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Occupational Health And Safety (occupational + health_and_safety)
Selected AbstractsOccupational health and safety in transitional LithuaniaINDUSTRIAL RELATIONS JOURNAL, Issue 3 2003Charles Woolfson Using the example of occupational health and safety regulation, this article examines the tensions between neo-liberalism and social democratic policy approaches in the context of pre-accession transitional Lithuania. It is argued that attempts to provide a ,business-friendly' investment climate may be creating a ,race to the bottom' as legislative failures to provide for employee voice come into conflict with assumptions of the so-called European social model. [source] Occupational health crossing borders part 2: Comparison of 18 occupational health systems across the globeAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 1 2010Katja Radon MSc Abstract Background Occupational health and safety (OHS) is considered one of the most important factors for a sustainable development; however, it is often considered a luxury by decision-makers. This article compares OHS systems of 18 countries at different stages of development. Methods In an international summer school, structure of the national OHS system, definition of occupational accidents and diseases, procedures for compensation claims, outcome (expressed as incidence of occupational accidents) and training opportunities were presented. Results National OHS systems ranged from non-existent to systems implemented almost 200 years ago. Priorities, incidence of occupational accidents and training opportunities varied. Common problems included the lack of OHS service for small enterprises and in rural areas. Conclusions International training programs like this summer school might enhance the exchange about OHS opportunities around the globe and contribute to improved workers health. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:55,63, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Occupational health crossing borders,Part 1: Concept, teaching methods, and user evaluation of the first international summer school in Munich, GermanyAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 10 2009Katja Radon PhD Abstract Background Occupational health and safety (OHS) is relevant for occupational health professionals (OHP) throughout the world. However, training opportunities are often limited and exchange between OHP from industrialized and developing countries is sparse. We aimed to contribute to the international exchange of OHP through a 2-week summer school program. Methods Twenty-three OHP from 11 countries participated. Teaching methods included interactive lectures, participants' presentations, case-based e-learning, enterprise visits, and hands-on sessions. After completion, participants evaluated the course. Results OHS systems of 18 different countries were presented using the same set of clinical cases as a starting point. Opportunities and challenges in the different OHS systems were considered. On median, participants rated the course as excellent and totally agreed that it will help them in their daily work. Conclusions An international summer school teaching basic aspects of different OHS systems is a useful tool for training and exchange at the global level. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:774,781, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Prospects of a unified management systemCORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2002Dr Tine Herreborg Jørgensen In this article, the trend among management systems towards a common structure and the inclusion of additional areas of corporate concern (quality, environment, occupational health and safety and social responsibility) is outlined. The article suggests that a large part of the work associated with implementing and maintaining standardized management systems can be rationalized by developing a ,unified system'. The unified system is proposed to consist of a common basic standard of general managerial methodology expandable with supplements, which are related to the specific areas of concern that the company could wish to include in their management system and possibly have certified. It is estimated that such a unified management system would contribute to synergy between the activities related to each area of concern, resulting in a more careful and efficient treatment of the increasing number of areas of concern. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment [source] Accountability Disclosures by Queensland Local Government Councils: 1997,1999FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY & MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2002Christine Ryan The annual report is promoted and regarded as the primary medium of accountability for government agencies. In Australia, anecdotal evidence suggests the quality of annual reports is variable. However, there is scant empirical evidence on the quality of reports. The aim of this research is to gauge the quality of annual reporting by local governments in Queensland, and to investigate the factors that may contribute to that level of quality. The results of the study indicate that although the quality of reporting by local governments has improved over time, councils generally do not report information on aspects of corporate governance, remuneration of executive staff, personnel, occupational health and safety, equal opportunity policies, and performance information. In addition, the results indicate there is a correlation between the size of the local government and the quality of reporting but the quality of disclosures is not correlated with the timeliness of reports. The study will be of interest to the accounting profession, public sector regulators who are responsible for the integrity of the accountability mechanisms and public sector accounting practitioners. It will form the basis for future longitudinal research, which will map changes in the quality of local government annual reporting. [source] Ergonomic weighted scores to evaluate critical instructions for improvements in a printed circuit assembly factoryHUMAN FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS IN MANUFACTURING & SERVICE INDUSTRIES, Issue 1 2003Rabindra Nath Sen A survey was conducted on the efficacy of the Printed Circuit Assembly operations using newly designed Ergonomic Weighted Scores (EWSs) to evaluate Critical Instructions (CIs) to operators. This helped to choose priorities of problematic operations. Five EWSs were drafted, tried, and finalized by a team of experts, for the purpose of checking the adherence to CIs, failing any of which could cause adverse effects on the quality of products. The top three priority operations were identified and the follow-up studies resulted in an increase in monthly revenue of US$227,880 and improvements in quality, productivity, occupational health and safety of the operators. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 13: 41,58, 2003. [source] Risk assessment: A regulatory strategy for stimulating working environment activities?HUMAN FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS IN MANUFACTURING & SERVICE INDUSTRIES, Issue 2 2001Per Langaa Jensen This article analyzes the Danish approach to workplace assessment (WPA) following European requirements to establish legislation on occupational health and safety. Quantitative studies show that WPA can be interpreted as a success within the larger Danish firms. However, data from qualitative studies modify this picture by showing how attention has been focused on physical working environment problems while wider psychosocial problems have been ignored. The article claims there is no evidence from either the quantitative or the qualitative studies that WPA,even though positively evaluated,has become a recurrent activity within firms. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [source] Mental health nurses: De facto policeINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 4 2007Jacklin E. Fisher ABSTRACT:, This paper examines the consequences for nursing staff and patients when police bring to hospital a person they assess to have a mental illness who exhibits violent or criminal behaviour. In particular, the impact on the nurse,patient relationship and the occupational health and safety of patients and staff is explored. Tensions between the conflicting roles for nurses of controlling the behaviour of this small minority of patients, while providing care and therapy, are examined within the context of health policy, bed shortages, and staffing problems. Recent Australian government and non-government reports are examined to assess the capacity of current health services in the State of New South Wales, to adequately and safely control behaviour while also provide therapeutic care for patients who are seeking help for their mental illness and emotional distress. [source] Enhancing occupational health and safety in young workers: the role of social marketingINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NONPROFIT & VOLUNTARY SECTOR MARKETING, Issue 3 2008Anne M. Lavack Young workers (age 15,24) suffer work-related injury at a much higher rate than older workers, yet research on the role and effectiveness of social marketing to influence and improve workplace safety is limited. A review of the relevant literature reveals that significant gaps exist in terms of effectively using social marketing to reduce young worker injury rates. A comprehensive, multi-faceted social marketing approach is required to address young worker safety. Directing more attention toward the practice of social marketing can enhance the effectiveness of campaigns to reduce workplace injuries. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Health, medication use, and agricultural injury: A reviewAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 11 2009Donald C. Voaklander PhD Abstract Background Agricultural work in the United States and Canada continues to be one of the most dangerous vocations. Surveillance evidence suggests that older farmers (>60 years of age) are at greater risk of serious injury than their younger counterparts. The purpose of this article was to outline illnesses and medications that may contribute to older farmers' increased risk of agricultural injury and to determine a minimum set of health-related covariates that could be used in farm injury studies. Methods A review of English language literature in Medline, CINAHL, and NIOSH databases was conducted examining disease and medication factors related to farm injury. Results Health- and disease-related factors most commonly reported as significantly contributing to agricultural injury included previous injury, hearing problems, depression, arthritis, and sleep deprivation. The use of "any medication" was identified as a significant risk factor for injury in a number of studies. The use of sleep medication was significantly related to injury in two studies. Conclusions Based on the findings, it is recommended that at a minimum, researchers collect information on the prevalence of previous injury, hearing problems, depression, arthritis/muscular-skeletal problems and sleep disturbance as these have been identified as significant risk factors in a number of studies. In addition, where subjects that identify any of these afflictions, further information should be sought on any medications used in their treatment which can add data on disease severity. More research and surveillance activities need to be focused on the older farm worker. This population is critical to the maintenance of the agricultural base in North America and health and safety research initiatives need to address this. By integrating research from the fields of gerontology, occupational health and safety, and injury prevention, innovative interventions could be constructed to assist the aging farmer in the continuation of safe farming. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:876,889, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Building a strong foundation for occupational health and safety: Action research in the workplaceAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 8 2009Judith A. Daltuva MSW Abstract Background Action research (AR) holds promise as a method to improve occupational health and safety. Methods This case study explores the challenges and accomplishments during the first 6 months of an AR occupational health and safety committee at a manufacturing facility. Results Critical steps in the formative phase of the AR project included: (1) addressing differing power levels and perceived ownership of management and production committee members; (2) developing a collaborative approach to communication and problem solving; and (3) transitioning from dependence on university leadership to shared leadership among the committee. Conclusions AR can lead to greater empowerment to address occupational health and safety issues, and to improved dialoge between labor and management. AR can increase the likelihood that the problem will be understood, and effective solutions will be developed and their application supported and used throughout the organization. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:614,624, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Evidence of organizational injustice in poultry processing plants: Possible effects on occupational health and safety among latino workers in North CarolinaAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 1 2009Antonio J. Marín MA Abstract Background Over 250,000 workers are employed in poultry processing, one of the most dangerous industries in the US. These jobs are increasingly held by immigrant workers who are frequently undocumented, lack knowledge of workers' rights to workplace safety, and who are reluctant to pursue their rights. This situation creates the potential for organizational injustice, made visible through abusive supervisory practices, and leads to situations in which occupational illnesses and injuries are likely to occur. Methods This paper draws on data collected during the research phases of a community-based participatory research and social justice project. Two hundred survey interviews and 26 in-depth interviews were collected in representative, community-based samples in western North Carolina. Analyses describe associations between one aspect of organizational injustice, abusive supervision, and worker injuries. Results Workers' reports of abusive supervision are associated with a variety of specific and summary health indicators. The associations are stronger for women than for men. These suggest that the use of relative power within the plant may be the basis for injuries and illnesses. Three types of power relations are described that form the basis for these abusive interactions in the plant: ethnicity (American vs. Latino), immigration status ("good papers" vs. undocumented), and rank (supervisor vs. worker). Two factors modify these relations: kinship (preferences and privileges for family members) and gender. Conclusions Among Latino immigrants working in poultry plants, power differences reflecting organizational injustice in the form of abusive supervision may promote occupational illnesses and injuries, particularly for women. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:37,48, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Hepatitis C in the workplace: a survey of occupational health and safety knowledge and practice in the beauty therapy industryAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 3 2004Madeleine J. Murtagh Objective:To examine current knowledge and practice of occupational health and safety (OH&S) regarding hepatitis C in beauty therapy practice. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to all beauty therapy practices identified through the Telstra Yellow Pages and distributed via beauty therapy product agencies. Results: 119 questionnaires were completed by employers and employees in 99 beauty therapy practices in metropolitan Adelaide. Beauty therapists reported carrying out many practices that had exposed them to blood in the past. More than 80% of the procedures carried out by beauty therapists in the previous week were reported to have led to exposure to blood. 39.5% of respondents had not received information about OH&S practices related to blood spills and 77.5% of respondents had received no OH&S information about hepatitis C. Knowledge of hepatitis C and its transmission was poor, with 62% of respondents incorrectly identifying the prevalence of hepatitis C and respondents incorrectly identifying sneezing (28%), kissing (46%) and sharing coffee cups (42%) as a modes of transmission. 80% of beauty therapy practices had no OH&S representative. Conclusion: Beauty therapy practice can expose both operator and client to blood and is therefore a potential site for the transmission of blood-borne diseases including hepatitis C. OH&S information is inadequate in this industry and knowledge of hepatitis C is poor. Implications: Health promotion information about hepatitis C and OH&S practice to prevent transmission of blood-borne diseases is required. [source] Workers compensation and occupational health and safety in the Australian agricultural industryAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 2 2009Robert Guthrie Abstract Objectives:,The objective of this paper is to review the available workers compensation and occupational health and safety data and the legal framework in relation to the agricultural industry to explore whether any factors highlight the need to pay special attention to the particular circumstances of those engaged in the industry. Design:,This paper explores some of the special features of the agricultural industry, looking first at agricultural worker fatalities and injuries as a matter of ongoing concern for all participants in this industry, government, as well as occupational health and workers compensation authorities. The paper analyses how occupational health and workers compensation laws may have special application to this industry. Finally, the paper considers some workers compensation provisions that have particular application to the agricultural industry. Conclusions:,Our survey of the available data and literature leads to the conclusion that the dangerous nature of agricultural work and the special legal and economic framework in which that work is undertaken identify the agricultural industry as presenting Australian Governments and specialist authorities with particular challenges in relation to improving workplace safety and reducing workplace injury. [source] From the Environment to the Workplace and Back Again?CANADIAN REVIEW OF SOCIOLOGY/REVUE CANADIENNE DE SOCIOLOGIE, Issue 4 20041970s, Occupational Health, Safety Activism in Ontario Cet article aborde la question des alliances entre les mouvements sociaux au moyen d'une étude sur la possibilité d'une convergence ou d'une alliance entre deux des mouvements sociaux les plus stables en Ontario au cours des trois dernières décennies: la santé et la sécurité au travail (SST) et les mouvements environnementaux. Les deux mouvements ont non seulement duré, mais ils ont été couronnés de succès. Aujourd'hui, cependant, chaque mouvement est fractionné et au repos. Les développements politiques récents poussent plusieurs activistes des mouvements ouvriers ou de la SST à réclamer une alliance avec les mouvements environnementaux. L'auteur soutient que, bien qu'il existe un bénéfice pour les deux mouvements en de telles entreprises, des différences de classes continuelles entre ces deux mouvements militent contre toute alliance durable. This article addresses the issue of alliances between social movements through an investigation into the possibility of a convergence and/or alliance between two of the most enduring social movements in Ontario over the past three decades: the occupational health and safety (OHS) and the environmental movements. Both movements have not only endured, but been successful movements. Presently, however, each movement is fragmented and becalmed. Recent political developments are leading many OHS/labour movement activists to argue for an alliance with environmental movements. I argue that while there is benefit to both movements in such undertakings, continuing class differences between these two movements militates against any enduring alliance. [source] | ||||||||||||||||