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Kaur A, Nixon R. Allergic contact dermatitis to epoxy resins associated with nail dystrophy and paraesthesia. Contact Dermatitis 2024; 90:442-444. [PMID: 38254251 DOI: 10.1111/cod.14506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Amreeta Kaur
- Occupational Dermatology Research and Education Centre (ODREC), Skin Health Institute, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rosemary Nixon
- Occupational Dermatology Research and Education Centre (ODREC), Skin Health Institute, Carlton, Victoria, Australia
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Jankowski CM, Gustafson LA, Isaacson KP, Del Real KR, Noh Y, Ehde AB, Larsen MB, Ra K, Palmegiani MA, Fleming CE, Schmidt WJ, Shah AD, Proctor CR, Whelton AJ. Residential Water Softeners Release Carbon, Consume Chlorine, and Require Remediation after Hydrocarbon Contamination. Environ Sci Technol 2023. [PMID: 37255211 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c00700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Water quality impacts of new ion exchange point-of-entry residential softeners and their ability to be decontaminated following hydrocarbon exposure were investigated. During startup, significant amounts of total sulfur (445 ± 815 mg/L) and total organic carbon (937 ± 119 mg/L) were released into the drinking water that flowed through the softeners. Particulate organic carbon was released until the third regeneration cycle, and resin may also have been released. After one week of device use, softeners continued to cause organic carbon levels to be four to five times greater than background levels. Leached materials from the ion-exchange resin contributed to chlorine decay. When resins were exposed to hydrocarbon-contaminated water, they sorbed benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) and then desorbed the contaminants into drinking water during a 15 day flushing decontamination period. On day 15, benzene exceeded the federal drinking water limit for two of the four resins. The aged resin contributed to the greatest chlorine decay rates and sorbed and then retained the least amount of BTEX. Scale and biofilm on the aged resin likely prompted disinfectant reactivity and inhibited BTEX diffusion into the resin. Study results show that softeners exposed to hydrocarbon-contaminated water may need to be repeatedly flushed to remove BTEX contamination or be replaced. Additional work is recommended to better understand softener impacts on drinking water quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline M Jankowski
- Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Lauren A Gustafson
- Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Kristofer P Isaacson
- Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Katie R Del Real
- Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Yoorae Noh
- Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Aliya B Ehde
- Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Madeline B Larsen
- Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Kyungyeon Ra
- Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Maria A Palmegiani
- Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Catherine E Fleming
- Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - William J Schmidt
- Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Amisha D Shah
- Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Caitlin R Proctor
- Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Andrew J Whelton
- Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Center for Plumbing Safety, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
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Carlan N, Vi P, Yung M, Du B, Bigelow PL, Wells RP. Evolving pipe joining methods and their association to musculoskeletal symptoms for residential plumbers. Work 2023:WOR210454. [PMID: 36641707 DOI: 10.3233/wor-210454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently the plumbing trade has transitioned from traditional copper piping to flexible plastic piping (PEX) for residential water distribution systems. However, there has been very limited research into the ergonomic implications of the modernized processes. OBJECTIVE This research documents the physical workload and risks of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDSs) with the use of new tools and processes for joining piping. The research also identifies the factors which can facilitate or limit the use of new ergonomically beneficial tools. METHODS This mixed methods research included workplace observations, interviews, an experiment, a survey of plumbers in residential construction and focus groups with both plumbers and plumbing contractors. RESULTS Advantages and disadvantages of the various techniques for joining pipes showed that manual crimping has advantages (i.e., productivity and lower cost) that make it desirable for plumbing contractors. Power devices, which were not widely used, have great potential to reduce MSDS risks especially if the size and weight of the tools decreases with newer technologies. A continuing barrier is the cost of power equipment. CONCLUSION The move to provide ergonomically beneficial tools was not as rapid as the willingness to change piping materials. Productivity and costs of tools are barriers to ergonomic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolette Carlan
- Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Peter Vi
- Infrastructure Health & SafetyAssociation, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Marcus Yung
- Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.,Canadian Institute of Safety, Wellness, and Performance, Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, School of Business, Conestoga College, Kitchener, ON, Canada
| | - Bronson Du
- Canadian Institute of Safety, Wellness, and Performance, Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, School of Business, Conestoga College, Kitchener, ON, Canada
| | - Philip L Bigelow
- Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.,Institute for Work& Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Richard P Wells
- Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.,Institute for Work& Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Montagnino E, Lytle DA, Rose J, Cwiertny D, Whelton AJ. School and childcare center drinking water: Copper chemistry, health effects, occurrence, and remediation. AWWA Water Sci 2022; 4:e1270. [PMID: 35865674 PMCID: PMC9286453 DOI: 10.1002/aws2.1270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The study goal was to better understand the risks of elevated copper levels at US schools and childcare centers. Copper health effects, chemistry, occurrence, and remediation actions were reviewed. Of the more than 98,000 schools and 500,000 childcare centers, only 0.2% had copper water testing data in the federal Safe Drinking Water Information System database. Of the facilities designated public water systems, about 13% had reported an exceedance. Schools that were not designated a public water system (PWS) also had exceedances. Few studies document levels in schools and childcare centers. Widely different sampling and remedial actions were reported. Flushing contaminated water was the most evaluated remedial action but was unreliable because copper quickly rebounded when flushing stopped. Building water treatment systems have been used, but some were not capable of making the water safe. The health risk was difficult to determine due to the limited occurrence data and lack of best management practice studies. A national drinking water testing campaign and field studies are recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Joan Rose
- Michigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
| | - David Cwiertny
- Department of Civil and Environmental EngineeringUniversity of IowaIowa CityIowaUSA
- Center for Health Effects of Environmental ContaminationUniversity of IowaIowa CityIowaUSA
- Public Policy CenterUniversity of IowaIowa CityIowaUSA
| | - Andrew J. Whelton
- Lyles School of Civil Engineering and Division of Environmental and Ecological EngineeringPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
- Center for Plumbing SafetyPurdue UniversityWest LafayetteIndianaUSA
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Proctor CR, Rhoads WJ, Keane T, Salehi M, Hamilton K, Pieper KJ, Cwiertny DM, Prévost M, Whelton AJ. Considerations for large building water quality after extended stagnation. AWWA Water Sci 2020; 2:e1186. [PMID: 32838226 DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/qvj3b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The unprecedented number of building closures related to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is concerning because water stagnation will occur in many buildings that do not have water management plans in place. Stagnant water can have chemical and microbiological contaminants that pose potential health risks to occupants. Health officials, building owners, utilities, and other entities are rapidly developing guidance to address this issue, but the scope, applicability, and details included in the guidance vary widely. To provide a primer of large building water system preventative and remedial strategies, peer-reviewed, government, industry, and nonprofit literature relevant to water stagnation and decontamination practices for plumbing was synthesized. Preventative practices to help avoid the need for recommissioning (e.g., routine flushing) and specific actions, challenges, and limitations associated with recommissioning were identified and characterized. Considerations for worker and occupant safety were also indicated. The intended audience of this work includes organizations developing guidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin R Proctor
- Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, School of Materials Engineering Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana
| | - William J Rhoads
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Virginia Tech Blacksburg Virginia
| | - Tim Keane
- Legionella Risk Management, Inc. Chalfont Pennsylvania
| | - Maryam Salehi
- Department of Civil Engineering University of Memphis Memphis Tennessee
| | - Kerry Hamilton
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment Arizona State University Tempe Arizona
| | - Kelsey J Pieper
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Northeastern University Boston Massachusetts
| | - David M Cwiertny
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Seamans Center for the Engineering Arts and Sciences University of Iowa Iowa City Iowa
- Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination University of Iowa Iowa City Iowa
- Public Policy Center University of Iowa Iowa City Iowa
| | - Michele Prévost
- Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering Polytechnique Montreal Montréal Québec Canada
| | - Andrew J Whelton
- Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Division of Environmental and Ecological Engineering Purdue University West Lafayette Indiana
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Szabo J, Rodgers M, Mistry J, Steenbock J, Hall J. The effectiveness of disinfection and flushing procedures to prevent coliform persistence in aircraft water systems. Water Sci Technol Water Supply 2019; 19:1339-1346. [PMID: 31031576 PMCID: PMC6483101 DOI: 10.2166/ws.2018.195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
A full-scale reproduction of an aircraft drinking water system was conditioned using municipal tap water with a mixture of free chlorine and chloramines, and subsequently contaminated with coliforms. Disinfection was undertaken using chlorine dioxide, ozone and a mixed oxidant solution followed by flushing until no disinfectant residual remained. Results showed that coliforms were not persistent on the aircraft plumbing surfaces, and coliforms were not detected after disinfection and flushing with any disinfectant. The one exception was the aerator installed in the lavatory faucet, which was coliform positive after disinfection with ozone and mixed oxidants. These data suggest that the faucet aerators could be a source of coliform contamination that may result in coliform positive samples. Further experiments conducted on disinfection of aerators with glycolic acid and quaternary ammonia (both commonly used by the airlines) showed no detectable coliforms on coliform contaminated aerators after 30 minutes of soaking in the disinfectants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Szabo
- US Environmental Protection Agency, National Homeland Security Research Center, 26 W. Martin Luther King Dr. (MS NG-16), Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Mark Rodgers
- US Environmental Protection Agency, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, 26 W. Martin Luther King Dr. (MS NG-16), Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | - Jatin Mistry
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Region 6, 1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75202, USA
| | - Joshua Steenbock
- Wheeling Jesuit University-US Environmental Protection Agency, 316 Washington Avenue, Wheeling, WV 26003, USA
| | - John Hall
- US Environmental Protection Agency, National Homeland Security Research Center, 26 W. Martin Luther King Dr. (MS NG-16), Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
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Weingarten RA, Johnson RC, Conlan S, Ramsburg AM, Dekker JP, Lau AF, Khil P, Odom RT, Deming C, Park M, Thomas PJ, Henderson DK, Palmore TN, Segre JA, Frank KM; NISC Comparative Sequencing Program. Genomic Analysis of Hospital Plumbing Reveals Diverse Reservoir of Bacterial Plasmids Conferring Carbapenem Resistance. mBio 2018; 9:e02011-17. [PMID: 29437920 DOI: 10.1128/mBio.02011-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The hospital environment is a potential reservoir of bacteria with plasmids conferring carbapenem resistance. Our Hospital Epidemiology Service routinely performs extensive sampling of high-touch surfaces, sinks, and other locations in the hospital. Over a 2-year period, additional sampling was conducted at a broader range of locations, including housekeeping closets, wastewater from hospital internal pipes, and external manholes. We compared these data with previously collected information from 5 years of patient clinical and surveillance isolates. Whole-genome sequencing and analysis of 108 isolates provided comprehensive characterization of blaKPC/blaNDM-positive isolates, enabling an in-depth genetic comparison. Strikingly, despite a very low prevalence of patient infections with blaKPC-positive organisms, all samples from the intensive care unit pipe wastewater and external manholes contained carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPOs), suggesting a vast, resilient reservoir. We observed a diverse set of species and plasmids, and we noted species and susceptibility profile differences between environmental and patient populations of CPOs. However, there were plasmid backbones common to both populations, highlighting a potential environmental reservoir of mobile elements that may contribute to the spread of resistance genes. Clear associations between patient and environmental isolates were uncommon based on sequence analysis and epidemiology, suggesting reasonable infection control compliance at our institution. Nonetheless, a probable nosocomial transmission of Leclercia sp. from the housekeeping environment to a patient was detected by this extensive surveillance. These data and analyses further our understanding of CPOs in the hospital environment and are broadly relevant to the design of infection control strategies in many infrastructure settings. Carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPOs) are a global concern because of the morbidity and mortality associated with these resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Horizontal plasmid transfer spreads the resistance mechanism to new bacteria, and understanding the plasmid ecology of the hospital environment can assist in the design of control strategies to prevent nosocomial infections. A 5-year genomic and epidemiological survey was undertaken to study the CPOs in the patient-accessible environment, as well as in the plumbing system removed from the patient. This comprehensive survey revealed a vast, unappreciated reservoir of CPOs in wastewater, which was in contrast to the low positivity rate in both the patient population and the patient-accessible environment. While there were few patient-environmental isolate associations, there were plasmid backbones common to both populations. These results are relevant to all hospitals for which CPO colonization may not yet be defined through extensive surveillance.
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Yung M, Bigelow PL, Hastings DM, Wells RP. Detecting within- and between-day manifestations of neuromuscular fatigue at work: an exploratory study. Ergonomics 2014; 57:1562-1573. [PMID: 24998392 DOI: 10.1080/00140139.2014.934299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Cumulative neuromuscular fatigue may result from exposure to physically demanding work, such as repetitive and/or sustained work with insufficient recovery. The aims of this exploratory study were to develop a battery of field usable fatigue measures and to document hand/arm fatigue in physically demanding work over multiple workdays and after a weekend break. Sixteen plumbers were observed for five days and measures of handgrip force, variability, tremor and discomfort were obtained pre-, mid- and post-shift. This exploratory study demonstrated increasing fatigue of the hand/arm over the day and persistent fatigue from Tuesday to Friday, and that a number of the measures did not return to baseline values following a weekend break. The findings provide preliminary evidence of cumulative fatigue in residential plumbing and insight into neuromuscular fatigue measurement. However, further work is needed to develop and refine a set of fatigue measures to detect neuromuscular fatigue at the workplace. PRACTITIONER SUMMARY Cumulative fatigue has been linked to long-term health outcomes, including work-related musculoskeletal disorders. This paper presents findings from a physically demanding job (i.e. plumbing) revealing persistent fatigue over the work shift(s) and insufficient recovery after a weekend break, and provides insight into fatigue measurement at the workplace.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Yung
- a Department of Kinesiology , University of Waterloo , Ontario , Canada
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