Musculoskeletal disorders in operator drivers in northwestern Namibia ­ associated factors and awareness

Background: Operator drivers are responsible for driving trackless heavy-duty mining or construction vehicles such as graders, dumpers, loaders, and bulldozers. They have an increased prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) due to the nature of their work. There is a paucity of data on MSDs and associated factors among operator drivers in Namibia. Objective: We assessed awareness of, and factors associated with, MSDs among operator drivers in the construction and mining industries in Namibia. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, questionnaires were administered to operator drivers, and managerial staff were interviewed, using a semi-structured interview guide. Data obtained were analysed using chi-square tests and binary logistic regression modelling. Results: 182 operator drivers completed the questionnaires, and 13 operator drivers' supervisors and managers were interviewed. Factors associated with MSDs were length of service for ≥ 10 years (OR 15.3, 95% CI 6.0­39.0), alcohol consumption (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.1­6.7), lack of physical fitness activity (OR 8.8, 95% CI 3.8­20.4), and lack of awareness of MSDs (OR 3.1, 95% CI 1.3­7.3). Managerial staff were of the opinion that the operator drivers did not suffer from MSDs. Conclusion: We found health issues that are associated with MSDs among the operator drivers, impacting their general wellness and productivity. Monitoring of health and wellness of these workers by the companies is recommended. There is need to increase MSD awareness, personal protective equipment usage, ergonomics skills training, and physical fitness exercises for operator drivers. Employers are urged to adopt policies, and to design guidelines and interventions aimed at promoting occupational health and safety in this population.

Analysis on the monitoring results of occupational health of workers who leaving their posts from small-sized coal mines / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

Objective@#To explore the health status of the workers who were leaving their posts from small-scaled coal mines, and to provide evidence for coal workers’ pneumoconiosis prevention and safeguard measures.@*Methods@#In 2017, 1008 workers from the coal mine in a town were monitored for occupational health, and the effects of working type, age were analyzed and evaluated.@*Results@#The health monitoring of the mine workers in this town showed high rate of the abnormal detection of respiratory system and cardiovascular system, the incidence rate of pneumoconiosis was up to 34.82%. The incidence of pneumoconiosis in different types of work was not the same (P<0.05) , and the incidence of tunneling workers' pneumoconiosis was the highest. Pneumoconiosis detection rate increased with age (P<0.05) . The difference of pneumoconiosis detection rate among workers of different ages was statistically significant (P<0.05) , among which the pneumoconiosis detection rate was the highest in the group of 40 years old.@*Conclusion@#The pneumoconiosis is serious in small coal mines in this town. It should strengthen the prevention of diseases such as respiratory system and cardiovascular system of coal mine workers, and pay attention to their health management and prolong the life of patients with pneumoconiosis.

Estado nutricional, composición corporal e indicadores antropométricos de trabajadores mineros expuestos a hipoxia hipobárica crónica e intermitente a una altitud moderada (0-2500 msnm) / Nutritional status, body composition and anthropometric indicators of miners exposed to intermittent chronic hypobaric hypoxia at moderate altitude (0-2500 m)

RESUMEN Introducción En Chile, los trabajadores mineros están expuestos a condiciones laborales y ambientales particulares. Sin embargo, la normativa actual no considera estas condicionantes para evaluar el estado nutricional y riesgo cardiovascular de esta población. Objetivo Describir indicadores antropométricos de trabajadores mineros de la Región de Coquimbo, expuestos a un ambiente hipóxico hipobárico de manera crónica intermitente a una altitud moderada entre 0 a 2500 m. Metodología Se evaluaron 221 trabajadores a 0 m, 1600 m, y 2500 m. Se les midió peso, talla, pliegues cutáneos, perímetros de cintura y cuello. Con estas mediciones se determinó estado nutricional, composición corporal e indicadores antropométricos relacionados con riesgo cardiovascular. Resultados Los indicadores presentaron valores promedios superiores a la media nacional. Más aún, al separar los resultados por cota altitudinal, estos valores presentan un aumento a mayor altitud. Conclusión Este estudio mostró una alteración en los indicadores antropométricos, estado nutricional y composición corporal, con la altitud. Futuros estudios con un mayor tamaño muestral son necesarios para clarificar estos hallazgos.

ABSTRACT Introduction In Chile, miners are exposed to specific labor and environmental conditions. However, current regulations do not consider these conditions in the assessment of nutritional status and cardiovascular risk of this population. Objective To describe anthropometric indicators of miners in the Coquimbo Region who are exposed to chronic intermittent hypobaric hypoxia at moderate altitudes (between 0 and 2500 m). Methodology We evaluated 221 workers at 0 m, 1600 m, and 2500 m. We measured weight, height, skin fold, waist and neck circumference. With these measurements, we determined nutritional status, body composition and anthropometric indicators related to cardiovascular risk. Results The assessed indicators showed average values higher than national ones. Furthermore, values increased by altitude. Conclusion This study showed an alteration with the altitude in the anthropometric indicators, nutritional condition and body composition. Further studies with a high sample size are necessary to clarify these findings.

Influence of drinking pattern and alcoholic fatty liver disease in coal miners / 中国综合临床

Objective To investigate the drinking pattern and the condition of alcoholic fatty liver disease in a certain coal mine workers in Shanxi Province.Methods A total of 1501 workers in a coal mine in Shanxi Province were surveyed by field investigation method.Contents include questionnaire, physical measurement, abdominal ultrasound liver and fasting blood glucose, blood lipid, liver function, cholesterol, blood biochemical indicator detection.ALD diagnostic criteria for fatty liver and alcoholic liver disease group were .recommended by the Chinese Medical Association in 2010.The t test,X2 test and multiariable logistic regression analysis were conducted by SPSS17.0 software.Results This study involved ALD patients with 265 people, accounting for 17.65％ of the total survey.The drinking pattern, such as drinking patterns in the initial drinking age,long duration of drinking, drinking frequency, drunkenness, fasting drinking, average daily alcohol intake as the risk factors of alcoholic liver disease.The Logistic regression analysis of alcoholic liver disease related factors showed that, drinking age, drinking way and daily average alcohol intake were closely related to the occurrence of ALD(OR=0.942,P=0.769;OR=2.811,P=0.000;OR=1.756,P=0.000;OR=542.844,P=0.001) .Conclusion In the coal mine workers, drinking pattern in the initial drinking age, drinking age, daily average alcohol intake are closely related to ALD illness.

Increase of Histamine Concentration in the Sputum of Exposed Workers a Case-control Study.

Background: The key aim of this study was to determine the relation between possible changes in the lung function and the concentration of histamine in the sputum of exposed workers and control group. The research aimed to establish possible correlation between participants exposed to air pollutants at workplaces, especially participants who are smokers and non-smokers, workers in industrial - mining basins and mines. This case-control study assessed the COPD risk attributable to occupational exposures among mine workers. Methods: The participants in this case control study included 420 workers out of which 60 represented the control group. The study determined, histamine concentration in the sputum, pH, arterial partial oxygen pressures (PaO2) and carbon dioxide (PaCO2) in capillary blood and, spirometric parameters FVC/FEV1 using "Godart" pulmo-test model spirometer. Airways resistant (Rt) and intrathoracic gas volume (ITGV) were measured using a ‘Siemens’ model Body Plethysmograph. Specific resistance (SRt) was calculated using the formula (SRt=Rt x ITGV). Qualitative exposure indicators were developed based on both, work duration and exposure histories. Results: Histamine presence in sputum was at a significant level (F=10, 59, p<0.0001) just for the whole group of exposed workers compared to the control group. However, significant values were found for the smokers’ category only in the case of Leposavić participants, respectively at the level (p<0.05). Apparently the obtained values for partial pressures at level PaO2 (F = 13,387, p<0.001) and PaCO2 (F = 10,79, p<0.001), where the lowest value of PaO2 was at participants of Leposavić basin, namely 8.91 kPa, whereas the highest was at the control group, RS 10.04 kPa (SD5.3). PaCO2 was also the lowest to the workers in Leposavić, 4.53 kPa (SD2.6), while the highest was in Ajvalia 5.01 kPa (SD5.4). Hence we consider that these findings are not just casual but they are rather in a direct correlation with increased values of histamine in sputum of the participants. At the same time spirometric parameter values were at a significant level [Tiffneau Index (p<0.001), FEV1 (p<0.0001), SRt (p<0.0001)]. Hence, these results suggest that histamine might participate in the pathogenesis of functional disorders in exposed workers. Conclusions: Mine workers are at increased risk for COPD as a result of broad and complex effects of many exposures acting independently or interactively. Control methods should be implemented to prevent workers’ exposures, as well as smoking cessation should be promoted. “Hermetization” of technology processes, which is currently a world trend in “dirty” technologies, practically disables pollutants' emission at working places and the atmosphere.

Acclimatization to chronic intermittent hypoxia in mine workers: a challenge to mountain medicine in Chile

In the past two decades, Chile has developed intense mining activity in the Andes mountain range, whose altitude is over 4,000 meters above sea level. It is estimated that a workforce population of over 55,000 is exposed to high altitude hypobaric hypoxia. The miners work under shift systems which vary from 4 to 20 days at the worksite followed by rest days at sea level, in a cycle repeated for several years. This Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia (CIH) constitutes an unusual condition for workers involving a series of changes at the physiological, cellular and molecular levels attempting to compensate for the decrease in the environmental partial pressure of oxygen (PO2). The mine worker must become acclimatized to CIH, and consequently undergoes an acute acclimatization process when he reaches the worksite and an acute reverse process when he reaches sea level. We have observed that after a period of 3 to 8 years of CIH exposure workers acclimatize well, and evidence from our studies and those of others indicates that CIH induces acute and chronic multisystem adjustments which are effective in offsetting the reduced availability of oxygen at high altitudes. The aims of this review are to summarize findings of the physiological responses to CIH exposure, highlighting outstanding issues in the field.