Last data update: May 13, 2024. (Total: 46773 publications since 2009)
Records 1-10 (of 10 Records) |
Query Trace: Jacklitsch B[original query] |
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Updated assessment of occupational safety and health hazards of climate change
Schulte PA , Jacklitsch BL , Bhattacharya A , Chun H , Edwards N , Elliott KC , Flynn MA , Guerin R , Hodson L , Lincoln JM , MacMahon KL , Pendergrass S , Siven J , Vietas J . J Occup Environ Hyg 2023 20 1-36 Workers, particularly outdoor workers, are among the populations most disproportionately affected by climate-related hazards. However, scientific research and control actions to comprehensively address these hazards are notably absent. To assess this absence, a seven-category framework was developed in 2009 to characterize the scientific literature published from 1988 through 2008. Using this framework, a second assessment examined the literature published through 2014, and the current one examines literature from 2014 through 2021. The objectives were to present literature that updates the framework and related topics and increases awareness of the role of climate change in occupational safety and health. In general, there is substantial literature on worker hazards related to ambient temperatures, biological hazards, and extreme weather but less on air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, industrial transitions, and the built environment. There is growing literature on mental health and health equity issues related to climate change, but much more research is needed. The socioeconomic impacts of climate change also require more research. This study illustrates that workers are experiencing increased morbidity and mortality related to climate change. In all areas of climate-related worker risk, including geoengineering, research is needed on the causality and prevalence of hazards, along with surveillance to identify, and interventions for hazard prevention and control. |
Intermediary Perspectives on Total Worker Health in Small Businesses
Cunningham T , Jacklitsch B , Richards R . Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021 18 (19) The future of work will include not only more small business employment, but also a need for greater consideration of more holistic approaches to addressing worker well-being. Previous research has suggested smaller firms need external assistance to add new or improve existing workplace health and safety activities. A Total Worker Health(®) (TWH) approach is potentially appealing to small employers as it is intended to identify and support comprehensive practices and policies that take into account the work environment (both physical and organizational) while also addressing the personal health risks of individuals, thus being more effective in preventing disease and promoting health and safety than each approach taken separately. NIOSH researchers applied the NIOSH Small Business Intervention Diffusion Model to conduct parallel community-based TWH activities in two geographically distinct communities in a large metropolitan area. Data were collected from intermediary organizations that work with or serve small businesses about their perceptions of the TWH approach as a potential service for them to offer small firms. Intermediary organizations engaged in implementation of TWH approaches with small businesses in the respective geographic areas for approximately one year. Results indicated intermediary organizations find value in providing TWH assistance to small employers, but several challenges for intermediaries implementing TWH among small employers remain. |
Heat safety in the workplace: Modified Delphi consensus to establish strategies and resources to protect the US workers
Morrissey MC , Casa DJ , Brewer GJ , Adams WM , Hosokawa Y , Benjamin CL , Grundstein AJ , Hostler D , McDermott BP , McQuerry ML , Stearns RL , Filep EM , DeGroot DW , Fulcher J , Flouris AD , Huggins RA , Jacklitsch BL , Jardine JF , Lopez RM , McCarthy RB , Pitisladis Y , Pryor RR , Schlader ZJ , Smith CJ , Smith DL , Spector JT , Vanos JK , Williams WJ , Vargas NT , Yeargin SW . Geohealth 2021 5 (8) e2021GH000443 The purpose of this consensus document was to develop feasible, evidence-based occupational heat safety recommendations to protect the US workers that experience heat stress. Heat safety recommendations were created to protect worker health and to avoid productivity losses associated with occupational heat stress. Recommendations were tailored to be utilized by safety managers, industrial hygienists, and the employers who bear responsibility for implementing heat safety plans. An interdisciplinary roundtable comprised of 51 experts was assembled to create a narrative review summarizing current data and gaps in knowledge within eight heat safety topics: (a) heat hygiene, (b) hydration, (c) heat acclimatization, (d) environmental monitoring, (e) physiological monitoring, (f) body cooling, (g) textiles and personal protective gear, and (h) emergency action plan implementation. The consensus-based recommendations for each topic were created using the Delphi method and evaluated based on scientific evidence, feasibility, and clarity. The current document presents 40 occupational heat safety recommendations across all eight topics. Establishing these recommendations will help organizations and employers create effective heat safety plans for their workplaces, address factors that limit the implementation of heat safety best-practices and protect worker health and productivity. |
Heat-related knowledge, perceptions, and barriers among oil spill cleanup responders
Jacklitsch BL , King KA , Vidourek RA , Merianos AL . Saf Sci 2019 120 666-671 Despite increased risk for heat-related illnesses (HRI) among oil spill cleanup responders, little research has examined factors related to the issue. This study assessed occupational heat-related knowledge, perceptions, and barriers among responders during cleanup activities. A total of 65 responders completed an online survey which examined occupational heat stress during cleanup activities. Of the respondents, most had 25 or more years’ experience, worked for companies with 19 or fewer employees, were not classified as safety and health professionals, had a Bachelor’s degree or higher, and worked in the northern or central regions of the United States. While most respondents were knowledgeable of heat stress, the items in which respondents were least knowledgeable were: identifying the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke, the appropriate use of salt tablets, the effects of air conditioning on acclimatization, and previous heat-related illness (HRI) as a risk factor. For knowledge of heat stress, there was a significant difference in the employment classification scores for non-safety and health professionals and safety and health professionals. Respondents reported that they tended to perceive that heat stress can be severe and that HRI’s may affect workers. Regarding self-efficacy, most respondents felt confident in contacting emergency medical services for HRI, recognizing signs and symptoms of HRI, and knowing what to do if a coworker became ill. Oil spill cleanup responders are at high risk for HRI, injury, and death and findings illustrate the need to improve heat stress knowledge within training programs with emphasis on non-professionals. |
Activity modification in heat: critical assessment of guidelines across athletic, occupational, and military settings in the USA
Hosokawa Y , Casa DJ , Trtanj JM , Belval LN , Deuster PA , Giltz SM , Grundstein AJ , Hawkins MD , Huggins RA , Jacklitsch B , Jardine JF , Jones H , Kazman JB , Reynolds ME , Stearns RL , Vanos JK , Williams AL , Williams WJ . Int J Biometeorol 2019 63 (3) 405-427 Exertional heat illness (EHI) risk is a serious concern among athletes, laborers, and warfighters. US Governing organizations have established various activity modification guidelines (AMGs) and other risk mitigation plans to help ensure the health and safety of their workers. The extent of metabolic heat production and heat gain that ensue from their work are the core reasons for EHI in the aforementioned population. Therefore, the major focus of AMGs in all settings is to modulate the work intensity and duration with additional modification in adjustable extrinsic risk factors (e.g., clothing, equipment) and intrinsic risk factors (e.g., heat acclimatization, fitness, hydration status). Future studies should continue to integrate more physiological (e.g., valid body fluid balance, internal body temperature) and biometeorological factors (e.g., cumulative heat stress) to the existing heat risk assessment models to reduce the assumptions and limitations in them. Future interagency collaboration to advance heat mitigation plans among physically active population is desired to maximize the existing resources and data to facilitate advancement in AMGs for environmental heat. |
Components of an occupational safety and health communication research strategy for small- and medium-sized enterprises
Schulte PA , Cunningham TR , Guerin RJ , Hennigan B , Jacklitsch B . Ann Work Expo Health 2018 62 S12-s24 The majority of the global labor force works in firms with fewer than 50 employees; firms with fewer than 250 employees make up 99% of workplaces. Even so, the lack of extensive or comprehensive research has failed to focus on occupational safety and health communication to these small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Given that the magnitude of all occupational safety and health (OSH) morbidity, mortality, and injury disproportionately occurs in businesses with fewer than 250 employees, efforts to communicate with employers to engage in preventative occupational safety and health efforts merit attention. This article provides an overview of important components that should be considered in developing an occupational safety and health (OSH) communication research strategy targeting SMEs. Such a strategy should raise awareness about the diversity and complexity of SMEs and the challenges of targeting OSH communication toward this diverse group. Companies of differing sizes (e.g. 5, 50, 500 employees) likely require differing communication approaches. Communication strategies will benefit from deconstructing the term 'small business' into smaller, more homogenous categories that might require approaches. Theory-based research assessing barriers, message content, channels, reach, reception, motivation, and intention to act serve as the foundation for developing a comprehensive research framework. Attention to this type of research by investigators is warranted and should be encouraged and supported. There would also be value in developing national and international strategies for research on communication with small businesses. |
Evaluation of occupational exposure limits for heat stress in outdoor workers - United States, 2011-2016
Tustin AW , Lamson GE , Jacklitsch BL , Thomas RJ , Arbury SB , Cannon DL , Gonzales RG , Hodgson MJ . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2018 67 (26) 733-737 Heat stress, an environmental and occupational hazard, is associated with a spectrum of heat-related illnesses, including heat stroke, which can lead to death. CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) publishes recommended occupational exposure limits for heat stress (1). These limits, which are consistent with those of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) (2), specify the maximum combination of environmental heat (measured as wet bulb globe temperature [WBGT]) and metabolic heat (i.e., workload) to which workers should be exposed. Exposure limits are lower for workers who are unacclimatized to heat, who wear work clothing that inhibits heat dissipation, and who have predisposing personal risk factors (1,2). These limits have been validated in experimental settings but not at outdoor worksites. To determine whether the NIOSH and ACGIH exposure limits are protective of workers, CDC retrospectively reviewed 25 outdoor occupational heat-related illnesses (14 fatal and 11 nonfatal) investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) from 2011 to 2016. For each incident, OSHA assessed personal risk factors and estimated WBGT, workload, and acclimatization status. Heat stress exceeded exposure limits in all 14 fatalities and in eight of 11 nonfatal illnesses. An analysis of Heat Index data for the same 25 cases suggests that when WBGT is unavailable, a Heat Index screening threshold of 85 degrees F (29.4 degrees C) could identify potentially hazardous levels of workplace environmental heat. Protective measures should be implemented whenever the exposure limits are exceeded. The comprehensive heat-related illness prevention program should include an acclimatization schedule for newly hired workers and unacclimatized long-term workers (e.g., during early-season heat waves), training for workers and supervisors about symptom recognition and first aid (e.g., aggressive cooling of presumed heat stroke victims before medical professionals arrive), engineering and administrative controls to reduce heat stress, medical surveillance, and provision of fluids and shady areas for rest breaks. |
Heat Hazards: Protecting Workers in Hot Environments
Jacklitsch B . Synergist (Akron) 2016 27 (4) 24-28 Heat-related deaths, illnesses, and injuries continue to occur | in workplaces, despite efforts at prevention. Data from the Bureau | of Labor Statistics show that in 2010 there were 4,190 cases | of injury or illness arising from exposure to heat in the workplace | that resulted in one or more days of l?ost work. Both outdoor | and indoor workers who are exposed to heat or who work in hot | environments are at risk. To address the hazards of heat and | hot environments, NIOSH published the Criteria for a Recommended | Standard: Occupational Exposure to Heat and Hot Environments | in February. |
Advancing the Framework for Considering the Effects of Climate Change on Worker Safety and Health
Schulte PA , Bhattacharya A , Butler CR , Chun HK , Jacklitsch B , Jacobs T , Kiefer M , Lincoln J , Pendergrass S , Shire J , Watson J , Wagner GR . J Occup Environ Hyg 2016 13 (11) 847-65 In 2009, a preliminary framework for how climate change could affect worker safety and health was described. That framework was based on a literature search from 1988-2008 that supported seven categories of climate-related occupational hazards: (1) increased ambient temperature; (2) air pollution; (3) ultraviolet exposure; (4) extreme weather; (5) vector-borne diseases and expanded habitats; (6) industrial transitions and emerging industries; and (7) changes in the built environment. This paper reviews the published literature from 2008-2014 in each of the seven categories. Additionally, three new topics related to occupational safety and health are considered: mental health effects, economic burden, and potential work safety and health impacts associated with the nascent field of climate intervention (geoengineering). Beyond updating the literature, the paper also identifies key priorities for action to better characterize and understand how occupational safety and health may be associated with climate change events and ensure that worker health and safety issues are anticipated, recognized, evaluated, and mitigated. These key priorities include research, surveillance, risk assessment, risk management, and policy development. Strong evidence indicates that climate change will continue to present occupational safety and health hazards, and this framework may be a useful tool for preventing adverse effects to workers. |
Heat illness and death among workers - United States, 2012-2013
Arbury S , Jacklitsch B , Farquah O , Hodgson M , Lamson G , Martin H , Profitt A . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2014 63 (31) 661-665 Exposure to heat and hot environments puts workers at risk for heat stress, which can result in heat illnesses and death. This report describes findings from a review of 20122013 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) federal enforcement cases (i.e., inspections) resulting in citations under paragraph 5(a)(1), the "general duty clause" of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. That clause requires that each employer "furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees". Because OSHA has not issued a heat standard, it must use 5(a)(1) citations in cases of heat illness or death to enforce employers' obligations to provide a safe and healthy workplace. During the 2-year period reviewed, 20 cases of heat illness or death were cited for federal enforcement under paragraph 5(a)(1) among 18 private employers and two federal agencies. In 13 cases, a worker died from heat exposure, and in seven cases, two or more employees experienced symptoms of heat illness. Most of the affected employees worked outdoors, and all performed heavy or moderate work, as defined by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. Nine of the deaths occurred in the first 3 days of working on the job, four of them occurring on the worker's first day. Heat illness prevention programs at these workplaces were found to be incomplete or absent, and no provision was made for the acclimatization of new workers. Acclimatization is the result of beneficial physiologic adaptations (e.g., increased sweating efficiency and stabilization of circulation) that occur after gradually increased exposure to heat or a hot environment. Whenever a potential exists for workers to be exposed to heat or hot environments, employers should implement heat illness prevention programs (including acclimatization requirements) at their workplaces. |
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- Page last updated:May 13, 2024
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