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.