DATA COLLECTION

DATA COLLECTION

  Previous studies found that personal protective

  Demographic characteristics

  equipment (PPE) was effective in reducing pesticide

  exposure among workers. 15 Van et al. conducted a study

  Operators were interview face to face by using

  of the effectiveness of PPE that examined the relevance

  questionnaires with to identify general characteristics

  of dermal and inhalation exposure to chlorpyrifos among

  of the participants, which consists of sociodemographic

  pest control operators. It showed that intervention in the

  characteristics, personal factors, working conditions,

  form of a PPE program significantly reduced metabolites

  and environmental factors at a baseline (October in urine before the onset of spraying activities. 16 –November,2015) as shown in Table 1

  Although cypermethrin, benzene, and toluene

  Biological monitoring

  exposure via inhalation or skin contact can contribute to health symptoms. However, limited information is

  Outcomes was evaluated biological exposure by

  available on the effectiveness of intervention including

  collecting urine samples in the intervention and control

  PPE program to reduce biological exposure among

  groups at baseline, first follow-up session (March

  VCOs. This study aims to determine the effectiveness

  2, 2016–May 3, 2016) and second follow-up session

  of a chemical safety program to reduce occupational

  (July 2–October 3, 2016). Urine samples were collected

  exposure among VCOs in Bangkok, Thailand.

  in 50 ml polystyrene tubes from the first void of the morning, transferred to a 10 ml polystyrene tube, and

  MATERIALS AND METhOD

  kept at -20ºC until the time of analysis. For 3-PBA

  Study population

  as cypermethrin metabolism, analysis methods were modified from Thiphom and Prapamontol’s method of

  This quasi-experimental study was conducted in

  using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)

  six administrative areas in Bangkok—Central Bangkok,

  by used acid hydrolysis method 19 For trans, trans-

  South Bangkok, North Bangkok, East Bangkok, North

  muconic acid (tt-MA) and o-cresol, the Scherer and

  Khungthon, and South Khungthon. Ninety-six male

  NIOSH 8301 methods were used to determine the level

  (18–60 years) public health VCOs were recruited and

  of tt-MA and o-cresol by using high-performance liquid

  met the inclusion criteria. There were 48 operators in

  chromatography.

  the intervention group from North Bangkok, South

  Chemical safety program (intervention)

  Bangkok, and East Bangkok and 48 operators in control group from North Khongthon, South Klongthon, and

  The intervention program consisted of a chemical

  23 Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine Toxicology, April-June 2018, Vol. 12, No. 2

  safety training program that included the following:

  task characteristics. To evaluate the effectiveness of the

  1) two days of training about basic chemical safety

  intervention program by comparing differences in the

  including chemical toxicity, health hazards, chemical

  mean outcomes of the intervention and control groups

  safety handling, mixing and spraying 2) conducting

  at the baseline, follow-up 1, and follow-up 2, a linear

  medical examinations, providing information about

  mixed model and repeated measure ANOVA were used.

  occupational health and symptoms and diseases

  The statistical significance was designated as p ≤ 0.05.

  prevention 3) two days of training about proper PPE use including a fit test program and 4) providing a chemical

  RESULTS

  safety booklet.

  General characteristics

  Statistical Analysis

  Table 1 shown the groups had similar

  This study used SPSS v. 16 for data analysis.

  sociodemographic characteristics; all participants were

  Descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation

  male and close in age (p = 0.74)). The average work

  were used to analyze participants’ demographics. For

  experience of the VCOs in the intervention group and

  measuring and comparing significant differences between

  control group were 8.8 and 7.9 years, respectively (p =

  the intervention and control groups, an independent

  0.92). There were no significant differences between the

  t-test for sociodemographics characteristics (age and

  groups.

  years of work experience). A chi-square was used to test for accident injury history, systematic illness, and work

  table 1. Sociodemographic characteristics of the intervention and control groups at the baseline

  Total

  Intervention group

  Control group

  Age (years)

  Work experience (years)

  independent t-test at P-value ≤ 0.05 Table 2 shows results of the homogeneity of age

  were similar in both groups (p = 0.452). The duration

  group, education level, personal factors, environmental

  of spraying insecticides did not differ between the

  factors, working conditions, and PPE use. The

  intervention and control groups (p = 0.112); each usually

  characteristics were similar between the intervention

  sprayed more than three hours per day. The percentage

  and control groups; most participants fell in the 31

  of operators spraying indoor areas was similar in both

  to 40 year age group and most had graduated from

  groups: 58.3 in the intervention group and 60.4 in the

  secondary school (p = 0.05). There were not significant

  control group (p = 0.835). Almost all of the participants

  differences in the personal factors; similar numbers of

  reported not using PPE while working (spraying and

  participants reported smoking (p = 0.089), drinking (p

  mixing): 81.2 in the intervention group and 66.7 in

  = 0.77), and consuming preserved food (p = 0.112).

  the control group. There was no significant difference

  Working conditions in terms of the activities of spraying

  between the groups (p = 0.162).

  insecticide, mixing insecticide, and spraying time

  Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine Toxicology, April-June 2018, Vol. 12, No. 2 24

  Table 2 Sociodemographic characteristics of the intervention and control groups at the baseline

  Intervention group

  Control group

  X 2 (df) P-value

  n()

  n()

  Age group

  Education level

  Primary school

  Secondary school

  Do not smoke

  Do not drink

  Consume preserved food

  Indoor spraying

  Working condition

  Spraying insecticide

  Mixingloading pesticide

  Duration spraying

  Do not use

  Chi-square test at P-value ≤ 0.05

  ups. In contrast, the control group’s measurements had increased at both Follow-ups. For intervention effects,

  Effectiveness of the safety chemical program

  all metabolite in the control group were decreased

  Table 3 and Figures 1, 2, and 3 present means and

  significantly than control group by both Follow-up1 and

  intervention effects metabolite measurements. After

  Follow-up2 with p < 0.001. Moreover, the difference

  intervention, means of 3-PBA in the intervention group

  means for 3-PBA, tt-MA, and o-cresol were significantly

  had decreased by both Follow-up1 and Follow-up2,

  reduced in the intervention group compared to the

  but the control group’s measurements had increased

  control group at follow-ups 1 and 2, clearly indicating

  at Follow-Up 1 and had decreased at Follow-Up 2.

  that intervention program were successful.

  For means of tt-MA and o-cresol had similar trends, in the intervention group’s metabolite measurements were decreased than the control group in both follow-

  25 Indian Journal of Forensic Medicine Toxicology, April-June 2018, Vol. 12, No. 2

  Table 3: Intervention effects of the chemical safety program on reducing chemical metabolites adjusted for time and time group interaction (continuous)

  time

  Intervention effects

  Biological exposure

  P- 95CI

  3 PBA (ugg creatinine)

  4.76 1.33 1.08 (-5.64, -3.89)

  (-5.08, -2.87) 0.001

  tt-MA (ugg creatinine)

  14.74 6.85 9.21 (-8.57, -2.61)

  (-21.19, -10.97) 0.001

  O-cresol (mgg creatinine)

  -122.72 (-159.21, -86.23)

  37.42 70.18 (-164.66, -90.66)

  For unadjusted used generalized estimating equations(GEE) with times and time interaction, Distrition=Poisson, Link = Identity