The Singapore Green Plan 2030 was released by the Singapore government to set targets for sustainability by 2030. The adoption of novel technologies, processes and substances creates new jobs, and such developments bring about new challenges and risks for both employers and workers. Beyond emerging hazards, traditional hazards still remain, but they may take on new forms through new work processes. This review aims to provide an overview of the potential occupational health issues we may encounter or anticipate in these key sectors: solar energy, waste management and recycling, green buildings, electric vehicles and battery recycling, and sustainable fuels. While existing Occupational Safety and Health regulations in Singapore serve as a foundation, there may be gaps in addressing the specific hazards and risks associated with green jobs. In this review, we propose and outline possible approaches to the protection of worker safety and health.
Singapore ; Humans ; Occupational Health ; Recycling ; Waste Management ; Solar Energy ; Occupational Exposure

BACKGROUND: It is inaccurate to reflect the level of dust exposure through working years. Furthermore, identifying a predictive indicator for lung function decline is significant for coal miners. The study aimed to explored whether club cell secretory protein (CC16) levels can reflect early lung function changes. METHODS: The cumulative respiratory dust exposure (CDE) levels of 1,461 coal miners were retrospectively assessed by constructed a job-exposure matrix to replace working years. Important factors affecting lung function and CC16 were selected by establishing random forest models. Subsequently, the potential of CC16 to reflect lung injury was explored from multiple perspectives. First, restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were used to compare the trends of changes in lung function indicators and plasma CC16 levels after dust exposure. Then mediating analysis was performed to investigate the role of CC16 in the association between dust exposure and lung function decline. Finally, the association between baseline CC16 levels and follow-up lung function was explored. RESULTS: The median CDE were 35.13 mg/m³-years. RCS models revealed a rapid decline in forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV₁), and their percentages of predicted values when CDE exceeded 25 mg/m³-years. The dust exposure level (<5 mg/m³-years) causing significant changes in CC16 was much lower than the level (25 mg/m³-years) that caused changes in lung function indicators. CC16 mediated 11.1% to 26.0% of dust-related lung function decline. Additionally, workers with low baseline CC16 levels experienced greater reductions in lung function in the future. CONCLUSIONS CC16 levels are more sensitive than lung indicators in reflecting early lung function injury and plays mediating role in lung function decline induced by dust exposure. Low baseline CC16 levels predict poor future lung function.
Uteroglobin/blood* ; Humans ; Dust/analysis* ; Occupational Exposure/analysis* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Retrospective Studies ; Lung Injury/chemically induced* ; Coal Mining ; Biomarkers/blood* ; China/epidemiology* ; Air Pollutants, Occupational ; Female

BACKGROUND: Prolonged occupational noise exposure poses potential health risks, but its impact on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage and methylation patterns remains unclear. METHOD: We recruited 306 factory workers, using average binaural high-frequency hearing thresholds from pure-tone audiometry to assess noise exposure. MtDNA damage was evaluated through mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) and lesion rate, and mtDNA methylation changes were identified via pyrophosphate sequencing. RESULTS: There was a reduction in MT-RNR1 methylation of 4.52% (95% CI: -7.43% to -1.62%) among workers with abnormal hearing, whereas changes in the D-loop region were not statistically significant (β = -2.06%, 95% CI: -4.44% to 0.31%). MtDNAcn showed a negative association with MT-RNR1 methylation (β = -0.95, 95% CI: -1.23 to -0.66), while no significant link was found with D-loop methylation (β = -0.05, 95% CI: -0.58 to 0.48). Mediation analysis indicated a significant increase in mtDNAcn by 10.75 units (95% CI: 3.00 to 21.26) in those with abnormal hearing, with MT-RNR1 methylation mediating 35.9% of this effect. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that occupational noise exposure may influence compensatory increases in mtDNA content through altered MT-RNR1 methylation.
Humans ; DNA, Mitochondrial ; DNA Methylation ; Male ; Adult ; Noise, Occupational/adverse effects* ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure/adverse effects* ; Biomarkers/blood* ; Female

BACKGROUND: Only prospective cohort studies can capture changes in work conditions and their effects on health. Such studies are rare in bus drivers, despite their high rates of injuries and diseases. The three existing cohorts have limited exposure data, collected at baseline and thus uninformative on exposure and exposure-effect dynamics. Therefore, we aimed to develop the Swiss Transport Personnel Health Cohort (TRAPHEAC) and to anticipate and prevent potential bias. METHODS: To set up the study protocol, we first organized the stakeholder consultation and available data inventory. Second, we mapped the exposure-outcomes pairs to list the most prevalent occupational hazards, and conducted exposure measurement campaigns. Third, we built the Swiss Bus-Exposure Matrix for physical-chemical hazards and Bus-Ergonomics Matrix for visual and biomechanical constrains. These matrices contain 705 bus models operated in Switzerland since 1980 and enable assessing current and past exposure when merged with bus drivers' work histories. RESULTS: We opted for an original study design combining prospective cohort part starting at 2024 and a retrospective part with nested case-control studies. Bus drivers will be invited through three complementary channels: unions, companies, and social media. The eligibility screening, information, and consent form signature and registration will be conducted using the study web-site modules. Registered bus drivers will first receive a comprehensive inclusion questionnaire, then a yearly follow-up questionnaire to assess and update the drivers' work histories. Validated self-reported questionnaires will be used for assessing additional health outcomes (e.g., stress, sleep problems, musculoskeletal disorders, burnout) and individual, occupational and live-style related factors (e.g., personality, ICT use, physical activity). Hospital records (with diagnosed diseases, diagnosis dates and treatments) centralized since 2000 by the Swiss Federal Statics Office will be used for assessing disease prevalence, incidence and case-control status. Advanced statistical analysis will be conducted to address etiological and methodological questions (e.g., individual and joint causal effects of multiple exposures and exposure components; time-varying exposure and outcome variables and confounders mixtures). CONCLUSIONS The yearly assessment of both exposure and health outcomes should enable capturing changes in work conditions and their effects on bus drivers' health and well-being over time and facilitate the tailoring, implementation and evaluation of preventive interventions.
Humans ; Switzerland/epidemiology* ; Prospective Studies ; Occupational Exposure/statistics & numerical data* ; Occupational Diseases/epidemiology* ; Cohort Studies ; Motor Vehicles ; Research Design ; Retrospective Studies ; Case-Control Studies ; Occupational Health ; Adult ; Male ; Female

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the patterns of fasting blood glucose (FBG) trajectories and analyze the relationship between various occupational hazard factors and FBG trajectories in male steelworkers. METHODS: The study cohort included 3,728 workers who met the selection criteria for the Tanggang Occupational Cohort (TGOC) between 2017 and 2022. A group-based trajectory model was used to identify the FBG trajectories. Environmental risk scores (ERS) were constructed using regression coefficients from the occupational hazard model as weights. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the effects of occupational hazard factors using the ERS on FBG trajectories. RESULTS: FBG trajectories were categorized into three groups. An association was observed between high temperature, noise exposure, and FBG trajectory ( P < 0.05). Using the first quartile group of ERS1 as a reference, the fourth quartile group of ERS1 had an increased risk of medium and high FBG by 1.90 and 2.21 times, respectively (odds ratio [ OR] = 1.90, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.17-3.10; OR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.09-4.45). CONCLUSION An association was observed between occupational hazards based on ERS and FBG trajectories. The risk of FBG trajectory levels increase with an increase in ERS.
Humans ; Male ; Adult ; Blood Glucose/analysis* ; China ; Prospective Studies ; Occupational Exposure/adverse effects* ; Risk Factors ; Middle Aged ; Steel ; Fasting/blood* ; Metal Workers ; East Asian People

Humans ; Nutrition Assessment ; Prognosis ; Silicosis/prevention & control* ; Occupational Diseases ; China/epidemiology* ; Occupational Exposure ; Silicon Dioxide

BACKGROUND: Owing to shortage of surgical and N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) during the COVID-2019 pandemic, various masks were developed to prevent infection. This study aimed to examine the inward leakage rate (ILR) of sealed face masks and modified surgical masks using a quantitative fit test and compared it with the ILR of unmodified N95 FFRs. METHODS: We conducted paired comparisons of ILRs of bent nose-fit wire masks, double masks, and N95 FFRs from October to December 2021. To measure the protective effectiveness of masks, participants wore masks, and the number of particles outside and inside the mask were measured. The ILR was based on the percentage of particles entering the mask using a fit tester. RESULTS: We enrolled 54 participants (20 men and 34 women) in this study. The median ILR for surgical masks without and with a W-shaped bend in the nose-fit wire were 96.44% and 50.82%, respectively. The nose-fit wire adjustment reduced the ILR of surgical masks by a mean of 28.57%, which was significantly lower than the ILR without adjustment (P < 0.001). For double masks, with surgical or polyurethane masks on top of the W-shaped mask, the ILR did not differ significantly from that of N95. Although the filtration performance of double surgical masks matched that of N95 masks, their ILR was notably higher, indicating that double masks do not provide equivalent protection. CONCLUSIONS Wearing N95 masks alone is effective in many cases. However, surgical mask modifications do not guarantee consistent effectiveness. Properly selected, sealed masks with a good fit overcome leakage, emphasizing their crucial role. Without evidence, mask-wearing may lead to unexpected infections. Education based on quantitative data is crucial for preventing adverse outcomes.
Male ; Humans ; Female ; N95 Respirators ; COVID-19/epidemiology* ; Masks ; Pandemics/prevention & control* ; Respiratory Protective Devices ; Materials Testing ; Equipment Design ; Occupational Exposure/prevention & control*

BACKGROUND: Few prospective studies have investigated the association between paternal occupational exposures and risk of infant congenital heart defects (CHDs). We investigated the associations between paternal occupational exposures, frequency of use, and concurrent or sequential exposure to a mixture of compounds and the risk of infant CHDs. METHODS: Our study examined 28,866 participants in the Japan Environment and Children's Study. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) associated with paternal occupational exposures during the 3 months until pregnancy was noticed after adjustment for potential confounding factors of the infant CHDs. CHD diagnosis was ascertained from medical record. RESULTS: In total, 175 were diagnosed with infant CHDs. The number of fathers who were exposed to the following substances at least once a month were: 11,533 for photo copying machine/laser printer, 10,326 for permanent marker, 8,226 for soluble paint/inkjet printer, 6,188 for kerosene/petroleum/benzene/gasoline, 4,173 for organic solvents, 3,433 for chlorine bleach/germicide, 2,962 for engine oil, 2,931 for insecticide, 2,460 for medical sterilizing disinfectant, 1,786 for welding fumes, 1,614 for dyestuffs, 1,247 for any products containing lead-like solder, 986 for herbicide, 919 for radiation/radioactive substances/isotopes, 837 for lead-free solder, 341 for microbes, 319 for formalin/formaldehyde, 301 for agricultural chemical not listed above or unidentified, 196 for general anesthetic for surgery at hospital, 171 for anti-cancer drug, 147 for chromium/arsenic/cadmium, 88 for mercury and 833 for other chemical substances. Paternal occupational exposure regularly to photo copying machine or laser printer and soluble paint/inkjet printer were associated with higher risks of infant CHDs: the adjusted ORs (95%CIs) were 1.38 (1.00-1.91) and 1.60 (1.08-2.37), respectively. The higher risks were also observed for occasional exposure to engine oil, any products containing lead-like solder lead-free solder, and microbes; the adjusted ORs (95%CIs) were 1.68 (1.02-2.77), 2.03 (1.06-3.88), 3.45 (1.85-6.43), and 4.51, (1.63-12.49), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Periconceptional paternal occupational exposure was associated with a higher risk of infant CHDs. Further studies using biomarkers of the association between paternal occupational exposure and infant CHDs are warranted.
Male ; Humans ; Infant ; Child ; Japan/epidemiology* ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Case-Control Studies ; Occupational Exposure/adverse effects* ; Heart Defects, Congenital/epidemiology* ; Fathers

Humans ; Occupational Diseases/epidemiology* ; Occupational Health ; China/epidemiology* ; Occupational Exposure

Objective: To analyze the status of prevention and treatment of occupational diseases among mining and manufacturing industries in China in 2019, provide the scientific basis for the formulation and revision of policies and standards of prevention and treatment of occupational diseases. Methods: In May 2022, Collecting data of a project named Surveillance of Occupational Hazards in the Workplace in 2019 through the National Surveillance System for Occupational Hazards in the workplace. Compare the status of prevention and treatment of occupational diseases in 63 563 enterprises of mining and manufacturing industries among different dimensions. Results: The training rate of managers was 76.17% and that of occupational health managers was 76.97%. The rate of reporting of occupational diseases hazardous items was 67.58%, the rate of launching of the detection of occupational hazards was 57.16%, and the rate of launching of occupational health examination was 62.42%. Excluding the distribution rate of dust mask, the installation rate of various occupational prevention facilities and the distribution rate of gas mask and hearing protector were less than 80%. The differences in all the indicators among different areas, enterprise scales, economic types were statistically significant (P<0.05) . Conclusion: There are still some enterprises which are relatively weak in the ability of the prevention and treatment of occupational diseases in China. Measures such as special support, guidance and strengthen supervision should be taken towards those enterprises toimprove the awareness of prevention and treatment of occupational diseases and the level of that.
Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; Occupational Diseases/prevention & control* ; Manufacturing Industry ; Workplace ; China/epidemiology* ; Occupational Health