Access to properly fitting personal protective equipment for female construction workers.

BACKGROUND: Previous literature suggests that most personal protective equipment (PPE) for construction is designed for males and does not accommodate female anthropometry. We conducted a pilot study to identify whether female construction workers currently have adequate access to properly fitting PPE. METHODS: Semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with union female carpenters, laborers, and ironworkers. Researchers coded focus group transcriptions and extracted major themes using thematic framework analysis. RESULTS: Participants (n = 23) had a mean of 15.1 years of construction experience (range 3-34.5 years). A majority reported fit problems for many types of PPE (gloves, harnesses, safety vests, work boots, outerwear), generally noting that the equipment provided by contractors was too large. Other emergent themes included female workers purchasing their own PPE, exposure to various safety hazards from poorly fitted PPE, and perceived indifferent safety culture. CONCLUSIONS: Female construction workers continue to have difficulty accessing properly fitting PPE. Am. J. Ind. Med. 59:1032-1040, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Diesel and silica monitoring at two sites following hurricane sandy.

Following Hurricane Sandy, which hit New York City and New Jersey in October 2012, industrial hygienists from the Mount Sinai and Belleview/New York University occupational medicine clinics conducted monitoring for diesel exhaust and silica in lower Manhattan and Rockaway Peninsula. Average daytime elemental carbon levels at three stations in lower Manhattan on December 4, 2012, ranged from 9 to18 µg/m(3). Sub-micron particle counts at various times on the same day were over 200,000 particles per cubic centimeter on many streets in lower Manhattan. In Rockaway Peninsula on December 12, 2012, all average daytime elemental carbon levels were below a detection limit of approximately 7 µg/m(3). The average daytime crystalline silica dust concentration was below detection at two sites on Rockaway Peninsula, and was 0.015 mg/m(3) quartz where sand was being replaced on the beach. The daily average levels of elemental carbon and airborne particulates that we measured are in the range of levels that have been found to cause respiratory effects in sensitive subpopulations like asthmatic patients after 2 hr of exposure. Control of exposure to diesel exhaust must be considered following natural disasters where diesel-powered equipment is used in cleanup and recovery. Although peak silica exposures were not likely captured in this study, but were reported by a government agency to have exceeded recommended guidelines for at least one cleanup worker, we recommend further study of silica exposures when debris removal operations or traffic create visible levels of suspended dust from soil or sand.

Submicron particle monitoring of paving and related road construction operations.

This study identified activities and sources that contribute to ultrafine and other submicron particle exposure that could trigger respiratory symptoms in highway repair workers. Submicron particle monitoring was conducted for paving, milling, and pothole repair operations in a major metropolitan area where several highway repair workers were identified as symptomatic for respiratory illness following exposures at the 2001 World Trade Center disaster site. Exposure assessments were conducted for eight trades involved in road construction using a TSI P-Trak portable condensation particle counter. Direct readings near the workers' breathing zones and observations of activities and potential sources were logged on 7 days on 27 workers using four different models of pavers and two types of millers. Average worker exposure levels ranged from 2 to 3 times background during paving and from 1 to 4 times background during milling. During asphalt paving, average personal exposures to submicron particulates were 25,000-60,000, 28,000-70,000, and 23,000-37,000 particles/ cm(3) for paver operators, screed operators, and rakers, respectively. Average personal exposures during milling were 19,000-111,000, 28,000-81,000, and 19,000 particles/cm(3) for the large miller operators, miller screed operators, and raker, respectively. Personal peak exposures were measured up to 467,000 and 455,000 particles/cm(3) in paving and milling, respectively. Several sources of submicron particles were identified. These included the diesel and electric fired screed heaters; engine exhaust from diesel powered construction vehicles passing by or idling; raking, dumping, and paving of asphalt; exhaust from the hotbox heater; pavement dust or fumes from milling operations, especially when the large miller started and stopped; and secondhand cigarette smoke. To reduce the potential for health effects in workers, over 40 recommendations were made to control exposures, including improved maintenance of paver ventilation systems; diesel fume engineering controls; reduced idling; provision of cabs for the operators; and improved dust suppression systems on the milling machine.

World Trade Center disaster: assessment of responder occupations, work locations, and job tasks.

BACKGROUND: To date there have been no comprehensive reports of the work performedby 9/11 World Trade Center responders. METHODS: 18,969 responders enrolled in the WTC Medical Monitoring and Treatment Program were used to describe workers' pre-9/11 occupations, WTC work activities and locations from September 11, 2001 to June 2002. RESULTS: The most common pre-9/11 occupation was protective services (47%); other common occupations included construction, telecommunications, transportation, and support services workers. 14% served as volunteers. Almost one-half began work on 9/11 and >80% reported working on or adjacent to the ''pile'' at Ground Zero. Initially,the most common activity was search and rescue but subsequently, the activities of most responders related to their pre-9/11 occupations. Other major activities included security; personnel support; buildings and grounds cleaning; and telecommunications repair. CONCLUSIONS: The spatial, temporal, occupational, and task-related taxonomy reported here will aid the development of a job-exposure matrix, assist in assessment of disease risk, and improve planning and training for responders in future urban disasters.