Discrepancies Between Implementation and Perceived Effectiveness of Leading Safety Indicators in the US Dairy Product Manufacturing Industry.

Background: In the United States, the dairy product manufacturing industry has consistently had higher rates of work-related nonfatal injuries and illnesses compared to the national average for industries in all sectors. The selection and implementation of appropriate safety performance indicators are important aspect of reducing risk within safety management systems. This study examined the leading safety indicators implemented in the dairy product-manufacturing sector (NAICS 3115) and their perceived effectiveness in reducing work-related injuries. Methods: Perceptions were collected from individuals with safety responsibilities in the dairy product manufacturing facilities. OSHA Incident Rate (OIR) and Days away, restricted and transferred (DART) rates from 2013 to 2018 were analyzed. Results: The perceived most effective leading were safety observations, stop work authority, near miss reporting, safety audits, preventative maintenance, safety inspections, safety training attendance, and job hazard analysis/safety analysis, respectively. The 6-year trend analysis showed that those implementing all eight top indicators had a slightly lower rates than those that did not implement all eight. Production focused mentality, poor training, and lack of management commitment were perceived as the leading causes of injuries in this industry. Conclusion: Collecting leading indicators with the unique interest to meet the regulatory requirements and to document the management system without the actual goal of using them as input to improve the system most probably will not lead to an effective reduction of negative safety outcomes. For leading indicators to be effective, they should be properly selected, executed, periodically evaluated and actions are taken when necessary.

Examination of the Contributing Factors to Fatalities in Electrical Trades Due to Contact With Electricity.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine contributing factors to fatalities in electrical occupations due to contact with electricity. METHODS: Proportionate mortality ratios were calculated along with the Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test of significance using Occupational Safety and Health Administration data. Cross-tabulation analyses were examined by the Pearson chi-square test of independence. RESULTS: Electricians and electrical power installers/repairers experienced significantly higher proportions of fatalities due to contact with electric current of machine, tool, or light fixture and contact with overhead power lines, respectively. Factors such as accident date, location, union status, project type, cost, electrical event, human factor, part of body, source of injury, and fatality cause, exhibited significant associations with electrical trade fatalities. CONCLUSIONS: Fatalities in electrical occupations are attributable to increased exposures to electrical hazards during regular work activities. Strict adherence to safe work practices and procedures is critical to electrical fatality prevention.

Chemical-Induced Hearing Loss in Shipyard Workers.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of lead, cadmium, arsenic, toluene, and xylene exposure on hearing compared with noise exposures alone. METHODS: Personnel at a shipyard (n = 1266) were divided into four exposure groups on the basis of concentrations: low metals/low solvents/high noise (reference group), high metals/high solvents/low noise, high metals/low solvents/high noise, and high metals/high solvents/high noise. Hearing changes occurring from the years 2004 to 2015 were analyzed. RESULTS: Hearing changes were significantly worse at 1000 Hz (P = 0.007), averaged across 2000 to 4000 Hz (P = 0.014), and averaged across 500 to 6000 Hz (P = 0.014) for the high metals/high solvent/high noise group compared with the low metals/low solvents/high noise only reference group. CONCLUSION: Simultaneous exposures classified as high for metals/solvents/noise appear to damage hearing more than exposure to noise alone. Hearing conservation programs should take into consideration combined exposures to metals, solvents, and noise, not simply exposure to noise.

Effects of combined exposure to metals, solvents, and noise on permanent threshold shifts.

BACKGROUND: Studies suggest metal and solvent exposure may damage hearing. This study evaluated the association between exposures classified as high for metals, solvents, and noise on permanent threshold shift (PTS) development. METHODS: A total of 1,546 personnel at an industrial shipyard were divided into five exposure groups based on level of concentration: high noise, high metals/solvents, high metals/noise, high metals/solvents/noise, and a low metals/solvents/noise reference group. Hearing threshold changes were analyzed to identify development of a PTS. RESULTS: Logistic regression indicated high metals/solvents and high metals/solvent/noise groups had significantly greater odds ratios of 2.4; 95%CI [1.02, 2.85] and 1.7; 95%CI [1.46, 3.94], respectively, compared to a reference group. Both groups were associated with PTSs while controlling for age, gender, and exposure duration. CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous exposures classified as high for metals and solvents may damage hearing. Results suggest the need for expanding hearing conservation programs to consider combinations of exposures to metals, solvents, and noise. Am. J. Ind. Med. 60:227-238, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cervical flexion-relaxation response to neck muscle fatigue in males and females.

In this study the effect of muscle fatigue on the cervical spine flexion-relaxation response was studied. Twenty healthy participants (10 males and 10 females) were recruited for data collection. The Sorenson protocol was utilized to induce neck muscle fatigue. Surface electromyography and optical motion capture systems were used to measure neck muscle activation and head-neck posture, respectively. A post-fatigue reduction in the Flexion-Relaxation Ratio (FRR) and higher FRR for females compared to males were observed. A post-fatigue decrease was also observed in the onset and offset angles resulting in an expansion of the myoelectric silence period. Gender had no effect on the onset and offset angles of the silence period. Post-fatigue shift in the onset and offset angles and the expansion of the silence period indicate an increased contribution by the passive viscoelastic tissues in stabilizing the cervical spine under fatigued condition.

Impact of shoulder position and fatigue on the flexion-relaxation response in cervical spine.

BACKGROUND: Neck pain is common among general population with a high prevalence among the people who are routinely exposed to prolonged use of static head-neck postures. Prolonged static loading can cause localized muscle fatigue which may impact the stability of the cervical spine. In this study, flexion-relaxation phenomenon was used to study the post fatigue changes in the stability of cervical spine by evaluating the synergistic load sharing between muscles and viscoelastic elements. METHODS: Thirteen male participants were recruited for data collection. The variables that influence cervical flexion-relaxation were studied pre- and post-fatigue using neutral and shrugged shoulder postures. The Sorensen protocol was used to induce neck extensor fatigue. Surface electromyography and optical motion capture systems were used to record neck muscle activation and head posture, respectively. Findings The flexion-relaxation phenomenon was observed only in the neutral shoulder position pre- and post-fatigue. The flexion relaxation ratio decreased significantly post-fatigue in neutral shoulder position but remained unchanged in shrugged shoulder position. The onset and offset angles and the corresponding durations of the silence period were significantly affected by the fatigue causing a post-fatigue expansion of silence period. Interpretation The muscular fatigue of neck extensors and shoulder position was found to modulate the cervical flexion-relaxation phenomenon. Early shifting of load sharing under fatigued condition indicates increased demands on the passive tissues to stabilize the cervical spine. Shrugging of shoulder seems to alter muscular demands of neck extensors and make cervical flexion-relaxation phenomenon disappear due to continuous activation of the neck extensors.