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Use of asbestos building materials in Malaysia: legislative measures, the management, and recommendations for a ban on use

Safitri Zen I, Ahamad R, Gopal Rampal K, Omar W

Int J Occup Environ Health, 2013 Jul-Sep;19(3):169-78.
PMID: 23885771 DOI: 10.1179/2049396713Y.0000000028

Malaysia has partially banned the use of asbestos. The prohibition of asbestos building materials in schools, clinics, and hospitals built by government started in 1999. Since 2005, prohibition has also been applied to all government buildings. However, asbestos construction materials such as roof and ceiling tiles are still sold in the market. There are no acts or regulations prohibiting the use of asbestos in private buildings in Malaysia. Asbestos was first used for industrial purposes in Malaysia in the 1960s and the first regulations related to asbestos have been around since the 1980s. Non-governmental organizations have been pushing the government to impose a total ban since the 1980s. Asbestos is still used in the manufacturing sector under the "control use" concept. The study found difficulties in established and validated medical record data on asbestos-related diseases. This paper reviews existing asbestos-related regulations and guidelines in Malaysia and discusses the urgency for a total ban in the use of asbestos in building materials in the country. In the meanwhile, stricter enforcement of occupational safety and health regulations related to the use and exposure of asbestos among workers in the manufacturing, construction, maintenance, and demolition sectors has been in place.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health/legislation & jurisprudence*; Occupational Health/standards
Fulltext The Impact of Heat on Health and Productivity among Maize Farmers in a Tropical Climate Area

Sadiq LS, Hashim Z, Osman M

J Environ Public Health, 2019;2019:9896410.
PMID: 31061664 DOI: 10.1155/2019/9896410

Background: Heat stress disorders may cause negative health outcome and subsequent productivity reduction especially in those who work under direct sunlight for an extended number of hours.
Objective: This study assessed the impact of heat on the health and productivity among maize farmers in a hot tropical country.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 396 maize farmers, randomly selected across Gombe province, Nigeria. The wet bulb globe temperature monitor (WBGT) Model QuesTemp036 was used in determining the heat index. Health was determined using a validated questionnaire, while productivity was determined by recording work output based on the number of ridges cultivated during the working hours.
Results: The farms recorded mean heat index with standard deviation (SD) of 31.56 (2.19) and 34.08 (1.54) in the hours of 9 am to 12 pm and 12-3 pm respectively, which exceeded the threshold level set by the ACGIH. Heavy sweating (93.2%), tiredness (48.5%), dizziness (34.1%), and headache (40.4%) were experienced by the respondents almost on daily basis. The finding further showed a significant difference in the farmers' productivity during the three time duration of the work day (p < 0.001). The productivity was significantly higher between the hours of 6-9 am (p < 0.001) and 12-3 pm (p < 0.001), compared to the hours of 9 am to 12 pm (p < 0.001). The factors that significantly predict the productivity outcome include temperature (p < 0.001), gender (p < 0.001), age (p=0.033), and BMI (p=0.008).
Conclusion: The farmers were frequently experiencing heat exhaustion which decreased their productivity.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health
Occupational health research priorities in Malaysia: a Delphi study

Sadhra S, Beach JR, Aw TC, Sheikh-Ahmed K

Occup Environ Med, 2001 Jul;58(7):426-31.
PMID: 11404445

As part of a consultancy project on occupational health, the Delphi method was used to identify research priorities in occupational health in Malaysia.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health*
Fulltext Developing an Ensemble Predictive Safety Risk Assessment Model: Case of Malaysian Construction Projects

Sadeghi H, Mohandes SR, Hosseini MR, Banihashemi S, Mahdiyar A, Abdullah A

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2020 11 13;17(22).
PMID: 33202768 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17228395

Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)-related injuries are vexing problems for construction projects in developing countries, mostly due to poor managerial-, governmental-, and technical safety-related issues. Though some studies have been conducted on OHS-associated issues in developing countries, research on this topic remains scarce. A review of the literature shows that presenting a predictive assessment framework through machine learning techniques can add much to the field. As for Malaysia, despite the ongoing growth of the construction sector, there has not been any study focused on OHS assessment of workers involved in construction activities. To fill these gaps, an Ensemble Predictive Safety Risk Assessment Model (EPSRAM) is developed in this paper as an effective tool to assess the OHS risks related to workers on construction sites. The developed EPSRAM is based on the integration of neural networks with fuzzy inference systems. To show the effectiveness of the EPSRAM developed, it is applied to several Malaysian construction case projects. This paper contributes to the field in several ways, through: (1) identifying major potential safety risks, (2) determining crucial factors that affect the safety assessment for construction workers, (3) predicting the magnitude of identified safety risks accurately, and (4) predicting the evaluation strategies applicable to the identified risks. It is demonstrated how EPSRAM can provide safety professionals and inspectors concerned with well-being of workers with valuable information, leading to improving the working environment of construction crew members.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health*
Fulltext Working conditions, self-perceived stress, anxiety, depression and quality of life: a structural equation modelling approach

Rusli BN, Edimansyah BA, Naing L

BMC Public Health, 2008 Feb 06;8:48.
PMID: 18254966 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-8-48

BACKGROUND: The relationships between working conditions [job demand, job control and social support]; stress, anxiety, and depression; and perceived quality of life factors [physical health, psychological wellbeing, social relationships and environmental conditions] were assessed using a sample of 698 male automotive assembly workers in Malaysia.
METHODS: The validated Malay version of the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) were used. A structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis was applied to test the structural relationships of the model using AMOS version 6.0, with the maximum likelihood ratio as the method of estimation.
RESULTS: The results of the SEM supported the hypothesized structural model (chi2 = 22.801, df = 19, p = 0.246). The final model shows that social support (JCQ) was directly related to all 4 factors of the WHOQOL-BREF and inversely related to depression and stress (DASS). Job demand (JCQ) was directly related to stress (DASS) and inversely related to the environmental conditions (WHOQOL-BREF). Job control (JCQ) was directly related to social relationships (WHOQOL-BREF). Stress (DASS) was directly related to anxiety and depression (DASS) and inversely related to physical health, environment conditions and social relationships (WHOQOL-BREF). Anxiety (DASS) was directly related to depression (DASS) and inversely related to physical health (WHOQOL-BREF). Depression (DASS) was inversely related to the psychological wellbeing (WHOQOL-BREF). Finally, stress, anxiety and depression (DASS) mediate the relationships between job demand and social support (JCQ) to the 4 factors of WHOQOL-BREF.
CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that higher social support increases the self-reported quality of life of these workers. Higher job control increases the social relationships, whilst higher job demand increases the self-perceived stress and decreases the self-perceived quality of life related to environmental factors. The mediating role of depression, anxiety and stress on the relationship between working conditions and perceived quality of life in automotive workers should be taken into account in managing stress amongst these workers.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health/statistics & numerical data
Fulltext The adoption of 5S practice and its impact on safety management performance: a case study in a university environment

Rhaffor, Kauthar A., Nurul Hafieza Azizul, Rahim Jamian, Jum’azulhisham Abdul Shukor

Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, 2019;16(1):9-17.
MyJurnal

he practice of 5S has been adopted by many organizations as a method to organize the workplace towards reducing waste and improving productivity. Moreover, the practice also promotes a safe and efficient environment in organisations. As safety performance of the workplace is among the key issues in most industries including universities to become world class organizations, this study seeks to address empirically the impact of 5S practice on safety management performance. In this context, a survey questionnaire is employed and distributed to 60 employees of the selected university to examine the employees’ perception on the adoption of 5S practice as well as the impact of 5S practice towards safety management performance. The questionnaires were validated by a pilot test with an acceptable value of Cronbach's alpha. Overall findings highlight there was positive perceptions toward 5S practice among the respondents. The results also revealed that 5S Audit has a very strong positive correlation with safety management performance. Furthermore, 5S Training and Top Management Commitment were (2) factors that strongly correlated to safety management performance. These factors are highly important in contributing toward the success of safety management performance. Additionally, since most of the employees were not exposed with Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), this study reveals moderate negative correlation between compliance to OSH Requirements and safety management performance.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health
Behavior-based safety program for process industries

Rashid MI, Athar M, Noor F, Hussain A

Int J Occup Saf Ergon, 2023 Dec;29(4):1440-1450.
PMID: 36221985 DOI: 10.1080/10803548.2022.2135282

Objectives. This article describes the reduction of unsafe behaviors observed at a fertilizer complex by implementation of a behavior-based safety (BBS) program via a behavior observation form developed by a multidisciplinary team. Methods. Six observation categories, i.e., position of people, reaction of people, personal protective equipment (PPE), tools used, operating procedures and housekeeping, are used to monitor safe and unsafe behaviors for a period of 18 months. Results. Safe behaviors increased from 57 to 70% and unsafe behaviors reduced from 40 to 26%. Behaviors of employees working in various sections of fertilizer complex such as ammonia, urea, utility, bagging/shipping and workshop were also observed. Non-compliance with PPE, housekeeping and standard operating procedures was also monitored in individual sections. Non-operational areas including the administration block, housing colony, maintenance workshop, warehouse, fire station and electrical substation were also observed. Among these, the maximum unsafe behaviors are for the housing colony and minimum for the electrical substation. Conclusion. It has been concluded that working on the housing colony, administration block and fire station areas will address 74% unsafe behaviors of non-operational areas. For practical applications, worldwide industries can implement this BBS program to enhance BBS, thus reducing unsafe behaviors and increasing employee morale.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health*
Fulltext Current perspectives in occupational health

Rampal KG

Med J Malaysia, 1993 Sep;48(3):256-8.
PMID: 8183135
Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health*
Developing regulations for occupational exposures to health hazards in Malaysia

Rampal KG, Mohd Nizam J

Regul Toxicol Pharmacol, 2006 Nov;46(2):131-5.
PMID: 16899331

In Malaysia exposures in the workplace are regulated under the Factories and Machinery Act (FMA), 1967 and also under the more comprehensive Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) enacted in 1994. With OSHA 1994 the philosophy of legislating safety and health in the workplace changed from one that was very prescriptive and containing detailed technical provisions under FMA, 1967 to one that is more flexible and encourages self-regulation under OSHA 1994. OSHA 1994 is supported by regulations, codes of practices and guidelines to further clarify the provisions in the Act. Under the FMA 1967 emphasis was on safety while with OSHA 1994 there has been equal emphasis on addressing health hazards in the workplace. Regulations for occupational exposures are developed by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health with tripartite and stakeholder consultation. When developing these regulations International Labor Organization Conventions, laws of other countries and occupational exposure standards adopted internationally are reviewed. The government also conducts surveys to collect information on both exposures and health effects in workplaces to have better understanding on specific occupational health problems. Effective law enforcement is crucial in ensuring compliance to safety and health law. The challenge at the moment is to ensure all employers and employees, particularly those in the small and medium enterprises, understand and comply with the provisions stipulated in the legislation.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health/legislation & jurisprudence*
Investigation of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in wall plastering jobs within the construction industry

Rahman MN, Rani MR, Rohani JM

Work, 2012;43(4):507-14.
PMID: 22927603 DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-1404

The aim of this study was to investigate the work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among workers in wall plastering jobs within the construction industry.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health
Fulltext The impact of work rest scheduling for prolonged standing activity

Rahman IA, Mohamad N, Rohani JM, Zein RM

Ind Health, 2018 Nov 21;56(6):492-499.
PMID: 30210096 DOI: 10.2486/indhealth.2018-0043

Prolonged standing can cause discomfort on the body of the workers and can lead to injury and occupational disease. One of the ergonomic intervention is through improving the work-rest scheduling. The purpose of this study are to identify the fatigue level from the perception of the worker and to investigate the impact of the work-rest scheduling to the standing workers for 12 h working time with a different gender. This study involved two methods which are self-assessment of the worker and direct measurement by using electromyography (EMG). For self-assessment, 80 workers have been interviewed using questionnaire in order to identify the fatigue level. For direct measurement, EMG was attached to the 15 selected workers at their respective leg and lower back to analyse the muscle efforts. In terms of perception, the results show the discomfort and fatigue level at the lower body region in the following order as foot ankle, lower back and leg. There is a significant difference between gender on discomfort pain for foot ankle and leg. The results show short frequent break by 10 min can reduce the fatigue at the leg and infrequent long break is preferable in order to reduce the fatigue at the lower back. In conclusion, it was found that prolonged standing affect the muscle fatigue and discomfort especially lower extremities such as foot ankle, lower back and leg. Besides that, different type of work rest scheduling and gender have significant result towards the muscle fatigue development.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health
Fulltext The potential of blockchain technology for occupational safety and health management system

Rafizah Musa, Mohamad Syazli Fathib

Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, 2019;16(1):27-31.
MyJurnal

Industries in Malaysia are entering a period of major disruption caused by new technologies such as Artificial Intelligent, Robotics, Blockchain, Nanotechnology as well as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and the Internet of Things (IoT). In this fourth industrial revolution where information is generated and exchanged at a rapid and huge scale, its reliability is of paramount importance. The success of Occupational Safety & Health Management System (OSHMS) is highly dependent on the reliability of the information gathered and used, where a large number of intermediaries authenticate the information to establish trust between the stakeholders. Blockchain technology is able to do verification by virtue of secured distributed storage brings about a paradigm shift in the way we establish trust. This paper gives an overview of the potential use of Blockchain technology for Occupational Safety & Health Management System. The discussions focused on the benefits and challenges of implementing the Blockchain technology in OSHMS. The conclusion is drawn based on the strength in the characteristics provided by the Blockchain technology itself.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health
Fulltext A survey on working postures among Malaysian industrial workers

Raemy Md. Zein, Noorul Azreen Azis, Isa Halim, Adi Saptari, Seri Rahayu Kamat

Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, 2015;12(1):125-131.
MyJurnal

Working in a safe working posture is a necessity to enhance occupational health of industrial workers. Poor
working posture may lead to injuries, discomfort and fatigue to the workers. The objective of this study is to survey the
postures practised by the Malaysian industrial workers. A questionnaire survey was performed among 282 Malaysian
industrial workers in 10 different industries. From the answered questionnaire, it was observed that shoulder at chest
level (30.1%), back in a bent forward (33.3%) and lifting heavy load (44.7%) are the major work postures practised by
most of industrial workers. This survey identifies that working with shoulder and hand at chest level and back region
moderately bent forward is the main working posture practice by worker. Workers also reported lifting load below 5 kg
at the workstation. This survey recommended for industrial workers to be aware of the comfortable working posture
to avoid injury.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health
Fulltext Respiratory effects of exposure to high levels of particulate among Malaysian traffic police

Putri Anis Syahira Mohamad Jamil, Nur Athirah Diyana Mohammad Yusof, Nurul Maizura Hashim, Karmegam Karuppiah, Irniza Rasdi, Vivien How, et al.

Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2019;15(204):136-140.
MyJurnal

Introduction: Malaysian traffic police are always working on the public roads to alleviate traffic congestion and therefore exposed them to the polluted air every day. In particular, polluted air containing PM2.5 is dangerous to their respiratory health as they can penetrate deep into the lungs, leading to bronchitis, lung cancer and many more. Hence, this research examined the relationship of personal exposure level to PM2.5 with respiratory symptoms among traffic policemen in Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru. Methods: 134 participants among traffic policemen were agreed to participate in this study. They were requested to complete a questionnaire regarding the sociodemographic back- ground and respiratory health information. The questionnaire was adopted from International Union Against Tuber- culosis Lung Diseases (1986). Personal exposure level of PM2.5 was measured using an air pump with 5.0µm pore size PVC filter. Results: The mean exposure level of PM2.5 among traffic policemen was 28.69 µg/m3. It was found that some of them possess respiratory symptoms (Coughing 33.6%, Phlegm 25.4%, Wheezing 14.9% and Shortness of breath 32.1%). There was significant association detected at p-value < 0.05 in coughing. Despite, there was no significant association in other symptoms such as phlegm, wheezing and shortness of breath. Conclusions: Traffic police were exposed to a relatively high level of PM2.5 (12.4 µg/m3 to 55.3 µg/m3) and showed symptoms of respi- ratory effects. Therefore, recognition of the risks connected with occupational lung disease and exposure monitoring must be a high priority. This baseline data can serve as a reference to the top management of traffic police officers in order to develop an occupational safety and health guideline for police officers as required by Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA, Act 514 1994).

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health
Fulltext Respiratory symptons prevalence among traffic policemen in Malaysia

Putri Anis Syahira Mohamad Jamil, Karmegam Karuppiah, Irniza Rasdi, Shamsul Bahri Mohd Tamrin, Sivasankar Sambasivam, Nur Athirah Diyana Mohammad Yusof, et al.

Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2018;14(102):1-5.
MyJurnal

Traffic policemen are exposed to polluted air for a long time in high concentrations since they are working outside for most of the time which is bad for their health. Hence, this study was to determine the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function among traffic police in Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru. Methods: A pulmonary function test using spirometer was used to measure the pulmonary function of subjects. A questionnaire on respiratory symptoms translated version from IUALTD was used. The questionnaire includes background data, occupational and health history. Results: The traffic policemen were determined as having lower lung function parameters; low FVC% predicted (89.6%) and low FEV1% predicted (94%) due to their nature of work and the environment. Coughing was present at the highest (33.6%) among them, whereas wheezing was found the least (15.7%) of the workers. Conclusions: Findings from this study, indicated that there is a development of respiratory diseases and deterioration of lung function among traffic policemen. These baseline data can serve as a reference to the top management of traffic police officers in order to develop an occupational safety and health guideline for police officers as they are not covered by Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA, Act 514 1994).

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health
The effects of perceived organizational support, perceived supervisor support and perceived co-worker support on safety and health compliance

Puah LN, Ong LD, Chong WY

Int J Occup Saf Ergon, 2016 Sep;22(3):333-9.
PMID: 27049935 DOI: 10.1080/10803548.2016.1159390

Although knowledge is cumulating, very little is known about the effects of various sources of support on safety and health compliance. This study goes beyond previous research by investigating the relationships among perceived support from organizations, supervisors and co-workers, and employees' safety and health compliance behaviour at chemical and petroleum process plants. The results of this study show that the support from organizations, supervisors and co-workers was significantly related to employees' safety and health compliance. Also, the findings reveal that perceived supervisor support has the strongest influence in ensuring employees' safety and health compliance behaviour.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health*
Fulltext Occupational, physical, sexual and mental health and violence among migrant and trafficked commercial fishers and seafarers from the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS): systematic review

Pocock NS, Nguyen LH, Lucero-Prisno Iii DE, Zimmerman C, Oram S

Glob Health Res Policy, 2018;3:28.
PMID: 30288452 DOI: 10.1186/s41256-018-0083-x

Background: Little is known about the health of GMS commercial fishers and seafarers, many of whom are migrants and some trafficked. This systematic review summarizes evidence on occupational, physical, sexual and mental health and violence among GMS commercial fishers/seafarers.

Methods: We searched 5 electronic databases and purposively searched grey literature. Quantitative or qualitative studies reporting prevalence or risk of relevant outcomes were included. Two reviewers independently screened articles. Data were extracted on nationality and long/short-haul fishing where available.

Results: We identified 33 eligible papers from 27 studies. Trafficked fishers/seafarers were included in n=12/13 grey literature and n=1/20 peer-reviewed papers. Among peer-reviewed papers: 11 focused on HIV/AIDS/sexual health; nine on occupational/physical health; one study included mental health of trafficked fishers. Violence was quantitatively measured in eight papers with prevalence of: 11-26% in port convenience samples; 68-100% in post-trafficking service samples. Commercial fishers/seafarers whether trafficked or not worked extremely long hours; trafficked long-haul fishers had very limited access to care following injuries or illness. Lesser-known risks reported among fishers included penile oil injections and beriberi. We found just one work safety intervention study and inconclusive evidence for differences in the outcomes by nationality. Findings are limited by methodological weaknesses of primary studies.

Conclusion: Results show an absence of high-quality epidemiological studies beyond sexual health. Formative and pilot intervention research on occupational, physical and mental health among GMS commercial fishers and seafarers is needed. Future studies should include questions about violence and exploitation. Ethical and reporting standards of grey literature should be improved.

Trial Registration: Review registration number: PROSPERO 2014: CRD42014009656.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health
Fulltext Management of accidental laboratory exposure to Burkholderia pseudomallei and B. mallei

Peacock SJ, Schweizer HP, Dance DA, Smith TL, Gee JE, Wuthiekanun V, et al.

Emerg Infect Dis, 2008 Jul;14(7):e2.
PMID: 18598617 DOI: 10.3201/eid1407.071501

The gram-negative bacillus Burkholderia pseudomallei is a saprophyte and the cause of melioidosis. Natural infection is most commonly reported in northeast Thailand and northern Australia but also occurs in other parts of Asia, South America, and the Caribbean. Melioidosis develops after bacterial inoculation or inhalation, often in relation to occupational exposure in areas where the disease is endemic. Clinical infection has a peak incidence between the fourth and fifth decades; with diabetes mellitus, excess alcohol consumption, chronic renal failure, and chronic lung disease acting as independent risk factors. Most affected adults ( approximately 80%) in northeast Thailand, northern Australia, and Malaysia have >/=1 underlying diseases. Symptoms of melioidosis may be exhibited many years after exposure, commonly in association with an alteration in immune status. Manifestations of disease are extremely broad ranging and form a spectrum from rapidly life-threatening sepsis to chronic low-grade infection. A common clinical picture is that of sepsis associated with bacterial dissemination to distant sites, frequently causing concomitant pneumonia and liver and splenic abscesses. Infection may also occur in bone, joints, skin, soft tissue, or the prostate. The clinical symptoms of melioidosis mimic those of many other diseases; thus, differentiating between melioidosis and other acute and chronic bacterial infections, including tuberculosis, is often impossible. Confirmation of the diagnosis relies on good practices for specimen collection, laboratory culture, and isolation of B. pseudomallei. The overall mortality rate of infected persons is 50% in northeast Thailand (35% in children) and 19% in Australia.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health*
Bibliometric analysis of safety management system research (2001-2021)

Otitolaiye VO, Abd Aziz FS

J Safety Res, 2024 Feb;88:111-124.
PMID: 38485354 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2023.10.014

INTRODUCTION: Occupational health and safety (OHS) has become an integral part of human society, particularly considering the growing rates of injuries and deaths worldwide. Hence, numerous employers, governments, and stakeholders worldwide have established critical OHS measures to safeguard human health and occupational safety. Numerous studies have been conducted to identify and highlight risks and hazards, as well as to detect, monitor, minimize, and prevent workplace injuries and deaths.
METHOD: This study presents the publication trends, research landscape, and scientific developments related to safety management systems (SMS) based on published documents from the Elsevier Scopus database. Published documents on SMS and indexed in Scopus are identified, screened, and analyzed to examine the publication trends, research developments, and scientific landscape. For this purpose, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), bibliometric analysis (B.A.), and systematic literature review (SLR) procedures are used. The results reveal that 799 related documents were published between 2001 and 2021.
RESULTS: The most productive stakeholders, that is, top researchers, affiliations, and countries, include Liesbeth Jacxsens, Universiteit Gent (Belgium), and the United States. This study shows that the availability of research grants, incentives, or awards is critical to the productivity of top researchers, institutions, and nations actively researching SMS topics. The bibliometric analysis reveals that the topic is characterized by high productivity, co-authorships, keyword occurrence, and citations.
CONCLUSION: The analysis shows that SMS research is a broad, multidimensional, and impactful area that has become essential for identifying, reducing, monitoring, and eliminating risks in many industries. It is concluded that the topic of the SMS remains relevant because of its impact on human health, occupational safety, and environmental well-being.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: This study provides in-depth insight into expanding the scope of SMS research. Moreover, research and policymakers can facilitate decision-making and collaboration based on this study's outtakes.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health*
Health impact assessment from building life cycles and trace metals in coarse particulate matter in urban office environments

Othman M, Latif MT, Mohamed AF

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf, 2018 Feb;148:293-302.
PMID: 29080527 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.10.034

This study intends to determine the health impacts from two office life cycles (St.1 and St.2) using life cycle assessment (LCA) and health risk assessment of indoor metals in coarse particulates (particulate matter with diameters of less than 10µm). The first building (St.1) is located in the city centre and the second building (St.2) is located within a new development 7km away from the city centre. All life cycle stages are considered and was analysed using SimaPro software. The trace metal concentrations were determined by inductively couple plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Particle deposition in the human lung was estimated using the multiple-path particle dosimetry model (MPPD). The results showed that the total human health impact for St.1 (0.027 DALY m-2) was higher than St.2 (0.005 DALY m-2) for a 50-year lifespan, with the highest contribution from the operational phase. The potential health risk to indoor workers was quantified as a hazard quotient (HQ) for non-carcinogenic elements, where the total values for ingestion contact were 4.38E-08 (St.1) and 2.59E-08 (St.2) while for dermal contact the values were 5.12E-09 (St.1) and 2.58E-09 (St.2). For the carcinogenic risk, the values for dermal and ingestion routes for both St.1 and St.2 were lower than the acceptable limit which indicated no carcinogenic risk. Particle deposition for coarse particles in indoor workers was concentrated in the head, followed by the pulmonary region and tracheobronchial tract deposition. The results from this study showed that human health can be significantly affected by all the processes in office building life cycle, thus the minimisation of energy consumption and pollutant exposures are crucially required.

Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Health

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