Introdução - A vida do ser humano é repleta de necessidades consideradas básicas para um desenvolvimento saudável, dentre as quais estão alimentação, cuidados com a higiene pessoal e com o corpo de uma forma geral. Para esses cuidados, há um leque cada vez maior de produtos, entre os quais estão incluídos os cosméticos que trazem em sua composição química oformaldeído, que tem sido utilizado extensivamente como alisante capilar nas denominadasescovas progressivas. Objetivo - O fato dos cabeleireiros estarem expostos a substâncias químicas, dentre eles o formaldeído, por meio do manuseio de cremes e produtos de alisamento capilar, motivou a realização desse estudo com o objetivo de quantificar a exposição ocupacional de cabeleireiros ao formaldeído comparando os resultados da exposição entre diferentes tipos de salão de beleza frente à legislação vigente brasileira (NR15) e americana (US OSHA e US NIOSH). Métodos - A população estudada foi constituída por 23 salões de beleza localizados no município de Bauru, São Paulo, representativos de áreas com diferentes vulnerabilidades sociais medidas pelo IPVS (Índice Paulista de Vulnerabilidade Social). Foram aplicados dois questionários para coleta de informações pessoais, queixas de saúde e processos de trabalho adotados pelos profissionais. Resultados - Dos 23 salões, cuja exposição dos profissionais ao formaldeído foi avaliada pelo método da National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), 30% ultrapassaram o limite de concentração de formaldeído estabelecido pela NR 15 (1,6 ppm); já pelo método desenvolvido pelo IPT (Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas), esse limite de tolerância foi ultrapassado em 39% dos salões. Considerando o limite de exposição ao formaldeído previsto pela Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA), que é de 2,0 ppm, 17% dos salões obtiveram concentrações de formaldeído acima do permitido (método NIOSH) e, pelo método IPT, 30% obtiveram valores maiores que o previsto pela legislação nas amostras analisadas. Os produtos alisantes ultrapassaram de forma significativa o limite de concentração de formaldeído permitido pela Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA) em suas formulações, o qual é de 0,2%. Quatro formulações apresentaram de 10% a 11% de formaldeído em sua composição. Conclusões - Os resultados deste estudo mostraram que os cabeleireiros estão cronicamente expostos a altas concentrações de formaldeído em ambiente laboral, sendo que estas exposições estão associadas principalmente à ventilação do ambiente, medida por meio da abertura de portas e janelas do salão. O processo de trabalho também pode impactar na intensidade da exposição. / Introduction - The life of the human being is full of basic necessities for a healthy development, among which are food, cares for personal hygiene and the body in general. For this care, there is a growing range of products, including cosmetics that bring formaldehyde in its chemical composition, which has been used extensively as hair straightener in so-called progressive brushes. Objective - The fact that hairdressers are exposed to chemical substances, among them formaldehyde, through the handling of creams and hair straightening products, motivated the accomplishment of this study with the objective of quantifying the occupational exposure of hairdressers to formaldehyde comparing the results of (NR15) and US (US OSHA and US NIOSH) legislation. Methods - The study population consisted of 23 beauty salons located in the city of Bauru, São Paulo, representing areas with different social vulnerabilities measured by IPVS (Paulista Index of Social Vulnerability). Two questionnaires were used to collect personal information, health complaints and work processes adopted by professionals. Results - Of the 23 salons, whose exposure of professionals to formaldehyde was assessed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) method, 30% exceeded the formaldehyde concentration limit established by NR 15 (1.6 ppm); already by the method developed by IPT (Institute of Technological Research), this limit of tolerance was exceeded in 39% of the salons. Considering the Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA) exposure limit of 2.0 ppm, 17% of the salons obtained formaldehyde concentrations above the allowable level (NIOSH method), and by the IPT method 30% obtained values than those provided for by legislation in the analyzed samples. Smoothing products significantly exceeded the limit of formaldehyde concentration allowed by the National Agency for Sanitary Surveillance (ANVISA) in its formulations, which is 0.2%. Four formulations had 10% to 11% formaldehyde in their composition. Conclusions - The results of this study showed that hairdressers are chronically exposed to high concentrations of formaldehyde in the workplace, and these exposures are mainly associated with the ventilation of the environment, measured through the opening of doors and windows of the hall. The work process can also impact the intensity of exposure.

Introdução Professores constituem categoria com grande ocorrência de distúrbios vocais pelo uso intenso da voz em ambiente desfavorável ao seu trabalho. Por depender essencialmente da voz para exercer a docência, tal alteração coloca em risco sua carreira. Objetivo Determinar a associação entre o distúrbio de voz e estresse no trabalho e perda da capacidade de trabalho entre professoras da rede municipal de São Paulo. Métodos Estudo caso-controle pareado por escola. Os casos (n=167) foram professores com alteração nas avaliações perceptivo-auditiva realizada por fonoaudiólogo e perceptivo-visual realizada por otorrinolaringologista. O grupo de controles (n=105) foram professores selecionados nas mesmas escolas dos participantes do grupo de casos, sem alteração nas avaliações. Todos responderam os questionários Condição de Produção Vocal-Professor (CPV-P), Índice de Desvantagem Vocal (IDV), Job Stress Scale (JSS) e Índice de Capacidade para o Trabalho (ICT). Foram utilizados teste de quiquadrado e modelos de regressão univariada e múltipla para estimar associação entre as variáveis independentes e o distúrbio de voz. Resultados A análise dos grupos de caso e controle revela que as amostras são comparáveis, sem diferença significativa nas variáveis sociodemográficas e de controle. Os grupos se diferenciam, conforme esperado, em relação aos sintomas vocais. A comparação do Índice de Desvantagem Vocal confirma a diferença, com maior média para o grupo caso. Na análise de associação do estresse no trabalho, 78,8 por cento do grupo controle concentram-se nos níveis mais baixos de demanda, enquanto 69,3 por cento do grupo caso situam-se nos níveis mais altos (p=0,019). Em relação ao controle do trabalho, a situação é inversa, ou seja, 63,1 por cento do grupo controle manifestam níveis mais altos de controle, enquanto 73,1 por cento do grupo caso encontram-se nas categorias mais baixas (p<0,034). Na análise de associação da capacidade para o trabalho, verifica-se associação entre 9 baixa capacidade para o trabalho e distúrbio de voz (p<0,001), associação que se mantém na análise múltipla nas categorias baixa (OR=9,5, p=0,001) e moderada (OR=6,7, p<0,001) capacidade para o trabalho. Ao analisar as categorias de estresse com idade e acústica, permanecem associados ao distúrbio de voz a demanda a interação controle/demanda de alto desgaste (OR=2,2, p=0,020), faixa etária 50-65 anos (OR=2,9, p=0,012) e acústica insatisfatória (OR=2,6, p=0,003). Na análise das categorias idade, acústica e estresse com capacidade para o trabalho, observa-se que baixa (OR=12,2, p<0,001) e moderada (OR=7,7, p<0,001) capacidade para o trabalho, faixa etária 50-65 anos (OR=3,7, p=0,006) e acústica insatisfatória (OR=2,7, p=0,007) são fatores associados ao distúrbio de voz. Conclusão Há associação estatística entre distúrbio de voz e a categoria de alto desgaste da interação demanda/controle de estresse no trabalho, independente da idade e da presença de acústica insatisfatória na escola. As categorias baixa e moderada capacidade para o trabalho mostram-se associadas ao distúrbio de voz independente do estresse no trabalho, da idade e de acústica insatisfatória. A faixa etária 50-65 anos e acústica insatisfatória foram associadas ao distúrbio de voz independente do estresse e da capacidade para o trabalho / Introduction Teachers constitute a professional category with high occurrence of voice disorders due to this occupations intense vocal demand and to unfavorable work environments. The presence of voice disorder may jeopardize their careers because these professionals depend essentially on their voices to work. Aim To identify the association between voice disorders and job stress and voice disorders and work ability among teachers from public schools of São Paulo. Methods This is a pair matched case-control study. The case group was composed of teachers with vocal disorder complaints, with vocal quality deviations in the speech pathology evaluation and vocal fold lesion or altered according an otorhinolaryngologist evaluation. The control group was randomly selected at the same schools as the case group individuals worked. Both groups answered the following questionnaires: Conditions of Vocal Production Teacher (CVP-T), Vocal Handicap Index (VHI), Job Stress Scale (JSS) and Work Ability Index (WAI). The analysis was performed using qui-square association test, univariate and multiple regression models. Results The analyses of the case and control groups showed comparable samples, with no significant differences of demographic and control variables. The groups differed, as expected, on vocal symptoms. Comparison in the Voice Handicap Index confirmed this difference, with the highest scores for the case group. Regarding the association of job stress, 78,8 per cent of control group are concentrated in lower levels of demand, while 69,3 per cent of case group are at higher levels (p=0,019). Regarding the work control, the situation is reversed, 63,1 per cent of the subjects in the control group manifested higher levels of control, while 73,1 per cent of case group are in the lower categories (p=0,034). Analyzing the association of work ability index, there is an association between low work ability and voice disorder (p<0,001). This association is remains in multivariate analysis, where low (OR=9,5, p=0,001) and moderate (OR=6,7, p <0,001) work ability 11 were also associated with voice disorder. Analyzing the job stress scale with age and acoustics, there is an association between voice disorder and high mental strain, characterized by psychological demands and low decision latitude at work (OR=2,2, p=0,020), age 50-65 years (OR=2,9, p=0,012) and poor acoustics in school (OR=2,6, p=0,003). In the analysis of these categories with the ability to work, it is observed that low (OR=12,2, p<0,001) and moderate (OR=7,7, p<0,001) work ability, age 50-65 years (OR=3,7, p=0,006) and poor acoustics (OR=2,7, p=0,007) are factors associated with voice disorder. Conclusions There is a statistical association between the presence of voice disorders and high mental strain, independently of age and poor acoustics in school. Low and moderate work ability showed a correlation with voice disorder independently of stress at work, age and poor acoustics. The age group 50-65 years and poor acoustics were associated with voice disorder independently of job stress and work ability (OR=2,7, p=0,007) are factors associated with voice disorder

Using matched pairs of schools having a diagnosis of Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) and those not identified, and not having the potential of being identified as having the diagnosis, this study examined the relationship between factors assumed or determined to have an impact on a school's ability to carry out its mission as they related to the SBS diagnosis. The factors studied were student average daily attendance (ADA); students' mean standardized test scores in math and reading on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and the Tests of Achievement and Proficiency; the need for students to take prophylactic medications; the rate of staff turnover; the percentages of short term suspensions (less than 10 days), long term suspensions (more than 10 days), and the percentage of recommendations for expulsion; as well as the impact of the public identification of a school as having a diagnosis of SBS on student ADA, mean standardized test scores in math and reading and staff turnover. A factorial ANOVA model (2 by 4) for repeated measures revealed no statistical significance for main or interaction effects on any of the six hypotheses addressed.

Thesis (MPH.) -- University of Limpopo, 2005 / Refer to document

Globally, gastrointestinal (GI) infections by enteric pathogens are the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children under the age of five (≤5). While GI pathogen exposure in households has been rigorously examined, there is little data about young children’s exposure in public domains. Public areas in low-income settings are often used for waste disposal practices beyond human feces disposal, including trash dumping in open drainage canals and unused lots. If young children play in public domains unattended, they might be exposed to interrelated and highly concentrated microbial, chemical, and physical hazards. This study performed structured observations at 36 public areas in a transitioning internally displaced persons community in Haiti, to document how often young children play in public areas and to quantify behaviors that might lead to illness and injury. Children ≤5 yrs played at all public sites, including toddlers (92%/sites) and infants (44%/sites). Children touched and mouthed trash (metal, glass, plastic), food and other objects from the ground, ate soil (geophagia), drank surface water; as well as touched latrines, animals, animal feces, and open drainage canals. Hand-to-mouth contact was frequent and significantly different among developmental stages (infants: 18/hr, toddlers: 11/hr, and young children: 9/hr), providing evidence that children could ingest trace amounts of GI pathogens and other contaminants on hands. These findings demonstrate that water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions need to consider the unique risks posed by public domains that contribute to GI infection in young children. Furthermore, this highlights the need for waste related interventions to address the broader set of civil conditions that create unsafe, toxic, and contaminated public environments where young children play.

Noise is a pervasive workplace hazard that varies spatially and temporally. Hazard mapping is a useful way to communicate intensity and distribution of noise sources in the workplace. These maps can be created using a stationary network of sensors, although the cost of noise measurement instruments has prohibited their use in such a network. The objectives for this work were to (1) develop an inexpensive noise sensor (<$100) that measures A-weighted sound pressure levels within ±2 dBA of a Type 2 sound level meter (SLM, ~$1,800); and (2) evaluate 50 noise sensors before field deployment as part of an inexpensive sensor network. The inexpensive noise sensor consists of an electret condenser microphone, an amplifier circuit, and a microcontroller with a small form factor (28mm by 47 mm by 9 mm) than can be operated as a stand-alone unit. Laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate 50 of the new sensors at 5 test levels. The testing levels were (1) ambient noise in a quiet office, (2) a pink noise test signal from 65 to 85 dBA in 10 dBA increments, and, (3) 94 dBA using a SLM calibrator. The difference between the output of the sensor and SLM were computed for each level and overall. Ninety-four percent of the noise sensors (n=46) were within ± 2 dBA of the SLM for noise levels from 65 dBA to 94 dBA. As noise level increased, bias decreased, ranging from 18.3% in the quiet office to 0.48% at 94 dBA. Overall bias of the sensors was 0.83% across the 75 dBA to 94 dBA range. These sensors are available for a variety of uses and can be customized for many applications, including incorporation into a stationary sensor network for continuously monitoring noise in manufacturing environments.

Respirable dust, carbon dioxide, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and carbon monoxide concentrations were measured using fixed-area monitoring and contaminant mapping in a 19–crate farrowing room during the winter. Direct–reading instruments were used with fixed–area stations and contaminant mapping to evaluate concentrations during five days over a period of a three–week farrowing cycle. Concentrations were evaluated to determine the effect of the pit ventilation on contaminant concentrations, a change in concentration occurred over a sample day, and to determine if three data collection methods produce different daily respirable dust concentrations. Pit ventilation did have a significant effect on contaminant concentration in a farrowing barn during winter. Compared to when the pit fan was on, mean area contaminant concentration, with the exception of CO, was significantly higher when the pit fan was turned off (p<0.001). Mean respirable dust concentration was 79% higher, CO2 concentration was 35% higher, NH3 increased from 0.03 ppm to 10.8 ppm, and H2S concentrations increased from 0.03 ppm to 0.67 ppm. A significant change in area respirable dust (p<0.001) and CO2 (p<0.001) mean concentrations occurred over time throughout the course of a sample day. Mean area respirable dust concentrations were highest in the beginning of the sample day and decreased by 77 % (pit fan off) to 87% (pit fan on) over a five–hour sample period. Higher concentrations were likely attributed to the feeding period that occurred early in the day. When the pit fan was turned off, mean area CO2 concentrations increased by 24% by the end of the sample day due to the inefficient ventilation and the constant production of CO2 generated by the swine. Finally, comparing the three data collection methods produced similar results concerning the ranking of the daily mean concentrations of respirable dust; however, differences were seen in the magnitude of the daily average respirable dust concentrations across the three data collection methods, which might lead to different interpretations of risk. To ensure risk is not underestimated, multiple fixed–area monitors are recommended to characterize room concentrations. Throughout the study, contaminant concentration did not exceed regulatory or international consensus standards; however, recommended agricultural health limits suggested in the literature were exceeded for respirable dust, CO2, and NH3. These findings indicate the need to consider personal exposures to those working in farrowing barns and control options to reduce these contaminant concentrations in production facilities.

Direct reading instruments (DRIs) are popular devices for measuring aerosols because they provide rapid on-site measurement of particle size and/or concentration. However, the output of DRIs may drift over time requiring frequent manufacturer calibration. Given the possibility of drift, the output of DRIs should ideally be verified to ensure proper response before and after field use. Methods for verifying the output of DRIs particle size reading are available for use in laboratory and field. However, methods for verifying the DRIs concentration reading are complex and often use of stationary installations that are not suited for field work. The objective of this study was to develop a verification device that can be used in the field to verify the output of DRIs for measuring aerosol concentration. The new device uses a nebulizer that produces aerosols through vibrating mesh technology. This vibrating mesh nebulizer (VMN) uses only electrical input to generate aerosols and does not require compressed air. The verification device was able to produce stable output of aerosols at low concentrations (0.2 mg/m3 to 1.2 mg/m3). It was also possible to produce different concentration levels of aerosol by changing the electrical current to the VMN. The verification device was used to monitor and validate the output of a condensation particle counter and a photometer. Results showed that both instruments having valid output and did not require manufacture calibration. The verification device made it possible to monitor and verify the output of two DRIs. This was achieved by generating reproducible aerosol output with specific composition. This verification device presents a practical method to verify the concentration output of DRIs for measuring aerosols.

Indoor air contaminants such as dust and gases are present in concentrations that may be hazardous to worker health in poultry production. Poultry dust may contain inflammatory agents (e.g., endotoxin) and inhalation exposure has been associated with pulmonary symptoms. The current control practice to reduce worker exposure to poultry dust is the use of respiratory protection (e.g., filtering face-piece respirators). Limited research has been conducted to evaluate engineering controls to reduce dust concentrations in broiler chicken production. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of a water sprinkling system to reduce inhalable dust and ammonia concentrations in a broiler chicken house. Inhalable dust and ammonia concentrations were measured daily for the production cycle of a flock of broiler chickens (63 days). Inhalable dust was measured gravimetrically using an inhalable sampler and ammonia was measured by a direct reading sensor. Sampling was performed on a stationary mannequin inside two broiler chicken houses. One house used a sprinkler cooling system to deliver a water mist throughout the house and the second house was an untreated control. The sprinkler system activated 5 days after chicken placement and continued through day 63 of the broiler chicken production cycle. The following sprinkler activation program was used each hour from 6am to 10pm: days 5 – 9 five seconds, days 10 – 14 ten seconds, and days 15-63 for fifteen seconds. Geometric mean (GM) inhalable dust concentrations collected in the treatment house (5.2 mg/m3) were lower than those found in the control house (6.0 mg/m3). The GM ammonia concentration within the treatment house was higher at 10.6 ppm (GSD: 1.80), compared to the control house (GM 9.51 ppm; GSD: 1.77). However, the observed differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.33 and p = 0.34, respectively). Concentrations of inhalable dust were reduced by 11β when using the water sprinkling system, however the reduction was not statistically significant. The observed reduction in dust concentration was not sufficient to eliminate the need for respiratory protection.

In June 2008, the Cedar River crested flooding more than 5,000 Cedar Rapids homes. Residents whose homes were flooded were invited to participate in this study. We characterized exposures and symptoms experienced by individuals inhabiting 73 flood-damaged homes. Exposures and questionnaire-based health assessments were compared at two levels of remediation, in-progress and completed. Homes with remediation in-progress (n=24), as compared to the completed homes (n=49), had significantly higher airborne concentrations of mold, bacteria, iPM, endotoxin and glucan. Residents of in-progress homes had a significantly higher prevalence of doctor diagnosed allergies (adjusted OR=3.08; 95%CI: 1.05-9.02) and all residents had elevated prevalence of self-reported wheeze (adjusted OR=3.77; 95%CI: 2.06-6.92) and prescription medication use for breathing problems (adjusted OR=1.38; 95%CI: 1.01-1.88) after the flood as compared to before. Proper post-flood remediation led to improved air quality and lower exposures among residents living in flooded homes. Recognition of endotoxin as a proinflammatory ligand for pattern recognition receptors has increased the demand for endotoxin assessment in studies of environmental lung disease. Measurements using the Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay of air and reservoir dust samples are routinely incorporated into epidemiologic studies. However, it is unknown if endotoxin reactivity in the LAL assay varies by its physical presentation as aggregates, as membrane components of whole bacteria or as shed membrane blebs or if this parallels differences in the inflammatory potency of endotoxin in vivo. Endotoxins as14C-labeled-lipooligosaccharide (14C-LOS) and 14C- labeled-lipopolysaccharide (14C-LPS) were produced from Neisseria meningitidis and Escherichia coli. The reactivity of the endotoxin presentations was assessed in the LAL assay and in vivo using a murine model. The LAL assay significantly underestimated the quantity of endotoxin in the whole bacteria form whereas there was no significant difference in detecting endotoxin in aggregate and bleb forms. The failure of the LAL assay to equally quantify endotoxin was not mirrored in vivo where all three presentations of endotoxin were equally inflammatory. The inability of the LAL assay to detect the full quantity of endotoxin presented in the whole bacteria form has troubling implications for exposure assessment studies. Various extraction methods were applied to samples of known endotoxin quantity to improve the detection ability of the LAL assay. Extraction using EDTA and Tris/EDTA significantly improved the detection of endotoxin compared to the reference method of extracting in pyrogen-free water. These extraction methods also significantly increased the quantity of endotoxin measured in house and barn dust samples. A higher quantity of endotoxin measured in the LAL assay corresponded to a higher neutrophilic response in vivo. A standardized methodology for endotoxin detection that mimics the in vivo response is necessary for accurate and consistent endotoxin analysis.