Safety Professionals Research Articles

A Compendium of Radiation Safety Practices That Can Complement Organizational Worker Well-being Initiatives.

Organizations are learning that efforts to protect the health and safety of their workers from risks both at work and outside of work yield great dividends in the form of increased productivity, morale, and reduced healthcare costs. This realization has given rise to a variety of worker well-being initiatives that span far beyond the typical boundaries of traditional workplace health and safety programs. Examples include providing information and services on diet, exercise, personal habits, and mental health issues. Interestingly, the radiation safety profession has been historically involved with a series of progressive worker well-being practices that perhaps are not fully appreciated by the broader well-being community. These include the ability to comprehensively track occupational doses, training regarding doses arising from outside the workplace (such as medical procedures and environmental exposures), and fetal protection policies, to name a few. Described here is the shift in perspective from health and safety merely for the workplace to a more holistic approach, but the degree to which the actions may be implemented varies. Included then is a compendium of radiation safety practices that may be possibly folded into the discussion of larger organizational well-being efforts.

Drone Safety and Security Surveillance System (D4S)

Drones offer significant safety and security advantages by enhancing situational awareness across various fields. However, realizing these benefits hinges on well-designed drone systems. This study builds upon previous research on drone deployment challenges and proposes the Drone Safety and Security Surveillance System (D4S). D4S aims to standardize similar drone-based systems, enhancing situational awareness and supporting decision-making processes. While initially tailored for safety and security, D4S holds potential for broader applications. Two system architectures have been proposed and evaluated with positive feedback from safety and security professionals. D4S has the potential to revolutionize safety practices, improve situational awareness, and facilitate timely decision making in critical scenarios.

Dimensional assessment of self-reported musculoskeletal symptoms by workers: Amulti-case study.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) encompass a range of conditions affecting muscles, tendons, and nerves. Visual diagrams are widely used to identify symptoms and to generate musculoskeletal discomfort metrics. However, there is no consensus on the number of discomfort dimensions that can originate from self-reported musculoskeletal symptoms by individuals. This study aimed to test the fit of WMSD symptom models from workers in two samples of different sizes. A combination of Full-Information Item Factor Analysis (FIFA) and Item Response Theory (IRT) was utilized to analyze and test the models. The study was conducted in two samples of workers (n1 = 6944 and n2 = 420) who had their symptoms identified with the aid of a human body diagram. An analysis was conducted considering each sample's unidimensional and three multidimensional models. The unidimensional model (general musculoskeletal discomfort), bi-dimensional model (discomfort in upper and lower body), and tridimensional model (discomfort in the upper limbs, lower limbs, and trunk) showed good values of factor loading and communalities, along with satisfactory item discrimination ability. Regardless of sample size, parameter estimation for IRT and FIFA proceeded without issues, presenting suitable fit parameters. Three models were valid and reliable for more extensive and smaller samples. However, the tridimensional model was best for generating discomfort scores in body regions. Companies and safety professionals can use these findings to devise strategies to mitigate musculoskeletal pains based on perceived symptom locations.

Development and Evaluation of Patient Safety Interventions: Perspectives of Operational Safety Leaders and Patient Safety Organizations.

The purpose of this study is to understand how patient safety professionals from healthcare facilities and patient safety organizations develop patient safety interventions and the resources used to support intervention development. Semistructured interviews were conducted with patient safety professionals at nine healthcare facilities and nine patient safety organizations. Interview data were qualitatively analyzed, and findings were organized by the following: patient safety solutions and interventions, use of external databases, and evaluation of patient safety solutions. Development of patient safety interventions across healthcare facilities and patient safety organizations was similar and included literature searches, internal brainstorming, and interviews. Nearly all patient safety professionals at healthcare facilities reported contacting colleagues at other healthcare facilities to learn about similar safety issues and potential interventions. Additionally, less than half of patient safety professionals at healthcare facilities and patient safety organizations interviewed report data to publicly available patient safety databases. Finally, most patient safety professionals at healthcare facilities and patient safety organizations stated that they evaluate the effectiveness of patient safety interventions; however, they mentioned methods that may be less rigorous including audits, self-reporting, and subjective judgment. Patient safety professionals often utilize similar methods and resources to develop and evaluate patient safety interventions; however, many of these efforts are not coordinated across healthcare organizations and could benefit from working collectively in a systematic fashion. Additionally, healthcare facilities and patient safety organizations face similar challenges and there are several opportunities for optimization on a national level that may improve patient safety.

Investigating the Professional Commitment and its Correlation with Patient Safety Culture and Patient Identification Errors: Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Study from Nurses' Perspectives

Introduction Nurses' professional commitment is crucial to their qualifications, impacting patient safety. This study aims to explore the relationship between nurses' professional commitment and patient safety culture, specifically focusing on patient identification errors. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022 involving 340 nurses working in educational medical hospitals in southern Iran. Data collection instruments included questionnaires on nurses' professional commitment, patient identification errors, and patient safety culture. Descriptive and inferential statistics, such as t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression, were performed using SPSS software version 23, with a significance level set at p = 0.05. Results The mean scores for professional commitment, patient safety culture, and errors in patient identification, as perceived by the nurses, were 77.64 ± 14.32 (out of 130), 2.71 ± 0.78 (out of 5), and 16.41 ± 4.58 (out of 32), respectively. There was a statistically significant correlation between professional commitment and errors in patient identification (r = -0.577, p < 0.001) as well as patient safety culture (r = 0.456, p < 0.001). Regression analysis revealed that nursing job satisfaction, understanding of nursing, self-sacrifice for the nursing profession, and engagement with the nursing profession were predictors of patient safety culture and errors in patient identification (p < 0.05). Conclusion Nurses' professional commitment was found to be at a moderate level. Furthermore, the dimensions of professional commitment significantly influenced patient safety culture and errors in patient identification. To enhance nurses' professional commitment, and subsequently improve patient safety culture and reduce identification errors, it is recommended to implement management mechanisms that increase job satisfaction, understanding, engagement, and professional self-sacrifice among nurses.

Research on the Construction of a Professional Competency Evaluation Indicator System for Rural Kindergarten Teachers in the Context of Rural Revitalization

This study develops a rural kindergarten teacher professional ability evaluation system, using the “Provisional Professional Standards for Kindergarten Teachers” and applies it across five rural kindergartens in Mianyang City. By employing surveys and interviews, the research assesses teacher capabilities in areas such as professional ethics, educational philosophy, teaching, health management, safety, and community cooperation. Results indicate high proficiency in ethics and philosophy, with an average score of 4.2/5 and 95.7% adherence to educational policies. Challenges persist in applying innovative teaching methods and technologies due to limited resources. Teachers manage health and safety well, but require more support and resources for better outcomes. Recommendations include increasing educational support, enhancing community cooperation, and providing more professional development opportunities to improve educational quality and support rural revitalization.

Cultural Intelligence: A critical capability for health and safety professionals in building interpersonal trust?

This literature review was conducted as part of the authors submission in attaining a Master’s In Advanced Leadership Practices through Massey University (2018 – 2019). The literature review was supported with research which included focus groups, the aim of which was to explore the theories and beliefs of senior executives from the New Zealand business community about the impact of building trust where their health and safety advisor has cultural intelligence capability. It is intended that the results of the focus groups will be published in future issues of this publication.

Determinants of traffic safety enforcement behaviour among police officers: A narrative review

Traffic safety enforcement (TSE), which includes policing of traffic laws, is a key component of safe transport systems. Effective TSE depends on law enforcement professionals’ (i.e., police officers’) ability and willingness to proactively engage in TSE activities. By conducting a narrative review of past literature, this article documents (i) factors reported to influence law enforcement professionals’ willingness to engage in TSE, and (ii) policy recommendations to improve TSE and thus traffic safety. The extensive literature review presented in this report identified four main types of factors that influence officers’ willingness to engage in TSE: (i) individual-level factors (e.g., officers’ perceptions of TSE), (ii) situational factors (e.g., traffic offenders’ demographic characteristics), (iii) organization-level factors (e.g., traffic citation quotas), and (iv) community-level factors (e.g., political influence). Policy recommendations to improve TSE recognized that a country’s economic condition poses significant barriers to effective TSE. Results of this literature review summarize and provide insights into factors that influence TSE and can be used by road safety professionals, including transport engineers and law enforcement professionals, to improve TSE efforts and outcomes.

Development and psychometric evaluation of a Total Worker Health® practice scale.

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) professionals increasingly need to assess and mitigate a broad scope of worker safety, health, and well-being concerns that extend beyond traditional OSH training curricula. Work-related and non-work-related psychosocial hazards, chronic physical and mental health conditions, and changing work arrangements call for an integrative, public health approach to occupational risk management; this approach has been called, "Total Worker Health®" by United States public health authorities (Schulte et al. 2019). OSH professionals need education to ensure that Total Worker Health (TWH) practice approaches are consistently and effectively applied. This study sought to develop a valid, reliable scale that could be used to assess TWH skills gaps that can be addressed with tailored, competency-based curricula. We developed a survey scale to assess professional competency for specific TWH practice approaches described in prior literature (Lee et al. 2016; Punnett et al. 2020). The scale contained 11 statements and used a 5-point scale (not skilled to highly skilled) to rate the level of competency. We pre-tested and refined the statements for face validity then administered the scale with a convenience sample of 258 professionals from mixed OSH disciplines. A total of 210 OSH professionals (31% safety, 17% industrial hygiene, 12% occupational nurses, 11% occupational physicians, 29% other) who completed 50% or more of the questions were included in the analysis. Scale reliability was assessed with a Cronbach's alpha test. Scale validity and structure were assessed with exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The 11-item scale had high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.92). The initial EFA solution suggested 2 factors that explained 65.3% of variance, with one cross-loaded question. A final 10-item, 2-factor scale was developed that accounted for 66.0% of variance with no cross-loaded items (Cronbach's alpha α = 0.91). Factor 1 (6 items) contributed to 55.5% of the variance and captured skills related to TWH program leadership (e.g. leader commitment, integrating program systems, engaging with other program leaders and workers). Factor 2 (4 items) contributed to 10.5% of the variance and captured technical skills related to hazard identification and control (e.g. identifying hazards, designing work to reduce hazards). Internal consistency was very good for both TWH program leadership (Cronbach α = 0.89) and TWH risk assessment and control (Cronbach α = 0.80) subscales. A novel 10-item TWH skill scale to assess specific TWH practice approaches was developed with very good reliability. Factor analysis revealed 2 latent constructs: TWH leadership skills and TWH risk assessment and control skills. This study offers an evidence-based tool to assess competency for specific TWH practices among OSH professionals. The results of this study contribute to the broader research base needed to formalize a TWH competency framework, as advocated by other scholars interested in TWH workforce education (Newman et al. 2020).

Defining a public health approach to substance use: Perspectives from professionals and practitioners across Canada

BackgroundWhile increasingly referenced in the literature and policy discussions, a “public health approach” (PHA) to substance use has been inconsistently defined or remained undefined. As part of a larger project on building the capacity to implement a PHA to substance use, we aimed to understand how professionals and practitioners across Canada who work with or whose work directly impacts the lives of people who use substances conceptualize a PHA. MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional national online survey of public health professionals, public safety professionals, health and social service providers, and other relevant professionals and practitioners. The survey contained closed- and open-ended questions designed to gauge familiarity and comfort with application of a PHA to substance use, and perspectives on an organizational definition of such an approach. Survey recruitment was active between May and July 2021. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. ResultsA total of 1041 surveys were completed. Most respondents (76 %) reported having heard of a PHA to substance use, as it was defined. Over half (54 %) indicated a high level of comfort with applying such an approach within their work. In relation to defining a PHA to substance use, the following thematic suggestions emerged from respondent's open-ended answers: explicitly recognize people with lived/living experience of substance use; incorporate trauma-informed understanding and acknowledge the varied underlying reasons for substance use; decolonize approaches to substance use and empower communities; and consider a more critical appraisal of a PHA and the terminology in its definition. ConclusionEmpirically unpacking multi-stakeholder understandings of a PHA to substance use can help to inform a more cohesive definition and build the consensus needed for more effective, coordinated, and community-led responses to substance use. Future work, especially qualitative research, will provide richer and more practical understandings of a PHA to substance use.

A cross-sectional observational study on quality assurance and radiation safety in interventional radiology

Background Interventional Radiology (IR) is anticipated to play an increasingly pivotal role in modern healthcare, providing vital minimally invasive procedures for diagnosis and treatment. As the frequency and complexity of IR procedures continue to evolve, maintaining impeccable standards in quality assurance (QA) and radiation safety becomes paramount. This study is designed to assess prevailing QA practices comprehensively, gauge adherence to forthcoming radiation safety guidelines, and proactively identify areas primed for advancement within diverse interventional radiology units. Methods Employing a prospective cross-sectional observational design on 48 health professionals, an array of healthcare facilities, each equipped with a state-of-the-art IR unit, will be purposefully selected. The study cohort will encompass diverse participants, including interventional radiologists, radiologic technologists, nurses, and medical physicists. The study will be conducted in the Acharya Vinoba Bhave Rural Hospital’s facilities equipped with interventional radiology units. Analysis will be done by using R studio version 4.3.1 by using t-test and chi-square. Expected results The anticipated quantitative data analysis will undoubtedly yield nuanced insights into the participants’ multifaceted roles, experiences, and prospective perceptions concerning QA and radiation safety practices. In equal measure, the quantitative analysis is poised to uncover recurring thematic strands about the efficacy of current QA frameworks, radiation safety protocols, and the multifarious challenges envisaged in maintaining elevated standards. Study implication As this study unfolds, it will illuminate the evolving landscape of QA and radiation safety intrinsic to interventional radiology. This study is poised to guide future practice improvement, refine training paradigms, and shape forthcoming policies within this dynamic field by casting a discerning eye on potential gaps and imminent challenges. The conclusive insights are anticipated to underscore the enduring commitment required to ensure the safety of patients and healthcare professionals, concurrently fostering the pioneering trajectory of interventional radiology procedures.

Enhancing X-ray radiation protection with novel liquid silicone rubber composites: A promising alternative to lead aprons

This study introduces a lead-free alternative for enhanced radiation protection. While lead aprons effectively attenuate ionizing radiation, concerns regarding flexibility, weight, and environmental hazards persist. In response, the present research is focused on producing an innovative sheet shielding comprised of carefully selected dense metal oxide microparticles (DMOs-MPs) and liquid silicone rubber (LSR). To evaluate the efficacy of the LSR samples, the current study uses rigorous testing procedures, such as microstructure characterization using EDX and FESEM. Furthermore, the study investigated key attenuation parameters within the LSR samples. Radiation protection was greatly and effectively supplied using DMOs-MPs filler (Bi-1 to Bi-7) in LSR samples; this protection reached 99.9% in the X-ray energy range. Due to the unique characteristics of the Bi-7, the results demonstrated that the samples’ shielding efficiency improved with the addition of high atomic number and high-density fillers. It had the greatest attenuation coefficient and density. At 60 keV, Bi-7’s density was 2.980 gcm−3, and its LAC and MAC were 19.2621 cm−1 and 6.4638 cm2/g, respectively. It also had the lowest half-value layer values in the energy range of 60–120 keV. The LSR samples showed effective radiation absorption for different energy levels, indicating that LSR can enhance the flexibility and comfort of the apron while providing adequate radiation protection. The incorporation of the DMOs-MPs with LSR represents an effective contribution and a noteworthy stride to enhance the safety and well-being of medical professionals routinely exposed to ionizing radiation.

Assessment of the characteristics of professional protective equipment, monitoring compliance with professional safety rules by nursing staff

Health system are more than three million working now, thousands of treatmentand- prophylactic, pharmaceutical, sanitary and epidemiologic institutions, tens research institutes, centers, highest and average educational institutions at which various household and communication equipment is operated, various medical equipment, are used toxic agents and aggressive liquids. In harmful and adverse working conditions hundreds of thousands workers of health care, including average health workers are occupied. Questions of professional safety of nursing staff on a workplace define a level of quality of labor life of experts and are the most important indicator of quality of the provided medical care. In this regard there is actual a question of means of professional protection of average health workers and observance of rules of professional safety by them.

Equivalent weight: Application of the assessment method on real task conducted by railway workers wearing a back support exoskeleton

Commonly used risk indexes, such as the NIOSH Lifting Index, do not capture the effect of exoskeletons. This makes it difficult for Health and Safety professionals to rigorously assess the benefit of such devices. The community requires a simple method to assess the effectiveness of back-support exoskeleton's (BSE) in possibly reducing ergonomic risk. The method introduced in this work is termed “Equivalent Weight” (EqW) and it proposes an interpretation of the effect built on the benefit delivered through reduced activation of the erector spinae (ES). This manifests itself as an apparent reduction of the lifted load perceived by the wearer. This work presents a pilot study where a practical application of the EqW method is used to assess the ergonomic risk in manual material handling (MMH) when using a back support exoskeleton (StreamEXO). The results are assessed by combining observational measurements from on-site testing with five different workers and quantitative measures of the muscle activity reduction achieved during laboratory evaluation with ten workers. These results will show that when lifting, lowering, and carrying a 19 kg load the StreamEXO can reduce risk by up to two levels (from “high” to “low”) in the target sub-tasks. The Lifting index (LI) was reduced up to 64% when examining specific sub-tasks and the worker's movement conduction.

Optimising safety

Nicky Varney details how a high-quality, systematic approach to decontamination promotes the highest standard of patient and professional safety.

Professional and applied physical training as the main type of military professional activity of cadets

Abstract. The readiness of the Armed Forces to repel the armed aggression of the Russian Federation is determined by many factors, one of which is the training of personnel. The activities of all military specialists, including physical training specialists, are aimed at ensuring a high level of personnel training. This is due to the fact that the development of physical qualities, formation and improvement of military-applied skills and abilities of servicemen is the key to successful combat operations.
 Physical readiness is the physical condition of a serviceman characterized by appropriate bodily development, certain functional resources of the body and the required level of motor fitness, which ensures the successful performance of combat missions for the purpose.
 Automation, computerization of military equipment and changes in the methods of warfare have led to a decrease in the share of physical effort in its control and muscle work in the structure of professional combat activity of servicemen in general, and at the same time increased the level of neuropsychological stress and tension, expanded the range of adverse factors of military combat activity. The connection between physical fitness and combat activity of servicemen of some military specialties has become hidden and indirect.
 Reforming educational institutions in the Armed Forces of Ukraine requires addressing global issues of improvement and finding new ways to solve the problems of vocational training of military personnel. The effective performance of cadets in educational institutions largely depends on their professional and applied training.
 One of the main tasks of teaching cadets the techniques and methods of ensuring professional and personal safety in emergency circumstances and in extreme conditions is to improve their firearms skills, as well as to increase the level of resistance to physical activity in training and service activities.
 The most important components of the professional skills of cadets of educational institutions are physical, professional and applied physical, psychological and firearms training.
 They belong to the cycle of professional disciplines and are designed to promote readiness for armed defense of the law, to maintain the constant readiness of future defenders to resolutely and skillfully stop illegal acts using physical force, special means and firearms.

Investigation on the Nature of Safety Rule Violations in High-Rise Construction Projects

The construction sector has consistently demonstrated a greater risk of fatal and non-fatal occupational accidents than other economic sectors, particularly with respect to high-rise building construction projects. Despite searing progress in the regulatory domain, and progressive formulation of new safety agenda for the industry, the truth is safety incidences involving fatalities and injuries still perpetuate with varying degrees of intensity. This is further aggravated by the loss of vital project resources of materials, equipment, and labours, which is counter-productive, unsustainable, and occasionally polluting. What is abundantly clear is that human factor when dealing with safety intricacies and observation still plays a considerable role in determining key safety objective accomplishment. With that in mind, it was the aims of this study to delve deeper into this issue among practitioners at the forefront of the high-rise building construction works in Malaysia. Specifically, it investigates, analyses, and ranks the degree of severity of the safety rule violation repercussion, the frequency, and perpetrators. A questionnaire survey approach was devised and distributed to respondents from among the developers, consultants, contractors, and relevant authorities. The data collected were analysed using SPSS package by determining the average index, standard deviation, variance, and frequency analysis. The results have shown that the lack of fire protection was perceived to lead to the most severe repercussion, while the lack of risky, near-miss, accident reporting, and the lack of Logout or Tagout (LOTO) procedures during servicing and maintenance activities were the most frequent safety rule violations. In addition, the contractor party was the most regular offender of the safety regulations, understandably by virtue of numbers. In conclusion, these outcomes could facilitate safety authorities and professionals in devising pragmatic schemes that best utilize both the persuasive and punitive mitigation measures for better safety outcomes.

The Role Of Trade Unions In Health Protection And Provision Of Safe Working Conditions For Medical Workers.
 Part 1. Health And Safety Of Healthcare Workers As a Medical And Social Problem

Introduction. Healthcare workers are an important part of national healthcare systems ensuring its sustainability. Thus, it is necessary to introduce state mechanisms aimed at protecting their health and ensuring safe working conditions. Moreover, protection of rights and interests of healthcare workers is a matter of social justice. International and national public organizations and especially trade unions of healthcare workers play an important role in dealing with these issues.
 The purpose of the study is to consider examples of trade union activities on health protection and provision of safe working conditions in a number of countries upon the data on health issues that experience medical specialists as well as factors influencing these issues.
 Materials and methods. A content analysis of the official Internet pages of trade union organizations and their reporting documents for 2015-2024 was performed. Also, such methods as analysis, synthesis, secondary analysis and systematization of data were used.
 Results. Around the world, healthcare workers face occupational risks of infectious diseases, and are constantly exposed to various types of biological and non-biological hazards due to their working conditions, which are considered unsafe. Even cases of ill-treatment, threats, attacks or insults during the performance of professional duties are documented. Therefore, protection of health and safety of medical professionals, as well as their social and labor rights and interests is one of the main areas of trade unions as public organizations created on the initiative of healthcare workers.

Interorganizational Knowledge Transfer in Mass Gatherings: Exploring the Health and Safety Stakeholders' Perceptions Participating in the Athens Marathon.

Mass gatherings (MGs) usually represent significant challenges for the public health and safety sector of the host cities. Organizing a safe and successful mass event highly depends on the effective collaboration among different public and private organizations. It is necessary to establish successful coordination to ensure that all the key stakeholders understand their respective roles and responsibilities. The inconsistency between the variety of participating agencies because of their different culture can result in delays in decision making. Interorganizational knowledge transfer can improve the success of the event; however, knowledge transfer among professionals and agencies in MGs is not well-documented. This study used the 2018 Athens Marathon as the empirical setting to examine how interorganizational knowledge transfer was perceived among the multiple public health and safety professionals during the planning stage of the event. Data comprised 18 semi-structured, in-depth interviews with key informants, direct observations of meetings, and documentary analysis. Open coding and thematic analysis were used to analyze the data. Findings indicated that sharing the acquired knowledge was a necessary and challenging step to create an enabling collaborative environment among interacting organizations. Experiential learning was identified as a significant factor, which helped promote joint understanding and partnership work. Informal interpersonal exchanges and formal knowledge transfer activities facilitated knowledge sharing across organizational boundaries, helping to break down silos. Interorganizational knowledge transfer is a necessary step to achieve joint understanding and create an environment where interaction among agencies can be more effective. The study findings can be beneficial for organizers of marathons and other mass sporting events to support valuable interorganizational collaboration and conduct a safe event.

Safety Measure Detection Using Deep Learning

This implementation is for a computer vision application that detects individuals and verifies their compliance with safety gear regulations, such as safety jackets and hard-hats. The system counts the number of individuals violating safety standards and keeps track of the total number of individuals detected. The system uses advanced image processing techniques, including object detection and classification, to accurately identify the presence or absence of safety gear. The user interface provides real-time analysis of the data, with the option to alert the user of any violations. This implementation is a valuable tool for organizations looking to ensure the safety of their employees and customers, providing a comprehensive solution for monitoring compliance with safety regulations. It can also be used to analyze trends and identify areas for improvement, making it an essential tool for safety professionals and facilities managers.