Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene最新文献

{"title":"Occupational toxic inhalation injury to cleaning chemicals during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a case series for disinfectants aerosolized through spray and fog application.","authors":"Danièle Todorov, D M Ceballos, C Sack, C Reeb-Whitaker","doi":"10.1080/15459624.2026.2650648","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15459624.2026.2650648","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The occupational burden of injury caused by exposure to cleaning chemicals during the pandemic is not well described. The objective of this study was to determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a change in the rate of toxic inhalation (TI) injuries following occupational exposure to cleaning chemicals. This retrospective study spanned from July 1, 2017, to June 30, 2022, with January 1, 2020, designated as the pandemic start. TI cases were identified among workers' compensation claims filed in Washington State, USA using keyword text search and diagnostic and insurance codes. Qualitative claim data were reviewed to determine the frequency of cases with exposure to aerosolized disinfectants following spray or fog application. Rates of TI claims per full-time equivalent (FTE) workers were compared in the pre- and pandemic periods. Out of the 440 TI claims identified, 30% involved exposure to disinfectants and 13% had a diagnosis of work-related asthma. There was a decline in the overall rate of TI claims in the pre- <i>vs</i>. pandemic period (8.9/100,000 FTE <i>vs</i>. 7.4/100,000 FTE, respectively). However, the proportion of exposures to disinfectants increased during the pandemic period. Four industries, particularly \"Transportation and Warehousing,\" experienced an increase in TI injury rate. Fog or spray application of disinfectants was involved in 20 cases (including 14 in bus transportation) during the pandemic, compared to zero cases in the pre-pandemic period. In Washington State, the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with industry-specific increased TI injury rates due to cleaning chemicals, but not an overall increased rate. A case series emphasizes that aerosolized disinfectants are a toxic inhalation risk for workers. Studies to further characterize this practice and these injuries are warranted. Prevention efforts should utilize the hierarchy of controls as well as address hazard awareness, product over-application, and the need to estimate and uphold a safe re-occupation time after fog or spray application of disinfectants.</p>","PeriodicalId":16599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene","volume":" ","pages":"406-416"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147930407","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation and control of formaldehyde exposures in a modern university anatomy laboratory.","authors":"Lachlan A McPhail, Jane L Whitelaw, Linda Apthorpe","doi":"10.1080/15459624.2026.2657305","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15459624.2026.2657305","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A functional understanding of human anatomy is fundamental for students studying health and medical sciences. Formalin, which is a formaldehyde-saturated solution, continues to be used for the preservation and disinfection of human specimens for teaching because other formalin substitutes are not readily available, practical, or preferred. The continued use of formalin exposes anatomy technicians who dissect human specimens to acute and chronic health effects, which has led to Australia's national government policy agency, Safe Work Australia, to pursue lower permitted airborne formaldehyde workplace exposure limits (WEL). During this study, 14 personal airborne samples were collected to calculate the geometric mean and 95th percentile of the formaldehyde 8-hr time-weighted average (8-hr TWA) and short-term exposure limit (STEL) for comparison to the current Australian WES and proposed Australian formaldehyde WELs. Three participants were recruited for the study and participated in formaldehyde air sampling and completed a questionnaire after each monitoring session to report formaldehyde exposure symptoms. The calculated 8-hr TWA and STEL geometric means were 1.1 and 1.4 ppm respectively, and the 95th percentile of both the 8-hr TWA and STEL exceeded the current Australian WES and proposed WELs. Questionnaire responses identified participants had experienced formaldehyde exposure symptoms related to itching eyes, inflamed eyes, headaches, and discomfort during dissection. Lower formaldehyde concentrations were identified during dissection in a dedicated dissection room where a partially effective dissection table with downdraft local exhaust ventilation and a laboratory fume hood were utilized, compared to teaching rooms with no local exhaust ventilation system. Formalin use continues to remain an occupational hazard for anatomy technicians who perform dissection, and careful attention is required toward implementing effective control measures such as substituting formalin with other suitable solutions, reducing formalin concentrations in embalming solutions, installing local exhaust ventilation systems, and using suitable personal protective equipment.</p>","PeriodicalId":16599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene","volume":" ","pages":"473-484"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148055072","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"\"The Action Level^®\".","authors":"J Thomas Pierce","doi":"10.1080/15459624.2026.2709323","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15459624.2026.2709323","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene","volume":" ","pages":"D19-D20"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148620518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"BEAR I Genetics Panel: An unexpected and troubling historical twist: The untold story of Hermann Muller's significant scientific confusion.","authors":"Edward J Calabrese, Peter Pressman, Paul B Selby","doi":"10.1080/15459624.2026.2640007","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15459624.2026.2640007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hermann J. Muller, Nobel Prize recipient for producing gene mutations, was the de facto leader of the radiation genetics community from the mid-1920s until he died in 1967. Muller had a major impact on US hereditary/cancer risk assessment policies/practices, and the course of the secondary school biological sciences curriculum development in the US and worldwide. Despite these accomplishments, Muller was at the center of provocative controversies. Within this context, this paper reports the discovery of a letter (April 4, 1956) from Muller to Warren Weaver, Chair of the BEAR I Genetics Panel, about a major controversy in which the radiation-induced hereditary damage estimates of Panelist Milisav Demerec were strikingly lower than those of others, especially Muller's. In this recently discovered letter, Muller attempted to reconcile these differences and unexpectedly claimed that Demerec's estimates were correct. However, Muller appears to have inexplicably confused the evaluation by switching his focus away from Demerec's data on radiation-induced mutation rates in bacteria to his old unresolved dispute with Demerec regarding fruit flies. He even suggested that Demerec was correct in that Muller's groundbreaking mutational research had induced mostly major chromosomal aberrations rather than gene mutations. Muller curiously suggested that he had thereby resolved the conflict amongst Demerec, himself, and other BEAR I Genetics Panel members. Yet, as noted, Demerec's data for the BEAR I Genetics Panel mutation risk estimates were based on his (i.e., Demerec's) more current research on bacteria, with Muller completely missing the entire point of the Panel's scientific conflict with the Demerec data. Thus, Muller never addressed the real issue. This transitory detachment from factual reality by Muller is obvious and acute. Finally, if Weaver had shared this letter from Muller with the BEAR I Genetics Panel, it seems possible that many members might have been so troubled by Muller's apparent detachment from reality (on such a consequential disagreement) that they would have questioned why they had allowed Muller to exert so much influence on their report.</p>","PeriodicalId":16599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene","volume":" ","pages":"499-507"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147973278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Estimating worker reentry times following application of two generic spray polyurethane foam formulations according to ASTM Standard Practice D8445-22a.","authors":"Richard Wood, David Zugell, Timothy Miller, Sam Kempel, Derek Moore","doi":"10.1080/15459624.2026.2657304","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15459624.2026.2657304","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The ASTM D8445-22a Standard Practice for Measuring Chemical Emissions from Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) Insulation Samples in a Large-scale Ventilated Enclosure establishes procedures for measuring chemical emissions of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds (VOCs and SVOCs) from spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation samples. This standard practice can be used to identify chemical emissions during SPF application and for three days following application. The goal of the D8445-22a is to generate chemical emissions data that can be used for research activities, modeled, and/or used as a basis for recommending reentry and re-occupancy times following the application of SPF in residential or commercial buildings. Potential reentry and re-occupancy times only apply to applications that meet the manufacturer's guidelines and are specific to the tested formulation. The purpose of the study was to demonstrate how data collected in accordance with the ASTM standard practice may be used by health professionals to recommend a time for unprotected trade workers to be restricted from entry into affected work areas following SPF application. Chemical emissions from two generic, high-pressure, open-cell formulations were evaluated in a ventilated enclosure. One SPF formulation contained emissive catalysts, and the other formulation, non-emissive catalysts. Exhaust ventilation was supplied to the enclosure at a rate of 10 Air Changes per Hour (ACH) for 2 hr during and post SPF application. The air change rate was then lowered to 0.3 ACH for the remainder of the test period. Chemical components selected for evaluation represent those typically present in SPF formulations and include methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), amine catalyst, aldehydes, and flame retardant.</p>","PeriodicalId":16599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene","volume":" ","pages":"462-472"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148055024","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Occupational exposure limit variability and hazard characterization alignment-implications for protection from respiratory irritation.","authors":"Sydney Hess, Mary Beth Genter, Andrew Maier, Mark A Bradley, Christine Whittaker, Lynne T Haber","doi":"10.1080/15459624.2026.2650640","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15459624.2026.2650640","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The primary purpose of this study was to examine patterns in the reliance on respiratory tract irritation as a toxicological basis for occupational exposure limits (OELs), focused on U.S.-based OELs. This study pursued three aims: (1) to evaluate the degree to which OELs are based on respiratory irritation, or more broadly, on respiratory effects; (2) to assess the variability in the OEL values across organizations; and (3) to determine how well surrogate endpoints align with respiratory irritation for OELs having respiratory tract effects as their critical effect. To address these aims, a database was developed that listed the chemical OELs from the German MAK (Maximale Arbeitsplatz-Konzentration) Commission, U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), California OSHA, American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH^®), and the Workplace Environmental Exposure Levels Committee (WEEL; initially derived under the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA^®), and after 2012 via Toxicology Excellence for Risk Assessment (TERA)). Information on inhalation toxicity, specifically respiratory irritation, was also included. Analyses of the collated data found the following. Most chemicals in the database with at least one OEL had three or four OELs from different organizations; there was variability among the OEL numeric values, but most chemicals differed by a factor of less than 10. The respiratory tract was the site of the critical or co-critical effect (i.e., the one occurring at the lowest concentration) for ∼50% of the chemicals in the database, illustrating the importance of consideration of this target organ in OEL development. Inconsistencies between GESTIS-curated Globally Harmonized System (GHS) Hazard (H) codes and OEL documentation regarding respiratory effects were identified, suggesting that the potential for respiratory effects may not be adequately addressed in assigning H codes. Neither skin nor eye irritation-related H codes are sufficiently sensitive to predict potential respiratory irritation, so other surrogate measures are needed to evaluate the potential to cause respiratory irritation of chemicals for which inhalation toxicity data are not available.</p>","PeriodicalId":16599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene","volume":" ","pages":"452-461"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148277664","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Work posture, ergonomic risk, and musculoskeletal disorders in traditional farming communities of Rajasthan.","authors":"Ram Charan Bairwa, Makkhan Lal Meena, Govind Sharan Dangayach, Rahul Jain","doi":"10.1080/15459624.2025.2609739","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15459624.2025.2609739","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Manual farming operations among small-scale independent farmers engaged in subsistence agriculture expose workers to significant ergonomic hazards, leading to a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This study assessed MSD prevalence and associated risk factors among 298 manual farming workers (177 males, 121 females) in the State of Rajasthan, India. Data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire, and work postures were analyzed using rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) and rapid entire body assessment (REBA) assessment methods. Binary logistic regression identified significant predictors of MSDs: age >40 years (odds ratio [OR] = 3.71), body mass index >25 kg/m² (OR = 3.04), working >6 hr/day (OR = 4.6), limited rest breaks (OR = 6.58), and prolonged awkward postures. Postural assessment outcomes revealed that 90% of participants had RULA scores >7 and 84% had REBA scores >8, both indicating high ergonomic risk levels. The findings highlight the urgent need for ergonomic interventions, work-rest cycle optimization, and posture modification strategies to mitigate the burden of MSDs in manual farming communities.</p>","PeriodicalId":16599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene","volume":" ","pages":"438-451"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145917840","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correction.","authors":"","doi":"10.1080/15459624.2026.2695572","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15459624.2026.2695572","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":16599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene","volume":" ","pages":"508"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148436841","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Incidence and influencing factors of head and face device-related pressure injuries: Findings from frontline nurses battling COVID-19.","authors":"Qing Ou, Shengying Shi, Dan He, Yucheng Li, Yuhang Yan, Hongyun Wei","doi":"10.1080/15459624.2026.2658700","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15459624.2026.2658700","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In December 2019, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by infection with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first identified in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, and rapidly spread across the globe, affecting millions and overwhelming global public health systems. To evaluate the incidence and severity of head and face device-related pressure injuries (DRPI) among front-line nurses and identify factors contributing to DRPI, from March to May 2020, 143 clinical first-line nurses from Guangdong Province who were deployed to Hubei Province were surveyed with a self-designed device-related pressure injury questionnaire. Frequent distributions and logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with injury incidence and severity. In summary, 75.5% of nurses reported DRPI, and continuous use of personal protective equipment (PPE) on the head and neck was a major contributing factor to injury. While protective strategies such as adjusting for the size of the equipment, applying dressing, and washing the affected areas with warm water were reported, there were inconsistencies in their effectiveness. It was noted that each additional hour of PPE use increased the risk of developing DRPI by 52.5% (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.10-2.12). The high incidence of DRPI among participants highlights the need for focused and comprehensive intervention strategies in future research. Though the findings suggest that it may be helpful to develop acute care settings-appropriate individualized assessment tools, multicenter studies will need to be conducted before a standardized assessment tool can be developed.</p>","PeriodicalId":16599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene","volume":" ","pages":"417-424"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148421894","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Validation of the Russian version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire.","authors":"Anna V Novikova, Vasiliy A Shirokov, Sergey V Kuzmin, Aleksandr A Novikov, Aleksandra S Perevezentseva","doi":"10.1080/15459624.2026.2649753","DOIUrl":"10.1080/15459624.2026.2649753","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The digital transformation of the economy and rising labor demands have increased the relevance of psychosocial risk management. The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) is a widely used international tool for assessing these risks. This study aimed to validate the Russian version of COPSOQ III (COPSOQ-RU) to ensure its reliability and applicability for assessing psychosocial risks in Russian workplaces. The questionnaire was translated, culturally adapted, and piloted with 290 participants. The main survey included 1,075 valid responses. Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha (all dimensions > 0.60). Construct validity was assessed through exploratory factor analysis (EFA), which identified 22 factors explaining 65.9% of the variance. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) demonstrated excellent model fit (CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.049, SRMR = 0.056). Most dimensions demonstrated satisfactory reliability and exhibited valid factor structures. However, certain items required revision. Strong correlations were identified between psychosocial risk dimensions and outcomes such as burnout and job satisfaction. The COPSOQ-RU was shown to be a valid and reliable tool for assessing psychosocial risks in Russian workplaces. Its implementation can support evidence-based occupational health interventions and contribute to improving employee well-being and working conditions in Russia.</p>","PeriodicalId":16599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene","volume":" ","pages":"485-498"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147690722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}