per Hamedan University of Medical Sciences Journal of Occupational Hygiene Engineering 2383-336x 2383-3378 2024-09 11 2 84 94 article Maryam Farrokhzad maryamfarokhzad@yahoo.com 1 Farshid Ghorbani Shahna fghorbani@umsha.ac.ir 2 Maryam Farhadian m.farhadian@umsha.ac.ir 3 Akram Ranjbar a.ranjbar@umsha.ac.ir 4 Mohammad Javad Assari Asari@umsha.ac.ir 5 Department of Basic Sciences, Khomein Faculty of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran Center of Excellence for Occupational Health, Occupational Health and Safety Research Center, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Department of Biostatistics, Research Center for Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Pharmacy Faculty, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Department of Basic Sciences, Khomein Faculty of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran Background and Objective: Exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) causes silicosis, lung cancer, autoimmune diseases of rheumatoid arthritis or systemic scleroderma, and benign respiratory system diseases. The risk assessment has an important scientific role in the control of occupational diseases by estimating the risk of death and determining the dose-response relationship. The present study aimed to evaluate the health risks of occupational exposure to RCS in workers in silica crushing, ceramics, foundry, and cement industrial sectors in Hamadan, Iran. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, occupational exposure to RCS was investigated in 15 job titles. The potential lifetime cancer risk (LCR) was calculated by considering some factors, such as work experience, duration and frequency of exposure, lifetime and the reference rate of inhalation exposure, and the risk coefficient (hazard quotient: HQ), using the Olawoyin model. Results: The lowest levels of LCR (approximately 8 cases per 1.000.000 workers) and HQ (0.093) were obtained in the job title of Furnace (L) in the foundry, and the highest levels of LCR (approximately 2 cases per 1000 workers) and HQ (26.41) were observed in the job title of Supervisor (D) in silica crushing. The HQ levels in nine job titles were higher than the recommended allowable levels, while in other job titles, they were lower. Moreover, the results indicated a direct relationship between LCR and HQ levels in the studied job titles. Conclusion: Considering the important and influential role of the parameters used to evaluate LCR and the possibility of HQ determination by the Olawoyin model, it is recommended that this model be employed to evaluate health risks in occupational exposure to RCS in future studies.   http://johe.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-952-en.pdf Cement Ceramics Foundry Health risk assessment Respirable crystalline silica Silica crushing per Hamedan University of Medical Sciences Journal of Occupational Hygiene Engineering 2383-336x 2383-3378 2024-09 11 2 95 104 article Vahideh Abolhasannejad V.Abolhasannejad@bums.ac.ir 1 Mahmoud Sadeghi Khorashad sadeghi_1339@bums.ac.ir 2 Fereshteh Sadavipour fereshtehsadavipoor1374@gmail.com 3 Elaheh Allahyari elaheh.allahyari@gmail.com 4 Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, School of Health, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, School of Health, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran Student Research Committee, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health, Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran Background and Objective: Absenteeism in the organization is always an important and controversial issue that generates financial costs and affects the quality of services provided; therefore, identifying the related factors is considerably important. The present work was conducted on the absenteeism rate and associated factors in medical educational centers. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional analytical study involving 260 medical staff with a minimum of one year of experience, the research instrument comprised a three-part questionnaire. This questionnaire included sections on demographic information, factors influencing absenteeism among hospital medical staff (e.g., medical, educational, and economic/social issues), and an open-ended question soliciting staff opinions on potential solutions to reduce absenteeism. Data were analyzed after collection using the SPSS (version 19) software. Results: In this study, the mean and standard deviation of sickness absences, paid absences, and unpaid absences were 12.03±9.52, 29.7±9.5, and 0.69±0.05, respectively. The participants were aged between 22 and 56, 56.2% were women,73.8% were married, 75.4% were renters, and 96.6% worked in shift patterns. According to the respondents, medical problems were a significant cause of absence from work. The absenteeism rate was also significantly related to the number of children of the respondents (P=0.01), their education (P=0.004), and the type of employment (P<0.001). Conclusion: Since medical problems have been identified as the leading cause of absenteeism among medical staff, changes and interventions in the organization, such as increasing the number of staff according to the workload and adjusting working hours, as well as encouraging staff and gaining their satisfaction, can help to reduce absenteeism. http://johe.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-923-en.pdf Absenteeism Hospital Medical staff per Hamedan University of Medical Sciences Journal of Occupational Hygiene Engineering 2383-336x 2383-3378 2024-09 11 2 105 114 article Mohammad Taha Kouchaki mohammadtahakouchaki@gmail.com 1 Sogand Sheikholeslami sogand1375@gmail.com 2 Effat Sadat Mirmoeini emirmoeini@hotmail.com 3 Ali Fathi Jozdani ali.fathi77@gmail.com 4 Erfan Ayyoobi aubi65@gmail.com 5 Zohreh Kahramfar kahramfar@umsha.ac.ir 6 Ali Poormohammadi apoormohammadi000@yahoo.com 7 Students Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Students Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Center of Excellence for Occupational Health, Occupational Health and Safety Research Center, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Students Research Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Cancer Research Center, Institute of Cancer, Avicenna Health Research Institute, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti Medical Educational Center, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Center of Excellence for Occupational Health, Occupational Health and Safety Research Center, School of Public Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Background and Objective: Due to the presence of many workshops related to the production of industrial silica in Hamadan province, the workers in these units are constantly exposed to the risks of inhaling crystalline silica dust. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of patients with silicosis in Hamadan province in Iran. Materials and Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted on 25 patients with silicosis between 2011 and 2021. The study examined the files of all silicosis patients hospitalized in Hamadan hospitals. In this work, the data collection tool included a researcher-made checklist containing eight question sections. Results: According to the results obtained, among 25 patients examined, 4, 4, 5, 6, and 2 were mine workers, stone cutters, stone crushers, glass and silica factory workers, and well diggers, respectively. In addition, 52% of silicosis patients were suffering from cardiovascular diseases, and 20% of the silicosis patients had kidney failure. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicated that people working in silica mines and workhouses are at a higher risk of contracting irreversible silica disease, which highlights the importance of annual and periodic monitoring of exposure to free crystalline silica in their occupations, as well as to control and reduce exposure through the installation of dust control devices. Moreover, in some cases, simple humidification methods and the careful use of personal protective equipment are recommended. http://johe.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-944-en.pdf Crystalline free silica Hamadan Silicosis per Hamedan University of Medical Sciences Journal of Occupational Hygiene Engineering 2383-336x 2383-3378 2024-09 11 2 115 124 article Fatemeh Rahimian fatemerahimian96@gmail.com 1 Saeed Yousefinezhad yousefinejad.s@gmail.com 2 Younes Sohrabi younessohrabi1371@gmail.com 3 Esmaeel Soleimani esoleimani61@gmail.com 4 Student Research Committee, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, Shushtar Faculty of Medical Sciences, Shushtar, Iran 2. Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Background and Objective: Styrene is widely used in the production of many products, such as paints, glues, and plastics. There is a high potential for exposure to this toxic solvent in workplaces. The present study aimed to assess the levels of exposure to styrene via air and biological monitoring methods and determine the correlation between them in styrene-exposed workers. Materials and Methods: A total of 44 workers from a polymer manufacturing industry were studied, and the workers’ inhalational exposure to styrene was measured. In addition, the levels of urinary mandelic acid were determined. Data was analyzed using the SPSS (version 22.0) software. Results: The time-weighted average (TWA) exposure to styrene was equal to 18.35±11.02 ppm. The mean urinary mandelic acid was 150 mg/g creatinine. Moreover, a significant correlation was observed between the styrene concentration and the urinary mandelic acid (r=0.841). The correlation was stronger in workers with no skin exposure than in those with this type of exposure. Furthermore, a significant correlation was observed based on working hours per day (less than or more than 8 hours per day) so that the correlation was better for workers with shorter exposures (r= 0.922 vs. 0.713). Conclusion: The findings of the present study indicated a relatively strong correlation between inhalational exposure to styrene and the levels of mandelic acid in urine. In addition, smoking and working conditions, such as skin exposure and working hours per day, can affect the levels of urinary mandelic acid. Therefore, these factors should be considered in the exposure assessment of workers exposed to styrene. http://johe.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-932-en.pdf Air monitoring Biological monitoring Mandelic acid Styrene Workers per Hamedan University of Medical Sciences Journal of Occupational Hygiene Engineering 2383-336x 2383-3378 2024-09 11 2 125 132 article Mehran Maleki Roveshti mehranmaleki383@gmail.com 1 Ali Naeimi alinaeimii7@gmail.com 2 Ghaem Specialized Group, Industry and Mining Holding, Tehran, Iran Ghaem Specialized Group, Industry and Mining Holding, Tehran, Iran Background and Objective: The safety climate is one of the most important indicators for the evaluation of the leading performance in work environments and a snapshot of the safety culture. The present research aimed to investigate the impact of safety climate among the employees of a large-scale industrial-mining company in Iran. Materials and Methods: The present study employs an applied research method in terms of its purpose and a descriptive cross-sectional design regarding its implementation. The statistical population includes employees working in four institutions of a large-scale industrial mining company and its subsidiary organizations, from which the participants were selected using a random sampling method. Data collection was performed through the Nordic Safety Atmosphere Questionnaire (NOSACQ-50). Data analysis was carried out using a one-way variance test and the SPSS 26 software. Results: The results indicated that the fourth dimension factor had the lowest score, and the seventh dimension factor had the highest score among the safety climate dimensions of the company and its subsidiaries. No significant difference was observed between the safety climate score and the variables, including age, work experience, job position, and education level (P<0.05). However, the average safety climate score in the measured institutions based on the ANOVA statistical test had a significant difference (P<0.05). The average score of the safety climate of the company and its subsidiaries was in relatively appropriate condition. Conclusion: The findings indicated that the measurement of the safety climate is a suitable tool for investigating the fields of intervention at organizational and managerial levels to improve safety and reduce accidents in the fields of industry and mining.   http://johe.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-912-en.pdf Nordic questionnaire Occupational accidents Safety climate Safety performance Safety behavior per Hamedan University of Medical Sciences Journal of Occupational Hygiene Engineering 2383-336x 2383-3378 2024-09 11 2 133 143 article Abdorahman Bahrami bahrami@umsha.ac.ir 1 Shiva Sory soury@yahoo.com 2 Zahra Ghalichi Zave zahraghalichi@yahoo.com 3 Farshid Ghorbani Shahna fghorbani@umsha.ac.ir 4 Occupational Health Pole of the Country, Occupational Health and Safety Research Center, Faculty of Health, Hamedan University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan, Iran Occupational Health Pole of the Country, Occupational Health and Safety Research Center, Faculty of Health, Hamedan University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan, Iran Occupational Health Pole of the Country, Occupational Health and Safety Research Center, Faculty of Health, Hamedan University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan, Iran Occupational Health Pole of the Country, Occupational Health and Safety Research Center, Faculty of Health, Hamedan University of Medical Sciences, Hamedan, Iran Background and Objective: In the present study, two different and novel adsorbents were synthesized and investigated for their efficiency in needle trap sampling of PAH compounds in the air. Materials and Methods: The needle trap samplers filled with each of the adsorbents were tested separately and under the same conditions to sample the air containing the analyte. The effect of parameters such as temperature and desorption time, volume of breakdown passage, and the retention time of analyte in the substrate of each adsorbent were determined, and the performance parameters of the method, such as limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ), were evaluated. Results: The results of investigating the performance of the proposed needle trap samplers demonstrated that the lowest temperature and desorption time are related to the needle trap containing XAD-2/PANI. Furthermore, the comparison of the three types of needle trap samplers in terms of the ability to store the sample in the environment with a temperature of 25°C illustrated that the needle trap containing Zn-MOF adsorbent is better than the needle trap containing XAD-2/PANI. Conclusion: Based on the results of investigating the performance of needle trap samplers studied in the laboratory phase and the field, both adsorbents used, due to their favorable characteristics, are able to improve the performance of the needle trap samplers for sampling polycyclic aromatic compounds and can achieve high sensitivity for sampling and analyzing these compounds. http://johe.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-945-en.pdf Adsorbent synthesis Air Needle trap device (NTD) Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) per Hamedan University of Medical Sciences Journal of Occupational Hygiene Engineering 2383-336x 2383-3378 2024-09 11 2 144 156 article Davoud Afshari davodafi@yahoo.com 1 Gholam Abbas Shirali shirali@ajums.ac.ir 2 Zohre Shabgard zohrehshabgard@gmail.com 3 Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran Background and Objective: The present study aimed to identify and prioritize the factors affecting the desire to leave the job of employees of a health center in Ahvaz City, Iran. Materials and Methods: A descriptive-analytical study was conducted in health centers in Ahvaz in 2023. The factors influencing the desire to leave a job were identified through a literature review and the fuzzy Delphi method. Additionally, 100 employees completed Kim's Turnover Tendency Scale. In the final step, the identified factors were weighted and prioritized using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Results: A total of 32 effective factors influencing the desire to leave work were identified and categorized into four groups: individual factors, organizational factors, job factors, and job-related factors. The findings from the AHP method indicated that age (0.213), education level (0.176), and work experience (0.143) from the category of individual factors, as well as salary, type of employment, and lack of promotion opportunities from the category of organizational factors, leadership and management style (0.243), changes in job descriptions (0.243), and organizational position (0.198), along with the employment of unqualified individuals (0.147) from the category of managerial factors, were identified as the most significant risk factors predicting the intention to leave a job among employees in health centers. Conclusion: By identifying and prioritizing the factors affecting the desire to leave the job among the employees of health centers, preventive measures can be defined and implemented to maintain the human resources providing health services. http://johe.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-941-en.pdf Analytical hierarchy process (AHP) Delphi method Turnover intention per Hamedan University of Medical Sciences Journal of Occupational Hygiene Engineering 2383-336x 2383-3378 2024-09 11 2 157 165 article Atefeh Sodaei Atefehsodaei75@gmail.com 1 Parisa Adibi Adibi.p37@gmail.com 2 Hamidreza Pouragha h.pouragha@mehralborz.ac.ir 3 Department of Civil-Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Mehr-Alborz University, Tehran, Iran Faculty of Pharmacy, Shahreza Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran Department of Civil-Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, Mehr-Alborz University, Tehran, Iran Background and Objective: Inhalation of crystalline silica particles in the workplace can lead to occupational diseases, such as silicosis. This study aims to evaluate and compare airborne concentrations of crystalline silica and respirable dust in the refractory brick industries in Isfahan province. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the airborne concentrations of crystalline silica and respirable dust were measured among 79 workers from large industries and 30 workers from small refractory brick industries over a three-year period. Personal sampling was conducted using individual sampling pumps and cyclones. Data analysis was performed in SPSS 24 software using the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results: The results indicated that 65.1% of the samples exceeded the occupational exposure limits, while 34.9% were below the limits. There was no significant difference in the mean three-year airborne crystalline silica concentration between the two occupational groups (P=0.791). However, a significant difference was observed in the mean airborne respirable dust concentrations between the groups (P=0.002). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that the implementation of safety, health, and environmental management systems has effectively reduced airborne crystalline silica and respirable dust concentrations, creating a safer work environment for employees.   http://johe.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-949-en.pdf Airborne concentration Crystalline silica Occupational health system Refractory brick industry