Academic literature on the topic 'Open Air Workers' Association of America'

Abstract. Light-absorbing aerosols emitted during open biomass burning (BB) events such as wildfires and agricultural burns have a strong impact on the Earth's radiation budget through both direct and indirect effects. Additionally, BB aerosols and gas-phase emissions can substantially reduce air quality at local, regional, and global scales, negatively affecting human health. South America is one of largest contributors to BB emissions globally. After Amazonia, the BB emissions from wildfires and agricultural burns in the grassland plains of northern South America (NSA) are the most significant in the region. However, few studies have analyzed the potential impact of NSA BB emissions on regional air quality. Recent evidence suggests that seasonal variations in air quality in several major cities in NSA could be associated with open biomass burning emissions, but it is still uncertain to what extent those sources impact air quality in the region. In this work, we report on 3 years of continuous equivalent black carbon (eBC) and brown carbon (BrC) observations at a hilltop site located upwind of the city of Bogotá, and we demonstrate its association with fires detected by the MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) in a 3000 km × 2000 km domain. Offline PM2.5 filter samples collected during three field campaigns were analyzed to quantify water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), organic and elemental carbon (OC∕EC), and biomass burning tracers such as levoglucosan, galactosan, and potassium. MODIS active fire data and HYSPLIT back trajectories were used to identify potential biomass burning plumes transported to the city. We analyzed the relationship between BrC, WSOC, water-soluble potassium, and levoglucosan to identify signals of the regional transport of BB aerosols. Our results confirm that regional biomass burning transport from wildfires occurs annually during the months of January and April. The seasonality of eBC closely followed that of PM2.5 at the city air quality stations; however, the observed seasonality of BrC is distinctly different to that of eBC and strongly associated with regional fire counts. The strong correlation between BrC and regional fire counts was observed at daily, weekly, and monthly timescales. WSOC at the measurement site was observed to increase linearly with levoglucosan during high BB periods and to remain constant at ∼2.5 µgC m−3 during the low BB seasons. Our findings show, for the first time in this region, that aged BB plumes can regularly reach densely populated areas in the Central Andes of northern South America. A source footprint analysis involving BrC observations, back trajectories, and remotely sensed fire activity shows that the eastern savannas in NSA are the main BB source region for the domain analyzed.

Abstract Metal occupational exposure limits mainly focus on total content of the respective metals of interest. The methods applied for trace metal analysis in occupational health and safety laboratories are usually standardized to pragmatic consensus digestion schemes, ensuring comparability of results. The objective of the present study entailed the evaluation of a recently developed HNO3-only microwave-assisted digestion procedure by comparison with the German consensus hot-block digestion and other national digestion schemes. An inter-laboratory comparison test with participation of nine national occupational health and safety laboratories from Europe and North America was organized. For adequate emulation of what workers are at risk of inhaling four different industrial metal processing workplace dusts (electronic recycling, high-speed steel grinding, cylinder head cleaning, and battery combustion ash) were homogenized and sieved to the particle size < 100 µm diameter at IFA. The participants were asked to process air sample-typical amounts according to the German hot-plate technique, the IFA microwave-assisted digestion scheme as well as their national or in-house conventional digestion method for airborne dust and analyze for Cd, Co, Cr, Co, Fe, Mg, Ni, Pb, and Zn. Recoveries (relative to consensus open-vessel digestion) obtained for the new IFA microwave-assisted digestion were between 88 and 114% and relative reproducibility standard deviations were <10% for most metals of interest. The in-house digestion procedures applied varied widely but (whether microwave, hot block, or open vessel) yielded comparable results for the predominantly elemental alloy type dusts supplied. Results become more diverse for the combustion dust, especially if a combination of microwave-assisted digestion procedures with high temperatures and hydrofluoric acid is applied. ISO 15202-2 is currently being revised; this digestion procedure will be included as a possible variant in annex 2.

Angel, S. et al. (Eds.). (1983). Land for housing the poor. Singapore: Select Books. Antaöv. A. (2007). Democracy to become reality: Participatory planning through action research. Habitat International, 31(3-4), 333-344. Archer, D. (2009). Social capital and participatory slum upgrading in Bangkok, Thailand. Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, Department of Land Economy, University of Cambridge. Asian Coalition for Housing Right [ACHR]. (2012). Comprehensive site planning: Transform community to better living place for all. Bangkok: Author. Boonyabancha, S. (2005). BMK going to scale with “slums” and squatter upgrading in Thailand. Environment and Urbanization, 17(1), 21-46. Boonyabancha, S. (2009). Land for housing the poor—by the poor: Experience from the BMK nationwide slum upgrading programme in Thailand. Environment and Urbanization, 21(2), 1-21. Brydon-Miller, M. et al. (2003). Why action research? Action Research, 1(1), 9-28. Community Organizations Development Institute [CODI]. 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(2007). รายงานวิจัยการประเมินผลโครงการบ้านมั่นคง เรื่อง คนจนเมือง: การเปลี่ยนแปลงโลกทัศน์และทัศนคติที่มีต่อตนเองและสังคม [The urban poor: The changes of social perspective and self reflection]. Unpublished Final Report submitted to Community Organization Development Institute. Sang-arun, N. (2012). The right to the city: The housing rights movement of Bangbua community. Journal of Architecture/Planning Research and Studies, 9(1), 1-12. Sapu, S. & Usavagovitwong, N. (2007). คู่มือการออกแบบและวางผังชุมชนโครงการบ้านมั่นคง: กรณีการสร้างชุมชนในภาคตะวันออกฉียงเหนือ [Community planning and design manual for Baan Mankong program: A case study of northeastern province]. Bangkok, Thailand: Community Organization Development Institute. Seabrook, J. (1996). In the cities of the south: Scenes from a developing world. London: Verso. Spatig, L. et al. (2010). The power of process: A story of collaboration and community change. Community Development, 41(1), 3-20. The Crown Property Bureau. 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Retrieved March 20, 2013, from http://www.internal-displacement.org/8025708F004BE3B1/(httpInfoFiles)/C90EE08CC6A733ABC12574C00049C81D/$file/G0810545.pdf Usavagovitwong, N. (2007). Towards community participation in housing design: Experience from low-income waterfront community, Bangkok. Journal of the Faculty of Architecture, KMITL, 5(1), 64-79. Usavagovitwong, N. et al. (2012). Understanding urban community amid capitalism: A case study of the Crown Property Bureau’s superblock. Journal of Architecture/Planning Research and Studies, 9(1), 27-42.

The abstract research was concerned in the general summaries of the whole tasks. First, the background of the study which consists the effects of social vices in Nigeria and the causes such as death, hunger, poverty, inflations, unemployment, kidnapping, battles, insurgencies, famine etc. Then followed by the effect of covid19 which spread globally in the whole world. Such as locked down, economic recession, famine, death, thefts, insurgences, murders etc. The third social vices affecting entrepreneurship such as fuel hikes was too cost in Nigeria and it stopped everything and affected every sectors in the economy, the Ebola disease could killed immediately, the Lassa fever, the bird flu, monkey pose etc. insecurity such as disturbances, burglaries, kidnappers, thurggeries, secrete cults, Russian and Ukraine crises, fire outbreak in some states in America which burn everything, lack of welfare assistance, human trafficking, corruptions, workers strikes etc. I identifying the problems such as most of the problems was from us causes while others by God as test and punishments and examinations in other to correct our tasks and behaviours, it is set up and intentionally, governments hands interventions and other nations, business organizations, contracts, free masonic, it is faked, bullying, deceiving, wickedness, indiscipline, exploitation, cheatings, oppresses, dishonesty, distrust, looting money and taking it abroad, tribalism etc. Ways of combating such social vices like American Psychology Association (APA), Spreading facts, promote ethical journalism, breath, followed the rules and regulations and careful, Trauma Informed Care (TIC), Safety. Recommendations by using Islamic Constitutions, laws, trust, equality, free education, free health, free social services, honesty, discipline, respect, avoid selfishness, added the value of money in general, increasing salaries, good leadership, creation of more states, local government, open essential higher institution, support and background by federal government, interest, attention, administrations, ruled, cooperation, farming, vocational and technical occupations, self-reliance, NGOs, world banks, SMEs, ECOWAS, Npower, loans, fulfilled promised, all are the signing and symptoms of the last days etc.

One of the most robust remote impacts of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the teleconnection to tropical North Atlantic (TNA) sea surface temperature (SST) in boreal spring. However, important questions still remain open. In particular, the timing of the ENSO–TNA relationship lacks understanding. The three previously proposed mechanisms rely on teleconnection dynamics involving a time lag of one season with respect to the ENSO mature phase in winter, but recent results have shown that the persistence of ENSO into spring is necessary for the development of the TNA SST anomalies. Likewise, the identification of the effective atmospheric forcing in the deep TNA to drive the regional air–sea interaction is also lacking. In this manuscript a new dynamical framework to understand the ENSO–TNA teleconnection is proposed, in which a continuous atmospheric forcing is present throughout the ENSO decaying phase. Observational datasets in the satellite era, which include reliable estimates over the ocean, are used to illustrate the mechanism at play. The dynamics rely on the remote Gill-type response to the ENSO zonally compensated heat source over the Amazon basin, associated with perturbations in the Walker circulation. For El Niño conditions, the anomalous diabatic heating in the tropical Pacific is compensated by anomalous diabatic cooling, in association with negative rainfall anomalies and descending motion over northern South America. A pair of anomalous cyclonic circulations is established at upper-tropospheric levels in the tropical Atlantic straddling the equator, displaying a characteristic baroclinic structure with height. In the TNA region, the mirrored anomalous anticyclonic circulation at lower-tropospheric levels weakens the northeasterly trade winds, leading to a reduction in evaporation and of the ocean mixed layer depth, hence to positive SST anomalies. Apart from the dominance of latent heat flux anomalies in the remote response, sensible heat flux and shortwave radiation anomalies also appear to contribute. The “lagged” relationship between mature ENSO in winter and peaking TNA SSTs in spring seems to be phase locked with the seasonal cycle in both the location of the mechanism’s centers of action and regional SST variance.

Background Pre-slaughter stress or the welfare condition of food-producing animals (FPAs) and the slaughter practices of slaughterhouse workers (SHWs) are critically important for the safety and quality of meats processed in slaughterhouses (SHs). Consequently, this study determined the pre-slaughter, slaughter, and post-slaughter (PSP) practices of SHWsin four SHs in Southeast, Nigeria; and discussed the impacts on meat quality and safety. Methods The PSP practices were determined by observation method. Additionally, a structured and validated closed-ended questionnaire was used to determine the knowledge of the SHWs on: the effects of poor welfare (preslaughter stress) on the quality and safety of meats produced, carcass/meat processing practices and modes of transmission of meat-borne zoonotic pathogens during carcass/meat processing. Finally, a systematic post-mortem inspection (PMI) was conducted on cattle, pigs and goats slaughtered, and economic losses accruable from condemned carcasses/meats were estimated. Results Food-producing animals were transported to the SHs or held in the lairage under inhumane conditions. A pig being conveyed to one of the SHs was seen gasping for air, as it was firmly tied on motorbike at the thoracic and abdominal regions. Fatigued cattle were forcefully dragged on the ground from the lairage to the killing floor. Cattle for slaughter were restrained, held in lateral recumbency and left groaning, due to extreme discomfort, for about one hour before slaughter. Stunning was not performed. Singed pig carcasses were dragged on the ground to the washing point. Although more than 50% of the respondents knew the modes of transmission of meat-borne zoonotic pathogens during meat processing, 71.3% of the SHWs processed carcasses on bare floor, 52.2% used same bowl of water to wash multiple carcasses while 72% did not wear personal protective equipment during meat/carcass processing. Processed meats were transported to meat shops in an unsanitary conditions, using open vans and tricycles. During the PMI, diseased carcasses/meats/organs were detected in 5.7% (83/1452), 2.1% (21/1006) and 0.8% (7/924) of the cattle, pig and goat carcasses inspected, respectively. Gross lesions pathognomonic of bovine tuberculosis, contagious bovine pleuro-pneumonia, fascioliasis and porcine cysticercosis were detected. Consequently, 391,089.2 kg of diseased meat/organs valued at 978 million Naira (235, 030 USD) were condemned. There were significant associations (p < 0.05) between educational level and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during slaughterhouse operations and knowledge that FPAs can harbour zoonotic pathogens (p = < 0.001) transmissible during carcass processing. Similarly, significant association was observed between working experience and use of PPE; and between geographical location of the respondents and knowledge that zoonotic pathogens in animals are transmissible during carcass processing or via the food chain. Conclusion The findings show that slaughter practices of SHWs have detrimental impacts on the quality and safety of meats processed for human consumption in Southeast, Nigeria. These findings underscore the need to: improve the welfare condition of slaughter-animals, mechanise abattoir operations, train and retrain the SHWs on hygienic carcass/meat processing practices. There is a need to adopt strict enforcement of food safety laws to promote meat quality, food safety and consequently promote the health of the public.

Objectives: Incense burning is a well-known practice in Asian and Middle Eastern cultures for ceremonial and religious purposes. The excessive use of incense burning has become a critical environmental health concern. The incense sellers are more exposed to incense allied air pollution. This study examines the association between prediabetes and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in incense sellers. Methods: This cross-sectional prevalence study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia” during the period July 2019 to January 2020. After medical history and examinations had been performed, a total of 265 non-smoking volunteers male incense sellers were selected. American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria were followed, people with “HbA1c less than 5.7% were considered normal; HbA1c 5.7%-6.4% were pre-diabetics, and HbA1c > 6.4% were considered people with diabetes”. In shops, the incense sellers were exposed to incense-related pollution for 8 hours daily, seven days a week. The mean age for the participants was 25±5.5 years, and body mass index was 19±2.8 (kg/m)2. Results: In incense sellers, the pre-diabetic was 125 (47.2%), and diabetes was 75 (28.3%). However, 65 (24.5 %) incense sellers were without prediabetes and diabetes. There was an increase in HbA1c levels with increasing working exposure to incense shops. Conclusions: The prevalence of pre-diabetic and type-2 diabetes was increased in incense sellers. The prevalence of pre-diabetic and type-2 diabetes was further increased with the increasing working duration of incense sellers. The study findings call for safe practice and avoiding indoor burning incense. It is suggested that well-ventilated areas with proper masks for the workers may reduce the incense-related pollution effects. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.7.6189 How to cite this:Al-khlaiwi TM, Meo SA, Habib SS, Meo IMU, Alqhtani MS. Incense Burning Indoor Pollution: Impact on the prevalence of prediabetes and Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus. Pak J Med Sci. 2022;38(7):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.38.7.6189 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

The Rössing Uranium Limited (RUL) open-cast uranium mine in Namibia has operated since 1976. Studies of underground uranium miners from Europe and North America have shown increased cancer risks (principally lung cancer). We explored the association between radiation doses and selected cancers in RUL mineworkers. Employees with at least one-year of continuous employment between 1976 and 2010 were included. Incident cancer cases [lung, extra-thoracic airways (ETA), leukemia, brain and kidney] occurring before the end of 2015 were identified from the Namibian and South African National Cancer Registries, and RUL's occupational health provider. Using a case-cohort design, data on exposure and confounding factors were collected for all cancer cases among the study cohort and a stratified random sample (sub-cohort) of the cohort, including cases. Radiation doses were estimated based on annual dose records held by RUL. In total, 76 cancer cases (32 lung, 18 ETA, 8 leukemia, 9 brain, 9 kidney) and a sub-cohort of 1,121 sampled from 7,901 RUL employees were included. A weighted Cox model, adjusted for available known confounders, produced a rate ratio (95% CI) for lung cancer of 1.42 (0.42, 4.77) and 1.22 (0.26, 5.68), respectively, for medium and higher cumulative lung dose categories compared to the lower category, and 1.04 (0.95, 1.13) for a dose increase of 10 mSv. This study faced considerable challenges with respect to case ascertainment, exposure estimates, and ensuring accuracy of key variables. Persuasive consistent evidence for elevated cancer risk was not found for radiation or other exposures studied at the Rössing uranium mine.

Each year, thousands of open-top loads are shipped across North America over the Class I railroad network. Many of these loads are high-value, high-risk shipments, presenting considerable operational challenges for the carriers due to special handling requirements. Shipments that extend beyond a standard geometric envelope, denoted by various “plates” in the Association of American Railroads (AAR) Open Top Loading Rules (OTLR), are considered to be over dimensional, or High-Wide Loads (HWLs). Historically, railroad mechanical personnel have measured HWLs manually using a tape measure, plumb line, level, and various homemade devices. Measurement methodologies and philosophies can vary widely among mechanical inspectors. As a result, railroads have recently sought out new technologies to standardize the measurement process, resulting in greater safety, efficiency, accuracy and documentation. Taking the lead in this effort, Norfolk Southern Corp. (NS), BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad have all worked closely with InfraMeasure, Inc. in their development of a patent pending, portable, laser-based measurement system known as SafeLoad®. This paper documents the development of this technology, including the completion of successful repeatability tests and the training of dozens of car inspectors from multiple railroads on the use of the system. In 2014, laser-based measurement technology was deployed across the entire NS network and was also used extensively by Union Pacific Railroad. In addition, BNSF and other Class I railroads began testing with the thought of implementing in the near future. Repeatability tests performed among newly trained employees indicated high levels of precision, with field measurements deviating by no more than 0.25 inches among various inspectors. Additional field testing confirmed a reduction in labor time and personnel required to measure HWLs by as much as one half while significantly improving measurement accuracy and reducing fall related risks by eliminating the need to climb on HWLs. In addition to these immediate benefits, the early stages of implementation have highlighted a potential long-term need for standardized measurement training within the industry. Anticipating the growing knowledge gap left by attrition, railroad mechanical departments are placing greater emphasis on training new car inspectors to assume the safety critical task of HWL measurement. This paper explores the current state of HWL measurement in the US railroad industry and identifies potential solutions, using technology, to further standardize both the practice of measuring HWLs and the training of new inspectors.

In pursuit of improved safety, Norfolk Southern Corp. (NS) has partnered with Amberg Technologies to explore the potential benefits of a laser-based measurement system for measuring over dimensional freight rail shipments. Shipments that do not fall within a standard geometric envelope, denoted as Plate B in the Association of American Railroads (AAR) Open Top Loading Rules [1], are considered to be over dimensional, or High-Wide Loads (HWLs). Extending beyond the limits of the Plate B diagram, these loads are not permitted in unrestricted interchange service. Instead, they must be measured both at points of origin and at interchange points. For US Class I Railroads, the de facto method for measuring HWLs requires mechanical personnel to either climb on the equipment or use a ladder and physically measure the overall height and width of the load. Using a tape measure, plumb line, and 6-foot level, car inspectors, or carmen, must often make multiple measurements to determine the height or width of a critical point on the load. The summation of these measurements can be subject to mathematical human error. In addition to the inherent limitations with regards to accuracy and efficiency, this method of measurement presents considerable safety challenges. The objective of the project was to develop a portable, cost-effective and accurate measurement system to improve the day-to-day operational process of measuring HWLs and reduce human exposure to railyard hazards. Norfolk Southern worked closely with Amberg Technologies to provide a clear overview of the current measuring methods, requirements, challenges and risks associated with HWLs. Amberg then developed a prototype system (with patent pending) and successful tests have been completed at both a point of origin for NS shipments and at a location where HWLs are received at interchange. The measuring system consists of a tripod mounted laser, a specially designed track reference target (TRT) and software designed specifically for HWL measurements. The system allows car inspectors to take measurements from a safe, strategic location away from the car. As a result, this system eliminates the need to climb on the equipment or a ladder and greatly reduces the amount of time spent on and around live tracks. In addition, initial tests indicate that this technology reduces the labor time required to measure HWLs by as much as one half while improving measurement accuracy. These tests have demonstrated that a laser-based system has the potential to greatly improve the safety, efficiency and accuracy associated with measuring HWLs.

This presentation discusses the authors' paper on the effects of open skies agreement. They explain how they estimate the effect of a change in Air Competition Regimes (OSA) on air transport costs, the effect of better infrastructure and Regulatory Quality on Air transport Costs, and the impact of OSA through time. Findings and conclusions are highlighted. This presentation was created for the Latin America/Caribbean and Asia/Pacific Economics and Business Association (LAEBA)'s 4th Annual Meeting, held in Lima, Peru, on June 17th, 2008.

This presentation discusses a study on the implications of open skies in ASEAN on airport development strategy in Malaysia and the government's role in positioning Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) as a regional hub for air cargo and passenger services. This document includes an introduction and a series of topics: Open skies in ASEAN; positioning Malaysia as a regional hub (infrastructure development, airlines development, specific policies); key issues in preparing for ASEAN Open Sky; policy implications; and a conclusion. This presentation was created for the Latin America/Caribbean and Asia/Pacific Economics and Business Association (LAEBA)'s 4th Annual Meeting held in Lima, Peru on June 17th, 2008.