Workplace Health Research Articles

From Financial Risk Management to Promotive Health: A Paradigm Shift in Employer-sponsored Health Insurance?

Health insurance serves to contain financial loss arising from an insured individual’s healthcare costs. We investigate an evolving paradigm shift in employer-sponsored health insurance by which workplace health promotion has increasingly gained coverage. The question for analytical investigation is why and how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) succeeded in integrating health promotion into private health insurance in the United States. Survey data (2008–2020) from the Employer Health Benefits, Annual Survey was disaggregated by insurance attributes and employer characteristics relative to health promotion benefits. Pertinent regulatory policies were content-analysed. The ACA offers a viable policy vehicle for mandating strategic, ex ante coverage of preventive and wellness services, and chronic disease management, nudging insurers to offer related benefits. Such policy is underpinned by insurer and employer incentives, including state-based individual mandates, the medical loss ratio, state-driven workplace initiatives and employee participation rewards. While health promotion reduces long-run healthcare costs and risk of disease and improves worker health and productivity, absent carefully devised incentives and rewards, compelling insurers and employers to cover promotive health is unlikely to achieve the objectives and imperatives of healthcare reform. Such policy could even have adverse, albeit unintended, consequences that outweigh their intended outcomes, as insurers may devise ‘backdoor’ strategies once regulatory costs become burdensome.

Feasibility and effectiveness of preconception check-ups at workplaces in Japan.

Despite the recent increase in infertility and perinatal complications, preconception care is not commonly available in Japan. Working women are considered to have the greatest need for preconception care, as increasingly they marry and have children later in life. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of preconception check-ups in the workplace. We provided 51 female employees aged 18-39years with free preconception check-ups, including additional blood tests and an online medical questionnaire, during mandatory health check-ups at their workplace. A doctor provided online counseling based on the check-up results. We assessed fertility knowledge using the Cardiff Fertility Knowledge Scale (CFKS-J) and childbearing desire pre- and postintervention. Preconception check-ups revealed various potential risk factors for future pregnancies, including underweight (12%), obesity (20%), Chlamydia trachomatis IgG antibody positivity (22%), low rubella IgG antibody levels (47%), iron deficiency (12%), and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels <30ng/mL (98%). Postintervention, the participants reported high satisfaction with the check-ups and significantly advanced their reproductive plans (P = .008). Furthermore, 95% of the participants indicated an intention to seek medical attention or make lifestyle changes. The postintervention CFKS-J score (mean [SD]) was higher than the preintervention score (71.7 [19.3] vs 63.0 [22.0]; P = .006). We developed a preconception check-up package that can be integrated into workplace health examinations, complemented by tailored counseling. This novel check-up package is a feasible and effective approach for improving preconception health and fertility awareness.

Multidisciplinary Approach to Health and Safety Leadership in New Zealand: An "All of Person" Approach

This article explores a comprehensive approach to Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) leadership in New Zealand. It delves into the integration of inclusivity, vulnerability, Safety II principles, and Te Ao Māori values into WHS practices. The holistic vision presented emphasises proactive leadership, education, and cultural responsiveness to create a paradigm shift in WHS. By prioritising well-being and inclusivity, this approach aims to transcend compliance-driven WHS models, fostering a culture where safety is everyone's responsibility. The article calls for action, inviting organisations to embrace this transformative leadership model for a safer, more empathetic future in New Zealand workplaces. Workplace Health and Safety, Leadership, Holistic Approach, New Zealand, Te Ao Māori

From the Journal Editor

Haere mai! Welcome to volume 1, edition 1 of the New Zealand Journal of Health and Safety Practice! The Journal is open access and online and subscriptions are free. Although published in New Zealand we hope it will be read by workers everywhere who work in the field of health, safety and wellbeing. This edition is published at the time of International Workers' Memorial Day and the 29th anniversary of the New Zealand Cave Creek tragedy. I hope the Journal will grow to share practical, research-based knowledge that will help every worker (and visitors to workplaces) to go home physically and mentally unharmed. Much work went into the development of the Journal and I thank: the authors who spent time writing and revising the articles our anonymous reviewers who spent their time reading the submissions and making comments: you have helped set the standard for the Journal. Nik Crombie and Max Sullivan in the Victoria University of Wellington Library who helped with the backroom work and technology making the Journal free to publish. The editorial team also thanks HASANZ, Engineering New Zealand, Faculty of Asbestos Management of Australia &amp; New Zealand, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of New Zealand, Institute of Organisational Psychology, New Zealand Institute of Safety Management, New Zealand Occupational Health Nurses Association, New Zealand Occupational Hygiene Society, New Zealand Safety Council, AVID Plus Limited and Risk Management Ltd for financial and other support to help establish the Journal. Terje Aven, a Norwegian academic, wrote that “safety science is multidisciplinary. Its contributors and its audience range from psychologists to chemical engineers”; that safety science “covers the physics and engineering of safety; its social, policy and organisational aspects; the management of risks; the effectiveness of control techniques for safety; standardization, legislation, inspection, insurance, costing aspects, human behaviour and safety and the like.” The founding organisations of NZJHSP are similarly drawn from those disciplines. A call for papers for the July 2024 edition will go out shortly. I look forward to submissions for future editions of this Journal those focused on the practice of workplace health and safety through implementing the broad subject area of safety science to help protect workers and others and achieve good work conditions. References Aven, T. (2014). What is safety science? Safety Science, 67, 15-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2013.07.026

How healthy is your workplace? Testing the effectiveness of occupational health programs: insights from Germany

PurposeCompanies are increasingly struggling with the costs of absenteeism due to their employees’ physical and increasing psychological illnesses. At the same time, employers should recognize the value of healthy employees in terms of greater productivity and the development of positive organizational attitudes. Many organizations have implemented workplace health promotion (WHP) programs; however, we still have limited knowledge about the effectiveness of various measures. The present study is an examination of 18 WHP activities and their effect on employees’ perceived health support and actual absence rates.Design/methodology/approachI organized 112 German companies into four groups based on their subjective (employee perception of health promotion) and objective (absence rate) performance. Applying multinomial regression analysis, I assessed a company’s likelihood of falling into one of the four clusters if a specific measure was not implemented in it.FindingsI identified five measures that significantly differ between company clusters: healthy food offerings, sports offerings, having fitness rooms, systematically evaluating WHP programs and smoking cessation courses. Investing in occupational health management can be a strategic asset for organizations. The study results give companies recommendations on how to address WHP and how to implement these concrete measures.Originality/valueThe study’s originality lies in the incorporation of 18 concrete WHP measures and the comparison of their effects in objective and subjective terms. It shows that employers can enhance employee well-being by using simple WHP activities.

The association between the adverse event reporting system and burnout and job satisfaction of nurses: Workplace violence as a mediator.

This study aims to explore the association between the implementation of the adverse event reporting system (AERS), burnout, and job satisfaction among psychiatric nurses, with a focus on examining the mediating effect of workplace violence from patients. Many organizational and personal factors contribute to burnout and job satisfaction experienced by nurses. AERS, serving as a key component of organizational-level quality improvement system, impacts the overall workplace wellness of nurses. A national sample of 9,744 psychiatric nurses from 41 psychiatric hospitals across 29 provinces in China participated. Burnout was measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Job satisfaction was measured using the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire. Workplace violence was assessed by nurses' experience of verbal and physical violence. Multilevel linear regression analyses were carried out to examine if AERS impacts burnout and job satisfaction and to identify the mediating role of workplace violence. AERS was positively associated with job satisfaction, but negatively with burnout and workplace violence. Workplace violence exhibited a positive association with burnout and a negative association with job satisfaction. Mediation analyses indicated that the associations between AERS, burnout, and job satisfaction were mediated by workplace violence. The application of AERS is associated with a reduction in workplace violence in hospitals, which contributes to the diminished burnout and heightened job satisfaction among psychiatric nurses. The study highlights the importance of organizational efforts and mechanisms in promoting nurses' well-being. It is necessary for hospital management to create a safe workplace through the implementation of AERS.

Effects of Globalization on Labor Standards and Working Conditions

The effects of globalization on labor standards and working conditions have been widely debated, with some arguing that globalization has improved labor standards and working conditions while others claim it has led to a deterioration of such standards. This paper aims to explore the effects of globalization on labor standards and working conditions. The study will examine the impact of globalization on the labor market, focusing on changes in labor laws and regulations, worker rights, and wages. The research will also investigate the impact of globalization on working conditions, including workplace safety and health, and the quality of jobs. Furthermore, the study will explore the role of multinational corporations in shaping labor standards and working conditions in different countries. The findings of this research will provide insights into the impact of globalization on labor standards and working conditions and will contribute to the ongoing debate on the implications of globalization for the labor market.&#x0D; Dhaka University Law Journal, 2023, 34 (2), 133-151

Employee Engagement With Corporate-Based Health and Wellness Programs: A Multiple Regression Analysis

Organizations for decades have offered a myriad of health benefit options designed to engage employees in their own personal health. These programs have been aimed at supporting a healthier workforce in hopes that, a healthy workforce would also equate to a more productive and engaged workforce. As a result, organizations have developed a myriad of choices that employees can choose from to enhance their personal health (i.e., wellness programs, assistance counseling, health risk assessments, etc.). From a workplace perspective, research in the Human Resource Development (HRD) field, as well as related disciplines, have started to explore connections between work and health. Despite emerging research on work and the working experience, organizationally focused health and wellness offerings have been historically absent from most models of work in HRD. The purpose of this research was to examine how work and the working experience influenced employee decision points around personal levels of health engagement. Using two multiple regression models with data from 206 participants working at a Fortune 500 global logistics company, we explored the linkage between work, health, and employee agency in participating in corporate wellness programs. Through our work, we contribute to traditional engagement theory as well as an emerging framework in HRD— Work Determinants of Health (WDOH)—and provide practical suggestions for how leaders could prioritize employee wellness and health engagement within their organization.

A pilot study on psychosocial factors and perceptions of organizational health among a sample of U.S. waste workers

Solid waste workers encounter a number of occupational hazards that are likely to induce stress. Thus, there are likely to be psychosocial factors that also contribute to their overall perceptions of organizational health. However, attitudes regarding the aforementioned among solid waste workers’ have not been assessed. This descriptive, cross-sectional pilot study operationalized the INPUTS Survey to determine workers’ perceptions of organizational health and other psychosocial factors of work. Percentage and mean responses to each INPUTS domain are presented in accordance with their survey manual. Pearson’s chi-squared tests were run on count data; Fisher’s exact tests were run for count data with fewer than five samples. ANOVAs were run on the continuous items. Due to a relatively low sample size (N = 68), two-sided p values < 0.1 were considered statistically significant. Most solid waste worker participants reported high decision authority, that they perceived their management to prioritize workplace health and safety, and had high job satisfaction. However, perceptions of support for health outside of the realm of occupational safety and health was lower. Addressing traditional occupational health hazards continues to take precedence in this industry, with less of a focus on how the social determinants of health may impact workplace health.

Comparison between South African and UK Occupational Health Nursing.

Occupational Health nursing forms a major part of workplace health and risk management; however, both the UK and South Africa have workforce challenges. Both have different histories, support and service needs; however, recent education changes are similar. This comparison explores the uniqueness of each but also those similarities and subtle differences in education changes. The aim is to enlighten the reader but also be thought-provoking and provide the potential of learning from each other.

Impact of Workplace Safety, Health, and Wellness Programs on Employee Engagement and Productivity

Impact of Workplace Safety, Health, and Wellness Programs on Employee Engagement and Productivity

Differential effect by chronic disease risk: A secondary analysis of the ChooseWell 365 randomized controlled trial

ObjectiveWhether employees’ health status is associated with the effectiveness of workplace health promotion programs is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine if the effect of a workplace healthy eating intervention differed by baseline chronic disease status. MethodsThis was a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial conducted September 2016 to February 2018 among US hospital employees to test the effect of a 12-month behavioral intervention (personalized feedback, peer comparisons, and financial incentives) on diet and weight. Participants were classified as having chronic disease (yes/no) based on self-reported hypertension, hyperlipidemia, heart disease, stroke, pre-diabetes, diabetes, cancer or another serious illness. BMI was measured at study visits and calories purchased were measured from cafeteria sales data over 24 months. Mixed models with random effects assessed heterogeneity of treatment effects by chronic disease. ResultsParticipants (N = 548) were mostly female (79.7 %) and white (81.2 %); 224 (40.9 %) had chronic disease. Among those with chronic disease, intervention participants reduced caloric intake by 74.4 [22.3] kcal more than control, with a smaller difference between intervention and control (−1.9 [18.7] kcal) (three-way p-interaction = 0.02). The effect on BMI for those with chronic disease (0.47 [0.21] kg/m2) indicated weight stability among intervention participants and weight gain among controls while the effect (−0.56 [0.18] kg/m2) for those without chronic disease was the opposite (three-way p-interaction < 0.01). ConclusionsThose with chronic diseases had greater reductions in calories purchased and gained less weight. Employers with limited resources for health promotion might consider tailoring programs to employees at highest risk.

Organizational Executions and Policies on Workplace Health Promotion: A Cross-sectional Study in Thailand

Organizational Executions and Policies on Workplace Health Promotion: A Cross-sectional Study in Thailand

A mechanistic model for industrial workplace design based on inherent safety and health concepts

AbstractThis study aims to establish a mechanistic model of using inherent safety and health concepts to conduct industrial workplace risk reduction strategies during the project planning stage. Accordingly, a dedicated implementation tool termed inherently safer and healthier design model for industrial workplaces (ISHDM‐IW) is developed. First, the safety and health by design checklist is adapted to derive industrial workplace safety and health risk indicators. Then, the risk indicators are rated and weighted using the methods of risk matrix and precedence chart. Subsequently, the risk indicators are aggregated via fuzzy risk representation with the indicators' risk values and weights. Last, the inherent safety and health principles are used to do risk‐based baseline design optimization. The case study demonstrates the capabilities of the proposed ISHDM‐IW to upgrade the workplace design scheme from risk level II to risk level I, thus generating a more satisfactory workplace design alternative. The proposed ISHDM‐IW offers a novel design mechanism of inherent safety and health for industrial workplaces, which can be expected to ensure employees' safety, health, and well‐being with fundamentally better ergonomics of industrial work environments.

A Framework for Assessing the Health Needs of Disabled Adult Patients with Autoimmune Disorders and Depression in Madinah, Saudi Arabia

Depression remains one of the biggest global challenges, requiring an active approach to tackle it across the different healthcare sectors. Given depression’s widespread prevalence and its association with chronic autoimmune conditions, such as diabetes mellitus, it has been predicted to be one of the significant causes of added disability worldwide and in Saudi Arabia (SA). To address this issue efficiently, organized efforts should be taken, which are proposed in this report as a corporate health needs assessment (HNA). In this study, a framework for a five-step HNA to detect depression among disabled adult patients in Madinah, SA, is proposed that can be used by health policymakers. These steps include getting started, identifying health priorities, assessing a health priority for action, planning for change, and moving on/project review. This proposal should provide a practical stepwise guideline to healthcare policymakers when planning healthcare services in Madinah.

The interrelation between happiness and workplace safety: A bibliometric review

Ensuring a safe and secure work environment promotes employee well-being and satisfaction. This bibliometric study aims to examine the correlation between happiness and workplace safety. This study uses a bibliometric approach to reveal notable research patterns and areas of inadequacy in the current literature on happiness and workplace safety. We acquired the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus datasets and analysed them using VOSviewer and ScientoPy. Since the 1990s, there has been a steady increase in the volume of literature related to happiness and workplace safety. In 2021, a notable number of publications across both databases, amounting to 61, were documented. This result indicated an upsurge in interest in this topic. The subject of “Psychology” has achieved the highest ranking, with 248 publications. The top five author keywords associated with this subject are “well-being”, “mental health”, “quality of life”, “psychological well-being”, and “depression”. The term “well-being” has garnered significant attention recently, particularly in 2022 and 2023. Bibliometric studies have revealed that happiness research has consistently and steadily gained academic attention. This article scrutinises a range of research that has investigated various facets of this interconnectedness, including the comprehension of accidents, analysis of accidents, modelling accidents, and management of workplace safety and health risks. Furthermore, this study recognises the need for future research to investigate different frameworks that elucidate the relationship between happiness and workplace safety. It also emphasises the intricacies associated with this subject matter.Ensuring a safe and secure work environment promotes employee well-being and satisfaction. This bibliometric study aims to examine the correlation between happiness and workplace safety. This study uses a bibliometric approach to reveal notable research patterns and areas of inadequacy in the current literature on happiness and workplace safety. We acquired the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus datasets and analysed them using VOSviewer and ScientoPy. Since the 1990s, there has been a steady increase in the volume of literature related to happiness and workplace safety. In 2021, a notable number of publications across both databases, amounting to 61, were documented. This result indicated an upsurge in interest in this topic. The subject of “Psychology” has achieved the highest ranking, with 248 publications. The top five author keywords associated with this subject are “well-being”, “mental health”, “quality of life”, “psychological well-being”, and “depression”. The term “well-being” has garnered significant attention recently, particularly in 2022 and 2023. Bibliometric studies have revealed that happiness research has consistently and steadily gained academic attention. This article scrutinises a range of research that has investigated various facets of this interconnectedness, including the comprehension of accidents, analysis of accidents, modelling accidents, and management of workplace safety and health risks. Furthermore, this study recognises the need for future research to investigate different frameworks that elucidate the relationship between happiness and workplace safety. It also emphasises the intricacies associated with this subject matter.

Relationship between the severity of pre-frailty and the degree of adaptation of Ninjin'yoeito (NYT) on pre-frailty.

With the global trend towards longer life expectancies, there's an increasing emphasis on not just living longer, but also maintaining health and wellbeing into older age. This study explores the efficacy of Ninjin'yoeito (NYT) in the early stages of frailty, a critical period for preventive interventions. Taking account of the knowledge gap regarding the association between early frailty and NYT, we use data from workplace health checkups to examine the relationship between pre-frailty severity and NYT adaption. The objective of our research is to enhance the comprehension of early treatments using NYT to prevent the progression of frailty. A total of 314 employees of the Kyoto Industrial Health Association who received workplace health checkups between November 2021 and March 2023 and consented to this study were included in the analysis. Information on gender, age, body mass index (BMI), NYT-specific symptoms assessment, the Japanese version of the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), and the Kihon Checklist (KCL) were obtained. The correlation analysis revealed that there was a strong positive correlation between the number of applicable NYT indications and the GHQ-12 score (r = 0.5992, p < 0.0001). Similarly, a moderate positive correlation was observed between the number of applicable NYT indications and the KCL score (r = 0.5030, p < 0.0001). In the multivariate analysis, both GHQ-12 (β = 0.49, SE = 0.06, t = 7.66, 95% CI: 0.36 to 0.62, p = 0.000) and KCL (β = 0.54, SE = 0.12, t = 4.29, 95% CI: 0.29 to 0.79, p = 0.000) showed significant positive associations with the variance in the number of applicable NYT indications, indicating that higher scores on these measures were related to a greater number of indications. NYT has the potential to be utilized not only as a therapeutic intervention for frailty, but also as a preventive measure.

An Innovative Passive Noise Control Technique for Environmental Protection: An Experimental Study in Explosion Noise Attenuation

Passive noise control techniques are an effective way of mitigating environmental noise pollution caused by industrial activities, assisting with long-term sustainability in workplace health and safety. Excessive noise from various sources such as mining, construction, manufacturing, air blasting and large-scale gas and dust explosion investigations is challenging as it produces a high level of noise. Excessive explosion noise can have a significant impact on the surrounding environment and people. To suppress the noise to satisfactory levels for nearby occupants, several layers of acoustic barriers are employed. The effectiveness of each level of acoustic barrier is presented. A bottom ash granule base layer with a 300 mm thickness reduced the peak noise levels (136 dBA) by approximately 33 dBA. In the next stage, an autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC)-based 200 mm acoustic barrier was introduced, which suppressed 24 dBA of noise. The inside of the AAC acoustic barrier was finally covered with a 50 mm thick noise attenuation composite material layer constituted of a sound barrier and a sound absorber, and this composite material attenuated the noise level by 6 dBA. The entire noise suppression mechanism was found to be an effective way to suppress gas and dust explosion noise and satisfy the requirement of the occupant and sound level.

The Ontario Workplace Health Champions Program.

To increase the presence of occupational medicine in the medical school curriculum in Ontario, Canada, the Ontario Workplace Health Champions Program was established 24 years ago. The Program supports a Workplace Health Champion in each medical school who ensures there is occupational medicine content in their medical school curricula. The program has expanded to postgraduate training programs, with a focus on primary care. There has been an increase in occupational medicine content in medical schools in Ontario.

Evaluation of Networks in Workplace Health Promotion using the Example of "Gesunde Betriebe Kinzigtal" - An Empirical Analysis

For years, there has been a high level of activity in creating networks in workplace health promotion (WHP). So far, there have only been a few evaluations of these network formations. The aim of this study was to evaluate networks in WHP using the example of the regional network "Gesunde Betriebe Kinzigtal" (Healthy Companies Kinzigtal). The network supports companies in the Kinzigtal in the implementation and realisation of WHP. By means of an online survey, responsible employees of the participating companies evaluated the network and the measures for WHP. The focus was on the constructs of satisfaction and benefit as well as the perception of networks in WHP. Of the 21 companies participating in the network, 13 took part in the study, which corresponds to a response rate of 62%. The analysis showed a positive evaluation of the network activities. The companies were satisfied with the network "Gesunde Betriebe Kinzigtal" as well as the measures for WHP and derived a benefit from it. Furthermore, the companies perceived the network as helpful and participation in it as beneficial. Networks provide support for the introduction and long-term implementation of WHP.