Occupational Safety And Health Practices Research Articles

Furthering decent work by expanding the role of occupational safety and health.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations (UN) have promoted the concept of decent work as a Sustainable Development Goal for 2030 to address critical global problems. Occupational safety and health (OSH) are components of decent work, primarily through the ILO social protection objective of the goal, and are linked to various other objectives. This Commentary applies a previously published staging framework to stimulate thinking about how the OSH field can contribute further to the achievement of decent work. To advance the contribution of the framework, the different functions of OSH (research, practice, advocacy, governance, and professional education) were used to identify impediments to achieving decent work and develop recommendations for each determinant in the framework. Promoting and achieving decent work are complex issues that require a multifactorial approach. Numerous recommendations supporting systems thinking and transdisciplinary approaches are provided. The OSH field can expand to further address decent work.

“Fostering Employee Well-Being: The Role of Occupational Safety and Health in Modern Working Policies”

In today’s rapidly evolving work environments, effectively addressing employee well-being through strategic working policies and robust Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) practices has become increasingly crucial. Hence, this study explores the impact of working policies and OSH practices on employee well-being, aiming to understand how these factors contribute to job satisfaction, stress reduction, and overall health. Utilizing a cross-sectional survey design, the research involved 200 employees from various sectors in Malaysia, selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected via an online survey, which included validated questionnaires to assess working policies, OSH practices, and employee well-being. The analysis, performed using SPSS, employed descriptive and inferential statistics to examine the relationships among these variables. The findings reveal that effective working policies, such as flexible work arrangements, and comprehensive OSH practices directly enhance employee well-being by reducing stress and preventing injuries. Moreover, working policies moderate the relationship between OSH practices and employee well-being, especially in remote and hybrid work settings. Employee well-being also mediates the impact of working policies on organizational productivity, suggesting that healthier employees contribute to better organizational performance. The study highlighting the importance of integrating supportive work environments and safety measures to improve employee outcomes. The implications of these findings are significant for organizations aiming to enhance employee satisfaction and productivity. By prioritizing flexible working policies and comprehensive OSH practices, organizations can foster a more supportive work environment. However, the study’s limitations, including its cross-sectional design and sample size, indicate the need for future research to explore these relationships longitudinally and across diverse contexts. This study contributes valuable insights for both researchers and practitioners committed to optimizing work environments for better employee well-being.

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Knowledge, Practices and Injury Patterns among Solvent Manufacturing Workers: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Adequate knowledge and practice of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is essential to reduce workplace injuries. This cross-sectional study aims to examine the relationship between sociodemographic factors and the level of knowledge, practice, and injury patterns related to OSH among workers in a solvent manufacturing factory. Methods: Purposive sampling was used to select 286 respondents who were given validated self-administered questionnaires through WhatsApp and paper. Secondary data on workplace injuries were also collected between December 2021 and October 2022. The collected data was then analyzed using SPSS Version 27. Results: The majority of the workers exhibited good knowledge levels of OSH at their workplace, with all workers showing moderate to good levels of OSH practices. There was no significant association between gender, age, education level, and work experience with the level of OSH knowledge. However, significant associations were observed between gender and age with the level of OSH practices with p = <0.001 for both factors, while no significant association was found between working experience and education level with the level of OSH practices. Moreover, the study found no significant association between knowledge and practice, knowledge and injury, as well as practice and injury. Over 11 months, three incidents were reported, with acute injuries caused by chemical hazards and physical risks. Workers also reported issues related to the enforcement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), ergonomic problems, environmental factors, and the condition of their workstations. Conclusion: The study highlights the need for safety and health training to improve the workers’ OSH practices and reduce the incidence of workplace injuries in the manufacturing factory.

Preparing the occupational safety and health workforce for future disruptions.

Despite some emerging lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, evidence suggests the world remains largely underprepared for-and vulnerable to-similar threats in the future. In 2022, researchers at the USNational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) led a team of volunteers to explore how future disruptions, such as pandemics, might impact work and the practice of occupational safety and health (OSH). This qualitative inquiry was framed as a strategic foresight project and included a series of activities designed to help better understand, prepare for, and influence the future. Findings from a thorough search for indicators of change were synthesized into nine critical uncertainties and four plausible future scenarios. Analysis of these outputs elucidated three key challenges that may impact OSH research, policy, and practice during future disruptions: (1) data access, (2) direct-to-worker communications, and (3) mis- and dis-information management. A robust strategic response is offered to address these challenges, and next steps are proposed to enhance OSH preparedness and institutionalize strategic foresight across the OSH community.

Life satisfaction and occupational safety relationship: Research on motorcycle couriers in Turkey

Objectives Rising e-commerce trend with Covid-19 pandemic has significantly increased the need for motorcycle-couriers. The aim of this research was to investigate the relationship between job satisfaction and occupational safety and health (OSH) of motorcycle-couriers and to evaluate the opinions of OSH specialists about the importance of motorcycle-couriers’ life satisfaction and OSH perception levels. Methods The relationship between life satisfaction and perception of OSH of 750 motorcycle-couriers was addressed using quantitative research methods through two different scales (Life Satisfaction Scale and Occupational Safety Perception Scale). The views of 20 OSH specialists about the importance of motorcycle-couriers’ perception of life satisfaction and OSH levels were addressed using qualitative research methods. Results There was a negative linear relationship between perception of OSH and life satisfaction levels of motorcycle-couriers. All OSH specialists evaluated the level of life satisfaction as an important factor in OSH practice of motorcycle-couriers and all were of the opinion that the job was quite risky and adequate OSH measures were not sufficiently guaranteed. Conclusions The findings suggest that there is a need for some legal regulation of this occupation and ensuring necessary occupational standards are applied. This could include increased responsibility of companies/employers and could provide training programs to improve OSH.

The art of role-switching–positioning practices and the relational roles of OSH coordinators in the Danish construction industry

The occupational safety and health (OSH) coordinator is an important figure for improving OSH in the construction industry. Working as an OSH coordinator is complicated, and coordinators must attend to many different roles to improve OSH. Recent research has even questioned the effectiveness of OSH professional practice. This points to a need to understand how OSH coordinators position themselves in relation to different roles when performing effective OSH coordination. This study aims to expand upon this question by analyzing how OSH coordinators position themselves in situations leading to the implementation of OSH measures. In the study, practices of OSH coordinators in the Danish construction industry are analyzed by “zooming in” on micro-sociological positioning practices observed during 107 days of ethnographic fieldwork, e.g. speech acts, and by “zooming out” on the links between these positioning practices and the implementation of OSH measures. The study contributes to OSH research and practice in several ways; firstly, the study conceptualizes a typology of practices connected to the relational roles of OSH professionals. Secondly, it expands upon how negotiating for the implementation of OSH measures is a relationally complex matter in which OSH coordinators switch between positioning themselves as alliance builders, authorities, challengers, experts, influencers, and champions. Improving attention and education to accommodate this knowledge may contribute to the creation of more tangible borders around the OSH professional practice, and more impactful OSH practice in terms of implementing measures.

Occupational Safety and Health Practices among Physical Therapists in Metro Manila during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study Protocol

Introduction: The purpose of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is to protect and prevent workers from being exposed to risks and hazards that are detrimental to their health and safety. For the past two years, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is one of the most significant occupational health outcomes to physical therapists (PTs) due to the nature of their work. However, minimal studies have been conducted about the experiences and OSH practices of PTs during the pandemic. This study aims to understand the experiences of clinical PTs in Metro Manila, Philippines during the pandemic. The study also seeks to explore the OSH practices and responses of PTs to presenting occupational risks and hazards through a qualitative descriptive study design. Methods: In this qualitative descriptive study, a maximum variation purposeful sampling method will be used in recruiting an estimated total of twelve (12) participants. A preliminary questionnaire would be disseminated via Google Forms to determine the eligibility of potential participants. Data will be gathered through a one-to-one semi-structured online interview, which will be transcribed verbatim and recorded with audio and video. Both manual coding and software-aided coding (NVivo) will be utilized in the data analysis. Emerging themes will be identified using thematic inductive analysis. Discussion: The results of the study may contribute to the formulation of better guidelines in handling infectious diseases even after quarantine restrictions are lifted. Furthermore, the findings will also provide the groundwork for the local body of knowledge in the Philippines and may serve as a future reference for research concerning OSH practices in physical therapy locally.

Occupational safety and health practices among physical therapists in metro Manila during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative descriptive study

Introduction: The purpose of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is to protect workers from risks and hazards detrimental to their health and safety. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19) is currently one of the most significant occupational health outcomes to physical therapists (PTs). However, minimal studies have been conducted on the experiences and OSH practices of PTs during the pandemic. This study, therefore, aims to understand the experiences of clinical PTs in Metro Manila, Philippines during the pandemic and to explore their OSH practices and responses to presenting occupational hazards. Methods: In this qualitative descriptive study, maximum variation purposeful sampling was used in recruiting 12 participants. Data was gathered through one-to-one semi-structured online interviews, which were transcribed verbatim and recorded with audio and video. Coding was done in Google Sheets during data analysis. Emerging themes were identified using thematic inductive analysis. Results: After identifying 98 codes through transcripts of the interviews, 3 themes emerged: Period of Uncertainty, Period of Adjustment, and Period of Hopeful Prospect. Discussion: The Period of Uncertainty describes the time of surges of COVID-19 cases and series of lockdowns with minimal established protocols resulting in the challenges in the delivery of services and to the overall well-being of physical therapists. The Period of Adjustment was initiated by nationwide vaccination programs resulting in strengthening of OSH protocols. The Period of Hopeful Prospect describes the implications of the situation to both the PTs and the profession. The OSH practices of PTs varied with each period as changes occurred to their overall perceptions towards the pandemic and their personal health and safety. Findings can be considered in future formulation of OSH guidelines for potential outbreaks of infectious diseases within the practice of physical therapy.

Occupational safety and health practices among physical therapists in metro Manila during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative descriptive study

Introduction: The purpose of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is to protect workers from risks and hazards detrimental to their health and safety. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID19) is currently one of the most significant occupational health outcomes to physical therapists (PTs). However, minimal studies have been conducted on the experiences and OSH practices of PTs during the pandemic. This study, therefore, aims to understand the experiences of clinical PTs in Metro Manila, Philippines during the pandemic and to explore their OSH practices and responses to presenting occupational hazards. Methods: In this qualitative descriptive study, maximum variation purposeful sampling was used in recruiting 12 participants. Data was gathered through one-to-one semi-structured online interviews, which were transcribed verbatim and recorded with audio and video. Coding was done in Google Sheets during data analysis. Emerging themes were identified using thematic inductive analysis. Results: After identifying 98 codes through transcripts of the interviews, 3 themes emerged: Period of Uncertainty, Period of Adjustment, and Period of Hopeful Prospect. Discussion: The Period of Uncertainty describes the time of surges of COVID-19 cases and series of lockdowns with minimal established protocols resulting in the challenges in the delivery of services and to the overall well-being of physical therapists. The Period of Adjustment was initiated by nationwide vaccination programs resulting in strengthening of OSH protocols. The Period of Hopeful Prospect describes the implications of the situation to both the PTs and the profession. The OSH practices of PTs varied with each period as changes occurred to their overall perceptions towards the pandemic and their personal health and safety. Findings can be considered in future formulation of OSH guidelines for potential outbreaks of infectious diseases within the practice of physical therapy.

Four Futures for Occupational Safety and Health.

Rapid changes to the nature of work have challenged the capacity of existing occupational safety and health (OSH) systems to ensure safe and productive workplaces. An effective response will require an expanded focus that includes new tools for anticipating and preparing for an uncertain future. Researchers at the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have adopted the practice of strategic foresight to structure inquiry into how the future will impact OSH. Rooted in futures studies and strategic management, foresight creates well-researched and informed future scenarios that help organizations better prepare for potential challenges and take advantage of new opportunities. This paper summarizes the inaugural NIOSH strategic foresight project, which sought to promote institutional capacity in applied foresight while exploring the future of OSH research and practice activities. With multidisciplinary teams of subject matter experts at NIOSH, we undertook extensive exploration and information synthesis to inform the development of four alternative future scenarios for OSH. We describe the methods we developed to craft these futures and discuss their implications for OSH, including strategic responses that can serve as the basis for an action-oriented roadmap toward a preferred future.

Expanding the Focus of Occupational Safety and Health: Lessons from a Series of Linked Scientific Meetings.

There is widespread recognition that the world of work is changing, and agreement is growing that the occupational safety and health (OSH) field must change to contribute to the protection of workers now and in the future. Discourse on the evolution of OSH has been active for many decades, but formalized support of an expanded focus for OSH has greatly increased over the past 20 years. Development of approaches such as the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)'s Total Worker Health® concept and the World Health Organization (WHO)'s Healthy Workplace Framework are concrete examples of how OSH can incorporate a new focus with a wider view. In 2019, NIOSH initiated a multi-year effort to explore an expanded focus for OSH. This paper is a report on the outputs of a three-year cooperative agreement between NIOSH and The University of Texas School of Public Health, which led to subject matter expert workshops in 2020 and an international conference of global interest groups in 2021. This article traces the background of these meetings and identifies and assesses the lessons learned. It also reviews ten thematic topics that emerged from the meetings: worker health inequalities; training new OSH professionals; future OSH research and practice; tools to measure well-being of workers; psychosocial hazards and adverse mental health effects; skilling, upskilling and improving job quality; socioeconomic influences; climate change; COVID-19 pandemic influences; and strategic foresight. Cross-cutting these themes is the need for systems and transdisciplinary thinking and operationalization of the concept of well-being to prepare the OSH field for the work of the future.

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice on Occupational Safety and Health Among Laboratory Workers in OSHMS Certified and Non-Certified Public Universities in Malaysia

Introduction: The use of chemicals in teaching laboratories exposes students and laboratory staff to risk arising from hazardous chemicals. Accidents related to poor management and handling of chemicals have been reported in teaching laboratories. Good implementation of occupational safety and health (OSH) in organisation that has implemented OSH-Management System (OSH-MS) plays an important role in reducing accidents at the workplace. The aim of this study is to assess the level of knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) related to the OSH aspect in chemical handling among workers in OSH-MS certified and non-certified public universities in Malaysia. Method: This is a cross-sectional survey involving laboratory workers in four public universities in Malaysia. A total of 120 laboratory staff were recruited and data on KAP was collected using self-administered questionnaires disseminated physically and via online platforms. Items in the questionnaire were adapted from previous studies and published guidelines. Data obtained were entered into statistical software for analysis. Results: About 76% of workers in certified universities have high knowledge, 94% have a positive attitude, and 88% have good practice in OSH. In non-certified universities, 70% have high knowledge, 97.1% have a positive attitude and 81.4% have good practice in OSH. Good practice level was significantly higher in certified universities. Knowledge, in general, was associated with younger age and higher education level while attitude was linked to gender. Conclusion: There were higher percentages of good OSH practice among laboratory workers in OSH-MS certified universities. Structured and systematic OSH governance can facilitate better OSH practice and implementation in certified public universities.

The Hierarchy of Controls as an Approach to Visualize the Impact of Occupational Safety and Health Coordination.

Occupational safety and health (OSH) in construction work continues to be a problematic issue, and OSH coordinators are a pivotal initiative for improving this in the EU. However, no studies on the impact of (OSH) coordinators in construction exists. This study conceptualizes the hierarchy of controls (HOC) as a means for visualizing and evaluating the impact of OSH coordinators’ work. The study engages with a large observational material based on fieldwork notes from 107 days of observations with 12 successful OSH coordinators. The analysis shows that during the 107 observation days, the coordinators implemented 280 OSH measures and were prevented 71 times from implementing measures. Most of the implemented measures were in the administrative (53.6%) and engineering (35%) controls. This may provide part of the explanation of why an increasing focus on OSH coordination has not translated into improved OSH outcomes in construction. The study contributes with insights for OSH coordinators and professionals seeking to improve the visibility and legitimacy of their work. In addition, it may be beneficial to organizations interested in ensuring the effectiveness of their organizational OSH practices. The study also creates foundations for more research-based practices, education, and professionalization of OSH coordinators as a profession.

How Will the Future of Work Shape OSH Research and Practice? A Workshop Summary.

Growth of the information economy and globalization of labor markets will be marked by exponential growth in emerging technologies that will cause considerable disruption of the social and economic sectors that drive the global job market. These disruptions will alter the way we work, where we work, and will be further affected by the changing demographic characteristics and level of training of the available workforce. These changes will likely result in scenarios where existing workplace hazards are exacerbated and new hazards with unknown health effects are created. The pace of these changes heralds an urgent need for a proactive approach to understand the potential effects new and emerging workplace hazards will have on worker health, safety, and well-being. As employers increasingly rely on non-standard work arrangements, research is needed to better understand the work organization and employment models that best support decent work and improved worker health, safety, and well-being. This need has been made more acute by the SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic that has resulted in dramatic changes in employment patterns, millions of lost jobs, an erosion of many economic sectors, and widespread disparities which further challenge occupational safety and health (OSH) systems to ensure a healthy and productive workplace. To help identify new research approaches to address OSH challenges in the future, a virtual workshop was organized in June 2020 with leading experts in the fields of OSH, well-being, research methods, mental health, economics, and life-course analysis. A paradigm shift will be needed for OSH research in the future of work that embraces key stakeholders and thinks differently about research that will improve lives of workers and enhance enterprise success. A more transdisciplinary approach to research will be needed that integrates the skills of traditional and non-traditional OSH research disciplines, as well as broader research methods that support the transdisciplinary character of an expanded OSH paradigm. This article provides a summary of the presentations, discussion, and recommendations that will inform the agenda of the Expanded Focus for Occupational Safety and Health (Ex4OSH) International Conference, planned for December 2021.

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Practices and Its Influenced Factor - Review OSH in Malaysia

High occupational accident in Malaysia as reported by Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) Malaysia shows the urgently applied a occupational safety and health (OSH) practices in workplaces. This study purposed to review the OSH practices in Malaysia and its influence factor. The factor of that influence to accident cases, good OSH practice and OSH system and framework as well as agencies that has authority with OSH was briefly explained. Factor that influence the accident was consists of stress and fatigue, unsafe act, machinery/tools, design of workplace and training procedure, factor that influenced to achieve good OSH practices was consists of training, safe work procedure, consultation, reporting safety, management commitment and injury management, several OSH agencies that has been developed in Malaysia such as NIOS, NCOSH, DOSH and SOCSO as program in the institution. Institution contribute an important factor due to in institution teach a fundamental of OSH that may applied in the workplaces.

Benchmarks for Evidence-Based Risk Assessment with the Swedish Version of the 4-Item Psychosocial Safety Climate Scale.

The purpose of the present study was to validate the short version of The Psychosocial Safety Climate questionnaire (PSC-4, Dollard, 2019) and to establish benchmarks indicating risk levels for use in Sweden. Cross-sectional data from (1) a random sample of employees in Sweden aged 25–65 years (n = 2847) and (2) a convenience sample of non-managerial employees from 94 workplaces (n = 3066) were analyzed. Benchmarks for three PSC risk levels were developed using organizational compliance with Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) regulations as criterion. The results support the validity and usefulness of the Swedish PSC-4 as an instrument to indicate good, fair, and poor OSH practices. The recommended benchmark for indicating good OSH practices is an average score of >12.0, while the proposed cutoff for poor OSH practices is a score of ≤8.0 on the PSC-4. Scores between these benchmarks indicate fair OSH practices. Furthermore, aggregated data on PSC-4 supported its reliability as a workplace level construct and its association with quantitative demands, quality of leadership, commitment to the workplace, work engagement, job satisfaction, as well as stress and burnout. Thus, the Swedish version of PSC-4 can be regarded as a valid and reliable measure for both research and practical use for risk assessment at workplaces.

Türk inşaat paydaşları perspektifinden İSG uygulamalarının kapsamlı analizi

Theoretical improvements related to occupational safety and health (OSH) concept is observed in Turkey as a developing country in recent years. However, fatal occupational accidents are increasing in the Turkish construction sector as well as the other industries. Correspondingly this study purposes to investigate the evolution of the OSH practices from different viewpoints by stakeholders in the Turkish construction sector. A survey study was conducted to a total of 400 respondents as; chief technical officers (CTOs), employers, OSH experts, site guards and workers. The survey study consists of five sections, including; (1) demographic properties of the participants, (2) safety equipment and occupational accidents, (3) employee health, education and awareness, (4) OSH practices, and (5) working conditions of the construction sector, environmental conscience and sustainability. The results indicate that despite the conceptual improvement, there are serious perceptual differences among stakeholders; particularly between the OSH experts and the CTOs/workers. The education level is also observed as a non-determinant factor in terms of safety equipment used in the Turkish construction sector.

Using Behavioral Theory to Enhance Occupational Safety and Health: Applications to Health Care Workers.

Work-related morbidity and mortality are persistent public health problems across all US industrial sectors, including health care. People employed in health care and social services are at high risk for experiencing injuries and illnesses related to their work. Social and behavioral science theories can be useful tools for designing interventions to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses and can provide a roadmap for investigating the multilevel factors that may hinder or promote worker safety and health. Specifically, individual-level behavioral change theories can be useful in evaluating the proximal, person-related antecedents (such as perceived behavioral control) that influence work safety outcomes. This article (1) provides a brief overview of widely used, individual-level behavior change theories and examples of their application to occupational safety and health (OSH)-related interventions that involve the health care community; (2) introduces an integrated theory of behavior change and its application to promoting the OSH of health care workers; and (3) discusses opportunities for application of individual-level behavior change theory to OSH research and practice activities involving health care workers. The use of behavioral science to consider the role of individual behaviors in promoting health and preventing disease and injury provides a necessary complement to structural approaches to protecting workers in the health care industry.

An investigation of instructional practices which promote occupational safety and health

In order to promote insight into providing secure teaching and learning environments within schools, this study sought to: (a) explore instructional practices utilized by educators to promote occupational safety and health (OSH) and hearing protection within career and technical education programs; and (b) identify what barriers may exist which prevent instructors from teaching OSH and hearing protection. Utilizing a focus group methodology, this research examined automotive and diesel technology instructors within an eastern US state. Upon analysis, safety appears to be a priority for participants in this study. However, the results suggested areas in need of improvement. The conclusions would be useful to OSH professionals, workforce development educators and leaders interested in application of enhanced OSH practices.

Evaluating workplace trust as a construct of worker engagement in construction

This qualitative study developed task-based trust themes and a framework – ‘lack of trust’, ‘ability’ (skill, experience and competence), ‘benevolence’ and ‘company integrity’ – from interviews based on the perceptions of workers regarding occupational safety and health (OSH) practices. The phenomenological study adopted semi-structured interviews involving engaged workers until saturation. An additional 22 workers participated in validating the trust framework. Findings suggest that no worker perceived lack of trust within their organisations. Two workers perceived their own skill, knowledge and experience and that of other workers to work safely, but considered their organisation to lack genuine care and company integrity. Six workers acknowledged the presence of ability and genuine benevolence within their workplace. However, they identified lack of company integrity from their management regarding OSH practices. Fourteen workers identified ability, genuine benevolence and company integrity qualities and that their management adhere to sets of principles that they find acceptable and consistent. They also recognised their workplaces to have a strong and transparent organisational leadership and integrity. This study of workplace trust, which is part of a wider study, involves the development of a worker engagement maturity model and a prototype digital tool which would be useful for assessing existing workforce engagement towards improving construction OSH practices.