Particulate Matter Size and Health Effects

Subject: Healthcare Research
Pages: 6
Words: 1485
Reading time:
6 min
Study level: Master

Introduction

The research question for this part of the study is, whether there is any relationship between the PM size and the health of Sun Coast staff? The statistical analysis aims to investigate whether the smaller size increases employees’ health safety. For this purpose, the hypothesizes are:

  • H01: There is no statistically significant relationship between the PM size and the health of Sun Coast staff.
  • HA1: There is a statistically significant relationship between the PM size and the health of Sun Coast staff.

The analysis of correlations between the PM size indicates that the lower diameter of the particles has a higher impact on employees’ health than the particles with a bigger radius. The significant statistical change is tracked after the reduction of PM size to the 3 microns, as the response rapidly increased, indicating the health conditions worsening. In this case, it can be admitted that the hazardous level of PM size starts at 2 microns, as employees state that the working conditions became unsafe and cause disruptions.

The correlation between PM size and the health conditions ratio is confirmed. The findings provide data on the importance of effective countermeasures to reduce the number of small PM particles (Abdel-Shafy & Mansour, 2016). Nonetheless, the issue is that the established correlation has a direct alignment with work conditions. In this case, the PM size affects the workplace environment, while the latter has an immediate effect on staff health.

Training Efficiency Impact

The research question for this part of the study is, whether there is a relationship between the reduction of lost-time hours and safety training among employees of Sun Coast? The hypothesizes are:

  • H02: There is no statistically significant relationship between lost-time hours and safety training among employees of Sun Coast.
  • HA2: There is a statistically significant relationship between lost-time hours and safety training among employees of Sun Coast.

The analysis of the lost-hours and safety training dependency reveals that the educated personnel has a lower lost-hours ratio and lower level of risks within the workplace. The test indicates a 20% reduction within employees, who began their training programs and a 50% reduction within those who have completed the safety education. What is more, the analysis also indicates that safety training has a positive impact on lost-hours prevention, as working groups, where 80% of members conducted safety training have better outcomes and fewer delays in works.

In this instance, it can be admitted that safety training has a high return on investments, as the outcomes of such a program can be tracked immediately. Nonetheless, the study on mixed groups, where most employees have not participated in the safety program should be tested to confirm the developed hypothesis and prior analysis.

Noise-Level Impacts Test

The research question for this block is whether there is any relationship between the possibility of predicting noise-level exposure and improving employees’ health? The developed hypothesizes suggest that:

  • H03: There is no statistically significant relationship between the possibility of predicting noise-level exposure and improving employees’ health.
  • HA3: There is a statistically significant relationship between the possibility of predicting noise-level exposure and improve employees’ health.

The conducted statistical test on noise effects suggests that high exposure to sound higher than 120dB impacts employees working efficiency and health. The test reveals that even with protective measures, employees report the loss of concentration (15%), ears ringing (10%), and ears stuffing (25%). What is more, the test group, which works with equipment that produces noise levels exceeding 120dB, displays a significant drop in health and working conditions. The analysis indicates that the working efficiency declines to 20%, while health conditions to 35%. As a result, the importance of preventive measures is evident.

From this perspective, the company is recommended to increase the quality and efficiency of the hearing protection. The test indicates that the higher noise levels require not only better protection but also specific health countermeasures to assist employees after the shift (Sarkar & Paul, 2016). The reduction of pressure on hearing organs should tend to complete isolation of the sound to protect the ears, as well as the workload, should be divided into small intervals.

Lead Exposure Test

The research question is examining whether there is any relationship between the collection of blood samples of employees and the possibility of controlling occupational lead exposure? The research hypothesizes are:

  • H04: There is no statistically significant relationship between the collection of blood samples of employees and the possibility of controlling occupation lead exposure.
  • HA4: There is a statistically significant relationship between the collection of blood samples of employees and the possibility of controlling occupation lead exposure.

The collection of blood samples and the results obtained from blood analysis deliver information about lead exposures among employees. The study undertakes the review of blood analysis and employees’ workplace conditions to discover peculiarities of work environment impact on health. The data suggest that those employees who work directly with hazardous materials have a higher level of lead in blood than office managers and administration staff (Junaid et al., 2016). Moreover, the data confirms that the workplace environment has an impact on health conditions so that the control of blood lead is a feasible solution to improve the employees’ health conditions. From this perspective, it can be suggested that the obtained results can be used in the preventive and protective measures development to identify the most hazardous workplace zone. The definition of staff risk groups may assist the company in delivering better safety regulations, and health-protective means.

Training Programs Comparison

This section examines whether there is any connection between new employee training interventions, which results in increased knowledge, and health problems’ prediction? The study aims to test both hypothesize, which are:

  • H05: There is no statistically significant connection between new employee training interventions, which results in increased knowledge, and health problems’ prediction.
  • HA5: There is a statistically significant connection between new employee training interventions, which results in increased knowledge, and health problems’ prediction.

The two test groups were examined to define the impact of the revised training program. Test group A showed a 60% commitment to the safety standards and norms, having less than 15% of mistakes and risks exposures. The test group B shoed 80% of the responsibility, making fewer as twice mistakes in the workplace. The risk exposure of group B dropped to 5%, which is an acceptable level for the company. In this instance, the data confirms hypothesis A that the revised training program has a substantial impact on safety.

As a result, it can be recommended that the company integrated the new version of the training program for all employees. What is more, the revised version shows a higher level of readability, as employees report a better understanding of the standards and procedures (Davis et al., 2017). In this case, the advantage of the revised training program is confirmed and recommended as the new standard in safety policies and measurements.

Services Return on Investments

The research question for this section is: Are there any differences in return on investment following different service lines offered by Sun Coast. The tested hypothesizes suggests that:

  • H06: There is no statistically significant difference between the return on investment among different service lines offered by Sun Coast.
  • HA6: There is a statistically significant difference between the return on investment among different service lines offered by Sun Coast.

The statistical results provide several assumptions on the profitability and feasibility of different service lines offered by Sun Coast:

  1. The key ways to increase return on investments are to increase the absolute amount of profits and reduce the cost of production. This is facilitated by the widespread use in the creation of the results of scientific and technological progress, which leads to an increase in the productivity of social work and a decrease in the value of the unit of resources used in production.
  2. When analyzing ways to increase profitability, it is essential to separate the influence of external and internal conditions. External conditions include the expansion of the market for products by reducing the price of products offered. Domestic conditions are more significant than external circumstances.
  3. State-of-the-art technology is one of the main problems for implementing a profitability strategy. For scientific support and a radical change in the situation, the most critical areas are the transition to fourth-generation technologies to produce goods and services by developing an integrated resource strategy and program.

Planned profitability is calculated by comparing the amount of gross profit or revenue of the company with the costs of production or the number of resources used. Having done some analysis of the average level of profitability, there is an opportunity to determine what services and what specific units of the company create the necessary level of profitability, and which leads to losses. Such information in a particularly competitive market economy is the most important, as the financial indicators will depend on the specialization and concentration of production.

References

Abdel-Shafy, H. I., & Mansour, M. S. M. (2016). A review on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: Source, environmental impact, effect on human health and remediation. Egyptian Journal of Petroleum, 25(1), 107-123. Web.

Davis, H. T., Lynes, C., & Corley, H. R. (2017). The South Carolina Environmental Public Health Tracking Programʼs role in monitoring and reducing occupational exposure to lead. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 23(5), S53-S59. Web.

Junaid, M., Hashmi, M. Z., Malik, R. N., & Pei, D. S. (2016). Toxicity and oxidative stress induced by chromium in workers exposed from different occupational settings around the globe: A review. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 23(20), 20151-20167. Web.

Sarkar, A., & Paul, B. (2016). The global menace of arsenic and its conventional remediation – A critical review. Chemosphere, 158, 37-49. Web.