Jacques Lavoie

• Msc(A) in occupational hygiene
• Researcher at Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail

Electronic waste recycling (e-recycling) involves manual operations that expose workers to toxic metals. We aim to describe occupational health and safety practices and workers' exposures to metals in the Canadian formal e-recycling industry, and to estimate the health risk associated with multiple exposures. This cross-sectional study documented p...

En raison de l’utilisation croissante de composants et d’appareils électriques et électroniques, de même que de leur durée de vie relativement courte, la quantité de matières résiduelles électroniques ne cesse d’augmenter. Conséquemment, le nombre d’entreprises spécialisées dans le recyclage électronique (e-recyclage) est en nette croissance au Qué...

During wastewater treatment, bioaerosols are generated and, can either remain in suspension for several hours or settle on surfaces and workers may be exposed. The presence of pathogens in the air could contribute to an increased frequency of gastrointestinal or respiratory illness amongst workers. Due to harsh winter conditions in Eastern Canada,...

Wastewater treatment is one of the major biotechnological processes used to treat municipal and industrial sewage. All the steps involved in the removal of contaminants from wastewaters to treat municipal and industrial sewage represent a reservoir of a dynamic microbial communities with specific key players in the different process types. Aerosoli...

Electronic waste recycling (e-recycling) exposes workers to substances such as flame retardants and metals. Some of them are known or suspected endocrine disruptors that could affect hormonal homeostasis and eventually result in adverse health outcomes. Our aim was to measure biological concentrations of organophosphate ester (OPE) metabolites, pol...

Le traitement des eaux usées comporte plusieurs étapes susceptibles de générer des bioaérosols auxquels des travailleurs peuvent être exposés. Bien que la littérature à ce sujet soit relativement abondante, les connaissances relatives au risque, à l’exposition et à la fréquence de certaines maladies chez cette population demeurent mal documentées....

Background: In response to a worldwide increase in production of electronic waste, the e-recycling industry is rapidly rowing. E-recycling workers are exposed to many potentially toxic contaminants, among which flame retardants (FRs), mainly suspected of being endocrine disruptors, are thought to be the most prevalent. Objective: To conduct an e...

The use of control banding to help the selection of Respirator against Bioaerosols

Exposition of embalmers to bioaerosols

Real-time measurement of microbial aerosols in workplaces using fluorescent aerodynamic particle-size

La biométhanisation est un procédé de transformation anaérobie des matières organiques putrescibles (MOP) en biogaz et en digestat destiné à l'épandage en milieu agricole. Ce procédé est en forte croissance en raison de la Politique québécoise de gestion des matières résiduelles qui prévoit le bannissement de l'enfouissement des MOP, et ce, dès 202...

Biomethanization is a new technology used for green-waste valorization where organic waste is biodegraded by microbial communities under anaerobic conditions. The main product of this type of anaerobic digestion is a biogas used as an energy source. Moving and handling organic waste may lead to the emission of high concentrations of bioaerosols. Hi...

Introduction Electronic waste (E-waste) recycling is a booming industry. E-waste contains metals and flame retardants (FRs) that are released during dismantling processes, thus exposing workers. Several of these substances are associated with adverse health effects. The goal of this study is to assess occupational exposure to metals, brominated (BF...

Biological degreasing stations (BDSs) are used by mechanics. These BDSs use a water-based solution with a microbial degradation process. Occupational exposure during the use of BDSs has not been reported and few studies have identified the bacteria present. The objectives were to measure the concentration of microorganisms during BDSs’ use and moni...

This study sought to fill the gap in information about the type and the concentration of bioaerosols present in the air of biomethanization facilities (BF). Evaluation of bioaerosol composition and concentration was achieved in two biomethanization facilities located in Eastern Canada, during summer and winter. In order to have a thorough understan...

Wastewater treatment center (WTC) workers may be vulnerable to diseases caused by viruses, such as the common cold, influenza and gastro-intestinal infections. Although there is a substantial body of literature characterizing the microbial community found in wastewater, only a few studies have characterized the viral component of WTC aerosols, desp...

Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems contain dust that can be contaminated with fungal spores (molds), which may have harmful effects on the respiratory health of the occupants of a building. HVAC cleaning is often based on visual inspection of the quantity of dust, without taking the mold content into account. The purpose of t...

Health care workers are at risk of occupational infections, and some procedures are known to increase this risk. The aim of this study was to qualify and quantify bioaerosol concentrations during bronchoscopy to estimate the occupational risk. Full-day sampling was conducted in 2 rooms while bronchoscopies were performed on patients. Two microbial...

Évaluation de l’exposition des travailleurs aux bioaérosols lors de l’utilisation de fontaines biologiques dans les ateliers d’entretien mécanique Les fontaines biologiques (biofontaines) utilisée pour le dégraissage de pièces en milieux industriels et dans les ateliers mécaniques sont constituées de suspensions bactériennes. Les fabricants affirm...

In the wake of sustainable development, green jobs are developing rapidly, changing the work environment. However a green job is not automatically a safe job. The aim of the study was to define green jobs, and to establish a preliminary risk assessment of chemical substances and biological agents for workers in Quebec. An operational definition was...

atient coughing during bronchoscopy produces aerosols that may contain pathogens and a potential risk to health care workers and subsequent patients. Depending on their size they can remain suspended in air for long period. This study identified and quantified the microorganisms produced during bronchoscopy and proposed appropriate preventive measu...

Evaluation des expositions aux bioaérosols lors des opérations de bronchoscopie en milieu hospitalier

During hospital bronchoscopy examinations, aerosols emitted from the patient's during coughing can be found suspended in the ambient air. The aerosols can contain pathogenic microorganisms. Depending on their size, these microorganisms can remain in the air for a long time. The objective of this study was to measure the sizes and concentrations of...

EVALUATION OF BIOAEROSOL EXPOSURES DURING HOSPITAL BRONCHOSCOPY EXAMINATIONS J. Lavoie1, G. Marchand1, Y. Cloutier1, S. Hallé2, S. Nadeau2, C. Duchaine3 and G. Pichette4 1IRSST, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3A 3C2 2ÉTS, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3C 1K3 3CRIUCPQ, Ste-Foy, Québec, Canada G1V 4G5 4Hôpital Sacré-Coeur, Montréal, Québec, Canada H4J 1C5...

En remplacement des dégraissants et nettoyants traditionnels, qu’ils soient à base de solvants ou de tensioactifs, on retrouve actuellement sur le marché des préparations à base de bactéries et d’enzymes pour le nettoyage de surfaces en milieux industriel et institutionnel. Des préparations enzymatiques sont également utilisées en milieu de soins p...

The selection of a respirator against bioaerosols can be a complex task, due to the lack of occupational exposure limits and toxicological data, as well as the limitations of the current sampling techniques and the wide variety of bioaerosols. Under these circumstances, a qualitative risk evaluation and management method provides an alternative to...

Background: Selecting the right respirator to protect workers against occupational exposure to bioaerosols is a complex task complicated by a lack of occupational exposure limit values (OEL), limits of current sampling methods and the diversity of bioaerosols. In this sense, the qualitative nature of control banding (CB) makes it better suited for...

http://www.irsst.qc.ca/media/documents/PubIRSST/R-766.pdf

Selecting the right respirator to protect workers against occupational exposure to bioaerosols is complicated by the lack of occupational exposure limits, the limits of current sampling methods, the diversity of bioaerosols and the inconsistency among experts’ recommendations. Thus, qualitative methods such as control banding offer a more practical...

Control Banding Method for Respirator Selection against Bioaerosols Jacques LavoieB, Eve Neesham-GrenonA, Simon SmithC, Geneviève MarchandB, Yves CloutierB, Maximilien DebiaA A Département de santé environnementale et santé au travail, Université de Montréal, QC, Canada B Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail, Mont...

Soixante-dix pour cent des travailleurs américains travaillant dans un environnement intérieur, sont employés dans des secteurs d’activité non industriels et non agricoles. Selon l’OMS (1), il a été estimé qu’au moins 20 % des bâtiments aux États-Unis ont des problèmes d’humidité. L’OMS, le NIOSH (2) américain et très récemment l’AIHA (3) affirment...

Les microorganismes sont omniprésents dans notre environ - nement : eau, sol, air, plantes, animaux et humains. Lorsqu’il s’agit de leur présence dans l’air, on parle de microorganismes aéroportés ou de bioaérosols. L’intérêt envers ces agents qui peuvent affecter la qualité de l’air d’un milieu de travail et nuire à la santé des travailleurs a fai...

Dust accumulation in the components of heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems is a potential source of contaminants. To date, very little information is available on recognized methods for assessing dust buildup in these systems. The few existing methods are either objective in nature, involving numerical values, or subjective in...

http://www.irsst.qc.ca/media/documents/PubIRSST/R-437.pdf

Confirmation of receipt of an abstract from Mr. Jacques Lavoie This is a confirmation of an abstract submission for the Congress. ABSTRACT ID 159 PRESENTING AUTHOR Name: Mr. Jacques Lavoie Gender: M ADDRESS Institution/Company/University: IRSST Department/Division/Institute: Research Department Address: 505 De Maisonneuve Blvd. West Zip code/To...

The objectives of this study are to reproduce in the laboratory different levels of cleanliness in non-porous ducts of HVAC systems, to compare a new method for sampling surface dust in ducts with those methods cited in the literature, to compare the numerical evaluation method to the visual method, and to propose objective cleaning initiation crit...

In the United States, 1.2 million workers are exposed to metalworking fluids. During operations, aerosols are produced and airborne contaminants can be inhaled. Although biocides are used to control the bacterial content of metalworking fluids, they can create health-related problems, and their efficiency remains to be proved. The objectives of thi...

La qualite´ de l’air a` l’intérieur des bâtiments d’élevage est reconnue comme pouvant avoir un impact sur la santé des travailleurs aussi bien que sur les performances animales. Cette étude a visé l’évaluation de la qualité de l’air à l’intérieur de bâtiments d’élevage de veaux de lait durant trois saisons (hiver, printemps et été). Les mesures ef...

Respiratory problems are observed in machinists using soluble metalworking fluid (MWF). Evidences suggest that these problems could be related to the aerosolized microorganisms and their byproducts from MWF. To establish MWF aerosol exposure thresholds and to better understand their effect on human health, these aerosols must be fully characterized...

Air quality inside livestock buildings is known to have an impact on the health of workers as well as on the animal performance. This study evaluated the air quality inside milkfed calf buildings during three seasons (winter, spring and summer). Measurements included concentrations and emissions of ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulphide (H2S), carbon dio...

In-barn manure separation systems are becoming popular due to various environmental pressures on the swine industry. According to the literature, separation of feces and urine directly underneath the slats should have a positive impact on barn air quality. Removal and rapid separation of the two phases (solid/liquid) would reduce the dust and bioae...

Respiratory protection against bioaerosols in dentistry settings Abstract: Introduction: Bioaerosols are airborne particles consisting of micro-organisms such as bacteria and moulds. The air in dentists’ offices contains airborne micro-organisms or bioaerosols. These bioaerosols come from the patients’ mouths and the biofilms in the dental units...

IF DISEASE IS AN EXPRESSION OF INDIVIDUAL LIFE UNDER UNFAVORABLE CONDITIONS, THEN EPIDEMICS MUST BE INDICATIVE OF MASS DISTURBANCES OF MASS LIFE RUDOLF VERCHOW Conditions ripe for flu disaster, Seattle Times, February 6, 2005.

A study on biological agents and ergonomic constraints in the use of municipal waste collection trucks with articulated arms demonstrated that the main health and safety hazards to which municipal waste collectors using conventional collection are traditionally exposed have been greatly reduced. However, new problems related to the trucks’ physical...

Biological hazards associated with the collection of solid and compostable waste have not been well characterized in North America. This is an issue because workers who handle such materials may be exposed to bioaerosols (airborne bacteria and fungi) and dusts resulting in infections or allergic diseases. We conducted a personal sampling campaign f...

L’une des recommandations de la Consultation publique sur le développement durable de la production porcine au Québec tenue en 2002-2003 était de développer des nouveaux types de gestion du lisier porcin. Ce défi comprend une réduction importante des différentes émissions de gaz et d’odeurs ainsi que la gestion agroenvironnementale du phosphore et...

http://www.irsst.qc.ca/media/documents/PubIRSST/R-443.pdf

Odours represent a major challenge in agriculture, particularly for hog producers. Different companies have introduced additives for liquid manure, which they claim reduce odours by eliminating the compounds that are responsible for them. This statement is not scientifically documented and could create a false sense of security for workers. Agricul...

In-barn manure separation systems are becoming very popular due to various environmental pressures on the swine industry. According to the literature, a separation of the feces and the urine directly underneath the slats should have a positive impact on the barn air quality. From an occupational health and safety perspective, the maximum endotoxin...

The aim of the study presented here was to evaluate the biological and ergonomic risks incurred by workers who collect domestic waste using a truck equipped with an articulated arm. The waste collectors’ personal exposure to bioaerosols (total bacteria, endotoxins and moulds) was measured in five different collection situations using the articulate...

The objective of this project was to develop a laboratory research protocol to evaluate the effect of additives on manure odour and physico-chemical characteristics, and establish conditions that are representative of those found in farm storage structures (temperature, solids content, pH, ventilation above the manure surface, storage period). The...

Published studies on household wastecollectors' exposure to airborne biologicalagents (bioaerosols) do not indicate highexposures to these agents. However, thesestudies did not consider several factors. Theobjective of this study was to characterize theexposure of waste collectors to bioaerosols andto propose solutions to control exposures tothese...

This study identified chemical compounds, namely sulfur compounds and bioaerosols which are present in operations associated with pulp mill effluent secondary treatment systems, and which may be released into workplace atmospheres in concentrations sufficient to warrant worker exposure concern. They are emitted into the air due to their presence in...

This study identified and quantified the main chemical compounds--the substances responsible for the disagreeable odors--and the bioaerosols emitted during the biological treatment of paper mill effluents. It also identified the characteristics of the process that effects the generation or diffusion of these substances. All treatment stages were ev...

Designers and managers of recycling processing plants need to be informed about the inherent occupational health and safety risks; however, there are few studies in the literature describing these risks. Therefore, the objectives of this project were to document the biological, chemical, physical, and ergonomic risks in three household-waste recycl...

Several studies have reported a high frequency of respiratory problems among workers employed at pig-housing facilities. This indicates the need for developing preventive measures such as those based on ventilation. This study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of pit ventilation systems and evaluate their performance over time. To this...

This report presents the results of a study of chemical and biological contaminants and ergonomic hazards in two (A and B) household waste treatment centers (the only ones in the province). The goals of this study were to document the nuisances (chemical and biological) in a composting and sorting plant, and to interpret these data by comparing the...

Both the processing of solid waste and the composting of organic matter generate airborne biological contaminants. For this type of environment, some authors have proposed Threshold Limit Values (TLV) of 10,000 Colony Forming Units per cubic meter (CFU/m) of air for total bacteria, and 1,000 CFU/m of air for Gram-negative bacteria. Endotoxins produ...

The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) has issued a number of recommendations aimed at preventing abnormally high levels of bioaerosols. These include the elimination of stagnant water, microbial substrates, and microbial growth centres in ventilation systems, and the implementation of effective maintenance programmes...

This study simultaneously measured levels ofCO2, CO, NO, NO2, and total particulates in three bus garages of a mass transit company, using standard methods. Statistically significant (p≈0.0000) multiple correlations (r=0.547 to r=0.805) were found between contaminants and predictors such as CO2 or type of garage. A net CO2 concentration of 400 ppm...

The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) has issued a number of recommendations aimed at preventing abnormally high levels of bioaerosols. These include the elimination of stagnant water, microbial substrates, and microbial growth centres in ventilation systems, and the implementation of effective maintenance programmes...

Airborne microorganisms were isolated with a sampler in two types of swine confinement buildings (farrowing units and fattening units). Respirable (particles less than 5 microns) and total dust fractions were obtained. Samplings were repeated every 2 weeks for a total of 6 samplings per unit between January and April. The predominant microorganisms...

The risk of congenital defect was examined in 47,913 pregnancies of women employed for 15 hours a week or more at time of conception. The rate of defects of all types per 1000 births in this series was 25.0; 1.8 from defects classified as chromosomal (group A), 10.8 as developmental (group B), and 12.5 as musculoskeletal (group C). Some evidence of...

The relation between spontaneous abortion (n = 5010), stillbirth without congenital defect (n = 210), and working conditions was analysed in 22,613 previous pregnancies of 56,067 women interviewed, 1982-4, immediately after termination of their most recent (current) pregnancy. The 22,613 previous pregnancies were those in which at time of conceptio...

An analysis was made of 193 current and previous pregnancies of women employed at time of conception in the plastics industry, derived from a survey of work and pregnancy in 56,012 women in Montreal, 1982-84. The ratio of observed to expected spontaneous abortions, corrected by logistic regression for seven nonoccupational confounding variables, wa...

Three hundred and one women who in their most recent pregnancy had given birth to an infant with an important congenital defect were individually matched with 301 women whose children were normal. Both cases and referents were drawn from a comprehensive survey of pregnancies in Montreal, 1982-4, and limited to women employed 30 or more hours a week...