In This Issue |
NIOSH Research Rounds
Occupational Injury: Do Family Members Pay a Price?
When an occupational injury occurs, the effects can extend far beyond the worker and the workplace. Just ask family members who may have to take care of their injured relative or do additional household chores and errands. Hypothetically, this could mean a spouse or child helping to support a much larger, injured relative to move to the dinner table or a child lugging heavy laundry and groceries or moving furniture. But almost all occupational injury studies, including economic studies, focus on injured workers or their employers and the costs of healthcare and lost productivity either through or outside workers’ compensation, not on the possible repercussions for the injured worker’s family.
A pioneering study from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Northern Kentucky University found that family members of severely injured workers filed more healthcare claims than family members of non-severely injured workers for fractures, sprains, joint dislocations, and other muscle and bone or “musculoskeletal” disorders. The researchers linked 17,238 workers’ compensation claims with family members’ outpatient healthcare claims for musculoskeletal disorders. They classified workers as severely injured, and therefore more likely to need physically demanding help from family members, if they received wage replacement or indemnity payments from workers’ compensation and were absent from work for at least 7 days.
A pioneering study from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Northern Kentucky University found that family members of severely injured workers filed more healthcare claims than family members of non-severely injured workers for fractures, sprains, joint dislocations, and other muscle and bone or “musculoskeletal” disorders. The researchers linked 17,238 workers’ compensation claims with family members’ outpatient healthcare claims for musculoskeletal disorders. They classified workers as severely injured, and therefore more likely to need physically demanding help from family members, if they received wage replacement or indemnity payments from workers’ compensation and were absent from work for at least 7 days.
Slip-Resistant Shoes Reduce Food Service Workers’ Compensation Claims
Each year, food service businesses report that slips, trips, and falls are some of the most common causes of worker injury leading to time away from work. However, employers and workers can avoid slip, trips, and falls by keeping floors clean and dry, fixing flooring defects, using properly designed stairs and handrails, and, as a new study finds, by wearing slip-resistant shoes.
In this study, researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), in collaboration with industry partners, examined the effects of slip-resistant shoes on workers’ compensation claims related to slipping on liquid- or grease-contaminated surfaces among food service workers. Food service workers, who are responsible for preparing, cooking, and serving food, often encounter these slipping hazards on the job.
In this study, researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), in collaboration with industry partners, examined the effects of slip-resistant shoes on workers’ compensation claims related to slipping on liquid- or grease-contaminated surfaces among food service workers. Food service workers, who are responsible for preparing, cooking, and serving food, often encounter these slipping hazards on the job.
National Survey of Long-Haul Truck Drivers Underscores Safety Concerns
When we go to the grocery store, we expect to find shelves stocked with the food we like, seldom reflecting on how it got there. Behind those stocked shelves, however, are the long-haul truck drivers whose jobs regularly require them to leave their families, friends, and homes to travel hundreds of miles to deliver the products that we buy. The most recent statistics available, from 2012, show that more than 1.7 million people work as heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers in the United States. Most of these drivers operate long-haul trucks transporting goods, often across several states. In 2012, 695 heavy and tractor-trailer drivers died in work-related motor vehicle crashes.
To gather data needed by private- and public-sector partners to help keep truck drivers safe on long hauls, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted personal interviews with 1,265 long-haul truck drivers at 32 truck stops across the United States. The drivers answered questions about their experiences with crashes, injuries from crashes, non-crash injuries, and moving violations; their work environments; driving behaviors; training; and job satisfaction and frustration. NIOSH reported these findings from the drivers’ answers:
To gather data needed by private- and public-sector partners to help keep truck drivers safe on long hauls, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted personal interviews with 1,265 long-haul truck drivers at 32 truck stops across the United States. The drivers answered questions about their experiences with crashes, injuries from crashes, non-crash injuries, and moving violations; their work environments; driving behaviors; training; and job satisfaction and frustration. NIOSH reported these findings from the drivers’ answers:
Respirator Disinfection and Reuse
Researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) are studying ultraviolet (UV) energy as a way to disinfect disposable respirators so that healthcare providers could reuse them during emergency situations, if they were in short supply. At certain doses, UV energy can inactivate or kill bacteria, viruses, and other germs so that they cannot cause disease. During an epidemic, respirator demand could be between 1.7 billion and 3.5 billion, according to a recent peer-reviewed article.
The researchers take coupons (large pieces punched out from actual respirators) and mount them in holders to maintain their size and shape, assuring all samples are the same. The coupons are then placed in a calm air chamber where they are exposed to an aerosolized (highly resistant) bacterial spore. The researchers then split the coupons into two groups: controls that are not UV exposed and those that will be UV exposed. The coupons that will be exposed are put in a UV exposure chamber where they receive well-controlled doses of UV energy. All coupons are then placed in individual tubes with liquid and shaken to collect the spores. The liquids are spread on a culture plate for the spores to grow, the spores are counted, and comparisons are made between the controls and the coupons exposed to UV to understand the effects of UV exposures on inactivation of the spores. Results of this process will show if respirator disinfection via the UV exposure is effective and if respirators can withstand UV exposures before noticeable effects on filtering efficiency, strength, and strap performance occur.
The researchers take coupons (large pieces punched out from actual respirators) and mount them in holders to maintain their size and shape, assuring all samples are the same. The coupons are then placed in a calm air chamber where they are exposed to an aerosolized (highly resistant) bacterial spore. The researchers then split the coupons into two groups: controls that are not UV exposed and those that will be UV exposed. The coupons that will be exposed are put in a UV exposure chamber where they receive well-controlled doses of UV energy. All coupons are then placed in individual tubes with liquid and shaken to collect the spores. The liquids are spread on a culture plate for the spores to grow, the spores are counted, and comparisons are made between the controls and the coupons exposed to UV to understand the effects of UV exposures on inactivation of the spores. Results of this process will show if respirator disinfection via the UV exposure is effective and if respirators can withstand UV exposures before noticeable effects on filtering efficiency, strength, and strap performance occur.
Applying UV Energy to Disinfecting Ambulances
In a related study, NIOSH researchers are studying UV energy’s ability to disinfect ambulances quickly. Currently, the main way to clean surfaces is to use approved disinfectants to wipe them, which can be difficult and time-consuming, particularly during the pressures of an ongoing disease outbreak.
In one ambulance studied, the researchers built a portable UV-disinfection system that can be shared in several other ambulances. In a second ambulance, they installed a permanent UV-disinfection system that workers could operate when the ambulance is empty or when driving. Germ tests showed that both systems disinfect surfaces reasonably quickly. Future research includes further testing to see how well the UV systems work and what their limitations might be. Researchers are also developing a programmable UV robot that they could more easily tailor to fit different ambulance models.
In one ambulance studied, the researchers built a portable UV-disinfection system that can be shared in several other ambulances. In a second ambulance, they installed a permanent UV-disinfection system that workers could operate when the ambulance is empty or when driving. Germ tests showed that both systems disinfect surfaces reasonably quickly. Future research includes further testing to see how well the UV systems work and what their limitations might be. Researchers are also developing a programmable UV robot that they could more easily tailor to fit different ambulance models.
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