Kenneth M. Wallingford

Improving the Health of Workers in Indoor Environments: Priority Research Needs for a National Occupational Research Agenda

Indoor nonindustrial work environments were designated a priority research area through the nationwide stakeholder process that created the National Occupational Research Agenda. A multidisciplinary research team used member consensus and quantitative estimates, with extensive external review, to develop a specific research agenda. The team outlined the following priority research topics: building-influenced communicable respiratory infections, building-related asthma/allergic diseases, and nonspecific building-related symptoms; indoor environmental science; and methods for increasing implementation of healthful building practices. Available data suggest that improving building environments may result in health benefits for more than 15 million of the 89 million US indoor workers, with estimated economic benefits of

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL EVALUATION EXPERIENCE. PART THREE : ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AND SELF-REPORTED HEALTH CONDITIONS

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Comparison of Phase Contrast and Electron Microscopic Methods for Evaluation of Occupational Asbestos Exposures

75 billion annually. Research on these topics, requiring new collaborations and resources, offers enormous potential health and economic returns.

Effects of environmental and organizational factors on the health of shiftworkers of a printing company.

Abstract Associations between environmental factors and work-related health conditions were assessed using regression techniques with environmental and health data for 2435 respondents in 80 office buildings included in the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Health Hazard Evaluation program. The health conditions analyzed included two symptom groupings—multiple lower respiratory symptoms and multiple atopic symptoms—and the presence of asthma diagnosed after beginning work in the building. Four categories of environmental variables were included: heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system design; HVAC maintenance; building design; and building maintenance. Female gender and age over 40 years showed increased relative risks (RRs) for each health condition. In regression models adjusted for age and gender, RRs of multiple lower respiratory symptoms were increased for variables in the HVAC design and maintenance categories, with the highest RR for presence of debris inside th...

Monitoring Microbial Populations on Wide-Body Commercial Passenger Aircraft

Abstract Historic air samples collected in the asbestos textile, the friction products, and the cement products industries using chrysotile asbestos during 1964–1971 were analyzed by counting and sizing asbestos fibers by phase contrast optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The proportion of airborne fibers longer than 5 μm in length was found to be significantly different for different industries and operations with a range of 5.0–20.4 percent. Multiple linear regression analyses relating fiber concentrations by phase contrast and electron microscopy methods demonstrated a good correlation for fibers longer than 5 μm. The phase contrast method was found to be a poor predictor of total fiber exposures (all lengths) as measured by transmission electron microscopy. Airborne fibers in the textile industry were found to have longer lengths than those in the cement pipe or the friction products industries. These differences may be important when comparing morbidity and mortality data from di...

Causes and prevention of symptom complaints in office buildings

This study explored the effects of environmental and organizational stressors on the health of shiftworkers in a printing company (n = 124). A questionnaire was used to gather data on work history, organizational factors, psychosocial characteristics, medical history, present health, occupational and non-occupational exposures, and lifestyle factors. The perception of environmental and organizational conditions was associated (P < 0.05) with chronic back pain (odds ratio [OR], 1.29), varicose veins (OR, 1.35), allergic rhinitis (OR, 1.27), depression (OR, 1.45), and gastritis (OR, 1.15). Anxiety scores were associated with allergic rhinitis (OR, 1.14) and skin allergy (OR, 1.09). Shiftwork was a significant risk factor for conjunctivitis (OR, 3.68), depression (OR, 0.23), cardiac arrhythmia (OR, 7.13), and gastritis (OR, 4.38). Other associations included tenure and chronic back pain (OR, 4.89), toluene exposure and skin allergy (OR, 3.76), worksite and conjunctivitis (OR, 7.0), and worksite and dermatitis (OR, 1.24 to 4.95). The number of hours of exercise per week was associated with varicose veins (OR, 4.33), and alcohol intake was associated with cardiac arrhythmia (OR, 6.74).

Ototoxic Occupational Exposures for a Stock Car Racing Team: II. Chemical Surveys

Although exposure to bacteria has been assessed in cabin air previously, minimal numbers of samples have been collected in-flight. The purpose of this research was to comprehensively characterize bacterial concentrations in the aircraft cabin. Twelve randomly selected flights were sampled on Boeing-767 aircraft, each with a flight duration between 4.5 and 6.5 h. N-6 impactors were used to collect sequential, triplicate air samples in the front and rear of coach class during six sampling intervals throughout each flight: boarding, mid-climb, early cruise, mid-cruise, late cruise and deplaning. Comparison air samples were also collected inside and outside the airport terminals at the origin and destination cities. The MIXED procedure in SAS was used to model the mean and the covariance matrix of the natural log-transformed bacterial concentrations. A total of 513 airborne culturable bacterial samples were collected. During flight (mid-climb and cruise intervals), a model-adjusted geometric mean (GM) of 136 total colony-forming units per cubic meter of air sampled (CFU x m(-3)) and geometric standard deviation of 2.1 were observed. Bacterial concentrations were highest during the boarding (GM 290 CFU x m(-3)) and deplaning (GM 549 CFU x m(-3)) processes. Total bacterial concentrations observed during flight were significantly lower than GMs for boarding and deplaning (P values <0.0001-0.021) in the modeled results. Our findings highlight the fact that aerobiological concentrations can be dynamic and underscore the importance of appropriate sample size and design. The genera analysis indicates that passenger activity and high occupant density contribute to airborne bacterial generation. Overall, our research demonstrates that the bacteria recovered on observed flights were either common skin-surface organisms (primarily gram-positive cocci) or organisms common in dust and outdoor air.

Ototoxic Occupational Exposures for a Stock Car Racing Team: I. Noise Surveys

Purpose – The goal of this project was to develop practical strategies for preventing building‐related symptoms in office buildings, based on the experience of those who investigate buildings with health complaints, and suitable for use by those who own, lease, or manage office space.Design/methodology/approach – Ideas from six experienced building investigators on primary causes and key prevention strategies were gathered and prioritized through consensus and voting in a structured, multi‐day workshop.Findings – IEQ investigators from diverse climatic regions agreed on the most important problems causing symptom complaints in office buildings, and the key strategies for prevention. The top ranked problems identified were, in priority order: excessive building moisture, inadequate outdoor air, excessive dust, pollutant gases and odors, inadequate thermal control, and inadequate attention by management to indoor environments. The highest priority recommended prevention strategies for building‐related sympt...

Assessing Total Fungal Concentrations on Commercial Passenger Aircraft Using Mixed-Effects Modeling

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted a series of surveys to evaluate occupational exposure to noise and potentially ototoxic chemical agents among members of a professional stock car racing team. Exposure assessments included site visits to the teams race shop and a worst-case scenario racetrack. During site visits to the race teams shop, area samples were collected to measure exposures to potentially ototoxic chemicals, including, organic compounds (typical of solvents), metals, and carbon monoxide (CO). Exposures to these chemicals were all below their corresponding Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) permissible exposure limits (PELs), NIOSH recommended exposure limits (RELs), and American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH®) threshold limit values (TLVs®). During site visits to the racetrack, area and personal samples were collected for organic compounds, lead, and CO in and around the “pit” area where the cars undergo race preparation and service during the race. Exposures to organic compounds and lead were either nondetectable or too low to quantify. Twenty-five percent of the CO time-weighted average concentrations exceeded the OSHA PEL, NIOSH REL, and ACGIH TLV after being adjusted for a 10-hour workday. Peak CO measurements exceeded the NIOSH recommended ceiling limit of 200 ppm. Based on these data, exposures to potentially ototoxic chemicals are probably not high enough to produce an adverse effect greater than that produced by the high sound pressure levels alone. However, carbon monoxide levels occasionally exceeded all evaluation criteria at the racetrack.

Toluene-induced hearing loss among rotogravure printing workers.

Abstract The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) surveyed noise exposure for a professional stock car team at their race shop and during two races at one racetrack. At the teams shop, area sound pressure levels (SPLs) were measured for various work tasks. Equivalent levels (Leqs) ranged from 58 to 104 decibels, A-weighted (dBA). Personal noise dosimetry was conducted for at least one employee for each job description in race car assembly (n = 9). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 90 dBA for an 8-hour, 5-dB exchange rate time-weighted average (TWA) was never exceeded, but in two instances values exceeded OSHAs action level of 85 dBA for hearing conservation implementation. The NIOSH recommended exposure limit (REL) of 85 dBA for a 3-dB exchange rate Leq was exceeded for five of the measured jobs. During the races, SPLs averaged above 100 dBA in the pit area where cars undergo adjustments/refueling, both before and during the race. Peak levels reached 140 dB SPL. NIOSH REL was exceeded for every personal noise dosimetry measurement. Recommendations for hearing protection and communication are presented.