Search Results (16)

People in laboratories often use paper or digital formats for incident reporting. These methods make it difficult to group events, check follow-up actions, or use the data to improve safety. This article presents a conceptual model for digital incident reporting in laboratories, designed to improve occupational safety and health (OSH) by addressing the lack of standardized reporting structures. The model was developed based on a review of safety standards, laboratory procedures, and relevant studies published between 2010 and 2024. The review identified five basic functions required for an effective digital incident reporting system: structured data input, event classification, alerting, access to reports, and follow-up tracking. These five functions were used to create a modular structure that shows how incident reporting works in laboratories. The model can be used with simple tools, and it does not require specialist software. It can be adjusted to local workflows and settings. While ISO 45001:2018 describes the goals of incident management, it does not offer a structure for reporting. This model responds to that gap. It supports consistent documentation and can help laboratories review incidents. This makes it easier to track responses, especially when no formal system exists. Full article

Accidents and injuries at work are unavoidable. Promoting corporate sustainability requires strategies concerning employees’ health and a safe work environment in light of social, environmental, and economic development. The purpose of this paper is to examine the significant association between Occupational Safety and Health Management (OSHM) and Corporate Sustainability (CS) in the context of West Bank industries in Palestine, bolstering the mediating role of Affective Commitment (AC) and Emotional Intelligence (EI). We sampled 126 executive and knowledgeable Palestinian employees in the region using a questionnaire for data collection. We used Smart PLS 4 to evaluate the study model and hypotheses. This study bridges the gap by investigating the relationship of the study constructs in Palestinian industries in the West Bank. This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating how OSH practices can improve CS by encouraging social engagement, economic performance, and environmental conservation. The study’s findings are consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 3, which establishes policies to enhance public health and improve well-being for people at any age, and SDG 8, which advocates for sustainable progress in the economy, prolific employment, and decent job for everyone. The findings highlight how important it is for West Bank businesses to implement training in emotional intelligence and encourage affective commitment to improving safety and health strategies, ultimately resulting in increased corporate sustainability by considering social and environmental policies. Full article

This study of risk assessment of gasoline station workers was performed by using the following three models: the occupational safety and health (OSH) risk assessment aligned with ISO 45001, the biomatrix of health risk, and the benzene risk matrix assessment for gasoline station workers. Levels of inhaled air benzene and urine tt-muconic acid (tt-MA) were measured using samples collected from 151 gasoline station workers. Opportunity levels of benzene exposure were obtained by multiplying the frequency of benzene exposure by the levels of tt-MA, the inhaled benzene concentration levels, or the likelihood levels from contributing risk factors at gasoline stations. The final risk scores were calculated by multiplying the opportunity levels by the severity based on the adverse symptoms of benzene toxicity experienced by workers. A checklist regarding risk factors contributing to benzene exposure was used to collect data on occupational safety performance. The potential health risk was at an unacceptable level for 66.23%, 75.50%, and 60.26% of workers according to the OSH risk, the biomatrix of health risk, and the benzene risk matrix model, respectively. There was a significant linear relationship between the risk levels indicated by the three matrix models (r > 0.6, p < 0.001). These findings demonstrate that alternative risk assessments can be provided and simply used for preventive action against health hazards from benzene exposure in risk management programs. Full article

Background: The daily and massive use of the Internet and social media by adolescents has led to increased interest and attention to prevalence rates, risk factors, and potential consequences of different forms of online victimization. This study aims to examine the possible associations between cybervictimization and online sexual harassment among 697 Italian adolescents (M_age = 15.17; SD = 0.68; 42.3% female), understanding the contribution of individual and school risk factors. Methods: A short longitudinal design was used to test a path model where emotional/behavioral problems and school climate predicted cybervictimization and online sexual harassment, controlling for their co-occurrence. Results: The results show similar prevalence among the two phenomena with a consistent reciprocal association (ρs = 0.426**). Regarding predictors, cybervictimization at Wave 5 is predicted by the problematic peer relationships with peers (β = 0.164*, SE = 0.068) and lack of school cohesion (β = −0.189*, SE = 0.086) assessed at Wave 4. In contrast, online sexual harassment at Wave 5 is predicted by the presence of emotional symptoms (β = 0.248***, SE = 0.077) and the absence of social norms (β = −0.254**, SE = 0.085) measured at Wave 4. Conclusion: Online sexual harassment and cybervictimization are related phenomena with a co-occurrence of around 22%; being a victim of cybervictimization is positively associated with being a victim of OSH-P. However, risk factors are different: cybervictimization is more easily explained by social and contextual factors, while online sexual harassment is explained by individual factors. Full article

Occupational health and safety (OSH) is crucial for sustainable development, recognized by corporations, the European Union, and Sustainable Development Goals. This study introduces a characterization model for OSH in the social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) to support the quantification of OHS along product supply chains and sustainable decision making. The characterization model aims to provide a practical approach for assessing OHS at the product level with actual working hours or recommends a secondary approach with monetary data, when working hours are unavailable, to calculate the Occupational Health and Safety Potential (OHSP). The developed model was tested in a theoretical case study on shirt production in Europe and globally. The case study shows that the European shirt value chain resulted in higher OHSP values than the global shirt values chain. In addition, the model shows which life cycle stages and organizations highly contributed to the OHSP results. In both approaches, the shirt production stage contributed highly. Differences in results emerged based on the calculation approach, underscoring the model’s versatility, because increasing the complexity of calculating the CFs with monetary values will affect the results based on sectorial monetary output. Additionally, the study mentions benefits to the operationalization of social impact assessment and limitations when the developed characterized model is employed. Last, this study aids in offering a tool for organizations to meet the demands of the new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive by quantifying and publicizing OHS data. Full article

Modeling biological processes and genetic-regulatory networks using in silico approaches provides a valuable framework for understanding how genes and associated allelic and genotypic differences result in specific traits. Submergence tolerance is a significant agronomic trait in rice; however, the gene–gene interactions linked with this polygenic trait remain largely unknown. In this study, we constructed a network of 57 transcription factors involved in seed germination and coleoptile elongation under submergence. The gene–gene interactions were based on the co-expression profiles of genes and the presence of transcription factor binding sites in the promoter region of target genes. We also incorporated published experimental evidence, wherever available, to support gene–gene, gene–protein, and protein–protein interactions. The co-expression data were obtained by re-analyzing publicly available transcriptome data from rice. Notably, this network includes OSH1, OSH15, OSH71, Sub1B, ERFs, WRKYs, NACs, ZFP36, TCPs, etc., which play key regulatory roles in seed germination, coleoptile elongation and submergence response, and mediate gravitropic signaling by regulating OsLAZY1 and/or IL2. The network of transcription factors was manually biocurated and submitted to the Plant Reactome Knowledgebase to make it publicly accessible. We expect this work will facilitate the re-analysis/re-use of OMICs data and aid genomics research to accelerate crop improvement. Full article

Falls, including falls from height and the same level, have among the highest occurrence rate in the construction industry. They are also the highest contributor to fatalities in the construction industry. The objective of this research is to determine the factors that contribute to a falling hazard. This research was conducted by distributing a survey questionnaire among OSH regulators in the northern region of Malaysia. A total of 130 respondents from enforcement bodies were involved in the study. From the factors contributing to occupational accidents and illnesses in general, worksite conditions (3.92), worksite arrangements (4.08) and resource management (4.07) were perceived as the most significant variables by the respondents. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) analysis was applied to validate the relationship between the observed and latent variables in testing the hypothesis. Falls from height (R₂ = 0.214; T = 5.600; p = 0.000) and falls at the same level (R² = 0.150; T = 5.061; p = 0.000) had the most significant relationship with worksite, management and external elements. Full article

The implementation of an international management system (IMS) in any organization (or part thereof) creates an efficient framework regarding the sustainable development and the review of processes required to manage occupational safety and health (OSH) efficaciously. Moreover, Occupational Safety and Health Management System (OSHMS) standards identify requirements regarding OSH management systems, with the aim of enabling an organization to adopt dynamic policy and objectives that take into consideration lawful requirements relating to OSH risks (e.g., safe and healthy workplaces, prevention of work-related injuries, etc.). This article extends the research and the results of a previous study of ours and comparatively presents (a) the main IMS standards concerning OSHMS and (b) the statistical results and new findings of an updated literature survey for additional time intervals (i.e., the years 1995–2005 and 2018–2020), ultimately covering the entire period of the years 1995–2020. Thus, the main targets of the study were (i) the implementation and comparative presentation of OSHMS standards, (ii) the reinforcement of their application at the worksites of any organization, and (iii) the development of a new ameliorated OSH management system model based on the knowledge from the literature review. On the other hand, some dominant results and findings are the following: (a) The industrial sector and construction sector demonstrate the highest percentage of OSHMS utilization. (b) The OHSAS 18001 standard remains the most frequent OSHMS standard even though, despite the fact that the ISO 45001:2018 is a recently developed OSHMS, it presents a considerable percentage distribution with reference to the total OSHMS articles despite its brief lifespan. (c) An effectual IMS OSHMS must merge various management systems, such as OSH (safety and health), QMS (quality), and EMS (environmental). (d) Organizations and businesses of any kind and any size can certainly develop and implement OSHMS standards. (e) Some substantial barriers to the implementation of an OSHMS standard are the high cost vis à vis implementation and management, the difficulty for the employees to realize its significance in OSH, and the complicatedness of combining different standards. (f) Occupational epidemiology must be one of the main features of an OSHMS standard. (g) Governments, employers, and employees admit day after day that the effectiveness of applying OSHMS standards at the organization level is considerable for decreasing the occupational hazards and risks and also for raising productivity. Full article

The concept of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is evolving towards Industry 5.0 (I5.0), where the human factor is the central axis for the formation of smart cyber-physical socio-technical systems that are integrated into their physical and cultural host environment. This situation generates a new work ecosystem with a radical change in the methods, processes and development scenarios and, therefore, in the occupational risks to which safety science must respond. In this paper, a historical review of the evolution of work as a complex socio-technical system formalised through Vygostky’s theory of Activity and the contributions of safety science is carried out, for its projection in the analysis of the future of complex systems as an opportunity for safety research linked to the current labour context in transformation. Next, the Horizon 2020 strategies for Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) at the European level are analysed to extract the lessons learned and extrapolate them towards the proposed model, and subsequently the conceptual frameworks that are transforming work and Occupational Risk Prevention (ORP) in the transition to Industry 4.0 are identified and reviewed. Finally, a model is formulated that formalises the deployment of public policies and multi-level and multi-scale OSH 5.0 strategies within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN) for Horizon 2030. Full article

Occupational risk assessment is important for providing employees with a safe and healthy work environment. When compared with other industries, the construction industry poses a higher risk for accidents due to the variety and complexity of skills required for different types of work in the sector. Small-sized construction sites have a higher risk of occupational injury. Countries without occupational safety and health (OSH) enforcement pose an additional risk increasing the need of an effective and easy-to-apply risk assessment approach. This research aims to develop and study an easy to apply risk assessment model for small-scale construction sites. The method includes opinions from experts on safety, checklists to estimate the possibility of occurrence of accidents, the identification of current site-specific safety levels, the severity of risk, and safety barriers. The model uses both historical data and fuzzy approaches to calculate risk level and was applied to four different construction sites in North Cyprus. Results reveal the risk level for each accident type and the aggregate safety level of the construction sites. Falling from height was identified as the most common accident type with the highest risk level. This study contributes to the development of sustainable OSH management systems for construction companies by highlighting the measures that must be taken to reduce occupational accidents. Full article

Zimbabwe introduced the National Occupational Safety and Health Policy (ZNOSHP) in August 2014 with the vision and mission to eliminate occupational accidents, injuries, diseases, and fatalities and to promote Occupational Safety and Health (OSH). This study was therefore aimed at exploring the individual- and organizational-level determinants of ZNOSHP’s implementation. Data were collected from 309 workers in the Willowvale industrial area in Harare, Zimbabwe. Negative binomial regression models were used to explore the determinants of ZNOSHP’s implementation. After adjustment, participant’s knowledge of ZNOSHP (Incidence Rate Ratio, IRR = 1.32; 95% Confidence Interval, CI: 1.19–1.46; p ≤ 0.001), production department (IRR = 1.13; 95% CI: 1.03–1.26; p ≤ 0.05), company years of operation (IRR = 1.33; 95% CI: 1.21–1.46; p ≤ 0.001), participants who identified several implementation barriers (IRR = 1.12; 95% CI: 1.01–1.25; p ≤ 0.001), and agricultural industry were associated with higher rates of ZNOSHP’s implementation. In conclusion, individual- and organizational-level determinants of implementation of OSH standards were explored, and positive associations were found. Policy implementation, enforcement, and follow up strategies need to be developed in order to ensure adherence to safety measures. This study should be extended to other parts of Zimbabwe in order to develop evidence-based policy. Full article

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. Full article

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) issues in the urban rail transport industry need to be given full attention due to the factors of the instability of declining occupational accident rate, increasing number of passengers each year, and the pressure of technological development; in addition, the day-to-day operations also involve the public and various interested communities. Organization is one of the factors that influence worker safety and health status. This study aimed to propose a factor model of the organizational safety climate towards a better safety and health status for Malaysian urban rail industry. This quantitative study used a questionnaire randomly distributed to Malaysian rail system workers. A total of 441 workers in the operation and maintenance division were involved in this study. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using IBM SEM-AMOS was conducted to determine the reliability and validity of the observed variables and the latent variables. This study proved that all four dimensions identified as safety communication, safety training, safety support system, and safety value represents the organizational safety climate. Following the analysis, an organizational safety climate model is successfully developed. This factor model aims to be used in the context of rail management studies to measure the safety climate of their organization, thereby improving the safety level of the workers within the organization. Full article

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) states that Norway faces several major health challenges. Sick leave is at 6% and costs employers approximately EUR 1.75 billion annually. The NIPH proposes, with the support of the Public Health Act and the national strategy HealthCare21, that preventive measures should be developed to address negative lifestyle factors in order to decrease the number of new cases in the related disease groups (e.g., stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity). The purpose of this article is to answer why and how organisations should develop a health-promoting performance culture and to provide a conceptual model displaying the importance of this type of culture for organisational performance. To boost the national health standard as a consequence of employee physical activity at work, I suggest additional occupational safety and health (OSH) directives. Based on cross-disciplinary theorizing, I propose a definition of a health-promoting performance culture. This kind of culture consists of dimensions such as health objectives, shared health values, supportive health environment, goal-oriented and value-based behaviour of leaders and employees, and a winning mindset. In addition, the article underscores the importance of related individual HR drivers like fun at work, engagement, physical and mental health for increasing organisational performance. The company cases used in this paper, Schibsted, Gjensidige, Findus and Wilhelmsen, and findings from five in-depth interviews, indicate that health-promoting activities are the result of either an HR strategy or individuals’ initiative and voluntariness among the companies’ sports enthusiasts. The case of Findus exemplifies an ongoing development toward a health-promoting performance culture and the importance of leaders’ participation. The findings support several elements of the conceptual model showing the relations between a health-promoting performance culture, individual HR drivers and organisational performance. A framework for developing a health-promoting performance culture in practice is presented. Full article

Powerful and ongoing changes in how people work, the workforce, and the workplace require a more holistic view of each of these. We argue that an expanded focus for occupational safety and health (OSH) is necessary to prepare for and respond rapidly to future changes in the world of work that will certainly challenge traditional OSH systems. The WHO Model for Action, various European efforts at well-being, and the Total Worker Health concept provide a foundation for addressing changes in the world of work. However, a paradigm expansion to include the recognition of worker and workforce well-being as an important outcome of OSH will be needed. It will also be vital to stimulate transdisciplinary efforts and find innovative ways to attract and train students into OSH professions as the paradigm expands. This will require active marketing of the OSH field as vibrant career choice, as a profession filled with meaningful, engaging responsibilities, and as a well-placed investment for industry and society. An expanded paradigm will result in the need for new disciplines and specialties in OSH, which may be useful in new market efforts to attract new professionals. Ultimately, to achieve worker and workforce well-being we must consider how to implement this expanded focus. Full article