S7: Occupational Screening Equipment Flashcards
- Occupational screening equipment may be ……. screening equipment, such as …….., OR ……… screening equipment, such as …..
- personal, Spirometer and Audiometer
- Environmental, Sound level meter and Geiger Muller counter
Def of Spirometer
A device used to measure timed expired & inspired lung volumes; it helps in diagnosis of occupational lung disease such as pneumoconiosis.
Def of Spirogram
It is a volume-time curve drawn by a spirometer.
Indications of Spirometry use
- Pre-employment medical examination that gives baseline readings of workers.
- Periodic medical examination: to detect any deviation from baseline readings.
- Diagnosis of occupational lung diseases together other methods.
- Disability evaluation for compensation purposes.
- Follow-up of workers/patients & to assess effect of treatment
- Used as a challenge test to diagnose occupational asthma.
Spirometer can measure ……
- Vital capacity (VC)
- Forced vital capacity (FVC)
- Forced expired volume in one second (FEV1)
- FEV1/ FVC
Def of Vital capacity (VC)
Maximum volume of air which can be expired or inspired during a slow maneuver.
Def of Forced vital capacity (FVC)
Maximum volume of air which can be expired or inspired during a forced maneuver.
Def of Forced expired volume in one second (FEV1)
Volume expired in the first second of maximal
expiration after a maximal inspiration, it is a useful measure of how quickly full lungs can be emptied
Def of FEV1/ FVC
Useful index of airflow limitation (typically > 80% of predicted)
Interpretation of Spirometry results in obstructive & Restrictive Lung Disease
Def of Audiometer
An instrument used to measure the hearing threshold of a person which is the lowest intensity of
sound a person can hear at each frequency.
Def of Audiogram
A chart of a person’s hearing ability, recorded by an audiometer. It shows:
* Frequency in hertz across the horizontal axis
* Intensity in decibels down the vertical axis.
Types of hearing loss According to audiogram
- Sensorineural hearing loss
- Conductive hearing loss
- Mixed hearing loss
- Noise Induced Hearing Loss
Def of Sensorineural hearing loss
Both air conduction thresholds and bone conduction thresholds show the same amount of hearing loss.
Def of Conductive hearing loss
Air conduction thresholds show hearing loss, but bone conduction thresholds are normal (Air-bone gap).
Def of Mixed hearing loss
Bone conduction thresholds show hearing loss, and the air conduction thresholds show a greater hearing loss.
Characters of special type of the sensorineural hearing loss is the (Noise Induced Hearing Loss- NIHL)
- Gradual, Irreversible, Bilateral, Sensorineural.
- Occurs due to exposure to noise level > 85 dB(A).
- The 4000 (3000-6000) Hz frequency is the most severely affected taking the shape of a Notch.
Uses of audiometry in industry
- Pre-employment examination to provide baseline audiometric data.
- Periodic examination: screening for hearing impairment among workers.
- Diagnosis of noise induced hearing loss.
- A guide for patient management medical or surgical.
- Hearing impairment evaluation for compensation purposes (refer to the PowerPoint for a practical
example).
Indications of Use of Geiger Muller Counter
- Detection of ionizing radiation and of contamination with radioactive materials.
- Routine environmental monitoring.
Safe Noise Level
noise level is less than 85 dB (A) in 8 working hours per day.
Indications of Sound Level Meter
- Measurement of noise level in workplace (should be done near the noise source).
- Choice of the appropriate hearing protectors & evaluation of engineering control measures.
Done
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