INTRODUÇÃOO crescente interesse pelo estudo no âmbito da violência escolar advém, entre outros factores, da maior frequência e visibilidade que as suas manifestações têm tido, bem como da consequente preocupação evidenciada pelos diversos profissionais e/ou intervenientes no contexto educativo. Professores, alunos, encarregados de educação, psicólogos, são alguns dos diferentes agentes que, de um modo mais directo ou mais indirecto, contactam com essa realidade.De modo semelhante, as repercussões decorrentes da vivência de situações de violência escolar têm vindo progressivamente a ganhar maior dimensão nas diversas investigações levadas a cabo. Quer se tratem de consequências ao nível do progresso e integração educativa, quer se tratem, de um modo mais abrangente, de consequên-cias ao nível da saúde (numa perspectiva biopsicossocial), inúmeros são os autores que salientam a existência de repercussões nefastas em diversos domínios de vida dos alunos.Algumas investigações alertam para as implicações ao nível da auto-estima (Sharp, 1996;Mynard & Joseph, 1997;Baldry & Farrington, 1998;Salmon et al., 1998;Berthold & Hoover, 2000;Veiga, 2000;Engert, 2002), outras realçam a associação a comportamentos de risco como o consumo de substâncias (Forero et al., 1999;Kaltiala-Heino et al., 2000;Veiga, 2000;Matos & Carvalhosa, 2001;Nansel et al., 2001), outras ainda salientam as repercussões ao nível da saú-de, nomeadamente sintomatologia física e psicológica (Neary & Joseph, 1994;Boivin et al., 1995;Craig, 1998;Forero et al., 1999;Bond et al., 2001;Karin-Natvig et al., 2001;Nansel et al., 2001).O conceito de violência escolar tem sido caracterizado, por diferentes autores, como um fenómeno multifacetado, abrangendo uma variedade de manifestações, desde comportamentos anti-sociais, delinquência, vandalismo, comportamentos de oposição, entre outros (Vale & Costa, 1998). Estando cientes dos diferentes domínios que urgem intervenção, o clima relacional entre os alunos, intimamente associado à qualidade das interacções interpessoais que entre eles ocorrem, tem merecido especial atenção como uma área privilegiada na literatura sobre violência escolar. Mais recentemente, neste âmbito, tem sido largamente

Conclusions This analysis indicates that PI is a valid and reliable instrument which can be effectively used to monitor safety conditions at workplaces. Commercial janitors are an important group of low wage, largely immigrant workers who face significant potential risks at work, and yet have only been minimally studied for occupational injury and illness. Anecdotal reports from a local union representing commercial janitors in the Seattle area suggest pressures on the industry have produced a dramatic increase in workload over the past few years, raising the possibility of increased injury and illness. A cross sectional survey was designed to assess a range of exposures among commercial janitors including both union (n = 275) and non-union (n-75) sectors, and using a group of security guards (n-75) as controls. A novel participatory approach to data collection was developed, utilising workers to recruit subjects and conduct interviews in three languages, using electronic data collection tools linked to an internet-based database. Further, a novel subjective workload scale was adopted, and changes in workload and injury and illness rates over the past three years were assessed. Exposures assessed include general workload, musculoskeletal stressors, chemical use, as well as psychosocial risks such as work stress, safety climate, discriminatory management practices and work-life balance. Outcomes included acute injury, musculoskeletal pain, pulmonary and dermatological symptoms, and sleep disturbance. Initial results indicate a significant increase in workload with 28.5% reporting >7 on a 10 point scale two years ago, up to 35% in the current year. A concomitant increase in injuries was similarly observed. The paper describes the approach to data collection and describes rates of exposure and health and safety outcomes by group. Measures adopted to validate the self-reported conditions are also described. Background and Objective Cadmium (Cd) exposure, like Itaiitai disease, may present with erythropoietin (EPO) hypoproduction, and associated erythroid abnormalities. Anemia may be associated with toxic metal (Cd and lead) poisoning with interaction with essential trace elements (iron, zinc, copper) in humans. We aimed at assessing the relationship among erythrocyte parameters (EP), anemia (hemoglobin < 12 g/dL) and blood Cd (BCd) among adult residents in an environmentally high-exposed community near electroplating industry area. Methods A total of 1,062 residents were included through stratified random sampling by three age groups (35-44, 45-54, and 55-64 years) and gender from an electroplating-related metal contaminated area located in central Taiwan during 2002~2005. B-Cd levels were measured by an ELAN 6100 inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Multiple logistic regression models were used for test the association between anemia and B-Cd with serum ferritin taken into account. Results B-Cd levels was negatively associated with the red blood cell (RBC) count, mean cell hemoglobin (MCH), and...

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