The total income Y can be expressed as the sum of c components called income sources. The N units... more The total income Y can be expressed as the sum of c components called income sources. The N units of the population can be partitioned into k different subpopulations. In the paper the decompositions by subpopulations as well as by income components of the point ( ) and the synthetic ( ) I Y inequality indexes proposed by Zenga in 2007 are considered. These indexes can be decomposed into the contributions of income sources and/or into the contributions of subpopulations ,and also the decomposition into within-and between-group inequality can be carried out. In the paper, the two-step approach was used: first of all "additive" decompositions of the point index were derived, and then, by averaging these decompositions, the corresponding decompositions of the synthetic index were obtained. The results were then applied to the analysis of income distributions in Poland and Italy based on the household budget surveys conducted by Statistics Poland and the Bank of Italy, respectively.
Background: Plantar pressure distribution has been recognized as a significant finding to associa... more Background: Plantar pressure distribution has been recognized as a significant finding to associate with various feet conditions. Objectives: To determine the feet plantar pressure distribution among female school teachers; Methods: This research consisted of 124 female school teachers. Respondents was asked to walk at a regular pace for 10 seconds from a fixed starting point while using footwear pressure insole device and pressure measurement was recorded.; Results: The findings show that lateral heel exerted the most pressure in the right and left foot (94 kPa vs 85 kPa). The second highest average of plantar pressure distribution for right foot among female school teachers was medial forefoot (67 kPa), followed by central forefoot (55 kPa), lateral forefoot (52 kPa) and lateral midfoot with 49 kPa. For the left foot, the second highest for average of plantar pressure distribution was medial forefoot (58 kPa), followed by lateral forefoot (48 kPa), and central forefoot (47 kPa) an...
It is not unlikely in Cameroon to be involved in road accidents.The debate as to who is responsib... more It is not unlikely in Cameroon to be involved in road accidents.The debate as to who is responsible has been a bone of contention among travellers for years. Some have put the blame on the government for inadequate laws and road unworthiness. Others blamed the drivers for being ‘cash crazy’ and reckless while others have blamed the companies for hiring drivers that are not qualified and not putting safety policies in place. In all these cases, the degree of accidents that had taken place on these roads is alarming and someone therefore has to shoulder the responsibility for there to be a change. This article reviews the concept of the law of negligence citing cases of negligent behaviours from all partiesinvolved. The aim of this article is to create awareness on the ongoing cases of accidents, both reported and unreported for government intervention and to raise public awareness.
Traffic police riders are exposed to prolonged static postures causing significant angular deviat... more Traffic police riders are exposed to prolonged static postures causing significant angular deviation of the musculoskeletal, including the lumbar angle (L1-L5). This postural alteration contributes to awkward posture, musculoskeletal disorders and spinal injury, especially in the lower back area, as it is one of the most severe modern diseases nowadays. Thus, the study aimed to evaluate the effect of lumbar support with a built-in massager system on spinal angle profiles among traffic police riders. A randomised controlled trial (pre-testpost-test control design) was used to assess spinal angle pattern while riding the high-powered motorcycle for 20 minutes. Twenty-four traffic police riders were randomly selected to participate and 12 riders were assigned to the control group and 12 riders to the experimental group. The pre-test and post-test were conducted at a one-week interval. Each participant was required to wear a TruPosture Smart Shirt (to monitor spinal posture). The TruPos...
Background: Workstation design has shift from using single monitor screen to dual monitor screens... more Background: Workstation design has shift from using single monitor screen to dual monitor screens, which may impose some impacts towards the muscles activity. This study aimed to determine the effect of using dual monitor screen computer to the neck-shoulder muscle activity among computer user. Method: This experimental study was conducted in 2015 among 28 healthy students in University Malaysia Perlis. The muscle activity of sternocleidomastoid and trapezius were recorded using surface electromyography (sEMG) as the participants perform two types of computer task: (1) proofreading task for 10 minutes (2) typing task for 20 minutes in setting; single and dual monitor screens. Results: There was a significant reduction in the median frequency of the left trapezius muscle (t=-2.515, P=0.018). Sternocleidomastoid muscle activity for both sides also showed a significant reduction in the median frequency where right SCM (t=-2.579, P=0.016) and left SCM (t=-2.345, P=0.027). When compared ...
Objective : This paper provides an empirical literature on the methodology used in the health ris... more Objective : This paper provides an empirical literature on the methodology used in the health risk assessment of pesticide use in palm oil plantation with the aim for a comprehensive assessment framework through both semi - quantitative and quantitative methods. Method : Semi - quantitative assessment model DREAM and DERM assessed occupational dermal exposure to pesticides. The whole body dosimetry method using uranine tracer is the quantification method of the level to pesticides exposure. The biological monitoring through acetylcholinesterase (AChE) catalytic activity in saliva measures the health risk from the prolong exposure. Conclusions: Incorporate a comprehensive assessment framework through both semi - quantitative and quantitative methods allow us to model the health risk of pesticide use in the oil palm plantation. It is useful for stakeholders for the improvement of the risk assessment scheme, optimization of factors influence level of exposure and development of program...
Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare, 2015
Human skin is undoubtedly the major route of exposure to environmental contaminants, particularly... more Human skin is undoubtedly the major route of exposure to environmental contaminants, particularly when endo- and exo- pesticide drift is unavoidable whenever pesticide is applied. This field analytical study was conducted to determine dermal contamination of spray operator during pesticide application under the influence of difference spraying flow rate at the rice farming village of Selangor, Malaysia. The fluorescent tracer technique was used to quantify the dermal contamination pattern of the spray operator, followed by quantifying the concentration of fluoresceine with the aid of digital fluorometer. In summary, the mixture of pesticides applied to the farmland with higher spray rate (L/min) showed an increased contaminant doses retained on the body surface. In summary, it is recommended that changes in application techniques, setting up buffer zones or selection of low spraying flow rate (L/min) could improve the efficacy and safety of pesticide contamination through dermal pat...
Introduction: Bisphenol A (BPA) is a controversial plastics ingredient used mainly in the product... more Introduction: Bisphenol A (BPA) is a controversial plastics ingredient used mainly in the production of polycarbonate plastics (PC) and epoxy resins that widely used nowadays in food and drink packaging. Even though BPA is not involved in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) manufacturing, recent study had reported the present of BPA in PET water bottle. This study was conducted to investigate effects storage conditions on release of BPA from PC and PET bottled water as well as to assess health risks associated with consumption. Methods: Solid phase extraction (SPE) was used to extract the samples, followed by analysis using ultra high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector (UHPLC-FLD). The possibility of developing chronic non-carcinogenic health risk among consumers of bottled water was evaluated using hazard quotient (HQ). Results: Results showed that BPA migrated from PC and PET water bottles at concentrations ranging from 9.13 to 257.67 ng/L and 11.53 ng/L to ...
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous pollutants with toxic effects and adverse ... more Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous pollutants with toxic effects and adverse health impacts on general population. Several methods of extraction had been applied to extract PAHs from human blood samples such as solid phase extraction (SPE). The SPE represents one of the most common techniques for extraction and clean-up procedures as it needs low quantity of solvents with less manual efforts. Similarly, various analytical instruments like gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to measure the PAHs levels. Gas chromatography is a simple, fast, and very efficient method for solvents and small organic molecules. This review provides an overview of the measured concentrations of PAHs in human blood samples through the application of SPE and GC-MS during the last ten years. While these studies used various solvents, their application of SPE method and GC-MS revealed rewarding results about the determination of PAHs levels in the human samples.
Background: Quality of Work Life (QWL) is a subset of the quality of life which expresses the int... more Background: Quality of Work Life (QWL) is a subset of the quality of life which expresses the interactions between workers and their total working environment with individual or human dimension. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of QWL among Malaysian workers. Methods: 2740 respondents (1921 males and 819 females) were randomly selected from 11 different industries from all states of Malaysia. Respondents were aged between 18 to more than 55 years and were a local OSH Personnel and local general workers. Face to face interviews were conducted in all the selected industries using a structured questionnaire form adapted from Malaysian OSH Profile 2016. Respondents have completed the questionnaire under instructions and supervision of the research team. Results: Majority of the respondents were male (70.1%) and from manufacturing industries (76.3%). 50% of the respondents identified a high level of QWL in each component like not having a stress wit...
Introduction: Mainstreaming disaster education at the school level has been seen as an initiative... more Introduction: Mainstreaming disaster education at the school level has been seen as an initiative in disaster risk mitigation to promote sustainable public awareness, however, the challenges to ensure an effective knowledge transfer has widely been highlighted. Educators who are lacking disaster education background always find it difficult in knowledge delivery and trigger learners' curiosity in disaster learning. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of knowledge transfer in disaster learning among school children by using two different learning methods with the same learning module. Methods: Two different learning methods, i.e. a customized learning kit and PowerPoint teaching slide were used in this pre-post intervention study. The prototype of the customized learning kit was developed based on the psychosocial development of children that emphasized the importance of “children play” in early childhood education. A total of 337 elementary school children a...
Objective : This is a conceptual paper to suggest the arrangements of adequate first aid services... more Objective : This is a conceptual paper to suggest the arrangements of adequate first aid services in case of injury or illness by integrating the existing guidelines of occupational safety and health (OSH) in Malaysia. Discussion : The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) 1994, provides the legislative framework to promote, stimu- late and encourage high standards of safety and health at work. Due to the self-regulation schemes applied under this act, OSH relevant guidelines have been introduced to tackle different OSH issues at the workplace. Two of the guidelines dis- cusses in this paper are Guidelines for Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Risk Control (HIRARC) (2008) and Guidelines on First-Aid in the Workplace (2004). The gaps exist as how to complementary two existing guidelines to en- hance the first aid assessment at the workplace. Conclusion : In summary, this paper recommends on the necessary to conduct a comprehensive workplace first aid assess- ment and su...
An Interdisciplinary Approach for Disaster Resilience and Sustainability, 2019
Children are highly vulnerable to climate change and disaster impacts, while those living in marg... more Children are highly vulnerable to climate change and disaster impacts, while those living in marginal environments and situations of poverty are the most vulnerable. Schools that are supposed to create a safe learning environment for students have become a vulnerable place when hit by flood during school hours. Children would be in danger if facing with a flood situation without parents or adults with them to help and lacking in the knowledge and preparation in response toward flood disaster. This paper discusses the potential of developing a personalized child-focused and child-led disaster risk reduction educational approaches and techniques. This was done by intervening the customized flood education miniature and interactive e-learning into a disaster educational module to evaluate the school children’s flood preparedness knowledge levels. A quasi-experimental study was carried out among 110 schoolchildren whose school and house are located at the flood-prone areas. The prototyp...
Discomfort measurement has usually been attempted by asking the participants to rate the scale of... more Discomfort measurement has usually been attempted by asking the participants to rate the scale of their discomfort which commonly termed as a subjective scale. Various studies had conducted the discomfort level on vehicle seat by using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Likert scale. VAS is a tool that use to measure a discomfort or characteristics in range across a continuum of values. Meanwhile, Likert-scale is a tool consist of items that require respondents to rate their degrees of comfort or discomfort with various declarative statements. Thus, the purpose of this study is to review, discuss and compare between the VAS and Likert scale used on the development and assessment of sitting discomfort survey in seat vehicles. The literature on various topics related to questionnaire development on discomfort in seat vehicle were collected from electronic databases. Four high-quality studies were eligible and met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Overall, there is no evidence and con...
In Taiwan, combustible wood mostly comes from waste pallets and scrap packaging materials discard... more In Taiwan, combustible wood mostly comes from waste pallets and scrap packaging materials discarded by factories, which produced a total of 278,067 tons of waste wood in 2019. In this study, the heat value of waste wood was 18.3 ± 1.07 MJ kg -1 . The measured volatile fraction was 76.5 ± 7.34%, the fixed carbon was 15.7 ± 3.19%, the ash content was 2.96 ± 2.45%, and the moisture content was 21.6 ± 10.2%. The proportions of the elemental constituents in the waste wood were 45.3 ± 4.95%, 46.9 ± 3.94%, 5.9 ± 0.44%, 0.21 ± 0.17%, 0.29 ± 0.26%, and 0.02 ± 0.02% for carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, sulfur, nitrogen, and chlorine, respectively. The average boiler capacity was 11.5 ± 6.84 ton hr -1 , the average fuel consumption of the boilers was 1.47 ± 1.81 ton hr -1 , the average operating temperature of the boilers was 853 ± 228°C, the average steam generation of the boilers was 7.63 ± 5.97 ton hr -1 , and the average exhaust flow rate was 246.6 ± 200.9 m 3 min -1 . The main air pollution control systems used in the waste wood combustion boilers were systems combining a cyclone, a baghouse and a scrubber (37.8%), a cyclone and a baghouse (28.4%), a cyclone and a scrubber (10.2%), and systems using a baghouse only (9.8%). Based on our fuel consumption data, the air pollutant emission factors were 0.71 ± 1.44 kg per ton of wood for PM, 0.86 ± 1.47 kg per ton of wood for SO x , and 5.24 ± 9.56 kg per ton of wood for NO x . In July 2022, new emission standards for boilers will be implemented, and emission reductions of at least 30% for PM, 35% for NO x and 7% for SO 2 will be required.
Objective : The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between skin exposure and ski... more Objective : The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between skin exposure and skin symptoms among paddy farmers in Tanjung Karang Method : Tinopal (CBX-S) was used as fluorescent tracer to trace the pesticide con taminant on the respondents’ bodies. There were 2 types of scores that were used to quantify the dermal exposures, namely the Exposure Evaluation Matrix (EEM) and Determinants of Dermal Exposure Ranking Method (DERM).A self-constructed questionnaire was also used to record the socio-demographic background and the skin symptoms of the respondents. Result: The results showed that therewas no significant association between the dermal score with skin symptoms among the exposed group (p-value>0.05). Thehighest prevalence of body part exposed were right fingers (36.6%) and back of the thorax (35.2%).Itchiness was the most common symptom reported among the respondents (20%), followed by skin redness (10.5%). Conclusion : There was no significant association be...
Laboratory workers exposed to diverse occupational exposures to accidents. Evidently, extant, yet... more Laboratory workers exposed to diverse occupational exposures to accidents. Evidently, extant, yet very limited empirical underpinnings suggest that knowledge, practices and awareness of safety precautions are uncharacteristically poor among laboratory workers. As such, their demonstration of safety-related attitudes and practices have remained questionable. This paper, thus presents a systematic search of the literature on laboratory workers’ safety-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Specifically, literature published between 2007 and 2017 that characteristically attempted to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and practices among laboratory workers on Occupational Safety and Health were reviewed. Evidently, results from the review indicate poor knowledge, attitude and practice among the laboratory workers. It is critical that strategies be put in place by the management of the health facilities to institute and undertake activities in the form of training, improved safety manag...
Traditionally, neoclassical economics in most of the developing countries are highly dependent on... more Traditionally, neoclassical economics in most of the developing countries are highly dependent on both the private and public sectors for the purposes of policy making. In order to close the gaps that exist in the current OSH policy system, both employers and employees in any business organization are urged to demonstrate full commitment on OSH programs and plans. This paper aimed to summarize the latest OSH policy updates under the government bodies and agencies in Malaysia that affect business activities in all organizations. It is hoped that with these important policies made, the safe and healthy working culture would be positively implemented at the workplaces. To date, the rapid economic transformation in Malaysia requires more proactive insights into the OSH policy and mechanisms, to fulfill the demand of the rapid developmental goals. The summary findings of this OSH report overview could serve as the reference point to understand the development and gaps present from the ye...
Objective: This study determined relationship between environmental exposure of organophosphate p... more Objective: This study determined relationship between environmental exposure of organophosphate pesticides mixtures and neurodevelopment among primary school children in a paddy farming area. Method : The study was conducted at Tanjung Karang, Selangor. Random sampling method was used to select the children (n=114) based on the inclusive criteria; healthy primary school children, aged 10 to 11 years old and with parental written permission. A set of questionnaire items were filled up by parents to obtain their children ’s background information. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Finger prick technique was used to collect 0.01 ml blood samples in which blood cholinesterase concentration as an indicator of organophosphate pesticide exposure were then analyzed using a rapid test cholinesterase test kit Model LOVIBOND 412870 AF287. All seven tests of WHO Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery (NCTB) were used to measure the children’s neurodevelopment. Result : Findings showed ...
This paper provides a specific deliberation on occupational hazards confronted daily by Malaysian... more This paper provides a specific deliberation on occupational hazards confronted daily by Malaysian Traffic Police. Traffic police is a high-risk occupation that involves a wide range of tasks and, indirectly, faced with an equally wide variety of hazards at work namely, physical, biological, psychosocial, chemical, and ergonomic hazards. Thereupon, occupational injuries, diseases, and even death are common in the field. The objective of this paper is to collate and explain the major hazards of working as Malaysian traffic police especially in Point Duty Unit, their health effects, and control measures. There are many ways in which these hazards can be minimised by ensuring that sufficient safety measures are taken such as a wireless outdoor individual exposure indicator system for the traffic police. By having this system, air monitoring among traffic police may potentially be easier and accurate. Other methods of mitigating these unfortunate events are incorporated and addressed in ...
The total income Y can be expressed as the sum of c components called income sources. The N units... more The total income Y can be expressed as the sum of c components called income sources. The N units of the population can be partitioned into k different subpopulations. In the paper the decompositions by subpopulations as well as by income components of the point ( ) and the synthetic ( ) I Y inequality indexes proposed by Zenga in 2007 are considered. These indexes can be decomposed into the contributions of income sources and/or into the contributions of subpopulations ,and also the decomposition into within-and between-group inequality can be carried out. In the paper, the two-step approach was used: first of all "additive" decompositions of the point index were derived, and then, by averaging these decompositions, the corresponding decompositions of the synthetic index were obtained. The results were then applied to the analysis of income distributions in Poland and Italy based on the household budget surveys conducted by Statistics Poland and the Bank of Italy, respectively.
Background: Plantar pressure distribution has been recognized as a significant finding to associa... more Background: Plantar pressure distribution has been recognized as a significant finding to associate with various feet conditions. Objectives: To determine the feet plantar pressure distribution among female school teachers; Methods: This research consisted of 124 female school teachers. Respondents was asked to walk at a regular pace for 10 seconds from a fixed starting point while using footwear pressure insole device and pressure measurement was recorded.; Results: The findings show that lateral heel exerted the most pressure in the right and left foot (94 kPa vs 85 kPa). The second highest average of plantar pressure distribution for right foot among female school teachers was medial forefoot (67 kPa), followed by central forefoot (55 kPa), lateral forefoot (52 kPa) and lateral midfoot with 49 kPa. For the left foot, the second highest for average of plantar pressure distribution was medial forefoot (58 kPa), followed by lateral forefoot (48 kPa), and central forefoot (47 kPa) an...
It is not unlikely in Cameroon to be involved in road accidents.The debate as to who is responsib... more It is not unlikely in Cameroon to be involved in road accidents.The debate as to who is responsible has been a bone of contention among travellers for years. Some have put the blame on the government for inadequate laws and road unworthiness. Others blamed the drivers for being ‘cash crazy’ and reckless while others have blamed the companies for hiring drivers that are not qualified and not putting safety policies in place. In all these cases, the degree of accidents that had taken place on these roads is alarming and someone therefore has to shoulder the responsibility for there to be a change. This article reviews the concept of the law of negligence citing cases of negligent behaviours from all partiesinvolved. The aim of this article is to create awareness on the ongoing cases of accidents, both reported and unreported for government intervention and to raise public awareness.
Traffic police riders are exposed to prolonged static postures causing significant angular deviat... more Traffic police riders are exposed to prolonged static postures causing significant angular deviation of the musculoskeletal, including the lumbar angle (L1-L5). This postural alteration contributes to awkward posture, musculoskeletal disorders and spinal injury, especially in the lower back area, as it is one of the most severe modern diseases nowadays. Thus, the study aimed to evaluate the effect of lumbar support with a built-in massager system on spinal angle profiles among traffic police riders. A randomised controlled trial (pre-testpost-test control design) was used to assess spinal angle pattern while riding the high-powered motorcycle for 20 minutes. Twenty-four traffic police riders were randomly selected to participate and 12 riders were assigned to the control group and 12 riders to the experimental group. The pre-test and post-test were conducted at a one-week interval. Each participant was required to wear a TruPosture Smart Shirt (to monitor spinal posture). The TruPos...
Background: Workstation design has shift from using single monitor screen to dual monitor screens... more Background: Workstation design has shift from using single monitor screen to dual monitor screens, which may impose some impacts towards the muscles activity. This study aimed to determine the effect of using dual monitor screen computer to the neck-shoulder muscle activity among computer user. Method: This experimental study was conducted in 2015 among 28 healthy students in University Malaysia Perlis. The muscle activity of sternocleidomastoid and trapezius were recorded using surface electromyography (sEMG) as the participants perform two types of computer task: (1) proofreading task for 10 minutes (2) typing task for 20 minutes in setting; single and dual monitor screens. Results: There was a significant reduction in the median frequency of the left trapezius muscle (t=-2.515, P=0.018). Sternocleidomastoid muscle activity for both sides also showed a significant reduction in the median frequency where right SCM (t=-2.579, P=0.016) and left SCM (t=-2.345, P=0.027). When compared ...
Objective : This paper provides an empirical literature on the methodology used in the health ris... more Objective : This paper provides an empirical literature on the methodology used in the health risk assessment of pesticide use in palm oil plantation with the aim for a comprehensive assessment framework through both semi - quantitative and quantitative methods. Method : Semi - quantitative assessment model DREAM and DERM assessed occupational dermal exposure to pesticides. The whole body dosimetry method using uranine tracer is the quantification method of the level to pesticides exposure. The biological monitoring through acetylcholinesterase (AChE) catalytic activity in saliva measures the health risk from the prolong exposure. Conclusions: Incorporate a comprehensive assessment framework through both semi - quantitative and quantitative methods allow us to model the health risk of pesticide use in the oil palm plantation. It is useful for stakeholders for the improvement of the risk assessment scheme, optimization of factors influence level of exposure and development of program...
Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare, 2015
Human skin is undoubtedly the major route of exposure to environmental contaminants, particularly... more Human skin is undoubtedly the major route of exposure to environmental contaminants, particularly when endo- and exo- pesticide drift is unavoidable whenever pesticide is applied. This field analytical study was conducted to determine dermal contamination of spray operator during pesticide application under the influence of difference spraying flow rate at the rice farming village of Selangor, Malaysia. The fluorescent tracer technique was used to quantify the dermal contamination pattern of the spray operator, followed by quantifying the concentration of fluoresceine with the aid of digital fluorometer. In summary, the mixture of pesticides applied to the farmland with higher spray rate (L/min) showed an increased contaminant doses retained on the body surface. In summary, it is recommended that changes in application techniques, setting up buffer zones or selection of low spraying flow rate (L/min) could improve the efficacy and safety of pesticide contamination through dermal pat...
Introduction: Bisphenol A (BPA) is a controversial plastics ingredient used mainly in the product... more Introduction: Bisphenol A (BPA) is a controversial plastics ingredient used mainly in the production of polycarbonate plastics (PC) and epoxy resins that widely used nowadays in food and drink packaging. Even though BPA is not involved in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) manufacturing, recent study had reported the present of BPA in PET water bottle. This study was conducted to investigate effects storage conditions on release of BPA from PC and PET bottled water as well as to assess health risks associated with consumption. Methods: Solid phase extraction (SPE) was used to extract the samples, followed by analysis using ultra high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector (UHPLC-FLD). The possibility of developing chronic non-carcinogenic health risk among consumers of bottled water was evaluated using hazard quotient (HQ). Results: Results showed that BPA migrated from PC and PET water bottles at concentrations ranging from 9.13 to 257.67 ng/L and 11.53 ng/L to ...
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous pollutants with toxic effects and adverse ... more Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous pollutants with toxic effects and adverse health impacts on general population. Several methods of extraction had been applied to extract PAHs from human blood samples such as solid phase extraction (SPE). The SPE represents one of the most common techniques for extraction and clean-up procedures as it needs low quantity of solvents with less manual efforts. Similarly, various analytical instruments like gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to measure the PAHs levels. Gas chromatography is a simple, fast, and very efficient method for solvents and small organic molecules. This review provides an overview of the measured concentrations of PAHs in human blood samples through the application of SPE and GC-MS during the last ten years. While these studies used various solvents, their application of SPE method and GC-MS revealed rewarding results about the determination of PAHs levels in the human samples.
Background: Quality of Work Life (QWL) is a subset of the quality of life which expresses the int... more Background: Quality of Work Life (QWL) is a subset of the quality of life which expresses the interactions between workers and their total working environment with individual or human dimension. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of QWL among Malaysian workers. Methods: 2740 respondents (1921 males and 819 females) were randomly selected from 11 different industries from all states of Malaysia. Respondents were aged between 18 to more than 55 years and were a local OSH Personnel and local general workers. Face to face interviews were conducted in all the selected industries using a structured questionnaire form adapted from Malaysian OSH Profile 2016. Respondents have completed the questionnaire under instructions and supervision of the research team. Results: Majority of the respondents were male (70.1%) and from manufacturing industries (76.3%). 50% of the respondents identified a high level of QWL in each component like not having a stress wit...
Introduction: Mainstreaming disaster education at the school level has been seen as an initiative... more Introduction: Mainstreaming disaster education at the school level has been seen as an initiative in disaster risk mitigation to promote sustainable public awareness, however, the challenges to ensure an effective knowledge transfer has widely been highlighted. Educators who are lacking disaster education background always find it difficult in knowledge delivery and trigger learners' curiosity in disaster learning. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of knowledge transfer in disaster learning among school children by using two different learning methods with the same learning module. Methods: Two different learning methods, i.e. a customized learning kit and PowerPoint teaching slide were used in this pre-post intervention study. The prototype of the customized learning kit was developed based on the psychosocial development of children that emphasized the importance of “children play” in early childhood education. A total of 337 elementary school children a...
Objective : This is a conceptual paper to suggest the arrangements of adequate first aid services... more Objective : This is a conceptual paper to suggest the arrangements of adequate first aid services in case of injury or illness by integrating the existing guidelines of occupational safety and health (OSH) in Malaysia. Discussion : The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) 1994, provides the legislative framework to promote, stimu- late and encourage high standards of safety and health at work. Due to the self-regulation schemes applied under this act, OSH relevant guidelines have been introduced to tackle different OSH issues at the workplace. Two of the guidelines dis- cusses in this paper are Guidelines for Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Risk Control (HIRARC) (2008) and Guidelines on First-Aid in the Workplace (2004). The gaps exist as how to complementary two existing guidelines to en- hance the first aid assessment at the workplace. Conclusion : In summary, this paper recommends on the necessary to conduct a comprehensive workplace first aid assess- ment and su...
An Interdisciplinary Approach for Disaster Resilience and Sustainability, 2019
Children are highly vulnerable to climate change and disaster impacts, while those living in marg... more Children are highly vulnerable to climate change and disaster impacts, while those living in marginal environments and situations of poverty are the most vulnerable. Schools that are supposed to create a safe learning environment for students have become a vulnerable place when hit by flood during school hours. Children would be in danger if facing with a flood situation without parents or adults with them to help and lacking in the knowledge and preparation in response toward flood disaster. This paper discusses the potential of developing a personalized child-focused and child-led disaster risk reduction educational approaches and techniques. This was done by intervening the customized flood education miniature and interactive e-learning into a disaster educational module to evaluate the school children’s flood preparedness knowledge levels. A quasi-experimental study was carried out among 110 schoolchildren whose school and house are located at the flood-prone areas. The prototyp...
Discomfort measurement has usually been attempted by asking the participants to rate the scale of... more Discomfort measurement has usually been attempted by asking the participants to rate the scale of their discomfort which commonly termed as a subjective scale. Various studies had conducted the discomfort level on vehicle seat by using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Likert scale. VAS is a tool that use to measure a discomfort or characteristics in range across a continuum of values. Meanwhile, Likert-scale is a tool consist of items that require respondents to rate their degrees of comfort or discomfort with various declarative statements. Thus, the purpose of this study is to review, discuss and compare between the VAS and Likert scale used on the development and assessment of sitting discomfort survey in seat vehicles. The literature on various topics related to questionnaire development on discomfort in seat vehicle were collected from electronic databases. Four high-quality studies were eligible and met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Overall, there is no evidence and con...
In Taiwan, combustible wood mostly comes from waste pallets and scrap packaging materials discard... more In Taiwan, combustible wood mostly comes from waste pallets and scrap packaging materials discarded by factories, which produced a total of 278,067 tons of waste wood in 2019. In this study, the heat value of waste wood was 18.3 ± 1.07 MJ kg -1 . The measured volatile fraction was 76.5 ± 7.34%, the fixed carbon was 15.7 ± 3.19%, the ash content was 2.96 ± 2.45%, and the moisture content was 21.6 ± 10.2%. The proportions of the elemental constituents in the waste wood were 45.3 ± 4.95%, 46.9 ± 3.94%, 5.9 ± 0.44%, 0.21 ± 0.17%, 0.29 ± 0.26%, and 0.02 ± 0.02% for carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, sulfur, nitrogen, and chlorine, respectively. The average boiler capacity was 11.5 ± 6.84 ton hr -1 , the average fuel consumption of the boilers was 1.47 ± 1.81 ton hr -1 , the average operating temperature of the boilers was 853 ± 228°C, the average steam generation of the boilers was 7.63 ± 5.97 ton hr -1 , and the average exhaust flow rate was 246.6 ± 200.9 m 3 min -1 . The main air pollution control systems used in the waste wood combustion boilers were systems combining a cyclone, a baghouse and a scrubber (37.8%), a cyclone and a baghouse (28.4%), a cyclone and a scrubber (10.2%), and systems using a baghouse only (9.8%). Based on our fuel consumption data, the air pollutant emission factors were 0.71 ± 1.44 kg per ton of wood for PM, 0.86 ± 1.47 kg per ton of wood for SO x , and 5.24 ± 9.56 kg per ton of wood for NO x . In July 2022, new emission standards for boilers will be implemented, and emission reductions of at least 30% for PM, 35% for NO x and 7% for SO 2 will be required.
Objective : The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between skin exposure and ski... more Objective : The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between skin exposure and skin symptoms among paddy farmers in Tanjung Karang Method : Tinopal (CBX-S) was used as fluorescent tracer to trace the pesticide con taminant on the respondents’ bodies. There were 2 types of scores that were used to quantify the dermal exposures, namely the Exposure Evaluation Matrix (EEM) and Determinants of Dermal Exposure Ranking Method (DERM).A self-constructed questionnaire was also used to record the socio-demographic background and the skin symptoms of the respondents. Result: The results showed that therewas no significant association between the dermal score with skin symptoms among the exposed group (p-value>0.05). Thehighest prevalence of body part exposed were right fingers (36.6%) and back of the thorax (35.2%).Itchiness was the most common symptom reported among the respondents (20%), followed by skin redness (10.5%). Conclusion : There was no significant association be...
Laboratory workers exposed to diverse occupational exposures to accidents. Evidently, extant, yet... more Laboratory workers exposed to diverse occupational exposures to accidents. Evidently, extant, yet very limited empirical underpinnings suggest that knowledge, practices and awareness of safety precautions are uncharacteristically poor among laboratory workers. As such, their demonstration of safety-related attitudes and practices have remained questionable. This paper, thus presents a systematic search of the literature on laboratory workers’ safety-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Specifically, literature published between 2007 and 2017 that characteristically attempted to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and practices among laboratory workers on Occupational Safety and Health were reviewed. Evidently, results from the review indicate poor knowledge, attitude and practice among the laboratory workers. It is critical that strategies be put in place by the management of the health facilities to institute and undertake activities in the form of training, improved safety manag...
Traditionally, neoclassical economics in most of the developing countries are highly dependent on... more Traditionally, neoclassical economics in most of the developing countries are highly dependent on both the private and public sectors for the purposes of policy making. In order to close the gaps that exist in the current OSH policy system, both employers and employees in any business organization are urged to demonstrate full commitment on OSH programs and plans. This paper aimed to summarize the latest OSH policy updates under the government bodies and agencies in Malaysia that affect business activities in all organizations. It is hoped that with these important policies made, the safe and healthy working culture would be positively implemented at the workplaces. To date, the rapid economic transformation in Malaysia requires more proactive insights into the OSH policy and mechanisms, to fulfill the demand of the rapid developmental goals. The summary findings of this OSH report overview could serve as the reference point to understand the development and gaps present from the ye...
Objective: This study determined relationship between environmental exposure of organophosphate p... more Objective: This study determined relationship between environmental exposure of organophosphate pesticides mixtures and neurodevelopment among primary school children in a paddy farming area. Method : The study was conducted at Tanjung Karang, Selangor. Random sampling method was used to select the children (n=114) based on the inclusive criteria; healthy primary school children, aged 10 to 11 years old and with parental written permission. A set of questionnaire items were filled up by parents to obtain their children ’s background information. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Finger prick technique was used to collect 0.01 ml blood samples in which blood cholinesterase concentration as an indicator of organophosphate pesticide exposure were then analyzed using a rapid test cholinesterase test kit Model LOVIBOND 412870 AF287. All seven tests of WHO Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery (NCTB) were used to measure the children’s neurodevelopment. Result : Findings showed ...
This paper provides a specific deliberation on occupational hazards confronted daily by Malaysian... more This paper provides a specific deliberation on occupational hazards confronted daily by Malaysian Traffic Police. Traffic police is a high-risk occupation that involves a wide range of tasks and, indirectly, faced with an equally wide variety of hazards at work namely, physical, biological, psychosocial, chemical, and ergonomic hazards. Thereupon, occupational injuries, diseases, and even death are common in the field. The objective of this paper is to collate and explain the major hazards of working as Malaysian traffic police especially in Point Duty Unit, their health effects, and control measures. There are many ways in which these hazards can be minimised by ensuring that sufficient safety measures are taken such as a wireless outdoor individual exposure indicator system for the traffic police. By having this system, air monitoring among traffic police may potentially be easier and accurate. Other methods of mitigating these unfortunate events are incorporated and addressed in ...
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