Survey on occupational injury among workers in a steel enterprise / 预防医学

Objective @#To investigate the prevalence of occupational injury and identify its influencing factors among workers in a steel enterprise in Gansu Province, so as to provide insights into prevention of occupational injury among steel workers. @*Methods@#Workers were sampled from a steel enterprise in Gansu Province using a cluster sampling method from January to March 2022, and participants' demographics, occupational history and occupational injury were collected using questionnaire surveys. The type of job and site and type of injury were analyzed among workers with occupational injuries, and factors affecting workers' occupational injuries were identified using a multivariable logistic regression model. @*Results@#A total of 12 089 questionnaires were allocated and 10 725 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective recovery rate of 88.71%. The respondents included 9 412 males (87.77%) and 1 312 females (12.23%), and had a median age of 36.00 (interquartile range, 15.00) years. Junior college and above was the predominant educational level (6 056 workers, 56.47%), and the respondents had a median length of service of 10 (interquartile range, 11) years. The prevalence of occupational injury was 5.25% among respondents. Overhaul worker was the main type of job (11.90%), and object strike was the predominant type of occupational injury (18.25%), while the lower limb was the predominant site of injury (27.82%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified men (OR=2.464, 95%CI: 1.580-3.843), age (30 to 39 years, OR=2.561, 95%CI: 1.643-3.993; 40 to 49 years, OR=5.197, 95%CI: 2.679-10.079; 50 years and older, OR=10.620, 95%CI: 6.788-16.615), exposure to high temperature (OR=1.400, 95%CI: 1.165-1.683), operating equipment failure (OR=1.291, 95%CI: 1.048-1.591), absence of personal safety protection equipment (OR=1.555, 95%CI: 1.064-2.273) and safety behavior scores (OR=0.967, 95%CI: 0.937-0.996) as factors affecting occupational injuries among workers in a steel enterprise. @*Conclusions@#Men and overhaul workers are at a high risk of occupational injuries in this steel enterprise. Objectstrike is the predominant type of injury and lower limb is the main site of injury. The risk of occupational injuries is affected by gender, age, working environments, equipment status and safety behaviors.

Accumulation degree and risk assessment of metals in street dust from a developing city in Central Taiwan.

Due to the numerous industrial parks and high traffic density in Miaoli, Taiwan, large amounts of metals may be released into the atmosphere, accumulating in street dust. Therefore, this study aimed to collect street dust in Miaoli to quantify the metals and assess the accumulation degree, sources, and potential risks. The enrichment factor (EF), geological accumulation index (Igeo), ecological risk, and non-carcinogenic and lifetime carcinogenic risk were estimated to assess the accumulation degree and the potential environmental and health risks. Pearson correlation analysis, principal component analysis, and positive matrix factor model were used to clarify the relationship between levels of metals and identify possible sources. The levels of metals in street dust in order were Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu > Cr > Ni > Pb > Sr > Co > Sb. According to Igeo, the level of Ni indicated moderately polluted. The levels of Zn, Cu, and Pb showed moderate to strong pollution, strong pollution, and very strong pollution, respectively. Results of average ecological risk analysis pointed out that Pb and Cu represent a very high risk, while other metals posed low-to moderate-level ecological risks. Excluding the Steel Enterprise area, based on the EF value and source identification, it might be concluded that Co, Sr, Fe, Mn, and Sb were mainly from natural sources, while Cu, Pb, and Zn come from anthropogenic pollution sources. Based on the results of the risk assessments, most metals pose no serious adverse health risk to humans. But, in comparison to Miaoli townships, the health risks of residents living in the Steel Enterprise area were higher. However, given that children and adolescents exposure to Co, Cr, Pb, and Ni together constitute a relatively higher carcinogenic risk (CR > 10-6), more attention needs to be paid to the populations most susceptible.

[Analysis on the rationality of input and output of occupational health funds in an iron and steel enterprise].

Objective: To analyzes the various occupational health investment and occupational health output of a steel enterprise, and propose a reasonable occupational health investment plan for this enterprise. Methods: In march 2016, various occupational health input and output data of various branches of an iron and steel company in 2015 were collected, and the efficiency of occupational health inputs and outputs of each branch was evaluated using data envelopment analysis (DEA) , and the branches with non-optimal efficiency were adjusted to propose a reasonable occupational health investment plan. Results: Among the branch plants investigated by this steel company, the occupational health input-output efficiency values of ironmaking north plant, power plant, hot rolling plant and stainless steel plant were 1, while the occupational health input-output efficiency of gas making plant, cold rolling plant, metallurgical furnace charge plant, coking plant, ironmaking south plant and long product plant were not the best, and the cold rolling plant has the lowest efficiency value of 0.759. For the cold rolling plant, only the parameters of acid rolling plant satisfy α=1 and s(-)=0, s(+)=0, while the remaining four workshops do not meet. After adjusting the inputs of each part according to the parameters, the occupational health output of the remaining four workshops can reach 1.7044, 2.0238, 1.3152 and 1.2136 times of the current workshop, respectively. Adjustment plans for other branch factories with unreasonable investment structures are also presented in the corresponding tables. Conclusion: The occupational health investment structure of the ironmaking south plant and other branches in this steel enterprise is unreasonable, and the adjustment using data envelopment analysis can maximize the benefits of its occupational health output.

Distribution Characteristics and Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Soils of a Steel Enterprise in East China.

To meet the goal of sustainable development, many large steel enterprises in China have been relocated, leaving serious polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pollution problems at the abandoned sites. In this study, the spatial distribution and potential health risks of PAHs in soils of a large steel enterprise in East China were studied. The total concentrations of 16 PAHs ranged from 93.96 to2.61E + 05 µg/kg. A total of 54.84% of the samples reached the level of severe pollution, with coking plants and iron works showing much more serious problems than other areas. The contribution levels of PAHs with high molecular weights were high, especially those of 4-ring PAHs. The toxic equivalent concentrations exceeded the values recommended by the Canadian guide. The average carcinogenic risk value of the whole region was greater than 10-6, indicating high carcinogenic risk. The above assessment indicates that the area must be remediated before further development occurs.

Influence of ferrous-metal production on mercury contamination and fractionation in farmland soil around five typical iron and steel enterprises of Tangshan, China.

Iron and steel production is one of the main anthropogenic sources of mercury (Hg) emission and release. Oxidized and particulate Hg discharged from iron and steel enterprises deposit into the surrounding soil, which accumulate and introduce environmental risks. Therefore, it is important to assess Hg pollution in the soil surrounding iron and steel enterprises. In this study, the Hg pollution, Hg distribution from steel plants and Hg fractionation in farmland soil around five typical steel plants were analysed in Tangshan of China. The Hg pollution indexes (Pi) of more than 90% soil samples were greater than 3 by the single factor pollution index method, which showed that most soil samples around the five steel plants were strongly contaminated by Hg. The Hg contents in soil increased first and then decreased, and the maximum content presented at 250-300 m away from the boundary of the steel plants. The order of Hg fraction proportion in the soil samples was extractable (35%-43%) > volatile (24%-36%) > residual (10%-26%) > reducible (0-15%) > oxidizable (0-12%). The distribution of Hg fraction in farmland soil had no regular trend with the distance from the steel plants. The volatile Hg and extractable Hg were dominant in farmland soil, and their combined proportion was greater than 60%. These two fractions of Hg are at risk of re-volatilization into the atmosphere or potential absorption by plants.

Distribution Pattern, Emission Characteristics and Environmental Impact of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Download Ash and Dust from Iron and Steel Enterprise.

Download ash and emission dust samples were collected from sintering, coking, ironmaking and steelmaking processes of iron and steel enterprises in Laiwu. Sixteen kinds of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) priority controlled lists were quantitatively analyzed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS). Laser particle size analyzer was used to obtain the distribution pattern of download ash. It was found that the diameter distribution pattern from four production processes was quite different. The proportion of fine particulate (0-2.5 µm) was the highest (72.62%) in the steelmaking refining process, and was 28.962% in the ironmaking process. Moreover, the particle size in download ash from steelmaking refining is all less than 10 µm and that from the ironmaking process was 52.92%. The medium-sized particles (10-100 µm) were dominant in sinter and coking download ashes. The total PAHs (∑16PAHs) mass concentration ranged from 0.49 ± 0.06 to 69.63 ± 5.57 µg·g-1 in download ash samples, and varied from 2.815 ± 0.253 to 19.429 ± 2.545 µg·m-3 in emission dust samples. The ∑16PAHs values were both largest in download ash and dust emission from the coking process (69.63 ± 5.57 µg·g-1 and 19.429 ± 2.545 µg·m-3, respectively). The most abundant individual PAHs were benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, phenanthrene, benzo[a]anthracene in ash samples, and benzo[a]anthracene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[b]fluoranthene and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene in emission dust samples. Dominant compounds were high-molecular weight (four- to six-ring) PAHs in both ash and dust samples. The concentration order of individual compounds in PM10 and PM2.5 in ambient air around the steel plant was completely consistent with each other, and the concentration of ∑16PAHs was the highest in the steel plant and lowest in Daqin village because of upwind of the steel plant. The concentrations of benzo[b]fluoranthene and fluoranthene in ambient air were comparatively high, and were in accordance with the higher concentration of the two monomers in the download ash samples, which suggested that the effect of the emission flue gas from the steel plant on ambient air was necessary to concern.

[Pollution Characteristics and Health Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Surface Soils of a Large Steel enterprise in the North of China].

16 priority control polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed by GC-MS in 22 surface soil (0-20 cm) samples collected from a large steel enterprise in the north of China. The concentrations of Σ16PAHs ranged from 22.0 µg·kg-1 to 20062.0 µg·kg-1. 4 to 5 aromatic rings were the dominant, typically fluorene(Flu) and pyrene(Pyr). Compared with related domestic research, PAH pollution in the steel enterprise reached medium level, with fifty percent of the soil points were at moderate and severe pollution levels, mainly in the coking and pellet plant area. The concentrations of 10 PAHs in 20 soil samples exceeded the Dutch target reference values. Compared with soil screening value of Beijing contaminated industrial sites, only part of the sample points exceeded the standard, typically benzo[a]anthracene(BaA) and benzo[a]pyrene(BaP). The source apportionment showed that soil PAHs mainly originated from combustion products of coal and other fossil fuels with only a small portion contributed by oil combustion and spill. The health risk assessment showed that the carcinogenic risks of benzo[a]pyrene(BaP), benzo[a]anthracene(BaA), dibenz(a,h)anthracene(DBA), benzo[b]fluoranthene(BbF), indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene(InP) exceeded the threshold of 1×10-6 under residential land condition, the carcinogenic risks of benzo[a]pyrene(BaP), benzo[a]anthracene(BaA), dibenz(a,h)anthracene(DBA) also exceeded the threshold of 1×10-6 under industrial land condition. The carcinogenic risk value of benzo[a]pyrene(BaP) was the biggest among the 16 PAHs. The soil PAHs in the steel enterprise already caused harm to human health and the soil restoration project must be carried out.

Relationship between cumulative noise exposure and hypertension among iron and steel production workers / 中国职业医学

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relationship between the cumulative noise exposure( CNE) and prevalence of hypertension in iron and steel production workers. METHODS: By convenience sampling method,2 253 workers,whose workplace in an iron and steel enterprise with wet bulb globe temperature index less than 25. 0 ℃,were selected as study subjects. The blood pressure and workplace noise exposure level were measured. According to the equal energy principle,the normalized continuous A-weighted sound pressure level equivalent to an 8 h-working-day and workers' length of service were used to calculate the CNE level. The workers with CNE≥75 d B( A) ·year were regarded as the exposure group,and those with CNE < 75 d B( A) ·year were deemed as the control group. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of hypertension in the exposure group was higher than that of the control group( 32. 3% vs 21. 5%,P < 0. 01). With the increased CNE level,the prevalence rate of hypertension increased( P < 0. 01). The multiple logistic regression analysis results showed that the prevalence risk of hypertension disputed an upward trend of the dose-response relationship following the increasing CNE among the iron and steel production workers( P < 0. 01) after controlling the confounding factors of age,body mass index,educational background,family history of hypertension,smoking,alcohol drinking,salt intake,fried barbecue food intake and so on. CONCLUSION: CNE is a vital factor which influences hypertension prevalence in iron and steel production workers. Strengthen the noise protection is helpful for the prevention and treatment of hypertension in the steel workers.