Association between Sleep Duration, Social Jetlag, and the Metabolic Syndrome by Shift Works.

Lifestyle factors, including sleep characteristics, have been implicated in the development of metabolic syndrome, particularly among shift workers. This study aimed to explore the relationship between shift work, sleep duration, social jetlag, and the risk of metabolic syndrome among U.S. workers and the moderating effect of sleep duration and social jetlag on this relationship. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in 2017-2020 March were analyzed. Poisson regression models were employed to examine associations. Among 4136 U.S. workers, 53.3% had metabolic syndrome, with a higher proportion of shift workers (63.8% vs. 56.7%, p = 0.001) and those sleeping less than 6 h or more than 9 h per week (22.3% vs. 19.1%, p = 0.044) in the affected group. Shift workers were initially found to have an increased risk of metabolic syndrome (Coef. = 0.03, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.16); however, this association was mitigated when accounting for the interaction with social jetlag. Specifically, 1 to <2 h of social jetlag interacted significantly, increasing metabolic risk (Coef. = 0.15, 95% CI: 0.09, 0.22), whereas 1 to <2 h alone showed a protective effect (Coef. = -0.11, 95% CI: -0.17, -0.06). These findings suggest that optimizing sleep schedules and addressing social jetlag may be crucial in mitigating metabolic syndrome risks among shift workers.

Factors Associated With Reporting Attitudes of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Direct Care Workers in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: Workers' reporting of work-related injuries or illnesses is important for treatment and prevention, yet research often focuses on reporting barriers. This study aimed to identify factors related to work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WRMSD) reporting attitudes and their connection to reporting intention and behavior. METHODS: We analyzed data from 377 direct care workers employed in 19 long-term care facilities in South Korea. A self-administered questionnaire collected demographics, job characteristics, physical and psychosocial factors, musculoskeletal symptoms, reporting attitudes, and WRMSD reporting intentions and behavior between May and August 2022. We used a generalized linear mixed model with a random intercept by employers to identify factors influencing reporting attitudes. To explore the relationship between reporting attitude and reporting intention and behavior, simple logistic regression was also conducted. RESULTS: We achieved an 86% response rate. The majority of the study participants were female (87.2%), married (95.9%), and non-immigrant (72.8%). Of the study participants, 48.9% had no intention to report WRMSDs, and 44.3% held negative reporting attitudes. Among 200 workers with WRMSDs, 86.5% did not report them. Attitudes were associated with work duration, safety training, management safety priority, WRMSD experience, and symptom severity and frequency. Management safety priority did not moderate this relationship. Significant links existed between attitudes and reporting intention and behavior. CONCLUSIONS/APPLICATIONS TO PRACTICE: This study highlights the vital influence of workers' attitudes on reporting work-related injuries and illnesses. Occupational health providers should employ strategies, such as tailored safety training and management commitment, with a focus on addressing the unique needs of long-tenured and musculoskeletal-exposed workers. Fostering a safety culture that promotes open and timely reporting is crucial, and implementing these strategies can significantly enhance workplace safety and health.

Exploring the characteristics and health outcomes of working from home: Analysis of 2021 California Health Interview Survey data.

BACKGROUND: Working from home (WFH) may affect health behaviors and mental health. The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic saw many US employees transition to WFH, which has persisted in various job sectors and significantly impacted employees. However, its effects on health outcomes have remained unclear. We aimed to explore the characteristics and health outcomes of, and health-related differences between, WFH and not-WFH groups. METHODS: Using the 2021 California Health Interview Survey data, we analyzed health behaviors (smoking, alcohol consumption, and fruit-related nutrition) and the mental health status of 12,438 individuals using descriptive statistics, Pearson's χ2 test, and regressions. RESULTS: A total of 39% were WFH and 61% were not-WFH. Overall, the WFH group had worse health behaviors and mental health than the not-WFH group. Age was associated with smoking in both groups (WFH: b = 0.37; not-WFH: b = 0.35), but with fruit-related nutrition only in the WFH group. Household income and occupation were associated with alcohol consumption in both groups. Age (WFH: b = -1.58; not-WFH: b = -1.39), household income (WFH: b = -0.75; not-WFH: b = -0.34), and job duration (WFH: b = -0.34; not-WFH: b = -0.40) were associated with mental health in both groups; those who were younger and had lower household incomes and job durations had worse mental health. CONCLUSION: Health management is a clear necessity for the WFH group. Irrespective of WFH status, young workers with shorter than 5 years' job duration reported mental distress, highlighting a need for distress assessment and management for the young workforce.

Testing the reliability and validity of the modified Amsterdam Inventory for Auditory Disability and Handicap in career firefighters in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Firefighters are routinely exposed to loud noise that put them at risk for hearing loss. A reliable and valid measure to assess firefighters' hearing function is important. This study aims to test the reliability and validity of the modified Amsterdam Inventory for Auditory Disability and Handicap ((m)AIADH) in firefighters. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a convenience sample of 239 career firefighters from six partnered fire departments in Central Texas and Northern California. The internal consistency, convergent and criterion validity, and the ability to discriminate groups by measured hearing, perceived hearing, and a combination of measured and perceived hearing, were examined using the total score and score for each of the five subscales of the (m)AIADH. RESULTS: The study participants were primarily men (93%). Satisfactory internal consistency was revealed for the (m)AIADH with Cronbach's alpha above 0.80 for all five subscales. Criterion analysis presented a moderate correlation between the (m)AIADH and the average of hearing threshold at high frequencies (4, 6, and 8 kHz). For convergent validity, the (m)AIADH was moderately to highly related with perceived hearing. There were statistically significant differences in the total (m)AIADH score and the five subscales for measured hearing thresholds except for "intelligibility in quiet." The (m)AIADH also showed a discriminative ability to distinguish between the group with good perceived hearing and the group with bad perceived hearing. CONCLUSION: The (m)AIADH is a reliable and valid measure to assess various dimensions of hearing function among firefighters.

Job Stress and Sleep Disturbances Among Career Firefighters in Northern California.

OBJECT: This study examined the association between job stress and sleep disturbance among career firefighters. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted with 154 career firefighters working in Northern California, US job stress was measured using the short form of the Effort-Reward Imbalance questionnaire and sleep was measured with the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Sleep Disturbance. RESULTS: Approximately 75% experienced sleep disturbance. For firefighters' job stress, high effort (odds ratio [OR] = 3.68; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.25-10.80), high effort-reward ratio (OR = 3.55; 95% CI: 1.23-10.23), and high overcommitment (OR = 9.09; 95% CI: 2.30-35.85) were significantly associated with increased likelihood of sleep disturbance, after adjustment for other factors. CONCLUSIONS: Job stress significantly affected firefighters' sleep health, suggesting the need to design effective health promotion interventions to reduce job stress and improve sleep quality for these public service workers.

Underreporting of workers' injuries or illnesses and contributing factors: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Accurate identification of work-related health problems is important to understand workplace safety issues and develop appropriate interventions. Although workers' reporting of work-related injuries or illnesses is the very first step of the reporting process, many workers may encounter challenges in reporting them to their management or workers' compensation (WC) programs. This systematic review aimed to identify the level of workers' underreporting of work-related injuries and illnesses and the contributing factors and reasons for underreporting among US workers. METHODS: This study searched PubMed (Medline), PsycINFO (ProQuest), CINAHL (EBSCOhost), EMBASE (Embase.com), and Social Science Citation Index (Web of Science) using search terms related to underreporting of work-related injury or illness. RESULTS: Twenty studies (17 quantitative and three mixed methods studies) were identified. The studies investigated reporting to management (n = 12), WC programs (n = 6), multiple organizations (n = 1), and not specified (n = 1). The timeframe used to measure reporting prevalence varied from three months to entire careers of workers, with the most common timeframe of 12 months. This review indicated that 20-91% of workers did not report their injuries or illnesses to management or WC programs. From quantitative studies, contributing factors for injury or illness underreporting were categorized as follows: injury type and severity, sociodemographic factors (e.g., age, gender, education, and race/ethnicity), general health and functioning, worker's knowledge on reporting, job and employment characteristics (e.g., work hour, job tenure, work shift, type of occupation, and physical demand), psychosocial work environment (e.g., supervisor support, coworker support, and safety climate), and health care provider factors. From the review of qualitative studies, the reasons for underreporting included the following: fear or concern, cumbersome time and effort in the reporting process, lack of knowledge regarding reporting, perceptions of injuries as not severe or part of the job, and distrust of reporting consequences. CONCLUSIONS: The review findings indicated that low wage earners, racial/ethnic minority workers, and workers who perceive a poor psychosocial work environment encounter more barriers to reporting a work-related injury or illness. This review also identified variations in the measurement of work-related injury reporting across studies and a lack of standardized measurement. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The review was registered in the PROSPERO, an international database of prospectively registered systematic reviews in health and social care (CRD42021284685).

The effect of COVID-19 on workplace violence in California's hospitals: An interrupted time series analysis.

AIM: This study used California's unique Workplace Violent Incident Reporting System (WVIRS) to describe changes in workplace violence (WV) exposure for hospital-based healthcare workers during the pandemic. DESIGN: Interrupted time series analysis. METHODS: We compared the linear trends in weekly WV incidents reported during the period before the COVID-19 pandemic (7/1/2017-3/20/2020) to the period following California's shutdown (3/21/2020-6/30/2021). We created mixed effects models for incidents reported in emergency departments (EDs) and in other hospital units. We used hospital volume data from the California Department of Health Care Access and Information. RESULTS: A total of 418 hospitals reported 37,561 incidents during the study period. For EDs, the number of reported incidents remained essentially constant, despite a 26% drop in outpatient visits between the first and second quarters of 2020. For other hospital units, weekly incidents initially dropped-parallel to a 13% decrease in inpatient days between the first and second quarters of 2020-but then continued parallel to the trend seen in the pre-COVID period. CONCLUSION: WV persists steadily in California's hospitals. Despite major reductions in patient volume due to COVID-19, weekly reported ED incidents remained essentially unchanged. IMPACT: Surveys and media reported that WV increased during the pandemic, but it has been difficult to measure these changes using a large-scale database. The absolute number of WV incidents did not increase during the pandemic; however, the trend in reported incidents remained constant in the context of dramatic decreases in patient volume. New federal WV prevention legislation is being considered in the U.S. California's experience of implementation should be considered to improve WV reporting and prevention. PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: There was no public contribution to this study. The goal of this analysis was to summarize findings from administrative data. The findings presented can inform future discussion of public policy and action.

Association of Occupational Stress With Tinnitus Among Career Firefighters in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: This study explores the relationship between occupational stress and tinnitus among firefighters, a group often exposed to two tinnitus risk factors: high stress and noise. METHODS: This cross-sectional study includes 240 firefighters in the United States. Data describing demographic characteristics, occupational stress, noise exposure, and tinnitus were collected by survey. Occupational stress was measured using the short version of the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire. RESULTS: Forty-three percent of participants reported experiencing tinnitus within the past month. For occupational stress, higher effort (odds ratio, 1.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.05 to 1.49) and higher effort-reward ratio (odds ratio, 12.28; 95% confidence interval, 3.08 to 48.86) were associated with increased odds of tinnitus, after adjustment for demographic characteristics and noise exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Occupational stress may increase the likelihood of tinnitus for firefighters, an already at-risk group of workers. Health providers should incorporate stress assessment into tinnitus management programs.

Evaluation of an Ecological Model for Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorder is a major occupational health problem worldwide. The ecological model by Sauter and Swanson proposes a way in which psychosocial factors can influence musculoskeletal disorders. Employing Chinn and Kramer's framework, we evaluated the ecological model and found it had a specific scope for the working populations and clear concepts. This model also demonstrated high clarity, consistency, generalizability, and accessibility aligning with a nursing metaparadigm. Empirical evidence supports the applicability of the ecological model in nursing research and practices, but more research is needed for nursing-specific application.

Filing a Workers' Compensation Claim for Low Back Pain and Associated Factors: Analysis of 2015 National Health Interview Survey.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the degree of reporting work-related low back pain (LBP) by workers' compensation (WC) claim filing and associated factors among US workers. METHODS: We conducted multivariable logistic regression using the 2015 National Health Interview Survey data. RESULTS: Among 1203 US workers with self-reported work-related LBP diagnosis, only 19.6% filed for WC. Compared with non-Hispanic White workers, Black, Asian, and Hispanic workers were less likely to file for WC. Workers' compensation filing was less frequent among workers in independent work arrangement and who stopped working, changed jobs, or made a change in work and more frequent among workers 45 to 64 years of age and having high LBP frequency. CONCLUSIONS: Our study findings suggest underreporting of work-related LBP to the WC system is common. Barriers to WC filing should be addressed especially for racial/ethnic minorities and independent workers.

The short form effort-reward imbalance: Measure of occupational stress for firefighters.

PURPOSE: The original effort-reward imbalance (ERI) questionnaire has been widely used as a measure of occupational stress. The need for brief measurement of psychosocial stress at work has risen. This study examined the psychometric properties of a 16-item short form ERI (S-ERI) questionnaire. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sample of 247 career firefighters in the United States. An internet-based survey contained the S-ERI questionnaire, and assessed perceived health, demographics, and work characteristics. Internal consistency was tested by item-total correlation and Cronbach's α coefficients. Factorial validity was assessed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and criterion validity was examined by testing the S-ERI's association with perceived health, controlling for other factors. RESULTS: The study participants were primarily young and mid-aged White males (mean age = 42 years, 75% White non-Hispanic, 93% males). The S-ERI questionnaire showed satisfactory internal consistency, with Cronbach α coefficients above 0.80 for all three scales: effort 0.82, reward 0.83, and overcommitment 0.81. CFA showed all the S-ERI components had a good fit (goodness-of-fit index = 0.99, comparative fit index = 0.92, root mean square error of approximation = 0.06). In terms of criterion validity, significantly increased odds ratios (ORs) for perceived health (those indicating they were less healthy) were found in firefighters in the lowest tertile of reward (OR = 7.06, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.86-17.43), and highest tertile of overcommitment (OR = 2.29, 95% CI: 1.00-5.22), after controlling for other factors. CONCLUSION: The S-ERI questionnaire is a reliable and valid measure to assess occupational stress. We recommend the use of S-ERI as a measure of occupational stress when initiating efforts to improve firefighters' wellness.

Differences in Hospitals' Workplace Violence Incident Reporting Practices: A Mixed Methods Study.

Workplace violence (WV) is a significant and growing problem for health care workers. Increased recognition of the need for improved protections has led to policy initiatives at the state and federal levels, including national Joint Commission requirements that went into effect January 2022. California's WV prevention legislation was phased in during 2017-2018 and requires hospitals to use a new incident reporting system, the Workplace Violent Incident Reporting System (WVIRS) for Hospitals. We analyzed WVIRS data collected during the first three years of its implementation, July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2020. In addition, we collected qualitative data from six California hospitals/hospital systems during 2019-2020 to better understand reporting practices. Over the three-year period, the 413 hospitals using the WVIRS reported between zero and six incidents per staffed bed. Sixteen hospitals (3.9%) reported two or more incidents per staffed bed while the rest reported fewer than two incidents. Qualitative analysis identified that reporting procedures vary considerably among hospitals. Several organizations rely on workers to complete incident reports electronically while others assign managers or security personnel to data collection. Some hospitals appear to report only those incidents involving physical harm to the worker. Regulatory guidance for reporting practices and hospitals' commitment to thorough data collection may improve consistency. As hospitals throughout the U.S. consider practice changes to comply with new WV standards, those engaged in implementation efforts should look closely at reporting practices. Greater consistency in reporting across facilities can help to build evidence for best practices and lead to safety improvements.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in the Perceptions of Health, Work Environment and Experiences of Work-Related Symptoms Among Cleaning Workers.

This study explored racial and ethnic differences in perception of work environment, safe work practices, general health status, experience of work-related injury or illness and subsequent symptom reporting and health care seeking behaviors among cleaning workers. This study analyzed cross-sectional data obtained from 183 cleaning workers employed in a university hospital or a health sciences campus in Northern California. The sample included 120 Asians (65.6%), 37 Hispanics (20.2%), and 27 other ethnicities (14.2%); 85.7% were foreign-born. Asian workers perceived lower job control and supervisor support and higher job strain than other workers. The odds of perceiving general health as excellent or very good were lower among Asians compared to Hispanics and Others. Asians who experienced chemical-related symptoms were less likely than Hispanics and others to report the symptoms to their supervisor or seek healthcare. Our study findings indicated racial/ethnic differences in perceptions of work and general health, seeking healthcare, and reporting behaviors among cleaning workers. Asian workers, specifically, may need special attention to improve their experiences of work environments and health in the workplace.

Associations of COVID-19 Related Work Stressors with Psychological Distress: Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Californian Workers.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to exert immense societal impacts, with recent data showing inequitable distribution of consequences among racial and ethnic groups. The objective of this study was to assess associations between COVID-related work stressors and psychological distress, with special emphasis on differences by race and ethnicity. Data were from the population-based California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) 2020. Associations of individual and cumulative work stressors, including job loss, reduced work hours, and working from home, with psychological distress in 12,113 workers were examined via multivariable linear regression, and stratified analyses were conducted for racial and ethnic subgroups. After adjustment for covariates, compared to workers with no work stressors, those who experienced either one or two/more work stressors had higher psychological distress (ßs and 95% CIs were 0.80 [0.51, 1.09] and 1.98 [1.41, 2.56], respectively). Notably, experiencing cumulative (two/more) work stressors had much stronger effects on psychological distress among participants who were Black (ß and 95% CI were 3.51 [1.09, 5.93]) or racial minorities (ß and 95% CI were 3.57 [1.10, 6.05]). Occupational consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with increased psychological distress in Californian workers and inequitably distributed, with racial and ethnic minorities suffering the greatest burden.

Factors affecting adjustment of first-year nursing students to college life: A descriptive correlational study.

BACKGROUND: According to recent statistics from the Korean Ministry of Education, the number of students who have dropped out of college has increased. OBJECTIVES: To assess the relationship between creativity, social support, voice behaviour, and college life adjustment among first-year nursing students and to identify the factors influencing college life adjustment. DESIGN: This study used a cross-sectional correlational design. SAMPLE: Non-random convenience sampling. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were first-year Korean nursing students (n = 153). METHOD: Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analysed using a multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: Adjustment to college life was significantly correlated with creativity (r = 0.26, p < .001), social support (r = 0.37, p < .001), and voice behaviour (r = 0.40, p < .001). A stepwise regression model showed subjective interpersonal degree (ß = 0.32, p < .001), satisfaction with major (ß = 0.31, p < .001), voice behaviour (ß = 0.25, p < .001), and academic confidence (ß = 0.15, p = .015) were significant predictors of college life adjustment (R2 = 0.56, p < .001). CONCLUSION: To improve the college life adjustment of new students in nursing schools, nursing education programmes should include strategies to enhance interpersonal-relationship levels, satisfaction with nursing major, voice behaviour, and academic confidence.

Gender differences in experience and reporting of acute symptoms among cleaning staff.

BACKGROUND: Cleaning tasks pose risks of hazardous chemical exposure and adverse health effects for cleaning workers. We examined gender differences among cleaning staff in the experience of chemical-related symptoms and in reporting to supervisors. METHODS: We analyzed cross-sectional reports from 171 university hospital or campus cleaning staff on chemical exposures to cleaning products, experience of acute symptoms, reporting of symptoms to supervisors, as well as demographic and psychosocial factors (risk perception, job demand/control, supervisor/co-worker support, and safety climate). Results were analized using multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for demographic, job, and psychosocial factors. Interactions of gender and psychosocial variables were also examined. RESULTS: Men and women reported different frequencies for exposure-related tasks. Acute symptoms of chemical exposure were more prevalent in women compared with men (46.0% vs. 25.4%; adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.63; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27-5.46). Women were more concerned about exposure to cleaning chemicals (p = 0.029) but reported symptoms to their supervisor less often than men (18.5% vs. 40.6%, adjusted OR = 0.28; 95% CI 0.09-0.93). More supervisor support was significantly associated with less frequent symptom experience among women (OR = 0.83; 95% CI 0.70-0.99). Asian workers and less educated workers were less likely than others to report symptoms to supervisors. Gender differences in symptom reporting to supervisors were not explained by psychosocial factors. CONCLUSIONS: Women may have increased susceptibility or perception of symptoms from cleaning compared to men, but this may be mitigated by supervisor support. Female Asian workers with lower education may perceive more significant barriers in reporting work-related symptoms to supervisors. Further research is needed to explore factors related to underreporting.

Controlled Drinking Behaviors Among Korean American and Korean Male Workers.

BACKGROUND: A permissive drinking culture is one reason for the high level of alcohol consumption among Korean men. Despite shared experiences of the Korean drinking culture that often encourages social drinking, Korean American and Korean male workers may differ in their drinking behavior. This study examines the predictors of controlled drinking behavior and between these two groups. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the predictors of controlled drinking behavior between Korean American and Korean male workers. METHODS: Two hundred eighty-two male participants (141 Korean Americans and 141 Koreans) who engaged in social drinking were surveyed. Ajzen's theory of planned behavior was used to examine the predictors of controlled drinking behavior. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the theoretical model for each group, followed by multiple-group analyses. RESULTS: Most participants were college-educated and white-collar workers. Korean American workers had fewer heavy episodic drinking days in the past month than Korean workers. Model testing for each group revealed that subjective norms and perceived behavioral control predicted intentions of controlled drinking, but only perceived behavioral control was a significant predictor of controlled drinking behavior. Multiple-group analyses indicated no difference between the two groups regarding the predictors of controlled drinking behaviors. DISCUSSION: Programs to promote controlled drinking for Korean American and Korean male workers should incorporate strategies to increase perceived behavioral control, such as training on how to decline drinking. In addition, early education for healthy drinking culture with a strict drinking environment needs to be considered to improve controlled drinking behaviors.

Frequency of violence towards healthcare workers in the United States' inpatient psychiatric hospitals: A systematic review of literature.

The purpose of this systematic review is to determine the frequency of violent or aggressive behaviour towards healthcare workers in inpatient psychiatric settings in the United States. To achieve this aim, five databases were searched to find English-language quantitative studies reporting prevalence or incidence data of violence or aggression directed towards staff members in inpatient psychiatric settings. No limitations were set based on publication date, and intervention studies were included only if baseline data were provided. Of 335 total studies found, 38 full-text articles were suitable for full-text analysis based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, and 14 were included in the final review. Years of data collection ranged from 1986 to 2018, and a range of psychiatric facilities were represented, from small, private hospital units to large forensic institutions. Researchers utilized surveys, real-time incident reporting tools, and government databases, or a combination of strategies, to collect data related to workers' experiences on the job. Included research indicates that workplace violence in the U.S. inpatient psychiatric setting is a widespread problem, with 25-85% of survey respondents reporting an incident of physical aggression within the year prior to survey, and statewide workers' compensation findings indicating 2-7 claims due to assault per 100 000 employee hours. There are substantial differences between findings based on measurement strategy, making it difficult to arrive at a single estimate of prevalence nationally. As management of this persistent problem receives continued attention from stakeholders, it becomes increasingly important to define and measure the problem with the most appropriate tools.

Analysis of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) noise standard violations over 50 years: 1972 to 2019.

INTRODUCTION: Noise exposure has long been an occupational health concern and has been an important area of focus of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) since its founding. Nevertheless, it remains unclear what effects OSHA's noise standards have had on employer efforts to reduce risks. Consequently, a review of OSHA noise standard violations was performed to clarify the violation trends between 1972 and 2019. METHODS: Using the OSHA Information System, researchers identified 119 305 violations involving four noise standards between 1972 and 2019: 29 CFR 1910.95, occupational noise exposure in general industry; 1926.52, occupational noise exposure in construction; 1926.101, hearing protection in construction, and 1904.10, recording criteria for cases involving occupational hearing loss. Violation frequencies of noise standard subparagraphs and relationships to factors such as industry differences were analyzed using descriptive statistics and t tests. RESULTS: The most commonly violated noise standard was 1910.95 in manufacturing. Such violations rose between 1972 and 1985 and then declined steadily. Whether in general industry or construction, four noise standards were most-frequently cited: lack of feasible administrative or engineering controls (1910.95[b] and 1926.52[d]) and inadequate hearing conservation program (1910.95[c] and 1926.52[b]). These violations were more highly penalized (mean = $1036.50) than other subparagraph violations (mean = $915.80). Programmed and unprogrammed inspections generated similar violation quantities except between 1980 and 1985, when programmed inspections exhibited a sharp spike in violations. CONCLUSION: The study identified trends in OSHA noise standard violations and possible explanations for those trends. The study findings can support development of more practical noise-exposure protection policy.

Factors associated with physical injury or police involvement during incidents of workplace violence in hospitals: Findings from the first year of California's new standard.

BACKGROUND: Workplace violence in healthcare settings is known to be a costly and often underreported problem. In California, hospitals are required to report incidents of violence towards workers to the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (CalOSHA) using an online reporting system that went into effect in 2017. METHODS: Reports submitted to CalOSHA from July 2017 to September 2018 pursuant to this new requirement were analyzed using descriptive methods and logistic regression. RESULTS: Four hundred eight hospitals submitted reports using the new incident reporting system. Behavioral health units had 1.82 times the odds of the reported incident resulting in physical injury compared to inpatient medical units, and investor-owned facilities had 2.43 times the odds of the reported incident resulting in physical injury compared to city or county-owned facilities. Inpatient and behavioral health units had significantly reduced odds of a reported incident resulting in police involvement when compared to other locations within the hospital. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that protections for healthcare workers deserve ongoing attention from stakeholders and legislators and provide insight into how healthcare facilities report incidents of violence towards workers.