Awareness of biomedical waste management among clinical teaching staff in a private medical college in rural area of Maharashtra

Background: Biomedical waste has become a serious health hazard in many countries, including India. The waste produced in the course of health care activities carries a higher potential for infection and injury than any other type of waste. The main aims and objectives of this study are to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices among the clinical teaching staff of a private medical college regarding biomedical waste management.Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted among the clinical teaching staff of a private medical college regarding biomedical waste management. All the clinical teaching staff members enrolled on the roll muster were included. The data collection was done by interview technique using a pretested, structured questionnaire.Results: Awareness about the number of categories of segregation of biomedical waste was found in 99% of the respondents. However 94% participants among them knew correctly the colour code of segregation but parcentage details of these categories varied from 49% to 90%. Percentage of actual practice of biomedical waste management varied from 57% to 77%.Conclusions: The staff had exemplary knowledge of basic questions like number of categories of BMW segregation; however details of these categories were known to a somewhat fewer people. Awareness was much more in in clinicians who are having experience of less than 5 years. There is a need of organization of seminars to update their knowledge regarding biomedical waste management.

A triagem de materiais recicláveis e as variabilidades inerentes ao processo: estudo de caso em uma cooperativa / The sorting of recyclable waste and the variables inherent to the process: a case study in a cooperative

O trabalho informal com materiais recicláveis é marcado por desvalorização e exclusão social, além desta atividade ser realizada em condições insalubres. A literatura aponta que os problemas associados à triagem de materiais recicláveis estão relacionados à falta de estrutura, ao contato com o "lixo", à falta de apoio do poder público, à falta de treinamentos, à falta equipamentos de segurança, entre outros. O objetivo geral deste artigo foi descrever o processo de triagem de materiais recicláveis na cooperativa de Franca, SP. O objetivo especifico foi identificar as variabilidades inerentes ao processo e investigar como o trabalhador molda seu trabalho para dar conta destas variabilidades. O método de pesquisa é o estudo de caso com abordagem ergonômica operacionalizada por algumas etapas da análise ergonômica do trabalho. Foram feitas visitas exploratórias, observações indiretas e entrevistas semiestruturadas. Os resultados demonstraram que as variabilidades inerentes ao processo solicitam dos cooperados uma gestão momentânea que pode ser realizada de forma coletiva ou individual, mas que quase sempre causa sobrecarga no trabalho, seja acelerando-o ou aumentando a concentração.

Informal labor with recyclable materials is marked by social exclusion and discrimination, besides this activity being conducted in unsanitary conditions. The literature suggests that the problems associated with the sorting of recyclable waste are associated with lack of structure, contact with the "garbage", lack of government support, lack of training, lack of safety equipment, among others. The scope of this paper is to describe the process of sorting recyclable waste in a cooperative in França in the state of São Paulo. The specific objective was to identify the variables inherent to the process and investigate how workers adjust their work schedules to deal with these variables. The research method used is the case study with an operationalized ergonomic approach at some stages of the ergonomic analysis of work. Exploratory visits, indirect observations and semi-structured interviews were conducted. The results showed that the variables inherent to the process require that workers perform timely management sessions, which can be either collective or individual, though this invariably results in overload in the workplace, either by speeding up the work output or by demanding the increased concentration of those involved.

Epidemiology of hepatitis B virus infection among recyclable waste collectors in central Brazil

Introduction: The collection of recyclable waste materials is a widespread activity among the urban poor. Today, this occupation attracts an increasingly large number of individuals. Despite its economic and environmental importance, this activity is associated with unsafe and unhealthy working conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the seroepidemiological profile of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in a population of recyclable waste collectors in central Brazil. Methods: Recyclable waste collectors from all 15 recycling cooperatives in Goiânia City were invited to participate in the study. The participants (n = 431) were interviewed and screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibodies against HBsAg (anti-HBs) and hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). HBsAg- and anti-HBc-positive samples were tested for HBV DNA and genotyped. Results: The overall prevalence of HBV infection (HBsAg- and/or anti-HBc-positive) was 12.8%. An age over 40 years and illicit drug use were associated with HBV infection. HBV DNA was detected in 2/3 HBsAg-positive samples and in 1/52 anti-HBc-positive/HBsAg-negative samples (an occult HBV infection rate of 1.9%), in which the genotypes/subgenotypes A/A1, D/D3 and F/F2 were identified. Only 12.3% of the recyclable waste collectors had serological evidence of previous HBV vaccination. Conclusions: These findings highlight the vulnerability of recyclable waste collectors to HBV infection and reinforce the importance of public health policies that address the health and safety of this socially vulnerable population. .

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection among recyclable waste collectors in Central-West Brazil

The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in a population of recyclable waste collectors (n = 431) was assessed using a cross-sectional survey in all 15 cooperatives in the city of Goiânia, Central-West Brazil. The HCV prevalence was 1.6% (95% confidence interval: 0.6-3.6) and a history of sexually transmitted infections was independently associated with this infection. HCV RNA (corresponding to genotype 1; subtypes 1a and 1b) was detected in five/seven anti-HCV-positive samples. Although the study population reported a high rate (47.3%) of sharps and needle accidents, HCV infection was not more frequent in recyclable waste collectors than in the general Brazilian population. .