Agenda

9:00	-	9:15	Welcome
9:15	-	9:45	Radiation Emergency Response: Views of Public Health Professionals in the Southeastern US Gwendolyn Hudson, PhD Candidate, University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Public Health The purpose of this study is to ascertain insights, opinions, and suggestions from emergency preparedness coordinators and managers in the southeastern US about new duties and responsibilities for radiological population monitoring. This is a qualitative study utilizing individual interviews with key informants. We seek to identify themes and codes not previously identified which will contribute to scientific literature on emergency response and disaster preparedness.
9:45	-	10:15	Variability of exposure to physical risk factors in non-cyclic work Nathan Fethke, PhD, CPE, University of Iowa   The purpose of this field study was to estimate the variability in exposure to forceful exertion (as measured with surface electromyography) and repetitive motion (as measured with electrogoniometry) of the upper extremity among three groups of individuals engaged in non-cyclic work activities. Two whole-shift recordings of forearm flexor and upper trapezius muscle activity and wrist posture were obtained from workers performing office, custodial, and maintenance activities (N = 15 total). The results include estimates of the relative contribution of several variance sources (e.g., between- and within-subjects) to the total exposure variance, and implications for exposure assessment strategies in epidemiologic studies of physical risk factors and musculoskeletal disorders will be discussed.
10:15	-	10:30	Break
10:30	-	11:00	Deposition and Removal of Airborne Methamphetamine Released during a Red Phosphorous Cook Patrick Berge, PhD Student, University of TN - Knoxville (on behalf of Kevin G. Robinson, PhD)   This presentation will address contamination levels on common household materials exposed to methamphetamine cook off gasses, removal of methamphetamine from these materials, and particle size fractioning of the methamphetamine released during the cook.
11:00	-	11:30	Characterization of Styrene Emissions from Vinyl Ester Resin Thermoset Composite Material Shaun Crawford, MSPH, CIH, PhD Candidate, University of Alabama, School of Public Health   Composite materials are replacing metal in many structural, transportation and consumer applications because of their light weight, high strength and corrosion resistance. Some of these materials contain high amounts of styrene which serves as both a diluent and strengthener, and some researchers claim that as much as 50% of the styrene in these materials is available for release into enclosed environments, potentially causing indoor air quality effects. This study aims to characterize the styrene emission profiles from vinyl ester resin thermoset composite material in order to estimate potential indoor air quality effects.
11:30	-	1:00	Working lunch w/ Keynote Speaker Ron Dulek, UA Professor
1:00	-	1:30	Using Artificial Intelligence to Overcome Cultural Barriers in the Design of Warning Symbols Adam Piper, PhD, CSP, Auburn University, Samuel Ginn College of Engineering   This presentation will highlight research comparing safety warning symbols designed on paper and using artificial intelligence by participants from several countries. The quality of the symbols produced will be compared to currently used symbols, and the potential for using this technology to enhance warning symbol effectiveness across cultures and language barriers will be discussed.
1:30	-	2:00	Predictors of Self-Reported Health Status in Occupationally and Environmentally Exposed Individuals Christie Shelton, RN, PhD, Assistant Professor/BSN Program Director, Jacksonville State University   From 1929 to 1971, the people of Anniston, Alabama were heavily exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). This study was conducted on over 700 of Anniston residents. The purposes of this study were to 1) identify the best subset of predictors of self-reported health status in current/former farmers and manufacturing workers from the set of age, sex, race, blood pressure, and cholesterol measures, body mass index (BMI), and job exposure history; and 2) test whether adding environmental exposure to the model increased predictive ability. While environmental exposure was significantly correlated with self-reported health status, future studies are needed to examine self-reported health status over time among groups reporting environmental exposure.
2:00	-	2:15	UA Agromedicine: Learning Farmers Health Concerns Brittney Anderson, MS Candidate, University of Alabama   Farmers are a high risk and medically underserved population due to occupational, geographic, and attitudinal reasons. NIOSH has determined that effective translational approaches are needed to decrease the distance between farmers and health care. The Alabama Agromedicine Program combines rural health professional education with agricultural extension outreach in a health initiative with farmers. The goal of this project is to engage farmers in a relationship to approach their health concerns and determine what concerns farmers have that affect their health and health care.
2:15	-	2:30	Graduate Students in Agromedicine: EV Smith Farm Assessment John McDaniel, MS Candidate, University of Alabama   Agriculture has many occupational health and safety (OHS) hazards, placing farming among the most dangerous occupations. However, most farms are not regulated by OSHA, and few health professional students are trained to identify these hazards and help prevent associated illness and injury. Graduate students learned OHS skills for agriculture by participating with occupational health and safety professionals to assess a farm and make prevention recommendations. E.V. Smith Farm, Alabama’s largest Agricultural Experiment Station, invited this project to be conducted on its dairy unit. A farm assessment was conducted through two on-site visits.
2:30	-	2:45	Wrap-up; evaluationsSafe travels!

PROFESSIONAL POINTS / INFORMATION 

The Deep South Center for Occupational Health & Safety is an approved provider of continuing education units for nurses by the Alabama Board of Nursing (Provider #ABNP0420) and has awarded 4.0contact hours for symposim participants. The Deep South Center for Occupational Health & Safety has awarded .4 CEUs participants. The American Board of Industrial Hygiene has awarded this program .67 IH CM Points  for symposium particpants, approval #10-611.

REGISTRATION

Tuition is $25.00. Registration fees must be received in advance. The registration fee, less 20%, is refundable if written notification is received 2 weeks prior to program. Registration forms can be obtained by contacting the Deep South Center for Occupational Health & Safety at dsc@uab.edu or calling us at 205.934.7178.