Management Of Occupational Hazards Research Articles

Safety climate and occupational hazard management: an analysis from the perspective of employees of the sugar-alcohol sector in the interior of São Paulo

The aim of this research was to identify employees' perceptions of the safety climate and the management of occupational accident risk in the sugar-alcohol sector. Thus, an online questionnaire survey with closed and structured questions was applied to a sample of 171 respondents, selected for convenience. In the process of analyzing the data, Excel software was used to calculate the percentage probability and show the variable with the highest or lowest percentage occurrence. The results show that the employees' statements indicate that the companies have shown concern for their employees' well-being. 61% of them, for example, stated that occupational safety is a priority for the management of the companies they work for. However, despite these findings, companies need to review their bonus practices, as only 26.9% of the 171 respondents said that bonuses were distributed correctly. This study's contribution to the sector, as an object of analysis, consists of identifying employees' perceptions of the safety climate and the risks of accidents at work that they feel in the organizations to which they belong. It also highlights the importance of the topic for managers, who are faced with the challenge of looking after the physical and mental health of their employees in a sector which, due to its specific characteristics, is outlined by constant danger.

Occupational hazard management in grain storage units

With the expansion of global grain production, in which Brazil ranks 4th with 7.8%, and, in light of the estimated production for the 2022/2023 harvest of 309.9 million tons, there is a deficit in storage capacity, currently representing 60.9% of production. Given the importance and expectation of expanding, it is necessary to prevent illnesses and accidents linked to this process. This work aims to develop an occupational hazards management model during the grain storage and drying processes, to determine the hazards that workers are exposed in their activities. The methodology was applied in western Paraná, Brazil, in a grain drying and storage unit during the inter-harvest and harvest periods to analyze, identify, evaluate, prioritize, and develop an action plan for the hazards. Among the hazards identified in the literature and at the site, exposure to heat and noise was evaluated, generating a score that represents the hazard situation in the environment. Of the 104 possible points in the evaluation, occupational exposure to heat obtained the lowest score of 70 (regular level), compared to noise with a score of 90 (normal level). For solving identified non-conformities, it can be highlight the replacement of thermal protection gloves and installation of a on-site temperature and humidity meter. With the methodology, it is possible to evaluate hazards and propose mechanisms that lead to their resolution, prioritizing the most critical levels according to the generated score.

Application status of CFD technology in occupational hazard control

In the process of occupational hazard management, computational fluid dynamics technology can be used to reflect the distribution pattern of occupational hazards in the production process, so as to quickly and accurately guide the formulation of occupational disease prevention and control programs. This paper summarizes and analyzes the current research results on the prevention and control of occupational hazards in workplaces through computational fluid dynamics technology, and describes the application of these research results in the process of occupational disease prevention and control. On this basis, this paper presents the problems and application limitations of existing research and points out the future key research directions, which are of great reference value for guiding further systematic and in-depth research on simulation, experimentation and management of occupational hazards that can cause occupational diseases.

Study on the diffusion of hydrogen fluoride in an electrolytic fluoride plant based on CFD numerical simulation method

Objective: Using CFD technology to grasp the distribution and diffusion of hydrogen fluoride in an electrolytic fluorine plant, provide guidance and scientific basis for enterprises to carry out occupational health management in enterprises, install hazardous substance alarm devices, and protect workers' occupational health. Methods: In July 2019, the diffusion law of hydrogen fluoride gas produced in an electrolytic fluorine plant is selected as the research object. Through the establishment of models and grids, the Fluent numerical simulation method is finally used to simulate the diffusion and distribution of hydrogen fluoride gas under ventilation conditions. Results: The results showed that the average concentration of hydrogen fluoride was 0.045 mg/m(3) in the workplace, and the absorbed zone height (1.5 m) was 0.02 mg/m(3) in the inspection channel, which was in accordance with the national standard. However, there is eddy current above the electrolyzer near the inlet, may lead to the accumulation of hydrogen fluoride gas. Conclusion: The research of CFD numerical simulation method on the distribution and diffusion of hydrogen fluoride concentration in electrolytic fluorine plant can be applied to the prevention, control and management of occupational hazards in electrolytic fluorine plant.

Turnover intention among operating room nurses during the COVID-19 outbreak and its association with perceived safety climate

BackgroundIn critical situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses always face a lot of stress that can increase their turnover intention. Since a suitable safety climate in the workplace is considered an important factor in preventive management of occupational hazards and people's adaptation to stressful conditions, the present study aimed to determine Turnover intention among operating room nurses during the COVID-19 outbreak and its association with perceived safety climate. MethodsIn this descriptive correlational study, participants were 190 operating room nurses working at public hospitals in Mazandaran (Iran) who were selected by stratified random sampling. Data were collected using the Anticipated Turnover Scale and the Nurses' Safety Climate Questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS16. ResultsThe results of the linear regression analysis revealed that safety climate significantly reduced turnover intention among nurses in the COVID-19 pandemic (P < 0.001). An increase of one unit in the total score of safety climate led to a 0.6 reduction in the turnover intention of operating room nurses. ConclusionThe present findings demonstrated an unfavorable safety climate perceived by perioperative nurses in the COVID-19 pandemic, with a significant inverse relationship with turnover intention. Strategies such as training personnel on the prevention of the disease transmission in the surgery of patients infected with or suspected of COVID-19, creating a proper supportive environment for personnel, and providing appropriate protective equipment to prevent infection with COVID-19 seem absolutely vital to improving the safety climate in the operating room, thereby reducing turnover intention.

Minimizing formaldehyde exposure in a hospital pathology laboratory.

The safety and health of healthcare workers employed in pathology laboratories and exposed to formaldehyde (FA) is a matter of concern worldwide, as several health effects have been observed in workers resulting from exposure to FA, both short and long-term. The study was aimed to describe the strategy implemented in a hospital pathology laboratory to minimize workers' exposure to FA through interventions to working environment and workforce. The NIOSH 2016 method for detecting gaseous FA was adopted to perform personal and area active sampling of FA. The samples were subsequently analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography. The exposure to FA was measured before and after improvement interventions. The pre-intervention step showed FA levels exceeding the threshold limit values (TLV) established by ACGIH, both the time-weighted average (TLV-TWA) and short term exposure limit (TLV-STEL); after the improvement interventions, the median concentrations of personal and area FA sampling were respectively of 0.025 ppm (Range = 0.023-0.027) and 0.023 ppm (Range = 0.022-0.028) and significantly lower than pre-intervention step (p < 0.05) and below the TLV-TWA and TLV-STEL established by ACGIH. In our study the workers' involvement in the risk management of FA exposure together with engineering improvements revealed a strategic way to minimize the FA pollution in the studied laboratory. Healthcare companies should consider the need to ensure the workers' participation in the management of occupational hazards, including FA, to reach the goal of healthy workplaces.

Shifting towards Proactive OHS Risk Management in Romanian Organizations: Systematic Benchmarks

As they are anticipative, proactive, and treating assessment as a quasi-continuous phase of risk management, the next step in keeping workers safe seems to be the proper implementation of the guidelines on risk assessments included in ISO 45001. They are indeed inspiring for organizations worldwide to consider risk management as really important, good for the business, and imperative for worker health and safety. What should the Romanian organizations know and do in this spirit? The main objective of this paper is to answer systematically and in a structured way the question of whether there is a set of principles, means to follow, recommendable approaches that, taking into account the general practice established at national level at this time of evolution, allow even to facilitate the transition from reactive to proactive management of occupational hazards, with all the advantages and - at the same time - challenges that this change implies? The main possible answers to this question are investigated, resulting in a set of conclusions with practical applicability, which can guide the process of streamlining the results of accidents at work and occupational diseases prevention work at the national level, within a coherent and unitary vision.

Impact of Co-Worker Support and Supervisor Support Among the Middle and Senior Management in the Manufacturing Industry

The purpose of the this research work was to evaluate the impact of social support (through its two dimensions: co-worker support and supervisor support) on the reduction of the burnout syndrome (considering its three dimensions: emotional exhaustion, professional efficacy, and cynicism) from two proposed models that show clear differences. Social support was assessed using the Job Content Questionnaire instrument, and the burnout syndrome was measured through the Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey. A total of 467 middle and senior managers from the Mexican manufacturing industry participated in the research. Structural Equation Modeling was used to determine the relationships between the proposed variables. The results of model one show that social support helps mitigate the effects of burnout syndrome in its three dimensions. On the other hand, model two features better fit indices and specifically shows that co-worker support has a direct negative relationship with the dimension of emotional exhaustion, while supervisor support directly and negatively affects cynicism. These results show that, although social support helps in the mitigation of burnout syndrome in general, each type of support separately has a direct impact on a specific dimension of the burnout syndrome. Clarifying these relationships will help in the proposal of occupational hazard management policies in the Mexican industrial sector.

Analysis of coal mine occupational disease hazard evaluation index based on AHP-DEMATEL

The main purpose to analysis the occupational-disease-inductive index in coal mine is to protect the life and health of the workers and reduce the losses caused by it. According to the occupational-disease-inductive factors "produce source-cause factors-function object" to analyze the whole process of occupational disease hazard control in coal mine, determined the occupational-disease-inductive factors cause of coal mine. Then, the occupational disease hazard of coal mine based on the energy release cause model was established, built the evaluation index system of coal mine occupational disease hazard. The AHP-DEMATEL evaluation model was used to analyze the indicators. Combined with the application of case study, the evaluation results were in good agreement with the actual situation of occupational hazard management in coal mines. It indicated that the indicator system has a strong generalization and adaptability.

Підвищення рівня охорони праці та удосконалення методики міжнародної організації праці для оцінки професійних ризиків

В даній роботі представлено аналіз існуючих методик оцінки професійних ризиків. Було розроблено матрицю для оцінки величини професійного ризику та удосконалено методику Міжнародної організації праці для оцінки професійного ризику. Було розроблено п’ять рівнів серйозності наслідків, п’ять рівнів вірогідності шкоди для працівника та величину ризику від мінімального значення 1 (знехтуваний ризик) до максимального – 10 (критичний ризик). Для визначення величини ризиків, які заподіяні фізичними, хімічними, біологічними факторами небезпеки, частотою виникнення нещасного випадку, не-доліками в ергономіці та психологічними перенавантаженнями було розроблено критерії для матриць. Наслідки заподіяної шкоди можуть бути: незначні, легкі, середні, тяжкі та катастрофічні. Удосконалена методика дає можливість врахувати катастрофічні наслідки, які можуть настати під час надзвичайної ситуації, такої як пожежа, вибух, аварія, катастрофа та ін. Вірогідність професійних ризиків може бути: XS – від «eXtra Small» – дуже мала, S – від «Small» – мала, M – від «Medium» – середня, L – від «Large» – велика, XL – від «eXtra Large» – дуже велика та XXL – від «eXtra eXtra Large» – дуже-дуже велика. Удосконалена методика визначає: знехтуваний, малозначний, малий, помірний, прийнятний, допустимий, значимий, недопустимий, максимальний та критичний ризик. Удосконалену методику оцінки професійних ризиків було випробувано на молочному комбінаті. Було встановлено адекватність і точність результатів визначення величини професійного ризику удосконаленої методики порівняно з результатами існуючої. Для підвищення рівня охорони праці були запропоновані та впровадженні заходи з управління професійними ризиками.

AquaSafe: Aquaculture occupational safety and health in the palm of your hand

The main objective of this study was to develop a freely available mobile software application and education platform in health and safety for aquaculture workers and managers. The application, called AquaSafe, was created in Portuguese and English for the Android system using the Java 8 programming language and the Android Studio development environment. AquaSafe content focusses on the identification of hazards and health risks, hazardous sources and preventive measures for occupational health and safety in the aquaculture sector. It has three predominantly interactive user interfaces to reinforce the main messages, which include games in the form of compliance checklists, quizzes and question-answer tools. The software is designed to act as a platform for assessment and management of occupational hazards, guide decision making on simple techniques or measures to prevent injuries, diseases and fatalities during aquaculture activities. It is envisaged that the AquaSafe mobile software will contribute to the prevention of occupational injuries and diseases in aquaculture.

BIM-integrated management of occupational hazards in building construction and maintenance

Health and safety in the construction sector are very important issues owing to the high accident rate in the industry. Recent studies have shown that implementing the building information modelling (BIM) methodology can improve the working conditions at construction sites and during building maintenance. Therefore, the European Union is promoting the development of projects through BIM. The government of Spain has established a roadmap to enforce the development of projects with BIM, and the integration of occupational health and safety in projects developed with BIM in Spain must comply with the current regulations. This study proposes a methodology—consistent with the requirements stipulated by the Spanish health and safety regulations—for its integration in the design phase of building projects developed using BIM.

Comparison of competency priorities between UK occupational physicians and occupational health nurses

ObjectivesThe competencies required of occupational physicians (OPs) and occupational health nurses (OHNs) separately have been studied in various countries but little research has made direct comparisons between these two key...

FMEA APPLIED AT SAFETY WORKS MANAGEMENT – A CASE STUDY

This paper presents a method that aims to put the management of occupational hazards in optimization models of production processes. The use of the proposed tool seeks both to reduce the frequency with which accidents happen as to minimize the severity of these accidents. The tool also assesses the probability of potential accidents aiming to reduce them. The genesis of this work is an issue of practical research, which seeks the interaction of production and safety, where he implemented the FMEA tool (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis) with the focus on the management of occupational hazards, under the mapping production flow. The activity was considered the modification in a cutting plasma area in a metallurgical company. The application of FMEA tool focused on safety was conducted following methodological procedures for the use of the tool by applying risk analysis concepts aimed at eliminating the causes that could potentially result in accidents. Finally, it was found that the integrated approach using this quality tool with focus on security is a viable alternative for organizations that seek to evaluate the various failure modes that may occur during a process, may cause accidents to workers, so the use of the tool can evaluate the risks and prevent accidents.

Core competencies for UK occupational health nurses: a Delphi study.

BackgroundOccupational health nurses (OHNs) play a pivotal role in the delivery of occupational health (OH) services. Specific competency guidance has been developed in a number of countries, including the UK. While it is acknowledged that UK OHN practice has evolved in recent years, there has been no formal research to capture these developments to ensure that training and curricula remain up-to-date and reflect current practice.AimsTo identify current priorities among UK OHNs of the competencies required for OH practice.MethodsA modified Delphi study undertaken among representative OHN networks in the UK. This formed part of a larger study including UK and international occupational physicians. The study was conducted in two rounds using a questionnaire based on available guidance on training competencies for OH practice, the published literature, expert panel reviews and conference discussions.ResultsConsensus among OHNs was high with 7 out of the 12 domains scoring 100% in rating. ‘Good clinical care’ was the principal domain ranked most important, followed by ‘general principles of assessment & management of occupational hazards to health’. ‘Research methods’ and ‘teaching & educational supervision’ were considered least important.ConclusionsThis study has established UK OHNs’ current priorities on the competencies required for OH practice. The timing of this paper is opportune with the formal launch of the Faculty of Occupational Health Nursing planned in 2018 and should inform the development of competency requirements as part of the Faculty’s goals for standard setting in OHN education and training.

International perspective on common core competencies for occupational physicians: a modified Delphi study

ObjectivesThe competencies required of occupational physicians (OPs) have been the subject of peer-reviewed research in Europe and individual countries around the world. In the European Union (EU), there has been...

Implementation of system methods of occupational hazard management

The need for implementing system methods in the management of occupational hazards is substantiated in the paper. A scientific and methodological approach to implementing the system methods of the occupational hazard management in the enterprise safety control system, based on the formalization of an occupational safety system, identification of ways and steps in implementing the system methods in the occupational hazard management was proposed.The need for scientific and practical developments in this area is justified by the development of labor protection approaches taking into account the international standards recommendations, in which conceptual ways of managing occupational hazards are given.A systematic approach to occupational hazard management is characterized by determining a goal based on the created policy, sequential actions to achieve the goals, checking the extent of their achievement.Implementing the systematic approach to reduce the threat of exposure to hazardous and harmful factors and to identify ways of their elimination on the basis of preventive measures will allow assessing, analyzing and improving the results of occupational hazard management. This can increase the level of work safety in the workplace.

Removal efficiency of vapour/particulate phase PAHs by using alternative protective respirators in PAHs exposure workers

Due to the high heat environment in foundry industries, it is difficult for foundry workers to wear masks during their workday. Thus, how to prevent inhaling vapour or the particulate phase of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is important for occupational hazard management. The present study assesses the characteristics of PAHs emission in foundry and plastic industries to evaluate the removal efficiencies of PAHs while workers use alternative personal protective equipment.The highest 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) level was found for workers who used a cotton-fabric face mask (1.19μg/g creatinine) and activated-carbon face mask (1.16μg/g creatinine), compared to a lower level in workers who wore a surgical face mask (0.27μg/g creatinine) and a N95 respirator (0.51μg/g creatinine). The urinary 1-OHP in end-of-shift samples correlated to the airborne vapour phase Bapeq, but not for the particulate phase Bapeq in the foundry industry. This is probably because workers wore personal protective equipment that only removed the particulate phase PAH. The current study suggests that future work focus on developing an appropriate and comfortable respirator with high removal efficiency for ultrafine particulates and vapour phase PAHs simultaneously in PAH work environments.

Occupational Hazard Management at the Grinding Station

Received: 2 October 2011 Abstract Accepted: 10 January 2012 The paper demonstrates the usefulness of the Risk Score method for risk management at professional grinding stations, taking into account the nature of the station’s operations. The adoption of consistent processes within a comprehensive framework helps to ensure that risk is managed effectively, efficiently and coherently across the organization. The approach described in this paper introduces the principles and guidelines for managing safety risk in an orderly, transparent and credible manner. The aim of the present study is to reduce occupational hazard at grinding stations.

Job Hazards Analysis Among A Group Of Surgeons At Zagazig University Hospitals: A Risk Management Approach

Background: Innovative trail used qualitative job hazard analysis model as a part of hospital wide safety program. Methods: A cross section study was don upon a random sample of surgeons working at Zagazig University teaching hospitals evaluated to their job hazards using quantitative hazard assessment questionnaire and calculating job steps total hazards score by standardized risk assessment score followed by expert panel discussion and proposal to reduce hazards score by correction action plan. Total hazards score percentage of change was used to evaluate of corrective action plan. Results: Total hazards mean score was high concerning; needle sticks and stab injuries 38.63±27.6, inhalation of anesthetic gases 38.6±21.19, exposure to scattered radiation 38.63± and highest score was for biological contamination 52.61±9.61. All these score should be decreased by applying corrective plan with expected change of previous hazards total score by; 82%, 90%, 90% and 75% respectively. Conclusion: Job hazards analysis model was effective in assessment, evaluation and management of occupational hazards concerning surgeons and should considered as part of hospital wide quality and safety program. Key Words: Job Hazard Analysis, Risk Management, occupational Health Safety.