Iranian Journal of health, safety andenvironment

758-766

Authors: Majid Kermani, Ahmad Jonidi Jafari, Roshanak Rezaei, Fazeleh sadat Sakhaei, Tannaz Sadat Kahe, Mohsen Dowlati

Air pollution in Tehran is considered as one of the most important factors threatening human health. High concentrations of pollutants have adverse effects on citizens and the environment. We calculated the relation between COPD and criteria air pollutants in Tehran, one of the most polluted cities in the world during 2005 to 2014. Hourly data of pollutants include SO2, O3 and NO2 were taken from the Tehran environmental protection agency and Air Quality Control Company. The AirQ2,2,3 model that proposed by the WHO, is used to health impact assessment of pollutants in terms of hospital admission due to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Results indicated that the total cumulative number of cases due to hospital admission due to COPD in Tehran city from 2005 to 2014 for SO2, O3 and NO2 was 1806, 2941 and 2454 cases, respectively. The finding of this study showed that total mean of SO2, O3 and NO2 was higher than the standard concentration. By comparison with guideline and standards, annual concentration for SO2, O3 and NO2 was exceeded on standard level in during the study period. This study demonstrated that a high percentage of hospital admission due to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease resulting from these pollutants could be due to the high average concentration in the air of Tehran during 2005 to 2014. So, authorities must apply the efforts and necessities actions based on comprehensive scientific researches to control air pollutants and abate their negative effects on human health.

775-780

Authors: Sallahuddin Panhwar, Rasool Bux Mahar, Asim Ali Abro, Muhammad Wajid Ijaz, Ghulam Shabir Solangi, Muhammad Muqeet

The coal mine excavation, transportation and coal cutting process are involved in hazards and risks that can result in fatalities, injuries and diseases, if these are not properly managed. This study has been undertaken for assessment of the safety and health issues amongst the mines workers. Convenience sampling technique was exercised upon 97 mine workers and interviewed with the help of set questionnaire. Personnel protection to workplace environment was monitored by using physical observation and scientific analysis. All parameters were measured against national and international protocols pertaining to labor law at coal mines. It has been determined that very high risk was persisting while mine excavation, coal cutting and transportation processes. Previous record of last five years was suggesting that 04 deaths happened due to roof fall, 03 fatalities occurred through suffocation by inhaling toxic gases, one causality happened via rope haulage pulley, and also one death due to stone fall down from mine shaft. 121 workers injured in different kinds of accidents within five years. It has been learnt from in-depth analysis that maximum of health risk and subsequent health damages are triggering due to lack of awareness, non-compliance of labor as well as mines laws. Thus, it is recommended that government should not allow coal mining contractors and companies, those which are failing in compliance with the suggested standards.

788-794

Authors: Seyyed Alireza Mousavi, Maryam Khashij, Davood Shahbazi

The quality of vision is essential that universally understood about the human condition in a learning environment. In this regard, lighting exceeds than standard level increased visual fatigue as reflection decrease by eye blinks. Against exposure to lower maximum allowed to involve Nystagmus, headaches and impaired vision as the most significant symptoms for students. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the total lighting condition (a combination of natural and artificial lighting) in primary schools in Nahavand city and compared it with the international standards. This study investigated average lighting using illumination meter DX200 INS in Nahavand’s primary schools. Results showed that mean lighting for whole classrooms was 415.7±166 lux. Also, ratio of window area/floor area (WA/FA) was less than the standard ratio only in 8 classes from 121 totals with the coefficient of correlation 0.56 between illuminances average and ratio of WA/FA. These findings might have practical implications for the implementation of desirable and standard lighting in schools for better practice of students.

804-811

Authors: Sima Nourbakhsh, Monavvar Afzal Aghaee, Elham Rahmanpour Salmani, Mohammad Naderi, Reihane Zangi, Reihane Feizi

Disposable Plastic Containers (DPCs) are widely in use in our daily life in many locations and times. Despite their great advantages including low cost, easy access, convenient transferring and no need to clean up, the indiscriminate use of them can be a concern, if they are not applied in the correct way of usage. This study aimed to assess the students' knowledge, and behavior regarding the correct use of DPCs. A questionnaire was designed using scientific literatures and health expert consultation. The resulting 26-item scale which included questions for sample characteristics (N=4), knowledge (N=19), and behavior (N=3) was approved in terms of reliability regarding Cronbach's alpha score of 0.8. Developed instrument was administered to a cross section of 200 students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in mid-2016. Data was analyzed using SPSS 16.0. Results indicated that 59.3% of the individuals had used DPCs more than once. Only 5.8% of the respondents were familiar with safety codes on the bottom of DPCs. The differences in the mean score of knowledge were not statistically significant in terms of gender, marriage status, level of education, and college. Considering total knowledge score of 18 on the designed scale, the maximum score of knowledge was observed in men (5.88±2.26), in married ones (6.11±2.55), in PhD students (6.5±2.39), and in dental college (6.31±2.65). According to the results, the students’ knowledge regarding the safe use of DPCs was very low (less than one third of the ideal knowledge) and their usage behavior was also relatively false.

824-834

Authors: Mohammad Ali Baghapour, Mohammad Reza Shooshtarian

In developing a specific WQI (Water Quality Index), many quality parameters are involved with different levels of importance. The impact of experts’ different opinions and viewpoints, current risks affecting their opinions, and plurality of the involved parameters double the significance of the issue. Hence, the current study tries to apply a consensus-based FOWA (Fuzzy Ordered Weighting Average) model as one of the most powerful and well-known Multi-Criteria Decision- Making (MCDM) techniques to determine the importance of the used parameters in the development of such WQIs which is shown with an example. This operator has provided the capability of modeling the risks in decision-making through applying the optimistic degree of stakeholders and their power coupled with the use of fuzzy numbers. Totally, 22 water quality parameters for drinking purposes were considered in this study. To determine the weight of each parameter, the viewpoints of 4 decision-making groups of experts were taken into account. After determining the final weights, to validate the use of each parameter in a potential WQI, consensus degrees of both the decision makers and the parameters are calculated. The highest and the lowest weight values, 0.999 and 0.073 respectively, were related to Hg and temperature. Regarding the type of consumption that was drinking, the parameters’ weights and ranks were consistent with their health impacts. Moreover, the decision makers’ highest and lowest consensus degrees were 0.9905 and 0.9669, respectively. Among the water quality parameters, temperature (with consensus degree of 0.9972) and Pb (with consensus degree of 0.9665), received the highest and lowest agreement with the decision-making group. This study indicated that the weight of parameters in determining water quality largely depends on the experts’ opinions and approaches. Moreover, using the FOWA model provides results accurate and closer- to-reality on the significance of each of the water quality parameters. Thus, using this operator can be a precise and appropriate method to determine the parameters’ weights and importance in order to develop specific WQIs for drinking, industrial, and agricultural purposes.

844-850

Authors: Mohammad Khandan, Alireza koohpaei, Hossein Hosseini Tabar

Organization and employees’ attitudes towards chemical risks are an important contributing factor for safe and unsafe behaviors. These risks should be controlled to as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP) level. The objective of this study was to assess chemicals risk perception, safety knowledge, attitude and their relationships with safe behavior among chemical workers in Iran. The study was a descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study. 209 workers from five chemical companies were selected in random and stratified sampling. Vinodkumar questionnaire as a demographic questionnaire and Smith-Jackson questionnaire as a safety behaviour questionnaire was utilized to assess safety knowledge, attitude, and chemicals risk perception. Collected data were analyzed utilizing T, ANOVA, and multiple-linear regression by SPSS V20. Males were in the majority (83.1%). Mean and standard deviation (SD) of age and work experience were 31.75±6.86 and 6.00±5.24 years, respectively. Also, mean and SD of risk perception, safe behavior, knowledge and attitude were 22.33±4.29, 22.12±2.88, 24.79±4.79 and 19.18±3.08, respectively. Gender and education were the most important demographic criteria in the case of difference in four variables. Also, correlation between safety behavior with risk perception and safety attitude was significant (p<0.05). According to the findings, development in employees’ knowledge and attitude through organizational plans and omission of cultural and organizational barriers against doing safety orders and risk perception enhancement would result in workers’ safer behaviors towards chemical risks; leading to occupational accidents and diseases reduction in industries.

859-865

Authors: Mehdi kangavari, Ali Avakh, Rouhollah Nourian, Masome Afshari, Maryam Afshari

Occupational accidents are one of important events in the world. Individual affecting factors on accidents are knowledge, attitude and perception of risk. So this study aimed to determine knowledge, attitude and safety performance in prevention of occupational accidents at one of Iran Khodro's piece making companies' workers. In this cross-sectional study, 212 workers from Mehrcam Pars Company selected by stratified random method at each working site in 2015. By simple random sampling, subjects were enrolled. Questionnaire was completed by workers through self-reporting. Questionnaire consisted of demographic and underlying information and questions about safety knowledge, attitude and performance in the workplace. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21 software. The average workers' age was 34.3 year with a standard deviation of 4.7%. 35.8% were not trained in terms of performing their job. 48.1% of participants had no history of injuries in site, but others reported suffers from mild to severe intensity. There was significant relationship between educational situation with attitude and safety performance. There was significant relationship between job experience with safety knowledge, attitude and performance. Age and workers' safety attitude was a predictive of safety performance. The results showed that there is significant relationship between safety knowledge, attitude and performance in the workplace with some variables. So in order to improve the overall situation of safety, some measures can be effective such as raising the knowledge of personnel, safety staff's participation management, balancing work and time.

873-877

Authors: Seyyed Alireza Mousavi, Maryam khashij, Sara Hamzeh

The published statistics show the increasing consumption of detergents and abstergents in recent decades. According to high utilization of these substances and their adverse consequences, the purpose of this study is evaluating the knowledge, attitude and performance of Kermanshah citizens about the hygienic, environmental and safety effects of using detergents and abstergents. This study is analytical and descriptive and the sample size was 386 persons from Kermanshah citizens in 2015. The methodology of this study is based on a self – made questionnaire and the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.7. The SPSS – 20 was used for analyzing the data. 42.44% of them have high knowledge and 49% - 9% of them have respectively average and poor knowledge. 81.75% of participants have a positive attitude and 18.25% of them have negative one. Also 61.5% of participants have a proper performance and 38.5% of them don’t have a proper performance. There was a positive and significant relation between knowledge based on attitude (r=0.03) and performance (r=0.2). And also it was found that there is a direct correlation between attitude and performance (r=0.04). Since 38.5% of participants had poor performance and this is not satisfactory, it is necessary to instruct and inform people continuously about using detergents and abstergents correctly for better and more efficient performance.

705-715

Authors: Jamshid Piri, Mohammad Reza Rezaei Kahkha

Forecasting changes in level of the reservoir are important in Construction, design and estimate the volume of reservoirs and also in managing of supplying water. In this study, we have used different models such as Artificial Neutral Network (ANN), Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) and Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm (COA) for forecasting fluctuations in water level of Chahnimeh reservoirs in south-east of Iran. For this purpose, we applied three most important variables in water levels of the reservoir including evaporation, wind speed and daily temperature average to prepare the best entering variables for models. In addition, none accuracy of error in estimation of hydrologic variables and none assurance of exiting models are the result of their sensitivity to the educational complex for teaching of models and also preliminary decoration before beginning general education has been estimated. After comparing exiting and confidence interval of the ANN and ANFIS has been found that the result of ANFIS model is better described than other model because it was more accurate and does have lesser assurance.

722-728

Authors: Harandra K. Sharma, Khurheed Ahmad Wani, Aakash Ahmad Bhat

We investigated fungal contamination near different waste dumping sites and assessed the health risk factors of rag pickers associated with collection of waste in Gwalior during the year 2014-15. Petri plates were exposed at waste dumping sites and were transferred to the laboratory, analysis and identification was mainly carried out by culturing the fungal colonies by following standard procedures. A pretested questionnaire was used to evaluate the health problems among the rag pickers. Results indicated that all the dumping sites are contaminated with different types of fungal pathogens like Alternaria alternate, Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigates, A. niger, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Mucor, Penicillium and Rhizopus. Our study reported higher incidence of musculoskeletal and respiratory diseases among rag pickers. There is also strong need for carrying out similar assessment studies for other cities too. This will entail generation of more precise site specific information regarding fungal species and associated health risk factor.

738-745

Authors: Milad Ahmadi Marzaleh, Shahram Vosoughi, Amir Kavousi, Hosein Jameh Bozorg

Special attention of and oil, gas and petrochemical large corporation in the world to the HSE management system is due to its importance in the designing and development of products, services and processes by considering its health, safety and environment requirements. Staff's perception of the existing job risks has a significant impact on their safe behavior at work. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between safety climate and staff's perception of risk with an awareness level among employees of the HSE management system in an oil refinery in Kermanshah. The study population was employees in one of the oil refineries in Iran. After designing and questionnaire psychometric assessment of staff knowledge of HSE management system (Cronbach's alpha was 0.9 and its validity was assessed by certified professionals), Loughborough safety climate questionnaire and Flin risk perception questionnaire were used. Data analysis was performed using SPSS V22 software. Results showed that the relationship between safety climate and awareness level of the HSE management system; also the relationship between safety climate and perception of risk was also getting significant. However, the relationship between perception of risk and awareness level of the HSE management system was not significant. The results of this study showed a moderate awareness of HSE Management System in refinery workers. In this regard, appropriate and proper management policy should be committed to improving the situation. The results of this study is a profile the situation of safety climate in the refinery, which can be used as an indicator for the development of preventive policies and evaluate the performance of the organization's safety and the results of the safety improvement organization.

752-757

Authors: Mehdi Ashnagar, Aioob Ghanbary Sartang, Ehsanollah Habibi

Musculoskeletal disorders represent a major issue in the military setting. Musculoskeletal disorders and mental disorders (MSD) are a major cause of disability in the working population. Musculoskeletal disorders and premature tiredness caused by work are arisen from incompatible individual work capacity and job demands. Physical and psychology condition may lead to the generation, amplification musculoskeletal disorders. Musculoskeletal disorders and mental health disorders are high in military personnel. The purpose of this study was Assessment Mental Health and musculoskeletal disorders in military personnel. In this cross-sectional study 70 personnel military participated in May 2016. Cornell Questionnaire and Mental health inventory (MHI-28) were used for data gathering. Finally, Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20, descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation test and One Way Anova test. The findings of the current study showed that personnel situation of mental health were in moderate condition (56.01±13.3). Results Cornell Questionnaire showed that the most of musculoskeletal disorders were respectively in the back (46%), shoulder (34%) and wrist (31%). Also Pearson correlation test showed significantly associated between musculoskeletal disorders and mental health (r=0.72) (p-value=0.001). One Way Anova test showed that with increase age (p<0.01) and work experience (p<0.01) increased musculoskeletal disorders. Finally, One Way Anova test showed that with increase age (p<0.02) and work experience (p<0.02) mental health became worse. The finding of this research showed that musculoskeletal disorders and mental health disorders had high prevalence among military personnel and should intervention action need conduct for decrease this disorder. Also attention for maintaining and improving the health of these members must be considered.

641-653

Authors: Auob Mirsaeidi, Hossein Moradi, Maryam Zekri

The main objective of this study was to develop a fuzzy–based framework for the prioritization of health, safety and environment related risks posed against employees, working conditions, and process equipment in large gas refineries. The First Refinery at Pars Special Economic Energy Zone in South of Iran was taken as a case study. For this purpose, health, safety and environment related risks were determined based on the three criteria of impact severity, occurrence probability, and detect-ability using a questionnaire of 33 identified failures. The values obtained were processed by a so-called ‘contribution coefficient’. The results were then subjected to fuzzification and fuzzy rules were defined to calculate the risk level indices as the model outputs, which was then employed to facilitate the management decision-making process by prioritizing the management options. The prioritization values were then classified in six categories in the order of risk severity. Results revealed that failure in a combustion furnace had the highest rank while failure in the slug catcher ranked the lowest among the risk sources. It was also found that about 0.4% of the identified risks prioritized as “intolerable”, 79% as “major”, 20% as “tolerable”, and 0.7% as “minor”. Thus, most of the risks (more than 79%) associated with the refinery has the potential of significant risks. The results indicated that the risk of the pollutant emissions from the combustion furnaces is the highest. Exposures to harmful physical, chemical, psychological, and ergonomic substances are the other risks, respectively.

670-682

Authors: Zabihollah Yousefi, Farzad Kazemi, Reza Ali Mohammadpour

Physicochemical quality of water from the acceptability point of view is essential for consumers; protecting the health of consumers and maintenance of water supply systems. The aim of this study is to determine temporal and spatial variations of Calcium and Magnesium in Ilam drinking water sources using the GIS system. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 20 drinking water sources in Ilam city and the 5 years results by water and wastewater company archive GIS software version 3.9 were analyzed via SPSS version 16 as well as one-way variance analysis. Water and wastewater sampling and measurement were conducted in order to verify the data by researchers according to standard methods. Based on interpolation map, the maximum calcium and magnesium contents are related to western and central regions. ANOVA test showed that there no a significant difference between the mean calcium variable verification test in summer during 2009-2013 and at 95% level. (P=0.760>0.05). The one-way analysis of variance showed that there is a significant difference between the average magnesium variable in summer during 2013-2009 years and the verification test at 95% level. (P=0.019<0.05). According to maps 1 and 2, in all areas, the mean calcium content is lower than the maximum allowed. And the water quality is desirable based on the parameters. The results of the verification test in 2015, compared with the international standard WHO, showed magnesium concentrations are higher than is desirable maximum in most sources.

689-694

Authors: Norouz Mohmoudi, Mojtaba Sepandi, Nematollah Jonaidi Jafari, Dr. Hossein Masoumbeigi

Healthcare wastes are a major challenge in public health and comprise all types of wastes generated by healthcare centers, research facilities, and laboratories. The aim of this study was surveying the knowledge and practice of nursing staff about sharp waste management in selected military (Tehran) and non- military (Qom) hospitals in 2012. This was a descriptive-analytical study on 143 nursing stuff in Military and Non-Military hospitals. Data was collected using a self-report questionnaire. Statistical tests such as the student t-test, one-way analysis of variance and Pearson correlation were used to data analysis. The mean age of participants was 32(±6.3) and the majority were female. The mean score of knowledge was 54.7(±14.4) and their knowledge classified on a moderate level. Also, the mean score of practice was 65.44(±11.6) and was classified on a moderate level. The means of these variables were higher among personnel of Military than Non-Military. There were positive correlations between knowledge, practice and age variables (P<0.05). The findings showed that there is a considerable deficiency about knowledge and practice of the participants’ in study, from fundamentals of desirable management of sharp waste. As a result, the design and performance of proper educational programs are suggested for them.

699-704

Authors: Ahmad Alibabaei, Amir Hossein Matin, Reza Khanijazani, Rouhollah Nourian, Hamid Bastani, Afshin Mohebi

Nowadays, the change and dynamism of organizations are the basic principles; therefore, managers should modify the goals, plans and work procedures so that they can be compatible with the environment condition. The management of HSE is not excepted from this principle. The aim of this study was to evaluate the processes affecting HSE. This study was a cross-sectional and applied study using the review of relevant documentation, interviews and brainstorming with experts, and the reviews of Best Practice to identify the HSE's processes. After checking the HSE activities, the 5 processes of HSE training, managing the risks, events, emergencies and contractors and any changes in the other processes of the organization were also suggested. The results showed that a process approaching the form of an intervention programed can be provided in order to have a better interaction between the HSE activities and organizations processes and workplace health promotion for the HSE activities.