant lots totaling over 7.8 million square feet (about 725,000 m2) were greened from 1999 to 2008. Regression-adjusted esti...

Report highlights home care failures

NHS News Feed — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:00:00 +0100

A number of elderly people are being let down by home care services, an inquiry by the Equality and Human Rights Commission has found. The commission reported that around half of the older people and relatives interviewed were highly satisfied with their standard of care. However, in a minority of cases there were significant lapses in the care some received. Among the problems reported were older people being left unwashed, denied assistance with eating and without a say in the way they were treated. In a few isolated cases, elderly patients reported physical abuse and having money systematically stolen. The report is one of a series of damning examinations into elderly care to be published in recent months. Investigations by the Patients’ Association and Care Quality Commission (CQC) ...

A health and safety survey of Irish funeral industry workers

Occupational Medicine — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions This study demonstrates widespread occupational health concerns among this professional group. It confirms the need for occupational health advice and services. There is also a strong desire for regulation of this profession in Ireland. (Source: Occupational Medicine)

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Creating Health Connections for Vulnerable Working Populations: Goodwill North Central Wisconsin's Circles of Good Care Model.

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Weiss MD Abstract Worker health is influenced by workplace, work processes, and workmates. This case study shows it is possible to create health connections for vulnerable working populations through health and wellness coaching. The health and safety of team members has been improved by providing on-site health coaching linked to mental and emotional well-being, as well as financial security. By leveraging the collective efficacy of the workplace, more vulnerable populations can become better health care consumers, with increased self-efficacy in promoting their own health and wellness and that of their families. PMID: 22106960 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: AAOHN Journal : official journal of the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses)

Strong China demand boosts Halma

FT.com - Drugs and Healthcare — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 00:59:10 +0100

Strong growth in the Asian country has helped the supplier of health and safety devices to report record first-half results (Source: FT.com - Drugs and Healthcare)

Health And Safety In EMS Has A Lot To Do With Worker Perception

Health News from Medical News Today — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:00:00 +0100

Poor perceptions about workplace safety culture among emergency medical services (EMS) workers is associated with negative patient and provider safety outcomes -- the first time such a link has been shown in the pre-hospital setting, according to a study by University of Pittsburgh researchers that now appears online in Prehospital Emergency Care and is scheduled to be published in the January-March print edition. "There are sometimes drastic differences in how workers perceive their workplace safety from one EMS agency to the next," said senior author P. Daniel Patterson, Ph.D... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Europe Bans Airport X-Ray Scanners. Should the U.S. Follow Suit?

RWJF News Digest - Public Health — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

As millions of American travelers take to the airways this Thanksgiving, they will increasingly face the new generation of full-body scanners at airport security — including the kind that Europe just banned for reasons of "health and safety.” (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health)

What Do You Do When The Parent is Impaired?

PediatricEducation.org — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:47:49 +0100

Discussion Workplace violence is defined by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) as “violent acts (including physical assaults and threats of assaults) directed toward persons at work or on duty.” Social services and health care professionals are at high risk for workplace violence, with the numbers probably higher because of underreporting. In 2000 the Bureau of Labor statistics reported the following rates of injuries from violent acts and assaults. Rates are per 10,000 full-time workers Overall private sector 2 Health services 9.3 Social services 15 Personal care facility 25 The Department of Justice has average annual rates of non-fatal violent crime from 1993-1999. Rates are per 1000 workers All occupations 12.6 Physicians 16.2 Nurse...

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It's an inhuman law that stops firemen from saving lives

Telegraph Health — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:52:09 +0100

When a life is at risk, common sense, not health and safety, should prevail, says Graeme Archer. (Source: Telegraph Health)

Full Body X-Ray Scanners Banned in European Airports

MedPage Today State Required CME — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:34:15 +0100

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- The European Union has banned the use of full-body airport scanners that use x-rays "in order not to risk jeopardizing citizens' health and safety." (Source: MedPage Today State Required CME)

Rehabilitating vacant lots improves urban health and safety

ScienceDaily Headlines — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 19:04:04 +0100

Greening of vacant urban land may affect the health and safety of nearby residents. In a decade-long comparison of vacant lots and improved vacant lots, greening was linked to significant reductions in gun assaults across most of Philadelphia and significant reductions in vandalism in one section of the city. Vacant lot greening was also associated with residents in certain sections of the city reporting significantly less stress and more exercise. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

Dukan diet 'tops list of worst celeb diets'

NHS News Feed — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:30:00 +0100

The popular Dukan diet has been slammed as “ineffective and without scientific basis”, The Daily Telegraph has today reported. The newspaper says that the British Dietetic Association has criticised a range of celebrity diets, including the Dukan diet rumoured to be used by Kate Middleton. Anticipating the huge surge in dieting around Christmas and New Year, the association has drawn up a list of five 'fad diets' that slimmers may be considering after reading about celebrities using them to stay trim. According to the British Dietetic Association (BDA), the top diets to avoid are: The Dukan diet: this restrictive, complicated diet includes phases of eating only protein and avoiding a number of foods. Kate Middleton, Jennifer Lopez and Gisele Bundchen are reported to be fans. However...

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Rehabilitating vacant lots improves urban health and safety, Penn study finds

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

(University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine) Greening of vacant urban land may affect the health and safety of nearby residents. In a decade-long comparison of vacant lots and improved vacant lots, greening was linked to significant reductions in gun assaults across most of Philadelphia and significant reductions in vandalism in one section of the city. Vacant lot greening was also associated with residents in certain sections of the city reporting significantly less stress and more exercise. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

E.U. fears X-ray scanners, among other things

Health Facts and Fears — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

True to form, the E.U. continues down the path of hyper-caution and decided Monday to ban the use of X-ray body scanners in all European airports "in order not to risk jeopardizing citizens’ health and safety," the European Commission stated. (Source: Health Facts and Fears)

How Valid Are Health Concerns for the Occupy Wall Street Camps?

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:15:00 +0100

Watching the Occupy Wall Street demonstrators march by the offices of Scientific American yesterday got me thinking about health conditions at Zuccotti Park. New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg said that “ health and safety conditions became intolerable at the encampment, so he was forced to evict demonstrators and remove their tents and sleeping bags. Hmm. Maybe. There have been reports of protestors coming down with “ Zuccotti lung .” Of course, just about everyone in New York has colds this time of year.So I’d like to do a little digging–call up a few folks who run refugee camps and humanitarian disaster sites to see what they do to try to keep those places healthy. If you have a particular expertise on the subject, you can call me at (212) 451-8815. [More]...

Europe Bans Airport Body Scanners For "Health and Safety" Concerns

Forbes.com Healthcare News — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 04:55:35 +0100

The European Union issued a ruling this week that bans X-ray body scanners in all European airports. According to the European Commission, the agency charged with enforcing the ruling across the EU’s 27 member nations, the prohibition is necessary “in order not to risk jeopardizing citizens’ health and safety.” (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)

Female caregivers' perceptions of reasons for violent behaviour among nursing home residents. - Graneheim UH, Hörnsten A, Isaksson U.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 23:51:22 +0100

ACCESSIBLE SUMMARY: • Threats and violence against professional caregivers present a growing health and safety problem in elderly care. • Caregivers attribute violent behaviour in the elderly to patient characteristics, caregiver approach and... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

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Toxicogenomic comparison of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and asbestos.

Archives of Toxicology — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Kim JS, Song KS, Lee JK, Choi YC, Bang IS, Kang CS, Yu IJ Abstract Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have specific properties, including electrical and thermal conductivity, great strength, and rigidity, that allow them to be used in many fields. However, this increasing contact with humans and the environment is also raising health and safety concerns. Thus, research on the safety of CNTs has attracted much interest, including a comparison of the toxic effects of asbestos and carbon nanotubes, due to their physical similarity of a high aspect ratio (length/diameter). Nonetheless, there has not yet been a toxicogenomic comparison. Therefore, to examine toxicogenomic effects, the 50% growth inhibition (GI(50)) concentration was determined for multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and ...

Job strain in relation to body mass index: pooled analysis of 160 000 adults from 13 cohort studies

Journal of Internal Medicine — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions. In an analysis of European data, we found both weight gain and weight loss to be associated with the onset of job strain, consistent with a ‘U’‐shaped cross‐sectional association between job strain and BMI. These associations were relatively modest; therefore, it is unlikely that intervention to reduce job strain would be effective in combating obesity at a population level. (Source: Journal of Internal Medicine)

Education: My best weapon in injury prevention

Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:29:00 +0100

Discussions about risky behaviors are too late for these kids. They needed guidance, at regular intervals, prior to these incidents—the kind of guidance that is the mainstay of what we do as health care providers. Asking patients about tobacco, drug and alcohol use, sexual activity, and finding out if they are depressed, have suicidal thoughts and have access to weapons that can readily kill them is vital to my work as an emergency medicine physician. Eric Fleegler, MD, MPH In January of 2011 I was stunned to read about a bill submitted to the Florida legislature that would prohibit health care providers from talking to patients about firearm ownership. The original bill designated an inquiry about firearm ownership by a physician as a “felony of the third degree,” punishable ...

Updated NIH Sleep Disorders Research Plan seeks to promote and protect sleep health

National Institutes of Health (NIH) News Releases — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 19:01:00 +0100

Building on scientific advances that link sleep problems to health and safety risks, the National Institutes of Health today released the 2011 NIH Sleep Disorders Research Plan. (Source: National Institutes of Health (NIH) News Releases)

Civil commitment law, mental health services, and US homicide rates

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 17:57:30 +0100

Conclusions While social-economic-demographic-geographic-and-political indicators show the strongest association with homicide rate variation, the results show the importance and potentially preventive utility of broader ICC criteria, increased psychiatric inpatient-bed access, and better performing mental health systems as factors contributing to homicide rate variation. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original PaperPages 1-10DOI 10.1007/s00127-011-0450-0Authors Steven P. Segal, Mental Health and Social Welfare Research Group and the Mack Center on Mental Health and Social Conflict, School of Social Welfare, University of California, 120 Haviland Hall (MC# 7400), Berkeley, CA 94720-7400, USA Journal Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric EpidemiologyOnline I...

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Coal workers' pneumoconiosis in the United States: regional differences 40 years after implementation of the 1969 Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act

Occupational and Environmental Medicine — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion The observed CWP prevalence substantially exceeded predicted levels in central Appalachia. However, the increased prevalence was not explained by the measured levels of dust exposures. Likely contributing factors include mine size and low seam mining, which may be associated with higher exposure to silica. Further study is needed to characterise the responsible factors for the elevated CWP rates in central Appalachia. (Source: Occupational and Environmental Medicine)

Recent Veterans In College Engage In Riskier Health Behaviors

Health News from Medical News Today — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 07:00:00 +0100

College students who have served in the U.S. conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are more likely than their non-veteran peers to use tobacco, drink in excess and engage in other behaviors that endanger their health and safety, according to a study that appeared in the latest issue of American Journal of Health Promotion. "We also found some protective behaviors where veterans showed particular strengths," said lead author Rachel Widome, Ph.D., of the Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center and University of Minnesota... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Recent Veterans in College Engage in Riskier Health Behaviors

Health Behavior News Service — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 23:56:35 +0100

10/31/2011, American Journal of Health Promotion, College students who have served in the U.S. conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are more likely than their non-veteran peers to use tobacco, drink in excess and engage in other behaviors that endanger their health and safety, according to a study that appeared in the latest issue of American Journal of Health Promotion. (Source: Health Behavior News Service)

Fracking 'probable' cause of Lancashire quakes

Guardian Unlimited Science — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:48:00 +0100

Controversial 'fracking' technique to extract gas from the ground was the 'highly probable' cause of earth tremors, report findsTwo earthquake tremors in north-west England earlier this year were probably caused by controversial operations to extract gas nearby, a report by the company responsible has concluded.The two tremors - magnitude 2.3 and 1.5 - which were felt by people just outside Blackpool, but did not cause any known damage, were reported in April and May. Since the second event, Cuadrilla Resources has stopped "fracking" operations – where water and chemicals are injected into rocks at high pressure to extract gas from the cracks.The news came as protesters against the controversial new energy source halted work at a Cuadrilla gas exploration rig at Banks, near Southport, Me...

Hepatitis C virus infection among transmission-prone medical personnel

European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 05:49:36 +0100

Abstract Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected physicians have been reported to infect some of their patients during exposure-prone procedures (EPPs). There is no European consensus on the policy for the prevention of this transmission. To help define an appropriate preventive policy, we determined the prevalence of HCV infection among EPP-performing medical personnel in the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The prevalence of HCV infection was studied among 729 EPP-performing health care workers. Serum samples, stored after post-hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination testing in the years 2000–2009, were tested for HCV antibodies. Repeat reactive samples were confirmed by immunoblot assay and the detection of HCV RNA. The average age of the 729 health care wo...

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A systematic review of the effectiveness of occupational health and safety training.

Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: The review team recommends that workplaces continue to deliver OHS training to employees because training positively affects worker practices. However, large impacts of training on health cannot be expected, based on research evidence. PMID: 22045515 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health)

Fitness to drive forms - a guide for GPs.

Australian Family Physician — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: Landgren F Abstract The effect of medical conditions on fitness to drive and crash risk has long been recognised. Therefore doctors and other health professionals play an important role in public health and safety when advising patients about fitness to drive and when providing information to driver licensing authorities to support their decision making in this regard. Various forms support communication between the doctor, patient and driver licensing authority. PMID: 22059227 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Australian Family Physician)

Most Dangerous Job: Study raises awareness about the many hazards of EMS

JEMS: Journal of Emergency Medical Services — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Many in our profession read Prehospital Emergency Care (PEC), a comprehensive EMS industry journal that is peer reviewed and devoted to prehospital research. In this column, I often assume we're all already reading PEC and therefore try to find research in other venues that EMS would not typically stumble across. This month, however, two occupational health and safety studies in PEC should be given the national spotlight. For those who've made the ultimate sacrifice and the many more of us who have been injured or disabled as a result of work injuries, I urge you to read these two PEC articles and help me alert the media and public about how dangerous our job really is. (Source: JEMS: Journal of Emergency Medical Services)

Does workforce regulation have the intended effect? The case of Chinese medicine practitioner registration.

Australian Health Review — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: Lin V, Gillick D Abstract The Chinese Medicine Registration Act was passed through Victorian parliament in 2000, based on policy research that suggested the need for statutory registration as a means for protecting public health and safety. This paper reports on the implementation and the effect of this policy. By examining registration, complaints and prosecution data from the Chinese Medicine Registration Board as well as comparing the complaints data between 2003 and 2007 across all Victorian registration boards, this paper considers the extent to which the policy research and the policy intent were justified. Based on the experience of the Chinese Medicine Registration Board, the paper points to issues that should be further considered as Chinese medicine moves into th...

PerkinElmer introduces NexION® enhanced security software

Healthcare IT News Press Releases — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:21:07 +0100

PerkinElmer, Inc., a global leader focused on improving the health and safety of people and the environment, today announced the introduction of the new NexION® Enhanced Security™ (ES) Software, to streamline regulatory compliance by pharmaceutical companies. The ES Software platform was developed for users ofPerkinElmer’s NexION 300 ICP-MS system. No read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Press Releases)

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Trick or treat: Dental hygiene key concern on Halloween

CTV Health — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 11:55:27 +0100

Elaborate costumes and sugary treats are the primary focus on Halloween, but health and safety -- including the need for dental hygiene -- are also considerations for parents. (Source: CTV Health)

Federal government releases environmental, health, and safety research strategy for nanotechnology

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

(National Nanotechnology Coordination Office) The federal government today released a national strategy for ensuring that environmental, health, and safety research needs are fully identified and addressed in the fast-growing field of nanotechnology. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

National Sleep Foundation brings the sleep community together for Sleep Health and Safety 2012

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

(National Sleep Foundation) The National Sleep Foundation will hold its annual Sleep Health & Safety conference March 2-3, 2012 at the JW Marriott in Washington, D.C. "Sleep Health & Safety is the only conference that convenes primary care physicians with researchers, thought leaders and policy makers in sleep science, public health and safety. The NSF's Sleep Health & Safety 2012 conference advances the state of sleep health diagnosis and treatment and explores the intersection of sleep health and public policy," says Russell Rosenberg, Ph.D., Chair of the NSF. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

HHS agencies express support for infant safe sleep recommendations

National Institutes of Health (NIH) News Releases — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 15:01:00 +0100

Representatives of the agencies in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with a focus on infant health and safety today expressed their support for the new infant safe sleep recommendations issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). (Source: National Institutes of Health (NIH) News Releases)

Fish pedicure risk "very low"

NHS News Feed — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 17:45:00 +0100

“Trendy fish pedicures could spread HIV and hepatitis C,” The Sun has today reported. Its front-page story said that officials have raised an “alert” over the treatment, popular in beauty spas, where tiny fish are used to nibble away areas of hard foot skin. While The Sun has been carping on about warnings and alerts, the newspaper seems to have overestimated the scale of the risk, which health experts have described as being “extremely low”. Rather than being an alert, the news is based on a report by the Health Protection Agency that has set out good practice for so-called ‘fish spas’ that offer the service. While the report did acknowledge that the risk of infections could not be completely ruled out, it is important to view this in context and not be reeled in by fishy ...

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Going Up?

Red Cross Chat — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:31:34 +0100

If you’re like most people, when you step onto an elevator full of strangers you keep to yourself. You press the button associated with the floor to which you’re heading, step away from the door and the people you don’t know, and watch the numbers light up. This unique situation, where we are presented with a potentially captive audience but choose not to take advantage of it, led to the creation of the Elevator Speech/Pitch. An elevator speech is a short description of what you do; the point you’d like to make; or a product, service, or organization and its value to the individual or community. The name “elevator speech” comes from the idea that the entire summary should be deliverable in approximately 30-60 seconds, or the time the average person spends on an elevator r...

Marine and farmed fish on the Polish market: Comparison of the nutritive value and human exposure to PCDD/Fs and other contaminants.

Chemosphere — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: Szlinder-Richert J, Usydus Z, Malesa-Ciećwierz M, Polak-Juszczak L, Ruczyńska W Abstract Chemical analyses were performed in nine fish species that are popular on the Polish market. These included Baltic fish (cod, herring, salmon), fish farmed in Poland (carp, trout), marine fish imported from China (Alaska pollock, sole), and farmed fish imported from Vietnam and China (sutchi catfish, tilapia). The nutritional composition (amino acid, micro- and macronutrients, fat-soluble vitamins - A(1), D(3), E) and certain contaminants (organochlorine pesticides, OCPs; indicator polychlorinated biphenyl, PCB(6); polychlorinated dibenzo-paradioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans, PCDD/Fs; dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, dl-PCBs; organotin compounds, OCTs; dyes, malachite ...

Recognizing Cesarean Delivery on Maternal Request as a Social Problem: Utilizing the Public Arenas Model.

Policy, Politics, and Nursing Practice — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: Yamamoto SL Abstract Nearly one in three babies in the United States are now born surgically. While many causes for this surge in cesareans have been suggested, the phenomenon of cesarean delivery on maternal request (CDMR) has been the subject of the most controversy. Utilizing Hilgartner and Bosk's public arenas model, this article examines the ways in which CDMR has been framed and a collective definition of the problem established. Recognizing CDMR as a social problem is the first step to creating policies to ensure that the health and safety of mothers and babies are protected. PMID: 22005526 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Policy, Politics, and Nursing Practice)

Psychosocial safety climate - Idris MA, Dollard MF, Coward J, Dormann C.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 02:41:16 +0100

Psychosocial safety climate is an emerging construct that refers to shared perceptions regarding policies, practices, and procedures for the protection of worker psychological health and safety. The purpose of the research was to: (1) demonstrate that psyc... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Worldwide Wednesday Wrap-Up

Red Cross Chat — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 22:45:35 +0100

This Worldwide Wednesday Wrap-Up is courtesy of Scott Waggoner, from Cross Blog: Award-winning Red Cross news and views from Oregon and beyond Welcome to the Worldwide Wednesday Wrap-Up, in which we consolidate the international Red Cross and Red Crescent news into one list of bite-sized links for you. It’s a non-comprehensive sampling of the larger and/or more intriguing aspects of our global work… PHILIPPINES: Two weeks after typhoon Nesat and Nalgae hit the northern Philippines, the Philippine Red Cross is intensifying relief efforts for flooding and landslides with support from the IFRC. At least 90 have died and four million have been affected. Last week the IFRC launched a preliminary emergency appeal for $3.9 million dollars and the American Red Cross has contributed $50...

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Health and Safety: A Quick Guide

International Journal of Dairy Technology — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 15:25:16 +0100

(Source: International Journal of Dairy Technology)

2011 Statewide Profile of Child Well-Being: North Dakota Kids Count

Rural publications via the Rural Assistance Center — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:19:04 +0100

Provides a comprehensive review of child well-being in North Dakota. Divided into seven sections including Demographics, Family and Community, Economic Well-Being, Early Care, Education, Health, and Safety and Risky Behaviors. -- North Dakota KIDS COUNT (Source: Rural publications via the Rural Assistance Center)

Funeral Home Location Added to Tox Town

News from the Division of Specialized Information Services — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:30:30 +0100

Tox Town has added a funeral home location page. Funeral home employees are exposed to a number of health and safety concerns. Visit the new location page to learn about possible employee exposure to various chemicals, including formaldehye and solvents, and bloodborne pathogens. (Source: News from the Division of Specialized Information Services)

Tox Town Adds a Funeral Home to the City

Network News — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:27:30 +0100

In Tox Town’s City Scene http://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/flash/city/flash.php you can now find a Funeral Home among the businesses. Funeral home employees are exposed to a number of health and safety concerns. Go directly to the new location page to learn about possible employee exposure to various chemicals, including formaldehye, solvents and bloodborne pathogens: http://www.toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/text_version/locations.php?id=145 En español: Funeraria http://www.toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/espanol/locations.php?id=146 (Source: Network News)

Tox Town has added a new location to the City scene in both English and Spanish.

Midcontinental Region News — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:18:42 +0100

Funeral Home Location Added to Tox Town City Scene Funeral home employees are exposed to a number of health and safety concerns. Visit the new location page to learn about possible employee exposure to various chemicals, including formaldehyde and solvents, and blood borne pathogens. Funeral Home http://www.toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/text_version/locations.php?id=145 Funeraria http://www.toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/espanol/locations.php?id=146 (Source: Midcontinental Region News)

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Agricultural health and safety performance in Australia. - Lower T, Fragar L, Temperley J.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 00:10:04 +0100

This study aimed to determine the proportion of Australian farming enterprises with systems and processes that meet current regulatory and industry standards for health and safety. Data from 683 farming enterprises were drawn from a nationally stratified r... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Occupational epidemiology and the national institute for occupational safety and health.

MMWR Surveill Summ — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: Halperin W, Howard J, Abstract The major factors that propelled the development of occupational epidemiology since the 1950s have been delineated. They include momentum to control occupational injury that gained national prominence in the wake of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire of March 25, 1911, in which 146 young, mostly female immigrant garment workers fell to their deaths while escaping from a fire in a locked sweat shop. This tragedy was a turning point in the nationwide adoption of state-based occupational safety regulations, workers' compensation programs, and federal safety legislation. During the 1930s, federal initiatives in occupational safety and health required contractor compliance, not only with wage and hour laws, but also with federal occupational safety and...

Environmental, health and safety issues: Nanoparticles in the real world

Nature Nanotechnology — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Nature Nanotechnology 6, 613 (2011). doi:10.1038/nnano.2011.169 Author: Maxine J. McCall Risk assessments of products containing nanomaterials require both the materials in the products and the materials emitted during their use to be analysed so that realistic exposures can be determined. (Source: Nature Nanotechnology)

Examining the decline in lost-time claim rates across age groups in Ontario between 1991 and 2007

Occupational and Environmental Medicine — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Conclusions This study is one of the first to show a convergence in youth and adult workers' compensation claims in a North American jurisdiction. Ruling out work-related factors increases the possibility that systemic interventions may have contributed to the convergence. This provides policy makers in occupational health and safety with empirical data to guide targeting of resources. (Source: Occupational and Environmental Medicine)

Understanding changes over time in workers' compensation claim rates using time series analytical techniques

Occupational and Environmental Medicine — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Conclusions The analysis suggests that workers' compensation claim rates between 1991 and 2008 were driven by (in order of magnitude) a strong negative long term growth trend, periodic seasonal trends and business cycle fluctuations proxied by the Ontario unemployment rate. (Source: Occupational and Environmental Medicine)

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Life, limb and hearing – How to save all three!

International Journal of Surgery — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 22:52:32 +0100

Aim: To establish if the sound levels produced by power tools in the orthopaedic theatre is within the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, which help prevent acoustic trauma to operating staff and patients. (Source: International Journal of Surgery)

Exposure to carbamates in pregnancy

NeLM - Drugs in Pregnancy — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Source: UK Teratology Information Service Area: Evidence > Drugs in Pregnancy SUMMARY: Carbamate insecticides contain a functional carbamate ester group which inactivates acetylcholinesterase (AChE) by carbamylation of the enzyme. In mammals, carbamate insecticide toxicity differs from that of organophosphate (OP) insecticides in that AChE inhibition is usually less profound and more rapidly reversible. When these products are used in the recommended way there is a large safety margin in humans. Clinically significant effects of AChE inhibition in humans are only observed following extremely high levels of exposure. As with all chemicals, unnecessary exposure to carbamate insecticides should be avoided during pregnancy. However, where occupational e...

One of These Things is Not Like the Others

Red Cross Chat — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:04:14 +0100

As promised in last week’s post, today I’d like to share with you the experience I had here in Texas that indirectly resulted in my becoming a blogger for the Red Cross. If you’ve read my introduction, you already know that I’ve been involved with the Red Cross for more than 20 years. Nearly every class I’ve taken (outside of college), every certification I’ve received, and all of the volunteer work I’ve done has been through the Red Cross. Additionally, my entire professional career has been with the Red Cross. Keep this in mind as I go on… This fall both of my kids attend preschool on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. As much as I’d like to return to work at the Red Cross, doing so isn’t in the cards right now thanks to my kids’ half-day school schedule. This half-day ...

Plasmodium vivax Seroprevalence in Bred Cynomolgus Monkeys, China.

Emerging Infectious Diseases — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: Elmore DB Abstract To the Editor: Having worked with numerous species of research nonhuman primates over the past 26 years, I have a keen interest in related occupational health and safety. In this regard, I was quite interested in the recent report by Li et al. (1) and have some comments and questions relative to this article. PMID: 22000395 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Emerging Infectious Diseases)

If we'll restore a painting of Pompeii, why won't we restore Pompeii itself? | Simon Jenkins

Guardian Unlimited Science — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 21:29:00 +0100

To watch the ruins at Pompeii slowly decay is heartbreaking. We must abandon the 'conserve as found' maxim and reconstructWith exquisite timing, the Tate in London is staging a show of great disasters, by the Victorian artist, John Martin. The paintings depict Vesuvius erupting, Sodom in flames, Noah racing for his ark, Babylon falling, and the horsemen of the apocalypse charging everywhere, as if London were playing host not to the Olympics but to Armageddon. The centrepiece is Martin's massive study of the Destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum, a swirling furnace of reds, pinks and purples. The 8ft-wide picture, one third obliterated in a flood disaster of its own, has been brilliantly restored and repainted by the Tate's staff.I saw the painting shortly after seeing the original of the...

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North Dakota Kids Count 2011 Fact Book: State, Regional, and County Profiles of Child Well-Being in North Dakota

Rural publications via the Rural Assistance Center — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:18:57 +0100

Provides a profile of critical issues for North Dakota children and families at the state, regional, and county level. Provides multiple well-being indicators categorized by demographics, family & community, economic well-being, education & early care, health, and safety & risky behaviors. -- North Dakota State Data Center (Source: Rural publications via the Rural Assistance Center)

Major sources of critical incidents in intensive care

BioMed Central — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Critical incident reporting helps to identify frequent causes of adverse events in critical care. Improvements in quality of care following implementation of preventative strategies such as introduction of regular equipment training sessions will have to be assessed further in future studies. (Source: BioMed Central)

Drivers of adoption of safety innovations on Australian cotton farms. - Fragar L, Temperley J.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:58:41 +0100

The Australian cotton industry has been a leader in the adoption of farm health and safety approaches in the Australian agricultural sector. In order to analyze factors associated with occupational health and safety performance, a review of available infor... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Dirty, dangerous and destructive – the elements of a technology boom | SE Smith

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:00:00 +0100

The environmental and human costs of rare earth metals are high. Yet electronics are still built to be discarded, not recycledRare earth metals are, if you're reading this, all around you. They're in your computer or tablet or mobile device. They're in the cellphone you may own, in the other technology you rely on for tasks of daily living. You can find them in the batteries of hybrid cars and in a myriad of other places. With the technology boom has come a spike in the usage of rare earth metals because they're critical for the construction of some many of the components we need to make technology work. They may have exotic names that are difficult to pronounce, but they're ubiquitous in daily life in developed communities.Technology, we are often reminded, is the hope of the future, is t...

Children's To Require Influenza Vaccinations For All Hospital Workers, Volunteers And Vendors

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 09:00:00 +0100

For the first time, Children's Medical Center will require all employees, contractors, volunteers and vendors to get influenza vaccinations this fall to protect the health and safety of the hospital's patients. The universal requirement is being enacted not only to protect patients, but also their families and the hospital's workers, as well as to reduce absences at work, Children's occupational health officials said. Children's Medical Center will provide the vaccinations at no cost to all hospital employees, medical and dental staff and volunteers... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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In vitro toxicity assessment of three hydroxylated fullerenes in human skin cells.

Toxicology in Vitro — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: Saathoff JG, Inman AO, Xia XR, Riviere JE, Monteiro-Riviere NA Abstract Carbon fullerenes possess unique properties and their interactions with biomolecules have widespread applications. Functionalization of fullerenes with hydroxyl groups (fullerenols) can increase the solubility and potential for cellular interaction, but the health and safety effects of varying degrees of fullerene hydroxylation in biological systems is poorly understood. Existing reports regarding the toxicity and inflammatory potential of fullerenols give conflicting conclusions. To further elucidate the potential for toxicity of fullerenols, human epidermal keratinocytes (HEK) were exposed to fullerenols (low (C(60)(OH)(20)), medium (C(60)(OH)(24)), and high (C(60)(OH)(32))) at concentrations ranging...

Pass notes, No 3,048: UARS

Guardian Unlimited Science — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 19:30:00 +0100

The decomissioned Nasa satellite is about to plummet to Earth – and there is a chance a piece of it will land on someone's headAge: 20Appearance: Any time from now till Saturday.Where? On Earth.What is it? Some kind of virus? It's a 35ft long, six-tonne piece of space hardware known as the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite.And it's going to return to Earth this week? If by "return to" you mean "plummet toward", then yes. Since UARS was decommissioned in 2005, its re-entry has been an inevitability.But it will probably just break up when it hits the atmosphere, right? Right, although 26 of the biggest pieces – the heaviest weighing about 136kg – are expected to survive to impact.Oh my God! What if one lands on me? The odds are approximately 1 in 3,200, according to Nasa [see footnot...

Do costs matter in occupational health?

Occupational and Environmental Medicine — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Many studies have documented the adverse effects of hazardous working conditions on the health of occupational populations. Occupational injuries and work-related disorders contribute substantially to morbidity and mortality in the workforce as well as in the general population. Adequate control measures in the workplace are required to prevent work-related burden of disease. The progress in occupational health has been documented, among others, by a steady reduction in chemical exposure at the workplace1 as well as a decline in excess mortality attributable to work.2 In more recent years, the economic consequences of illness and disease have emerged as a key area of research, whereby cost of illness studies have invariably reported that the disease of interest will result in considerable ...

Vetter Receives Internationally Recognised Certification for Environmental, Health and Safety Programme

Pharmaceutical Technology — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Vetter has received certification for its integrated management system for environmental, health and safety (EHS). The company earned ISO 14001 certification for its environmental management system and BS OHSAS 18001 certification for its occupational health and safety management system. These certifications cover all of Vetter's European facilities and were issued by the international certification network IQNet following extensive audits. Auditors assessed how well the EHS programme had been integrated into management and business processes. They also evaluated processes and organisati... Read More Related Links: Vetter Receives Internationally Recognised Certification for Environmental, Health and Safety ProgrammeVetter Wins Frost & Sullivan 2011 Eu...

Why parents shouldn't feel guilty if they can't devote time to their toddlers

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 23:34:27 +0100

Critics are rejecting the theory that children need close attention in their first three years, dismissing neuroscience as 'neurotrash'Any parent who has felt guilty about putting their child in a nursery or felt under pressure to sign them up for baby music classes to give them a head start in life will note with interest the opening of a conference at the University of Kent this week. The event will look at what organisers call "the extreme focus on early childhood".Academics will argue that parents of babies and toddlers – especially mothers – are subject to ridiculous levels of pressure to "get things right" that leads to "unwarranted anxieties and guilt".Led by John Bruer, author of The Myth of the First Three Years, they say the neuroscience backing claims of the importance of pa...

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Parkland's top doctor says hospital will stay open

bizjournals.com Health Care:Biotechnology headlines — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 22:11:29 +0100

Parkland's chief medical officer says the hospital is open and he still does not expect to lose federal funding. Dr. Jay Shannon said late Friday that Parkland has until Thursday to enter into a contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, after the federal agency earlier Friday told the hospital that it no longer qualifies for funding because of "an immediate and serious threat to patient health and safety." Parkland President and CEO Dr. Ron Anderson has said the hospital could remain open without federal funding for 100 days using reserve funds... (Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Biotechnology headlines)

Vetter Receives Internationally Recognized Certification For Environmental, Health

Pharmaceutical Online News — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 04:48:00 +0100

Vetter received certification for its integrated management system for environmental, health and safety (EHS). The company earned ISO 14001 certification for its environmental management system and BS OHSAS 18001 certification for its occupational health and safety management system. (Source: Pharmaceutical Online News)

Microbe‐I: fungal biota analyses of Japanese experimental module KIBO, international space station which passed for about 460 days

Microbiology and Immunology — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

In conclusion, cleanliness at KIBO was equivalent to that in a clean room environment on the ground. (Source: Microbiology and Immunology)