[Risk assessment of exposure to needlestick injuries by healthcare failure mode and effect analysis method in a large hospital, Tehran, Iran,2011]

Healthcare workers [HCWs] are one of the most important jobs in exposure to Needle Stick [NS] and, therefore, are in risk of infection to diseases such as Hepatitis B [HB] and AIDS. The aim of this study was to identify and assess risk of injuries caused by needle and sharps in healthcare personnel of a hospital in Tehran. In this study, hazard analysis method of Healthcare Failure Mode and Effect Analysis [HFMEA] was selected. After several meetings with related experts, by the help of a provided checklist, hazardous processes related to NS injuries were identified and finally assessed by HFMEA method. Potential causes of injuries included recapping, sudden shake of patient organs, lack of personnel, and slip. For most of the causes there were no control measures. Sudden shake of patient's arm and heavy workload were recognized as high risk scores due to unskilled injector. Also for 53% of the studied cases, a score risk of more than 8 was recorded. As the results show, a major portion of potential causes of injuries had a high risk score, that is due to lack of a clear safety program or system to control the risk. Thus hospital manager should consider and control the causes according to the recommendations from risk assessment team. Totally HFMEA is an appropriate technique to analyze hazards related to NS injuries and predict effective measures to reduce related risks

Heat stress level among construction workers

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of heat stress to construction workers using Thermal Work Limit [TWL] and Wet Bulb Globe Temperature [WBGT] indices and by measuring Urine Specific Gravity [USG] among construction workers in Iran and comparing the appropriateness of these indices for measuring heat stress in Iran climate. This comparative and experimental study was conducted during September 2012 in Baghe Ketabe Tehran, one of the large size construction sites in Tehran City, Iran. Sixty participants were randomly selected in two groups [exposed to sun and non-exposed] among the construction workers in a construction campus with similar work type, climate and diet. TWL and WBGT and USG were measured in two consequent days and at the beginning, mid and end of the work shift, for both groups. The mean WBGT index was 22.6 +/- 0.9°C for control group and 27.5 +/- 1.2°C for exposure group, the mean TWL index measure was 215.8 +/- 5.2 W/ m[2] for control group and 144 +/- 9.8 W/ m[2] for exposure group and the mean USG was 1.0213 +/- 0.0054 in control group and 1.026 +/- 0.005 in exposure group. There was a significant difference in TWL, WBGT and USG between exposed and non-exposed group [P<0.01]. Workers were at an allowed level of heat stress. TWL, WBGT and USG measures were significantly correlated; however as TWL level enabled classification based on required intervention, it had some merit over WBGT index