Safety and Health at Work最新文献

{"title":"Investigation of Working Conditions and Health Status in Platform Workers in the Republic of Korea","authors":"Hyoungseob Yoo ,&nbsp;Munyoung Yang ,&nbsp;Ji-Hun Song ,&nbsp;Jin-Ha Yoon ,&nbsp;Wanhyung Lee ,&nbsp;Jinhee Jang ,&nbsp;Minjoo Yoon ,&nbsp;Mo-Yeol Kang","doi":"10.1016/j.shaw.2024.01.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.shaw.2024.01.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>The present study aimed to analyze several aspects of the working conditions and health status of platform workers in the Republic of Korea, such as ergonomic and emotional hazards. We also compared the health status of the platform workers with that of the general population.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>A total of 1,000 platform workers participated in this survey from August 7 to August 17, 2022. The participants included 400 designated drivers, 400 food-delivery drivers, and 200 housekeeping managers. A face-to-face survey with a structured questionnaire was conducted by researchers who had received specific instructions. The focus of the survey extended to the work environment, encompassing factors such as workplace violence, as well as physical, chemical, and ergonomic hazards. Health-related data for the previous year were also collected, covering a range of issues such as hearing problems, skin problems, musculoskeletal symptoms, headaches, injuries, mental health issues, and digestive problems. Subsequently, we compared the health symptom data of the responders with those of the general population in the Republic of Korea.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Platform workers, including designated drivers, food-delivery drivers, and housekeeping managers, existed in the blind spot of social insurance, facing frequent exposure to physical and chemical hazards, ergonomic risk factors, and direct or indirect violence. The prevalence of health problems, including musculoskeletal symptoms, general fatigue, and depressive symptoms, in each occupational group was statistically higher than that in the general population after standardization for age and gender.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>The results revealed unfavorable working environment and inferior occupational health of platform workers compared with those of the general population.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":56149,"journal":{"name":"Safety and Health at Work","volume":"15 1","pages":"Pages 17-23"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2093791124000027/pdfft?md5=343d3005a6036c1a3c1af76b06871226&pid=1-s2.0-S2093791124000027-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139508991","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing Neurobehavioral Alterations Among E-waste Recycling Workers in Hong Kong","authors":"Gengze Liao ,&nbsp;Feng Wang ,&nbsp;Shaoyou Lu ,&nbsp;Yanny Hoi Kuen Yu ,&nbsp;Victoria H. Arrandale ,&nbsp;Alan Hoi-shou Chan ,&nbsp;Lap Ah Tse","doi":"10.1016/j.shaw.2023.12.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.shaw.2023.12.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3><em>Background</em></h3><p>E-waste workers in Hong Kong are handling an unprecedented amount of e-waste, which contains various neurotoxic chemicals. However, no study has been conducted to evaluate the neurological health status of e-waste workers in Hong Kong. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of neurobehavioral alterations and to identify the vulnerable groups among Hong Kong e-waste workers.</p></div><div><h3><em>Methods</em></h3><p>We recruited 109 Hong Kong e-waste workers from June 2021 to September 2022. Participants completed standard questionnaires and wore a GENEActiv accelerometer for seven days. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Questionnaire 16/18 (Q16/18) were used to assess subjective neurobehavioral alterations. The GENEActiv data generated objective sleep and circadian rhythm variables. Workers were grouped based on job designation and entity type according to the presumed hazardous level. Unconditional logistic regression models measured the associations of occupational characteristics with neurobehavioral alterations after adjusting for confounders.</p></div><div><h3><em>Results</em></h3><p>While dismantlers/repairers and the workers in entities not funded by the government were more likely to suffer from neurotoxic symptoms in Q18 (adjusted odds ratio: 3.18 [1.18–9.39] and 2.77 [1.10–7.46], respectively), the workers from self-sustained recycling facilities also have poor performances in circadian rhythm. Results also showed that the dismantlers/repairers working in entities not funded by the government had the highest risk of neurotoxic symptoms compared to the lowest-risk group (i.e., workers in government-funded companies with other job designations).</p></div><div><h3><em>Conclusion</em></h3><p>This timely and valuable study emphasizes the importance of improving the working conditions for high-risk e-waste workers, especially the dismantlers or repairers working in facilities not funded by the government.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":56149,"journal":{"name":"Safety and Health at Work","volume":"15 1","pages":"Pages 9-16"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S209379112300094X/pdfft?md5=2d8ddbe86453ba83c91108c0b2a742c0&pid=1-s2.0-S209379112300094X-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139070642","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association Between Flexible Work Arrangement and Sleep Problems Among Paid Workers: Using 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey","authors":"Eunseun Han ,&nbsp;Yongho Lee ,&nbsp;Sanghyuk Lee ,&nbsp;Shinhyeong Kim ,&nbsp;Seunghon Ham ,&nbsp;Wanhyung Lee ,&nbsp;Won-Jun Choi ,&nbsp;Seong-Kyu Kang","doi":"10.1016/j.shaw.2023.12.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.shaw.2023.12.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>As social distancing persists and interest in work-life balance grows, more companies are adopting flexible work policies. While there have been studies on sleep disorders associated with different types of work, such as shift work, research exploring the relationship between flexible work schedules and sleep disorders is still limited, particularly among Korean workers.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>We performed a secondary analysis of the 6^th Korean Working Conditions Survey, focusing on 31,243 paid workers out of a total of 50,538 participants. We defined flexible workers as those who set their own working hours. Sleep disorders were divided into three categories: ‘difficulty falling asleep,’ ‘frequent waking during sleep,’ and ‘waking up feeling exhausted and fatigued.’ Using scores derived from three specific symptoms, the Minimal Insomnia Symptoms Scale (MISS) was calculated to assess the prevalence of insomnia. We used chi-square tests to analyze demographic and job-related differences. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to identify any relationship between flexible work schedules and sleep disorders.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>Significant differences were found between flexible and non-flexible workers regarding age, income level, education level, and job type. Flexible workers reported sleep-related symptoms significantly more often. The odds ratio for insomnia was 1.40 (95% CI 1.21–1.61). For males, the odds ratio was 1.68 (1.36–2.08).</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>This study establishes a correlation between flexible work schedules and sleep disorders among Korean salaried workers. Potential causes could include changes in circadian rhythm, increased work demands, and extended working hours. To precisely determine causality and associated diseases, further research is required.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":56149,"journal":{"name":"Safety and Health at Work","volume":"15 1","pages":"Pages 53-58"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2093791123000951/pdfft?md5=414f1d1743f87ec8b5b334f39e09a934&pid=1-s2.0-S2093791123000951-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139423303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association between Work-related Communication Devices Use during Work Outside of Regular Working Hours and Depressive Symptoms in Wage Workers","authors":"Min-Sun Kim ,&nbsp;Shin-Goo Park ,&nbsp;Hwan-Cheol Kim ,&nbsp;Sang-Hee Hwang","doi":"10.1016/j.shaw.2023.11.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.shaw.2023.11.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><p>This study aimed to investigate the relationship between work-related communication devices use during work outside of regular working hours and depressive symptoms in wage workers.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>Data from 50,538 workers aged 15 years or older who had participated in the 6th Korean Working Condition Survey (KWCS) were used. The final sample was 32,994 wage workers. The questionnaire asked the respondents how often they used communication devices for work during work outside of regular working hours. Depressive symptoms were assessed using WHO-5 Well-Being Index. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between work-related communication devices use during work outside of regular working hours and depressive symptoms.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>The rate of depressive symptoms was highest among workers who did not use work-related communication devices during work outside of regular working hours. After adjusting for socio-demographic and work-related factors, the odds ratio of depressive symptoms among workers who used communication devices when working outside of regular working hours was 1.20 (95% CI: 1.09–1.32); the odds ratio of depressive symptoms in the group not using communication devices for free-time work was 1.66 (95% CI: 1.37–2.00), which was higher than that of the reference group, that is, workers who did not work outside of regular working hours, and was statistically significant.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Regardless of whether work-related communication devices are used, working outside of regular working hours increases depressive symptoms. The use of work-related communication devices during work outside of regular working hours can reduce the rate of depressive symptoms.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":56149,"journal":{"name":"Safety and Health at Work","volume":"15 1","pages":"Pages 73-79"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S209379112300080X/pdfft?md5=1c873d22d959ade415dba08cc7f11acf&pid=1-s2.0-S209379112300080X-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138495584","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Global Estimates on Biological Risks at Work","authors":"Jukka Takala ,&nbsp;Alexis Descatha ,&nbsp;A. Oppliger ,&nbsp;H. Hamzaoui ,&nbsp;Catherine Bråkenhielm ,&nbsp;Subas Neupane","doi":"10.1016/j.shaw.2023.10.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.shaw.2023.10.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Biological risks are a major global problem in the workplace. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for a more comprehensive understanding of the biological risks at work. This study presents data on both communicable infectious biological agents and noncommunicable factors leading to death and disability for the year 2021.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We followed the methodology established by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in their past global estimates on occupational accidents and work-related diseases. We used relevant ILO estimates for hazardous substances and related population attributable fractions derived from literature, which were then applied to World Health Organization mortality data. The communicable diseases included in the estimates were tuberculosis, pneumococcal diseases, malaria, diarrheal diseases, other infectious diseases, neglected tropical diseases, influenza associated respiratory diseases and COVID-19. Noncommunicable diseases and injuries considered were Chronic Obstructive Diseases (COPD) due to organic dusts, asthma, allergic reactions and risks related to animal contact. We estimated death attributable to biological risk at work and disability in terms of disability adjusted life years (DALYs).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We estimated that in 2022, 550,819 deaths were caused by biological risk factors, with 476,000 deaths attributed to communicable infectious diseases and 74,000 deaths caused by noncommunicable factors. Among these, there were 223,650 deaths attributed to COVID-19 at work. We calculated the rate of 584 DALYs per 100,000 workers, representing an 11% increase from the previous estimate of the global burden of work-related disabilities measured by DALYs.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This is a first update since previous 2007 ILO estimates, which has now increased by 74% and covers most biological risks factors. However, it is important to note that there may be other diseases and deaths are missing from the data, which need to be included when new information becomes available. It is also worth mentioning that while deaths caused by major communicable diseases including COVID-19 are relatively rare within the working population, absences from work due to these diseases are likely to be very common within the active workforce.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56149,"journal":{"name":"Safety and Health at Work","volume":"14 4","pages":"Pages 390-397"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134936396","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Occupational Injuries Among Construction Workers by Age and Related Economic Loss: Findings From Ohio Workers' Compensation, USA: 2007–2017","authors":"Harpriya Kaur ,&nbsp;Steven J. Wurzelbacher ,&nbsp;P. Tim Bushnell ,&nbsp;Stephen Bertke ,&nbsp;Alysha R. Meyers ,&nbsp;James W. Grosch ,&nbsp;Steven J. Naber ,&nbsp;Michael Lampl","doi":"10.1016/j.shaw.2023.10.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.shaw.2023.10.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>This study examined age-group differences in the rate, severity, and cost of injuries among construction workers to support evidence-based worker safety and health interventions in the construction industry.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Ohio workers' compensation claims for construction workers were used to estimate claim rates and costs by age group. We analyzed claims data auto-coded into five event/exposure categories: transportation incidents; slips, trips, and falls (STFs); exposure to harmful substances and environments; contact with objects and equipment (COB); overexertion and bodily reaction. American Community Survey data were used to determine the percentage of workers in each age group.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>From 2007–2017, among 72,416 accepted injury claims for ∼166,000 construction full-time equivalent (FTE) per year, nearly half were caused by COB, followed by STFs (20%) and overexertion (20%). Claim rates related to COB and exposure to harmful substances and environments were highest among those 18–24 years old, with claim rates of 313.5 and 25.9 per 10,000 FTE, respectively. STFs increased with age, with the highest claim rates for those 55–64 years old (94.2 claims per 10,000 FTE). Overexertion claim rates increased and then declined with age, with the highest claim rate for those 35–44 years old (87.3 per 10,000 FTE). While younger workers had higher injury rates, older workers had higher proportions of lost-time claims and higher costs per claim. The total cost per FTE was highest for those 45–54 years old ($1,122 per FTE).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The variation in rates of injury types by age suggests that age-specific prevention strategies may be useful.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56149,"journal":{"name":"Safety and Health at Work","volume":"14 4","pages":"Pages 406-414"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134977816","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Surviving Covid-19 Diagnosis Among Registered Nurses: Reactions, Consequences, and Coping Mechanisms","authors":"Gladys Mbuthia,&nbsp;Doris Machaki,&nbsp;Sheila Shaibu,&nbsp;Rachel W. Kimani","doi":"10.1016/j.shaw.2023.10.013","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.shaw.2023.10.013","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>To mitigate the spread of Covid-19, nurses infected with the virus were required to isolate themselves from their families and community. Isolated patients were reported to have experienced mental distress, posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and suicide. Though studies have reported the psychological impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, less is known about the lived experiences of nurses who survived Covid-19 infection in sub-Saharan Africa.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A descriptive phenomenological approach was used to study the lived experiences of registered nurses who survived Covid-19 disease<strong>.</strong> In-depth interviews were conducted among nurses diagnosed with Covid-19 from two hospitals in Kenya between March and May, 2021. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to recruit registered nurses. Data were analyzed using Giorgi's steps of analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The study included ten nurses between 29 and 45 years of age. Nurses' experiences encompassed three themes: diagnosis reaction, consequences, and coping. Reactions to the diagnosis included fear, anxiety, and sadness. The consequence of the diagnosis and isolation was stigma, isolation, and loneliness. Nurses coping mechanisms included acceptance, creating routines, support, and spirituality.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our findings aid in understanding how nurses experienced Covid-19 infection as patients and will provide evidence-based content for supporting nurses in future pandemics. Moreover, as we acknowledge the heroic contribution of frontline healthcare workers during the Covid-19 pandemic, it is prudent to recognize the considerable occupational risk as they balance their duty to care, and the risk of infection to themselves and their families.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56149,"journal":{"name":"Safety and Health at Work","volume":"14 4","pages":"Pages 467-475"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136127698","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association Between Social Support, and Depressive Symptoms Among Firefighters: The Mediating Role of Negative Coping","authors":"Liang Wang ,&nbsp;Fengqiong Chen ,&nbsp;Yulu Zhang ,&nbsp;Mengliang Ye","doi":"10.1016/j.shaw.2023.10.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.shaw.2023.10.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Depressive symptoms (DS) can erode physical and mental health; social support (SS) is considered a buffer for DS and a promoter for improving coping and recovery abilities. However, there is almost no research on the mediating role of negative coping (NC) in SS and DS, especially among firefighters.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional survey was conducted among firefighters in Chongqing, China, and the valid data of 407 firefighters were collected through questionnaires distributed on the WeChat platform in 2020. Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) 26.0 is used for descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. Structural equation modeling was adopted to analyze the association among SS, NC, and DS. The mediation effect is also evaluated.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Firefighters' detection rate of DS is 23.3%, and when they receive more SS were less likely to develop DS. NC was positively correlated with DS (β = 0.54, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001) after controlling for SS. Besides, the results of structural equation modeling showed that NC partially mediates the relationship between SS and DS (standard error = 0.039, indirect effects = 0.109, 95% confidence interval: 0.047–0.200 <em>p</em> &lt; 0.001).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>NC has a partial indirect effect between SS and DS among firefighters. SS could not only affect DS directly but also indirect work on it by affecting NC. This discovery will be a novel and meaningful part of the research on the firefighter population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56149,"journal":{"name":"Safety and Health at Work","volume":"14 4","pages":"Pages 431-437"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134977832","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Employment Factors Associated With Long Working Hours in France","authors":"Isabelle Niedhammer,&nbsp;Elodie Pineau,&nbsp;Sandrine Bertrais","doi":"10.1016/j.shaw.2023.09.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.shaw.2023.09.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The objectives of the study were to explore the employment factors associated with long working hours, known as a risk factor for various health outcomes. The study relied on the national representative data of the 2013 French working conditions survey and a study sample of 23,378 full-time employees. Long working hours were defined by the threshold of 48 hours a week following the European Working Time Directive. The prevalence of long working hours was higher among men (13.5%) than among women (8.5%). Employees of the private sector, with permanent work contract, in small companies, and men in the services had a higher prevalence of exposure. This prevalence increased with educational and occupational levels. Our findings may help decision-makers to define preventive strategies. More research is needed to improve our knowledge of the employment factors associated with long working hours, as there may be strong differences between countries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56149,"journal":{"name":"Safety and Health at Work","volume":"14 4","pages":"Pages 483-487"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135347966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Systematized Overview of Published Reviews on Biological Hazards, Occupational Health, and Safety","authors":"Alexis Descatha ,&nbsp;Halim Hamzaoui ,&nbsp;Jukka Takala ,&nbsp;Anne Oppliger","doi":"10.1016/j.shaw.2023.10.008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.shaw.2023.10.008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>The COVID-19 pandemic turned biological hazards in the working environment into a global concern. This systematized review of published reviews aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the specific jobs and categories of workers exposed to biological hazards with the related prevention.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We extracted reviews published in English and French in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Two authors, working independently, subsequently screened the potentially relevant titles and abstracts recovered (step 1) and then examined relevant full texts (step 2). Disagreements were resolved by consensus. We built tables summarizing populations of exposed workers, types of hazards, types of outcomes (types of health issues, means of prevention), and routes of transmission.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Of 1426 studies initially identified, 79 studies by authors from every continent were selected, mostly published after 2010 (<em>n</em> = 63, 79.7%). About half of the reviews dealt with infectious hazards alone (<em>n</em> = 38, 48.1%). The industrial sectors identified involved healthcare alone (<em>n</em> = 16), laboratories (<em>n</em> = 10), agriculture (including the animal, vegetable, and grain sectors, <em>n</em> = 32), waste (<em>n</em> = 10), in addition of 11 studies without specific sectors. The results also highlighted a range of hazards (infectious and non-infectious agents, endotoxins, bioaerosols, organic dust, and emerging agents).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This systematized overview allowed to list the populations of workers exposed to biological hazards and underlined how prevention measures in the healthcare and laboratory sectors were usually well defined and controlled, although this was not the case in the agriculture and waste sectors. Further studies are necessary to quantify these risks and implement prevention measures that can be applied in every country.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":56149,"journal":{"name":"Safety and Health at Work","volume":"14 4","pages":"Pages 347-357"},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136009540","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}