Efficacy, Measurement and Comparison of Biosafety and Biosecurity Courses in mitigating emerging risks of COVID - 19 pandemic

Background: Biosafety & Biosecurity training in COVID - 19 pandemic proved beneficial for lab workers exposed to potentially infectious materials by increasing level of awareness. Essential that they be forewarned to the hazards and risks in working environment for bioh azards; how to save themselves (Biosafety) and safeguard the product (Biosecurity). Methods: Development of table of specification, national level involvement, selection through entry test, custom - made curriculum. Construction of 50 questions, pre - and fi nal post - assessment test ascertaining cognition level on the subject after completion of course. 15 questions for each session were also constructed to evaluate their initial cognition level and post session proficiency. There were eight contact sessions. Each session, pre - and post - assessments to ascertain impact of awareness. Results: Overall result of pre - test assessment of 50 questions was 33.0%, post - test assessment was 90.7%, indicating overall elevation of awareness ( 57.7%). Analysis of results (pre - and post) through a paired t - test yielded highly significant P value of 0.000001 . Likert scale for course and facilitator evaluation by Cronbach’s alpha, showed variables having maximum score > 0.8 , indicating the high results for feedback evaluation. Con clusion: Proper awareness of lab workers is mandatory for Biorisk management in keeping them biosafe which is additional benefit in the wake of pandemic.

Knowledge, attitude and practices regarding work related hazards among salt workers in Marakkanam, Tamil Nadu

Background: The salt pan workers are exposed to severe health hazards like extreme heat, intense manual labour, direct contact with salt, sunlight glare from salt crystals. This paper describes their knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) regarding their work related hazards as well as availability and use of personal protective equipments (PPEs).Methods: A community based cross sectional study was conducted in 4 randomly selected villages among the 10 salt worker villages in Marakkanam, Tamil Nadu. A house to house survey of the selected villages enrolled 331 salt workers. The data was collected using a pre designed and pre tested questionnaire.Results: Majority of salt worker (78.5%) reported of being aware of one or more hazards like physical stress (70.7%), direct sunlight (38.7%) and glare from salt crystals (16%) in salt work that resulted in musculoskeletal problems, ophthalmic problems, headache and giddiness. 87% of the salt workers were aware of one or the other personal protective equipments. However, only less than 10% were using the conventional PPEs. The reasons for not using PPE were mainly inconvenience in using and PPE not provided by the employer.Conclusions: Most of the study population is aware of the hazards as well as one or the other methods of protective equipment but actual use of PPE is very low because of non-availability and perception of inconvenience in using them. There is a large gap between awareness and practice regarding PPE usage among these salt workers.

Assessment of work-related health hazards, personal hygiene and utilization of personal protective equipment’s among stone quarry workers: a cross sectional study in Central India

Background: It is estimated that exposures in the workplace account for around one in ten cases respiratory morbidities in adulthood. Being a respiratory ailment, this group of disorders impairs the pulmonary functions. The objective of the study was to assess the work-related health hazards, personal hygiene and utilization of personal protective equipments among stone quarry workers in Wardha district in Maharashtra. Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted among 348 subjects working in the stone quarries situated in Yelakeli, Deoli, Paloti, Pulgaon, Borgaon, Nachangaon in Wardha district in Maharashtra. Results: 114 (32.75%) of the people reportedly had respiratory problems, body ache was reported by 154 (44.2%), eye problem was reported by 66 (18.9%), fever was told by 13 people (3.7%), other problems (like hearing related, skin, GIT etc) reported were 14 (4.02%). Chi-square test was found to be non-significant. Conclusions: None of the workers had undergone pre-placement examination. Personal protective measures are rarely used by stone quarry workers

Oncology Nurses' Knowledge of Safety Guidelines and Compliance with Safe Handling of Antineoplastic Agents in a Tertiary Hospitall

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the knowledge and compliance of guidelines for safe handling of antineoplastic agents among the oncology nurses. METHODS: The participants were 186 nurses from oncology-hematology unit, and outpatient's infusion room in a tertiary hospital. The levels of knowledge of safety guidelines and compliance with safe handling of antineoplastic agents of oncology nurses were measured using structured questionnaires from October 1 to November 30, 2014. RESULTS: Oncology nurses' knowledge of guideline for safe handling of antineoplastic agents presented an average 79.7 out of 100 points. Compliance with safe handling of antineoplastic agents presented an average 4.28 (range: 2.9~5) out of 5 points. The knowledge of guidelines for safe handling of antineoplastic agents was related with oncology experience (F=3.78, p=.012). There were positive relationships of knowledge and compliance with safe handling of antineoplastic agents (r=0.23, p=.002). CONCLUSION: The findings showed that there was a need to establish efficient guidelines for the safe handling of antineoplastic agents and develop our structured, continuous educational program for the improvement of safe practices related to the handling of antineoplastic agents. The developed and enhanced that guideline and educational program would contribute to improvement of staff and patient safety related to the handling of antineoplastic agents.

Infection Control Preparedness for Influenza A Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in Healthcare Settings / 병원감염관리

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the status of infection control during influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted in November 2009 at the 100 hospitals designated by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) as influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009-treatment institutions. RESULTS: In 32.3% of the hospitals, the ventilation system of the influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009 isolation ward was separated from the hospital's ventilation system. With regard to wearing personal protective equipment while caring for patients with H1N1 infection, during usual patient contact, masks were always worn by all medical staff at all the hospitals; however, medical staff at 38.7% and 51.6% of the hospitals did not wear gloves and gowns, respectively. During aerosol-generating procedures, some medical staff wore surgical masks, whereas medical staff at 10% and 23.3% of the hospitals did not wear gowns and protective goggles, respectively. In all, 64.5% of the hospitals responded that the contents of the guidelines established by the KCDC were insufficient for reference purposes in actual practice. CONCLUSION: Some of influenza A pandemic (H1N1) 2009-treatment institutions are believed to be inadequate in facilities, infection control during patient treatment, and administrative measures among their efforts to prevent transmission in hospital. In preparation against the outbreak of similar diseases in the future, the government needs to establish guidelines highly applicable by medical staff, to secure exclusive spaces and personnel for treating infectious disease patients, and to develop personal protective gear support and management systems.

Factors Associated With the Personal Protective Equipments(PPEs) Wearing of Workers in Small Scale Industries / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify the factors associated with the wearing of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in small scale industries. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, the data were obtained from self-administered questionnaires, a special health examination and the industrial hygiene records. The study included 230 workers in small-scale industries (the print industry and automobile repair shops), which were provided with a subsidiary occupational health program funded by government in 1998. The authors used the Precede-Proceed model. RESULTS: Among the subjects who were recommended to wear a PPE, 32.7% (35/107) wore the gas/vapor respirators, 43.9 % (101/230) wore the particulate respirators, and 44.3 % (102/230) wore hearing aids. Among them, 64.3 % (148/230) wore one of the above PPE. The wearing of PPE wearing was associated with knowledge (OR=2.34), the value of prevention (OR=3.46), social support (OR=2.78), the type of task (OR=2.18-4.47), and income level (OR=7.64). CONCLUSIONS: In small scale industries, the proportion workers wearing PPE was low. To increase this proportion, the reinforcing, enabling, and environmental factors as well as the predisposing factors need to be modified.

A Study on the Factors affecting Pesticide Poisoning of a Rural Population / 대한산업의학회지

The purpose of this study is to examine the pesticide use and the relationship between keeping the safety rules or use of protective equipments, and poisoning experience. For Puksan province, Choonchun county, we obtained questionnaire data concerning pesticide poisoning and relating factors from 143 people who have farmed and have sprayed pesticides. Important results are follows: 1. The rate of experiences of pesticide poisoning was 33%, and the major symptoms were dizziness(39. 13%), vomiting(20.87%), and visual opacity(11.30%). The most frequent use of pesticide was paraquat(23. 76%), and the next was organophosphates(18.35%). 2. Logistic regression and chi-square analyses showed that duration of spraying per day, following dose limits, and spraying back against wind are significantly associated with poisoning experiences(x2=5.620, p0.018, OR=0.326, CJ=0.109-0.968, OR=0.302, OR=0.097-0.939 respectively). But no associations between poisoning experiences and age, sex, use of protective equipments, and attendance of safety education. Based on these data, despite limitations in exposure assessment and recall biases, it may be necessary to devise a counterplan for development of effective safety education that prevents pesticide poisoning such as popular education in CATA pesticide project, as well as prohibition of use of hazardous pesticides that proved to be fatal.