Agriculture sector accounts significant numbers of injuries and fatalities in the workplace particularly related to pesticide management. Among three main pathways of pesticide exposure, dermal contact is the most common route, which exposure usually occurs during pesticide mixing/loading, application, harvesting and other farming activities. This review aims to present and discuss several vital components of pesticide dermal exposure among agriculture workers, as well as pesticide application in agriculture sector in Malaysia involving different commodity agriculture sub-sectors. Pesticide exposure was discussed from perspective of three pesticide management activities (i.e. preparation, application and cleaning) that contribute to the risk of exposure through three routes (i.e. emission, deposition, transfer). Moreover, this paper also discussed pesticide dermal exposure risk assessment methods which can be defined into exposure assessment and effect assessment. The exposure rate was affected by various factors such as application equipment, application rate and duration, type of pesticide formulation, pesticide management stage, usage of personal protective equipment, training and aptitude of the applicator as well as environmental factors (i.e. temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction). The factors mention earlier have been used to explain the exposure distribution over different parts of the body and support the fact that pesticide type was not a major factor in total exposure.
Pesticide ; dermal exposure ; exposure risk ; distribution

Occupational Exposure ; prevention & control ; Risk Assessment ; methods

Automobiles ; China ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; Risk Assessment

Chemical Industry ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; Risk Assessment

Occupational Exposure ; prevention & control ; Risk Assessment ; methods

Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; Risk Assessment ; Workplace

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between paternal exposure to occupational electromagnetic radiation and the sex ratio of the offspring.

METHODSWe searched various databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, OVID, Bioscience Information Service (BIOSIS), China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals and Wanfang Database, for the literature relevant to the association of paternal exposure to occupational electromagnetic radiation with the sex ratio of the offspring. We conducted a meta-analysis on their correlation using Stata 11.0.

RESULTSThere was no statistically significant difference in the sex ratio between the offspring with paternal exposure to occupational electromagnetic radiation and those without (pooled OR = 1.00 [95% CI: 0.95 -1.05], P = 0.875). Subgroup analysis of both case-control and cohort studies revealed no significant difference (pooled OR = 1.03 [95% CI: 0.99 -1.08], P = 0.104 and pooled OR = 0.98 [95% CI: 0.99 -1.08], P = 0.186, respectively).

CONCLUSIONPaternal exposure to occupational electromagnetic radiation is not correlated with the sex ratio of the offspring.

The negative effects of environmental exposure during pregnancy on fetal growth and children development have been confirmed. It has been found that environmental exposures during pregnancy have a great influence on the growth and development of fetus, birth outcomes and children's psychology, behavior and neural development. In this review, according to different types of environmental exposures, we focused on the key issues of the fetus or children induced by four aspects of environment exposure, including environmental chemicals, unhealthy life styles and behaviors, stress and other risk factors, and discussed the adverse effects of environmental factors on the growth and development of infants, children's psychology, behavior, social and cognitive, such as birth defects, autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, emotional problems, learning disorder and intelligence development and so on. We also suggested that the researches on mechanism of the negative effects of environmental exposure on children's health should be strengthened in the future.
Child ; Child Development ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; epidemiology ; Risk Factors

BACKGROUND: Cardiac pacemakers are known to be susceptible to strong electromagnetic fields (EMFs). This in vivo study investigated occurrence of electromagnetic interference with pacemakers caused by common environmental sources of EMFs. METHODS: Eleven volunteers with a pacemaker were exposed to EMFs produced by two mobile phone base stations, an electrically powered commuter train, and an overhead high voltage transmission lines. All the pacemakers were programmed in normal clinically selected settings with bipolar sensing and pacing configurations. RESULTS: None of the pacemakers experienced interference in any of these exposure situations. However, often it is not clear whether or not strong EMFs exist in various work environments, and hence an individual risk assessment is needed. CONCLUSIONS: Modern pacemakers are well shielded against external EMFs, and workers with a pacemaker can most often return to their previous work after having a pacemaker implanted. However, an appropriate risk assessment is still necessary after the implantation of a pacemaker, a change of its generator, or major modification of its programming settings.
Cellular Phone ; Electromagnetic Fields ; Magnets* ; Occupational Exposure ; Risk Assessment

BACKGROUND: Management and workers in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often find it hard to comprehend the requirements related to controlling risks due to exposure to substances. An intervention study was set up in order to support 45 SMEs in improving the management of the risks of occupational exposure to chemicals, and in using the control banding tool and exposure model Stoffenmanager in this process. METHODS: A 2-year intervention study was carried out, in which a mix of individual and collective training and support was offered, and baseline and effect measurements were carried out by means of structured interviews, in order to measure progress made. A seven-phase implementation evolutionary ladder was used for this purpose. Success and failure factors were identified by means of company visits and structured interviews. RESULTS: Most companies clearly moved upwards on the implementation evolutionary ladder; 76% of the companies by at least one phase, and 62% by at least two phases. Success and failure factors were described. CONCLUSION: Active training and coaching helped the participating companies to improve their chemical risk management, and to avoid making mistakes when using and applying Stoffenmanager. The use of validated tools embedded in a community platform appears to support companies to organize and structure their chemical risk management in a business-wise manner, but much depends upon motivated occupational health and safety (OHS) professionals, management support, and willingness to invest time and means.
Hazardous Substances* ; Occupational Exposure ; Occupational Health ; Risk Management