Workplace status and risk of hypertension among hourly and salaried aluminum manufacturing employees

An inverse relationship between workplace status and morbidity is well established; higher job status has been associated with reduced risks of heart disease, hypertension, and injury. Most research on job status, however, has focused on salaried populations, and it remains unclear whether job status operates similarly among hourly workers. Our objectives were to examine whether hourly status itself influences risk of hypertension after adjustment for socioeconomic confounders, and to explore the role of fine-scale job grade on hypertension incidence within hourly and salaried groups. We examined data for 14,999 aluminum manufacturing employees in 11 plants across the U.S., using logistic regression with adjustment for age, sex, race/ethnicity and other individual characteristics. Propensity score restriction was used to identify comparable groups of hourly and salaried employees, reducing confounding by sociodemographic characteristics. Job grade (coded 1 through 30, within hourly and salaried groups) was examined as a more refined measure of job status. Hourly status was associated with an increased risk of hypertension, after propensity restriction and adjustment for confounders. The observed effect of hourly status was stronger among women, although the propensity-restricted cohort was disproportionately male (96%). Among salaried workers, higher job grade was not consistently associated with decreased risk; among hourly employees, however, there was a significant trend, with higher job grades more protective against hypertension. Increasing the stringency of hypertension case criteria also increased the risk of severe or persistent hypertension for hourly employees.     

Study of Laser Ocular Effect and Damage

In this paper, the characteristics and regularities of acute ocular injuries by direct laser exposure are briefly reviewed, typical cases of ocular injuries from accidental laser exposure are reported, and laser occupational harm to the eye are discussed on the basis of epidemic investigation of personnel engaged in laser work.     

临床护士锐器伤调查与预防

目的探讨护士预防锐器伤的对策。方法对某所综合性医院193名护士在2004年1月~2005年6月发生的锐器伤进行问卷调查。结果46.1%护士发生锐器伤,人均1.6次;发生锐器伤的锐器主要是注射器针头(36.7%),其次是玻璃(32.4%);护士主要在掰安瓿(29.5%)、使用后处理锐器(22.3%)、安装调整针头(15.8%)、医护配合传递锐器(10.1%)等环节容易发生锐器伤;有79.1%护士发生锐器伤时未戴手套。结论护士面临锐器伤职业危险,各方应当采取对策,预防和控制锐器伤。     

The epidemiology and surveillance of blood lead in Taiwan (R.O.C.): A report on the PRESS-BLL project

 To monitor the lead hazards in industries and to investigate the prevalence of elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) in lead-exposed workers, a lead surveillance system (PRESS-BLLs) has been established and operated in Taiwan, Republic of China, since July 1993. A cohort of lead-exposed workers who received a periodic annual health examination at 55 accredited hospital laboratories was constructed. A total of 9807 separate BLL measurements were reported to the system in 1994. The mean BLL was 15.8 μg/dl in male workers and 11.6 μg/dl in female workers. The mean BLL of lead-exposed workers was significantly (P<0.05, z-test) higher than that of the general Taiwanese population (8.6 μg/dl for males and 6.7 μg/dl for females). In addition, the BLLs of 983 (10.0%) workers exceeded the regulatory action level (40 μg/dl for males; 30 μg/dl for females). The workplaces and homes of 57% of the workers with elevated BLLs were thoroughly investigated to determine the sources of lead contamination. These actions identified the causes of elevated BLLs and set up strategies to reduce workers’ lead exposure. The establishment of this occupational lead surveillance system represents a method for monitoring of lead hazards from occupational and environmental settings to prevent lead poisoning. The information acquired from the system can help in the setting up of a priority of prevention and the development of control measures. It is also useful for further monitoring of changes in the BLLs of the lead-exposed-worker cohort. The Health Department of Taiwan can use this information to evaluate the effectiveness of current industrial hygiene practice. Subjects with elevated BLLs have been medically treated and placed on long-term follow-up for sequelae. Received: 2 September 1996/Accepted: 29 November 1996     

护理人员的职业损伤因素及健康维护

作者指出临床一线的护理人员是发生职业损伤的高危群体。产生职业损伤的危险因素包括基础教育和继续教育缺乏职业损伤及其防范知识；影响护理人员身体健康的诸因素，如化疗专用的溶药设备、洁净操作台或相对密闭的溶药环境不健全；乙型肝炎等医院内易感性等疾病增加，被血液、体液等污染的医疗锐器刺伤是护理人员职业感染的主要途径；护理人员工作职业特点对健康不利的影响，护理人员心理压力大。为维护护理人员身心健康，应加入医院感染、职业损伤和健康维护的在校理论教育内容，加强护理人员职业安全教育，采取防范职业损伤的措施，如化疗药物中心配药、使用一次性手套等措施。     

日晒海盐工人机体内高镁反应

报道福建某盐场从事日晒海盐生产人工机体内高镁对心血管系统的影响，通过现场空气、饮水、主良的镁含量测定，并对进入机体途径进行分析，得出空气、卤水接触、饮水为机体镁增高的主要来源。不同对象头发镁含量测定结果显示，以接触卤水、劳动强度大的盐工最高，并随机体内镁含量增高，出现血压偏低、心率减慢、心电图Ｐ－Ｒ间期延长、ＱＲＳ波增宽、Ｔ波高尖等机体高镁反应，与临床高镁血症相似。     

某钢铁厂工艺改进前后金属酸洗岗位职业危害的对比

目的了解工艺改进后金属酸洗岗位职业危害因素及浓度降低效果，控制岗位人员职业危害因素接受量，预防职业病的发生。方法通过对某钢铁厂金属酸洗车间工艺改进前后酸洗和天车操作两个岗位职业危害因素监测结果进行对比、分析，确定工艺改进对控制岗位职业危害的效果。结果天车操作室：硫酸雾合格率由60．2％上升到88．9％，盐酸雾合格率由63.0％提高到100％；酸洗操作岗位：硫酸雾合格率由37．0％上升到87．9％，盐酸雾合格率由49．0％提高到99．1％。经统计学分析，工艺改进前与工艺改进后硫酸雾、盐酸雾总体合格率差异均有显著性（P〈0．05），说明工艺改进后主要岗位职业危害因素减低的合格率均有较大提升。结论工艺改进对控制酸洗岗位职业危害效果明显。     

某电厂25 MW煤气发电工程职业病危害因素水平调查

目的 了解该项目主要职业病危害因素的种类、分布以及浓度和强度，提出防护措施，以达到减少职业病危害因素对人体健康的影响。方法 通过职业卫生学调查和现场测试对该项目职业病危害控制效果进行评价。结果 噪声、粉尘、一氧化碳、二氧化碳及二氧化硫化学毒物合格率为100％。结论 该建设项目生产工艺与设备先进，自动化程度较高，职业卫生防护设施基本齐全，防毒、防噪和防高温效果好，是优质环保工程。