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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND ERGONOMICS
Volume 13 Number 2, 2007
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CONTENTS:
Articles:
  PROTECTION OF HUMAN IN THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT
- Calculation of Clothing Insulation by Serial and Parallel Methods: Effects on Clothing Choice by IREQ and Thermal Responses in the Cold
Kalev Kuklane, Chuansi Gao, Ingvar Holmér, Lina Giedraityte, Peter Bröde, Victor Candas, Emiel den Hartog, Harriet Meinander, Mark Richards & George Havenith, 103-116 
- A Study of Annoyance Caused by Low-Frequency Noise During Mental Work
Anna Kaczmarska & Anna Łuczak, 117-125
- A Study on the Combined Effect of Noise and Vibration on Operators’ Performance of a Readability Task in a Mobile Driving Environment
Iqbal Ahmed Khan, Zulquernain Mallick & Zahid A. Khan, 127-136
- Solid Phase Extraction for Evaluation of Occupational Exposure to Pb (II) Using XAD-4 Sorbent Prior to Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy
Seyed Jamaleddin Shahtaheri, Monireh Khadem, Farideh Golbabaei, Abbas Rahimi-Froushan, Mohammad Reza Ganjali & Parviz Norouzi, 137-145
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PROTECTION OF HUMAN AT THE WORKSTATION
NOTES
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Calculation of Clothing Insulation by Serial and Parallel Methods: Effects on Clothing Choice by IREQ and Thermal Responses in the Cold
Kalev Kuklane, Chuansi Gao, Ingvar Holmér, Lina Giedraityte, Peter Bröde, Victor Candas, Emiel den Hartog, Harriet Meinander, Mark Richards & George Havenith
Cold protective clothing was studied in 2 European Union projects. The objectives were (a) to examine different insulation calculation methods as measured on a manikin (serial or parallel), for the prediction of cold stress (IREQ); (b) to consider the effects of cold protective clothing on metabolic rate; (c) to evaluate the movement and wind correction of clothing insulation values.
Tests were carried out on 8 subjects. The results showed the possibility of incorporating the effect of increases in metabolic rate values due to thick cold protective clothing into the IREQ model. Using the higher thermal insulation value from the serial method in the IREQ prediction, would lead to unacceptable cooling of the users. Thus, only the parallel insulation calculation method in EN 342:2004 should be used. The wind and motion correction equation (No. 2) gave realistic values for total resultant insulation; dynamic testing according to EN 342:2004 may be omitted.
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A Study of Annoyance Caused by Low-Frequency Noise During Mental Work
Anna Kaczmarska & Anna Łuczak
This article presents the results of an analysis of annoyance caused by low-frequency noise (including infrasonic noise) that occurs at work stations located in offices. The tests covered measurements of acoustic parameters specific for this type of noise and a survey conducted in the working environment and in laboratory conditions at a model of a work station.
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A Study on the Combined Effect of Noise and Vibration on Operators’ Performance of a Readability Task in a Mobile Driving Environment
Iqbal Ahmed Khan, Zulquernain Mallick & Zahid A. Khan
This paper presents a study in which the main objective was to investigate the combined effect of noise and vibration on the performance of a readability task in a mobile driving environment. Subjects performed a readability task on a laptop computer in a sitting posture with their backs supported with a backrest under varying levels of noise and vibration. The data in terms of the mean number of characters read per minute were collected and statistically analyzed. Results showed that the individual effect of noise, vibration, and the operators’ gender as well as the interaction between gender and noise, and gender and vibration were statistically significant. However, the combined effect of noise and vibration was not found to be statistically significant. Results also indicated that gender was statistically significant at all levels of noise as well as vibration, and noise and vibration were statistically significant at both levels of gender.
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Solid Phase Extraction for Evaluation of Occupational Exposure to Pb (II) Using XAD-4 Sorbent Prior to Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy
Seyed Jamaleddin Shahtaheri, Monireh Khadem, Farideh Golbabaei, Abbas Rahimi-Froushan, Mohammad Reza Ganjali & Parviz Norouzi
Lead is an important constituent widely used in different industrial processes. For evaluation of workers’ exposure to trace toxic metal of Pb (II), solid-phase extraction (SPE) was optimized. SPE using mini columns filled with XAD-4 resin was developed with regard to sample pH, ligand concentration, loading flow rate, elution solvent, sample volume, elution volume, the amount of resins, and sample matrix interferences. Lead ions were retained on a solid sorbent and then eluted, followed by a simple determination of analytes with flame atomic absorption spectrometery. The obtained recoveries of metal ions were greater than 92%. This method was validated with 3 different pools of spiked urine samples; it showed a good reproducibility over 6 consecutive days as well as 6 within-day experiments. This optimized method can be considered successful in simplifying sample preparation for a trace residue analysis of lead in different matrices when evaluating occupational and environmental exposures is required.
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The Modal Low Frequency Noise of an Elastically Supported Circular Plate
Wojciech P. Rdzanek, Witold J. Rdzanek, Zbigniew Engel & Krzysztof Szemela
The modal low frequency noise generated by a vibrating elastically supported circular plate embedded into a flat infinite baffle has been examined. The main aim of this study is the analysis of the radiation efficiency. Low frequency approximated formulas have been presented. They are valid for all the limiting boundary conditions of the plate with its edge clamped, guided, simply supported or free as well as for all the intermediate axisymmetric boundary configurations. The formulas are expressed in the elementary form, useful for numerical computations. They are a generalization of some earlier published results. First, they are valid for axisymmetric and asymmetric modes since both kinds of modes play an important role in the low frequency range. Second, a single formula for the radiation efficiency, valid for all the axisymmetric boundary configurations, has been proposed. A numerical example for the sound power radiation has been given for some hatchway covers mounted on a ship deck.
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Long-Term Prediction of Traffic Accident Record From Bus Driver Celeration Behavior
Anders E. af Wahlberg
Driver celeration (speed change) behavior of bus drivers measured a number of times was used to predict their culpable accidents over increasing time periods. It was found that predictive power was considerable (>.30 correlation) over 5 years of time with aggregated celeration (mean of repeated measurements) as independent variables, and there were also indications that power reached even further, although too low Ns made these results unreliable. Similarly, there were indications of even stronger correlations with increased aggregation of celeration values. The results were discussed in terms of the methodology needed to bring out such results, and the stability of accident-causing behavior over time.
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Analysis and Classification of the Tools for Assessing the Risks Associated With Industrial Machines
Joseph-Jean Paques, François Gauthier & Alejandro Perez
To assess and plan future risk-analysis research projects, 275 documents describing methods and tools for assessing the risks associated with industrial machines or with other sectors such as the military, and the nuclear and aeronautics industries, etc., were collected. These documents were in the format of published books or papers, standards, technical guides and company procedures collected throughout industry. From the collected documents, 112 documents were selected for analysis; 108 methods applied or potentially applicable for assessing the risks associated with industrial machines were analyzed and classified. This paper presents the main quantitative results of the analysis of the methods and tools.
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Workplace Safety Perceptions and Perceived Organizational Support: Do Supportive Perceptions Influence Safety Perceptions?
Seth Ayim Gyekye & Simo Salminen
The current study investigated the relationship between organizational safety climate and perceived organizational support. Additionally, it examined the relationship with job satisfaction, worker compliance with safety management policies, and accident frequency. Safety climate and supportive perceptions were assessed with Hayes, Perander, Smecko, et al.’s (1998) and Eisenberger, Fasolo and LaMastro’s (1990) scales respectively. Confirmatory factors analysis confirmed the 5-factor structure of Hayes et al.’s WSS scale. Regression analysis and t-tests indicated that workers with positive perspectives regarding supportive perceptions similarly expressed positive perceptions concerning workplace safety. Furthermore, they expressed greater job satisfaction, were more compliant with safety management policies, and registered lower accident rates. The perceived level of support in an organization is apparently closely associated with workplace safety perception and other organizational and social factors which areimportant for safety. The results are discussed in light of escalating interest in how organizational factors affect employee safety and supportive perceptions.
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Strategies and Methods for Investigation of Airborne Biological Agents From Work Environments in Germany
Andreas Albrecht, Katja Kiel & Annette Kolk
In 2004/2005, a European Twinning Project was carried out to support Polish occupational safety and health institutions in putting into practice Directive 2000/54/EC regarding the protection of workers from risks related to exposure to biological agents at work. Information on and training in sampling and analysing biological agents of people responsible for bioaerosol measurements and the assessment of measuring results from the workplace atmosphere were part of the project. This paper is an extract of the authors’ activities within the project and can be used as a tool for comparable activities in future projects with other European Union candidates. It gives information on working standards for bioaerosol measurements worked out and commonly used in Germany within the frame of European guidelines for bioaerosol measurements in the workplace atmosphere. Additionally it summarizes the authors’ long practical experience in carrying out bioaerosol measurements in the atmosphere of various workplaces.
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Office Ergonomics: Deficiencies in Computer Workstation Design
Ashraf A. Shikdar & Mahmoud A. Al-Kindi
The objective of this research was to study and identify ergonomic deficiencies in computer workstation design in typical offices. Physical measurements and a questionnaire were used to study 40 workstations. Major ergonomic deficiencies were found in physical design and layout of the workstations, employee postures, work practices, and training. The consequences in terms of user health and other problems were significant. Forty-five percent of the employees used nonadjustable chairs, 48% of computers faced windows, 90% of the employees used computers more than 4 hrs/day, 45% of the employees adopted bent and unsupported back postures, and 20% used office tables for computers. Major problems reported were eyestrain (58%), shoulder pain (45%), back pain (43%), arm pain (35%), wrist pain (30%), and neck pain (30%). These results indicated serious ergonomic deficiencies in office computer workstation design, layout, and usage. Strategies to reduce or eliminate ergonomic deficiencies in computer workstation desinwere suggested.
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