To investigate changes of physical performance during long working hours and extended workweeks among construction workers, 19 construction workers with 12-h workdays and extended workweeks participated. Heart Rate (HR) during each of the two separate workdays corresponded to a relative workload of 25%. Sub-maximal HR was lower, reaction time faster and handgrip strength higher in the end of each test day. No trends of decreased physical performance were found after a workday or a work period.

Changes in physical performance among construction workers during extended workweeks with 12-hour workdays
Anne Faber , Jesper Strøyer, Nis Hjortskov and Bente Schibye
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, online 27 October 2009

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate changes of physical performance during long working hours and extended workweeks among construction workers with temporary accommodation in camps.

Methods: Nineteen construction workers with 12-h workdays and extended workweeks participated. Physical performance in the morning and evening of the second and eleventh workdays was tested by endurance, ability to react to a sudden load, flexibility of the back, handgrip strength and sub-maximal HR during a bicycle test. HR was registered throughout two separate workdays.

Results: HR during each of the two separate workdays corresponded to a relative workload of 25%. Sub-maximal HR was lower, reaction time faster and handgrip strength higher in the end of each test day. In the end of the work period, sub-maximal HR was lower, reaction time faster and sitting balance was better.

Conclusion: No trends of decreased physical performance were found after a workday or a work period.

Last year, the number of occupational disease claims rose by 6% according to figures from the Center for Insurance Statistics (CVS) in the Netherlands. More than three quarters of these claims relate to asbestos-related diseases. The reports of mesothelioma increased by 10% and its financial burden increased by 72% to 10 million euros.

The annual financial burden of all occupational diseases is 14 million euros. This burden increased by 46% in 2008 as compared to 2007 . Nellie Martens, linked to the Asbestos Institute, explains the long latency of asbestos: it takes on average 38 years before mesothelioma becomes visible. Since only in 1993 the asbestos ban went into force, it is to be expected that more patients will be diagnosed in the coming years. Until 2017 the number of victims will remain stable or rise slightly, and after that the number decreased gradually.

The average claim size of occupational diseases has increased slightly over 2008 and came out to almost 31,000 euros. Mesothelioma claims increased the most, rising almost 20%. The RSI claims have fallen sharply in the past six years.

In the October podcast, HSE’s Steve Coldrick talks about the Asbestos – the Hidden Killer campaign:

Listen to October 2009 Podcast – Asbestos: The Hidden Killer

Work-related carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a leading cause of lengthy disability.  To characterize associations between utilization of CTS surgery and duration of lost work 8224 workers’ compensation claims filed during 1990-1994 were studied. The findings suggest disability can be minimized by establishing the CTS diagnosis as early as possible and, if surgery is appropriate, conducting surgery without substantial delay and maximizing post-operative efforts to facilitate return to work.

Work-related carpal tunnel syndrome in Washington State workers’ compensation: Utilization of surgery and the duration of lost work
William E. Daniell, MD, MPH, Deborah Fulton-Kehoe, MPH, PhD , Gary M. Franklin, MD, MPH Am. J. Ind. Med. 2009

Abstract

Background: Work-related carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a leading cause of lengthy disability.

Methods: This population-based retrospective cohort study used Washington State workers’ compensation claims for CTS to characterize associations between utilization of CTS surgery and duration of lost work. The sample included all claims (n = 8,224) filed during 1990-1994 (followed through 2000) and receiving lost-work compensation.

Results: Sixty-four percent of studied workers had CTS surgery. Among workers with >1 month of lost work, the total duration was much shorter when workers had surgery, versus those who did not (median 4.3 and 6.2 months, respectively; P < 0.001); there was no difference when disability extended >6 months.

When workers had surgery, disability was less likely to end before 6 months

• if non-CTS conditions were present,
• surgery occurred >3 months after claim filing,
• employment was in an industry with high incidence of CTS;

Disability was more likely to end if the diagnosing provider and operating surgeon had higher CTS claims volume. Physical and rehabilitation medicine services were associated with lower probability of returning to work, with or without surgery.

Conclusions: There is a need to scrutinize the role of surgery and physical-rehabilitation medicine modalities in the management of CTS covered by workers’ compensation. The findings suggest disability can be minimized by establishing the CTS diagnosis as early as possible and, if surgery is appropriate, conducting surgery without substantial delay and maximizing post-operative efforts to facilitate return to work. Use of surgery >6 months after filing should be considered with great caution.

To get insight in the true burden of asbestosis in the population it’s not enough to rely on a single source. Triangulation of workers’ compensation, hospitalisation and outpatient databases records is necessary to get a better picture.

Population-based asbestosis surveillance in British Columbia
W Q Gan, P A Demers, C B McLeod M Koehoorn
Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2009;66:766-771 

Objectives: To investigate the use of multiple health data sources for population-based asbestosis surveillance in British Columbia, Canada.

Methods: Provincial health insurance registration records, workers’ compensation records, hospitalisation records, and outpatient medical service records were linked using individual-specific study identifiers. The study population was restricted to individuals >=15 years of age living in the province during 1992–2004.

Results: 1170 new asbestosis cases were identified from 1992 to 2004 for an overall incidence rate of 2.82 (men: 5.48, women: 0.23) per 100 000 population; 96% of cases were male and average (SD) age was 69 (10) years. Although the annual number of new cases increased by 30% during the surveillance period (β = 2.36, p = 0.019), the observed increase in annual incidence rates was not significant (β = 0.02, p = 0.398).

Workers’ compensation, hospitalisation and outpatient databases identified 23%, 48% and 50% of the total new cases, respectively. Of the new cases, 82% were identified through single data sources, 10% were only recorded in the workers’ compensation records, and 36% only in each of the hospitalisation and outpatient records. 84% of hospitalisation cases and 83% of outpatient cases were not included in the workers’ compensation records. The three data sources showed different temporal trends in the annual number of new cases and annual incidence rates.

Conclusions: Single data sources were not sufficient to identify all new cases, thus leading to serious underestimations of the true burden of asbestosis. Integrating multiple health data sources could provide a more complete picture in population-based surveillance of asbestosis and other occupational diseases.

To investigate the association between current rhinitis and pesticide use, a study was performed using data from 2245 Iowa commercial pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study. Five pesticides used in the past year were significantly positively associated with current rhinitis: the herbicides 2,4-D, glyphosate and petroleum oil, the insecticide diazinon and the fungicide benomyl.

Rhinitis associated with pesticide exposure among commercial pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study
R E Slager, J A Poole, T D LeVan, D P Sandler, M C R Alavanja, J A Hoppin
Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2009;66:718-724

Objectives: Rhinitis is common, but the risk factors are not well described. To investigate the association between current rhinitis and pesticide use, we used data from 2245 Iowa commercial pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study.

Methods: Using logistic regression models adjusted for age, education and growing up on a farm, we evaluated the association between current rhinitis and 34 pesticides used in the past year.

Results: 74% of commercial pesticide applicators reported at least one episode of rhinitis in the past year (current rhinitis). Five pesticides used in the past year were significantly positively associated with current rhinitis: the herbicides 2,4-D, glyphosate and petroleum oil, the insecticide diazinon and the fungicide benomyl. The association for 2,4-D and glyphosate was limited to individuals who used both in the past year (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.77). Both petroleum oil and diazinon showed consistent evidence of an association with rhinitis, based on both current use and exposure–response models. We saw no evidence of confounding by common agricultural rhinitis triggers such as handling grain or hay.

Conclusions: Exposure to pesticides may increase the risk of rhinitis.

Playing volleyball and basketball has a positive association with the onset or worsening of jumper’s knee. Other risk factors are training and playing hours of at least 12 hours per week and/or in combination with weight training of at least 5 hours per week, and/or with playing or training on a hard surface. We did not find a specific occupational risk factor.

Risk factors for developing jumper’s knee in sport and occupation: a review
Ivo JH Tiemessen, P Paul FM Kuijer*, Carel TJ Hulshof and Monique HW Frings-Dresen BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:127 doi:10.1186/1756-0500-2-127

Background: The onset of jumper’s knee is generally associated with sports and sporting activities. Employees in certain professions might be at risk as well for developing jumper’s knee. Therefore, it is of interest to identify risk factors in sport and/or occupation.

Findings: A systematic search of the international scientific literature was performed until November 2008 in the scientific databases (a) Medline, (b) Embase, and (c) SportDiscus. All types of studies were included. The search strategy retrieved ten articles about risk factors in sport that met the inclusion criteria. Risk factors that could be identified are; playing volleyball (4 studies), playing basketball (3 studies), training and playing volleyball/basketball more than 12 hours per week (2 studies), in combination with weight-bearing activities of at least 5 hours per week (1 study) and playing or training on a hard surface (1 study). No studies were found regarding occupation that fulfilled the inclusion criteria.

Conclusion: Playing volleyball and basketball has a positive association with the onset or worsening of jumper’s knee. Other risk factors are training and playing hours of at least 12 hours per week and/or in combination with weight training of at least 5 hours per week, and/or with playing or training on a hard surface. We did not find a specific occupational risk factor.

The primary aim of this follow-up study was to evaluate the association between the use of ergonomic measures and musculoskeletal complaints among construction workers during an informational campaign on sector level. The researchers conclude that despite a large informational campaign, regular use of ergonomic measures remained low in a 4.5 year period. Regular use of the majority of ergonomic measures was associated, although not statistically significantly, with a lower likelihood of lower back or shoulder complaints.

The use of ergonomic measures and musculoskeletal complaints among carpenters and pavers in a 4.5-year follow-up study
Van der Molen HF, Sluiter JK, Frings-Dresen MH. Ergonomics. 2009 Aug;52(8):954-63

The primary aim of this follow-up study was to evaluate the association between the use of ergonomic measures and musculoskeletal complaints among construction workers during an informational campaign on sector level.

A questionnaire was sent twice to a cohort of 914 Dutch carpenters and pavers, once in 2000 and once in 2005. Relative risks (RR) were calculated for the regular use of ergonomic measures and regular or sustained lower back and shoulder pain among workers at baseline and 4.5 years follow-up. The response percentages were 78% (n = 469) for carpenters and 64% (n = 202) for pavers.

Regular use of specific ergonomic measures varied from 15-66% at baseline to 17-66% at follow-up. Four specific ergonomic measures showed a statistically significant increase in usage. Regular or sustained lower back and shoulder complaints among carpenters decreased from 38 to 34% (p = 0.07) and 24 to 22% (p = 0.18), respectively. Among pavers, lower back (34%) and shoulder (17 to 18%) complaints remained the same or increased.

Regular use of a height-adjustable working platform was associated with a lower likelihood of shoulder complaints at baseline (RR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.46-<1.00) and low back complaints at follow-up (RR = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.50-0.88) among carpenters.

Also regular use of aids for handling heavy loads was associated with no shoulder complaints at baseline RR = 0.62 (95% CI: 0.40-0.97) among carpenters.

In conclusion, despite a large informational campaign, regular use of ergonomic measures remained low in a 4.5 year period. Regular use of the majority of ergonomic measures was associated, although not statistically significantly, with a lower likelihood of lower back or shoulder complaints. It is recommended to select, apply and monitor powerful implementation strategies to ensure the use of effective ergonomic measures at construction sites.

The objective was to assess risk of work-related injuries in an acute care setting while contrasting injuries of aides and nurses. It turned out that aides had higher overall injury rates than nurses for no-lost work time (RR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.1-1.3) and lost work time (RR = 2.8, 95% CI: 2.1-3.8) injuries. The risk of an injury due to lifting was greater among aides compared to nurses for both non-lost work time and lost work time injuries. Injury rates among aides were particularly high in rehabilitation and orthopedics units.

Occupational injuries among aides and nurses in acute care
R.L. Rodríguez-Acosta et al. American Journal of Industrial Medicine.

Occupational injuries are common among nursing personnel. Most epidemiologic research on nursing aides comes from long-term care settings. Reports from acute care settings often combine data on nurses and aides even though their job requirements and personal characteristics are quite different. Our objective was to assess risk of work-related injuries in an acute care setting while contrasting injuries of aides and nurses.

A retrospective cohort of aides (n = 1,689) and nurses (n = 5,082) working in acute care at a large healthcare system between 1997 and 2004 were identified via personnel records. Workers’ compensation filings were used to ascertain occupational injuries. Poisson regression was used to estimate rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

Aides had higher overall injury rates than nurses for no-lost work time (RR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.1-1.3) and lost work time (RR = 2.8, 95% CI: 2.1-3.8) injuries. The risk of an injury due to lifting was greater among aides compared to nurses for both non-lost work time and lost work time injuries. Injury rates among aides were particularly high in rehabilitation and orthopedics units. Most of the injuries requiring time away from work for both groups were related to the process of delivering direct patient care.

Our findings illustrate the importance of evaluating work-related injuries separately for aides and nurses, given differences in injury risk profiles and injury outcomes. It is particularly important that occupational safety needs of aides be addressed as this occupation experiences significant job growth.

Here you can find a video in several languages dealing with European measures to tackle stress at work