Workers In Other Industries Research Articles

Occupational health and safety knowledge, attitudes and practices among healthcare workers in Accra Ghana

BackgroundHealthcare workers operate in an environment, that in relation to exposure to biological hazards is considered to be a hazardous occupational setting, compared to other workers in other industries. This paper sought knowledge, attitude, and practices of Occupational Health Safety (OHS) among healthcare workers in Accra, Ghana. MethodsThe study was a cross-sectional design. A validated questionnaire which contained questions on risk assessment and safety practices, was used to obtain data from 365 respondents, who worked in 12 public healthcare facilities in Accra. ResultsAlmost all the respondents 95.9 % and 97.0 % respectively have a very high knowledge regarding occupational health and safety and of cross infection prevention with 69.9 % obtaining knowledge from occupational, health and safety training programs. However, this high knowledge was at variance with practice. Five critical issues reported relating to awareness vis a vis practical usage was: wearing gloves (99.4% vs. 94.0 %); regularly washing hands with bacterial agents (98.0% vs. 94.5 %); proper disposal of sharps (99.4% vs. 94.0 %); wearing of masks (97.7% vs. 86.3) and prophylactic treatment procedure after exposure (95.3% vs 55.6 %). Findings relating to respondents’ attitude towards Occupational Health & Safety in terms of agreements were as follows: all exposures to occupational hazards should be reported to and appropriately documented by appropriate authorities (97.8 %); importance of proper hand washing after every procedure or each contact with a patient (98.4 %); the necessity of personal protective equipment to reduce the risk of exposure to the occupational hazard (97.8 %) and wearing aprons and facemasks in procedures where splash/spill of blood and body fluids is likely (97.3 %). ConclusionThe respondents demonstrated a high level of knowledge of occupational hazards but this was not mostly translated into practice. Training courses, curricular and seminars as they relate to OHS should be intensified, and compliance in adhering to mitigation measures should be addressed. These findings are useful and will influence policy towards health and safety of workers at the workplace.

Hired crop worker injury risks on farms in the United States during three different periods between 2002 and 2015.

Hired crop workers have high incidence of work-related injuries, but little has been documented about potential risks at the national level. Data were obtained from a national probability sample of hired crop workers in the United States(U.S.) during 2002-2004 (period I), 2008-2010 (period II), and 2014-2015 (period III). Multivariable logistic regression models of work-related injury were constructed using an occupational exposure adjustment for weeks worked in the previous year. Hired crop workers reporting that their employer did not provide clean drinking water and disposable cups every day were estimated to be at greater odds of injury during all three periods. Having at least some English-speaking ability was associated with increased odds of injury in two periods, while owning a dwelling in the U.S.showed greater injury risk during period II but was associated with lower risk during period III. Other items significantly associated with injury during at least one of the study periods in the final multivariable logistic models included being a direct-hire, a migrant worker, U.S.-born, receiving public aid, and having a health condition. Hired crop workers are an extremely marginalized population of workers in the U.S.Innovative intervention methods must extend beyond traditional occupational models to focus on the overall health of hired crop workers, including increasing healthcare access, ending agricultural exceptionalism to provide equal regulatory protections afforded to workers in other industries, and adequate enforcement of existing regulations. These findings contribute to the understanding of correlates related to increased work-related injury among hired crop workers, and have implications in fields of prevention, intervention, and policy.

OCCUPATIONAL AIR POLLUTION INDEX (API) ASSESSMENT AND MEASURED ATMOSPHERIC VARIABLES AT SELECTED CONSTRUCTION SITES

This study considered occupational air pollution index (API) and the effects of meteorological variables for two seasons at selected construction sites in the cities of Owerri and Port-Harcourt. Suspended microscopic particles of the size range 2.5µm and 10 µm generated at the construction sites were collected on filter papers and their concentrations were determined on a monthly basis for 2 seasons (wet and dry seasons). The results showed that air pollution of the selected construction sites were relatively poor. The highest API values recorded during the study for PM2.5 and PM10 at Owerri construction site were 314 and 155, while that of Port-Harcourt were 216 and 106 respectively. Comparing the values of API between Owerri and PortHarcourt construction sites for the period under study, air pollution index at Owerri construction site was higher than that of Port-Harcourt. This difference in API could be attributed to the volume of work and meteorological conditions of the selected construction sites. Occupational exposure to poor air quality has been identified as the cause of increased ischemic heart disease, respiratory problems, and even death among construction workers and workers in other industries, hence the need to ensure air quality monitoring and improvement in our environment and industries.

Measuring Gatekeeper Instructor Comfort to Inform Suicide Prevention Train-The-Trainer Recruitment & Training in Agricultural Communities

ABSTRACT Farmers experience psychological distress and suicide at consistently higher rates than workers in other industries. A gatekeeper is an individual who has been trained to recognize warning symptoms of possible suicidal ideations in others. Gatekeeper programs are recognized by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration as a best practice for suicide prevention. While gatekeeper programs offer promise to addressing the increasing worldwide suicide rate, how to develop these networks in communities with largely ingrained stigma and taboo related to mental health and suicide remains unanswered. Three of this study’s researchers were part of the development and pilot of an agricultural community gatekeeper program and questioned how gatekeeper instructor psychological comfort could be conceptualized and operationalized for the purpose of informing gatekeeper instructor recruitment and training. After a thorough review of the literature, the researchers constructed a conceptual developmental model of gatekeeper instructor comfort and created a Gatekeeper Instructor Comfort Measure instrument which was then piloted with Kentucky K-12 and university agricultural educators. The researchers of this study employed the Rasch model to determine whether the developmental model of gatekeeper instructor comfort held together empirically. Infit and outfit mean squares (0.73 to 1.33) indicate that the items measure one construct, or are unidimensional, while person reliability and separation statistics indicate that the Gatekeeper Instructor Comfort Measure is composed of enough items to differentiate respondents into almost four strata of gatekeeper comfort. The Gatekeeper Instructor Comfort Measure’s fit to the Rasch model indicates that the instrument meets the requirements of invariant measurement and should serve as a useful measure for other researchers. The instrument’s item difficulty hierarchy also serves as a guide for those training gatekeepers on how to target different gatekeeper outcomes sequentially or developmentally. Researchers recommend restructuring item responses to enable greater discrimination between categories and then piloting the instrument again with a more diverse sample. The revised measure could be used pre- and post-gatekeeper instructor training to determine the impact of training on gatekeeper comfort.

Health conditions among male workers in mining and other industries reliant on manual labor occupations: National Health Interview Survey, 2007-2018.

Mining is an industry with diverse, demanding occupational exposures. Understanding the prevalence of chronic health conditions in working miners is an area of active research. Of particular interest is how the health of miners compares to that of workers in other industry sectors with a high proportion of manual labor occupations. By comparing similar industries, we can learn what health conditions may be associated with manual labor and with individual industries. This study analyzes the prevalence of health conditions in miners compared to workers employed in other manual-labor-reliant industries. National Health Interview Survey public data were analyzed for the years 2007-2018. Mining and five other industry groups with a high proportion of manual labor occupations were identified. Female workers were excluded because of small sample sizes. The prevalence of chronic health outcomes was calculated for each industry group and compared to that of nonmanual labor industries. Currently-working male miners showed increased prevalence of hypertension (in those age <55 years), hearing loss, lower back pain, leg pain progressing from lower back pain, and joint pain, compared to nonmanual labor industries workers. Construction workers also demonstrated a high prevalence of pain. Miners demonstrated increased prevalence of several health conditions, even when compared to other manual labor industries. Given previous research on chronic pain and opioid misuse, the high pain prevalence found among miners suggests mining employers should reduce work factors that cause injury while also providing an environment where workers can address pain management and substance use.

COVID-19 Risk by Workers’ Occupation and Industry in the United States, 2020‒2021

Objectives. To assess the risk of COVID-19 by occupation and industry in the United States. Methods. Using the 2020-2021 National Health Interview Survey, we estimated the risk of having had a diagnosis of COVID-19 by workers' industry and occupation, with and without adjustment for confounders. We also examined COVID-19 period prevalence by the number of workers in a household. Results. Relative to workers in other industries and occupations, those in the industry "health care and social assistance" (adjusted prevalence ratio = 1.23; 95% confidence interval = 1.11, 1.37), or in the occupations "health practitioners and technical," "health care support," or "protective services" had elevated risks of COVID-19. However, compared with nonworkers, workers in 12 of 21 industries and 11 of 23 occupations (e.g., manufacturing, food preparation, and sales) were at elevated risk. COVID-19 prevalence rose with each additional worker in a household. Conclusions. Workers in several industries and occupations with public-facing roles and adults in households with multiple workers had elevated risk of COVID-19. Public Health Implications. Stronger workplace protections, paid sick leave, and better health care access might mitigate working families' risks from this and future pandemics. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(6):647-656. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307249).

Heat stress and heat strain among outdoor workers in El Salvador and Nicaragua

BackgroundThere is growing attention on occupational heat stress in Central America, as workers in this region are affected by a unique form of chronic kidney disease. Previous studies have examined wet bulb globe temperatures and estimated metabolic rates to assess heat stress, but there are limited data characterizing heat strain among these workers.ObjectiveThe aims were to characterize heat stress and heat strain and examine whether job task, break duration, hydration practices, and kidney function were associated with heat strain.MethodsWe used data from the MesoAmerican Nephropathy Occupational Study, a cohort of 569 outdoor workers in El Salvador and Nicaragua who underwent workplace exposure monitoring, including continuous measurement of core body temperature (Tc), heart rate (HR), physical activity, and wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT), over the course of three days in January 2018 - May 2018. Participants represented five industries: sugarcane, corn, plantain, brickmaking, and construction.ResultsMedian WBGTs were relatively high (>27 °C) at most sites, particularly when work shifts spanned the afternoon hours (e.g., 29.2 °C among plantain workers). Sugarcane workers, especially cane cutters in both countries and Nicaraguan agrichemical applicators, had the highest estimated metabolic rates (medians: 299–318 kcal/hr). Most workers spent little time on break (<10% of the shift), as determined by physical activity data. Overall, sugarcane workers—particularly those in Nicaragua—experienced the highest Tc and HR values. However, a few workers in other industries reached high Tc (>39 °C) as well. Impaired kidney function (estimated glomerular filtration rate <90 mL/min/1.73 m2) was associated with higher Tc and HR values, even after adjustment.SignificanceThis is the largest study to-date examining heat stress and strain among outdoor workers in Central America. Workers at sugar companies regularly experienced Tc > 38°C (76.9% of monitored person-days at Nicaraguan companies; 46.5% at Salvadoran companies). Workers with impaired kidney function had higher measures of Tc and HR.Impact statementThis study examined levels of occupational heat stress and heat strain experienced among outdoor workers in five industries in El Salvador and Nicaragua. We characterized heat stress using wet bulb globe temperatures and estimated metabolic rate and heat strain using core body temperature and heart rate. Sugarcane workers, particularly cane cutters and Nicaraguan agrichemical applicators, performed more strenuous work and experienced greater levels of heat strain. Impaired kidney function was associated with higher heart rates and core body temperatures.

THE CORRELATION AMONG KNOWLEDGE OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (OSH), SAFETY AWARENESS AND UNSAFE ACTION ON NURSES IN HOSPITAL

Background: Unsafe work behavior, such as not wearing PPE, not following work procedures and work safety regulations, and not working carefully is an action that caused 88% of work accidents. The rate of occurrence of minor work accidents in hospitals is 20% higher than workers in other industries. Purpose: To prove that there was a correlation between knowledge of OSH as well as safety awareness and unsafe action on nurses in Hospital X. Method: This study used an observational analytic method with a cross-sectional approach. The research sample was 88 respondents, and it was taken by using the total sampling technique. The research instrument used was a valid and reliable questionnaire. Data analysis used Somer's d test for bivariate data processing and the Ordinal Logistics Regression test. Result: The results of the Somer's d test for correlation between the knowledge of OSH and unsafe action resulted in p-value 0.00, while the results of the Somer's d test for correlation between safety awareness and unsafe action resulted in p-value 0.000. Furthermore, the Ordinal Logistics Regression test that was carried out with the independent variable in the study that had a greater effect on unsafe action was safety awareness with a wald value of 15.001. The results of the Nagelkerke R-square were 0.482 (48.2%), hence the independent variables could explain the dependent variable by 48.2%. Conclusion: The result of this study showed that there was a significant correlation between the knowledge of occupational health and safety awareness with unsafe action.

Impact of COVID-19 on Jobs in Ohio's Health Care Sector

Background: This study seeks to measure the impact of COVID-19 on health care jobs in Ohio. We examine whether health care sector workers were similarly affected compared to workers in other industries in Ohio and if there were any significant differences in job categories within the health care sector. Methods: Using a rich dataset provided by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), we study the employment levels for different health care subsectors in Ohio by calculating job creation, destruction, and reallocation rates and analyze the disruption in labor markets caused by COVID-19. Results: Certain health care subsectors such as ambulatory health care services and hospitals recovered almost immediately after the lockdown but are still below their pre-COVID-19 employment levels. The social assistance subsector eventually recovered but also has not reached its pre-COVID-19 employment level. The nursing and residential care subsector has experienced a continuous decline in jobs. Although both job creation and destruction rates reached their relative peaks for all health care subcategories, the gap between pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 levels was higher for job destruction rate. Conclusion: Ohio’s health care sector has not yet fully recovered from the COVID-19 lockdown imposed in 2020.

Health Conditions and Long Working Hours in Europe: A Retrospective Study.

Studies have shown that working conditions and employee health are related; therefore, this study aimed to determine the relationships between working long hours per week with health outcomes in different European countries. We analyzed data derived from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe. The sample included 12.099 participants aged ≥ 50 from 16 European countries. We analyzed self-reported working hours, health outcomes of blood cholesterol, heart attack, diabetes, and hypertension, as well as a longitudinal analysis of health outcomes among healthcare workers and workers in 13 other industries. Statistical analyses identified that men are working longer hours per week compared with women in all included countries, and different levels of increase in health conditions in different industries. We also observed a slower increase in the prevalence of health conditions for healthcare workers compared with workers in other industries, especially diabetes and hypertension. The largest increase in prevalence of observed health conditions was reported for cholesterol, which increased for 17.14% among healthcare workers and for 21.70% in other industries over the observed nine-year period. Although the data point to a potentially high level of awareness in the field of preventive health among healthcare workers, more preventive health activities should be included in workplaces to strengthen employees’ health.

Pre-injury health status of truck drivers with a workers’ compensation claim

Truck drivers are a vulnerable population due to the high number of workplace injuries and fatalities predominant in their occupation. In Australia, the road freight transportation industry has been identified as a national priority area in terms of creating preventative measures to improve the health and safety of its workers. With an environment conducive to poor nutritional food choices and unhealthy lifestyle behaviours, many barriers exist to creating a safe and healthy workforce. Thus, the current study aimed to describe the pre-injury hospital-recorded health conditions and health service use of truck drivers with a worker’s injury compensation claim/s when compared to workers in other industries. Data was obtained from a compensation claims database and linked with hospital admissions data recorded five years prior to the injury claim. Health and lifestyle behaviour data for the occupational code of truck drivers was compared to other occupational drivers, as well as to all other occupations. Analysis was conducted via logistic regression. The results found that when compared to other occupational drivers, truck drivers were significantly more likely to have a hospital-recorded diagnosis of diabetes and/or hypertension, as well as being significantly more likely to have a hospital record of tobacco use and/or alcohol misuse/abuse. The findings show that there is a need to review and revise existing health strategies to promote the health and wellbeing of truck drivers, especially given their challenging work environment.

What Does the Growth of Media Unions Mean for the Broader Labor Movement?

What Does the Growth of Media Unions Mean for the Broader Labor Movement?

Sleep-Wake Pattern, Sleep Quality and Daytime Status in Fixed Day-Shift Hospital Workers

Objectives: Sleep issues are more prevalent in healthcare workers compared to workers in other industries. This study investigated sleep-wake pattern, sleep quality, and daytime status in hospital workers using a Galaxy Watch3 (GW3), a wrist-worn device that uses an accelerometer and heart rate sensor to distinguish sleep and wakefulness.Methods: Multiple sleep parameters including total sleep time (TST) were obtained using a GW3. The Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), insomnia severity index (ISI), Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), and bedtime procrastination scale (BPS) were used to assess participants’ status.Results: A total of 70 daytime hospital workers (male, 45.7%; mean age, 35.66±7.79 yr) participated in the monitoring of their sleep-wake patterns for 30 consecutive days. Participants had a mean ESS of 8.14±3.62, ISI of 6.13±3.83, and PSQI of 4.86±2.14. The mean TST was 5.75±0.74 hr (range: 3.42–6.88) during workdays and 5.92±0.92 hr (range: 2.87–8.25) during free days. Chronotype (mid-sleep on freedays corrected for sleep debt accumulated over the work week) was 3.60±1.03 clock hr (range: 1.84–6.69). BPS was negatively correlated with age (rho=-0.27, p=0.022), TST of workdays (rho=-0.53, p&lt;0.001), and TST of free days (rho=-0.43, p&lt;0.001). A higher BPS was associated with larger social jetlag (rho=0.28, p=0.018) and later chronotype (rho=0.41, p&lt;0.001).Conclusions: In this study, 91.5% of daytime hospital workers suffered from chronic sleep insufficiency (&lt;7 hr during both workdays and free days) although their daytime sleepiness or subjective sleep were not poor. Individuals with a later chronotype had poorer sleep quality and worse sleep procrastination behavior.

Analyzing risks of occupational injuries in basic industries

Our research aim was to analyze occupational injuries in basic industries in Irkutsk region. Materials and methods. Occupational injuries (OI) in basic industries were analyzed using data from statistical reports issued in 2010–2019. To analyze OI in dynamics, we calculated relative values of OI and applied linear regression and Shewhart charts. Normalized intensity indicators method was used to reveal different probability of injuries in various industries as well as to predict OI risks. Results. Analysis of OI in dynamics indicates that there is a stable descending trend in a number of injuries. However, in spite of this apparent descending trend, OI values are stably by 1.3–3.0 times higher in some industries than on average in the region. The highest frequency coefficient (FC) for occupational injuries was detected in wood processing where it was equal to 5.35 [2.90–7.71] per 1,000 workers; the indicator varied within 1.00–2.93 per 1,000 workers in other industries. Shewhart chart for FC indicates that systems of occupational health and safety management are not efficient enough in all the analyzed industries since FC exceeds the upper limit in some years. We established that severity of occupational injuries tended to grow in wood processing (Cs = +3.23; 5.33 %), metallurgy (Cs = +0.94; 1.26 %), land transport (Cs = +2.42; 4.39 %), and aircraft production (Cs = +0.59; 1.68 %). The greatest number of fatal OI was detected in mining, construction, and agriculture as a share of fatal OI in the overall structure of occupational injuries amounted to 22.0 %, 19.2 %, and 11.7 % in these brunches accordingly. A probability that an injury becomes fatal is also the highest in them, 11.7, 9.0, and 6.0 accordingly. “Wood processing and production of wood articles”, “Aircraft production”, and “Construction” are among industries where risks of occupational injuries are the most probable.

Анализ риска производственного травматизма в основных отраслях промышленности

Our research aim was to analyze occupational injuries in basic industries in Irkutsk region. Materials and methods. Occupational injuries (OI) in basic industries were analyzed using data from statistical reports issued in 2010–2019. To analyze OI in dynamics, we calculated relative values of OI and applied linear regression and Shewhart charts. Normalized intensity indicators method was used to reveal different probability of injuries in various industries as well as to predict OI risks. Results. Analysis of OI in dynamics indicates that there is a stable descending trend in a number of injuries. However, in spite of this apparent descending trend, OI values are stably by 1.3–3.0 times higher in some industries than on average in the region. The highest frequency coefficient (FC) for occupational injuries was detected in wood processing where it was equal to 5.35 [2.90–7.71] per 1,000 workers; the indicator varied within 1.00–2.93 per 1,000 workers in other industries. Shewhart chart for FC indicates that systems of occupational health and safety management are not efficient enough in all the analyzed industries since FC exceeds the upper limit in some years. We established that severity of occupational injuries tended to grow in wood processing (Cs = +3.23; 5.33 %), metallurgy (Cs = +0.94; 1.26 %), land transport (Cs = +2.42; 4.39 %), and aircraft production (Cs = +0.59; 1.68 %). The greatest number of fatal OI was detected in mining, construction, and agriculture as a share of fatal OI in the overall structure of occupational injuries amounted to 22.0 %, 19.2 %, and 11.7 % in these brunches accordingly. A probability that an injury becomes fatal is also the highest in them, 11.7, 9.0, and 6.0 accordingly. “Wood processing and production of wood articles”, “Aircraft production”, and “Construction” are among industries where risks of occupational injuries are the most probable.

Relationships between management factors in dairy production systems and mental health of farm managers in Japan

To facilitate sustainable dairy farming, it is essential to assess and support the mental health of dairy farm workers, which is affected more than that of workers in other industries, as indicated by the relatively few studies to date. In addition, the limited investigations on mental health in dairy workers minimize the opportunities to suggest practical approaches of improvement of their mental health. Therefore, further data acquisition and analysis is required. In the present study, we undertook quantitative surveys on 17 management factors and administered a mental health questionnaire to 81 dairy farm managers (80 male, 1 female) in Hokkaido, northern Japan. The management factors were categorized into 3 groups: production input, production output, and facility indicator; mental health was evaluated based on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Principal component analysis assigned the factors into 2 groups: intensiveness factors of dairy production systems (PC1: livestock care cost, fat- and protein-corrected milk, stocking density, medical consultation fee per unit time per animal unit, nonfamily wages, fertilizer and pesticide expenses, and net agricultural income ratio) and basic dairy management factors (PC2: net agricultural income ratio, quantity of concentrate feed, and milk quality variable). The depression symptoms of dairy farm managers were not significantly associated with PC1 and milking methods; however, they were significantly negatively associated with PC2, which integrated 3 management factors, including factors related to finances, feeding, and milk quality. According to the findings of the present study, the efforts needed for stable economic farm management, adequate feed supply, and milk quality maintenance may increase the depression levels of dairy farm managers and negatively affect their mental health. These findings could be the basis for future studies on the relationship between the mental health of farm managers and sustainable dairy farm management and production.

감정노동이 직무소진과 이직의도에 미치는 영향 : 여행업 상담사를 대상으로

Today, the mental stress and fatigue of counselors due to emotional labor are negatively affecting job satisfaction because of the relatively higher working environment than workers in other industries and occupations. As a result, they suffer from various symptoms and aftereffects such as emotional dissonance and mental fatigue due to psychological damage, suicidal thoughts and increased psychological exhaustion due to depression. Accordingly, the government intends to analyze emotional labor and job exhaustion by factors, and identify the relationship between emotional labor and job exhaustion to reveal how the job exhaustion formed by emotional labor affects the intention of turnover. Through this, the purpose of the study is to analyze the emotional labor of travel counselors by factors, to provide basic data to relieve job stress, and to establish programs and systems for companies to cope with emotional labor and job exhaustion. The conclusions of this study are as follows: First, verification of the relationship between internal behavioral factors and job exhaustion of emotional labor has shown that internal behavior has a significant effect on both dehumanization and emotional exhaustion, which are job exhaustion factors. Second, verification of the relationship between surface behavior and job exhaustion in emotional labor has shown that surface behavior has a significant effect on dehumanization among job exhaustion factors, but not on emotional exhaustion. Third, the verification of the relationship between job exhaustion and turnover, formed by emotional labor, showed that both dehumanization and emotional exhaustion, which are factors of job exhaustion, have a significant effect on the intention of turnover.

Knowledge Activists on Health and Safety: Workmen-Inspectors in Metalliferous Mining in Australia 1901–25

Worker campaigns for a more direct say in protecting their health and safety are a significant but under-researched subject in labour history. Largely overlooked are the attempts by coalminers in the UK, Australia and Canada to establish mechanisms for representation on health and safety in the 1870s. This push for a voice then spread to New Zealand, France, Belgium and other countries, with unions eventually securing legislative rights to inspect their workplaces a century before workers in other industries gained similar entitlements. In Australia metalliferous miners’ unions followed coalminers in initiating a parallel campaign for the right to appoint their own mine-site and district inspectors (known as “check-inspectors”) from the late nineteenth century. This article examines the struggle for and activities/impact of workmen-inspectors in Australian metalliferous mines, including adoption of the competing UK-Australian and Continental-European models. It finds the development conforms to a resistance rather than mutual-cooperation perspective with check-inspectors performing the role of “knowledge activists.” The article argues this finding is not only relevant to understanding more recent experience of worker involvement in occupational health and safety but also demonstrates the relevance of historical research to contemporary regulatory policy debates and union strategies.

Exploration of factors affecting the use of Web 2.0 for knowledge sharing among healthcare professionals: an Indian perspective

PurposeThis study aims to explore knowledge sharing (KS) attitudes and intention of healthcare professionals in India through the use of information and communication technology platforms such as Web 2.0. The research specifically focuses on individual motivators such as the face, reputation and reciprocity, which, to an extent, are influenced by indigenous culture.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a cross-sectional survey design to collect data. A sample of 207 was obtained from professionals working in healthcare in India. The data were analyzed using the partial least square-structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results confirmed that attitude toward KS leads to the intention to share knowledge. Attitude toward KS using Web 2.0 was found to be positively related to self-efficacy and reciprocity. Furthermore, face and reputation were found to moderate the relationship between attitude and intention to share knowledge while the moderating effect of rewards was found to be insignificant.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was limited to healthcare professionals in India. Knowledge workers in other industries can be considered for further studies.Practical implicationsThis study provides useful insights into KS practices using Web 2.0 among knowledge workers. Particularly it emphasizes the individual motivators, which can be manipulated by Web 2.0 designers to nurture a positive attitude toward KS and to encourage user’s participation.Originality/valueThe study investigates, using an integrated theoretical framework, how certain factors act as a motivator or a barrier for sharing knowledge using Web 2.0. in the specific cultural context of healthcare professionals in India.

Health Risk Behavior Profile of Construction Workers, 32 States, 2013 to 2016.

Research has suggested that several health risk behaviors were more prevalent among construction workers than among the general workforce. The prevalences of six health risk behaviors among construction workers were compared with workers in other industries using data from 32 states in the 2013 to 2016 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Smoking, smokeless tobacco use, binge drinking, no leisure-time physical activity, and not always using a seatbelt were significantly more prevalent (P < 0.001), and short sleep significantly less prevalent (P < 0.05), for all construction workers combined compared with workers in other industries. Prevalences varied substantially for all six health risk behaviors by construction occupation. Due to the high prevalence of some health risk behaviors, construction workers may benefit from interventions to reduce these behaviors, particularly since they are also potentially exposed to workplace hazards.