Occupational Risk Prevention through Smartwatches: Precision and Uncertainty Effects of the Built-In Accelerometer

Wearable technology has had a significant growth in the last years; this is particularly true of smartwatches, due to their potential advantages and ease of use. These smart devices integrate sensors that can be potentially used within industrial settings and for several applications, such as safety, monitoring, and the identification of occupational risks. The accelerometer is one of the main sensors integrated into these devices. However, several studies have identified that sensors integrated into smart devices may present inaccuracies during data acquisition, which may influence the performance of their potential applications. This article presents an analysis from the metrological point of view to characterize the amplitude and frequency response of the integrated accelerometers in three currently available commercial smartwatches, and it also includes an analysis of the uncertainties associated with these measurements by adapting the procedures described in several International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards. The results show that despite the technical limitations produced by the factory configuration, these devices can be used in various applications related to occupational risk assessment. Opportunities for improvement have also been identified, which will allow us to take advantage of this technology in several innovative applications within industrial settings and, in particular, for occupational health purposes.

Emerging Ergonomics Issues and Opportunities in Mining

Ergonomics is the scientific discipline that investigates the interactions between humans and systems to optimize both human and system performance for worker safety, health, and productivity. Ergonomics is frequently involved either in the design of emerging technologies or in strategies to alleviate unanticipated human performance problems with emerging technologies. This manuscript explores several such emerging issues and opportunities in the context of the mining sector. In mining, the equipment, tools, and procedures have changed considerably and continue to change. Body-worn technology provides a number of opportunities to advance the safety and health of miners, while teleoperation and autonomous mining equipment stand to benefit significantly from ergonomics applications in other sectors. This manuscript focuses on those issues and opportunities that can impact the safety and health of miners in the near term.

Map Changes and Theme Evolution in Work Hours: A Co-Word Analysis

(1) Background: Work hours are the basic carrier impacting employees' work⁻life experience and organizational performance, and employees have greater anxiety in relation to work hours as new technology requires an increasingly faster work rhythm. However, scientific research on this topic lags far behind the practice, calling to attention the need for research on work hours from the perspective of historical evolution; (2) Methods: The Bibliometric method is used to analyze the 6364 articles and their contained 77 high-frequency keywords related to work hours from the Web of Science published between 1901 and 2017. Additionally, an individual⁻organization⁻society integrative perspective was adopted to describe the map changes and theme evolution of work hours; (3) Results and conclusions: The hot spots of research at the organizational level changed significantly around 1990, with the theme of "long work hours" becoming the core issue in recent years. Studies on the individual level have gradually moved from physiological aspects to the issues of burnout and psychological distress. Research topics related to the social level are somewhat loose, and mainly focused on work⁻life conflict areas. In addition, the cluster analysis based on the high-frequency keywords classifies six research types according to their research themes. Based on these findings, future trends are proposed to provide theoretical and practical reference for future studies.

Evaluating Effective Leadership and Governance in a Midwestern Agricultural Safety and Health Coalition

Agricultural Centers are a coalition of organizations and individual members with a common purpose: to improve the health and safety of the agricultural community. Successful leadership and governance are essential in accomplishing these goals. This article examined the effectiveness of a midwestern Agricultural Health and Safety Center (Ag Center) leadership and governance structure. The Internal Coalition Outcomes Hierarchy (ICOH) framework and the Internal Coalition Effectiveness (ICE©) instrument were used, with field visit interviews conducted to gain further insight. Combined comparative findings from both research methods showed that scores in each of the categories increased. Adjustments led to stronger collaborative leadership, vital to successful population health improvement programs. This study showcases coalition qualities in a broader environment, capturing a clearer depiction of leadership and member interaction. Field visit interviews confirmed that this midwestern Ag Center continued to have strong levels of effectiveness in each of the conceptual constructs of a coalition.

Changes in respiratory and non-respiratory symptoms in occupants of a large office building over a period of moisture damage remediation attempts

There is limited information on the natural history of building occupants’ health in relation to attempts to remediate moisture damage. We examined changes in respiratory and non-respiratory symptoms in 1,175 office building occupants over seven years with multiple remediation attempts. During each of four surveys, we categorized participants using a severity score: 0 = asymptomatic; 1 = mild, symptomatic in the last 12 months, but not frequently in the last 4 weeks; 2 = severe, symptomatic at least once weekly in the last 4 weeks. Building-related symptoms were defined as improving away from the building. We used random intercept models adjusted for demographics, smoking, building tenure, and microbial exposures to estimate temporal changes in the odds of building-related symptoms or severity scores independent of the effect of microbial exposures. Trend analyses of combined mild/severe symptoms showed no changes in the odds of respiratory symptoms but significant improvement in non-respiratory symptoms over time. Separate analyses showed increases in the odds of severe respiratory symptoms (odds ratio/year = 1.15‒1.16, p-values<0.05) and severity scores (0.02/year, p-values<0.05) for wheezing and shortness of breath on exertion, due to worsening of participants in the mild symptom group. For non-respiratory symptoms, we found no changes in the odds of severe symptoms but improvement in severity scores (-0.04‒-0.01/year, p-values<0.05) and the odds for mild fever and chills, excessive fatigue, headache, and throat symptoms (0.65–0.79/year, p-values<0.05). Our study suggests that after the onset of respiratory and severe non-respiratory symptoms associated with dampness/mold, remediation efforts might not be effective in improving occupants’ health.

Heat exposure and productivity in orchards: Implications for climate change research

Recent studies suggest that heat exposure degrades work productivity, but such studies have not considered individual- and workplace-level factors. Forty-six tree-fruit harvesters (98% Latino/a) from 6 orchards participated in a cross-sectional study in central/eastern Washington in 2015. The association between maximum measured work-shift wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT_max) and productivity (total weight of fruit bins collected per time worked) was estimated using linear mixed-effects models, adjusting for relevant confounders. The mean (standard deviation) WBGT_max was 27.9°C (3.6°C) in August and 21.2°C (2.0°C) in September. There was a trend of decreasing productivity with increasing WBGT_max, but this association was not statistically significant. When individual- and workplace-level factors were included in the model, the association approached the null. Not considering individual, work, and economic factors that affect rest and recovery in projections of the effects of climate change could result in overestimates of reductions in future productivity and underestimate risk of heat illness.

The need for detailed gender-specific occupational safety analysis

INTRODUCTION

The female work in population is growing in the United States, therefore the occupational health and safety entities must start to analyze gender-specific data related to every industry, especially to nontraditional occupations. Women working in nontraditional jobs are often exposed to extreme workplace hazards. These women have their safety and health threatened because there are no adequate policies to mitigate gender-specific risks such as discrimination and harassment. Employers tend to aggravate this situation because they often fail to provide proper reporting infrastructure and support. According to past studies, women suffered from workplace injuries and illnesses that were less prominent among men. Statistics also confirmed that men and women faced different levels of risks in distinct work environments. For example, the rates of workplace violence and murders by personal acquaintances were significantly higher among women.

METHODS

In this paper, the authors analyze prior public data on fatal and nonfatal injuries to understand why we need to differentiate genders when analyzing occupational safety and health issues.

RESULTS

The analyses confirmed that women dealt with unique workplace hazards compared to men.

CONCLUSIONS

It is urgent that public agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Labor, record gender-specific data in details and by occupations and industries.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

The reader will become aware of the current lack - and need - of data and knowledge about injuries and illnesses separated by gender and industry. Finally, safety and health researchers are encouraged to investigate the gender-specific data in all industries and occupations, as soon as they become available.

The perspective of European researchers of national occupational safety and health institutes for contributing to a European research agenda: a modified Delphi study

OBJECTIVES

This study, developed within the frame of the Partnership for European Research on Occupational Safety and Health joint research activities and based on the frame designed by the 2013 European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) study, is the first example of using the points of view of European occupational safety and health (OSH) researchers.The objective is to identify priorities for OSH research that may contribute to the achievement of present and future sustainable growth objectives set by the European strategies.

METHODS

The study was carried out using a modified Delphi method with a two-round survey. Each round involved a panel of about 110 researchers representing the network member institutes was selected according to specific criteria, including the ownership of research expertise in at least one of the four macroareas identified by the reference report developed by EU-OSHA in 2013.

RESULTS

The study identified some innovative research topics (for example, 'Emerging technological devices' and 'OSH consequences of markets integration') and research priorities (ie, crowdsourcing, e-work, zero-hours contracts) that are not reflected in previous studies of this nature.The absence of any reference to violence and harassment at work among the researchers' proposals is a major difference from previous similar studies, while topics related to gender issues and electromagnetic fields show a lower importance.

CONCLUSIONS

The innovative design of a research priorities identification process, which takes advantage of a large, representative and qualified panel of European researchers allowed the definition of a number of research priorities able to support the inclusion of innovative OSH research issues in the scope of the next European research agenda.

Occupational safety and health in construction: a review of applications and trends

Due to the high number of accidents that occur in construction and the consequences this has for workers, organizations, society and countries, occupational safety and health (OSH) has become a very important issue for stakeholders to take care of the human resource. For this reason, and in order to know how OSH research in the construction sector has evolved over time, this article-in which articles published in English were studied-presents an analysis of research conducted from 1930 to 2016. The classification of documents was carried out following the Occupational Safety and Health Cycle which is composed of five steps: regulation, education and training, risk assessment, risk prevention, and accident analysis. With the help of tree diagrams we show that evolution takes place. In addition, risk assessment, risk prevention, and accident analysis were the research topics with the highest number of papers. The main objective of the study was to contribute to knowledge of the subject, showing trends through an exploratory study that may serve as a starting point for further research.

Obscured by administrative data? Racial disparities in occupational injury

Objectives Underreporting of occupational injuries is well documented, but underreporting patterns may vary by worker characteristics, obscuring disparities. We tested for racial and ethnic differences in injury reporting patterns by comparing injuries reported via research survey and administrative injury database in the same group of healthcare workers in the US. Methods We used data from a cohort of 1568 hospital patient-care workers who were asked via survey whether they had been injured at work during the year prior (self-reported injury; N=244). Using the hospital's injury database, we determined whether the same workers had reported injuries to the hospital's occupational health service during that year (administratively reported injury; N=126). We compared data sources to test for racial and ethnic differences in injury reporting practices. Results In logistic regression models adjusted for demographic and occupational characteristics, black workers' odds of injury as measured by self-report data were 1.91 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.04-3.49] compared with white workers. The same black workers' odds of injury as measured by administrative data were 1.22 (95% CI 0.54-2.77) compared with white workers. Conclusions The undercount of occupational injuries in administrative versus self-report data may be greater among black compared to white workers, leading to underestimates of racial disparities in workplace injury.

What should we know about precarious employment and health in 2025? Framing the agenda for the next decade of research

The generalization of flexible labour markets, the declining influence of unions and the degradation of social protection has led to the emergence of new forms of employment at the expense of the Standard Employment Relationship, as well as a considerable amount of research across social and scientific disciplines. Years ago we suggested the urgent need to disentangle the consequences of new types of employment for the health and well-being of workers, contending that the study of precarious employment and health is in its infancy. Today, research challenges include clearer, more precise definitions of the original concepts, a more detailed understanding of the pathways and mechanisms through which precarious employment harms worker health, stronger information systems for monitoring the problem and a complex systems approach to employment conditions and health research. All of these must be guided by the theoretical and policy debates linking precarious employment and health, and be geared towards developing better tools for the design, implementation and evaluation of policies intended to minimize precariousness in the labour market and its effects on public health and health inequalities. Our aim in this paper is to outline an agenda for the next decade of research on precarious employment and health, establishing a compelling programme that expands our understanding of complex causes and links.

Advancing the framework for considering the effects of climate change on worker safety and health

In 2009, a preliminary framework for how climate change could affect worker safety and health was described. That framework was based on a literature search from 1988-2008 that supported seven categories of climate-related occupational hazards: (1) increased ambient temperature; (2) air pollution; (3) ultraviolet radiation exposure; (4) extreme weather; (5) vector-borne diseases and expanded habitats; (6) industrial transitions and emerging industries; and (7) changes in the built environment. This article reviews the published literature from 2008-2014 in each of the seven categories. Additionally, three new topics related to occupational safety and health are considered: mental health effects, economic burden, and potential worker safety and health impacts associated with the nascent field of climate intervention (geoengineering). Beyond updating the literature, this article also identifies key priorities for action to better characterize and understand how occupational safety and health may be associated with climate change events and ensure that worker health and safety issues are anticipated, recognized, evaluated, and mitigated. These key priorities include research, surveillance, risk assessment, risk management, and policy development. Strong evidence indicates that climate change will continue to present occupational safety and health hazards, and this framework may be a useful tool for preventing adverse effects to workers.

Influence of occupational risk factors on health of tire plant workers

Analysis of health state in connection with work conditions for workers of Voronezh tire plant was based on evaluation of occupational and general morbidity according to medical examination data, hygienic characteristics of occupational factors and working process. Findings are high level of general morbidity among the workers, related to combined influence of physical and chemical occupational hazards. First rank places are occupied by locomotory system diseases (32.3%) and cardiovascular diseases (29.3%). Recommendations cover decrease of unfavorable effects of occupational hazards, minimization of occupational risks, including further improvement of work conditions and implementation of laboratory biochemical methods diagnosing premorbid conditions.

Features of work conditions on small and medium business enterprises

Physiologic and hygienic evaluation covered work conditions on small business enterprises of retail and minor wholesale trade. Major unfavorable occupational factor for minor retail seller of foods is work process hardiness (up to 85% of <<standing>>). This work affects the workers' state, with 100% reports of the health state changes by the end of the working day. Physiologic parameter <<work process hardiness>> in the trade workers generally was assigned to allowable (2 grade) criterion, but such parameters as work contents (work covers solving complicated problems), work in tight time conditions, responsibility and long working hours are assigned to first jeopardy degree (3.1). Minor retail trade enterprises appeared to have no work and rest schedule, that is an additional risk factor. Microclimate parameters inside the rooms are the same as outdoors, therefore necessity is to provide artificial sanitary technical systems of ventilation and heating in projects of minor retail trade networks.

Evaluation of work conditions and transitory disablement morbidity among paramedical personnel

The studies revealed that work of paramedical personnel can be assigned to 2 jeopardy class in chemical factor, noise, vibration, illumination, work hardiness; in unfavorable parameters of microclimate in summer period and work intensity - to 3.1 class, in biologic factor - to 3.1-3.3 class. According to totality of factors, the work of paramedical personnel corresponds to 3.2-3.3 class of work conditions. Morbidity level of medical nurses is <<very low>> with minimal level of occupational risk. With that, more detailed analysis in 4 length of service groups revealed that in a group with over 15 years of service the morbidity level reaches high and extremely high (from 104.0 to 244.4 cases per 100 medical staffers). This evidence could be explained by exposure to occupational risk factors and worse health state with longer length of service and ageing.

Preservation of work potential - basis of governmental policy in Siberian region

The authors accentuate the problem of preserving work potential of Russian population, most notable in industrial cities of Siberian federal district. Based on experience of Russian Federation outstanding scientists in industrial medicine and environmental hygiene (Izmerov N.F., Prokopenko L.V., At'kov O.Yu., Belyaev E.N., Bukhtiyarov IV., BushmanovAYu., Vereshagin A.I., Golovkova N.P., Kouz'mina L.P., Matiukhin VV., Tikhonova G.I., Ushakov I.B., et al), in accordance with Russian President's Orders and under support of Siberian Medical academic society, professionals in Research Institute of complex problems in hygiene and occupational diseases (Director - professor Zakharenkov V.) carry out scientific basis for priority'directions of governmental policy in Siberian region up to the level of complex special-purpose programs that are supposed to include present aims and facilities of various departments for implementation. The article covers conceptual points and main principles of program solutions, and one out of mechanisms for practical implementation.

Towards a greener labour market: occupational health and safety implications

BACKGROUND

Climate change and environmental degradation are seriously jeopardizing the future environmental and economic sustainability at the global level prompting urgent calls for a shift towards more sustainable development and greener economies. The use of the so called green jobs is a key strategy to overcome economic and ecological crisis.

AIM

The present study discusses the implications for employment and decent work of green jobs in order to identify information/training measures to enhance skills of employees protecting their working conditions.

RESULTS

Despite all the emphasis laid today on the green economy, occupational health and safety (OHS) issues have still been talked only limited, as already noted in previous studies and literature reviews.

CONCLUSION

It is needed to assess traditional and new OHS risks within green jobs in order to facilitate the transfer of OHS knowledge to green technologies as well as identifying OHS training needs.

An aftermath analysis of the 2014 coal mine accident in Soma, Turkey: Use of risk performance indicators based on historical experience

On the 13th of May 2014 a fire related incident in the Soma coal mine in Turkey caused 301 fatalities and more than 80 injuries. This has been the largest coal mine accident in Turkey, and in the OECD country group, so far. This study investigated if such a disastrous event should be expected, in a statistical sense, based on historical observations. For this purpose, PSI's ENSAD database is used to extract accident data for the period 1970-2014. Four different cases are analyzed, i.e., OECD, OECD w/o Turkey, Turkey and USA. Analysis of temporal trends for annual numbers of accidents and fatalities indicated a non-significant decreasing tendency for OECD and OECD w/o Turkey and a significant one for USA, whereas for Turkey both measures showed an increase over time. The expectation analysis revealed clearly that an event with the consequences of the Soma accident is rather unlikely for OECD, OECD w/o Turkey and USA. In contrast, such a severe accident has a substantially higher expectation for Turkey, i.e. it cannot be considered an extremely rare event, based on historical experience. This indicates a need for improved safety measures and stricter regulations in the Turkish coal mining sector in order to get closer to the rest of OECD.

[Comparison of morbidity among working population in Russian regions with different modernization levels]

Based on complex of parameters characterizing social economic level, innovation activity and morbidity among able-bodied population, the authors suggested a typology of RF regions different in potential, urgency and risk value of modernization. Claster analysis helped to identify 4 types of territories - moderately modernizing regions with high modernization potential (12 RF subjects), well modernizing regions with moderate modernization potential (26 RF subjects), moderately modernizing regions with moderate modernization potential (28 RF subjects), poorly modernizing regions with low modernization potential (5 RF subjects). Findings are that special attention is required not only by RF subjects with the workers' low health level and poorly modernization processes, but also highly modernized regions with the workers' health problems can result from risky character of modernization. The article is prepared with financial support from RGNF (project N 16-16-59007).