SANGYO EISEIGAKU ZASSHI
Online ISSN : 1349-533X
Print ISSN : 1341-0725
ISSN-L : 1341-0725
Volume 56, Issue 6
Displaying 1-5 of 5 articles from this issue
Original
  • Mitsuo Hinoue, Yuka Simada, Sumiyo Ishimatsu, Toru Ishidao, Yukiko Fue ...
    Article type: Original
    2014 Volume 56 Issue 6 Pages 237-244
    Published: 2014
    Released on J-STAGE: December 20, 2014
    Advance online publication: September 09, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS FULL-TEXT HTML
    Objective: Bacteria on the facepiece of a dust respirator were measured just after use and after 24-hours storage at a room temperature after being worn, and bacteria disinfection methods other than ethanol were examined. Methods: Theexistence of bacteria on a facepiece of a mask that had been worn for about one hour in a laboratory was investigated. In order to eliminate bacteria before use on the next day, five methods of bacteria disinfection were investigated: wiping with a facial tissue impregnated with ethanol as a control; wiping with a facial tissue wetted with tap water; wiping with a dry facial tissue after wiping with one wetted with tap water; wiping with a dry facial tissue after wiping with one wetted with distilled water; and wiping with a dry facial tissue two times. The tests were carried out using silicone rubber sheets plated with bacteria collected from human skin. The disinfection methods that were as effective as facial paper wetted with ethanol, were then assayed on the facepiece of the dust respirator. Results: Bacteria were detected on the facepiece immediately after it had been worn. Bacteria were also detected on the facepiece after it had been stored at 25°C for 24-hours after being worn. The methods of wiping with a dry facial tissue after wiping with either tap water or distilled water were almost as statistically effective as wiping with ethanol wetted facial paper. Bacteria on the facepiece were decreased by wiping with a dry facial tissue after wiping with one wetted with tap water. Discussion: Colonies of bacteria were detected on a facepiece that had been stored 24 hours after being worn, which suggests that bacteria disinfection just after a respirator has been worn should be recommended. It is very important that the water on the facepiece should be removed after wiping with a wet facial tissue.
  • Kanami Tsuno, Kazuki Oshima, Kazumi Kubota, Norito Kawakami
    Article type: Original
    2014 Volume 56 Issue 6 Pages 245-258
    Published: 2014
    Released on J-STAGE: December 20, 2014
    Advance online publication: September 19, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS FULL-TEXT HTML
    Objectives: The Great East Japan Earthquake caused severe infrastructure damage in the Kanto and Tohoku regions, but the psychological stress of public sector employees in the Kanto region where tsunami damage was small has received little attention. This study examined the association between personal resilience and post-traumatic stress symptoms of local government employees in the Kanto region. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, all employees (N=2,069) of a single municipality in the Kanto region were recruited in September 2011, six months after the earthquake, and 991 completed the questionnaire (response rate, 47.9%). After excluding respondents who had missing values, the data from 825 respondents (607 males and 218 females) were analyzed. Post-traumatic stress symptoms were measured using the Impact Event Scale-Revised. Resilience was measured using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and divided into three groups on the basis of scores; low, moderate, and high. House damage and respondents or their families’ experience of injury that were caused by the earthquake were assessed using single-item questions. Participants who reported house damage or injury were defined as being affected. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio of post-traumatic stress symptoms (IES-R score ≥25) was calculated for the upper, middle, and low resilience score groups. Results: Among the respondents, 4.6% experienced injuries within their families, 82.3% reported house damage, and thus 83.3% were affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Post-traumatic stress symptoms were significantly higher among the affected group and those with chronic diseases. After adjusting for the demographic and occupational characteristics, the likelihood of post-traumatic stress symptoms was greater in the low resilience group (Odds ratio: 2.10 [95% confidence interval = 1.31–3.37]). A significant negative relationship was observed between resilience and post-traumatic stress symptoms particularly in the affected group. Conclusions: Low personal resilience predicted post-traumatic stress symptoms among local government employees who experienced some house damage or injury during the Great East Japan Earthquake. This result may indicate that resilience reduces the onset of post-traumatic stress symptoms, even when faced by the difficulties imposed by a natural disaster such as an earthquake.
  • Yuji Horita, Yasumasa Otsuka
    Article type: Original
    2014 Volume 56 Issue 6 Pages 259-267
    Published: 2014
    Released on J-STAGE: December 20, 2014
    Advance online publication: September 19, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS FULL-TEXT HTML
    Objectives: In the NIOSH Generic Job Stress Model, social support is assumed to moderate the relationship between job stressors and stress responses. However, few studies have investigated how to enhance social support in the workplace. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between interpersonal helping behavior, social support, job stressors, psychological stress responses, and vigor among Japanese workers. Methods: A total of 240 workers in manufacturing companies returned a questionnaire regarding their interpersonal helping behavior, social support, job stressors, psychological stress responses, and vigor (response rate = 96.0%). After excluding 40 participants due to missing responses, data from a total of 200 participants (163 male and 37 female, mean age = 40.3 yr) were used in the final analyses. Interpersonal helping behavior was assessed by the Japanese version of the Organizational Citizenship Behavior Scale. The Brief Job Stress Questionnaire was used to measure job stressors, psychological stress responses, social support, and vigor. Structured equation modeling was performed to examine the relationships between interpersonal helping behavior, social support, job stressors, psychological stress responses, and vigor. Results: Interpersonal helping behavior had a statistically significant negative effect on psychological stress response through increasing social support. However, interpersonal helping behavior had a statistically significant positive effect on psychological stress response through increasing the quantitative workload. Of these two effects, the former was stronger than the latter. In addition, interpersonal helping behavior had a statistically significant positive effect on vigor through increasing social support. Conclusions: Although interpersonal helping behavior, which helps other workers may increase quantitative workload, leading to high levels of psychological stress responses, that same behavior strengthens trust and team spirit among workers and may enhance social support, leading to low levels of psychological stress responses and high levels of vigor. However, reverse causal relationships may also exist, because our study design was cross-sectional.
Field Study
  • Yoko Aiba, Mikiharu Aoyagi, Toshio Nagoya, Hidesuke Shimizu
    Article type: Field Study
    2014 Volume 56 Issue 6 Pages 268-274
    Published: 2014
    Released on J-STAGE: December 20, 2014
    Advance online publication: September 09, 2014
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS FULL-TEXT HTML
    Objectives: The aim of this survey was to clarify the current status of the use of respirators among dust workers in outdoor working environments. Methods: The participants were 38 male workers exposed to dust, who were engaged in arc welding or quarrying in outdoor working environments. We interviewed participants about wearing and storage of respirators on site. The participants were asked 9 questions about the selection, use, fitness, maintenance, storage, and instruction in the use of respirators. Results: The results of this study show that all participants wore the approved dust respirators, even though it is not legally necessary to wear a respirator in outdoor working environments. Instruction about the use of respirators was found to be effective regarding inspection of the valve and headband, the fitness between the facepiece and face, the time of wearing, and storage place. However, the interviews revealed that there was insufficient knowledge about the reasons for and frequency of filter replacement. Compared to our preliminary study, the use of a knitcover decreased from 73% to 21%. Conclusions: These findings suggest that workers should be given better information on the selection, use, maintenance, and storage place of respirators to protect workers against dust exposure.
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