title: Developments in the darkroom: a cross-sectional study of sickness absence, work-related symptoms and environmental monitoring of darkroom technicians in a hospital in Glasgow.
abstract: Nine female technicians using both manual and automatic processing methods were matched by age, sex and smoking habits with controls from the occupational therapy department. All were interviewed using a questionnaire about symptoms experienced during the day in question and the preceding month. Sickness absence information for 1987 was obtained, and the working environment was assessed by standard occupational hygiene methods. The technicians and controls had similar numbers of episodes of sickness absence (23 versus 24, respectively) but aggregated substantially more days absence attributed to sickness (204 versus 41). The total number of 'monthly' symptoms experienced by the technicians was greater than the controls (44 versus 30) as was the number of 'daily' complaints (26 versus 6). In all cases, respiratory symptoms were responsible for about one-third of problems, but statistical analysis (Wilcoxon matched pairs signed ranks tests) showed that the differences were not statistically significant. Occupational hygiene results were all within normal limits.
authors.affiliation: Health and Safety Executive, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Ide
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011872:Radiology Department, Hospital / Q000592:standards; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D013679:Technology, Radiologic; D000078329:Workforce; D014962:X-Ray Film