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This dissertation is a result of an epidemiological prospective cohort study carried out among apprentice welders at four vocational teaching institutions in welding profession in the Montreal region, for the purpose of: (1) assessing the respiratory health of students, before starting welding, such as respiratory symptoms suggestive of asthma, lung function and bronchial responsiveness as well as immunological sensitization to common allergens and to metals; (2) providing a reassessment of the respiratory health of these same students as well as an assessment of the incidence of systemic symptoms suggestive of metal fume fever (MFF) after being exposed to welding fumes; (3) estimating the association between MFF and the incidence of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) and/or the presence of welding-related respiratory symptoms suggestive of occupational asthma (OA); (4) determining whether atopy, immunological sensitization to metals encountered in the welding environment, smoking and a personal history of asthma, are associated with an increased level of BHR or welding-related respiratory symptoms suggestive of OA; and (5) determining the relationship between exposure to metal oxide fumes and the outcome variables, i.e., MFF, immunological sensitization to metals, welding-related respiratory symptoms suggestive of OA and BHR. / The undertaken study consisted of an initial pre-exposure assessment survey and two follow-up reassessment surveys that took place between September 1998 and June 2001. During these surveys a series of tests were carried out. These included a respiratory symptom questionnaire as well as a systemic symptom questionnaire, skin prick tests, spirometry and methacholine challenge tests. Industrial hygiene sampling for welding fumes in the breathing zone of these students was also performed. The overall results of the epidemiological study are presented in three interrelated manuscripts. / The first manuscript describes in detail the underlying methodology. In addition, it provides incidence figures, which are lacking in the reviewed literature, for the outcomes of interest described afterwards. The second manuscript determined the incidence of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) and the increase in airway obstruction from baseline values. The third manuscript confirmed our earlier findings (1) of a strong association between welding-related MFF and welding-related respiratory symptoms suggestive of OA. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

A case-referent study was designed to investigate the relationship between occupational solvent exposure and mental disorders. New cases of mental disorder (males, 40 to 69 years old), were individually matched for age and date of admission to hospital patients and neighbors. An occupational history was obtained from 91.7% of the sample (1143 subjects, or 381 'trios'), during a telephone interview or by mail. / No increased risk of mental disorders was found among subjects exposed to moderate levels of solvents, but the risk was elevated--though not to a statistically significant degree--at exposure to high levels. When diagnoses were divided into psychotic (ICD-9 codes 290-299) and non-psychotic (ICD-9 codes 300-316), the latter group presented an increased risk with exposure to high levels of solvents (odds ratio = 2.43, 90% C.I. = 1.16-5.08). No systematic exposure-response relationship was demonstrated, although there was a suggestion of increased risk of mental disorders among subjects exposed to high levels for 5 to 9 years. / Various aspects of referent selection--with a specific comparison of hospital and population referents--were also examined as a methodological issue of case-referent studies.

Occupational histories collected during interviews in an epidemiological study and then expressed as types and levels of occupational exposure have been compared to the results acquired in a physico-chemical analysis of the particles extracted from pulmonary parenchyma of forty-two subjects with different types of cancer. The original scenario was for a group of workers, ten exposed mainly to asbestos fibers, ten to silica, ten to welding fumes, six smokers, and six nonsmokers not exposed to the target contaminants. Fragments of tissue that had been formolated or covered in paraffin were used after having been standardized by two pathologists. The preparation and analytical protocols were validated so that a representative number of particles could be counted and "reasonably" characterized from their morphology and their chemical composition by transmission electron microscopy and laser microprobe mass analyser. / A Kappa test revealed that there was a limited correlation at the 5% level of confidence between the work history history and physico-chemical estimators for the group of subjects exposed to asbestos fiber (k = 0.475, p = 0.001), a 10% level for the group with silica exposure (k = 0.213, p = 0.089) and at a 5% level in the unexposed nonsmoker group (k = 0.417, p = 0.003). The average pulmonary dust burden of the log-normalized values for certain minerals that were extracted from subjects belonging to certain groups of interest were statistically different.

The author of the Highway Safety Manual (HSM) Part B developed a predictive method for safety management. A software tool for highway safety system analysis called the SafetyAnalyst is developed basing on HSM Part B. The author describes an effort to evaluate the feasibility of SafetyAnalyst in Oregon. Seven sample highway sections in Oregon are selected to demonstrate the SafetyAnalyst network screening application. The purpose of this research is to assess if the SafetyAnalyst is compatible with current Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) databases such as the Highway Inventory Detail Report, Lane Report, etc. The author also presents an effort to identify current data deficiencies and identify a feasible solution for addressing these deficiencies. SafetyAnalyst requires hundreds of input variables. Not all of these variables are included in the current Oregon database. Those input variables that require additional data collection are described as well. This thesis also includes a sensitivity test for input variables to prioritize required variables. Finally, the author determines that the SafetyAnalyst can be used in Oregon. This research also provides a variable priority for the SafetyAnalyst users. / Graduation date: 2012

The extant research on the experiences of lesbian/gay, bisexual, and questioning —unsure- (LGBQ) youth shows that they have a lower sense of belonging and safety a tschool, are more likely to be victims of various types of bullying and to skip school, and use drugs and alcohol than their straight peers. Lately, however, a shift in direction towards examining the protective factors, which promote the well being of LGBQ youth, is happening. Extending the emerging research on this shift, the present study investigated the role of supportive adults at school in predicting LGBQ youth sense of safety and belonging. Also, this study examined whether adult support moderated the relationship between sexual orientation victimization and skipping school for LGBQ youth separately. The participants in this study (N = 19,551) were students (grades 8 through 12) enrolled in high schools that took part in a district-wide survey in a large, ethnically and economically diverse urban school district in British Columbia. Results showed that perceptions of adult support played a significant role in predicting the safety and belonging of LGBQ youth. Adult support significantly moderated the relationship between sexual orientation victimization and skipping school for bisexual and questioning youth but not for lesbian/gay youth. The implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed in the last section of this thesis.

No description available.

In Australia, the measurement of safety performance in the construction industry has mostly been in response to statutory requirements. Consequently, the measures and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) used by the industry have invariably focused on outcomes rather than processes. Most of the outcome indicators have tended to give their feedback well after the event therefore failing to identify any weaknesses within the safety management processes. In order to overcome these limitations, two hospital construction projects in New South Wales were selected for an in-depth study and research analysis. The aim of the research was to understand the relationship between management process intervention and management process outcomes for safety in the construction industry. Initially a literature review identifying international practices in performance measurement for safety in construction was conducted so as to review existing safety management processes in partnership with the construction industry representatives. A framework for measuring the performance of safety management processes and related outcomes was developed to stimulate improvement on both projects through the comparison of the performance of the safety management systems and outcomes. This framework was then implemented and established to monitor the performance of the key safety management processes. The successful implementation of the performance measurement framework and the feedback to both stakeholders and subcontractors acted as a good communication tool in creating awareness among subcontractors. It also helped to reduce repetitive hazards, resulting in improved safety outcomes. A statistical analysis found that relatively few injuries were explained by the identified safety hazards. This highlighted the need to look for hazards that were specifically relate to injury occurrence. The research findings identified a method for improving the existing hazard identification process. It is anticipated that such improvements can help to better correlate hazard management processes with the project outcomes for safety in future projects.

In Australia, the measurement of safety performance in the construction industry has mostly been in response to statutory requirements. Consequently, the measures and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) used by the industry have invariably focused on outcomes rather than processes. Most of the outcome indicators have tended to give their feedback well after the event therefore failing to identify any weaknesses within the safety management processes. In order to overcome these limitations, two hospital construction projects in New South Wales were selected for an in-depth study and research analysis. The aim of the research was to understand the relationship between management process intervention and management process outcomes for safety in the construction industry. Initially a literature review identifying international practices in performance measurement for safety in construction was conducted so as to review existing safety management processes in partnership with the construction industry representatives. A framework for measuring the performance of safety management processes and related outcomes was developed to stimulate improvement on both projects through the comparison of the performance of the safety management systems and outcomes. This framework was then implemented and established to monitor the performance of the key safety management processes. The successful implementation of the performance measurement framework and the feedback to both stakeholders and subcontractors acted as a good communication tool in creating awareness among subcontractors. It also helped to reduce repetitive hazards, resulting in improved safety outcomes. A statistical analysis found that relatively few injuries were explained by the identified safety hazards. This highlighted the need to look for hazards that were specifically relate to injury occurrence. The research findings identified a method for improving the existing hazard identification process. It is anticipated that such improvements can help to better correlate hazard management processes with the project outcomes for safety in future projects.

Shift work is a major feature of modern work practices. It involves individuals working at times considered unconventional for most workers, such as at night. Although the community often benefits from such work practices, shift work can be hazardous, for both the workers and the community. The thesis reviews the main problems of shift work, especially when involving night work. These are: an increased risk for accidents and errors; increased sleepiness and fatigue due to difficulties sleeping; increased health problems; and disruption to family and social life. Strategies to limit the risk associated with these hazards are also reviewed, and include using knowledge of circadian principles to plan shift schedules, sleeping schedules and meal times; planned napping; consideration of the work environment; and newer techniques such as using bright lights and melatonin. While this information is known to the research community, it has not filtered down to many shift work workplaces and thus has had little if any positive effect on actual shift work practices. For a change in shift work practices to occur, the research knowledge must become available to every shift work workplace, as must some incentive or motivation to ensure that workplaces make the necessary changes. The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) laws provide such a framework. Considering shift work as an OHS hazard would ensure that all shift work workplaces identified the hazards of shift work, conducted a risk assessment to identify the risk associated with the hazards, and then implemented the appropriate strategies, from the hierarchy of shift work hazard control measures, for both employers and employees, to fulfil their duty of care to minimise the risks. Considering shift work as an OHS issue would ensure that the research information was used as intended – to improve the safety, performance, and quality of life of all shift workers. The present thesis reviews the shift work research and introduces an OHS perspective as a method to manage shift work effectively.