Evaluation of general health, exposure to workplace violence, and predicting its consequences in health care employees in Iran.

BACKGROUND: Workplace violence is an important event that affects the safety of healthcare employees, and diagnosing it in hospitals is an immediate occupational concern. OBJECTIVE: The present study was conducted to investigate general health and the prevalence of occupational violence and to predict its consequences among nurses and paramedics as the main body in medical settings. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed in 2020 in a selected hospital in Tehran, Iran. A total of 208 healthcare workers participated in the study. To study general health, exposure to workplace violence, job burnout, and productivity, the general health questionnaire (GHQ), the workplace violence questionnaire, the Maslach burnout questionnaire, and the workforce productivity questionnaire were provided to healthcare workers, respectively. Then, a multiple linear regression model was used to predict violence and its consequences. RESULTS: The results revealed that 34.1% of the participants have psychological disorders, and 74.5% have experienced one type of violence in their workplace at least once during the past year. The multiple linear regression model results indicated that workplace violence prevalence proved the ability to predict the increase in burnout and decrease in job productivity. CONCLUSION: Exposure to violence in the workplace significantly increases the risk of mental disorders associated with the risk of mental illness. Therefore, managing exposure to violence in the workplace is a practical step in improving general and mental health and ultimately increasing job productivity in medical settings.

Quantitative risk assessment of respiratory exposure to acrylonitrile vapor in petrochemical industry by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency method: a cross-sectional study.

Acrylonitrile is a potential carcinogen for humans, and exposure to this substance can cause adverse effects for workers. This study aimed to carcinogenic and health risk assessment of acrylonitrile vapor exposure in exposed personnel of a petrochemical complex. This crosssectional study was performed in 2019 in a petrochemical complex. In this study, to sample and determine acrylonitrile's respiratory exposure, the method provided by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH 1601) was used, and a total of 45 inhaled air samples were sampled from men workers, aged 39.43 ± 9.37 years. All subjects' mean exposure to acrylonitrile vapors was 71.1 ± 122.8 µg/m3. Also, the mean exposure index among all subjects was 0.02 ± 0.034. The non-carcinogenic risk assessment results showed that the mean Hazard quotient index was 4.04 ± 6.93. The mean lifetime cancer risk index was also 2.1 × 10-3 ± 3.5 × 10-3 and was in the definite risk range. Considering that both carcinogenicity and health indicators of exposure to acrylonitrile in the studied petrochemical complex are more than the recommended limits, the necessary engineering and management measures to control and manage the risk to an acceptable level are essential to improving the worker's health.

Carcinogenic and health risk assessment of respiratory exposure to acrylonitrile, 1,3-butadiene and styrene in the petrochemical industry using the US Environmental Protection Agency method.

Objectives. This study aimed to assess carcinogenic and health risks of respiratory exposure to acrylonitrile, 1,3-butadiene and styrene (ABS) in the petrochemical industry. Methods. This cross-sectional study was conducted in a petrochemical plant producing ABS copolymers. Respiratory exposure to each of acrylonitrile, 1,3-butadiene and styrene was measured using methods No. 1604, No. 1024 and No. 1501 of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), respectively. The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) method was used to assess carcinogenic and health risks. Results. The average occupational exposure to ABS was 560.82 µg m-3 for 1,3-butadiene, 122.8 µg m-3 for acrylonitrile and 1.92 µg m-3 for styrene. The average lifetime cancer risk in the present study was 2.71 × 10-3 for 1,3-butadiene, 2.1 × 10-3 for acrylonitrile and 6.6 × 10-3 for styrene. Also, the mean non-cancer risk (hazard quotient) among all participants for each of 1,3-butadiene, acrylonitrile and styrene was 4.04 ± 6.93, 10.82 ± 14.76 and 0.19 ± 0.11, respectively. Conclusion. The values of carcinogenic and health risks in the majority of the subjects were within the unacceptable risk levels due to exposure to ABS vapors. Hence, corrective actions are required to protect the workers from non-cancer and cancer risks.

Quantitative and Semiquantitative Health Risk Assessment of Occupational Exposure to Styrene in a Petrochemical Industry.

BACKGROUND: Styrene is one of the aromatic compounds used in acetonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) producing petrochemicals, which has an impact on health of workers. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the health risks of styrene emitted from the petrochemical industry in Iran. METHODS: Air samples were collected based on NIOSH 1501 method. The samples were analyzed by the Varian-cp3800 gas chromatograph. Finally, risk levels of styrene's health effects on employees were assessed by the quantitative method of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and the semiquantitative way by the Singapore Occupational Safety and Health Association. RESULTS: Based on the results, the employees had the highest average exposure to styrene vapors (4.06 × 10 - 1 m g . ( k g - d a y ) - 1 ) in the polybutadiene latex (PBL) unit. Therefore, the most top predictors of cancer and non-cancer risk were 2.3 × 10 - 4 and 7.26 × 10 - 1 , respectively. Given that the lowest average exposure (1.5 × 10 - 2 m g . ( k g - d a y ) - 1 ) was in the dryer unit, the prediction showed a moderate risk of cancer (0.8 × 10 - 6 ) and non-cancer (2.3 × 10 - 3 ) for the employees. The EPA method also predicted that there would be a definite cancer risk in 16% and a probable risk in 76% of exposures. However, according to the semiquantitative approach, the rate of risk was at the "low" level for all staff. The results showed that there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the units in exposure and health risk of styrene (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Given the high risk of styrene's health effects, appropriate control measures are required to reduce the exposure level.

Cancer and non-cancer health risk assessment of occupational exposure to 1,3-butadiene in a petrochemical plant in Iran.

1,3-Butadiene is classified as carcinogenic to humans by inhalation. This study aimed to assess cancer and non-cancer risk following occupational exposure to 1,3-butadiene. This cross-sectional study was conducted in a petrochemical plant producing acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer in Iran. Occupational exposure to 1,3-butadiene was measured according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 1024 method. Cancer and non-cancer risk assessment were performed according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency method. The average occupational exposure to 1,3-butadiene during work shifts among all participants was 560.82 ± 811.36 µg m-3. The average lifetime cancer risk (LCR) in the present study was 2.71 × 10-3; 82.2% of all exposed workers were within the definite carcinogenic risk level. Also, the mean non-cancer risk (hazard quotient (HQ)) among all participants was 10.82 ± 14.76. The highest LCR and HQ were observed in the safety and fire-fighting station workers with values of 7.75 × 10-3 and 36.57, respectively. The findings revealed that values of carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic risk in the majority of participants were within the definitive and unacceptable risk levels. Therefore, corrective measures are necessary to protect these workers from non-cancer and cancer risks from 1,3-butadiene exposure.