Effect of concurrent exposure to noise and hand-transmitted vibration on auditory and cognitive attention under simulated work with construction tools.

. This study aimed to investigate the effects of separate and concurrent exposure to occupational noise and hand-transmitted vibration (HTV) on auditory and cognitive attention. .

Effects of wearing medical gowns at different temperatures on the physiological responses of female healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Using medical gowns with high protection against COVID-19 among healthcare workers (HCWs) may limit heat exchange, resulting in physiological challenges.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the physiological and neurophysiological responses of female HCWs when using two typical medical gowns at different temperatures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Twenty healthy female HCWs participated in this study.

Effect of noise and hand-transmitted vibration exposure on hearing and equilibrium under a simulated work environment with building tools.

Background: Construction workers are exposed to hand-transmitted vibration (HTV) and/or noise caused by vibrating hand tools in the work environment.

Objective: The present study aims to investigate the effects of exposure to HTV and/or noise on workers' hearing loss and body balance.

Methods: Forty construction workers were exposed to HTV (10 m/s2 rms, 31.

Combined Effects of Noise and Hand-transmitted Vibration on Workers' Muscle and Mental Fatigues in a Simulated Construction Operation.

Background: The frequent use of hand-held vibrating tools by construction workers exposes them to hand-transmitted vibration (HTV) and noise. This study investigated the effect of combined exposure to HTV and noise on workers' fatigues under simulated work with a typical building destruction tool.

Methods: The repeated measures study was conducted on 40 construction workers exposed to HTV (5 m/s2 rms with frequencies of 31.

Staffs' physiological responses to irrelevant background speech and mental workload in open-plan bank office workspaces.

Background: Acoustic comfort is one of the most critical challenges in the open-plan workspace.

Objective: This study was aimed to assess the effect of irrelevant background speech (IBS) and mental workload (MWL) on staffs' physiological parameters in open-plan bank office workspaces.

Methods: In this study, 109 male cashier staff of the banks were randomly selected.

Analysis of body heat tolerance of workers in a simulated warm environment based on linear mixed model.

Workers' heat tolerance plays a crucial role in maintaining their health and performance in hot environments. This study aimed to empirically analyze the body heat tolerance of workers under a simulated warm environment. Twenty healthy male workers from the typical light metal industry (age: 23.

The simultaneous exposure to heat and whole-body vibration on some motor skill functions of city taxi drivers.

Background: Driving requires sensory-motor abilities in unpredictable and complex driving scenarios. This experimental study aimed to investigate the combined effects of exposure to whole-body vibration and heat on motor skill functions of city taxi drivers.

Methods: This study was conducted using a driving simulator on 30 male taxi drivers.

Body physiological responses of city bus drivers subjected to noise and vibration exposure in working environment.

Background: The city bus drivers have critical roles in public transport and are occupationally exposed to different environmental stressors. This study aimed to investigate body physiological responses of city bus drivers subjected to noise and vibration exposure while crossing city routes.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 103 city bus drivers working in the governmental transportation system in Hamadan city.

Ergonomic risk factors and musculoskeletal disorders in bank staff: an interventional follow-up study in Iran.

Background: Long-term use of computer in a static mode may cause musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in bank staff. Considering the high number of bank employees in different countries, such as Iran, the risk factors of these disorders should be investigated in order to implement interventions required to reduce the risk factors. This study aimed to examine the risk factors of MSDs using the Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) method and to perform an ergonomic intervention program with banking staff in Iran.

Prediction of occupational exposure limits for noise-induced non-auditory effects.

There is a recent trend to place more emphasis on noise non-auditory effects. Despite its implications on health, there is a lack of recommendations for noise in occupational settings. This study aimed to present occupational exposure limits for noise-induced non-auditory effects in healthy males using empirical exposure-response regression models based on the data of laboratory and field considering the effective variables.

Effects of Light on Attention and Reaction Time: A Systematic Review.

Background: Accuracy, speed, efficiency, and applicability of activities in the workplace are among the most important effective factors on people's productivity, which is in turn affected by environmental factors, such as light. Therefore, the present research aimed to review the studies performed about the effects of light on attention and reaction time.

Methods: This review study systematically searched articles from 2000-2019 in databases of Google Scholar, ISC, SID, Magiran, Web of Science, Science Direct, PubMed, and Scopus using keywords of light, lighting, attention, and reaction time.

Effect of warm/cool white lights on visual perception and mood in warm/cool color environments.

Color and light are two ambient attributes for interior spaces that can be used in the design and modification of workspaces. The visual and psychological effects of color and light of each have been studied separately and widely. The aim of this study was to investigate the simultaneous effects of warm/cool white light on visual perception and mood in a simulated colored workspace.

Human cognitive functions and psycho-physiological responses under low thermal conditions in a simulated office environment.

Background: In office environments, thermal comfort is one of the most significant factor affecting employees' performance.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effects of exposure to low air temperatures on human cognitive performance, physiological responses, and thermal perceptions during mental work.

Methods: Twenty-four volunteers with an age range of 18-30 years participated in this study.

The effect of hearing protection devices on speech intelligibility of Persian employees.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of hearing protection devices (HPDs) on speech intelligibility in Persian work environments. Three current earmuffs and three earplugs and one of the prototypes of molded earplug were tested on 15 male subjects which were randomly selected. The noise reduction of HPDs was measured based on the Real Ear Attenuation at Threshold (REAT) method.

The combined effects of occupational exposure to noise and other risk factors - a systematic review.

Purpose: Noise-induced health effects exacerbate by many other risk factors. This systematic review aims at shedding light on the combined effects of co-exposure to occupational noise and other factors.

Material And Methods: A literature search in Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, with appropriate keywords on combined effects of occupational noise, and co-exposure to noise and other factors, revealed 7928 articles which were screened by two researchers.

Combined effects of noise and air temperature on human neurophysiological responses in a simulated indoor environment.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the combined effects of noise and air temperature on the human body neurophysiological responses. This study was conducted on 35 male students, who were exposed to four different air temperatures (18 °C, 22 °C, 26 °C, and 30 °C) and two noise levels (55 dBA and 75 dBA) in eight sessions in a simulated indoor environment. The mean values of accuracy and time of response to stimuli in N-back test as well as neurophysiological responses were measured.

The Effects of Noise on Human Cognitive Performance and Thermal Perception under Different Air Temperatures.

Background: Environmental factors are interrelated, and human comfort is a complex state that is under the influence of all these factors perceived by a person. We aimed to investigate the effects of noise on human cognitive performance and thermal perception under different air temperatures.

Study Design: An experimental study.

The impact of indoor air temperature on the executive functions of human brain and the physiological responses of body.

This study aimed to investigate the effect size (ES) of air temperature on the executive functions of human brain and body physiological responses. In this empirical study, the participants included 35 male students who were exposed to 4 air temperature conditions of 18°C, 22°C, 26°C and 30°C in 4 separate sessions in an air conditioning chamber. The participants were simultaneously asked to take part in the N-back test.

Effects of light intervention on alertness and mental performance during the post-lunch dip: a multi-measure study.

Disrupting sleepiness and fatigue during the post-lunch dip by environmental factors may result in a decrease in human errors and accidents, and enhance job performance. Recent studies have shown that both red white light as well as blue white light can have a positive effect on human alertness and mental functioning. In the present study, the light intervention was evaluated for its effectiveness on alleviating the post-lunch dip.

Non-Image Forming Effects of Light on Brainwaves, Autonomic Nervous Activity, Fatigue, and Performance.

Fatigue and sleepiness are one of the main causes of human errors and accidents in the workplace. The empirical evidence has approved that, in addition to stimulating the visual system, light elicits brain responses, which affect physiological and neurobehavioral human functions, known as the non-image forming (NIF) effects of light. As recent evidences have shown the positive effects of red or low correlated color temperature white light on alertness and performance, we investigated whether exposure to 2564 K light could improve subjective and objective measures of alertness and performance compared with 7343 K, 3730 K, and dim light (DL) conditions during the daytime.

Field Study of Effects of Night Shifts on Cognitive Performance, Salivary Melatonin, and Sleep.

Background: Night shift work is associated with many problems such as sleep deprivation, sleepiness, decreased cognitive performance, increased human errors, and fatigue. This study set out to measure cognitive performance, melatonin rhythms, and sleep after different consecutive night shifts (7 vs. 4) among control room operators (CORs).

A study of the real-world noise attenuation of the current hearing protection devices in typical workplaces using Field Microphone in Real Ear method.

Background: Actual noise reduction of the earmuffs is considered as one of the main challenges for the evaluation of the effectiveness of a hearing conservation program.

Objective: The current study aimed to determine the real world noise attenuation of current hearing protection devices in typical workplaces using a field microphone in real ear (FMIRE) method.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, five common earmuffs were investigated among 50 workers in two industrial factories with different noise characteristics.

Individual Fit Testing of Hearing Protection Devices Based on Microphone in Real Ear.

Background: Labeled noise reduction (NR) data presented by manufacturers are considered one of the main challenging issues for occupational experts in employing hearing protection devices (HPDs). This study aimed to determine the actual NR data of typical HPDs using the objective fit testing method with a microphone in real ear (MIRE) method.

Methods: Five available commercially earmuff protectors were investigated in 30 workers exposed to reference noise source according to the standard method, ISO 11904-1.

Evaluation of the Quality of Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems Based on Key Performance Indicators in Certified Organizations.

Background: Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems are becoming more widespread in organizations. Consequently, their effectiveness has become a core topic for researchers. This paper evaluates the performance of the Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series 18001 specification in certified companies in Iran.

The effect of blue-enriched white light on cognitive performances and sleepiness of night-shift workers: A field study.

Introduction: Night-shift works are basically accompanied by reduced cognitive performance, sleepiness, and higher possibility for human error and related incidents. It is therefore crucial to improve individuals' performance and alertness in sensitive places like industries' control room with the ultimate goal of increasing efficiency and reducing the number of possible incidents. Previous research has indicated that blue light is a critical cue for entraining circadian rhythm.