per Hamedan University of Medical Sciences Journal of Occupational Hygiene Engineering 2383-336x 2383-3378 2025-02 11 4 275 288 article Masoud Shafiee Motlagh shafiee.ohe@gmail.com 1 Ali Sobhani-Dargah Alisobhanidargah@gmail.com 2 Amirali Shad amiralishad3@gmail.com 3 Amirreza babaei amir.rezababaee77@gmail.com 4 Mohamad Dinarvand mohammad3663.76@gmail.com 5 Arman Hedayati Armanhedayatiii20@gmail.com 6 Occupational Health and Safety Research Center, Institute of Health Sciences and Technologies, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Center of Excellence for Occupational Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Center of Excellence for Occupational Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Center of Excellence for Occupational Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Center of Excellence for Occupational Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Center of Excellence for Occupational Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Background and Objective: Glass manufacturing factories face serious challenges, such as noise and heat, as they are one of the industries that expose employees to harmful physical factors. The present study aimed to design and validate a chamber to reduce workers' exposure to noise and heat while providing the desired lighting for the glass manufacturing industry. Materials and Methods: In this study, the heat exposure of 16 workers was evaluated using the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index measured with a calibrated QUESTEMP 10 device, as well as the perceived stress index (PeSI). Environmental noise was measured using a calibrated Casella CEL-450 sound level meter. The chamber design included calculations of thermal loads and air conditioning inside the chamber using psychrometric charts and determination of sound transmission loss. The effectiveness of the chamber was simulated with WBGT and noise maps at 48 measurement stations using Surfer 21.6.216 software. Furthermore, an artificial lighting system was designed using DIALux software (version 13.4). Results: The highest and lowest WBGT values were obtained at 40.36 and 17.82 degrees Celsius, respectively. The mean scores of perceived stress of the first and second-shift workers were reported as 0.86±8.41 and 0.88±7.66, respectively. The sound pressure level in the production hall was measured at 94.16 dB, which was estimated to be about 74.16 dB inside the chamber. The average illumination intensity was measured at 304 lux, with a uniformity ratio of 0.63. Conclusion: The designed chamber effectively reduces noise and heat exposure in the glass manufacturing industry while ensuring adequate lighting for employees. http://johe.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-963-en.pdf Chamber construction Heat stress Lighting design Noise control WBGT index per Hamedan University of Medical Sciences Journal of Occupational Hygiene Engineering 2383-336x 2383-3378 2025-02 11 4 289 297 article shadi saeedi shadisaeedi28@gmail.com 1 seyed Abolfazl zakerian zakerian@tums.ac.ir 2 kamal azam kazam@tums.ac.ir 3 Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Background and Objective: Workplace emotional health is one of the fundamental topics in the field of organizational psychology and human resource management. This concept refers to a state in which employees are able to effectively manage and appropriately express their emotions and adapt to stressful situations and workplace challenges. Neglecting employees' emotional health can reduce productivity and increase job burnout. The present study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of an emotional health questionnaire in the workplace. Materials and Methods: In this study, a validated questionnaire was used to assess emotional health in the workplace. The reliability and validity of this questionnaire were evaluated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, linguistic validity, Content Validity Ratio (CVR), and Content Validity Index (CVI). The content validity of the questionnaire was assessed by 15 university professors and academic experts. To determine reliability, the questionnaire was completed by 385 nurses. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software (version 26). Results: Based on the linguistic validity assessment of the workplace emotional health questionnaire, two out of 25 items required revision. The CVR value for the overall emotional health scale was 0.89, and the CVI in the present study was found to be 0.97. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for emotional expression, emotional awareness, interpersonal adaptability, workload, and the total questionnaire were 0.89, 0.85, 0.80, 0.82, and 0.94, respectively — all of which were acceptable and desirable. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that, given the satisfactory levels of validity and reliability indices, the Emotional Health Assessment Questionnaire for employees can be considered a valid tool for evaluating emotional status in workplace environments. http://johe.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-960-en.pdf Emotional expression Emotional intelligence Employee mental health Interpersonal relationships Questionnaires Workload per Hamedan University of Medical Sciences Journal of Occupational Hygiene Engineering 2383-336x 2383-3378 2025-02 11 4 298 310 article Kambiz MohammadPour mohammadpourkambiz@gmail.com 1 Mohadeseh Nadershahi m.nadershi@pnu.ac.ir 2 Department of Industrial Engineering, Kermanshah Jahad Daneshgahi Institute of Higher Education, Kermanshah, Iran Department of Industrial Engineering, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran Background and Objective: Safety issues of natural gas pipelines have become an important issue in recent years. In this regard, risk analysis of gas pipelines has received attention, and approaches related to the identification and determination of risks of natural gas pipelines, especially the assessment and quantitative analysis of gas pipeline risks, have become an important issue. Therefore, the present study aimed to model the risks of the gas industry distribution process using Bayesian networks. Materials and Methods: This study was applied in terms of purpose and mixed-method in terms of data collection and analysis methods. The statistical population of the research consisted of experts and specialists of the Kermanshah Province Gas Company in Iran. Purposive sampling was used to select 30 participants. The required data were collected in the qualitative part using semi-structured individual interviews and in the quantitative part using a questionnaire. The thematic analysis method was used for qualitative data analysis and the Bayesian networks method was used for quantitative data analysis. Results: Results of qualitative data analysis indicated that the risks in a gas industry distribution process can be classified and studied in three general categories, namely risks due to human error (consisting of 20 risks), organizational risks (including 11 risks), and technical risks (consisting of 4 risks). The results of sensitivity analysis also showed that gas pressure gauge, connections, quality of maintenance staff, filters, and maintenance strategy have the greatest impact on reliability, in that order. Conclusion: Performance of a complex technological system depends on the interaction of technical, human, organizational, social, and environmental factors. The present study provided an integrated framework for the assessment of the potential reliability and risk in gas distribution units by considering technical, human, and organizational criteria. http://johe.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-967-en.pdf Bayesian networks Gas industry Modeling Risk management per Hamedan University of Medical Sciences Journal of Occupational Hygiene Engineering 2383-336x 2383-3378 2025-02 11 4 311 322 article Hamed Aghaei hamedaghaeih@gmail.com 1 Taleb Askaripoor taleb.askaripoor@yahoo.com 2 Mohammad Ebrahim Ghaffari kazemie1981@gmail.com 3 elahe kazemi damghan.edo@yahoo.com 4 Department of occupational health and safety engineering, TMS.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Department of Occupational Health Engineering and Safety, Damghan School of Public Health, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Health, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran Department of Occupational Health Engineering and Safety, Damghan School of Public Health, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran Background and Objective: Medication errors are recognized as a serious threat to patient safety that can lead to adverse health outcomes and increased healthcare costs. This study evaluated the impact of font size, font type, and correlated color temperature (CCT) on the readability of printed medication prescriptions. Materials and Methods: This experimental study was conducted at a teaching hospital with the participation of 30 nurses. In total, four levels of CCT (2885, 4003, 6132, and 9973 K) at a constant illuminance of 150 lx, along with three font types (Tahoma, Zar, and Yekan) in three different sizes (9, 11, and 13pt) were evaluated in this study. Data analysis was performed using linear mixed models (LMM). Results: The results revealed that CCT has a significant effect on readability. The highest error rate was observed at 2885 K, significantly greater than 6132 K (P=0.004) and 9973 K (P=0.002). Font size also had a significant impact, with font size 9pt producing more errors than sizes 11 and 13. No significant effect was observed for font type. Subjectively, except for irritability, other variables, including adequacy of amount and color of illumination, light distribution, pleasantness, performance, and sleepiness, did not exhibit significant differences among the various lighting conditions. Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of optimizing lighting conditions and typographic characteristics in reducing readability errors in medication prescriptions. However, further studies are necessary to determine the optimal lighting parameters and their interaction with typographic variables. http://johe.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-972-en.pdf Correlated color temperature Lighting conditions Medication Errors Patient safety Readability per Hamedan University of Medical Sciences Journal of Occupational Hygiene Engineering 2383-336x 2383-3378 2025-02 11 4 323 333 article Hamidreza Pouragha h.pouragha@mehralborz.ac.ir 1 jabrail Nasirian jabrail1363@yahoo.com 2 Mahsa Naserpour naserpour2011@gmail.com 3 Iraj Mohebbi mohebbi_iraj@yahoo.co.uk 4 Mehr Alborz University, Tehran, Iran Mehr Alborz University, Tehran, Iran Mehr Alborz University, Tehran, Iran Department of Occupational Health, School of Health, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran Background and Objective: Occupational exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) and respirable dust in the cement industry increases the risk of respiratory diseases, including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). This study aimed to evaluate the effects of these pollutants on spirometric indices and respiratory health among cement factory workers in Urmia, Iran. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on 375 workers over a four-year period. Spirometric data, including Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), and FEV1/FVC ratio, were collected in two two-year periods and analyzed using statistical tests. Results: The results indicated that prolonged exposure to RCS and inhalable dust led to significant reductions in FEV1 and FVC, as well as the emergence of restrictive lung disorders, particularly among workers who are working in production and maintenance occupational groups. Additionally, individual factors, such as BMI and smoking were significantly associated with decreased pulmonary function. Smoking was identified as the most critical factor influencing the development of COPD patterns. Conclusion: In this study, smoking was identified as the most significant factor influencing COPD patterns among cement industry workers. Additionally, the findings indicate that prolonged exposure to respirable dust and crystalline silica in the workplace, particularly in the cement industry, leads to a significant decline in pulmonary function indices, such as FEV1 and FVC, contributing to a restrictive impairment pattern. http://johe.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-977-en.pdf Cement industry Crystalline Occupational Exposure Pulmonary function tests Silica Smoking per Hamedan University of Medical Sciences Journal of Occupational Hygiene Engineering 2383-336x 2383-3378 2025-02 11 4 334 344 article Kazhal Rostami kazhalrostamiiii@gmail.com 1 Sara Bahmanipour sara.bahmanipour1378@gmail.com 2 Hojjat Sayadi sayyadi.h@gmail.com 3 Shiva Souri ssoury93@gmail.com 4 Student Research Committee, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran Student Research Committee, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, School of Health, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran Background and Objective: High Carbon Dioxide (CO2) concentration can adversely affect the concentration and intellectual performance of students and teachers. The present study aimed to assess the air quality of classrooms using the CO2 index in classrooms at the School of Health. Materials and Methods: CO2 concentration was measured using the Aeroqual device at 15, 30, 60, and 90 minutes in nine classes with three groups of students on different days (27 times). The data were analyzed in Stata software (version 18) using the generalized estimating equations technique, and responses were compared with standard values ​​of CO2 concentration using t-tests. Results: The results demonstrated that the air exchange rate varied from 0.01 to 1.39 times per hour, which was far from the standard limit. In most cases, the CO2 concentration exceeded the permissible limit after 15 minutes and continued to increase until the end of the class. Between 30 and 60 minutes, the concentration trend inside the classrooms was almost constant. The increasing trend continued until the end of the class. Conclusion: The present study indicated that, according to the ASHRAE 62.1 Ventilation Standard and the recommendations of the World Health Organization, the ventilation rate in the classrooms was not sufficient. Therefore, it is recommended to improve the air quality of the classrooms by providing mechanical ventilation plans, especially in the cold seasons of the year. http://johe.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-966-en.pdf Carbon dioxide concentration Educational environment Indoor air quality Natural ventilation per Hamedan University of Medical Sciences Journal of Occupational Hygiene Engineering 2383-336x 2383-3378 2025-02 11 4 345 353 article fatemeh borazjani Fatemehbrz1997@gmail.com 1 mohsen aliabadi Mohsen.aliabadi@umsha.ac.ir 2 maryam farhadian maryam_farhadian80@yahoo.com 3 mohammad babamiri m.babamiri@umsha.ac.ir 4 Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Iran Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Iran Department of Biostatistics, School of Health, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Department of Psychology, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran Background and Objective: Exposure to sound levels above the permissible occupational limits in industrial environments, in addition to causing auditory effects, can impact cognitive performance and emotional states, leading to human errors and ultimately workplace accidents. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate the effect of noise on aggression levels among industrial workers. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on female workers employed in a polymer product manufacturing industry in Bushehr Province, Iran. A total of 161 participants were voluntarily selected through random sampling, after obtaining written informed consent. Based on their noise exposure levels, workers were divided into three groups: Group 1 (exposed to noise levels below 75 dB), Group 2 (exposed to noise levels between 75 and 85dB), and Group 3 (exposed to noise levels above 85dB). Participants completed the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 21) through one-way ANOVA, paired t-test, independent t-test, and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: The mean aggression scores in the groups of <75dB, 75-85dB, and >85dB were 65.24±1.29, 69.02±1.7, and 79.93±1.66, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in terms of the level of aggression in the groups exposed to sound below 75 dB and sound between 75 and 85dB, with the group exposed to sound above 85dB (P<0.001). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that, despite controlling for other parameters, increased noise levels in the workplace lead to higher aggression among individuals. Aggression may be influenced by various factors, such as job dissatisfaction, family issues, heat (unfavorable weather conditions), and air pollution at the workplace. These factors, alongside noise pollution, pose health risks to workers in industrial settings, and implementing preventive programs can effectively reduce the occurrence of accidents. http://johe.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-978-en.pdf Aggression Noise sensitivity Personality type Sound level per Hamedan University of Medical Sciences Journal of Occupational Hygiene Engineering 2383-336x 2383-3378 2025-02 11 4 354 363 article Khalil Houshmand Zafaraniyeh khalilhoushmand@yahoo.com 1 Hossein Akbari Akbari1350_h@yahoo.com 2 Mohsen Yazdani-Aval mohsen.yazdaniaval@gmail.com 3 Masoud Matlabi Kashani motallebi_m@kaums.ac.ir 4 School of Health, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran Department of Occupational Health, School of Health, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran Background and Objective: Non-compliance with existing safety standards can increase the risk of fire incidents in buildings. This study aimed to assess the impact of fire safety inspections, based on the enforcement of national building fire protection regulations, on improving safety levels in buildings in Sabzevar, Iran. Materials and Methods: This applied research adopted a mixed-methods (qualitative-quantitative) approach. The study population included all fire inspection and operational records from two distinct periods: the first three years following the implementation of the Third Chapter of Iran’s National Building Regulations (2011-2013) and the three years preceding the study (2020-2022). Data were collected through a single-stage simple random sampling method, using archival records and a structured checklist. After reviewing the documents, the frequency of fire incident mitigation strategies and safety levels was analyzed. Statistical relationships were examined using independent t-tests, ANOVA, and chi-square tests. Results: The results indicated that the ratio of fire incidents to total incidents was higher in the initial three years of regulation implementation (2011-2013), compared to the recent three-year period (2020-2022), with the lowest ratio observed in 2021. The proportion of fire-related injuries to total injuries was lowest in 2013 and highest in 2020. Similarly, the ratio of fire-related fatalities to total fatalities was lowest in 2021 and highest in 2012. Conclusion: The findings underscore that the enhancements in fire safety regulations contributed to a reduction in fire-related incidents. Additionally, post-regulation revisions, a significant increase was observed in the number of buildings receiving safety certifications. http://johe.umsha.ac.ir/article-1-962-en.pdf Building Safety Fire Inspection Fire Prevention National Building Regulations Urban Safety