The Implementation of the Hierarchical Hazard Control Model to Assess the Respiratory Protection of Quarry and Allied Workers in Namibia | Chapter 8 | Geography, Earth Science and Environment: Research Highlights Vol. 9

 The increased risks of adverse respiratory outcomes among quarry and allied workers are affected by high levels of cumulative dust exposure, which is a significant concern in the occupational health sector in developing countries, like Namibia.  The study examines respiratory protection practices among quarry and allied workers in Namibia, amidst rising concerns over occupational respiratory disorders due to prolonged exposure to respirable dust. Using the Hierarchical Hazard Control Model, the study assessed the Engineering Controls, Administrative Controls, Educational /Training Programmes, and Medical Surveillance Measures in dust controls for 304 quarry and allied workers in the Erongo, Otjozondjupa, and Kunene regions. This study used self-administered questionnaires to collect data from the quarry and allied workers, between November and December 2022. A Chi-square (χ2) test was used to determine the association between the level of employee respiratory protection and individual factors significant at p=0.000. Findings showed a statistically significant association between employee respiratory protection and employment status (χ²(1) = 7.592, p = 0.000), job category (χ²(9) = 37.742, p = 0.000), educational level (χ²(3) = 68.517, p = 0.000) and worksite (χ²(8) = 282.178, p = 0.001). A strong positive correlation between worksite and respiratory protection (r=0.7, p<0.01), negative correlation between worksite protection and education/training programs (r=0.841, p<0.05) was found. The findings underscore a critical gap in implementing effective engineering controls and training programs, increasing the risk of respiratory illnesses among workers. In conclusion, the study revealed that quarry and allied workers could not effectively implement engineering controls to reduce workers' exposure to respirable dust due to the lack of an occupational respiratory health framework, safety regulations and enforcement, and education and training.  The study also provided evidence that most allied and quarry workers did not undergo the mandatory medical examination, as a request of limited hazard control measures. Recommendations include a need for an occupational respiratory health framework for quarry and allied workers to ensure occupational respiratory health.

 

Effective government policy that will enhance occupational safety and health in mining and quarrying is necessary for accident prevention in Namibia.

 

Author (s) Details

Saima Shihepo
Health Sciences, Department of Preventative Health Sciences, Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, Namibia.

 

Roswitha Mahalie
Faculty of Health, Natural Resources and Applied Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, Namibia.

Omotayo Awofolu
Faculty of Health, Natural Resources and Applied Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, Namibia.

 

 

Please see the book here:- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/geserh/v9/4943

Performing Shielding Calculations for Diagnostic Radiology Based on NCRP Report 147 Methodology: A Review | Chapter 13 | Current Innovations in Medicine and Medical Science Vol. 3

 The purpose of this work to provide a comprehensive review and effective tool for performing shielding calculations for diagnostic radiology reliably, cost-effective and a timesaving since the shielding is the most effective element in diagnostic radiology safety design. The recommendations of National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) Report No. 49, which has been the main reference for the structural radiation shielding design of diagnostic X-ray facilities for a while, are most frequently used in structural radiation shielding calculations for X-ray diagnostic facilities. The NCRP Report 49 calculating technique has undergone numerous changes over time, rendering it virtually useless because it did not take into account developments in radiology technology. With the publication of NCRP Report No. 147, the approach was corrected by giving shielding designers the ability to, in part, specify efficient barriers to diagnostic radiation settings. The NCRP Report 147 methodology for calculating radiation shielding requirements depend greatly on the shielding design goals (P) where a proposed design limit for controlled and uncontrolled areas is reduced to NCRP Report 49 levels. Further, the methodology most likely uses the concept of “dose constraint” in radiation installations as shielding design goals for the purpose of safety and protection optimization for occupational workers and the public. The previous NCRP Report 49 uses a very conservative approach in the assumption and methodology, which in return yielded with barriers much thicker than what is required in diagnostic facilities.

In this context, Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR), the nuclear and radiological regulator for the United Arab Emirates, recently published software which developed by authors for performing radiation shielding calculations based on an algebraic computation model and the given fitting factors provided by NCRP Report No. 147. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has taken interest to independently validate the codes of the software; and praise the functionality of the tool. The software performs shielding calculations in an effective, easy, and reliable way while being a cost-effective and a timesaving tool. The shielding is the most efficient component in an X-ray design because there are typically some time and distance restrictions because of the nature of diagnostic operations. The conservative assumptions made in the computation, such as neglecting attenuation by the patient and image receptor, overestimating the workload, occupancy, and field size, may result in actual dose values to persons being lower than dosage values.

Author(s) Details:

Mustafa Majali,
Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, P.O.Box 112021, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Ali Al Remeithi,
Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, P.O.Box 112021, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Please see the link here: https://stm.bookpi.org/CIMMS-V3/article/view/8387