A scoping review to evaluate occupational controls and their effectiveness when handling engineered nanomaterials in workplaces.

Research has shown that controlling worker exposure to engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) helps to reduce the exposure risk to employees in workplaces. This study aimed to identify the available evidence on the effectiveness of various control methods used in the workplace to reduce worker exposure to ENMs. The search was conducted in databases-Medline, OVID, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Cochrane and the gray literature published from January 2010 to December 2022. The search keywords included ENM controls and their efficiency in workplace environments. Of the 152 studies retrieved, 22 were included in the review. The control measures in the review included (1) substitution controls; (2) engineering measures (i.e., isolation, direct source extraction, and wetting technologies); (3) personal protective equipment; and (4) administrative and work practices. The study results indicate that the above-mentioned control measures were effective in reducing ENM exposures. This information can be used to help employers choose the most effective controls for their workplaces.

Workplace Health Promotion Programs Targeting Smoking, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity in Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

The workplace has been highlighted as a potential setting to deliver health promotion programs to target modifiable health behaviors that contribute to chronic disease. This review evaluated the effectiveness of interventions implemented within the workplace that targeted either smoking, nutrition, alcohol, physical activity, and/or overweight and obesity in men. A review protocol was prospectively registered through PROSPERO (CRD42021293398). Five electronic bibliographic databases were searched for randomized controlled trials conducted in the workplace assessing chronic disease risk factors in men from January 2010 to August 2021. Eleven studies were included, reporting on overweight and obesity n = 8, physical activity n = 7, nutrition n = 4, alcohol n = 3, smoking n = 3, with eight studies assessing multiple outcomes. Results were mixed. Narrative synthesis highlighted studies reporting improvements to snacking frequency, sugar sweetened beverage consumption, and physical activity (METs and Vo2 max). Meta-analysis highlighted pooled mean decrease in body weight of -0.28 kg up to 3 months; -1.38 kg for >3 months, and pooled mean decrease in body mass index 0.06 kg/m2 up to 3 months; -0.27 kg/m2 for >3 months. Despite the encouraging direction of the relationship, results were not statistically significant (p > .05). Findings underscore the potential of workplace health promotion programs targeting certain chronic disease risk factors in men; however, future research should consider long-term study designs to assess the efficacy of workplace health programs as a solution to the growing burden of global disease.

Workplace Psychosocial Factors and Their Association With Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies.

This systematic review examines literature regarding the relationship between workplace psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Musculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of work disability, resulting in billions of dollars of financial losses. Evidence suggests that workplace psychosocial factors can lead to the development and progression of MSDs. A data search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, Scopus, and CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) from August 2009 to May 2020 inclusive. Other eligibility criteria included studies published in English, conducted on adults within a workplace setting, conducted in developed economies, and were stability-control longitudinal observational studies. Studies were independently screened for eligibility, using COVIDENCE (software for managing and streamlining systematic reviews) and assessed for quality by multiple authors, using the JBI Evidence synthesis tool. From 6,812 studies, 47 articles were included in the final analysis. The most common MSDs investigated were lower back pain, neck and shoulder pain, and upper extremity symptoms and disorders. Included articles identified that psychosocial workplace factors of support, collaboration, job control, and job demands were statistically significantly associated with risk and progression of MSDs. Review of the articles included in this article supports the theory that MSDs have a multifactorial, complex etiology that includes psychosocial factors. Interventions to enhance psychosocial work environment provide opportunities to reduce the risk of MSDs.

Variations in Concurrent Validity of Two Independent Inertial Measurement Units Compared to Gold Standard for Upper Body Posture during Computerised Device Use.

Inertial measurement units (IMUs) may provide an objective method for measuring posture during computer use, but research is needed to validate IMUs' accuracy. We examine the concurrent validity of two different IMU systems in measuring three-dimensional (3D) upper body posture relative to a motion capture system (Mocap) as a potential device to assess postures outside a laboratory environment. We used 3D Mocap and two IMU systems (Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) to capture the upper body posture of twenty-six individuals during three physical computer working conditions (monitor correct, monitor raised, and laptop). Coefficient of determination (R2) and root-mean-square error (RMSE) compared IMUs to Mocap. Head/neck segment [HN], upper trunk segment [UTS], and joint angle [HN-UTS] were the primary variables. Wi-Fi IMUs demonstrated high validity for HN and UTS (sagittal plane) and HN-UTS (frontal plane) for all conditions, and for HN rotation movements (both for the monitor correct and monitor raised conditions), others moderate to poor. Bluetooth IMUs for HN, and UTS (sagittal plane) for the monitor correct, laptop, and monitor raised conditions were moderate. Frontal plane movements except UTS (monitor correct and laptop) and all rotation had poor validity. Both IMU systems were affected by gyroscopic drift with sporadic data loss in Bluetooth IMUs. Wi-Fi IMUs had more acceptable accuracy when measuring upper body posture during computer use compared to Mocap, except for trunk rotations. Variation in IMU systems' performance suggests validation in the task-specific movement(s) is essential.

Healthy Eating in the Australian Coal Mining Industry: Assessing the Efficacy of the 'Out of the Box' Workplace Health Promotion Program.

Noncommunicable diseases are the world's leading cause of death. To curb the global rise in these diseases, using the workplace as a front to disseminate health communication messages and resources has been suggested. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a workplace health promotion program, 'Out of the Box', that targeted nutrition outcomes and nutrition guideline knowledge. A 6-month workplace health promotion program was implemented within a coal mine site. Over the 6 months, there were four wellness focus areas, lasting 1 month each, including fruits, vegetables and portion controlling, label reading, alcohol awareness, and hydration promotion. The study utilized a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test design, with measurements via self-reported paper-based surveys. At baseline there were 163 responses, and 106 at follow-up. At the 6-month follow-up, respondents had increased odds of recalling the current fruit (OR 1.29, p = 0.032) and vegetable (OR 1.76, p < 0.001) guidelines. Being male was associated with lower vegetable intake (B: -0.28), although this did not reach statistical significance. A nutrition-focused workplace health promotion program can be an efficacious strategy in improving knowledge of fruit and vegetable guidelines. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of these programs over time.

Health and wellness in the Australian coal mining industry: An analysis of pre-post findings from the RESHAPE workplace health promotion program.

OBJECTIVES: Non-communicable diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 71% of deaths in 2021. The chronic and pervasive nature of these diseases spurs the need for novel treatment approaches, including using the workplace as a front for the promotion and dissemination of health messages and activities. Taking this into consideration, this study aimed to assess the efficacy of a workplace health promotion program that targeted nutrition, physical activity, and obesity outcomes in a New South Wales (NSW) coal mine site. DESIGN: A 12-week quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test study. SETTING: A coal mine site in rural NSW, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: At baseline there were n = 389 participants, with similar numbers at follow-up (n = 420) as well as 61 participants from both timepoints (8.2% repeated measures), with 89% of participants being male. INTERVENTION: A multicomponent wellness intervention was implemented incorporating aspects of education, goal setting, and competition. OUTCOMES: Physical activity, nutrition, and weight. RESULTS: The mean BMI at baseline was 30.01 kg/m2, and at follow-up 29.79 kg/m2 (p = 0.39). At follow-up, participants reported 81% lower odds of engaging in the exercise category 'no moderate physical exercise' (OR = 0.09, p < 0.001), as well as 111% higher odds of meeting physical activity and exercise guidelines (OR = 2.11, p = 0.057). There were no changes to diet outcomes and no association between employment characteristics and participating in physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: Workplace health promotion programs can be an efficacious strategy in improving physical activity outcomes and marginally improving weight outcomes in those in the mining industry. Further research is needed to determine the true effectiveness of these programs long-term, particularly in an environment as challenging and dynamic as the mining industry.

Pre-employment hearing threshold levels of 59,601 Australian male coal miners compared to an otologically normal international male population (ISO7029:2019).

OBJECTIVE: This study compared the pre-employment median hearing threshold level (HTL) distribution from a population of coal miners from New South Wales (NSW), Australia, to an otologically normal, age-matched population described by the International Standards Organisation (ISO) ISO 7029:2019, to determine any differences. DESIGN: This was an observational, retrospective, repeated cross-sectional study. STUDY SAMPLE: De-identified audiometric records of 59,601 male employees entering NSW coal mining in three representative five-year periods between 1991 and 2015 were utilised. RESULTS: The median HTL deviation of the mining population was statistically significantly different (p < 0.05) from the ISO population, for almost all analyses. Overall, the mining population cohorts have higher (worse) median HTLs compared to the ISO population. The greatest difference occurs at 4 kHz in older age groups, likely indicating noise-induced hearing loss. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that some NSW coal mine workers commence their careers with evidence of pre-existing hearing loss (HL), in an industry with excessive noise exposures. These results provide Australian mining and other noisy industries with evidence to support a review of hearing conservation strategies to improve mitigation of hearing loss across the working lifespan.

The coal mining industry in Australia typically employs 20,000­30,000 workers annually. These workers are potentially exposed to noise levels between 80 dB(A) and 120 dB(A) whilst at work, and thus at high risk of developing noise induced hearing loss (NIHL). NIHL is the most compensated, occupational disease for coal mining in Australia, costing the Australian State of New South Wales (NSW) up to $4 million each year. And yet: NIHL is entirely preventable.This is the second of two studies of Australian coal mining, analysing a database containing de-identified mandatory audiometric testing results. Evidence of hearing loss within this population was determined in the first study, and the aim of this follow-up study was to determine if there were differences in the median hearing threshold levels in the mining population compared to an otologically normal, international population (ISO7029). The results indicate that the mining population HTLs for males are significantly different (worse) compared to an age and gender matched otologically normal population, specifically at 4 kHz for older workers. Evidence of age-related hearing loss was also found.From a workplace perspective, employers need to consider appropriate workplace interventions to promote hearing loss prevention strategies across the workforce. This information can be used to inform future noise and hearing policies and procedures within this, as well as other noisy industries, to prevent and reduce further exposure of workers to excessive noise.

Relationships Between the Physical Work Environment, Postures and Musculoskeletal Pain During COVID-19: A Survey of Frequent Computer Users.

OBJECTIVE: To understand the flexible work practices during the COVID-19 pandemic and their impact on work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and depression in frequent computer users. METHODS: An e-survey determined the extent of workplace changes and MSD, and the relationships between them using descriptive-statistics and chi-squared tests. RESULTS: Of 700 who commenced the survey, 511 were analyzed. Since the pandemic commenced, 80% of respondents reported they were working more from home; and 89% reported some musculoskeletal pain. Compared with prepandemic, more people worked in nonergonomic environments, computer configurations and body postures. Work location was associated with upper back pain ( P = 0.011); body posture with headache ( P = 0.027) and low back pain ( P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Nonergonomic work environments of frequent computer users during COVID-19 are related to having upper back pain, whereas nonergonomic postures are related to having headache and low back pain.

Understanding the pathogenesis of occupational coal and silica dust-associated lung disease.

Workers in the mining and construction industries are at increased risk of respiratory and other diseases as a result of being exposed to harmful levels of airborne particulate matter (PM) for extended periods of time. While clear links have been established between PM exposure and the development of occupational lung disease, the mechanisms are still poorly understood. A greater understanding of how exposures to different levels and types of PM encountered in mining and construction workplaces affect pathophysiological processes in the airways and lungs and result in different forms of occupational lung disease is urgently required. Such information is needed to inform safe exposure limits and monitoring guidelines for different types of PM and development of biomarkers for earlier disease diagnosis. Suspended particles with a 50% cut-off aerodynamic diameter of 10 µm and 2.5 µm are considered biologically active owing to their ability to bypass the upper respiratory tract's defences and penetrate deep into the lung parenchyma, where they induce potentially irreversible damage, impair lung function and reduce the quality of life. Here we review the current understanding of occupational respiratory diseases, including coal worker pneumoconiosis and silicosis, and how PM exposure may affect pathophysiological responses in the airways and lungs. We also highlight the use of experimental models for better understanding these mechanisms of pathogenesis. We outline the urgency for revised dust control strategies, and the need for evidence-based identification of safe level exposures using clinical and experimental studies to better protect workers' health.

Differences in upper body posture between individuals with and without chronic idiopathic neck pain during computerised device use: A 3D motion analysis study.

BACKGROUND: Computer use is associated with poor postures and increased risk of developing neck pain. Evaluating differences in working posture of individuals with and without chronic neck pain may assist the development of strategies to lessen or prevent pain. OBJECTIVE: To identify if upper body kinematics differs between individuals with and without chronic idiopathic neck pain during four conditions (tablet, laptop, and desktop computer sitting and standing). METHODS: Three-dimensional (3D) motion capture measured upper body kinematics in 44 individuals with chronic idiopathic neck pain > 90 days (Cases n = 22) and without pain (Control n = 22), during a typing task under four conditions: tablet, laptop, desktop computer (sitting and standing). Differences between groups were evaluated using generalised linear mixed models. RESULTS: Across all conditions and compared to controls, cases had significantly less flexion between their head-neck and upper trunk segments (between group mean difference 7.15°, 2.1, 12.2, p = .006), greater upper trunk flexion relative to the laboratory (-6.15°, -10.9, -1.3, p = .012), greater shoulder flexion bilaterally (left 12.35°, 6.7, 17.9, p < .001; right 13.49°, 7.9, 19.1, p < .001) and less right elbow flexion (-6.87°, -12.1, -1.7, p = .010). Approaching significance, the case group had less left elbow flexion (between group mean difference -5.36°, -10.9, 0.1, p = .056) and a smaller mean craniocervical angle for the seated desktop condition (group x condition interaction -6.37°; 95% CI -12.7, -0.1, p = .052). SIGNIFICANCE: Individuals with neck pain consistently used different upper body postures compared to individuals without pain when working on computerised devices under varying workstation conditions. This finding suggests that people with neck pain work in potentially aggravating postures that may be associated with their pain.

Workplace wellness programs targeting weight outcomes in men: A scoping review.

Workplaces have been identified as a priority setting for the delivery of wellness programs to address risk factors for overweight and obesity. Men in particular may benefit greatly from these types of programs as they are typically harder to engage in health promotion. A scoping review was performed to provide an overview of interventions that have been implemented within the workplace that target weight outcomes in men. A searched of six electronic databases (Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane Database of Systematic Review, and Business Source Ultimate) was conducted from January 2010 to August 2020. Of the 2191 articles identified, 25 were included. The majority took place in North America or Europe (72%). Over half (n = 17, 68%) utilized both a nutrition and physical activity component. Thirteen of the 19 articles (68%) that reported weight as an outcome showed the program to be efficacious in reducing weight. Overall, only seven articles were solely focused on an all-male population. Workplace wellness programs targeting weight outcomes in men have been conducted to some extent, with majority being successful in reducing weight. However, there is a need for more randomized controlled trials (RCTs), long-term follow-up, and male-only programs.

Estimating domestic assistance requirements in medico-legal practice: Australian occupational therapy perspective.

AIM: Occupational therapists are experts in determining domestic assistance levels. It is a complex multi-dimensional process resulting in different opinion regarding care hours. METHOD: Therapists providing medicolegal reports on domestic care for the courts within Australia were surveyed. RESULTS: 58 occupational therapists responded with most aged between 41 to 50 years of age. There was a strong correlation between years of clinical and medicolegal experience (r = 0.730, n = 58, p = 0.000) as well as between years and numbers of medicolegal assessments conducted in 2017 (r = 0.264, n = 58, p = 0.420). Assessment based on occupational analysis interview combined observation of the claimant performing tasks in their home, medical information, and contextual factors such as family expectations. Translation of data to hours of care was based on therapist's clinical experience of medical diagnosis (x2 6.89, p = 0.009) and claimant's statements of performance combined with therapist's clinical experience (x2 = 5.58, p = 0.18). Therapists providing defendant only reports often use their own time to perform housework as a guide. Triangulation data combined confirmation of the person's statements through observation of performance, the environment in which they lived, and the occupational therapists own clinical reasoning skill. CONCLUSION: Documenting all the factors influencing the occupational therapist's decision is the key to understanding clinical reasoning.Implication for rehabilitationWhen estimating domestic care occupational therapists should:•Provide written documentation that clearly explains the assessment methods used, the results and conclusion made regarding domestic care.•Triangulate data including claimant's statements of performance, confirmation by observation on tasks, medical report information in the context of the claimant's environmental and contextual factors.•Be aware their own years of experience do not equate to level of expertise.

Evidence for the Effectiveness of Feedback from Wearable Inertial Sensors during Work-Related Activities: A Scoping Review.

Background: Wearable inertial sensor technology (WIST) systems provide feedback, aiming to modify aberrant postures and movements. The literature on the effects of feedback from WIST during work or work-related activities has not been previously summarised. This review examines the effectiveness of feedback on upper body kinematics during work or work-related activities, along with the wearability and a quantification of the kinematics of the related device. Methods: The Cinahl, Cochrane, Embase, Medline, Scopus, Sportdiscus and Google Scholar databases were searched, including reports from January 2005 to July 2021. The included studies were summarised descriptively and the evidence was assessed. Results: Fourteen included studies demonstrated a 'limited' level of evidence supporting posture and/or movement behaviour improvements using WIST feedback, with no improvements in pain. One study assessed wearability and another two investigated comfort. Studies used tri-axial accelerometers or IMU integration (n = 5 studies). Visual and/or vibrotactile feedback was mostly used. Most studies had a risk of bias, lacked detail for methodological reproducibility and displayed inconsistent reporting of sensor technology, with validation provided only in one study. Thus, we have proposed a minimum 'Technology and Design Checklist' for reporting. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that WIST may improve posture, though not pain; however, the quality of the studies limits the strength of this conclusion. Wearability evaluations are needed for the translation of WIST outcomes. Minimum reporting standards for WIST should be followed to ensure methodological reproducibility.

Early Detection Methods for Silicosis in Australia and Internationally: A Review of the Literature.

Pneumoconiosis, or occupational lung disease, is one of the world's most prevalent work-related diseases. Silicosis, a type of pneumoconiosis, is caused by inhaling respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust. Although silicosis can be fatal, it is completely preventable. Hundreds of thousands of workers globally are at risk of being exposed to RCS at the workplace from various activities in many industries. Currently, in Australia and internationally, there are a range of methods used for the respiratory surveillance of workers exposed to RCS. These methods include health and exposure questionnaires, spirometry, chest X-rays, and HRCT. However, these methods predominantly do not detect the disease until it has significantly progressed. For this reason, there is a growing body of research investigating early detection methods for silicosis, particularly biomarkers. This literature review summarises the research to date on early detection methods for silicosis and makes recommendations for future work in this area. Findings from this review conclude that there is a critical need for an early detection method for silicosis, however, further laboratory- and field-based research is required.

Health and wellness in the Australian coal mining industry: A cross sectional analysis of baseline findings from the RESHAPE workplace wellness program.

Overweight and obesity has reach pandemic levels, with two-thirds (67%) of adult Australians classified as overweight or obese. As two of the most significant behavioral risk factors for obesity are modifiable (diet and exercise), there exists an opportunity for treatment through workplace health promotion initiatives. As one of Australia's largest industries with its own unique workplace factors, the mining industry has previously reported higher than population levels of overweight and obesity. This represented an opportune setting to test the RESHAPE workplace wellness program. RESHAPE is an eight-step framework (based on the WHO 'Health Workplace Framework and Model') which aims to provide a sustained approach to wellness in the workplace. This paper presents baseline findings from a pilot study that aimed to implement RESHAPE at three mine sites in NSW, Australia, and investigates the issue of overweight and obesity in the coal mining industry. Across three mine sites, 949 coal miners were examined cross-sectionally on a range of workplace, wellness, health, diet, and exercise factors using a paper-based survey. This was a predominantly male sample (90.4%) with the majority (59.2%) of participants aged 25-44 years. Self-reported height and weight measures indicated that less than 20 percent (18.9%) of participants were in a healthy BMI range, while there were effectively equal numbers of overweight (40.9%) and obese (39.1%) participants. Only 3.5% of participants met the daily recommendation for vegetables (5 serves) and shift-workers had greater association with elevated BMI compared to non-shift workers (B = 1.21, 95% CI: 0.23, 2.20, p = 0.016). Poor nutrition is likely to be a key component in elevated levels of overweight and obesity within this industry, with workplace factors compounding challenges workers face in implementing health behavior change. Future studies would benefit from assessing diet and physical activity knowledge in relation to recommendations and serving sizes.

Mental health and mining: the Ghanaian gold mining story.

PURPOSE: There is limited empirical evidence regarding mental health in workplace settings in Africa. Gold mining is a major industry in Ghana, and this study investigated mental health-related symptoms and the factors contributing to such symptoms among employees in the Ghanaian. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey design study was used to collect data from employees working in the mining industry across five gold mines in Ghana. All mining employees were invited to participate in the survey. Sociodemographic and work characteristic data (including job content) was collected alongside measures of recent mental health-related symptoms (Kessler-10). Questionnaires were administered in English. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression models. RESULTS: Of 1165 participants (response rate: 78%), 87% were male and 13% were female. The majority of the participants were in the 25-34 age category. Psychological distress was categorized as low (62.6%), moderate (24.3%), high (10.0%) and very high (3.2%). Shift type (working 12 h or more), physical working conditions and financial factors were significantly associated with psychological distress. Job resources and job demands was not significantly associated with levels of psychological distress. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to explore mental health in the Ghanaian gold mining industry. The findings identify workplace factors associated with psychological distress in the mining industry in Ghana and support the importance of promoting mental health as part of workplace health and safety strategy to improve mental health across the mining population.

Alcohol Consumption in the Australian Mining Industry: The Role of Workplace, Social, and Individual Factors.

BACKGROUND: Coal miners have been reported to have higher rates of risky/harmful alcohol misuse; however, it is not known if metalliferous mining employees whose working conditions differ in workplace practices, also have increased rates of risky/harmful alcohol misuse. This study aimed to examine alcohol consumption in a sample of Australian metalliferous mining workers and to examine the demographic and workplace factors associated with risky/harmful alcohol use. METHODS: All employees from a convenience sample of four Australian mine sites were invited to complete a paper-based cross-sectional survey between June 2015 and May 2017. The survey contained questions relating to social networks, health behaviors, psychological distress, demographic characteristics, and risky/harmful drinking. Current alcohol use was measured by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), a validated measure of risky and/or harmful drinking. Factors associated with risky/harmful drinking were investigated using univariate and multivariable logistic regression. FINDINGS: A total of 1,799 participants completed the survey (average site response rate 95%). Overall, 94.8% of males and 92.1% of females reported using alcohol in the preceding 12 months. The odds of risky/harmful alcohol use were significantly higher in those who were male, younger, and reported higher psychological distress. CONCLUSIONS/APPLICATION TO PRACTICE: This study identified that metalliferous mining employees engage in at-risk levels of alcohol consumption significantly higher than the national average despite workplace policies and practices that restrict alcohol use. Personal and workplace risk factors that may help target specific employee groups and inform the development of tailored, integrated multicomponent intervention strategies for the industry were identified.

Hearing threshold levels of Australian coal mine workers: a retrospective cross-sectional study of 64196 audiograms.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the hearing threshold levels (HTL) of workers commencing employment in Australian coal mines in the State of New South Wales (NSW). The aim was to establish if some degree of hearing loss was identifiable in the mandatory pre-employment audiograms of workers. DESIGN: This was an observational, retrospective, repeated cross-sectional study. STUDY SAMPLE: De-identified audiometric records of 64196 employees entering NSW coal mining in three representative five-year periods between 1991-2015 were utilised. RESULTS: Although HTLs were lower (better) in more recent years, the results showed clinically significant hearing loss (≥25dBHL) for older workers, 45-60 years. Pure tone average (PTA) hearing losses were greater at the higher frequencies associated with excessive noise exposure (3-6 kHz), than at the speech frequencies (0.5-4 kHz). Hearing loss in the left ears were higher compared to the right ears, with higher prevalence of audiometric notches in males. CONCLUSION: Almost a fifth (14.8-20.1%) of male workers commencing work in NSW coal mines presented with an audiometric notch at 4 kHz. Further research is required to determine if these notches represent true NIHL, and how the residual hearing of workers may be conserved.

Men's Physical Activity and Sleep Following a Workplace Health Intervention: Findings from the POWERPLAY STEP Up challenge.

The workplace provides an important delivery point for health promotion, yet many programs fail to engage men. A gender-sensitive 8-week team challenge-based intervention targeting increased physical activity was delivered at a petrochemical worksite. The purpose of this study was to examine men's pre-post physical activity and sleep following the intervention, as well as to explore program acceptability and gather men's recommendations for health promotion. Pre-post surveys assessed physical activity, sleep, program exposure, acceptability, and suggestions for continued support. Overall, 328 men completed baseline surveys and 186 (57%) completed follow-up surveys. Walking increased by 156.5 min/week, 95% confidence interval (61.2, 251.8), p = .001. Men with higher program exposure increased moderate and vigorous activity 49.4 min more than those with low exposure (p = .026). Sleep duration and quality were higher postintervention, though changes were modest. Program acceptability was high as was intention to maintain physical activity. Men's suggestions to enable physical activity involved workplace practices/resources, reducing workload, and leadership support. These findings suggest that a gender-sensitive physical activity workplace intervention showed promise for improving physical activity and sleep among men. The men's suggestions reflected workplace health promotion strategies, reinforcing the need for employers to support ongoing health promotion efforts.

Task rotation in an underground coal mine: Implications on injury and musculoskeletal discomfort.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of a task rotation schedule on musculoskeletal injury and the challenges of implementing a task rotation schedule within an underground coal mine. METHODS: This was a pre-post cross-sectional intervention study with two underground coal mines. Participant-surveys were collected at baseline and 12-months. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in musculoskeletal discomfort between the two sites in any body region. Tasks were rotated two to three times a shift on average. CONCLUSIONS: The task rotation schedule did not have a significant impact upon musculoskeletal discomfort although this does not necessarily reflect that the rotation schedule was in-effective in curbing injury, rather highlights the complexity of developing a successful task rotation schedule within an underground coal mine. The task rotation schedule, its implementation and execution need consideration and further investigation to assist in effectively controlling injury and fatigue risk.