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Rikhotso O, Morodi TJ, Masekameni DM. Hearing Conservation Programme Costs at Selected South African Companies. Ann Work Expo Health 2023; 67:448-461. [PMID: 36719046 DOI: 10.1093/annweh/wxac097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The Occupational Health and Safety Act 1993 and its attending Regulations in South Africa, require employers to conduct cost analysis studies to inform decision-making related to exposure control for occupational health hazard such as noise. Cost analysis, as per South African National Standard/ISO 31000 risk assessment guideline, is an important input for the decision-making process of the risk management process. The costs of administrating a hearing conservation programme intended to minimise noise-induced hearing loss is an example of a cost analysis. This study enrolled four companies from the South African manufacturing and utilities sectors with the aim of establishing whether cost analysis is included during the noise risk assessment process; and determining administration costs of HCP administration. A HCP cost questionnaire was completed by each company's occupational hygiene professionals and risk officers. None of the companies in the study included cost analysis in their respective risk assessment processes. The overall costs, derived from the HCP cost item questionnaire, was much greater for Company A (4 290 014 Rands) than all of the other companies combined (970 685 Rands). Hearing protection device expenditures across the four companies were the greatest expense, while audiometry was the smallest expense owing to service internalisation. The HCP expenditures are incurred on periodic basis, yearly or biennial, and are internalised in companies as direct costs. Cost analysis can enhance the noise risk assessment process by providing additional input to support the decision-making process related to noise control. This challenges the occupational hygiene profession to pursue new frontiers and decision-making models in the scope of noise risk management, beyond noise measurements and hearing protection device use recommendation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Rikhotso
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Science, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Thabiso John Morodi
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Science, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Daniel Masilu Masekameni
- Occupational Health Division, School of Public Health, University of Witwatersrand, Parktown, 2193, South Africa
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Barriers and Facilitators of Implementing Injury Prevention Practices by Massage Therapists. J Occup Environ Med 2022; 64:443-449. [DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000002472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Çalış Boyacı A, Selim A. Assessment of occupational health and safety risks in a Turkish public hospital using a two-stage hesitant fuzzy linguistic approach. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:36313-36325. [PMID: 35060048 PMCID: PMC8776381 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-18191-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Occupational health and safety (OHS) risk assessment studies have gained importance recently as a result of increasing occupational accidents and occupational diseases. The health sector has a greater risk than many sectors for occupational accidents and occupational diseases. Although the health sector is one of the priority sectors in Turkey, OHS practices have not been fully implemented in this field. For this reason, this study adopts a two-stage approach to assess the OHS risks in the health sector by combining the Fine-Kinney and multi-criteria hesitant fuzzy linguistic term set (HFLTS) methods. The proposed method was applied to the OHS risks in the operating room of a public hospital in Turkey. As a solution to the problem, first, the potential hazards and related risks in the operating room were determined by the experts. In this first stage, 44 hazards were determined from the opinions of experts and records of past incidents. Parameter weights were then determined using the multi-criteria HFLTS method. The multi-criteria HFLTS method was used to evaluate seven hazards to be categorized as substantial-risk or higher according to the Fine-Kinney method, taking into account parameter weights. Sensitivity analysis was then carried out. Finally, actions were taken to mitigate the risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aslı Çalış Boyacı
- Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ondokuz Mayıs University, 55139, Samsun, Turkey.
| | - Aslı Selim
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Institute of Graduate Studies, Ondokuz Mayıs University, 55139, Samsun, Turkey
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da Rosa ACF, Lapasini Leal GC, Galdamez EVC, de Souza RCT. Risk management in occupational safety: A systematic mapping. Work 2021; 70:147-166. [PMID: 34511521 DOI: 10.3233/wor-213561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Occupational safety risk management is a systemic process capable of promoting technical engineering solutions, considering a wide range of predictable, unexpected and subjective factors related to accident occurrences. In Brazil, the behavior of managers in relation to risk management tends to be reactive, and facilitates access to information for crucial practical and academic purposes when it comes to changing the attitude of managers, so that their actions become increasingly more proactive. OBJECTIVE To identify, classify, analyze, and discuss the existing literature related to the topic, produced from 2008 to 2020, besides contributing to a broader understanding of risk management in occupational safety. METHODS We did a systematic literature mapping. The research process was documented starting by the planning stage. Afterwards, the focus was on research conduction and information synthesis. RESULTS Knowledge systematization and stratification about OHS risk management through various perspectives to identify, analyze and manage risks in the workplace. Were identified 37 tools for identifying and analyzing risks, management-related practices and future research trends. CONCLUSIONS The set of tools and management practices identified can be used as a support for decision making in the selection process of tools and practices to reduce risks and improve occupational safety. Also, the results can help target future research.
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Aldasoro JC, Cantonnet ML. The management of the new and emerging musculoskeletal and psychosocial risks by EU-28 enterprises. JOURNAL OF SAFETY RESEARCH 2021; 77:277-287. [PMID: 34092319 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2021.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Although the strategic framework of the European Union in the field of Health and Safety at Work 2014-2020 considers as one of its main challenges to improve the prevention of diseases related to NERs (New and Emerging Risks) (European Commission, 2014) there are still not many studies in the literature related to them. METHOD An exploratory study was carried out in order to get a picture of the NERs management in the UE-28 countries. The sample was extracted from the ESENER-2 datasets. ESENER-1 was carried out in 2009 and ESENER- 2 in 2014. This survey explores managers' and workers representatives' opinions on health and safety management. It surveyed over 49,000 enterprises in 36 countries. RESULTS The results obtained confirm that there are significant differences between the EU-28 countries in terms of the identification and the management of NERs. Conclusions NERs are becoming an increasingly studied phenomenon due to the changes that are taking place in the labour market: the percentage of temporary workers is increasing, the demands to the workers due to the globalization of the market are more complex and all this with an aging working force. Pratical A pplications It would be necessary to rethink the management of OHS, so that managers are aware that the combination of musculoskeletal and psychosocial risks should have a global approach in order to reduce accident and disability rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Aldasoro
- Faculty of Engineering of Gipuzkoa, Plaza de Europa 1, 2018 San Sebastián, Spain.
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Shimizu HE, Bezerra JC, Arantes LJ, Merchán-Hamann E, Ramalho W. Analysis of work-related accidents and ill-health in Brazil since the introduction of the accident prevention factor. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:725. [PMID: 33853572 PMCID: PMC8048148 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-10706-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since 2004, Brazil has had a national policy for occupational health and safety. This policy means companies' tax burden is altered according to the numbers of work-related accidents and ill-health amongst their workers. In 2010, a multiplication factor was introduced to this policy, called the Accident Prevention Factor. The idea of this new multiplication factor is to encourage individual employers to take initiatives to prevent accidents and ill health in the workplace. This study was designed to investigate the incidence of work-related accidents and ill-health in Brazil according to their causes, their severity, and the economic activity in which they occur, and to compare the data before and after the introduction of the Accident Prevention Factor. METHODS An ecological study was conducted by analyzing the time series of work-related accidents/ill-health between 2008 and 2014 from the Brazilian social security system (Previdência Social) statistical yearbooks. Incidences were calculated per cause, economic activity, and severity of the accident/ill-health. Data from before and after the introduction of the Accident Prevention Factor were compared using the Mann-Whitney test per cause and per economic activity. Statistical analyses were made using the SPSS software, with significance set at 5%. RESULTS A reduction in the incidence of work-related accidents/ill-health was found across all the groups of causes analyzed, except for the groups "external causes of morbidity and mortality" and "factors influencing health status and contact with health services." Greater reductions were found for diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue and diseases of the nervous system. Reductions in work-related accidents/ill-health were found in the different economic activities and in the different severity groups. The highest reduction after the introduction of the Accident Prevention Factor was in manufacturing and production (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Overall, the incidence of accidents/ill-health was found to be on decline, except those with external causes of morbidity and mortality and those involving factors influencing health status and contact with health services. The biggest reduction was found in manufacturing and production. However, generally speaking progress still needs to be made in accident prevention and occupational health across a whole range of work environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Eri Shimizu
- Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Saúde Coletiva, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Distrito Federal, Brasília, DF, CEP 70910-900, Brazil.
| | - Josierton Cruz Bezerra
- Potiguar University, Av. Senador Salgado Filho, 1610, Lagoa Nova, Natal-RN, Natal, Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, CEP 59056-000, Brazil
| | - Luciano José Arantes
- Unaí Municipal Department of Health, Secretaria Municipal da Saúde de Unaí, Rua Calixto Martins de Melo, 249, Unaí, Minas Gerais, CEP 38610-039, Brazil
| | - Edgar Merchán-Hamann
- Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Saúde Coletiva, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Distrito Federal, Brasília, DF, CEP 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Walter Ramalho
- Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Departamento de Saúde Coletiva, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Distrito Federal, Brasília, DF, CEP 70910-900, Brazil
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Exploring Suppliers’ Approaches toward Workplace Safety Compliance in the Global Garment Sector: From Bangladesh Perspective. SOCIAL SCIENCES 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/socsci10030090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The readymade garment (RMG) sector is one of the main drivers of the Bangladesh economy with over 4 million employed. In the 2013 Rana Plaza accident aftermath, the implementation of workplace safety compliance (WSC) became imperative. The paper investigated the WSC initiatives implemented by the RMG sector to overcome safety challenges and their effectiveness for a safe and healthy workplace. We employed a multi-case study research strategy over three Bangladeshi garment manufacturers to resolve these queries. The result revealed that the manufacturers joined in the safety governance programs to protect workers’ health safety rights immediately after the accidents. They participated in inspections and remediations programs over structural, electrical, and fire protection as a priority. Moreover, several other human rights conventions, national labor laws and, buyer code of conduct were also adopted as regulatory and voluntary initiatives to settle workers’ health rights and social needs. The WSC enforcement empowered workers to bargain their rights toward a safe workplace and made them responsible for responding during an emergency. Finally, the paper argues that the WSC in the RMG sector nowadays covers a wide range of initiatives in three broad areas: physical environment safety, workers’ health issues, and workers’ rights.
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Wischlitzki E, Amler N, Hiller J, Drexler H. Psychosocial Risk Management in the Teaching Profession: A Systematic Review. Saf Health Work 2020; 11:385-396. [PMID: 33329904 PMCID: PMC7728711 DOI: 10.1016/j.shaw.2020.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Teachers are facing various job demands with psychosocial aspects being fundamental due to the nature of the occupation. Although teachers' work is associated with different psychosocial health risks, little is known on how to identify and tackle those. Thus, a systematic literature search as per the PRISMA statement was conducted via MEDLINE (PubMed), PSYNDEX (PubPsych), and ScienceDirect. Two reviewers independently screened 2261 titles and abstracts and 169 full-texts. According to the inclusion criteria established a priori, articles from peer-reviewed journals (English or German) on psychosocial risk management in teachers were incorporated. Despite a comprehensive and sensitive search, only four publications could be identified, outlining a process to implement risk management and different assessment tools. Taken together, data presented in the articles were scarce. Recommendations for process steps and the assessment of psychosocial risks can be derived from the findings. To implement effective psychosocial risk management in the teaching profession, further research is needed, though. Effective and practicable approaches, which are accepted by the target group, should be further developed and investigated. Relevant causes of occupational strain in the teaching profession must be identified and assessed reliably. Low-threshold interventions should be implemented, and the outcome must be evaluated afterward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Wischlitzki
- Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Henkestraße 9 - 11, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Nadja Amler
- Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Henkestraße 9 - 11, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Julia Hiller
- Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Henkestraße 9 - 11, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Hans Drexler
- Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Henkestraße 9 - 11, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
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Jacinto C, Santos FP, Guedes Soares C, Silva SA. Assessing the coding reliability of work accidents statistical data: How coders make a difference. JOURNAL OF SAFETY RESEARCH 2016; 59:9-21. [PMID: 27847003 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2016.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2016] [Revised: 06/24/2016] [Accepted: 09/28/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This study assesses the reliability of the coding procedure for a set of variables belonging to the European Statistics of Accidents at Work (ESAW). The work focused on the Portuguese data and experience with the system. In Portugal, this task has been systematically carried out by GEP (the governmental Cabinet for Strategy and Planning), here defined as the "reference group" or "expert group." However, it is anticipated that this coding task will be performed by non-expert people, since paper-forms will be replaced by e-forms, similarly to what happened in a few EU countries. OBJECTIVE This study aims to: (a) assess the current situation, that is, to quantify reliability of data coded by GEP (reference group), and (b) assess the impact on the reliability level when the coding is carried out by non-experts (two different groups of coders). METHODS The study comprises the estimation of both intercoder and intracoder reliability for a set of 8 nominal variables. The assessment applies 3 reliability coefficients calculated by 3 software packages. RESULTS The results reveal that the expert group (GEP) holds good to excellent reliability (inter- and intracoder agreements), between 68-98%, while there is a considerable "loss of reliability" (-5% to -39%) when the coding process is transferred to other people, without special training or knowledge in this task. CONCLUSIONS This work gives quantified evidence that reliability of coding accident data is substantially affected by the coders' profile. Moreover, certain variables, regardless of the coder, systematically hold a higher level of coding reliability than others, suggesting that certain codes may need improvement. Future studies should assess coding quality across the EU countries using the ESAW protocol. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Directions for improving the quality of accident data and related statistics; data that is used by researchers and governmental decision-makers to derive prevention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celeste Jacinto
- UNIDEMI, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal.
| | - Fernando P Santos
- Centre for Marine Technology and Ocean Engineering (CENTEC), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Carlos Guedes Soares
- Centre for Marine Technology and Ocean Engineering (CENTEC), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Sílvia A Silva
- Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), ISCTE Business School (IBS), Business Research Unit (BRU-IUL), Av. das Forças Armadas, Edifício ISCTE, 1649-026 Lisboa, Portugal.
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Rubio-Romero JC, Márquez-Sierra F, Suárez-Cebador M. Can fire safety in hotels be improved? Results from the survey of a panel of experts in Spain. Work 2016; 54:461-71. [PMID: 27286084 DOI: 10.3233/wor-162332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The hotel industry is an important driver of the European labour market with over 250,000 hotels employing some 2 million people. In Spain, 240 workers were injured by fires in hotels from 2004 to 2008. Fire is considered to be the most important risk in the hotel industry, but the lack of an EU-wide data recording system for hotels makes it difficult to give exact figures for fire events. OBJECTIVE We analysed the state of fire prevention systems in hotels in Spain with the aim of proposing strategies to improve fire safety. METHODS A 10-item questionnaire was administered from 2007 to 2009 to 15 Spanish experts in fire safety. The questions were measured using a Likert scale and classified into 4 sections: current state of installations, influence of establishment characteristics, application of regulations and priority ranking of actions. Descriptive statistics summarized the data and t-tests evaluated the agreement foreach statement in the questionnaire. RESULTS The statistical analysis showed homogeneity in the responses by the experts in all four categories: current state of fire safety installations, influence of establishment characteristics, application of regulations, and priority of actions. There was consensus among the experts over the necessity to improve the enforcement of regulations and also regarding the existence of an association between the hotel category (in Spain they are ranked using a 1 to 5 "star" rating system) and the level of fire safety; hotels with a higher category had higher levels of safety. CONCLUSIONS There is a need to identify ways to apply fire safety standards to older hotels so that they comply with new regulations, to standardize regulations for different regions and countries, to improve the maintenance of installations and equipment, to increase the effectiveness of inspections conducted by government bodies, and to raise the general awareness of stakeholders involved in hotel fire prevention.
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Ercan A, Kiziltan G. Kitchen safety in hospitals: practices and knowledge of food handlers in istanbul, Turkey. Workplace Health Saf 2014; 62:415-20. [PMID: 25207588 DOI: 10.3928/21650799-20140902-03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2014] [Accepted: 07/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
This study was designed to identify the practices and knowledge of food handlers about workplace safety in hospital kitchens (four on-premises and eight off-premises) in Istanbul. A kitchen safety knowledge questionnaire was administered and a kitchen safety checklist was completed by dietitians. The mean total scores of the on-premise and off-premise hospital kitchens were 32.7 ± 8.73 and 37.0 ± 9.87, respectively. The mean scores for the items about machinery tools, electricity, gas, and fire were lower in off-premise than on-premise hospital kitchen workers. The kitchen safety knowledge questionnaire had five subsections; 43.7% of the food handlers achieved a perfect score. Significant differences were found in the knowledge of food handlers working in both settings about preventing slips and falls (p < .05). Significant relationships were found between marital status, education level, and kitchen safety knowledge of the food handlers (p < .05).
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