Articles

Artificial intelligence and robotisation in the EU - should we change OHS law?

Technological progress in the twenty-first century offers real chances for economic development of the European Union (EU). The purpose of this publication is to analyse risks and threats relating to Occupatio...

Authors: Maciej Jarota

Correction to: Exposures to 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid with or without endotoxin upregulate small cell lung cancer pathway

Authors: Geetika Kaur, B. V. Sunil Kumar, Baljit Singh and R. S. Sethi

Adverse health manifestations in the hands of vibration exposed carpenters - a cross sectional study

Despite EU regulatory standards, many workers suffer injury as a result of working with hand-held vibrating tools. Our aim of this study was to confirm whether carpenters, a highly exposed group, suffer more i...

Authors: Eva Tekavec, Lotta Löfqvist, Anna Larsson, Karin Fisk, Jakob Riddar, Tohr Nilsson and Catarina Nordander

Pushing occupational rehabilitation – implementation of a therapy diary in the outpatient aftercare of psychosomatic rehabilitation may promote the occupational reintegration process: a survey of therapists and patients

Treatment results achieved after fulfilling an inpatient psychosomatic rehabilitation are often not permanent. Additional participation in outpatient rehabilitation aftercare may reduce the risk of recurrent d...

Authors: Carolin Thiel, Cynthia Richter, Franziska-Antonia Zora Samos, Marcus Heise, Thomas Frese and Thomas Fankhaenel

Exposures to 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid with or without endotoxin upregulate small cell lung cancer pathway

Pesticide residues in food and environment along with airborne contaminants such as endotoxins pose health risk. Although herbicide 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) has been associated with increased ris...

Authors: Geetika Kaur, B. V. Sunil Kumar, Baljit Singh and R. S. Sethi

Effects of person-environment fit of gender-role orientation on burnout, engagement and hair steroids as stress biomarkers among women

Analysis on gender related differences in occupational stress and burnout levels usually reveal higher occupational stress and burnout levels for women compared to men, especially in male-dominated working env...

Authors: Eva Wacker, Axel Fischer and Julia Schorlemmer

The impact of chronic co-exposure to different heavy metals on small fibers of peripheral nerves. A study of metal industry workers

Chronic exposure to heavy metals affects various organs, among them the brain and peripheral nerves. Polyneuropathy is mainly length-dependent with predominantly sensory symptoms. There have been few studies o...

Authors: Magdalena Koszewicz, Katarzyna Markowska, Marta Waliszewska-Prosol, Rafał Poreba, Paweł Gac, Anna Szymanska-Chabowska, Grzegorz Mazur, Malgorzata Wieczorek, Maria Ejma, Krzysztof Slotwinski and Slawomir Budrewicz

Prevalence of second victims, risk factors and support strategies among young German physicians in internal medicine (SeViD-I survey)

Second victims, defined as healthcare team members being traumatised by an unanticipated clinical event or outcome, are frequent in healthcare. Evidence of this phenomenon in Germany, however, is sparse. Recen...

Authors: Reinhard Strametz, Peter Koch, Anja Vogelgesang, Amie Burbridge, Hannah Rösner, Miriam Abloescher, Wolfgang Huf, Brigitte Ettl and Matthias Raspe

Addressing future work ability of employees in GP consultations: results of a cross-sectional study

In this study we examined to what extent members of a best-practice integrated healthcare model in Germany discussed their subjective future work ability with their general practitioner (GP); furthermore, we e...

Authors: Anna T. Ehmann, Peter Martus, Achim Siegel and Monika A. Rieger

Creating a measure to operationalize engaged well-being at work

Mental well-being and work engagement are both desirable, positive states of mind that help employees to better function in the workplace. While occupational researchers have argued in favor of considering bot...

Authors: Catherin Bosle, Joachim E. Fischer and Raphael M. Herr

Sleep duration and satisfaction among physicians in tertiary public hospitals in China: a large sample national survey

To investigate the sleep duration and level of satisfaction among physicians in tertiary public hospitals in China, and to explore associated factors.

Authors: Yinuo Wu, Feng Jiang, Shichao Wu, Yuanli Liu and Yi-Lang Tang

Symmetrical dental occlusion blocking – changes of body sway and weight distribution in healthy subjects across 4 age decades

Symmetrical dental occlusion blocking is used in dentistry as a quick diagnostic tool to test for potential influences of the craniomandibular system on body sway and weight distribution. This study presents t...

Authors: C. Maurer-Grubinger, F. Adjami, I. Avaniadi, W. Christian, C. Doerry, V. Fay, V. Fisch, A. Gerez, J. Goecke, U. Kaya, J. Keller, D. Krüger, J. Pflaum, L. Porsch, C. Wischnewski, B. Scharnweber…

Ongoing downplaying of the carcinogenicity of chrysotile asbestos by vested interests

Industries that mine, manufacture and sell asbestos or asbestos-containing products have a long tradition of promoting the use of asbestos, while placing the burden of economic and health costs on workers and ...

Authors: Xaver Baur and Arthur L. Frank

Comparing burnout and work-life balance among specialists in internal medicine: the role of inpatient vs. outpatient workplace

Compared to the general population, physicians are more likely to experience increased burnout and lowered work-life balance. In our article, we want to analyze whether the workplace of a physician is associat...

Authors: Felix S. Hussenoeder, Erik Bodendieck, Franziska Jung, Ines Conrad and Steffi G. Riedel-Heller

Oxidative stress induction in woodworkers occupationally exposed to wood dust and formaldehyde

Many workers are exposed to wood dust (WD) and formaldehyde (FA), whose carcinogenic activity is supposed to be oxidative stress-mediated. This study aims to assess to what extent the occupational exposure to ...

Authors: Federica Ghelli, Valeria Bellisario, Giulia Squillacioti, Elena Grignani, Giacomo Garzaro, Martina Buglisi, Enrico Bergamaschi and Roberto Bono

Medical unfitness for work at sea: causes and incidence rate over a 12-year period in France

The purposes of the study were first to determine the incidence rate of medical unfitness for work at sea among French seafarers, second to identify the conditions (diseases or accidents) causing such incapaci...

Authors: Brice Loddé, Marie-Fleur Megard, Nicolas Le Goff, Laurent Misery, Richard Pougnet, Jean-Dominique Dewitte, David Lucas and Thierry Sauvage

Sooty bark disease of maples: the risk for hypersensitivity pneumonitis by fungal spores not only for woodman

In the middle of the twentieth century, the from North America sooty bark disease (SBD) of maples was first discovered in England and has spread in the last decades in Central Europe, in particular. The trigge...

Authors: Markus Braun, Doris Klingelhöfer and David A. Groneberg

Oxidative stress and DNA damage in agricultural workers after exposure to pesticides

Recent epidemiological studies on workers describe that exposure to pesticides can induce oxidative stress by increased production of free radicals that can accumulate in the cell and damage biological macromo...

Authors: Caterina Ledda, Emanuele Cannizzaro, Diana Cinà, Vera Filetti, Ermanno Vitale, Gianluca Paravizzini, Concettina Di Naso, Ivo Iavicoli and Venerando Rapisarda

Outdoor air pollution from industrial chemicals causing new onset of asthma or COPD: a systematic review protocol

Until today, industrial sources contribute to the multifaceted contamination of environmental air. Exposure to air pollutants has the potential to initiate and promote asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary ...

Authors: Harald Lux, Xaver Baur, Lygia Therese Budnik, Astrid Heutelbeck, João Paulo Teixeira, Emeri Neumann, Diana Adliene, Judita Puišo, David Lucas, Jakob Löndahl, Athanasios Damialis, Ozlem Goksel and Hans Orru

Promoting factors and barriers to participation in working life for people with spinal cord injury

It is still difficult for people with physical impairments to be and remain equally integrated into the labour market. For this reason, the question of occupational activity has explicitly been examined by the...

Authors: Christian Sturm, Andrea Bökel, Christoph Korallus, Veronika Geng, Yorck B. Kalke, Rainer Abel, Ines Kurze and Christoph M. Gutenbrunner

A kinematic posture analysis of neurological assistants in their daily working practice-a pilot study

The aim of this pilot study was to analyze postures during the work of neurologists with respect to their occupational activities.

Authors: Bijanzadeh Anne, Hermanns Ingo, Ellegast Rolf, Laura Fraeulin, Holzgreve Fabian, Stefanie Mache, David A. Groneberg and Ohlendorf Daniela

An assessment of medical students’ proficiency regarding the hazards of radiological examinations on the health of workers and patients: a cross-sectional study from Palestine

The use of radiological examination is increasing worldwide. Since radiation exposure can result in many health hazards, medical professionals, as well as medical students, should possess adequate knowledge re...

Authors: Ahmed Awadghanem, Mahmoud Sbaih, Mohammad Hasoon, Zaher Yassin, Ahmad M. Samara, Mosab Maree and Sa’ed H. Zyoud

Promotion of the influenza vaccination to hospital staff during pre-employment health check: a prospective, randomised, controlled trial

Vaccination is the most effective prevention of seasonal influenza. Despite its recommendation and active promotion, vaccination coverage remains low among healthcare staff. The goal of the study was to test i...

Authors: Michael Currat, Catherine Lazor-Blanchet and Giorgio Zanetti

Estimating the potential reduction in future sickness absence from optimizing group-level psychosocial work characteristics: a prospective, multicenter cohort study in German industrial settings

Absence from work due to sickness impairs organizational productivity and performance. Even in organizations with perfect work conditions, some inevitable baseline sickness absence exists amongst working popul...

Authors: Joachim E. Fischer, Bernd Genser, Peter Nauroth, David Litaker and Daniel Mauss

Occupational exposure to organophosphorus and carbamates in farmers in La Cienega, Jalisco, Mexico: oxidative stress and membrane fluidity markers

The region of La Cienega in Jalisco Mexico, is an important agricultural reference for the production of corn, sorghum and wheat, among other grains, so the use of pesticides for pest control is high. However,...

Authors: Joel Salazar-Flores, Fermín P. Pacheco-Moisés, Genaro G. Ortiz, Juan H. Torres-Jasso, Odette Romero-Rentería, Ana L. Briones-Torres and Erandis D. Torres-Sánchez

Histone H4 aggravates inflammatory injury through TLR4 in chlorine gas-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome

Chlorine gas (Cl₂) exposure remains a public health concern in household, occupational, and transportation accidents around the world. The death rate associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) cau...

Authors: Yanlin Zhang, Jian Zhao, Li Guan, Lijun Mao, Shuqiang Li and Jinyuan Zhao

Boundarylessness and sleep quality among virtual team members – a pilot study from Germany

In the course of globalisation and digitalisation, new ways of work are becoming increasingly prevalent. To remain competitive as an organisation, cooperation across time, place, and organisational boundaries ...

Authors: Elisabeth Rohwer, Ann-Christin Kordsmeyer, Volker Harth and Stefanie Mache

Occupational exposure of platinum-based anti-cancer drugs: five-year monitoring of hair and environmental samples in a single hospital

Occupational exposure to chemotherapeutic agents in hospitals is a critical issue. Here, we focused on occupational exposure to platinum-based anti-cancer drugs (PDs) by evaluating platinum concentrations in h...

Authors: Ai Hori, Mari Shimura, Yutaka Iida, Kazuhiko Yamada, Kyoko Nohara, Takayuki Ichinose, Ai Yamashita, Junko Shirataki and Shotaro Hagiwara

Basal cell carcinoma risk and solar UV exposure in occupationally relevant anatomic sites: do histological subtype, tumor localization and Fitzpatrick phototype play a role? A population-based case-control study

A two-fold risk increase to develop basal cell carcinoma was seen in outdoor workers exposed to high solar UV radiation compared to controls. However, there is an ongoing discussion whether histopathological s...

Authors: A. Bauer, E. Haufe, L. Heinrich, A. Seidler, H. J. Schulze, P. Elsner, H. Drexler, S. Letzel, S. M. John, M. Fartasch, T. Brüning, S. Dugas-Breit, M. Gina, W. Weistenhöfer, K. Bachmann, I. Bruhn…

Development and psychometric testing of an observation-based assessment tool focusing on work-related stressors among health professionals: the STRAIN-External Observation of work Stressors

Health professionals are especially affected by various stressors in their daily work, such as a high workload, physical and emotional challenges. The aim of this study was to develop and test the validity, re...

Authors: Karin A. Peter, Esther Stadelmann, Jos M. G. A. Schols, Ruud J. G. Halfens and Sabine Hahn

Comparing perceived psychosocial working conditions of nurses and physicians in two university hospitals in Germany with other German professionals - feasibility of scale conversion between two versions of the German Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ)

In 2015, the WorkSafeMed study assessed, amongst others, perceived psychosocial working conditions in nurses (n = 567) and physicians (n = 381) from two German university hospitals using scales from the German st...

Authors: Anke Wagner, Matthias Nübling, Antje Hammer, Tanja Manser and Monika A. Rieger

Physical activity during COVID-19 induced lockdown: recommendations

Measures aiming at containing the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) include isolation, social distancing, and quarantine. Quarantine and other lockdown instruments show promise in reducing the number of COVI...

Authors: Eszter Füzéki, David A. Groneberg and Winfried Banzer

Radiation exposure and fluoroscopically-guided interventional procedures among orthopedic surgeons in South Korea

The use of fluoroscopically-guided interventional (FGI) procedures by orthopedic surgeons has been increasing. This study aimed to investigate the occupational radiation exposure among orthopedic surgeons in S...

Authors: Seonghoon Kang, Eun Shil Cha, Ye Jin Bang, Teresa W. Na, Dalnim Lee, Sang Youn Song and Won Jin Lee

Research trends and scientific analysis of publications on burnout and compassion fatigue among healthcare providers

Burnout and compassion fatigue are closely related concepts. Burnout is thought to develop from occupational stress while compassion fatigue results from being in a caregiver role leading to inability to get e...

Authors: Waleed M. Sweileh

SOPEZ: study for the optimization of ergonomics in the dental practice - musculoskeletal disorders in dentists and dental assistants: a study protocol

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are common among dental professionals. The most common areas affected are the trunk, neck, shoulders and wrists. Current evidence suggests that the causes of MSD can be found in...

Authors: Daniela Ohlendorf, Laura Maltry, Jasmin Hänel, Werner Betz, Christina Erbe, Christian Maurer-Grubinger, Fabian Holzgreve, Eileen M. Wanke, Dörthe Brüggmann, Albert Nienhaus and David A. Groneberg

Relations between vital capacity, CO diffusion capacity and computed tomographic findings of former asbestos-exposed patients: a cross-sectional study

Asbestos-related lung diseases are one of the leading diagnoses of the recognized occupational diseases in Germany, both in terms of their number and their socio-economic costs. The aim of this study was to de...

Authors: Alexandra Marita Preisser, Katja Schlemmer, Robert Herold, Azien Laqmani, Claudia Terschüren and Volker Harth

Ultrafine particles in scanning sprays: a standardized examination of five powders used for dental reconstruction

Intraoral matting sprays for chairside systems can release fine or ultrafine particles or nanoparticles at dentists’ workplaces and cause work-related health problems by inhalation exposure. Until now, little ...

Authors: E. Ochsmann, P. Brand, T. Kraus and S. Reich

“I need to take care of myself”: a qualitative study on coping strategies, support and health promotion for social workers serving refugees and homeless individuals

Social workers provide support for various groups of clients, such as refugees and homeless people. Refugees and homeless individuals represent particularly vulnerable groups in precarious living conditions. T...

Authors: Janika Mette, Tanja Wirth, Albert Nienhaus, Volker Harth and Stefanie Mache

Vibration-induced injuries in workers exposed to transient and high frequency vibrations

The risk of developing vibration white fingers and neurosensory symptoms increases with the duration and intensity of the exposure. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk of developing vibration whi...

Authors: Lars Gerhardsson, Christina Ahlstrand, Per Ersson and Ewa Gustafsson

Chemical risk and safety awareness, perception, and practices among research laboratories workers in Italy

Exposure to chemical compounds occurs in numerous occupational settings, among which the research and healthcare laboratories have not been adequately investigated. These settings are characterized by an extreme ...

Authors: Rosa Papadopoli, Carmelo Giuseppe Angelo Nobile, Alessandro Trovato, Claudia Pileggi and Maria Pavia

Global use of asbestos - legitimate and illegitimate issues

Exposure to asbestos causes non-malignant and malignant diseases including asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. The modern history of such diseases goes back more than a century.

Authors: Arthur L. Frank

Cardiovascular health outcomes of mobbing at work: results of the population-based, five-year follow-up of the Gutenberg health study

The aim of this study was to determine if there is an increased risk of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) resulting from workplace mobbing measured with two mobbing instruments in the Gutenberg Health Study.

Authors: Karla Romero Starke, Janice Hegewald, Andreas Schulz, Susan Garthus-Niegel, Matthias Nübling, Philipp S. Wild, Natalie Arnold, Ute Latza, Sylvia Jankowiak, Falk Liebers, Karin Rossnagel, Merle Riechmann-Wolf, Stephan Letzel, Manfred Beutel, Norbert Pfeiffer, Karl Lackner…

The prevalence of occupational injury and its associated factors in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Occupation related fatality and mortality rate is becoming the devastating issue globally as reported by the International Labor Organization (ILO). Though there are reports about exposure and burden of occupa...

Authors: Yoseph Merkeb Alamneh, Abriham Zegeye Wondifraw, Ayenew Negesse, Daniel Bekele Ketema and Tadesse Yirga Akalu

Prospective randomized study evaluating the usefulness of a surgical smoke evacuation system in operating rooms for breast surgery

No prospective evaluation of surgical smoke evacuation systems has yet been conducted anywhere in the world. A prospective randomized study was conducted to clarify the usefulness of a surgical smoke evacuatio...

Authors: Yutaka Tokuda, Takuho Okamura, Miki Maruta, Mutsuko Orita, Miyuki Noguchi, Toshiyasu Suzuki and Hideaki Matsuki

Cross sectional analysis of depression amongst Australian rural business owners following cyclone-related flooding

Flooding is an increasingly prevalent natural hazard worldwide and can have a profound impact on the mental health of those directly and indirectly affected. Little is known about the impact on business owners...

Authors: Keersten Cordelia Fitzgerald, Sabrina Winona Pit, Margaret Rolfe, John McKenzie, Veronica Matthews, Jo Longman and Ross Bailie

Do working characteristics influence the participation at health measures? Findings from a trial phase of workplace health promotion

Health behavior is presumed to be influenced by organizational factors. This study analyzes how workplace characteristics influence health behavior in terms of participation at health measures.

Authors: Annika Reinhardt, Johanna Adams, Klaus Schöne, Dirk-Matthias Rose and Stefan Sammito

The riddle of shiftwork and disturbed chronobiology: a case study of landmark smoking data demonstrates fallacies of not considering the ubiquity of an exposure

Failing to integrate all sources of a ubiquitous hazard candidate may explain inconsistent and/or null, and overall misleading, results in epidemiological studies such as those related to shift-work.

Authors: Thomas C. Erren, Philip Lewis and Peter Morfeld

Effects of co-exposure to CS₂ and noise on hearing and balance in rats: continuous versus intermittent CS₂ exposures

Carbon disulfide (CS₂) exacerbates the effect of noise on hearing, and disrupts the vestibular system. The goal of this study was to determine whether these effects are also observed with intermittent CS₂ exposur...

Authors: Monique Chalansonnet, Maria Carreres-Pons, Thomas Venet, Aurélie Thomas, Lise Merlen, Stéphane Boucard, Frédéric Cosnier, Hervé Nunge, Elodie Bonfanti, Jordi Llorens, Pierre Campo and Benoît Pouyatos

Effects of six month personalized endurance training on work ability in middle-aged sedentary women: a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial

To test the effects of guided endurance training on work ability in middle-aged female hospital workers of various occupations.

Authors: Hedwig T. Stenner, Julian Eigendorf, Arno Kerling, Momme Kueck, Alexander A. Hanke, Johanna Boyen, Anne-Katrin Nelius, Anette Melk, Dietmar Boethig, Christoph Bara, Andres Hilfiker, Dominik Berliner, Johann Bauersachs, Denise Hilfiker-Kleiner, Jörg Eberhard, Meike Stiesch…

Work related cardiovascular load in professional dance teachers – a pilot study

There have been only a limited number of studies available on the physical requirements in dance teachers (DT), who are responsible for the training of recreational and/or professional dancers and/or dance stu...

Authors: Eileen M. Wanke, Mike Schmidt, Gerhard Oremek and David A. Groneberg