The repair of automobiles is a critical aspect in vehicle ownership and is potential source of volatile toxic compounds being brought into a home when repairs are conducted in an attached garage. The goal of this study was to assess the impact of the repair of automobiles in an attached garage on the exposure of the home mechanic and degradation of indoor air. Five common automotive tasks were performed in two garages with the garage door either opened 30.5 centimeters (n=5) or closed (n=4). The exposure to the home mechanic, the behavior of contaminants within the garage, and infiltration of contaminants in the home were the determinants of interest. Integrative sampling incorporating charcoal sorbent sampling tubes analyzed by gas chromatography and directs reading photo ionization detectors were used to assess exposure. The tasks with the greatest contributions to the home mechanic’s exposure were found to be brake pad replacement and oil change; these generated 95th percentile concentrations of 51.2 ppm and 12.8 ppm, respectively, with the garage door closed. In contrast, the tasks of refueling and shock replacement had 95th percentile contributions of 0.85 ppm and 2.99 ppm, respectively, in the closed garage. Equations were fitted to the aggregated concentrations during decay to estimate general ventilation (Q/V) in a closed garage. The contaminants within the garage were not found to infiltrate into the home as the average concentrations within the home never exceeded 1 ppm. It was found that automotive repair work in a closed garage may constitute up to 18% of threshold limit value of toluene over a 105 minute exposure at home. Automotive repair inside an attached garage has the potential to make a significant contribution to a mechanic’s daily exposure and should be incorporated into occupational exposure assessments of volatile organic compounds.

Toxic exposure to hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a well-recognized hazard in agriculture, particularly in livestock operations that manage large amounts of manure. Numerous fatalities have been observed, often multiple fatalities in a single incident, due to toxic exposure to H2S from manure pits at concentrations higher than 500 ppm. Direct-reading instruments that alarm workers in the areas when H2S concentrations are high may prevent these fatalities. However, monitors that are commonly found in industries with robust safety programs are impractical for agricultural use as they are often prohibitively expensive and require regular maintenance and calibration that may be above the expertise level of agricultural workers. In more recent years, manufacturers marketed simpler models of direct-reading H2S monitors as “low-maintenance” or “maintenance-free” at a much lower cost than traditional monitors, which may cost $500 for basic models or more than $1000 for more complex models. The objective of this study was to test several models of low-cost, low-maintenance monitors in order to examine the features of each for comparison, as well as to test the performance of these monitors with no maintenance over time while under constant exposure to low levels of H2S. Two types of monitors were examined: qualitative monitors that were lowest-cost (around $100) and provided only alarm settings with no concentration displayed (Honeywell BW Clip and MSA Altair), and quantitative monitors that cost slightly more (around $200) but displayed concentration readings (Dräger Pac 3500 and Industrial Scientific T40 Rattler). All models were exposed to H2S for a test period of 4 months, at concentrations slightly higher than typical background concentrations to simulate expected monitor exposure for a year in a barn. The performance of qualitative (‘alarm-only’) monitors declined faster than over the course of the simulated barn year than the quantitative monitors, with both models of qualitative meters failing to alarm at the high setting before the test period was complete. The quantitative (‘concentration-display’) models showed fewer effects from long-term exposure over the duration of testing, but both models exhibited inaccuracies in the concentration readings when compared to calibration gas concentrations. The T40 Rattler provided consistently higher readings (+2.3 ppm) than the calibration gas concentration, while the Pac 3500 showed consistently lower readings (-3.4 ppm) than the calibration gas concentration. Serious acute health effects for H2S are not typically observed until exposure to concentrations above 500 ppm, so inaccuracies of this small magnitude are relatively insignificant. Though each of the test monitors is advertised to be maintenance-free for two years, this study found that failures occurred within one simulated year in a barn. Bump checks should be performed regularly to ensure the monitor reacts to the presence of H2S appropriately, even when the manufacturer’s literature may say otherwise. Most importantly, agricultural workers should always inspect and bump check these monitors prior to any potentially high-risk activity such as manure agitation or pumping to ensure that the monitor is still providing the protection needed from a potentially toxic release of H2S. This study tested each of these models within a clean chamber at room temperature to isolate the effects of long-term exposure to H2S. In an actual barn, these monitors may be exposed to variations in temperature and humidity, as well as other barn contaminants such as ammonia, dust, and chemicals. Each of these other exposures could also affect the performance of these monitors over time, and should be considered when storing and using these monitors. Furthermore, the potential interactions from other exposures is an opportunity for future study to better understand how these interactions may affect sensor performance in an agricultural environment.

Agriculture is one of the most hazardous industries in the United States, with a fatality rate that consistently surpasses other industries. Livestock handling activities are often found to be the second or third leading cause of on-farm injuries, with machinery and falls being cited as other leading causes. Among all livestock, cattle are responsible for the most injuries and fatalities on farms, and cattle-related nonfatal injuries have been shown to be some of the most costly, and result in more time off work than other injuries. Despite the fact that research has improved our understanding of cattle behavior and sensory functions, developed low-stress handling practices, and determined how facilities can be safer for workers and livestock, injury rates remain high. This project identified the types of equipment commonly used on beef farms, evaluated relationships between injuries and farm characteristics (such as herd size and equipment used), and assessed farmer perceptions of safety and obstacles to implementing changes. Most farms cited that they utilized equipment like alleyways (82.69%), a manual headgate (75.51%), a sorting/diverter gate (53.06%), and a manual squeeze chute (51.02%). However, it was found that having certain types of equipment had no influence on the likelihood of injuries. Herd size, on the other hand, was shown to be influential in that farms with larger than average herd size were shown to have a higher rate of injury. A final finding of this study was that farmers cited the cost of equipment, lack of necessity (their setup worked well already), and lack of time as being the main reasons they have not implemented changes on their operations. This study supports the idea that safe equipment and facilities are being implemented and used on most farms already, which suggests that the focus of future research should shift towards evaluating the influence that factors such as human behavior, handling practices, degree of training received, and training methods used have on the risk of worker injury.

This study looked at 19 years of Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatality data for the purpose of describing occupational homicide and suicide for farmers and agriculture workers. The study found homicide rates for farmers and agriculture workers were lower than rates for total occupations for 14 years, while suicide rates for farmers and agriculture workers were consistently higher than total occupations. Significant regional variations in homicide and suicide patterns were identified. Finally, this study confirmed prior research in that males were most commonly victims of both occupational homicide and suicide when compared to females, while both male and female farmers and agriculture workers were most likely victims of homicide by firearms.

Musculoskeletal disorders are common in many industries such as automotive, manufacturing and line assembly. Risk factors include high frequency or hand repetition, long duration of work activities with short rest periods, unsustainable postures which put strain on the body and muscles, and activities that require significant force to fulfill duties. The current ACGIH TLV for hand activity uses hand activity level (HAL) and normalized peak force (NPF) to assess an individual’s risk of developing an MSD. The purpose of this study is to propose the use of Posture as an alternative to NPF and couple it with HAL to assess the risk of an MSD. The data used in this paper come from an automotive study conducted at four automotive manufacturing plants. An estimated 50 interviews were conducted at each of the four plants in an effort to document if any worker had recently experienced an MSD which would then be termed as a case. A case was determined by one of two methods, the first being if the employee visited the plant clinic for pain experienced while on the job, the second occurred through an interview conducted by a USF investigator in which the employee answered yes to having pain or discomfort that interfered with work, play or sleep and there was a treatment-seeking behavior. The analysis revealed HAL and Posture can be used to assess potential MSD development in exposed workers. Logistic regression was conducted, and it showed statistical significance when using HAL and Posture to assess MSDs developing in workers exposed in occupational settings. In place of NPF, Posture can be used with HAL to assess MSDs in occupational settings.

Globally the construction industry struggles to prevent injurious and fatal safety incidents. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies used by construction business managers that had significantly reduced the occurance of safety incidents in a Northwest Ohio construction company. Data were collected from organizational records and interviews with 6 construction managers. The conceptual framework for this research was the concept of safety management systems. Data were compiled and organized, disassembled into fragments, grouped, and then interpreted for meaning. Methodological triangulation and member checking were used to enhance reliability and validity. Four themes emerged from the data: senior management's commitment to a culture of safety, comprehensive safety training, safety accountability, and the importance of engaged employees. These findings indicate that senior managers established a safety-oriented culture by systematically implementing the safety management systems principles and practices in every organizational process and procedure. Safety training ensured that workers have the necessary skills to perform safely. All leaders, at every level of the organization, were held accountability for monitoring and measuring safety performance. Engaged workers were receptive to and compliant with safety rules. The positive social implications of these findings include the potential of contributing to the efforts to establish safer and healthier workplaces that protect workers from injuries and fatalities, thereby contributing to overall safety and health of communities.

This study explored the interactions of cognitive appraisal of pain, cognitive appraisal of function, pain coping strategies and physical functioning in a work hardening population. Using a retrospective design, the medical records of 85 subjects were reviewed for their responses on the following instruments: a 10 cm. Visual Analogue Scale (to measure appraisal of pain), the Spinal Function Sort (to measure appraisal of function); the Coping Strategies Questionnaire (to measure pain coping strategies); a series of objective measures of physical function; and several demographic questions. Pearson product moment correlation and simple regression were used to analyze data. Correlational analyses suggested that a moderate to strong, statistically significant relationship existed between the Spinal Function Sort and most of the objective measures of physical function. The statistically significant, negative relationship between the Coping Strategies Questionnaire's subscale catastrophization was anticipated and supported prior research with this tool. The statistically significant relationships between subjects' appraisals of pain and their functional status were weaker than anticipated and may be attributed to validity problems with the Visual Analogue Scale. Duration since injury as a factor in the maintenance of physical dysfunction was not supported by statistical analyses. The expected positive relationship between the Coping Strategies Questionnaire's coping subscales was not supported by analysis and was consistent with some of the prior research conducted with this instrument. Results from the current study give support to Lazarus' theory of cognitive appraisal as a factor in illness and function.

Three cholesterol interventions were evaluated in a work-site setting to determine which was most effective in modifying physiological, behavioral, and knowledge measures related to total serum cholesterol. Of the 246 employees initially screened, 135 (55%) were identified as having elevated total serum cholesterol levels (>200 mg/dl) and were eligible for the study. Treatment consisted of either a six-session cholesterol reduction course requiring 30 days dietary monitoring, a six-session course without dietary monitoring, or an incentive only approach. Significant increases in cholesterol knowledge and dietary fiber consumption was found in both the education intervention with logging and intervention without logging groups. The results indicate that positive learning effects can take place in work-site settings and that such learning can lead to dietary changes that reduce the effects of high serum cholesterol.

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