Journal of School of Public Health and

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The aim of this study was to detect the level of the workers’ knowledge and their function regarding the care of lumbar spine. Some researchers have reported that increased knowledge of the workers, even when they have received specific training, does not cause any major changes in their back’s health and function. However, some research has shown a significant relationship between increased knowledge and improved worker function. Other research has shown that Back School instruction is effective in raising the level of knowledge in workers. This research was carried out using two questionnaires that assessed the level of knowledge and function of workers in a car company. The questions were designed in four groups relating to: (1) goods and load properties and methods of carrying and handling, (2) worker’s posture at work, (3) physical exertion, (4) tools and conditions of the workplace. Measures of outcome included the workers&apos function and the knowledge. We found that the workers&apos knowledge fell into one of 3 categories: low (%11), moderate (57%), and high (%32). We also found that %52 of workers had weak function, while %18 had moderate, and %2 had high function levels. Twenty-eight percent of workers showed function levels below that of the “low” category. In brief , our research showed that the level of the workers’ knowledge of the appropriate methods of work in relation to their back was in an acceptable range. However, this function level was associated with low knowledge levels. No significant relationship was found between the workers’ knowledge levels and their functional improvement.

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  Background and Aim: Exposure to heavy metals always causes serious health problems in people working in the industry. Heavy metals may interfere with enzyme functioning or accumulate in specific body organs, leading to various health problems. Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal widely used in various industries and, therefore, workers in metal industries are at risk of exposure to it.

  Materials and Methods: A solid-phase sorbent was synthesized and factors influencing its sorption and elution steps were optimized (R>95%). The validated sorbent (chemically, physically and as regards reproducibility) was used to determine the cadmium content of the worker`s urines.

  Results: Optimized conditions for sorption and elution step were found to be as follows: pH= 7 sorption and elution time (both)= 5 min elution volume= 6 mL, and elution concentration= 2 mol L^-1. The great selectivity and the nano-particle size of the sorbent resulted in its highly precise performance (0.6ppb) and high validity and accuracy (CV<3%).

  Conclusion: Using the nano-magnetic sorbent technique and some such laboratory methods as flame atomic absorption spectroscopy, one can easily measure trace amounts of heavy metals in urine. This technique is relatively less expensive and rapid since, when using it, one can omit the filtration and centrifugation steps.