This study aimed to investigate the current situation of firefighting burn injuries and personal protective equipment (PPE) in Korea using a questionnaire. A questionnaire was constructed and then distributed to fire stations via the Fire & Disaster Headquarters of Korea. Responses from a total of 536 firefighters who were currently responsible for suppressing fire or doing rescue work were analysed (39.2 ± 8.58 y in age, 173.8 ± 5.0 cm in height, 73.4 ± 8.9 kg in body weight). The results showed that 22% of firefighters had experienced burns but of these 93% of were burns of less than 1% of total body surface area. The most common body site of burn injury was the hands (37%) and the head (face and neck) (34%). There were significant relationships between PPE non-compliance and career years, especially for the hood and boots. According to firefighters their gloves were the most vulnerable part of their PPE. We also elucidated relationships between the body sites most vulnerable to burn injuries and PPE wear compliance by item. The present results suggest that officially-undisclosed minor burn injuries but prevailing among firefighters can be reduced through improving firefighters’ protective helmet, hoods and gloves.

The maximum limit on overtime working hours for physicians will be applied from 2024. To explore sociodemographic and work-related factors influencing overtime work among cardiovascular surgeons (CS) in Japan. This cross-sectional study included 607 CS who responded to an online survey. Working hours were categorized into ≤60 hours, 60–79 hours, and ≥80 hours per week according to Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) were calculated using a multinomial analysis with stepwise reduction after adjustment for potential confounders. Compared to ≤60 hours, significant factors related to 60–79 hours and ≥80 hours per week were age groups of 30s to 50s versus 60s (aOR: 7.48–3.22 and 23.64–4.87), management with cardiovascular drugs (aOR: 1.87 and 5.80), and postoperative wound management (aOR: 0.47 and 0.16), respectively. Significantly related informed consent for surgery (aOR: 3.29) was seen in 60–79 hours. Contrarily, CS who worked for ≥80 hours took on-duty 5 times or more per month (aOR: 3.89), performed night or holiday calls 20 times or more per month (aOR: 2.26), and attended the intensive care unit (aOR: 3.12). These findings suggest that younger, and some non-surgical work-related factors could influence long working hours among CS.

This study aims to identify factors associated with impaired work ability and intention to leave the nursing profession. This is a case-control nested within a cross-sectional study. Samples were randomly selected for work ability (475 controls and 158 cases) and intention to leave profession (454 controls and 151 cases). Data on demographic, lifestyle, occupational features, work environment, work ability and intention to leave profession were collected. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed. Factors associated with work ability impairment were: risk for moderate (OR=1.28) and high (OR=2.26) job strain, effort-reward imbalance (OR=2.82), high overcommitment (OR=1.77), situations that may contribute to musculoskeletal pain/injury with moderate (OR=1.82) or high (OR=2.58) exposures, degree level (OR=2.13) or elementary/high school level (OR=1.67), and low physical activity (OR=1.74). Age of 31–40 years (OR=0.26) and ≥41 years (OR=0.27) were protective factors. Factors associated with intention to leave profession were: high risk for job strain (OR=1.81), effort-reward imbalance (OR=3.25), situations that may contribute to musculoskeletal pain/injury with high exposure (OR=1.54), and insomnia symptoms (OR=2.72). Age >40 years was a protective factor (OR=0.50). Individual characteristics and occupational conditions were associated with work ability impairment and intention to leave profession. Measures to improve working conditions and individual resources were recommended.

A volatile organic compounds (VOC) gas monitor was developed using an ion mobility spectrometer (IMS). It was designed for real-time monitoring in work environments, where gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) does not perform well. To evaluate the identification capability, response time, and quantitative accuracy of this device, experiments were conducted using methyl ethyl ketone. This is widely used in many factories, and its short-term exposure limit (STEL) has been set by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Because the ionizable amount of methyl ethyl ketone has already been exceeded in STEL value of 300 ppm which belongs to the measurement range of interest in this study, this study estimated the peak shift amount rather than the peak intensity. Calibration curves with high accuracy were obtained in a range including 300 ppm which is the STEL of methyl ethyl ketone. The results of the experiment suggest that the device can be used for monitoring chemical substances in a work environment.

Shipyards are industrial areas where workers are likely exposed to environmental pollutants such as welding fumes, fine organic solvent and dye dust, that render the occupational environment a high risk one. Assessing the risk that workers are exposed to is a high critical factor in improving their working conditions. The present study aims to investigate the potential genetic damage to workers exposed to a harsh environment in a Greek shipyard. It is focused on assessing the percentage of induced micronuclei, as well as on changes in the various cell types of shipyard workers’ oral mucosa epithelium by implementing the buccal micronucleus cytome assay. Exposed workers appeared with statistically significant induced micronuclei as compared to office employees. Statistically, significant cell lesions were detected and are related to workers’ exposure to environmental conditions. The workers’ smoking habit contributed as well to the observed buccal epithelial cell alterations. The observed data signify the high-risk workers are exposed; resulting in the shipyard’s management the need to implement measures improving the working environment conditions and to reevaluate the workers’ personal protective equipment requirements.

Rotational shifts perturb homeostatic mechanisms in a sexually dimorphic way and may compromise the activity of the autonomic nervous system during day- and night-shifts. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a non-invasive measure to assess autonomic control of the heart. Our aim in this study was to assess HRV by short-term continuous electrocardiogram in female (n=40, average age: 31, average working year: 7) and male (n=40, average age: 29, average working year: 6) nurses under rotational shift programs, HRV is derived from short-term electrocardiogram recordings, carried out both at day- and night -shifts, and included time-domain [e.g., standard deviation of NN intervals, SDNN (ms); percentage of successive RR intervals that differ by more than 50 ms, pNN50 (%); root mean square of successive RR interval differences, RMSSD (ms)] and frequency-domain [very low frequency, VLF; low frequency, LF; high frequency, HF; LF/HF] parameters. Heart rates were similar across the groups but males had lower SDNN (p=0.020), RMSSD (p=0.001). pNN50 (p=0.001), VLF (p=0.048) and HF (p=0.001) but had higher LF/HF ratio (p=0.000) than females. In general, these parameters did not differ between day- and night-shifts (p<0.05). Lower HRV parameters and higher LF/HF in males suggest that they may be under greater threat for disease progression.

We aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on anaesthesiology residents in a COVID-19 hub hospital in Latium and ascertain their level of perceived justice and work-related stress. Residents and specialist anaesthesiologists were recruited during April–May 2020. Informational and procedural justice were measured with the Organizational Justice questionnaire; work-related stress was measured with the Effort Reward Imbalance questionnaire. Interns perceived a significantly lower level of informational justice than specialists. Organizational justice protected from occupational stress (OR=0.860, CI95% 0.786–0.940). Our findings suggest that it would be useful to improve knowledge of safety measures in trainees, increasing their confidence in work organization and reducing stress.

Fish farming is considered as a physical demanding occupation, including work operations with high workloads and awkward work positions for prolonged periods of time. Combined with potential challenging environmental conditions, these factors may negatively affect work performance, comfort and health. This study aimed to explore work strain and thermophysiological responses in Norwegian fish farming. Fourteen workers (age 35 ± 15 yrs) from four fish farms participated in the field studies, and measurements of heart rate (HR), core- and skin temperatures were registered continuously during a work shift. Questions about subjective thermal sensation and comfort were answered. This study has shown that workers at fish farms are periodically exposed to high or low levels of work strain, where the high workloads are manifested as increased core temperature and HR when working. The results are expected to give a better understanding of work strain and environmental challenges during fish farm operations.