Asbestos sampling and monitoring data, starting from 2003, located in a large federal facility’s Asbestos Air Database Management (AADM) repository will be queried and analyzed on airborne asbestos fiber concentrations generated from abatement activities of asbestos-containing materials (ACM) and asbestos-containing building materials (ACBM). Historically, concerns expressed by personnel outside of the containment areas, whether adjacent to or quite a distance from the asbestos abatement activities present operational challenges for the project manager, potential angst and uneasiness to personnel residing next to the abatement activity as well as programmatic concerns to the building/facility managers. The concerned individuals working outside the abatement enclosure, in an unrelated activity to the abatement often believe there is a high probability for personal exposures of asbestos fibers based on their proximity to the abatement activities. Perceptions regarding containment performance, the uncertainty surrounding the long latency period between asbestos fiber exposure and onset of disease, and the lack of understanding about containment efficacy are just some of the elements that can generate worry. Using statistical analysis tools, such as regression analysis, relationships between one or more predictor variables relative to a response variable were investigated. This research reviewed and compared airborne asbestos fiber sample data relative to the specific activities, whether abatement or other, that were performed. In an effort to establish a holistic awareness to the reader as to why individuals are concerned about being located near asbestos abatement activities, the history of asbestos regulation and epidemiology is also discussed. The dataset contained 5534 sampling records made up of 3738 area samples (1426 outside containment structure and 2312 inside containment structure) and 1796 personal samples. Analysis identified that 1779 (>99%) out of the 1796 total personal exposure samples in the dataset indicated the asbestos workers were appropriately protected from overexposures. Only seventeen (<1%) of the 1796 total personal exposure samples exceeded the respective Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs): • Fifteen of the 17 exceeded the 8-hr TWA, 0.1 f/cc OEL. These exceedances were positively correlated with work tasks identifying that no respirators were required due to a Negative Exposure Assessment (NEA). • Two of the 17 exceeded the Assigned Protection Factor for the Half Face APR (10x the OEL protection) adjusted 8-hr TWA OEL, 1 f/cc. • There were no OEL exceedances identified for any 30-min Excursion personal sampling events. The focus for this assessment was to determine the efficacy of the asbestos abatement process and increased health risks to personnel. The findings suggest there is performance variability in the containment structures; however, the abatement process was effective and protective of the non-asbestos personnel outside of the abatement work area. It can also be concluded that the abatement process of containment structures, negative air, work methods (e.g. wet methods) and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) have provided a protective environment for both workers and non-asbestos personnel outside of the containment structures.

Active noise reduction was first proposed as a solution for environmental noise over fifty years ago. The use of active noise reduction (ANR) systems, however, was not demonstrated until much later. Recent advances in technology have made the use of active noise reduction systems in personal hearing protection devices (HPDs) practical. Through the use of advanced electronics technology, ANR equipped devices offer the potential to provide increased low frequency attenuation for hearing conservation applications. In order to use ANR equipped devices in an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sanctioned hearing conservation program, a testing standard for ANR equipped HPDs needs to be developed. Existing HPD testing standards offer the most promise for developing an acceptable standard for testing ANR-equipped HPDs. The microphone in real ear (MIRE) testing method is one method that offers a practical method for determining the performance of ANR devices for use in hearing conservation programs. A modified version of this method was successfully used in this study to determine the performance profile of an open-back ANR equipped headset. The results of this and other studies that have used a modified MIRE testing method can be used to support the acceptance of this method as the basis of an approved standard for testing ANR-equipped hearing protection devices. / Master of Science

The principal objective of this study was to investigate whether or not nurses' compliance with universal precautions procedures improved after the mandatory Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations were implemented in 1992. Two random samples of registered nurses and licensed practical nurses registered in Tennessee responded to survey questionnaires measuring universal precautions compliance and practice barriers to compliance in 1991 and 1993 (n = 306). The 1993 sample of nurses reported significantly greater compliance with universal precautions (p < 0.001) than the 1991 sample. The most noteworthy improvement between the 1991 and the 1993 groups was a significant increase in compliance for patients described as HIV/HBV-status unknown and HIV/HBV-negative (p < 0.001). Practice barriers hindering compliance with universal precautions decreased significantly (p < 0.001) in the 1991-1993 time frame. Problematic practice barriers identified in both groups were needle recapping, preference for isolation door signs, and concerns about offending patients and visitors.

Construction is a very deadly industry with Texas having the highest rate of deaths of construction workers of any state. Hispanic workers are at an even higher risk than white, non-Hispanic workers for being injured or killed while working on a construction site. However, traditional materials available through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to train workers in job safety cannot effectively reach the Hispanic construction worker population because of language and educational barriers. This study examines a non-traditional safety training program tailored specifically for Spanish monolingual construction workers in order to reach these otherwise hard-to-reach workers, created by Workers Defense Project (WDP) in Austin, Texas, through a Department of Labor grant. Through participatory learning techniques, WDP has had a high rate of success in educating low-literacy, Spanish monolingual construction workers on workplace safety and rights. Through further evaluation of this program, the unique methods utilized in this training can be developed and applied in other areas and industries to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities in construction and other hazardous industries. / text

Multi-piece wheels or rims used on large vehicles such as trucks, tractors, trailers, buses and off-road machines have often been known for their dangerous properties because of the large number of catastrophic accidents involving them. The main causes for these accidents range from dislocation of the rim components in the assembly, mismatch of the components, manufacturing tolerances, corrosion of components to tires. A finite element analysis of a two-piece rim design similar to one manufactured by some of the prominent rim manufacturers in the USA is undertaken. A linear static deformation analysis is performed with the appropriate loading and boundary conditions. The dislocation of the side ring with respect to the rim base and its original designer intent position is established using simulation results from ANSYS and actual rim failure cases. Reliability of the multi-piece rims is analyzed using the failure data provided by the rim manufacturers in connection with a lawsuit (Civil Action No. 88-C-1374). The data was analyzed using MINITAB. The effect of an OSHA standard (1910.177) on servicing multi-piece rims was studied for change in failure patterns of different rims. The hazard functions were plotted and failure rates were calculated for each type of rim. The failure rates were found to be increasing suggesting that the standard had minimal effect on the accidents and failures. The lack of proper service personnel training and design defects were suggested as the probable reasons for the increasing failure rates.

Psykosocial ohälsa är en av de största orsakerna till sjukfrånvaro bland tjänstemän. Få studier syftar till att undersöka förebyggande aktiviteter för stress på organisationsnivå. Europeiska arbetsmiljöbyrån, EU-OSHA, erbjuder råd för att på företag förebygga stress. Syftet med detta examensarbete var att beskriva hur tjänstemän upplevde EU-OSHA:s råd för organisatoriska stressförebyggande insatser. Undersökningen sökte svar på om råden upplevdes genomförbara, om det fanns hinder som försvårade genomförandet och vilka förutsättningar som krävdes. Metoden som användes var en induktiv kvalitativ ansats, där 16 intervjuer genomfördes på sex stora Svenska företag. Resultatet visade att EU-OSHA:s råd upplevdes som genomförbara men de upplevdes ibland för övergripande och otydliga. De olika förutsättningarna och hindren som beskrevs formade följande teman: Kulturen på företaget, Krav, Kontroll &amp; Stöd samt Kunskap &amp; Kompetens. Diskussion: EU-OSHAs råd kan tyckas vara enkla men de ger inte praktiskt stöd till företagen. Alla informanter fann råden bra men de var tvetydiga och tolkades därför olika. Råden hade ingen inbördes prioritetsordning. Informanterna angav ett antal hinder och visade på förutsättningar som krävdes för att genomförande av råden skulle få effekt. Förutsättningarna tycktes ligga i att skapa bra kultur på företaget, ha möjlighet att påverka och kontrollera arbetsmiljön samt att kunskap fick chansen att förädlas till kompetens. / Psychosocial health is one of the biggest causes of absenteeism among employees. Few studies are designed to investigate prevention activities for stress at the organizational level. EU-OSHA offers recommendation to companies about stress prevention. The purpose of this study was to describe how officials experience EU-OSHA´s recommendation on organizational stress prevention. The study aimed to clarify whether the recommendations may be considered feasible, if there are any obstacles making implementation difficult and what conditions are required to fulfill implementation. The method used had an inductive qualitative approach, in which 16 interviews were conducted at six large Swedish companies. The result showed that the recommendations were considered feasible but they were at times experienced too general and vague. The various conditions and constrains described formed the following theses: Company Culture, Requirements, Control &amp; Support and Knowledge &amp; Skills. Discussion: The recommendations may seem simple but it was found that they do not give practical support to companies. All respondents found them good but sometimes ambiguous and consequently interpreted differently. Moreover, the recommendations are given no particular order of priority. The respondents listed different barriers that made implementation difficult. The conditions needed for a successful implementation seem to depend on good company culture, the possibility to influence and manage your own working environment as well as the chance to turn personal knowledge into practical skills.

Psykosocial ohälsa är en av de största orsakerna till sjukfrånvaro bland tjänstemän. Få studier syftar till att undersöka förebyggande aktiviteter för stress på organisationsnivå. Europeiska arbetsmiljöbyrån, EU-OSHA, erbjuder råd för att på företag förebygga stress. Syftet med detta examensarbete var att beskriva hur tjänstemän upplevde EU-OSHA:s råd för organisatoriska stressförebyggande insatser. Undersökningen sökte svar på om råden upplevdes genomförbara, om det fanns hinder som försvårade genomförandet och vilka förutsättningar som krävdes. Metoden som användes var en induktiv kvalitativ ansats, där 16 intervjuer genomfördes på sex stora svenska företag. Resultatet visade att EU-OSHA:s råd upplevdes generellt som genomförbara men ibland för övergripande och otydliga. De olika förutsättningarna och hindren som beskrevs formade följande teman: Kulturen på företaget, Krav, Kontroll &amp; Stöd samt Kunskap &amp; Kompetens. Diskussion: För att kunna jobba med stressförebyggande insatser på organisationsnivå och få de önskade effekterna, som välmående personal och förbättrad produktivitet,  måste alla delar av organisationen vara beredda att bidra i arbetet. Utmaningen i denna process är hur samverkan ska gå till och hur resurser ska tas fram  i form av tid och kompetent personal. Om företagsledningen lyckas med detta, skapas det förutsättningar för en bra psykosocial arbetsmiljö, vilket är ett nyckelord för ett friskt och lönsamt företag. / Psychosocial health is one of the biggest causes of absenteeism among employees. Few studies are designed to investigate prevention activities for stress at the organizational level. EU-OSHA offers recommendation to companies about stress prevention. The purpose of this study was to describe how officials experience EU-OSHA´s recommendation on organizational stress prevention. The study aimed to clarify whether the recommendations may be considered feasible, if there are any obstacles making implementation difficult and what conditions are required to fulfill implementation. The method used had an inductive qualitative approach, in which 16 interviews were conducted at six large Swedish companies. The result showed that the EU-OSHA recommendations were considered feasible but at times were general and vague. The various conditions and constrains described formed the following theses: Company Culture, Requirements, Control &amp; Support and Knowledge &amp; Skills. Discussion: To be able to work with stress prevention efforts at organizational level and get the desired affects as, well being staff and improved productivity, all parts of the organization have to be willing to contribute at the work. The challenge in this process is how the collaboration will be done and how resources should be developed in terms of time and skilled personnel. If management succeeds doing this, than the conditions for a good psychosocial work environment will be created, which is a keyword for a healthy and profitable company.

Construction and Demolition (C&D) processing and recycling facilities accept waste materials that are generated during construction and demolition activities. The processing facility sorts, processes, and transfers the material to another operation. A consequence of these processes is the generation of particulate matter.This study involved quantifying and qualifying airborne particulates at three C&D processing facilities. Active stationary particulate sampling devices were employed to quantify the particle sizes of interest. Results were compared to United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Ambient Air Quality Standards(NAAQS) and United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)standards.The results from this study are not valid for determination of compliance with NAAQS or OSHA standards. However, the data indicate that C&D processing facilities may exceed current NAAQS at certain locations, but do not exceed OSHA standards. These results can be used by the industry as an engineering tool to reduce airborne particulate levels during normal operations of C&D facilities.

The purpose of this project was to evaluate noise exposures of helicopter pilots, nurses and paramedics at a hospital by collecting area and personal samples, determining noise levels inside the helmet, and evaluating the current selection of personal protective equipment (PPE). Measurements gathered during personal sampling were statistically analyzed and calculated using OSHA 1910.95 App A to determine dose, reference duration and the Time-Weighted Average (TWA). Using a mannequin head, with the noise dosimeters in the ears, tests were performed on the headset inside the helmets to determine the sound pressure levels generated from the radio communications at different volume levels. According to our results, the crew is not exposed to hearing levels above the OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL), because their flight times are usually only 20-30 minutes and the dose not above 22% of the OSHA limit. If the total flight times were 6.5 hours or more, the crew could be above the OSHA PEL. Testing the helmet speakers resulted in a recommendation that the setting not be set above the 6 o'clock position so that the crew would not be exposed to sound pressure levels about 80 dBA

No description available.