Browsing by Author "Santos, Joana"
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- 3rd International Congress of Environmental Health: Proceedings BookPublication . Vieira Da Silva, Manuela; Oliveira, Rui S.; Rodrigues, Matilde; Nunes, Mafalda; Santos, Joana; Carvalhais, C.; Rebelo, Andreia; Freitas, Marisa; Xavier, AnaThis third edition addresses to ‘Emerging risks and challenges for the environment, health and safety’ and intended as a guide to the various symposiums and workshops, to provide all present the most recent scientific and technological advances in the areas: Occupational Health and Toxicology; Exposure to Nanoparticles; Assessment and Risk Management; Occupational Safety; Exposure to Bioaerosols; Environment and Sustainability; Food Safety and Public Health.
- Acceptance of industrial collaborative robots: Preliminar results of appliction of portuguese version of the Frankenstein Syndrome Questionnaire (FSQ)Publication . Pinto, Ana; Ferraz, Mariana; Nomura, Tatsuya; Santos, JoanaCobots are highly flexible and able to operate in the same workspace and at the same time with the worker. The use of these technologies allows for increased production performance while ensuring comfort and confidence for the worker. Robot acceptance is still a controversial topic with various approaches and methods to measure acceptance of humanoid robots. This study aimed to evaluate cobots acceptance after a motor assembly task in a collaborative workstation. 30 university students were divided into two groups, with group 1 having read the assembly instructions before the usage of the assembly workstation and group 2 without having any previous knowledge about the car engine. All participants completed the Portuguese version of the Frankenstein Syndrome Questionnaire (FSQ). Data analyses were carried out using descriptive and inferential statistics using IBM SPSS Statistics software, version 28.0. One correlations was found between the scales of the FSQ (p < 0.05). It was possible to conclude that the acceptance of robots by the participants in group 1 and group 2 was the same. This study can contribute to understanding which factors explain the acceptance of collaborative robots, to improve human-robot intercation.
- Active workstations to improve job performance: a short reviewPublication . Maheronnaghsh, Sara; Vaz, Mário; Santos, JoanaModern changes in communication, transportation, domestic-intertainment technologies and workplaces are related to a substantial increase of sedentary living.This review was performed to summarize and analyze the studies investigating the impact of decreasing work sedentary time and implementing active workstations to improve work performance. This review was based on relevant articles published in Scopus, Medline, and Web of science from 2007 until 2017. The results of this brief review indicate statistically significant relationships between several interventions for increasing physical activity and employee work performance. Type of intervention and implementation procedure were identified as factors that can determine effects on the job performance. Some studies have shown interventions with positive influence on productivity, others suggest that it is feasible to implement a multi-component intervention such as Stand Up desk with high fidelity with no perceived decrease in productivity. In conclusion, more field studies are necessary to determine work performance and acceptance of dynamic workstations in a real work environment.
- Analytical and subjective interpretation of thermal comfort in hospitals: A case study in two sterilization servicesPublication . Carvalhais, Carlos; Santos, Joana; Vieira Da Silva, ManuelaHospital facilities are normally very complex, which combined with patient requirements promote conditions for potential development of uncomfortable working conditions. Thermal discomfort is one such example. This study aimed to determine levels of thermal comfort, sensations, and preferences, from a field investigation conducted in two sterilization services (SS) of two hospitals from Porto and Aveiro, Portugal. The analytical determination and interpretation of thermal comfort was based upon assumptions of ISO 7726:1998 and ISO 7730:2005. The predicted mean vote (PMV) and predicted percentage of dissatisfaction (PPD) indices were obtained by measurement and estimation of environmental and personal variables, respectively, and calculated according to ISO 7730 equations. The subjective variables were obtained from thermal sensation (subjective PMV) and affective assessment (subjective PPD), reported by a questionnaire based upon ISO 10551:1995. Both approaches confirmed thermal discomfort in both SS (codified as SS1 and SS2). For all areas, PMV and PPD exceeded in all periods of the day the recommended range of -0.5 to +0.5 and <10%, respectively. No significant differences were found between day periods. The questionnaire results showed that SS2 workers reported a higher level of thermal discomfort. There were no significant differences between PMV and thermal sensations, as well as between PPD and affective assessment. The PMV/PPD model was found suitable to predict thermal sensations of occupants in hospital SS located in areas with a mild climate in Portugal.
- Applied research on environmental and occupational health in hospital contextPublication . Carvalhais, Carlos; Xavier, Ana; Vieira Da Silva, Manuela; Santos, JoanaHospital facilities are normally, very complex, which combined with patient requirements promote conditions for potential development of uncomfortable working conditions. The work in hospitals is likely to damage health resulting in occupational accidents and diseases. In this sense, a project focused on Environmental and Occupational Health in Hospital Context was developed to be a contribution to understand the risk factors to which health professionals and patients are exposed in these environments and how this exposure can be reduced. This research line resulted in 34 publications and 11 oral/poster communications: 6 articles in international scientific journals, 3 book chapters, 13 articles/abstracts in books of international congress proceedings, 4 technical reports, 1 doctoral thesis and 7 final course works. The project allowed the study of data about occupational exposure and accidents in hospital environments in the North of Portugal
- Assessment and characterization of sound pressure levels in Portuguese neonatal intensive care unitsPublication . Santos, Joana; Alberto Alves Carvalhais, Carlos; Xavier, Ana; Vieira Da Silva, ManuelaIn NICU, systematic exposure to sound pressure levels above the recommended can affect both neonates and staff. This study aimed to evaluate the sound pressure levels in three Portuguese NICU and the noise perception of staff. The measurements were performed with a sound level meter, considering the location of the main sources of noise and the layout of the units. A questionnaire was applied to assess noise perception of professionals. The staff classified the environment (regarding noise) as ―slightly uncomfortable‖ (41.1%) and 48.4% considered it as ―acceptable‖. In addition, the majority (55.5%) considered ―equipment‖ as the most annoying source of noise. The results showed that noise levels were excessive in all the evaluated areas of the NICUs, exceeding international guidelines, with the levels ranging between 48.7 dBA to 71.7 dBA. Overall, there is a need for more research in order to verify the effectiveness of some actions and strategies to reduce the impact of noise in NICU.
- Assessment of hygienic quality of surfaces and food handlers in Portuguese school canteensPublication . Ferreira, Joana; Rebelo, Andreia; Santos, Joana; Vieira da Silva, ManuelaThe incidence of food borne outbreaks in school canteens represents a major problem for society, since they serve a youthful population who are particularly susceptible to health risks. According to the World Health Organization (2003), 31% of the reported outbreaks between 1999 and 2000 in Portugal, were originated in schools and kindergartens, which demonstrate the importance of such establishments in the transmission of food borne diseases. Food handlers have a major role in the prevention of these diseases, mainly during the production and distribution of food since they may cross-contaminate raw and processed foodstuffs.
- Avaliação da exposição ocupacional a vibrações transmitidas ao sistema corpo inteiro: estudo preliminar em motoristas de pesados de mercadoriasPublication . Costa, Sofia; Santos, Joana; Silva, Maria V.; Neves, PaulaAs vibrações transmitidas ao corpo inteiro (VCI) são um agente físico que afecta os condutores de camiões e apresenta consequências para a sua saúde, estando fortemente associada à dor lombar. No presente estudo seleccionou-se um motorista que conduz um veículo pesado de mercadorias com classificação N3 e que efectua rotas de pequeno curso no Norte de Portugal. As medições realizaram-se em dois dias representativos da actividade semanal, em duas rotas distintas (Rota 1 e 2), de acordo com a metodologia definida no Decreto-Lei n.º 46/2006 de 24 de Fevereiro e na NP ISO 2631-1 de 2007. Foi utilizado um analisador de vibrações, sendo o acelerómetro triaxial fixado ao assento do veículo, de forma a quantificar a aceleração eficaz nos três eixos ortogonais x, y e z. Complementarmente ao processo de amostragem, aplicou-se um questionário a sete motoristas. Os resultados demonstram a dominância da direcção vertical (z) com picos de aceleração na frequência de 1,6Hz. A degradação do piso e a ausência de carga do veículo foram identificados como factores responsáveis pelo aumento dos níveis vibracionais. Relativamente à exposição do trabalhador, obteve-se valores de A(8) Rota 1 de 0,22 m/s2 e A(8) Rota 2 de 0,14 m/s2, sendo o A(8) semanal de 0,19 m/s2, verificando-se que os valores obtidos são inferiores ao valor de acção de exposição preconizado na legislação nacional (0,5m/s2). Quanto aos sintomas manifestados pelos motoristas destacam-se: dor lombar (43%), fadiga (71%), irritabilidade (57%) e dores de cabeça (57%). Apesar dos valores obtidos evidenciarem que o trabalhador não se encontra exposto, segundo o preconizados na legislação, devem ser implementadas medidas que visem a manutenção e conservação dos pisos das vias, manutenção dos veículos e elaboração de planos de formação que abordem o tipo de condução e as posturas a adoptar para salvaguarda do bem-estar e conforto dos trabalhadores.
- Avaliação da implementação de Medidas de Preservação Auditiva numa indústria têxtil – modelo a seguirPublication . Tomé, David; Veríssimo, Vânia; Rodrigues, Matilde; Santos, Joana; Carmo, Paulo Cardoso doO ruído é um tipo de som que provoca efeitos nocivos no ser humano, sendo uma sensação auditiva desagradável que interfere na percepção do som desejado. Define-se, do ponto de vista físico, como toda a vibração mecânica estatisticamente aleatória de um meio elástico e, do ponto de vista fisiológico, como todo o fenómeno acústico que produz uma sensação auditiva desagradável ou incomodativa (Reis, 2002; Boger, 2008).
- Avaliação da Qualidade do Ar Interior em Centros de Dia para IdososPublication . Pinto, Mário; Rebelo, Andreia; Santos, Joana; Vieira Da Silva, ManuelaA problemática da Qualidade do Ar Interior (QAI) tem despertado continuamente o interesse da comunidade científica e do público em geral. Dos factores que afectam directamente a QAI destacam-se as fontes de poluição interior como os materiais de construção, produtos de limpeza, os ocupantes através dos seus comportamentos e actividades, os sistemas de ventilação, sistemas de aquecimento e ar condicionado (AVAC). Como fontes de poluição exterior são identificados o fumo de combustão de veículos, emissões industriais, pólen, deposição de resíduos (Martínez e Callejo 2006; EPA, 2009; APA, 2010). Genericamente, podemos categorizar os contaminantes do ar interior em três tipos principais: químicos, físicos e biológicos (Chan et al., 2009).