Occupational Health Professionals Research Articles

Can occupational health professionals successfully apply the Goldilocks Work Paradigm in a simulated work redesign?

This study aimed to assess occupational health professionals’ application of the Goldilocks Work Paradigm in redesigning jobs for healthier physical behaviours while maintaining productivity. During a group simulation exercise, participants (n = 16) created job descriptions for four different occupation cases (factory worker, office worker, teacher, train driver) and then redesigned the jobs using the Paradigm. Substantial changes in the time spent in sitting (9–30%), standing (8–42%), walking (6–14%), and high-intensity (0–24%) physical behaviours were achieved, which if implemented would likely result in enhanced health for workers. Overall, occupational health professionals were able to successfully redesign fictitious jobs aligned with the Goldilocks Work Paradigm. The simulation task used in this study may be useful to train professionals and assist workplaces to understand and implement the Goldilocks Work Paradigm into practice. Practitioner summary: This study assessed whether occupational health professionals could be trained in the Goldilocks Work Paradigm through a job redesign simulation task. Participants were able to redesign jobs to achieve a healthier ‘just right’ balance of physical behaviours. Simulations may help workplaces understand and implement a Goldilocks Work approach into practice.

Promoting good and sustainable work in occupational health education.

The world of work is facing severe challenges due to rapid technological change, globalization, climate change and, more recently, the Covid-19 pandemic. Occupational health professionals must deal with these challenges, but it is unclear how well they have been prepared for this task by their academic training programmes. To explore content and learning objectives related to these challenges in the curricula of Occupational Medicine (OM) and Occupational Safety, Industrial Hygiene and Ergonomics (OSH), we conducted an online survey among academic leaders of these programmes in universities of several European countries. In addition, related programmes in Human Resource Management (HRM) training were included. Selected study programmes were explored in terms of the main topics and learning objectives related to the challenges for promoting good and sustainable work in universities in Europe. The study programmes were identified through contacts with professional associations and a website search. Given the exploratory, non-representative study design, data analysis was limited to description. OM and OSH programmes addressed the above challenges to a very limited extent, except for their disciplinary approach to work-related diseases and injuries. In contrast, HRM programmes were dealing more extensively with globalization, climate change and digitisation. Significant limitations of knowledge and competences in dealing with the key challenges of the modern world of work were identified. More relational, ethical and interdisciplinary learning is needed in these programmes, addressing core issues of today's world of work.

Supporting the Return to Work of Breast Cancer Survivors: From a Theoretical to a Clinical Perspective.

Promoting the return to work of breast cancer survivors is of major interest to patients, healthcare and occupational health professionals, companies, governments, and researchers worldwide. We previously conducted a French consensus study resulting in a model describing the multifactorial process of the return to work of breast cancer survivors (the REWORK-BC model). Other work has identified the transtheoretical model as a relevant theoretical framework for interventions to promote the return to work of cancer survivors. In this opinion paper, we provide a theoretically-based clinical framework describing how to support breast cancer survivors at each stage of the return-to-work process. This clinical framework considers several essential aspects of supportive care for breast cancer survivors returning to work, such as: (i) helping the patient actively self-manage, by considering her to be the main decision-maker; (ii) respecting and adapting to the patient’s choice of professional project; (iii) respecting the temporality of the patient’s choices; (iv) proposing tailored interventions; (v) implementing simple tools to promote the return to work, shared representation between the patient and a multidisciplinary team, and improvement of working conditions and the knowledge of health and occupational professionals, and managers or employers; and (vi) maintaining certain flexibility aimed at proposing, but never imposing, changes in practices. This clinical framework, specific to breast cancer survivors, could be extrapolated to other tumor types, offering a practical guide for healthcare and occupational health professionals to better understand the return-to-work process of cancer survivors. This clinical framework aims to be a usable tool for any hospital or cancer care center wishing to implement a patient-centered intervention that promotes returning to work, regardless of the country.

Do one-hour exposures provide a valid assessment of physiological heat strain?

For time- and cost-efficient heat stress assessment procedures at workplaces or in experimental studies, short-time measurement periods (e.g. 1 h) are sometimes employed in lieu of whole shift observations assuming that the short time period will provide valid figures of equilibrium physiological responses. We studied the influence of exposure duration on physiological heat strain considering the modifying effects of clothing and heat acclimation using a database of 564 climatic chamber exposures performed by 28 young males under heat stress conditions with widely varying air temperature and humidity levels. We compared heart rates, rectal and mean skin temperatures, and sweat rates recorded after 1 h with the values averaged over the third hour of exposure representing steady-state. One-hour measurements agreed with equilibrium values for rather low strain levels only, with heart rates below 100 bpm and rectal temperatures below 37.2 °C. On average, one-hour values underestimated all heat strain parameters. This underestimation error was only moderately influenced by clothing and heat acclimation status, but increased significantly with air temperature and humidity, reaching considerable magnitude under hot-humid conditions associated with elevated heat strain. Regression analyses of the prediction error depending on the equilibrium response revealed that underestimation increased with equilibrium strain level. This correlation was strongest for heart rate and core temperature, and was shown to potentially cause a misclassification of hazardous working conditions as safe by given heat strain criteria.Practical Relevance: The severe underestimation of heat strain due to short measurement periods, as observed under hot-humid conditions and/or when associated with high physiological strain, will immediately impact the exposed personnel, but will also inform occupational health professionals and standard writers regarding the heat stress assessment for work shifts with high activity levels or with protective clothing.

Chemical pollutants in closed environments of transportation and storage of non-dangerous goods – Insufficient legislation, low awareness, and poor practice in Hungary

ABSTRACT Several chemical pollutants can accumulate within the closed environments of transportation and storage. Pollutants are mainly residues of pesticides, volatile organic compounds and components of diesel exhaust. The study objectives were to (i) review the regulations relevant to occupational chemical exposures in closed environments of inland transportation and storage; and (ii) explore the practice of preventing these exposures. A systematic search and content analysis of international and Hungarian nation legal documents were carried out. In addition, semi-structured interviews with occupational health and safety (OHS) professionals and warehouse managers were conducted. Analysis of legal documents highlighted the lack of explicit regulations on the investigated problem. The 21 interviews revealed that the participants had limited knowledge about the pollutants; they deemed chemical exposure rare and related health effects negligible. The revealed limitations indicate that this field should be more specifically regulated and OHS professionals should be better informed about these workplace hazards.

Using Occupational Histories to Assess Heat Exposure in Undocumented Workers Receiving Emergent Renal Dialysis in Georgia.

Immigrants often work in jobs that are known as dirty, demanding, and dangerous. Globally, the agricultural occupations have been associated with the emergence of chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology (CKDu) primarily in outdoor worker populations. The disease has also been reported in immigrants in the United States who work in agricultural occupations, but little research has been done outside of agricultural workers to determine whether immigrants who work other occupations are at risk for developing CKDu. This study assessed the self-reported occupational histories of undocumented immigrants receiving frequent, emergent-only dialysis in Atlanta, GA. We assessed demographics, employment status, and work history, using the Grady Dialysis Questionnaire and the Occupational/Environmental Health History Form. Fifty undocumented immigrants receiving frequent, emergent-only hemodialysis were recruited for this study. The average age was 49.5 years (SD ± 11.5), and the majority (52%) were female and originated from Mexico (66%). A majority (74%) reported having worked in the past 5 years and 28% reported currently working. A total of 68 unique jobs were reported. In decreasing order of frequency, our sample worked in occupations with documented renal toxicant exposures, such as applying pesticides in landscaping, heat exposure in agriculture, construction, landscaping, and dry cleaning, and lead paint fumes in construction. Occupational histories provide a greater understanding of the exposures and working conditions of those receiving frequent, emergent-only hemodialysis. This exploratory study suggests that further research is needed to investigate and assess whether renal toxicants are associated with occupations with high numbers of undocumented workers. A detailed and thorough occupational history should be conducted from those receiving frequent, emergent-only hemodialysis. Developing continuing education for nursing and medical staff in dialysis centers on taking an occupational history, mandatory State reporting requirements, and hazard communication training for workers should be considered. Collaborations between occupational health professionals, public health authorities, employers, dialysis providers, and clinicians who see undocumented workers is required to understand and develop appropriate prevention measures for this population.

Effects of a training program for occupational health professionals on the cognitions and perceptions of workers: a randomized controlled trial

PurposeTo evaluate the effects of a training program for occupational health professionals (OHPs) on their ability to identify the cognitions and perceptions of workers with a chronic disease that may hinder work participation, and on their ability to recommend evidence-based interventions aimed at the identified cognitions and perceptions.MethodsA randomized controlled trial was conducted in which OHPs were randomly assigned to a training program on the cognitions and perceptions of workers with a chronic disease (n = 29) or to a control group that did not receive training (n = 30). Participants received home assignments in which they had to identify the cognitions and perceptions of workers in video vignettes and had to indicate which interventions they would recommend to foster work participation. A generalized linear model repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to study the effects of the training program.ResultsThe results of the analyses showed an increase in the ability to identify the cognitions and perceptions of workers of OHPs who received the training compared to the control group (p < 0.001). The results also showed an increased ability to recommend evidence-based interventions aimed at these cognitions and perceptions (p < 0.001) as a result of participation in the training.ConclusionThe training program helps OHPs to identify cognitions and perceptions and to recommend evidence-based interventions. This can support them in their activities to increase the work participation of workers with a chronic disease.

Evaluation of the effects of repeated disinfection on medical exam gloves: Part 2. Changes in mechanical properties

Many healthcare professionals have been forced, under acute shortages, to extend medical exam gloves beyond their intended single use. Despite limited available literature, the CDC proposed a set of guidelines for repeated exam gloves use, indicating a maximum number of treatments for three widely available disinfectants. This study examines how these treatments affect the mechanical properties of latex and nitrile gloves. Furthermore, an acceptability threshold is proposed for changes in tensile property, specifically elastic modulus, as an indication of degradation. This proposed criterion was also applied to similar studies available in the literature to determine applicability and aid in recommendation development. Three different latex glove brands and three nitrile brands were exposed to repeated treatments of an alcohol-based hand rub, diluted bleach, or soap and water. Tensile tests of samples cut from untreated and treated gloves were performed to assess the change in elastic modulus induced by each treatment. The findings suggest that latex gloves performed well within the CDC recommended guidelines of six repeated treatments for an ethanol-based hand rub and 10 repeated treatments of either dilute bleach or soap and water. Nitrile exam gloves, on the other hand, showed significant changes in elastic modulus, with more inconclusive results among brands. This was especially true for treatment with dilute bleach and soap and water. Further research is needed to investigate the effects of disinfection products on the mechanical integrity of nitrile exam gloves. The results support the use of five repeated treatments of ethanol-based hand rub for nitrile exam gloves, a lower threshold than currently recommended by the CDC. This research also supports that the CDC recommendation of 10 repeated treatment with soap and water is appropriate for latex exam gloves, but not for nitrile exam gloves. Occupational safety and health professionals involved in the selection of disposable exam gloves for infection control should consider the compatibility of the glove polymer type with available disinfectants, especially if extended use with repeated disinfection becomes necessary.

Training on involving cognitions and perceptions in the occupational health management and work disability assessment of workers: development and evaluation

BackgroundIn order to improve work participation of workers with a chronic disease, it is important for occupational health professionals (OHPs) to focus on those factors that can influence work participation. Cognitions and perceptions, such as recovery expectations and self-efficacy, are examples of these factors that can influence work participation. However, no training program is available for OHPs on how to involve cognitions and perceptions during their practice. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a training program for OHPs on how to involve cognitions and perceptions in the occupational health management and work disability assessment of workers with a chronic disease. In addition, to evaluate the OHPs’ satisfaction with the training and the feasibility of the training and learned skills.MethodsThe training program was developed using information from previously conducted studies regarding cognitions and perceptions in relation to work participation. Satisfaction with the training by OHPs was evaluated by means of a questionnaire. A smaller group of OHPs were interviewed three to six months after the training to evaluate the feasibility of the training and learned skills.ResultsThe 4.5-h training program consisted of four parts concerning: 1) cognitions and perceptions associated with work participation, 2) how to obtain information on them, 3) the course of the conversation on these factors, and 4) intervening on these factors. Eight training sessions were conducted with 57 OHPs, of whom 54 evaluated the training. Participants were very satisfied (score 8.5 on a scale from 1 to 10). The eleven interviewed participants were more aware of cognitions and perceptions during consultations and perceived the training to be feasible. However, not all participants had applied the acquired skills in their practice, partially because of a lack of time.ConclusionsOHPs are very satisfied with the training program and perceive it to be feasible. The training increases awareness of important cognitions and perceptions and may possibly help to increase work participation of workers with a chronic disease.

Basic health care/family and workers’ health programs performed by occupational health professionals among vulnerable populations

Basic health care/family and workers’ health programs performed by occupational health professionals among vulnerable populations

How to find reliable online information, a bottleneck for Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) professionals?

How to find reliable online information, a bottleneck for Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) professionals?

Effects of a training program for occupational health professionals on the cognitions and perceptions of workers: a randomized controlled trial

Effects of a training program for occupational health professionals on the cognitions and perceptions of workers: a randomized controlled trial

Need for modern harmonized curriculum for occupational health professionals

Need for modern harmonized curriculum for occupational health professionals

The Historical Perspective of the Themes Addressed in the Romanian Journal of Occupational Medicine during 1991-2021 as an Educational Resource for Occupational Health Professionals

The Historical Perspective of the Themes Addressed in the Romanian Journal of Occupational Medicine during 1991-2021 as an Educational Resource for Occupational Health Professionals

Psychological Distress Among Occupational Health Professionals During Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic in Spain: Description and Effect of Work Engagement and Work Environment.

The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the mental health of hospital health professionals has been widely described, but few studies have focused on occupational health professionals. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess psychological distress (PD) of occupational health workers and its relationship with their work engagement (WE) and work environment characteristics. A cross-sectional survey was conducted. A sample of 499 nurses and physicians participated in the study. Variables included demographic data, work environment characteristics, work engagement Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9) and psychological distress General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). The Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detection method was performed for data analysis. Data collection took place via the internet between April 23 and June 24, 2020. A total of 65.53% of the participants had PD, and the total mean score of the UWES-9 scale was 34.80 (SD = 10.69). Workload, conflicts, stressful situations, and less job satisfaction were significantly related to a higher percentage of PD (p < 0.05). Participants with low engagement showed higher levels of PD (76.7%; p < 0.001). The dedication was revealed as the most significant dimension. Interventions aimed at promoting resilience and coping strategies are suggested. WE should be fostered as a preventive measure against PD among occupational health workers. By protecting workers, occupational health departments have a shared responsibility with public health in containing the pandemic. Therefore, it is essential to prevent the psychological impact that this responsibility may have on occupational health workers by implementing prevention measures.

Evaluation of Working Conditions and Professional Independence Perceptions of Occupational Health and Safety Professionals

Evaluation of Working Conditions and Professional Independence Perceptions of Occupational Health and Safety Professionals

The Importance and Challenges of Research and Publishing in Occupational Health During COVID-19 Pandemic

Nearing the end of the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses and companies had decided to continue their operations and strive forwards, posing superfluous challenges to occupational health (OH) professionals in keeping workers safe against the continuous threat of infections. The novelty of COVID-19 results in a myriad of medical questions, all of which needs to be answered promptly and reliably through medical research followed by dissemination of answer through publications. Making the knowledge accessible through publications ensures that OH professionals and other relevant parties can collectively develop new policies, determine preventive action, the standard of procedures and care, and administer medical procedures – all of which eases the fight against pandemics in the workplace. Despite its complications and challenges, the author hoped that OH professionals realized the importance of research and publishing in the fight against this pandemic.

Perceptions, experiences and opportunities for occupational safety and health professionals arising out of the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study explored perceptions, experiences and opportunities for the occupational safety and health professional (OSHP) as a result of COVID-19. Using qualitative methods, interviews took place with OSHPs in two organisations to understand how their role developed during the pandemic. Additionally, seven focus groups were organised and met virtually, using the Zoom platform, each addressing a different topic identified by the researchers. Participants (n = 45) from 10 different countries were distributed among the focus groups. Topics were separated into four themes: impact on the workplace; the psychosocial dynamic; medical and health issues and occupational safety and health (OSH) issues. Results were subsequently divided into seven action categories and compared with the findings from the organisational interviews. Comparison pointed to an expanded role for the OSHP including business continuity, resilience and wellbeing in addition to assessing and controlling risks emerging during the pandemic. There is also the need for a means to adequately disseminate trustworthy information. Results indicated that there was no single ‘average’ role of the OSHP, demonstrating essential contributions as a member of the management team. Results also stressed that the pandemic carried three health-related co-morbidities, stress, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and burnout. Directions for future research included: the education of the OSHP to support a move away from compliance towards risk management; determining how mental health issues in organisations should be managed; expanded roles for OSHPs within business; and implications for professional bodies, membership institutions and academia in supporting the above-mentioned emerging roles.

“Bridging two worlds?”: Towards cultural safety within Schools of Nursing in Australian Universities

BackgroundCultural safety has a stronghold within nursing practice and nursing education in Australia and is seen as a philosophy and practice that challenges and refutes previous concepts and frameworks of cultural awareness and cultural competence (Petric, 2019). Cultural safety practices are required for all members of the nursing profession, with a gaze now focused upon Australian Schools of Nursing to demonstrate their commitment and readiness towards cultural safety. AimThis research study measures the commitment and readiness towards cultural safety within Schools of Nursing in Australian universities. MethodsThis research study utilises a quantitative descriptive survey design, inviting the Deans of Schools of Nursing in Australia to respond to a modified Occupational Commitment and Health Professional Program Readiness Assessment Compass (DOH, 2014), that measures the current levels of commitment and readiness towards cultural safety. FindingsThis research study provides evidence of cultural safety strategies within Australian Schools of Nursing with leadership and commitment being the highest scoring factor (M = 34.81; SD 6.34). However, structures towards and support for the implementation of cultural safety strategies and practices were demonstrated as weaknesses (M = 21.18; SD 4.71). DiscussionThere is a valuable opportunity for leadership and knowledge sharing between Schools of Nursing in Australia. The research outcomes highlight the importance for Schools of Nursing to review, reflect upon, and fully implement the Nursing and Midwifery Curriculum Framework (CATSINaM, 2017) and to audit and report levels of cultural safety. ConclusionsThere are cultural safety champions and their leadership is important to the continuing development of curricula, organisations and the profession. These individuals' actions must also be reflected within and supported by organisational cultures, as they fundamentally encourage or obstruct the development of cultural safety in nursing students and academics; material, cultural and human resources are fundamental to the transformations towards cultural safety and to the decolonising practices of the nursing profession (Petric, 2019).

Therapists\u2019 experiences and needs with regard to providing work-focused care: a focus group study

BackgroundMusculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) can create a temporary or permanent disability that reduce a person’s ability to work. Physiotherapists (PTs), occupational therapists (OTs) and exercise therapists (ETs) are often involved in the early management of MSDs. There is a need for additional insights into therapists’ experiences, barriers and needs to work-focused care. Moreover, there is no evidence on how OTs and ETs address work participation. Therefore, the aim of this qualitative study was 1) to investigate how generalist PTs, OTs and ETs provide work-focused healthcare and 2) to obtain insight into their perceived barriers and needs that affect their ability to address occupational factors.MethodsAn exploratory qualitative study using three focus groups. Generalist PTs, OTs and ETs were eligible to participate if they treated working patients with MSDs. A semi-structured interview guide with open-ended questions was developed. Two moderators facilitated each focus group using the interview guide, and all the groups were audio recorded. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.ResultsSixteen therapists (mean age 44 years, range 25-59) participated in this study. Participants were aware of the importance of taking occupational factors into account. Whether they address occupational factors is largely dependent on the patient’s request for help. However, ETs and OTs consider it normal to ask about occupational factors during the diagnostic process, while PTs often address this in later consultations. Almost all participants were unaware of the existence of PTs, OTs or ETs who are specialised in occupational health. Moreover, almost all participants struggled with when to refer a patient to other (occupational) healthcare professionals. This study identified several needs of therapists. These included knowledge about laws and legislation and skills for identifying and addressing work-related or work-relevant complaints.ConclusionsParticipants in this qualitative study were aware of the importance of taking occupational factors into account. However, how PTs, OTs and ETs address work participation and the extent to which they do so can be improved. There was a lack of knowledge about and cooperation with occupational health professionals, including PTs, OTs or ETs specialised in occupational health.