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Working in a cold environment
Report on Project No 132, undated, 31 pp. This study is designed to provide the project's sponsor, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, with preliminary behavioural information on how people use hand-held hair dryers. Participants were asked to wet and then dry their hair using one of these products. Their behaviour was observed and video recorded. Risks to the participants included those involved with the routine use of a hand-held dryer: shock, thermal scalp burns, and cosmetic damage to the hair. Each participant provided his or her own hair dryer for use in the study and permitted it to receive an engineering safety evaluation, attended one prescheduled one-hour test session, followed the instructions of the experimenters and permitted video tape recordings of their activities to be made.
Noise 11.3.32 (78295)
Plummer, R.W., Fisher, E.L., and Gochenour, D.L. Noise measurement and control for timber harvesting machines. In: Compass
for Technology, Proceedings of the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society, Boston, Massachusetts, Oct 29-Nov 1 1979, Edited by C.K. Bensel, pp 2 3 7 - 2 4 1 . Society's awareness of safety and health problems has forced industry to make a concerted efford to correct situations harmful to its employees. One area receiving attention today is the excessive amount of noise that some workers are being exposed to. Timber harvesting is an industry in which such a noise problem exists. This paper presents a review of pertinent past research results and gives a methodology for measuring and controlling noise in a timber harvesting environment. Pilot data was collected to substantiate validity of the methodology with results indicating that there was danger of hearing loss on nearly all of the machines observed. Most equipment manufacturers are aware of the problems and are trying to reduce noise on new machines. However, many older machines must be fitted with control devices if they are to be considered safe. 11.3.33 (78317)
Reisehl, U., and Bair, H.S. Noise: It can harm you. Fire Command, Dec 1978, 45.12, 1 8 - 1 9 ; abstr in CIS Abstracts (CIS 79-703). This article considers the significantly high incidence of occupationallyinduced hearing damage among US professional fire fighters, and considers
many aspects of the hazards of temporary and/or permanent hearing damage resulting from repeated overexposure to high noise levels in this occupation. Description of a noise exposure study conducted by the University of California in firefighters riding fire emergency vehicles with 350 hp diesel engines, using personal noise dosemeters. Findings are summarised in a table showing position of the firefighter on the vehicle, average sound pressure level, and standard deviation (noise levels in excess of 115 dBA in some cases, due to combined noise of motor, siren, air horn and radio speaker). The equivalent continuous sound pressure level method (Leq) was used.
Vibration 11.3.34 (?832?) Olsen, N., and Nielsen, S.L. Diagnosis of Raynaud's phenomenon in quarrymen's traumatic vasospastic disease. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health, Sep 1979, 5.3,249-256.
Twenty-five welders with 6 - 2 5 yr welding experience were matched by age, sex and smoking habit to 25 electrical fitters who work in an area where welding is not normally done. Each man was clinically examined, had a large film PA chest radiograph and performed a number of pulmonary function tests at this examination and then at the beginnh3g and end of a shift. The gases and fumes in the breathing zone were sampled. Each welder worked for 1 day, making a total of 25 separate test days over a 5 week period. The welders worked in one site, using the same consumable and type of work piece. There were no cases of siderosis and no significant difference in the overall prevalence of lung function abnormalities between welders and controls, although there were some differences in the pattern of abnormalities. No significant differences were found between lung function changes over the day in the group means of welders and controls. There was a significant positive correlation between the increase in residual volume and the fume concentrations in the breathing zones of the welders. The survey methods and results are discussed and compared with previous investigations .
An epidemiologic and clinical study of traumatic vasospastic disease (TVD) was carried out involving 18 workers in a granite quarry. The prevalence of TVD was found to be 72% (95% confidence limits 4 7 - 9 0 % ) estimated from the combined information from a questionnaire and a clinical interview. The fingers of the hand contralateral to the preferred working hand were the most frequently affected. A newly developed cold provocation test measuring reduction in finger systolic blood pressure during combined body and finger cooling was applied to the quarrymen and to 20 age-matched men in a reference group. Raynaud's phenomenon with digital arterial closure was verified by the measurement of zero pressure in the test finger at 15 or 6°C in 12 of 13 quarrymen with anamnestic and clinical evidence of TVD. The test showed an abnormal response as compared to that of the reference group in all workers having used vibrating hand tools for more than five years. The precision, estimated at 95% confidence limits from double determinations, was 18-7%. The cold provocation test can be employed diagnostically, and it can also be used to observe the effects of prophylactic measures.
This article by an occupational health nurse describes sub-zero conditions in very large cold stores in an ice cream factory; hazards (ice build-up on floor near doorways; ammonia leakage; frost bite; cold bums; injury from trucks; conveyor belts, etc) and remedies (protective clothing - check list of necessary garments; inner layer, second layer and outer garments; warm-up periods after 60 min (manual) or 40 min (sedentary + work in store). Physical and psychological requirements for the job (pre-employment medical examination, regular checks; candidates should be preferably under 45 years, ideally 2 0 30). Case histories of hypothermia and frost bite.
Atmospheric conditions
Hausman, A., and Petit, J.M.
11.3.35 (?8333) McMillan, G.H.G., and Heath, J. The health of welders in naval dockyards: Acute changes in respiratory function during standardised welding. Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 1979, 22.1, 1 9 - 3 2 .
Thermal conditions 11.3.36 (78351) Green, A. Working in a cold environment. Occupational Health, Aug 1978, 30.8, 3 6 6 - 3 7 1 ; abstr in CIS Abstracts (CIS 79-709).
11.3.37 (78352) Physical work in a hot environment in coal mines (Travail Physique en Ambiance Chaude dans les Charbonnages). (In French.) Annales des Mines de
Belgique -Annalen der Mi]en van Belgie, Nov 1978, No 11, 1 1 0 9 - 1 1 2 9 ; abstr in CIS Abstracts (CIA 79-1013).
Applied Ergonomics
September1980
179
Noise 11.3.32 (78295)
Plummer, R.W., Fisher, E.L., and Gochenour, D.L. Noise measurement and control for timber harvesting machines. In: Compass
for Technology, Proceedings of the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society, Boston, Massachusetts, Oct 29-Nov 1 1979, Edited by C.K. Bensel, pp 2 3 7 - 2 4 1 . Society's awareness of safety and health problems has forced industry to make a concerted efford to correct situations harmful to its employees. One area receiving attention today is the excessive amount of noise that some workers are being exposed to. Timber harvesting is an industry in which such a noise problem exists. This paper presents a review of pertinent past research results and gives a methodology for measuring and controlling noise in a timber harvesting environment. Pilot data was collected to substantiate validity of the methodology with results indicating that there was danger of hearing loss on nearly all of the machines observed. Most equipment manufacturers are aware of the problems and are trying to reduce noise on new machines. However, many older machines must be fitted with control devices if they are to be considered safe. 11.3.33 (78317)
Reisehl, U., and Bair, H.S. Noise: It can harm you. Fire Command, Dec 1978, 45.12, 1 8 - 1 9 ; abstr in CIS Abstracts (CIS 79-703). This article considers the significantly high incidence of occupationallyinduced hearing damage among US professional fire fighters, and considers
many aspects of the hazards of temporary and/or permanent hearing damage resulting from repeated overexposure to high noise levels in this occupation. Description of a noise exposure study conducted by the University of California in firefighters riding fire emergency vehicles with 350 hp diesel engines, using personal noise dosemeters. Findings are summarised in a table showing position of the firefighter on the vehicle, average sound pressure level, and standard deviation (noise levels in excess of 115 dBA in some cases, due to combined noise of motor, siren, air horn and radio speaker). The equivalent continuous sound pressure level method (Leq) was used.
Vibration 11.3.34 (?832?) Olsen, N., and Nielsen, S.L. Diagnosis of Raynaud's phenomenon in quarrymen's traumatic vasospastic disease. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health, Sep 1979, 5.3,249-256.
Twenty-five welders with 6 - 2 5 yr welding experience were matched by age, sex and smoking habit to 25 electrical fitters who work in an area where welding is not normally done. Each man was clinically examined, had a large film PA chest radiograph and performed a number of pulmonary function tests at this examination and then at the beginnh3g and end of a shift. The gases and fumes in the breathing zone were sampled. Each welder worked for 1 day, making a total of 25 separate test days over a 5 week period. The welders worked in one site, using the same consumable and type of work piece. There were no cases of siderosis and no significant difference in the overall prevalence of lung function abnormalities between welders and controls, although there were some differences in the pattern of abnormalities. No significant differences were found between lung function changes over the day in the group means of welders and controls. There was a significant positive correlation between the increase in residual volume and the fume concentrations in the breathing zones of the welders. The survey methods and results are discussed and compared with previous investigations .
An epidemiologic and clinical study of traumatic vasospastic disease (TVD) was carried out involving 18 workers in a granite quarry. The prevalence of TVD was found to be 72% (95% confidence limits 4 7 - 9 0 % ) estimated from the combined information from a questionnaire and a clinical interview. The fingers of the hand contralateral to the preferred working hand were the most frequently affected. A newly developed cold provocation test measuring reduction in finger systolic blood pressure during combined body and finger cooling was applied to the quarrymen and to 20 age-matched men in a reference group. Raynaud's phenomenon with digital arterial closure was verified by the measurement of zero pressure in the test finger at 15 or 6°C in 12 of 13 quarrymen with anamnestic and clinical evidence of TVD. The test showed an abnormal response as compared to that of the reference group in all workers having used vibrating hand tools for more than five years. The precision, estimated at 95% confidence limits from double determinations, was 18-7%. The cold provocation test can be employed diagnostically, and it can also be used to observe the effects of prophylactic measures.
This article by an occupational health nurse describes sub-zero conditions in very large cold stores in an ice cream factory; hazards (ice build-up on floor near doorways; ammonia leakage; frost bite; cold bums; injury from trucks; conveyor belts, etc) and remedies (protective clothing - check list of necessary garments; inner layer, second layer and outer garments; warm-up periods after 60 min (manual) or 40 min (sedentary + work in store). Physical and psychological requirements for the job (pre-employment medical examination, regular checks; candidates should be preferably under 45 years, ideally 2 0 30). Case histories of hypothermia and frost bite.
Atmospheric conditions
Hausman, A., and Petit, J.M.
11.3.35 (?8333) McMillan, G.H.G., and Heath, J. The health of welders in naval dockyards: Acute changes in respiratory function during standardised welding. Annals of Occupational Hygiene, 1979, 22.1, 1 9 - 3 2 .
Thermal conditions 11.3.36 (78351) Green, A. Working in a cold environment. Occupational Health, Aug 1978, 30.8, 3 6 6 - 3 7 1 ; abstr in CIS Abstracts (CIS 79-709).
11.3.37 (78352) Physical work in a hot environment in coal mines (Travail Physique en Ambiance Chaude dans les Charbonnages). (In French.) Annales des Mines de
Belgique -Annalen der Mi]en van Belgie, Nov 1978, No 11, 1 1 0 9 - 1 1 2 9 ; abstr in CIS Abstracts (CIA 79-1013).
Applied Ergonomics
September1980
179