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Santurtún A, Shaman J. Work accidents, climate change and COVID-19. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 871:162129. [PMID: 36773906 PMCID: PMC9911145 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The effects brought by climate change and the pandemic upon worker health and wellbeing are varied and necessitate the identification and implementation of improved strategic interventions. This review aims, firstly, to assess how climate change affects occupational accidents, focusing on the impacts of extreme air temperatures and natural disasters; and, secondly, to analyze the role of the pandemic in this context. Our results show that the manifestations of climate change affect workers physically while on the job, psychologically, and by modifying the work environment and conditions; all these factors can cause stress, in turn increasing the risk of suffering a work accident. There is no consensus on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on work accidents; however, an increase in adverse mental effects on workers in contact with the public (specifically in healthcare) has been described. It has also been shown that this strain affects the risk of suffering an accident. During the pandemic, many people began to work remotely, and what initially appeared to be a provisional situation has been made permanent or semi-permanent in some positions and companies. However, we found no studies evaluating the working conditions of those who telework. In relation to the combined impact of climate change and the pandemic on occupational health, only publications focusing on the synergistic effect of heat due to the obligation to wear COVID-19-specific PPE, either outdoors or in poorly acclimatized indoor environments, were found. It is essential that preventive services establish new measures, train workers, and determine new priorities for adapting working conditions to these altered circumstances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Santurtún
- Unit of Legal Medicine, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Cantabria, IDIVAL, Santander, Spain.
| | - Jeffrey Shaman
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Columbia Climate School, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Comi M, Becot F, Bendixsen C. Automation, Climate Change, and the Future of Farm Work: Cross-Disciplinary Lessons for Studying Dynamic Changes in Agricultural Health and Safety. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:4778. [PMID: 36981685 PMCID: PMC10049460 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20064778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In this review, we first assess the state of agricultural health and safety research as it pertains to the dynamic challenges facing automating agriculture on a warming planet. Then, we turn to social science fields such as rural sociology, science and technology studies, and environmental studies to leverage relevant insights on the introduction of new technologies, environmental risks, and associated workplace hazards. Increased rates of automation in agriculture alongside new risks associated with climate change create the need for anticipatory governance and adaptive research to study novel mechanisms of worker health and safety. The use of the PRISMA framework led to the 137 articles for our review. We identify three themes in the literature on agricultural health and safety: (1) adoption outcomes, (2) discrete cases of health risks, and (3) an emphasis on care and wellbeing in literature on dairy automation Our review led to the identification of research gaps, noting that current research (a) tends to examine these forces separately, instead of together, (b) has not made robust examination of these forces as socially embedded, and (c) has hesitated to examine the broad, transferable themes for how these forces work across industries. In response to these gaps, we suggest that attention to outside disciplines may provide agricultural health and safety research with a toolset to examine needed inquiry into the multiplicity of experiences of rural stakeholders, the industry specific problems arising from automation and climate change, and the socially embedded aspects of agricultural work in the future.
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Fazel SS, Fenton S, Braun N, Forsman-Phillips L, Linn Holness D, Kalia S, Arrandale VH, Tenkate T, Peters CE. Tailored Sun Safety Messages for Outdoor Workers. Saf Health Work 2023; 14:43-49. [PMID: 36941943 PMCID: PMC10024223 DOI: 10.1016/j.shaw.2023.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Messaging surrounding skin cancer prevention has previously focused on the general public and emphasized how or when activities should be undertaken to reduce solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure. Generic messages may not be applicable to all settings, and should be tailored to protect unique and/or highly susceptible subpopulations, such as outdoor workers. The primary objective of this study was to develop a set of tailored, practical, harm-reducing sun safety messages that will better support outdoor workers and their employers in reducing the risk of solar UVR exposure and UVR-related occupational illnesses. Methods We adapted a core set of sun safety messages previously developed for the general population to be more applicable and actionable by outdoor workers and their employers. This study used an integrated knowledge translation approach and a modified Delphi method (which uses a survey-based consensus process) to tailor the established set of sun safety messages for use for outdoor worker populations. Results The tailored messages were created with a consideration for what is feasible for outdoor workers, and provide users with key facts, recommendations, and tips related to preventing skin cancer, eye damage, and heat stress, specifically when working outdoors. Conclusion The resulting tailored messages are a set of evidence-based, expert- approved, and stakeholder-workshopped messages that can be used in a variety of work settings as part of an exposure control plan for employers with outdoor workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajjad S. Fazel
- Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N2, Canada
| | - Shelby Fenton
- Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N2, Canada
- CAREX Canada, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Nicole Braun
- Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, Regina, SK, S4W 0G3, Canada
| | - Lindsay Forsman-Phillips
- CAREX Canada, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - D. Linn Holness
- Occupational Medicine Division, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, ON, M5T 3M7, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3H2, Canada
| | - Sunil Kalia
- BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1G1, Canada
- Department of Dermatology and Skin Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4E8, Canada
| | - Victoria H. Arrandale
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, ON, M5T 3M7, Canada
- Occupational Cancer Research Centre, Ontario Health, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X3, Canada
| | - Thomas Tenkate
- School of Occupational and Public Health, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Cheryl E. Peters
- Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N2, Canada
- CAREX Canada, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
- BC Cancer, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1G1, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4R4, Canada
- Corresponding author. Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, CAREX Canada, University of British Columbia, BC Cancer and BC CDC, 655 W 12th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z4R4, Canada.
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Ferrari GN, Leal GCL, Thom de Souza RC, Galdamez EVC. Impact of climate change on occupational health and safety: A review of methodological approaches. Work 2022; 74:485-499. [PMID: 36314181 DOI: 10.3233/wor-211303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The working population is exposed daily to unavoidable climatic conditions due to their occupational settings. Effects of the weather such as rain, heat, and air pollution may increase the risk of diseases, injuries, accidents, and even death during labor. OBJECTIVE This paper aims to summarize the impacts of climate change on workers' health, safety and performance, identifying the risks, affected workplaces and the range of methodological approaches used to assess this problem. METHODS A thorough systematic mapping was conducted in seven scientific international databases: Emerald, IEEE Xplore, Science Direct, Scielo, Scopus, SpringerLink, and Web of Science. Three research questions guided the extraction process resulting in 170 articles regarding the impacts of climate change on occupational health and safety. RESULTS We found an accentuated trend in observational studies applying primary and secondary data collection. Many studies focused on the association between rising temperatures and occupational hazards, mainly in outdoor work settings such as agriculture. The variation of temperature was the most investigated impact of climate change. CONCLUSIONS We established a knowledge base on how to explore the impacts of climate change on workers' well-being and health. Researchers and policymakers benefit from this review, which explores the suitable methods found in the literature and highlights the most recurring risks and their consequences to occupational health and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme Neto Ferrari
- Postgraduate Program in Production Engineering, Production Engineering Department, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil
| | - Gislaine Camila Lapasini Leal
- Postgraduate Program in Production Engineering, Production Engineering Department, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Edwin Vladimir Cardoza Galdamez
- Postgraduate Program in Production Engineering, Production Engineering Department, State University of Maringá, Maringá, PR, Brazil
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Aachimi A, Marc F, Bonvallot N, Clerc F. The design of a matrix linking work situations to chemical health risk at the workplace. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE 2022; 19:157-168. [PMID: 34982657 DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2021.2023161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In France, laws require each company to draw up an inventory of the risks that may threaten employees' health in order to prioritize the preventive actions to be implemented. Focusing on chemical risk, databases on hazards or exposures are widely available but they lack information regarding chemical risks resulting from combining the hazards of chemicals with their conditions of use, thus generating exposures. Our objective is to build a matrix of French work situations associated with their chemical risk. Eighty-eight work situations were collected from reports written by professionals from the French public health insurance service. Each work situation is defined by descriptive parameters of the task, the exposure, and the hazard. According to an expert elicitation method (Delphi, n = 21 experts), each work situation was assessed and a chemical risk score defined, taking into account all the descriptive exposure and hazard parameters. Chemical risk scores were expressed as a range of values from 0 to 100, with the size of the range chosen by the experts themselves according to their uncertainty. The experts' assessments were merged to assign one risk score for each work situation, variability, and confidence. The results showed that 50% of the work situations had a risk score between 40 and 60. The average variability and confidence were around 15% and 82%, respectively. This work situation matrix constructed from French data can be used by occupational safety and health managers that have similar work situations in their company (Western European industrial sector). In this context, it may be useful to easily determine the level of risks for similar tasks and prioritize those that are most risky. Moreover, it could be used to compare and define the differences between a risk assessment performed by "expertise" and another defined by a software.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abir Aachimi
- Department of Pollutant Metrology, Institut National de Recherche et de Sécurité (INRS), Vandoeuvre-lès Nancy, France
- Univ Rennes, EHESP, Inserm, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail), Rennes, France
| | - Florian Marc
- Department of Expertise and Technical Consulting, Institut National de Recherche et de Sécurité (INRS), Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Bonvallot
- Univ Rennes, EHESP, Inserm, Irset (Institut de recherche en santé, environnement et travail), Rennes, France
| | - Frédéric Clerc
- Department of Pollutant Metrology, Institut National de Recherche et de Sécurité (INRS), Vandoeuvre-lès Nancy, France
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Charlson F, Ali S, Augustinavicius J, Benmarhnia T, Birch S, Clayton S, Fielding K, Jones L, Juma D, Snider L, Ugo V, Zeitz L, Jayawardana D, La Nauze A, Massazza A. Global priorities for climate change and mental health research. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 158:106984. [PMID: 34991246 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Compared with other health areas, the mental health impacts of climate change have received less research attention. The literature on climate change and mental health is growing rapidly but is characterised by several limitations and research gaps. In a field where the need for designing evidence-based adaptation strategies is urgent, and research gaps are vast, implementing a broad, all-encompassing research agenda will require some strategic focus. METHODS We followed a structured approach to prioritise future climate change and mental health research. We consulted with experts working across mental health and climate change, both within and outside of research and working in high, middle, and low-income countries, to garner consensus about the future research priorities for mental health and climate change. Experts were identified based on whether they had published work on climate change and mental health, worked in governmental and non-governmental organisations on climate change and mental health, and from the professional networks of the authors who have been active in the mental health and climate change space. RESULTS Twenty-two experts participated from across low- and middle-income countries (n = 4) and high-income countries (n = 18). Our process identified ten key priorities for progressing research on mental health and climate change. CONCLUSION While climate change is considered the biggest threat to global mental health in the coming century, tackling this threat could be the most significant opportunity to shape our mental health for centuries to come because of health co-benefits of transitioning to more sustainable ways of living. Research on the impacts of climate change on mental health and mental health-related systems will assist decision-makers to develop robust evidence-based mitigation and adaptation policies and plans with the potential for broad benefits to society and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Charlson
- Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Queensland Health, Wacol, Qld, Australia; School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston, Qld, Australia; Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Suhailah Ali
- Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, Queensland Health, Wacol, Qld, Australia; School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Herston, Qld, Australia
| | - Jura Augustinavicius
- School of Population and Global Health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; MHPSS Collaborative hosted by Save the Children Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tarik Benmarhnia
- Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, USA
| | - Stephen Birch
- Centre for the Business and Economics of Health, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, Australia
| | | | - Kelly Fielding
- School of Communication and Arts, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, Australia
| | - Lynne Jones
- FXB Centre for Health and Human Rights, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Damian Juma
- International Mental Health Association, USA
| | - Leslie Snider
- MHPSS Collaborative hosted by Save the Children Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Victor Ugo
- MHPSS Collaborative hosted by Save the Children Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Danusha Jayawardana
- Centre for the Business and Economics of Health, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, Australia
| | - Andrea La Nauze
- School of Economics, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, Australia
| | - Alessandro Massazza
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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Nunfam VF, Adusei-Asante K, Van Etten EJ, Frimpong K, Oosthuizen J. Estimating the magnitude and risk associated with heat exposure among Ghanaian mining workers. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2021; 65:2059-2075. [PMID: 34189699 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-021-02164-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 05/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Many occupational settings located outdoors in direct sun, such as open cut mining, pose a health, safety, and productivity risk to workers because of their increased exposure to heat. This issue is exacerbated by climate change effects, the physical nature of the work, the requirement to work extended shifts and the need to wear protective clothing which restricts evaporative cooling. Though Ghana has a rapidly expanding mining sector with a large workforce, there appears to be no study that has assessed the magnitude and risk of heat exposure on mining workers and its potential impact on this workforce. Questionnaires and temperature data loggers were used to assess the risk and extent of heat exposure in the working and living environments of Ghanaian miners. The variation in heat exposure risk factors across workers' gender, education level, workload, work hours, physical work exertion and proximity to heat sources is significant (p<0.05). Mining workers are vulnerable to the hazards of heat exposure which can endanger their health and safety, productive capacity, social well-being, adaptive capacity and resilience. An evaluation of indoor and outdoor Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) in the working and living environment showed that mining workers can be exposed to relatively high thermal load, thus raising their heat stress risk. Adequate adaptation policies and heat exposure management for workers are imperative to reduce heat stress risk, and improve productive capacity and the social health of mining workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Fannam Nunfam
- Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
- Centre for Languages and Liberal Studies, Takoradi Technical University, Takoradi, Western Region, Ghana.
- , Perth, Australia.
| | | | | | - Kwasi Frimpong
- Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Accra, Greater Accra Region, Ghana
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Aghamohammadi N, Fong CS, Idrus MHM, Ramakreshnan L, Sulaiman NM. Environmental heat-related health symptoms among community in a tropical city. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 782:146611. [PMID: 33838362 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Due to the changing climate, more frequent and prolonged heatwaves are expected to have a catastrophic consequence on urban human settlement. In tropical cities such as Kuala Lumpur (KL), the quality of the urban environment is made worse by urban heat island (UHI) phenomena due to poor urban planning practices. The prolonged exposure to urban heat is hypothesized to influence human health and well-being, especially in tropical urban areas with high population density. Therefore, a study was conducted to understand the association of urban heat stress with physical, psychosomatic and psychological (PPP) health symptoms within a tropical urban setting. Continuous urban microclimate monitoring is conducted using an automated weather station to define the level of heat stress in the study area expressed as Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET). A cross-sectional approach is used to identify heat-related health symptoms experienced by the urban population. Through exploratory factor analysis, a total of 38 PPP health symptoms are reduced into 8 heat-related health clusters which are sensory organ pain, heat-related illnesses, cardiopulmonary, pain, fatigue, anxiety, somatization, and depression-related symptoms. Heat stress was found to significantly affect psychosomatic pain (p = 0.016) as well as psychological anxiety (p = 0.022) and somatization (p = 0.041) related symptoms. Other health clusters were not significantly associated with heat stress. More studies are needed to unravel the influence of confounding factors and the long-term impact of urban heat on the health and well-being of the urban population in a tropical city.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasrin Aghamohammadi
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence-based Practice, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Chng Saun Fong
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Muniratul Husna Mohd Idrus
- Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence-based Practice, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Logaraj Ramakreshnan
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Nik Meriam Sulaiman
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Pedersen KM, Busch Isaksen TM, Baker MG, Seixas N, Errett NA. Climate Change Impacts and Workforce Development Needs in Federal Region X: A Qualitative Study of Occupational Health and Safety Professionals' Perceptions. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18041513. [PMID: 33562700 PMCID: PMC7915234 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18041513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Climate change is considered one of the top health threats in the United States. This research sought to (1) to understand the perceptions of occupational health and safety (OHS) professionals regarding the impacts of climate-related hazards on OHS in Region X, and (2) to explore the ideas of these OHS professionals regarding the content of future training programs that would better prepare OHS professionals to identify and mitigate climate-related hazards in Region X. Key informant (KI) interviews with 17 OHS professionals familiar with the climate-related hazards and impacts to OHS in Region X were coded and thematically analyzed. Climate hazards, social and economic impacts from climate-related hazards, and sector-specific worker and workplace impacts from climate-related hazards were described as having interacting relationships that influenced worker health and safety impacts. KIs further described how workplace controls could be used to mitigate OHS impacts of climate-related hazards, and how training of the OHS workforce could influence the ability to successfully implement such controls. Our findings suggest that OHS impacts are sector-specific, influenced by social and economic factors, and can be mitigated through workplace controls designed and implemented by a trained OHS workforce. The findings from this work should inform future educational and training programming and additional research and translation activities in the region, while our approach can inform other regions as they develop regionally specific OHS climate change training and programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M. Pedersen
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA; (K.M.P); (T.M.B.I.); (M.G.B.); (N.S.)
- Department of Health Services, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Department of Urban Design and Planning, College of Built Environments, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Tania M. Busch Isaksen
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA; (K.M.P); (T.M.B.I.); (M.G.B.); (N.S.)
| | - Marissa G. Baker
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA; (K.M.P); (T.M.B.I.); (M.G.B.); (N.S.)
| | - Noah Seixas
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA; (K.M.P); (T.M.B.I.); (M.G.B.); (N.S.)
| | - Nicole A. Errett
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA; (K.M.P); (T.M.B.I.); (M.G.B.); (N.S.)
- Department of Health Services, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Correspondence:
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Geleta DH, Alemayehu M, Asrade G, Mekonnen TH. Low levels of knowledge and practice of occupational hazards among flower farm workers in southwest Shewa zone, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional analysis. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:232. [PMID: 33509148 PMCID: PMC7844994 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-10254-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Over the last decade, flower farms have been rapidly growing in Ethiopia. Following the advent and development of the sector, various work-related chemical, biological, physical, psychosocial, and ergonomic hazards have been emerging unacceptably, with increased risks of exposures for workers and local communities. However, evidence that describes knowledge and prevention practice of occupational hazards among flower farm workers in the country is little documented. The knowledge and safety practice of occupational hazards among flower farm workers in Ethiopia were explored in the current study. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 471 flower farm workers was implemented from March to April 2017. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select the eligible participants. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data, and the data were entered in to Epi Info program version 7 and analyzed by SPSS program version 20. Bivariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate significance of associations at < 0.05 p-values. Results A total of 451 flower farm workers were interviewed with a response rate of 95.7%. The majority, 72.1% (N = 325) were females. Mean age was 24.1 (SD + 6.5) years. About 39.2% (N = 177) of the participants had good knowledge on occupational hazards. The level of safety practice was 26.6% (N = 120). The level of knowledge on occupational hazards was affected by level of education [AOR: 20.03;95% CI (16.30,23.75)], work experience [AOR: 5.97; 95% CI (4.22,7.72)], and type of employment [AOR: 5.35; 95% CI (2.50,8.19)], whereas the level of safety practice was influenced by regular use of personal protective equipment (PPE) [AOR:17.53;95% CI (13.36,21.71)], level of knowledge [AOR: 7.29; 95% CI (3.87,10.73)], and provision of appropriate PPE [AOR: 4.59; 95% CI (2.34,8.86)]. Conclusion This study revealed the levels of knowledge and safety practice towards occupational hazards were low. The knowledge on occupational hazards was significantly affected by the level of education and duration of employment. Moreover, the use of PPE and level of knowledge considerably influenced safety practice. Therefore, we recommend employers to ensure that workplace health and safety programs account for workers’ level of education and work experience. It is also pivotal to provide workers witha suitable PPE and instructions on its use, and to arrange safety communication in the local languages at the relevant workplaces. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-10254-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debela Hinsermu Geleta
- The National Regional State of Oromia, Labour and Social Affairs Bureau, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Mekuriaw Alemayehu
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Geta Asrade
- Department of Health Systems and Policy, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Tesfaye Hambisa Mekonnen
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
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Outdoor Thermal Comfort: Coupling Microclimatic Parameters with Subjective Thermal Assessment to Design Urban Performative Spaces. BUILDINGS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/buildings10120238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Thermal comfort plays a main role in encouraging people to use outdoor spaces, specifically in hot arid and humid climates. The reconciliation of climatic aspects during the urban design phase is limited in implementation, due to the need for multidisciplinary collaboration between desperate scientific fields of climatology, urban planning, and urban environmental modelling. This paper aims to create an integrated interface between the microclimate, outdoor thermal comfort, and design guidelines. The investigation combines subjective and objective approaches, including on-site field measurements, a structured questionnaire using the seven-point American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE 55) thermal sensation votes, and a correlation study of these votes and the microclimatic parameters. Pedestrian thermal comfort was then examined under six shading scenarios, addressing the form and opening of shading devices using computational fluid dynamics. Modelling is based on four dependent variables: wind velocity, ventilation flow rate, air temperature, and the physiological equivalent temperature (PET) index. Findings indicate that the form and location of apertures of the shading devices were the dominant factors in achieving thermal comfort on the urban scale, and led to a reduction in air temperature and a physiological equivalent temperature of 2.3–2.4 °C. Subjective votes indicate that people who live in hot arid climates have a wider range of adaptation and tolerance to local climatic conditions Accordingly, a psychometric chart, for the case study outdoor thermal comfort was developed.
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Paterson SK, Godsmark CN. Heat-health vulnerability in temperate climates: lessons and response options from Ireland. Global Health 2020; 16:29. [PMID: 32228631 PMCID: PMC7106697 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-020-00554-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In Ireland, rising temperatures remains the climate projection that national climate scientists associate with the highest degree of confidence. However, the health challenge of heat has been largely absent from Ireland’s public health sector. This is epitomised by the lack of a comprehensive public health-focused heat-health action plan or country-specific codes of practice for heat-health when working outdoors. Our objective is to highlight the anticipated heat-health challenges in Ireland, and other temperate regions, through analysing vulnerable groups and systems, reinforcing the need to respond. Methods A scoping literature review was conducted to determine how heat affects health of the vulnerable in temperate climatic regions, with a focus on Ireland. Additionally, national Google Trends data was coarsely analysed to determine whether heat is a growing societal concern. Results and discussion The heat-vulnerable include: older people; chronically ill; infants, pregnant women, children; outdoor workers; socio-economically disadvantaged; urban dwellers; food systems and the health sector. Google Trends data suggest an increase in heat-related health searches over time, demonstrating rising levels of concern to temperature increases, reinforcing a gap in national policy associated with communication of, and response to, the heat-health challenge. Specific, actionable recommendations for adaptation and mitigation strategies are proposed. Conclusion Heat poses a public and occupational health challenge, receiving limited attention in Ireland. Lack of a co-ordinated effort, places vulnerable populations at risk. Our recommendations, with reference to vulnerable groups and acknowledging the multi-sectoral nature of heat-health and climate change, advocate for the adoption of a “health and climate change in all policies” approach and the development of a public health-focused heat-health action plan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shona K Paterson
- College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, UK
| | - Christie Nicole Godsmark
- School of Public Health, University College Cork, Western Gateway Building, Western Road, Cork, T12 XF62, Ireland. .,Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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Behavioural Perspectives of Outdoor Thermal Comfort in Urban Areas: A Critical Review. ATMOSPHERE 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/atmos11010051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The thermal characteristics of outdoor urban spaces and the street networks connecting them are vital to the assessment of the liveability and sustainability of cities. When urban spaces are thermally comfortable, city dwellers spend more time outdoors. This has several benefits for human health and wellbeing, also reducing indoor energy consumption and contributing to local economy. Studies on outdoor thermal comfort have highlighted the need to develop interdisciplinary frameworks that integrate physical, physiological, psychological, and social parameters to assist urban planners and designers in design decisions. In this paper, an extensive literature review of outdoor thermal comfort studies over the past decade was undertaken, including both rational and adaptive thermal comfort approaches, from the contextualize the behaviour perspectives related to the use of urban space. Consequently, the paper suggests a comprehensive framework for evaluating the relationship between the quantitative and qualitative parameters linking the microclimatic environment with subjective thermal assessment and social behaviour. The framework aims to contribute to the development of exclusive thermal comfort standards for outdoor urban settings.
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Pogačar T, Casanueva A, Kozjek K, Ciuha U, Mekjavić IB, Kajfež Bogataj L, Črepinšek Z. The effect of hot days on occupational heat stress in the manufacturing industry: implications for workers' well-being and productivity. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2018; 62:1251-1264. [PMID: 29600340 PMCID: PMC6028887 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-018-1530-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Revised: 02/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is expected to exacerbate heat stress at the workplace in temperate regions, such as Slovenia. It is therefore of paramount importance to study present and future summer heat conditions and analyze the impact of heat on workers. A set of climate indices based on summer mean (Tmean) and maximum (Tmax) air temperatures, such as the number of hot days (HD: Tmax above 30 °C), and Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) were used to account for heat conditions in Slovenia at six locations in the period 1981-2010. Observed trends (1961-2011) of Tmean and Tmax in July were positive, being larger in the eastern part of the country. Climate change projections showed an increase up to 4.5 °C for mean temperature and 35 days for HD by the end of the twenty-first century under the high emission scenario. The increase in WBGT was smaller, although sufficiently high to increase the frequency of days with a high risk of heat stress up to an average of a third of the summer days. A case study performed at a Slovenian automobile parts manufacturing plant revealed non-optimal working conditions during summer 2016 (WBGT mainly between 20 and 25 °C). A survey conducted on 400 workers revealed that 96% perceived the temperature conditions as unsuitable, and 56% experienced headaches and fatigue. Given these conditions and climate change projections, the escalating problem of heat is worrisome. The European Commission initiated a program of research within the Horizon 2020 program to develop a heat warning system for European workers and employers, which will incorporate case-specific solutions to mitigate heat stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tjaša Pogačar
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Ana Casanueva
- Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, MeteoSwiss, Zurich Airport, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Katja Kozjek
- Slovenian Environmental Agency, Vojkova 1b, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Urša Ciuha
- Department of Automation, Biocybernetics and Robotics, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Igor B Mekjavić
- Department of Automation, Biocybernetics and Robotics, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Lučka Kajfež Bogataj
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Zalika Črepinšek
- Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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d’AMBROSIO ALFANO FR, PALELLA BI, RICCIO G, BARTALINI M, STRAMBI F, MALCHAIRE J. Heat stress assessment in artistic glass units. INDUSTRIAL HEALTH 2018; 56:171-184. [PMID: 29109359 PMCID: PMC5889937 DOI: 10.2486/indhealth.2017-0143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Heat stress in glass industry is mainly studied in large and highly mechanized manufacturing Units. To the contrary, few studies were carried out in small factories specialized in hand-made products. To stress the need of combined objective and medical surveys in these environments, this paper deals with a simultaneous climatic and physiological investigation of working conditions in artistic crystal glass factories in Tuscany (Italy). The microclimatic monitoring, through a continuous survey has been carried out in early spring. The main physiological parameters (metabolic rate, heart rate, tympanic temperature and water loss) were measured over the whole shifts. The results show that, despite the arduousness of the working conditions, the heat stress levels are physiologically tolerable. The predictions made using the PHS model at the Analysis level described in ISO 15265 agree closely to the observed values, validating the use of PHS model in these conditions. This model was then used to analyse what is likely to be the situation during the summer. It is concluded that the heat constraint will be very high and that some steps must be taken from the spring to monitor closely the exposed workers in the summer and take measures to prevent any heat accident.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Boris Igor PALELLA
- DII—Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Italy.
| | - Giuseppe RICCIO
- DII—Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Italy.
| | - Massimo BARTALINI
- Unità Funzionale Prevenzione Igiene e Sicurezza nei Luoghi di Lavoro. Azienda Sanitaria Locale di Siena, Zona Alta Val d’Elsa, Italy.
| | - Fabio STRAMBI
- Unità Funzionale Prevenzione Igiene e Sicurezza nei Luoghi di Lavoro. Azienda Sanitaria Locale di Siena, Zona Alta Val d’Elsa, Italy.
| | - Jacques MALCHAIRE
- Unité Hygiène et Physiologie du Travail—Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgique
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Riley K, Wilhalme H, Delp L, Eisenman DP. Mortality and Morbidity during Extreme Heat Events and Prevalence of Outdoor Work: An Analysis of Community-Level Data from Los Angeles County, California. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:ijerph15040580. [PMID: 29570664 PMCID: PMC5923622 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15040580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Revised: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Heat is a well-recognized hazard for workers in many outdoor settings, yet few investigations have compared the prevalence of outdoor work at the community level and rates of heat-related mortality and morbidity. This analysis examines whether heat-related health outcomes occur more frequently in communities with higher proportions of residents working in construction, agriculture, and other outdoor industries. Using 2005–2010 data from Los Angeles County, California, we analyze associations between community-level rates of deaths, emergency department (ED) visits, and hospitalizations during summer heat events and the prevalence of outdoor work. We find generally higher rates of heat-related ED visits and hospitalizations during summer heat events in communities with more residents working outdoors. Specifically, each percentage increase in residents working in construction resulted in an 8.1 percent increase in heat-related ED visits and a 7.9 percent increase in heat-related hospitalizations, while each percentage increase in residents working in agriculture and related sectors resulted in a 10.9 percent increase in heat-related ED visits. The findings suggest that outdoor work may significantly influence the overall burden of heat-related morbidity at the community level. Public health professionals and healthcare providers should recognize work and employment as significant heat risk factors when preparing for and responding to extreme heat events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Riley
- UCLA Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - Holly Wilhalme
- Department of Medicine Statistics Core, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA.
| | - Linda Delp
- UCLA Labor Occupational Safety and Health Program, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
| | - David P Eisenman
- Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA.
- Center for Public Health and Disasters, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA.
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Kim D, Lim U. Wage Differentials between Heat-Exposure Risk and No Heat-Exposure Risk Groups. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2017; 14:E685. [PMID: 28672804 PMCID: PMC5551123 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14070685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2017] [Revised: 06/14/2017] [Accepted: 06/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The goal of this study is to investigate the wage differential between groups of workers who are exposed to heat and those who are not. Workers in the heat-exposure risk group are defined as workers who work in conditions that cause them to spend more than 25% of their work hours at high temperatures. To analyze the wage differential, the Blinder-Oaxaca and Juhn-Murphy-Pierce methods were applied to Korea Working Condition Survey data. The results show that the no heat-exposure risk group received higher wages. In most cases, this can be interpreted as the endowment effect of human capital. As a price effect that lowers the endowment effect, the compensating differential for the heat-exposure risk group was found to be 1%. Moreover, education level, work experience, and employment status counteracted the compensating differentials for heat-exposure risks. A comparison of data sets from 2011 and 2014 shows that the increasing wage gap between the two groups was not caused by systematic social discrimination factors. This study suggests that wage differential factors can be modified for thermal environmental risks that will change working conditions as the impact of climate change increases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donghyun Kim
- Korea Environment Institute, 370 Sicheong-daero, Sejong 30147, Korea.
| | - Up Lim
- Department of Urban Planning and Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Korea.
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Abstract
Changes in atmosphere and temperature are affecting multiple environmental indicators from extreme heat events to global air quality. Workers will be uniquely affected by climate change, and the occupational impacts of major shifts in atmospheric and weather conditions need greater attention. Climate change-related exposures most likely to differentially affect workers in the USA and globally include heat, ozone, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, other chemicals, pathogenic microorganisms, vector-borne diseases, violence, and wildfires. Epidemiologic evidence documents a U-, J-, or V-shaped relationship between temperature and mortality. Whereas heat-related morbidity and mortality risks are most evident in agriculture, many other outdoor occupational sectors are also at risk, including construction, transportation, landscaping, firefighting, and other emergency response operations. The toxicity of chemicals change under hyperthermic conditions, particularly for pesticides and ozone. Combined with climate-related changes in chemical transport and distribution, these interactions represent unique health risks specifically to workers. Links between heat and interpersonal conflict including violence require attention because they pose threats to the safety of emergency medicine, peacekeeping and humanitarian relief, and public safety professionals. Recommendations for anticipating how US workers will be most susceptible to climate change include formal monitoring systems for agricultural workers; modeling scenarios focusing on occupational impacts of extreme climate events including floods, wildfires, and chemical spills; and national research agenda setting focusing on control and mitigation of occupational susceptibility to climate change.
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Schulte P, Bhattacharya A, Butler C, Chun H, Jacklitsch B, Jacobs T, Kiefer M, Lincoln J, Pendergrass S, Shire J, Watson J, Wagner G. Advancing the framework for considering the effects of climate change on worker safety and health. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE 2016; 13:847-65. [PMID: 27115294 PMCID: PMC5017900 DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2016.1179388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
In 2009, a preliminary framework for how climate change could affect worker safety and health was described. That framework was based on a literature search from 1988-2008 that supported seven categories of climate-related occupational hazards: (1) increased ambient temperature; (2) air pollution; (3) ultraviolet radiation exposure; (4) extreme weather; (5) vector-borne diseases and expanded habitats; (6) industrial transitions and emerging industries; and (7) changes in the built environment. This article reviews the published literature from 2008-2014 in each of the seven categories. Additionally, three new topics related to occupational safety and health are considered: mental health effects, economic burden, and potential worker safety and health impacts associated with the nascent field of climate intervention (geoengineering). Beyond updating the literature, this article also identifies key priorities for action to better characterize and understand how occupational safety and health may be associated with climate change events and ensure that worker health and safety issues are anticipated, recognized, evaluated, and mitigated. These key priorities include research, surveillance, risk assessment, risk management, and policy development. Strong evidence indicates that climate change will continue to present occupational safety and health hazards, and this framework may be a useful tool for preventing adverse effects to workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- P.A. Schulte
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Education and Infomation Division, Cincinnati, Ohio
- CONTACT P.A. Schulte National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1090 Tusculum Avenue, MS C-14, Cincinnati, OH45226
| | - A. Bhattacharya
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Education and Infomation Division, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - C.R. Butler
- Western States Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Denver, Colorado
| | - H.K. Chun
- Georgia Southern University, College of Public Health, Statesboro, Georgia
| | - B. Jacklitsch
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Education and Infomation Division, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - T. Jacobs
- Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - M. Kiefer
- Western States Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Denver, Colorado
| | - J. Lincoln
- Western States Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Anchorage, Alaska
| | - S. Pendergrass
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Education and Infomation Division, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - J. Shire
- Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - J. Watson
- Western States Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Spokane, Washington
| | - G.R. Wagner
- Office of the Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Washington, D.C.
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20
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Exploring the Spatial Distribution of Occupations Vulnerable to Climate Change in Korea. SUSTAINABILITY 2015. [DOI: 10.3390/su8010034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Kramer DM, Tenkate T, Strahlendorf P, Kushner R, Gardner A, Holness DL. Sun Safety at Work Canada: a multiple case-study protocol to develop sun safety and heat protection programs and policies for outdoor workers. Implement Sci 2015; 10:97. [PMID: 26159710 PMCID: PMC4702388 DOI: 10.1186/s13012-015-0277-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND CAREX Canada has identified solar ultraviolet radiation (UV) as the second most prominent carcinogenic exposure in Canada, and over 75 % of Canadian outdoor workers fall within the highest exposure category. Heat stress also presents an important public health issue, particularly for outdoor workers. The most serious form of heat stress is heat stroke, which can cause irreversible damage to the heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver. Although the need for sun and heat protection has been identified, there is no Canada-wide heat and sun safety program for outdoor workers. Further, no prevention programs have addressed both skin cancer prevention and heat stress in an integrated approach. The aim of this partnered study is to evaluate whether a multi-implementation, multi-evaluation approach can help develop sustainable workplace-specific programs, policies, and procedures to increase the use of UV safety and heat protection. METHODS/DESIGN This 2-year study is a theory-driven, multi-site, non-randomized study design with a cross-case analysis of 13 workplaces across four provinces in Canada. The first phase of the study includes the development of workplace-specific programs with the support of the intensive engagement of knowledge brokers. There will be a three-points-in-time evaluation with process and impact components involving the occupational health and safety (OHS) director, management, and workers with the goal of measuring changes in workplace policies, procedures, and practices. It will use mixed methods involving semi-structured key informant interviews, focus groups, surveys, site observations, and UV dosimetry assessment. Using the findings from phase I, in phase 2, a web-based, interactive, intervention planning tool for workplaces will be developed, as will the intensive engagement of intermediaries such as industry decision-makers to link to policymakers about the importance of heat and sun safety for outdoor workers. DISCUSSION Solar UV and heat are both health and safety hazards. Using an occupational health and safety risk assessment and control framework, Sun Safety at Work Canada will support workplaces to assess their exposure risks, implement control strategies that build on their existing programs, and embed the controls into their existing occupational health and safety system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desre M Kramer
- Occupational Cancer Research Centre, Cancer Care Ontario, 3rd floor, 525 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X3, Canada.
| | - Thomas Tenkate
- School of Occupational and Public and Health, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Peter Strahlendorf
- School of Occupational and Public and Health, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - Rivka Kushner
- Occupational Cancer Research Centre, Cancer Care Ontario, 3rd floor, 525 University Avenue, Toronto, ON, M5G 1X3, Canada
| | - Audrey Gardner
- School of Occupational and Public and Health, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada
| | - D Linn Holness
- St Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond St., Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada
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Abstract
Crop workers are at high risk of heat-related illness (HRI) from internal heat generated by heavy physical work, particularly when laboring in hot and humid conditions. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for HRI symptoms in Washington crop workers using an audio computer-assisted self-interview (A-CASI) instrument that has undergone reliability and validity evaluation. A cross-sectional A-CASI survey of 97 crop workers in Washington State was conducted during the summer of 2013. Potential HRI risk factors in demographic, training, work, hydration, clothing, health, and environmental domains were selected a priori for evaluation. Mixed-effects logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for self-reported symptoms associated with heat strain and HRI (dizziness/light-headedness or heavy sweating) experienced at work in hot conditions. An increase in age was associated with a lower odds of HRI symptoms (odds ratio [OR] = 0.92; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.87-0.98). Piece rate compared with hourly payment (OR = 6.20; 95% CI = 1.11-34.54) and needing to walk for more than 3 minutes to get to the toilet, compared with less than 3 minutes (OR = 4.86; 95% CI = 1.18-20.06), were associated with a higher odds of HRI symptoms. In this descriptive study of risk factors for HRI symptoms in Washington crop workers, decreased age (and less work experience), piece rate pay, and longer distance to the toilet were associated with self-reported HRI symptoms. Modifiable workplace factors should be considered in HRI prevention efforts that are evaluated using objective measures in representative working populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- June T Spector
- a Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences , University of Washington , Seattle , Washington , USA
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Spector JT, Sheffield PE. Re-evaluating occupational heat stress in a changing climate. THE ANNALS OF OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE 2014; 58:936-42. [PMID: 25261455 PMCID: PMC4481564 DOI: 10.1093/annhyg/meu073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2014] [Revised: 08/22/2014] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The potential consequences of occupational heat stress in a changing climate on workers, workplaces, and global economies are substantial. Occupational heat stress risk is projected to become particularly high in middle- and low-income tropical and subtropical regions, where optimal controls may not be readily available. This commentary presents occupational heat stress in the context of climate change, reviews its impacts, and reflects on implications for heat stress assessment and control. Future efforts should address limitations of existing heat stress assessment methods and generate economical, practical, and universal approaches that can incorporate data of varying levels of detail, depending on resources. Validation of these methods should be performed in a wider variety of environments, and data should be collected and analyzed centrally for both local and large-scale hazard assessments and to guide heat stress adaptation planning. Heat stress standards should take into account variability in worker acclimatization, other vulnerabilities, and workplace resources. The effectiveness of controls that are feasible and acceptable should be evaluated. Exposure scientists are needed, in collaboration with experts in other areas, to effectively prevent and control occupational heat stress in a changing climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- June T Spector
- 1.Departments of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Perry E Sheffield
- 2.Departments of Preventive Medicine and Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Cora Roelofs
- Cora Roelofs is with the Community Health Program, Tufts University, Medford, MA. David Wegman is with the Department of Work Environment, University of Massachusetts Lowell
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Panic M, Ford JD. A review of national-level adaptation planning with regards to the risks posed by climate change on infectious diseases in 14 OECD nations. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2013; 10:7083-109. [PMID: 24351735 PMCID: PMC3881155 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph10127083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2013] [Revised: 11/27/2013] [Accepted: 11/27/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Climate change is likely to have significant implications for human health, particularly through alterations of the incidence, prevalence, and distribution of infectious diseases. In the context of these risks, governments in high income nations have begun developing strategies to reduce potential climate change impacts and increase health system resilience (i.e., adaptation). In this paper, we review and evaluate national-level adaptation planning in relation to infectious disease risks in 14 OECD countries with respect to "best practices" for adaptation identified in peer-reviewed literature. We find a number of limitations to current planning, including negligible consideration of the needs of vulnerable population groups, limited emphasis on local risks, and inadequate attention to implementation logistics, such as available funding and timelines for evaluation. The nature of planning documents varies widely between nations, four of which currently lack adaptation plans. In those countries where planning documents were available, adaptations were mainstreamed into existing public health programs, and prioritized a sectoral, rather than multidisciplinary, approach. The findings are consistent with other scholarship examining adaptation planning indicating an ad hoc and fragmented process, and support the need for enhanced attention to adaptation to infectious disease risks in public health policy at a national level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirna Panic
- Institut national de santé publique du Québec, 190 boulevard Crémazie Est, Montréal, Québec, H2P1E2, Canada
| | - James D. Ford
- Department of Geography, McGill University, 805 Sherbrooke Ouest, Montréal, H3A2K6, Canada; E-Mail:
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Lam M, Krenz J, Palmández P, Negrete M, Perla M, Murphy-Robinson H, Spector JT. Identification of barriers to the prevention and treatment of heat-related illness in Latino farmworkers using activity-oriented, participatory rural appraisal focus group methods. BMC Public Health 2013; 13:1004. [PMID: 24156496 PMCID: PMC4015616 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-1004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2013] [Accepted: 10/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Heat-related illness (HRI) is an important cause of non-fatal illness and death in farmworkers. We sought to identify potential barriers to HRI prevention and treatment in Latino farmworkers. METHODS We conducted three semi-structured focus group discussions with 35 Latino farmworkers in the Central Washington, USA area using participatory rural appraisal techniques. Interviews were audio taped and transcribed in Spanish. Three researchers reviewed and coded transcripts and field notes, and investigator triangulation was used to identify relevant themes and quotes. RESULTS Although the majority of participants in our study reported never receiving formal HRI training, most participants were aware that extreme heat can cause illness and were able to accurately describe HRI symptoms, risk factors, and certain prevention strategies. Four main observations regarding farmworkers' HRI-relevant beliefs and attitudes were identified: 1) farmworkers subscribe to varying degrees to the belief that cooling treatments should be avoided after heat exposure, with some believing that such treatments should be avoided after heat exposure, and others encouraging the use of such treatments; 2) the desire to lose weight may be reflected in behaviors that promote increased sweating; 3) highly caffeinated energy drinks are preferred to increase work efficiency and maintain alertness; and 4) the location of drinking water at work (e.g. next to restrooms) and whether water is clean, but not necessarily chemically-treated, are important considerations in deciding whether to drink the water provided at worksites. CONCLUSIONS We identified potential barriers to HRI prevention and treatment related to hydration, certain HRI treatments, clothing use, and the desire to lose weight among Latino farmworkers. Strategies to address potential barriers to HRI prevention and treatment in this population may include engineering, administrative, and health education and health promotion strategies at individual, workplace, community, and societal levels. Although farmworkers in our study were able to describe HRI risk factors, reported practices were not necessarily consistent with reported knowledge. Further study of potential knowledge-behavior gaps may uncover opportunities for additional HRI prevention strategies. Farmworkers and employers should be included in the development and evaluation of interventions to prevent HRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Lam
- School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jennifer Krenz
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, 4225 Roosevelt Way NE, Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Pablo Palmández
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, 4225 Roosevelt Way NE, Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Maria Negrete
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, 4225 Roosevelt Way NE, Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Martha Perla
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, 4225 Roosevelt Way NE, Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Helen Murphy-Robinson
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, 4225 Roosevelt Way NE, Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - June T Spector
- School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, 4225 Roosevelt Way NE, Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Kjellstrom T, Sawada SI, Bernard TE, Parsons K, Rintamäki H, Holmér I. Climate change and occupational heat problems. INDUSTRIAL HEALTH 2013; 51:1-2. [PMID: 23411751 DOI: 10.2486/indhealth.ms5101ed] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
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