Global estimates of the burden of injury and illness at work in 2012

Narrative review of occupational exposures and noncommunicable diseases

OBJECTIVE

Within the scope of the Exposome Project for Health and Occupational Research on applying the exposome concept to working life health, we aimed to provide a broad overview of the status of knowledge on occupational exposures and associated health effects across multiple noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) to help inform research priorities.

METHODS

We conducted a narrative review of occupational risk factors that can be considered to have "consistent evidence for an association," or where there is "limited/inadequate evidence for an association" for 6 NCD groups: nonmalignant respiratory diseases; neurodegenerative diseases; cardiovascular/metabolic diseases; mental disorders; musculoskeletal diseases; and cancer. The assessment was done in expert sessions, primarily based on systematic reviews, supplemented with narrative reviews, reports, and original studies. Subsequently, knowledge gaps were identified, e.g. based on missing information on exposure-response relationships, gender differences, critical time-windows, interactions, and inadequate study quality.

RESULTS

We identified over 200 occupational exposures with consistent or limited/inadequate evidence for associations with one or more of 60+ NCDs. Various exposures were identified as possible risk factors for multiple outcomes. Examples are diesel engine exhaust and cadmium, with consistent evidence for lung cancer, but limited/inadequate evidence for other cancer sites, respiratory, neurodegenerative, and cardiovascular diseases. Other examples are physically heavy work, shift work, and decision latitude/job control. For associations with limited/inadequate evidence, new studies are needed to confirm the association. For risk factors with consistent evidence, improvements in study design, exposure assessment, and case definition could lead to a better understanding of the association and help inform health-based threshold levels.

CONCLUSIONS

By providing an overview of knowledge gaps in the associations between occupational exposures and their health effects, our narrative review will help setting priorities in occupational health research. Future epidemiological studies should prioritize to include large sample sizes, assess exposures prior to disease onset, and quantify exposures. Potential sources of biases and confounding need to be identified and accounted for in both original studies and systematic reviews.

Temporal trend and magnitude of previdenciary benefits for workplace accidents in Brazil

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the temporal trend and magnitude of national indicators of previdenciary benefits for workplace accidents issued and granted by the Social Security of Brazil.

METHODS

Secondary data from Social Security from 2008 to 2019 were used. The trend and percentage variation of the indicators were estimated through Prais-Winsten generalized linear regression.

RESULTS

A total of 9,220,372 previdenciary benefits for workplace accidents were issued by the Social Security of Brazil in the period, costing approximately R$ 8.4 billion and representing about 2.0% of the net value of all benefits paid. None of the categories of previdenciary benefits for workplace accidents showed an increasing trend. The highest variation in the benefits granted and issued for workplace accidents occurred in temporary disability benefit (B91), with an annual percentage variation of -54.00% and -29.29%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

A reduction in magnitude and an overall decreasing trend were observed in the historical series of national indicators of benefits granted and benefits issued related to workplace accidents in Brazil from 2008 to 2019.

The effect of health literacy on health investment intention: a cross-sectional study among petrochemical employees in China

Backgrounds

In the petrochemical industry, employees are exposed to various health hazards, which pose serious challenges to their health and hinder the sustainable development of the petrochemical industry. Investing in health has proved a potential strategy to enhance general health. However, global health investment is notably insufficient, mainly due to the public's limited intention to invest in their health. While past research has identified various determinants of health investment intentions, the relationship between health literacy and health investment intention remains somewhat controversial and needs more empirical validation.

Objectives

This study aims to assess the level of health literacy and health investment intention among employees in one of China's largest petrochemical companies and to explore the effect of health literacy on health investment intention.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in a petrochemical company. The valid sample size for this study was 39,911 respondents. Data were collected using a designed questionnaire, including socio-demographic information, questions about health investment intention, and the "2020 National Health Literacy Monitoring Questionnaire." Several statistical analysis methods were employed, including descriptive analysis, Chi-square test, logistic regression, and multiple linear regression.

Results

The study disclosed an average health literacy score of 56.11 (SD = 10.34) among employees, with 52.1% surpassing the qualification threshold. The "Chronic Disease" dimension exhibited the lowest qualification rate at 33.0%. Furthermore, 71.5% of the employees expressed an intention to invest in health, yet a significant portion (34.5%) opted for the minimal investment choice, less than 2,000 RMB. Logistic regression analysis indicated a positive correlation between health literacy and health investment intention (OR = 1.474; p < 0.001). This association's robustness was further indicated by multiple linear regression analyses (β = 0.086, p<0.001).

Conclusion

The employees' health literacy significantly exceeds the national average for Chinese citizens, yet the qualified rate in the "Chronic Disease" dimension remains notably low. A majority of employees have the intention to invest in health, albeit modestly. Furthermore, while health literacy does positively influence health investment intention, this effect is somewhat limited. Accordingly, personalized Health education should be prioritized, with a focus on improving chronic disease knowledge and facilitating the internalization of health knowledge into health beliefs.

Capturing and quantifying the aggregate effects of multi-source factors affecting miners' health and well-being: Construction of Bayesian belief networks

Factors originating at the organizational, work, and individual levels are closely interrelated and intricately intertwined, affecting health rates. There was limited research on the interdependence and aggregate effects between multi-source factors and occupational health and well-being (OHW). It is challenging to achieve management goals. Therefore, considering cross-level factors and across the "work environment-stress-exposure-OHW" chain, individual vulnerability was considered. A Fuzzy Bayesian Belief Network (FBBN) driven by both domain knowledge and data was constructed to carve out the logic between multi-source factors and OHW. Workers from four coal mines were surveyed twice in 6 months. 714 valid samples were included in the analysis. The interdependencies among multi-source factors were identified by the Interpretive Structure Modeling method and the visual probability estimation was achieved based on FBBN. It revealed that the work and the organizational level were the root factors. Eight factors involved in work stress were mainly mediating, and actual exposure and individual vulnerability were direct factors. Pathway interventions and joint interventions were proposed. The prediction ability and scheme feasibility of FBBN were verified. The approach developed allows robust assessments of aggregate effects and obtains multi-source factor importance. This study provides vital insights and evaluation tools for understanding workplace stress and OHW management.

Global, regional and national burdens of occupational injuries, 1990-2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

OBJECTIVES

Occupational injuries pose a significant challenge to global health and development. This study aimed to quantify the international and regional burdens of occupational injuries from 1990 to 2019, stratified by specific causes.

METHODS

We analysed global trends in deaths, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), age-standardised mortality rates (ASMR) and age-standardised DALY rates (ASDR) related to occupational injuries. Specific injuries, including animal contact, drowning, mechanical forces, falls, fire, heat, hot substances, foreign bodies, poisoning and road injuries, were evaluated. Age-stratified and regional analyses were also performed.

RESULTS

Globally, the number of deaths, DALYs, ASMR and ASDR related to occupational injuries declined from 1990 to 2019. The middle Socio-demographic Index (SDI) region exhibited the highest burden, whereas the high SDI region showed the least burden. China and India had the highest occupational injury-related death rates in 2019. Males, particularly those aged 25-44 years, were found to be more vulnerable. Road injuries were the leading cause of death in all age groups. Compared with 1990, mortality numbers and rates decreased significantly by 2019, with the highest burdens experienced in East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

CONCLUSION

The global decline in occupational injuries is promising; however, certain regions and demographics remain disproportionately affected. Targeted interventions in high-burden areas are crucial to further reduce the impact of occupational injuries.

Causal impact evaluation of occupational safety policies on firms' default using machine learning uplift modelling

It is often undermined that occupational safety policies do not only displace a direct effect on work well-being, but also an indirect effect on firms' economic performances. In such context, econometric models dominated the scenes of causality until recently while Machine Learning models were seen with skepticism. With the rise of complex datasets, an ever-increasing need for automated algorithms capable to handle complex non-linear relationships between variables has brought to uncover the power of Machine Learning for causality. In this paper, we carry out an evaluation of a public aid-scheme implemented in Italy and oriented to support investment of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in occupational safety and health (OSH) for assessing the impact on the survival of corporations. A comparison of thirteen models is performed and the Individual Treatment Effect (ITE) estimated and validated based on the AUUC and Qini score for which best values of 0.064 and 0.407, respectively, are obtained based on the Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM). An additional in-depth statistical analysis also revealed that the best beneficiaries of the policy intervention are those firms that experience performance issues in the period just before the interventions and for which the increased liquidity brought by the policy may have prevented default.

Personal protective equipment utilization and its association with educational status among industry workers in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

INTRODUCTION

Ethiopia is experiencing high prevalence of occupational morbidity and disability. One of the main contributing reasons is a low utilization of personal protective equipment (PPE). Previous studies on PPE utilization and association with educational status among industry workers were largely inconsistent. Therefore, this meta-analysis is aimed to pool the magnitude of PPE utilization and its association with educational status among industry workers in Ethiopia.

METHOD

A compressive search of international databases and libraries including Scopus, PubMed, MedNar, Embase, MEDLINE, the web of science, Google Scholar, the JBI Library, African Journals Online, and Science direct will be carried out to locate published reports. Two independent reviewers will screen the records for inclusion using standardized JBI tools. Before extracting and synthesizing data, the selected studies will undergo a rigorous critical appraisal. If appropriate, a meta-analysis will be conducted. Cochrane Q-test and I2-test statistics will be used to assess the heterogeneity between studies. If necessary, meta-regression and subgroup analyses will be conducted to explore potential reasons for any inconsistency and heterogeneity. Sensitivity analysis will be performed to assess the effect of a single study on the pooled magnitude estimates. Funnel plots, along with Egger's and Begg's tests, will be used to assess the presence of publication bias. PROSPERO registration number: PROSPERO, CRD42022364562.

Occupational injury prevalence and predictors among small-scale sawmill workers in the Sokoban Wood Village, Kumasi, Ghana

BACKGROUND

Sawmill workers are at increased risk of occupational injuries due to their exposure to workplace hazards. However, little is known about the burden of occupational injuries among them in Ghana. Understanding its prevalence and associated factors is necessary to design appropriate interventions to improve workers' health and safety. This study sought to determine the prevalence and factors associated with occupational injuries among small-scale sawmill workers at Sokoban Wood Village, Kumasi.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 138 small-scale sawmill workers from December 2020 to January 2021. Data was collected on demographic and work-related characteristics including age, sex, personal protective equipment (PPE), workspace design, and lighting. The primary outcome was the prevalence of occupational injuries in the 12 months preceding the survey. Logistic regression method was used to assess for independent predictors of occupational injuries, and associations were deemed statistically significant at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

Approximately 66.7% of the workers experienced occupational injuries within the 12 months preceding the study. Cuts (69.6%) were the most commonly reported injuries. Injuries were mainly caused by machine parts/sharp objects (47.8%) and being hit by logs/objects (46.8%). Only 40.7% of the workers reported always using PPE while legs (38.0%) and hands (37.0%) were the most common body parts injured. The worker's monthly income, poor workspace design and poor lighting had increased odds of occupational injuries while an increase in age was associated with a 5% decreased odds of occupational injuries.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of occupational injuries among the sawmill workers at the Sokoban Wood Village was high, and this calls for prioritization of health and safety at the workplace. Essential measures required include improvements in the safety of machine tools, workspace design and lighting.

Socioeconomic differences in working life expectancy: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

In the last decade, interest in working life expectancy (WLE) and socioeconomic differences in WLE has grown considerably. However, a comprehensive overview of the socioeconomic differences in WLE is lacking. The aim of this review is to systematically map the research literature to improve the insight on differences in WLE and healthy WLE (HWLE) by education, occupational class and income while using different ways of measuring and estimating WLE and to define future research needs.

METHODS

A systematic search was carried out in Web of Science, PubMed and EMBASE and complemented by relevant publications derived through screening of reference lists of the identified publications and expert knowledge. Reports on differences in WLE or HWLE by education, occupational class or income, published until November 2022, were included. Information on socioeconomic differences in WLE and HWLE was synthesized in absolute and relative terms.

RESULTS

A total of 26 reports from 21 studies on educational and occupational class differences in WLE or HWLE were included. No reports on income differences were found. On average, WLE in persons with low education is 30% (men) and 27% (women) shorter than in those with high education. The corresponding numbers for occupational class difference were 21% (men) and 27% (women). Low-educated persons were expected to lose more working years due to unemployment and disability retirement than high-educated persons.

CONCLUSIONS

The identified socioeconomic inequalities are highly relevant for policy makers and pose serious challenges for equitable pension policies. Many policy interventions aimed at increasing the length of working life follow a one-size-fits-all approach which does not take these inequalities into account. More research is needed on socioeconomic differences in HWLE and potential influences of income on working life duration.

Whether occupational injuries of the industrial workers can be prevented: an analysis from the slums of West Bengal-India?

A lack of research exists concerning the heterogeneity of the occupational injuries of slum dwellers across industries which has a close link with health expenditure and hence livelihood. It necessitates analysing their occupational injuries and associated out-of-pocket health expenditures. Multi-stage random sampling is used to collect the primary data and the logit model is used for data analyses. Permanent non-fatal injuries in the civil-mechanical industries and temporary non-fatal injuries in textile industries are common. The share of health expenditure of the injured workers seeking medical consultations remains 59% of their average monthly income. Average monthly income, parental occupation, types of industry, job security, risk intensity, and salary basis are significant estimates of occupational injuries. The differences in the nature and extent of the occupational injuries of the workers across industries in the light of the socio-demographic and working environment context provide significant insight into the policy implications.

Informal welders' occupational safety and environmental health risks in northwestern Tanzania

Often with minimal formal training and protections, informal welders face significant occupational health and safety (OSH) risks. This cross-sectional study of 219 adult informal welders at 70 informal welding sites in Mwanza City, Tanzania aimed to: 1) capture knowledge and awareness of occupational risks and safety precautions, training, and self-reported work-related injuries and illness and 2) observe worker use of personal protective equipment and site safety. We hypothesized that knowledge, awareness, and site inspections would improve use of PPE and that improved safety and site inspections would reduce self-reported injuries and illness. A generalized linear model (GLM) was used to model all relationships. Robust standard error estimation was used to avoid overestimation of parameters. Having a post-secondary education (aβ = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.962, 1.061; p = 0. 0679), having training in OSH (aβ = 0.927, 95% CI: 0.872, 0.984, p = 0.014), increased knowledge of occupational risks (aβ = 1.305, 95% CI: 1.143, 1.491; p<0.001), and knowledge of safety measures (aβ = 1.112, 95% CI: 0.881, 1.404; p = 0.372) increased PPE use by 1%, 7.3%, 30.5%, and 11.2% respectively. Workers who used PPE were less likely to experience fire explosions (AOR = 0.149, 95% CI: 0.029, 0.751; p = 0.02), radiation exposure (AOR = 0.097, 95% CI: 0.016, 0.579, p = 0.01) or electric shocks (AOR = 0.012; 95% CI: 0.001, 0.11, p<0.001). Having increased knowledge of safety practices also decreased the odds of fire explosions (AOR = 0.075, 95% CI: 0.018, 0.314; p<0.001). Those with higher knowledge of occupational risk (aβ = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.404, 1.756; p<0.001) and safety measures (aβ = 1.628, 95% CI: 1.34, 1.978; p<0.001) were more likely to have more positive attitudes towards safety practices. Our findings suggest that comprehensive targeted interventions including increased knowledge of occupational risks, safety practices, and occupational health law through training, along with enforcement and inspection by government officials, would benefit the environmental and occupational health for informal welders.

Crisis communication in construction: Organizational strategies for worksite fatalities

INTRODUCTION

The construction industry is high risk and unpredictable, requiring extensive safety preparation, practices, and effectiveness on worksites. While preventative measures are important and well documented, the industry, in general, lacks effective crisis management strategies when safety measures fail. The focus of this study was to evaluate dominant crisis communication and management best practices and adopt those methods into models that could be used following a construction worksite fatality.

METHODS

Through literature review, this study acknowledged barriers to crisis management implementation within the construction industry, defined worksite fatalities as a preventable crisis type, identified major organizational implications of a crisis event, determined applicable response strategies following a worksite fatality, and identified major stakeholder groups impacted by fatality events. Prominent communication theories and models that have been used in multiple industries were identified and researched for this study. The literature review revealed general crisis communication theories and models that could be adapted specifically to the construction industry.

RESULTS

Two proactive communication models were created from the collected research. These models were designed to be adapted and utilized by construction organizations as a fundamental crisis communication tool and as a basis for individualized crisis management strategies following emergency events.

CONCLUSIONS

This study concludes that worksite fatalities are considered a preventable crisis type, with the risk of legal, financial, and reputational damage to an organization. Appropriate response methods include ingratiation, mortification or corrective action strategies which are dependent on an organization's stakeholders, perceived responsibility, reputation, and crisis history.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Construction organizations could apply the models proposed in this study as foundational building blocks in alignment with strategic crisis management planning and safety failure preparation.

Current practices, needs, and expectations of discussing work with a medical specialist from a patient's perspective: a qualitative study

PURPOSE

Attention to paid work in clinical health care-clinical work-integrating care (CWIC)-might be beneficial for patients of working age. However, the perceptions and expectations of patients about CWIC are unknown. The aim of this study was to develop an understanding of current practices, needs, and expectations among patients for discussing work with a medical specialist.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A qualitative study was undertaken involving patients with diverse medical conditions (n = 33). Eight online synchronous focus groups were held. A thematic analysis was then performed.

RESULTS

Three themes emerged from the data: (1) the process of becoming a patient while wanting to work again, (2) different needs for different patients, (3) patients' expectations of CWIC. We identified three different overarching categories of work-concerns: (a) the impact of work on disease, (b) the impact of disease or treatment on work ability, and (c) concerns when work ability remained decreased. For each category of concerns, patients expected medical specialists to perform differing roles.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients indicated that they need support for work-related concerns from their medical specialists and/or other professionals. Currently, not all work concerns received the requested attention, leaving a portion of the patients with unmet needs regarding CWIC.

A practical framework to develop and prioritize safety interventions to improve underground coal miners' safety performance

BACKGROUND

Improvement of workers' safety performance is an integral and essential part of safety management. Relevant safety interventions to improve workers' safety performance are generally difficult to establish when there is a wide range of occupational hazards and at-risk individuals' features.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed at formulating a practical approach to develop and prioritize potential safety interventions based on occupational and individual risk factors perceived by workers to promote workers' safety performance.

METHODS

A simple framework developed to identify and prioritize the suitable safety interventions. This framework made use of data collected using standardized and validated questionnaire and domain experts' opinions. Pearson correlation coefficients, exploratory factor analysis, and multiple linear regression were used to identify significant risk factors associated with workers' safety performance. Data were collected by interviewing 202 coal mine workers with occupational injuries, and their immediate supervisors from three mines.

RESULTS

Safety performance was associated with the occupational factor-domain (poor working condition, poor safety environment, poor job satisfaction, and high job stress) only (regression coefficient = 2.14, p < 0.01). The following interventions were identified and prioritized to promote workers' safety performance: provide fair compensation to workers, job-specific and safety training, promotion policy, achievable targets, relevant perks/benefits, safety training awareness, workplace lighting, ventilation network, sensitize the management, associate safety performance to promotion, and develop team spirit.

CONCLUSION

Our approach helps to identify and prioritize the most relevant interventions to promote safety at work when there are multiple risk factors.

Occupational accident indicators among Social Security beneficiaries: temporal trend and magnitude in Brazil and its regions, 2009-2019

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the temporal trend and magnitude of occupational accident indicators among Social Security beneficiaries in Brazil and its regions from 2009 to 2019.

METHODS

A time series study was conducted on occupational accident indicators in the regions of Brazil, from 2009 to 2019. Data were retrieved from the Statistical Yearbook of Occupational Accidents and the Statistical Yearbook of Social Security. Prais-Winsten generalized linear regression models were used to estimate trends, and annual percentage change and their respective 95% confidence intervals were obtained.

RESULTS

There were 7,253,923 occupational accidents during the study period. The average incidence rate was 16.3 per 1,000 employment relationships, with a decreasing trend (APC = 4.3%; 95%CI -5.63;-3.26).

CONCLUSION

Brazil and its regions showed an overall decreasing trend in indicators representing morbidity burden and the magnitude of occupational accidents.

MAIN RESULTS

In Brazil, despite regional inequalities, there has been a decrease in occupational accident rates reported to Social Security.

IMPLICATIONS FOR SERVICES

The results suggest improvements in working conditions, control and prevention of occupational accidents among these workers and contribute to targeting measures to prevent and control these diseases in the regions with the highest incidence.

PERSPECTIVES

Further research could explore trends according to professional category and economic activity sector, aimed at improving the monitoring of safety conditions and the wellbeing of workers in the regions of Brazil.

Night work, season and alertness as occupational safety hazards in the Arctic: protocol for the Noralert observational crossover study among Norwegian process operators

INTRODUCTION

The objective of this study is to determine the effects of night work, Arctic seasonal factors and cold working environments on human functions relevant to safety. The study aims to quantify the contribution of (1) several consecutive night shifts, (2) seasonal variation on sleepiness, alertness and circadian rhythm and (3) whether a computational model of sleep, circadian rhythms and cognitive performance can accurately predict the observed sleepiness and alertness.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

In an observational crossover study of outdoor and indoor workers (n=120) on a three-shift schedule from an industrial plant in Norway (70 °N), measurements will be conducted during the summer and winter. Sleep duration and quality will be measured daily by smartphone questionnaire, aided by actigraphy and heart rate measurements. Sleepiness and alertness will be assessed at regular intervals by the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale and the psychomotor vigilance test, respectively. Saliva samples will assess melatonin levels, and a blood sample will measure circadian time. Thermal exposures and responses will be measured by sensors and by thermography.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

All participants will give written informed consent to participate in the study, which will be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The Norwegian Regional Committee for Medical Research Ethics South-East D waivered the need for ethics approval (reference 495816). Dissemination plans include academic and lay publications, and partnerships with national and regional policymakers.

Burden of injury due to occupational accidents and its spatiotemporal trend at the national and subnational levels in Iran, 2011-2018

PURPOSE

The spatiotemporal trend of the burden of injury due to occupational accidents in Iran, 2011-2018 were assessed at the national and subnational levels.

METHODS

The burden of occupational injury was estimated using three datasets of occupational injury data, the employed population, and duration and disability weight of injuries.

RESULTS

The disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), deaths, DALY rate, and death rate (per 100,000 workers) of occupational injury in Iran drastically decreased from 169,523, 2,280, 827, and 11 in 2011 to 86,235, 1,151, 362, and 5 in 2018, respectively. The DALY rates of occupational injury were significantly different by gender and age in a manner that the DALY rate of men was much higher than that of women and the DALY rates by age group in 2018 ranged from 98 for 50 y and over to 901 for 15-19 y. The shares of injury outcomes in the total DALYs in 2018 were as follows: 63.6% for fatal injuries, 17.4% for fracture, 7.9% for open wound, 7.3% for amputation, and 3.8% for other injuries. Over 83% of the DALYs was observed in three economic activity groups of construction, manufacturing, and community, social, and personal service activities. The three provinces with the highest DALY rates in 2018 were Markazi, West Azarbaijan, and East Azarbaijan, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Despite the decreasing temporal trend, the burden of occupational injury in Iran in 2018 was high. The high-risk groups and hot spot provinces should be taken into more consideration for further reduction of the injury burden.

Influence of communication determinants on safety commitment in a high-risk workplace: a systematic literature review of four communication dimensions

Health, safety, and environment (HSE) are critical aspects of any industry, particularly in high-risk environments, such as the oil and gas industry. Continuous accident reports indicate the requirement for the effective implementation of safety rules, regulations, and practices. This systematic literature review examines the relationship between safety communication and safety commitment in high-risk workplaces, specifically focusing on the oil and gas industry. The review comprises 1,439 articles from 2004 to 2023, retrieved from the Scopus and Web of Science databases following the PRISMA comprehensive guidelines. This study considers safety communication, communication climate, and communication satisfaction to evaluate their influence on safety commitment under occupational health and safety. This study identifies safety commitment issues and their underlying factors, discussing measures for preventing and reducing accidents and incidents and highlighting preventive measures for future research. It also signifies the variables influencing accident and incident rates. The research underscores the importance of communication dimensions and the need for workers to possess adequate skills, knowledge, and attitudes regarding occupational safety and health procedures. Moreover, the study contributes to the industrial and academic domains by improving organizational safety commitment, promoting a safety culture, and developing effective communication strategies. Furthermore, practitioners may benefit from this comprehensive overview in developing, evaluating, and enhancing occupational safety.

Impact assessment of e-trainings in occupational safety and health: a literature review

BACKGROUND

Implementing workplace preventive interventions reduces occupational accidents and injuries, as well as the negative consequences of those accidents and injuries. Online occupational safety and health training is one of the most effective preventive interventions. This study aims to present current knowledge on e-training interventions, make recommendations on the flexibility, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness of online training, and identify research gaps and obstacles.

METHOD

All studies that addressed occupational safety and health e-training interventions designed to address worker injuries, accidents, and diseases were chosen from PubMed and Scopus until 2021. Two independent reviewers conducted the screening process for titles, abstracts, and full texts, and disagreements on the inclusion or exclusion of an article were resolved by consensus and, if necessary, by a third reviewer. The included articles were analyzed and synthesized using the constant comparative analysis method.

RESULT

The search identified 7,497 articles and 7,325 unique records. Following the title, abstract, and full-text screening, 25 studies met the review criteria. Of the 25 studies, 23 were conducted in developed and two in developing countries. The interventions were carried out on either the mobile platform, the website platform, or both. The study designs and the number of outcomes of the interventions varied significantly (multi-outcomes vs. single-outcome). Obesity, hypertension, neck/shoulder pain, office ergonomics issues, sedentary behaviors, heart disease, physical inactivity, dairy farm injuries, nutrition, respiratory problems, and diabetes were all addressed in the articles.

CONCLUSION

According to the findings of this literature study, e-trainings can significantly improve occupational safety and health. E-training is adaptable, affordable, and can increase workers' knowledge and abilities, resulting in fewer workplace injuries and accidents. Furthermore, e-training platforms can assist businesses in tracking employee development and ensuring that training needs are completed. Overall, this analysis reveals that e-training has enormous promise in the field of occupational safety and health for both businesses and employees.

Fatal work accidents in Ecuador from 2014 to 2020: How the age of the deceased worker relates to the accidents' temporal and geographical characteristics

This article analyzes the relationship between the age of male workers deceased in work accidents and temporal (year, month, day of the week, working shifts), geographic (provinces), and economic sector characteristics in which the accidents occurred in Ecuador between 2014 and 2020. Available data on fatal accidents from the Ecuadorian Social Security Institute (IESS) were collected. The results, which report both frequencies and proportions (rates), indicate that fatal accidents have decreased in the period, although the average age of deceased workers has increased. No significant differences were found regarding the month, day of the week, and work shift, nor in the frequency of accidents or the age of the deceased workers. However, differences were found in terms of geographical areas and sectors of economic activity. This study contributes to the literature as it is the first to analyze the temporal and geographical characteristics of fatal accidents about the age of the deceased worker.

Thermal Susceptibility of Nickel in the Manufacture of Softeners

The chemical industry includes a wide range of factories focused on obtaining final products as: (i) plastics; (ii) chemical fibers; (iii) rubber; (iv) perfumery and cosmetic products; and (v) cleaning products. Although the level of safety in the activities and installations of this sector is very high, the use of dangerous substances implies an increased risk of suffering an accident involving the emission of hazardous substances, as well as endangering the safety of workers. In the case of the manufacture of softeners, the presence of isopropanol (C3H8O), and dimethyl sulfate (CH3)2SO4), have been reported to be the accident cause in most of the cases. The European accident database (eMars) reported an accident in which the presence of impurities of nickel (Ni) in the hydrogenated tallow used as raw material for softener production may have increased thermal reactivity and the chances of spontaneous combustion. This paper analyzes the results obtained with the Maciejasz Index (MI) to understand the thermal susceptibility of these substances in liquid state. The results show that combinations of nickel (hydrogenated tallow catalyst) with other liquid substances (isopropanol, dimethyl sulfate, and sulfuric acid) are not sufficiently reactive with oxygen to cause a spontaneous combustion.

The Epidemiology of Work-Related Injuries in Saudi Arabia Between 2016 and 2021

Background Workplace safety has increased in many developed nations, but work-related injuries (WRIs) are on the rise. Globally, approximately 2.9 million fatal work-related injuries and diseases occurred in 2021, up from 1.1 million in 1999. Method This work employs a cross-sectional study using the open data published by the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI) on an annual basis for the years 2016 to 2021. The data from one year in each category were compared with a reference year by using the index value method and simple linear regression. Additionally, the researchers calculated the injury-to-worker ratio for each year. Aim The aim of this study is to assess the trending epidemiology of work-related injuries in Saudi Arabia from 2016 to 2021 among insured workers and compare this trend to previous studies. Result A total of 1,009 work-related deaths wererecorded over the study period, averaging 168 per year. In comparison with non-Saudi workers, the Saudi workers' shares of injuries rose from 5.3% in 2016 to 10% in 2021. Injuries in the construction sector comprised 42%-48% of all injuries, followed by the commerce sector. In 2021, the highest percentage of injuries involved service occupations (47.5%), followed by the engineering sector. Between 2016 and 2018, the most common injury cause was falls (28.5% in 2018), and from 2020 to 2021, exposure to inanimate mechanical forces caused the most injuries (46%). Conclusion The study revealed that the trend of work-related injuries had decreased during the study period, consistent with the results of similar previous studies.

Occupational Disease in New York State: An Update

An assessment of occupational disease in New York State was undertaken that partially replicated and expanded earlier work from 1987. Utilizing an expanded conception of occupational disease, the assessment used a variety of data sources and methods to provide estimates of mortality and morbidity of occupational disease; workers exposed to specific workplace hazards; disparities in occupational disease among racial/ethnic groups and gender; costs and distribution of costs of occupational disease; and accessible occupational medical resources. Examples of the pathways work may impact health in some of the major health issues of current import including stress-related health conditions; substance use; and overweight/obesity were included. The report contains recommendations for addressing the problem of occupational disease in New York State and advocates for the convening of a statewide group to develop an occupational disease prevention agenda.

Occupational accidental injury deaths in Tokyo and Chiba prefectures, Japan: A 10-year study (2011-2020) of forensic institute evaluations

Occupational accidental injury deaths (OAIDs) are a major social problem, and the analysis of individual cases is important for developing injury prevention measures. In this study, OAIDs with autopsies performed at forensic facilities in the metropolitan area of Japan (Tokyo and Chiba prefectures) from 2011 to 2020 were reviewed. The epidemiological characteristics of these OAIDs (n = 136), which accounted for 13.5% of OAIDs reported in the region during the study period, were compared with those of non-occupational accidental injury deaths (non-OAID) cases (n = 3926). Among OAID cases, 134 (98.5%) were men and 13 (9.6%) were foreign-born workers, which was significantly more than in non-OAID cases (p < 0.001, respectively). OAIDs were most frequent in construction (39.0%) followed by the manufacturing category (21.3%). The percentage of OAIDs in workers aged 65 and over showed an increasing trend. Most accidents occurred just after the start of work or just before the workday ended, as well as during the peak months of the year. The most common type of accident was fall/crash from a height (25.0%), and the most common injury site was the chest; none of these cases were confirmed to have been wearing a safety belt properly. Among foreign-born workers, the most common type of accident was caught in/between. As the working population is expected to change in the future, and an increase in the number of older adults and foreign workers is expected, it is necessary to take preventive measures such as improving the work environment based on ergonomics and providing safety education.

The risk of injuries during work and its association with precipitation: New insight from a sentinel-based surveillance and a case-crossover design

Background

Injuries during work are often exogenous and can be easily influenced by environmental factors, especially weather conditions. Precipitation, a crucial weather factor, has been linked to unintentional injuries, yet evidence of its effect on work-related injuries is limited. Therefore, we aimed to clarify the impact of precipitation on injuries during work as well as its variation across numerous vulnerability features.

Methods

Records on the work-related injury during 2016-2020 were obtained from four sentinel hospitals in Guangzhou, China, and were matched with the daily weather data during the same period. We applied a time-stratified case-crossover design followed by a conditional logistic regression to evaluate the association between precipitation and work-related injuries. Covariates included wind speed, sunlight, temperature, SO ₂, NO ₂, and PM _2.5. Results were also stratified by multiple factors to identify the most vulnerable subgroups.

Results

Daily precipitation was a positive predictor of work-related injuries, with each 10 mm increase in precipitation being associated with an increase of 1.57% in the rate of injuries on the same day and 1.47-1.14% increase of injuries on subsequent 3 days. The results revealed that precipitation had a higher effect on work-related injuries in winter (4.92%; 95%CI: 1.77-8.17%). The elderly (2.07%; 95%CI: 0.64-3.51%), male (1.81%; 95%CI: 0.96-2.66%) workers or those with lower educational levels (2.58%; 95%CI: 1.59-3.54%) were more likely to suffer from injuries on rainy days. There was a higher risk for work-related injuries caused by falls (2.63%; 95%CI: 0.78-4.52%) or the use of glass products (1.75%; 95%CI: 0.49-3.02%) on rainy days.

Conclusions

Precipitation was a prominent risk factor for work-related injury, and its adverse effect might endure for 3 days. Certain sub-groups of workers were more vulnerable to injuries in the rain.

Profiles of women who have suffered occupational accidents in cleaning: perceived health, psychosocial risks, and personality variables

PURPOSE

The main goal was to identify the variables (sociodemographic, work, psychosocial, perceived health, and personality) associated with occupational accidents suffered in the past by women in the cleaning sector.

METHODS

A sample of 455 women was evaluated.

RESULTS

A total of 23.5% of the workers (n = 107) had suffered an occupational accident with medical leave. In general, women who had suffered some accident in their life had a worse situation in all areas evaluated. Two subsamples of women had a greater association with accidents. Specifically, the presence of work accidents was 15.9 times higher among those who presented a worse perception of their physical effort and a greater tendency towards risky behaviours and 13.5 times higher among those who had a moderate perception of physical exertion and a disability.

CONCLUSION

In general, the characteristics of female workers were found to be associated with different accident rates. Preventive actions should be designed individually.

Economic costs and Predictors of occupation-related Injuries in Ethiopian sugar industries from the Employer’s perspective: top-down approach and friction method

Background

For many industrial workers, occupational injuries are a common health and safety concern. However, sufficient information on the economic costs and predictors of occupation-related injuries from the perspective of employers is lacking in developing countries, including Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to close this gap by quantifying the economic costs and predictors of occupation-related injuries in Ethiopian manufacturing industries from the employer’s perspective.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was employed to estimate the employer-side economic cost of occupation-related injuries from December 2021 to March 2022. This study used a top-down approach to compute direct costs, while the friction method was used for indirect cost estimation. Injury data were obtained from the Bureau of Labour and Social Affairs and the industries, while cost data were from workers’ compensation records. The insurance company’s injury compensation record was triangulated with industries’ data. The study collected primary data via an interview-administered, semi-structured questionnaire from 1136 randomly selected injured cases. Statistical analysis was carried out with STATA version 14 software. The study employed a generalized linear model to identify predictors of total cost by considering the non-normal distribution of the total cost. Exponentiate coefficients with a 95% confidence interval were used to express the direction and strength of the association.

Results

The survey participation rate was 100%. From the perspective of the employers, the total cost of occupation–related injury was 22,587,635.32 Ethiopian birr (537,800.84 $).Indirect and direct costs accounted for 65.86 and 34.14% of the overall expenses, respectively. Long-term absence from work (exp (b) = 0.85), having a sleeping disorder (exp (b) = 0.90), co-morbidity (exp (b) = 0.85), and severity (type) of injury (exp (b) = 1.11) were predictors significantly associated with the total cost variability in the fully adjusted model.

Conclusions

Employers’ toll of occupation-related injuries has severe economic implications. The influential factors that elevated the total cost variation were: long-term absence from work, unsafe acts of the workers, having a sleeping disorder, co-morbidity, and severity (type) of injury. Therefore, the identified modifiable factors are the areas of intervention to reduce the cost of occupation-related injuries.

Asbestos in soil and water: A review of analytical techniques and methods

In this review the main standard and novel analytical techniques and methods for sampling, sample preparation, detection and quantification of asbestos in soil and water are described, compared and discussed in terms of advantages and limitations. An overview of common analytical methods applied for identification and quantification of airborne asbestos is preliminary provided, as they have been widely studied, due to the well-known human pathologies related to fibers inhalation. Despite the presence of asbestos in soil and water may also constitute a health risk, it has been less investigated and regulated. For these environmental matrices, the methods adopted at international and national scale, covering the whole analytical process, from sampling to management of data, are reported in depth, highlighting their limitations like sensitivity, reliability and reproducibility. Finally, different promising novel/unconventional methods, that may substitute or support traditional ones for asbestos detection both in environmental and anthropic matrices, are presented and critically evaluated.

Constructivist multi-criteria model to support the management of occupational accident risks in civil construction industry

Civil construction is one of the industrial sectors with continuous growth globally, particularly in Brazil in the last 50 years. Unfortunately, it is also one of the productive segments with the highest incidence of accidents, which overshadows its merits as a driver of economic growth and job creation. The damage to workers' health caused by accidents at work results from the presence of work environment risk factors. Therefore, this study aims to manage these risk factors for the civil construction industry. The work is original with respect to building a model to support risk management in civil construction for a specific and relevant context. It is ensured by presenting an unprecedented approach to the sector that incorporates information not considered by classic generic approaches. This research, thereby, seeks to build a model to support the risk management of accidents in the workplace in the prefabricated concrete construction industry. It is a case study with a constructivist approach and an exploratory and descriptive character, incorporating the Multicriteria Methodology for Decision Aiding-Constructivist (MCDA-C). The main findings include (i) identifying the strategic objectives: occupational safety policy, work environment, machines and equipment, condition of materials, procedures and methods, and skills, which were operationalized via 58 criteria; (ii) examining the scales of the criteria such as the performance profile of the current situation and the goal, highlighting the vulnerabilities and potentials; (iii) proposing improvement actions for the vulnerabilities, thus supporting risk management in the organization. Among the contributions, managers and professionals in the field contribute to the possibility of using an instrument customized to the context and legitimate to their concerns and values stands out. Furthermore, the contributions of researchers include the challenge of improving their generic models with the knowledge of personalized models.

Differences between men and women in their risk of work injury and disability: A systematic review

Background

Health responses associated with occupational exposures can vary between men and women.

Aims

This study reviewed the work injury and disability risks associated with similar types of occupational exposures for men and women within and across occupations.

Materials & Methods

A systematic review was undertaken of observational studies published between 2009 and 2019. Studies were required to empirically compare men and women for associations between occupational exposures and work injury or disability outcomes. Included studies were appraised for methodological quality and medium to high rated studies were compared for risk differences between men and women.

Results

Of 14,006 records identified, 440 articles were assessed for methodological quality, and 33 medium to high rated studies were included and reviewed. Among all occupations, the association between physical exposures, job demands, noise, and repetitive tasks, and injury risk were stronger among men. The relationship between repetitive tasks and sickness absence was stronger among women. Most studies examining psychological exposures found no risk differences for men and women across occupations. Men were at higher injury risk in certain occupations in primary and secondary industry sectors involving physical exposures and some chemical/biological exposures. Women were at higher injury risk for the physical demands and repetitive tasks of health care and aluminum production occupations.

Conclusion

This review found that men and women can have different work injury and disability risks, both across and within the same occupations, for some physical exposures and to a lesser extent for some chemical and biological exposures. These differences might be a result of occupation‐specific task differences.

Occupational Injuries and Associated Factors Among Municipal Solid Waste Collectors in Harar Town, Eastern Ethiopia: A Cross Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Municipal solid waste collection is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world since it exposes the workers involved to occupational hazards and predisposes them to certain occupation-related morbidities. Occupational injuries among municipal solid waste collectors have not been adequately addressed or reported in developing countries, including Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of occupational injuries and associated factors among municipal solid waste collectors in Harar Town, Ethiopia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Harar town, Eastern Ethiopia from May 25, 2021 to June 25, 2021. Three hundred eighty-nine (389) municipal solid waste collectors were selected using a simple random sampling method. A self-administered structured questionnaire and an observational checklist were used to collect the data. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression were used to determine the association between independent variables and the outcome variable. A P-value of <.05 was considered as a cut-off point for statistical significance.

RESULTS

The current study found that about 60.4% of municipal solid waste collectors were exposed to occupational injuries. Furthermore, the study found a statistically significant association between the prevalence of occupational injuries and having a primary education [AOR = 0.10, 95% CI (0.03-0.38)], a secondary education [AOR = 0.04, 95% CI (0.03-0.45)], work experience [AOR = 5.975, (95% CI (2.01-17.75)], the use of personal protective equipment [AOR = 0.09, (95% CI: 0.02-0.46)], and training [AOR = 0.10, 95% CI (0.03-0.30)].

CONCLUSIONS

The current study found that more than three-fifth of municipal solid waste collectors were exposed to occupational injury. Furthermore, the current study found that there was an statistical relationship between the prevalence of occupational injuries and having a primary education, a secondary education, work experience, the use of personal protective equipment, and training. Before and after hiring solid waste collectors, employers should provide personal protective equipment and tailored training on safety measures.

The impact of major occupational injuries on professional reintegration. A Portuguese medico-legal contribution

Occupational injuries represent an enormous economic impact for victims, respective families, involved institutions and all the community due to professional outcomes. Thus, it is of the utmost importance that medico-legal personal injury assessment and the posterior follow-up of these victims, may allow their concrete damage repair, considering the victims' needs fulfilment and professional reintegration, whenever possible. The main objective of this study is to reflect on the role that legal medicine can play in promoting the professional reintegration of victims of major occupational accidents through the analysis of occupational injuries cases considering the medico-legal examinations performed. A retrospective study was conducted using medico-legal major occupational injuries cases (Partial Permanent Disability ≥40%). Data were collected from two medico-legal assessment moments: (a) personal injury assessment homologated by a labour court 4.8 years on average after occupational injury; (b) medico-legal follow-up for needs and/or Partial Permanent Disability adjustments performed 18.9 years on average after occupational injury. The final sample includes 103 cases. The results showed that in major occupational accidents, permanent long-term outcomes were principally associated with neurological (62.1%) and orthopaedic (52.4%) sequelae. Permanent professional damage parameters assigned by the labour court included Partial Permanent Disability (23.3%), Permanent Absolute Disability for Regular Work (41.7%) and Permanent Absolute Disability for Any Work (35%). Three-dimensional methodology is helpful in predicting Partial Permanent Disability and Permanent Absolute Disability for Any Work. However, three-dimensional methodology did not reveal correlations with Permanent Absolute Disability for Regular Work, and currently 65% of the victims who were considered able to work by the labour court are not professionally active. Thus, these major cases deserve a more detailed medico-legal approach based on concrete information about the professional reality of each victim, especially cases with an eventual Permanent Absolute Disability for Regular Work. Medico-legal Injury Assessment must be based on concrete aspects of the victim's professional reality and not only on permanent disability tables. This calls for an articulation between all institutions working with the victim of occupational injuries and legal medicine to promote recovery and the necessary measures to assure professional rehabilitation.

Small Scale Enterprise Workers Require Attention: What Predicts the Level of Occupational Injuries?

BACKGROUND

Occupational injuries are among the foremost public health problems that small scale enterprise workers are encountering. Most foregoing occupational injury studies focused on construction or welding industry workers which could underestimate the real level of occupational injuries recorded in small scale enterprises. Conversely, others deal with a combined level of injuries from both small scale and large scale enterprises. Therefore, this study examined the magnitude and predictors of occupational injuries among various categories of small scale enterprise workers in Ambo town (Ethiopia).

METHODS

An institutional-based cross-sectional study was employed among 408 small scale enterprise workers from September to October 2021. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was computed to identify factors associated with occupational injuries. Variables with P-value less than .05 were considered as significantly associated with occupational injuries.

RESULTS

The 1-year prevalence of occupational injuries was 39.5% (95% CI: 35-44). Age greater than 40 years (AOR = 2.84, 95% CI: 1.53-5.28), working for more than 8 hours per day (AOR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.61-4.95), working during the night time (AOR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.22-3.47), lack of workplace supervision (AOR = 2.55, 95% CI: 1.23-5.28), alcohol use (AOR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.24-3.06), chewing khat (AOR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.27-3.2), non-utilization of personal protective equipment (AOR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.03-2.87), and lack of health and safety training (AOR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.26-4.37) were important predictors of occupational injuries.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicated a substantial proportion of small scale enterprise workers experienced occupational injuries during the last year. Provision of health and safety training, continuous workplace supervisions, and provision and utilization of personal protective equipment are recommended.

A Global Review of Implementation of Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems for the Period 1970 to 2020

BACKGROUND

Global awareness on Occupational Safety and Health management systems (OSHMSs) has been increasing exponentially with time over the years. Evidence on the public domain shows that there is still much skepticism and reluctance on implementing OSHMSs, particularly in the least developed and developing countries. The primary objective of the theoretical review was to analyze the available evidence of research gaps on OSHMSs implementation globally over the period 1970 to 2020.

METHODS

The review adopted a descriptive mixed methods design premised on its ability to provide a platform for data triangulation that is paramount in enhancing the authenticity of the review findings.

RESULTS

Many studies conducted on implementation of OSHMSs were bereft of examining the challenges of OSHMSs implementation. The review further exposed some OSHMSs implementation disparities existing between the developed and the developing world, hence a conclusion can be drawn that a 'one size fits all approach' to OSHMS implementation may not ideal for many workplaces.

CONCLUSION

This review recommends contextualization of OSHMSs implementation taking into consideration other differing environmental factors. Ultimately, the review recommends propagation of further research that will exude the challenges associated with implementation of OSHMSs and their causal factors thereby providing the basis for establishment of problem driven solutions to increase uptake of OSHMSs at workplaces.

Literature Review: Relating Factors to the Effectiveness of Occupational Health and Safety Program Performance

Background: Work safety performance assessment is one part of the Occupational Health and Safety Management System activity, which aims to ensure workers' right to safety and health in the workplace and increase productivity. Further identification of factors related to safety performance needs to be done to ensure the quality of the assessment results is accurate, effective, and efficient. Methods: This study is a literature review conducted to explore factors related to the performance of occupational safety and health programs. The literature search was conducted in September 2021. The research sources were taken from several databases, namely Science Direct, ProQuest, and Google Scholar. The Science Direct database found 823 articles, 8,802 ProQuest, and 3,200 Google Scholars. From the entire database, only 22 articles met the inclusion criteria. The variables in this study are the performance of OHS, OHS management system, and work. Results: This literature review shows that there are 19 personal factors, 19 work environment factors, 13 technical factors and 37 organizational factors related to the effectiveness of occupational safety and health program performance. Conclusion: Factors related to occupational safety and health program performance are grouped into four main factors, namely personal factors, work environment factors, technical factors, and organizational factors.

Caring for yourself and for others: team health climate and self-care explain the relationship between health-oriented leadership and exhaustion

Purpose

Health-oriented leadership is an emerging concept that is promising for better understanding how leaders can support employee well-being. However, there is uncertainty about the process through which health-oriented leadership relates to employee well-being. Advancing health-oriented leadership research, this study aims to examine employee self-care and the perceived team health climate as mediating mechanisms.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a time-lagged study with three measurement points (NT1 = 335, NT2 = 134, NT2 = 113) to test these mechanisms.

Findings

The results show that health-oriented leadership at Time 1 positively relates to employee self-care and perceived team health climate at Time 2, which, in turn, are negatively associated with employee exhaustion at Time 3.

Originality/value

The indirect associations suggest that health-oriented leadership relates to employee well-being via the perceived team health climate and the individuals' self-care. By revealing an important mediating mechanism, this study contributes to the health-oriented leadership literature and can help organizations and leaders improve health promotion in organizations.

Applying the exposome concept to working life health

Exposures at work have a major impact on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Current risk reduction policies and strategies are informed by existing scientific evidence, which is limited due to the challenges of studying the complex relationship between exposure at work and outside work and health. We define the working life exposome as all occupational and related nonoccupational exposures. The latter includes nonoccupational exposures that may be directly or indirectly influenced by or interact with the working life of the individual in their relation to health. The Exposome Project for Health and Occupational Research aims to advance knowledge on the complex working life exposures in relation to disease beyond the single high exposure–single health outcome paradigm, mapping and relating interrelated exposures to inherent biological pathways, key body functions, and health. This will be achieved by combining (1) large-scale harmonization and pooling of existing European cohorts systematically looking at multiple exposures and diseases, with (2) the collection of new high-resolution external and internal exposure data. Methods and tools to characterize the working life exposome will be developed and applied, including sensors, wearables, a harmonized job exposure matrix (EuroJEM), noninvasive biomonitoring, omics, data mining, and (bio)statistics. The toolbox of developed methods and knowledge will be made available to policy makers, occupational health practitioners, and scientists. Advanced knowledge on working life exposures in relation to NCDs will serve as a basis for evidence-based and cost-effective preventive policies and actions. The toolbox will also enable future scientists to further expand the working life exposome knowledge base.

Exposição ocupacional e câncer: uma revisão guarda-chuva

Resumo Objetivo: fornecer uma visão geral das associações entre exposição ocupacional e risco da ocorrência ou morte por câncer. Métodos: esta revisão guarda-chuva da literatura utilizou as bases Medline e Web of Science. A partir de protocolo de busca, foram incluídas metanálises para diversas circunstâncias ocupacionais e cânceres selecionados que possuíssem algum nível de evidência para associação com ocupação. Resultados: foram incluídas 37 metanálises, abrangendo 18 localizações de câncer. Considerando a avaliação da heterogeneidade dos estudos, da qualidade da evidência e da força de associação, obteve-se evidências altamente sugestivas de associações entre exposição a solvente e mieloma múltiplo; amianto e câncer de pulmão; hidrocarbonetos e câncer de trato aerodigestivo superior; e estresse ocupacional e câncer colorretal. Conclusão: há evidências robustas para associar exposições ocupacionais e tipos de câncer não previstos, inicialmente, nas orientações de vigilância do câncer relacionado ao trabalho no Brasil. Permanecem lacunas sobre exposições de grande relevância, que carecem de metanálises mais consistentes, por exemplo, exposição a poeiras inorgânicas e câncer de pulmão e mesotelioma; exposição a solventes e tumores hematológicos. Evidências de câncer em outras regiões anatômicas foram menos robustas, apresentando indícios de incerteza ou viés.

Tendência temporal dos anos potenciais de vida perdidos por acidentes de trabalho fatais segundo raça/cor da pele na Bahia, 2000-2019

Resumo Introdução: poucos estudos buscam evidenciar as diferenças raciais e o impacto social das mortes precoces decorrentes do trabalho, o que contribui para a inexistência de políticas públicas que objetivem superar essas desigualdades. Objetivo: analisar a tendência temporal das Taxas de Anos Potenciais de Vida Perdidos (TAPVP) decorrentes de acidentes de trabalho, segundo raça/cor da pele no estado da Bahia, de 2000 a 2019. Métodos: estudo de série temporal, com base em dados do Sistema de Informação sobre Mortalidade (SIM); consideraram-se os óbitos por acidentes de trabalho. Empregou-se o modelo de regressão linear pelo método Joinpoint para análise da série temporal e o cálculo da Variação Percentual Anual (VPA) das TAPVP. Resultados: foram notificados 2.137 óbitos por acidentes de trabalho no período estudado, correspondentes a 64.791,5 APVP, dos quais 74,2% envolveram trabalhadores da raça/cor da pele parda. Destaca-se que a VPA das TAPVP entre trabalhadores pardos e negros foi, respectivamente, 2,3 e 3,0 vezes a VPA dos trabalhadores brancos. Os trabalhadores pardos morreram mais precocemente e tiveram maior perda de anos potenciais de vida em quantidade e maior velocidade de crescimento da TAPVP, comparados com os trabalhadores brancos. Conclusão: a mortalidade precoce por acidentes de trabalho representa um relevante problema de saúde pública, destacando-se entre trabalhadores não-brancos.

Epidemiology of occupational injuries in Kerman province during 2012-2016

BACKGROUND

According to the World Health Organization, occupational injuries are significant health issues globally that affect social lives and economic status. This study aimed to assess the situation of occupational injuries in the Kerman province.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, all occupational injuries registered in the Department of Cooperatives Labor and Social Welfare of Kerman Province were investigated during 2012-2016. Data were retrieved from an institutional database, including the official institutional software reports of Cooperatives Labor and Social Welfare occupational inspectors. The study used ArcGIS 10.3 software to prepare the geographical distribution of the cumulative incidence of occupational injuries on the map for each city. Data were analyzed using SPSS software.

RESULTS

A total of 2228 subjects with a mean age of 34 years and a mean work experience of 4.5years were injured during 5 years. 73.2% of them were married. 96.4% of them were Iranian, and 61.3% had insurance. The most number of injuries occurred in the construction industry, fractures being the typical outcome of the injuries. The most injured organ was the hands. Kerman has the highest number of injuries with 804 cases. Incidence rates ranged was 93 to 138 cases per 100,000 people in 5 years. The highest cumulative incidence rates of accidents occurred in Zarand and Kahnuj, respectively, in 5 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the decrease in occupational injuries in recent years, it is a severe problem in Kerman province. Occupational injuries cause irreparable damages to human resources, and it, directly and indirectly, imposes costs for the family and the government. Therefore, considering safety in occupational environments to prevent occupational injuries should be a priority in planning.

Occupational exposure and cancer: an umbrella review

Abstract Objective: to provide an overview of the associations between occupational exposure and risk of occurrence or death from cancer. Methods: this umbrella review used the Medline and Web of Science databases. Based on the search protocol, meta-analysis was included for several occupational circumstances and selected cancers that had some level of evidence associated with the occupation. Results: 37 meta-analysis were included, covering 18 cancer locations. By assessing the heterogeneity of studies, quality of evidence, and strength of association, results highly indicated associations between solvent exposure and multiple myeloma, asbestos and lung cancer, hydrocarbons and upper aerodigestive tract cancer, occupational stress and colorectal cancer. Conclusion: robust evidence shows an association between occupational exposures and types of cancer not initially foreseen in the guidelines for work-related cancer surveillance in Brazil. Gaps in relevant exposures require further research and more consistent meta-analysis, including: exposure to inorganic dust and lung cancer and mesothelioma; solvents and hematological tumors. Evidence of cancer in other anatomical regions was less robust, showing signs of uncertainty or bias.

Analysis of ergonomic occupational accidents and near misses in a large Belgian university hospital

INTRODUCTION

Health-care organizations are facing a high burden of ergonomic occupational accidents, and prevention is a continuous point of interest. In this manuscript, we describe the characteristics of ergonomic accidents in a large Belgian university hospital and discuss the value of near misses.

METHODS

Combining databases, we identified the frequency [number of accidents × 10⁶ hours worked per year], severity (number of days off work × 10³ hours worked per year), and profile of the victims of occupational ergonomic accidents (with absence from work) or incidents or near-misses (without absence from work). Ergonomic accidents and incidents include slips, trips, falls, injurious body movements, overexertion, and handling heavy weights.

RESULTS

In a period of 23 years, we noticed a significant decrease in the frequency of ergonomic accidents (from about 7 to about 4 standard units), without changes in the severity. The decrease in the frequency of accidents is mirrored by an increase in the frequency of incidents (from about 4 to about 6 standard units). Female and older employees are more vulnerable to accidents, and the frequency was between two and four times higher for employees mostly involved in manual tasks compared to employees mostly involved in managerial tasks. The profile of the victims and the causes of accidents and incidents were identical.

CONCLUSION

Although it is premature to assume a cause-consequence relationship between incidents and accidents, it is tempting to speculate that the increased ratio of the frequencies of incidents over accidents might be one of the variables reflecting the adequacy of preventive measures and the growth of safety behavior.

Construction safety: an analysis of the cross-influence of economic, construction, and accident death factors

To explore the relations between the number of accident deaths (NCD) and various factors in construction safety, a multiple linear regression model was established, based on the panel data of economy, construction labor, and the number of accident deaths in 31 provinces (regions) of China from 2009 to 2018. The results show that the average total profits and taxes (TPAT), and the death rate of ten thousand people (DR) are positively correlated with NCD, while the labor productivity (LP) is negatively correlated with it. Under the condition that other factors remain unchanged, NCD increases by 0.02 per a hundred million CNY. However, if DR increases by one ten thousand, NCD will increase by 8.66 on average. On the contrary, when LP increases by a hundred million CNY per ten thousand people, NCD decreases by 0.19. The model also predicts NCD in different provinces and cities from 2019 to 2020 with the method of quadratic exponential smoothing. As well, practice results show that the model is effective and practical.

National and subnational burden of disease attributable to occupational exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (SUVR) in Iran, 2005-2019

Overexposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (SUVR) can cause skin and eye adverse effects for outdoor workers. In this study, the burden of disease induced by occupational exposure to SUVR and its spatiotemporal trend at national and sub-national levels in Iran, 2005-2019 were assessed. The attributable burden of disease was assessed using the following five datasets: (1) distribution of occupational exposure to SUVR, (2) total incidences and deaths of health outcomes of SUVR exposure, (3) population attributable fractions of the health outcomes of SUVR exposure, (4) age-gender distribution of outdoor workers, and (5) disability-adjusted life year (DALY) calculation constants. During 2005-2019, the attributable DALYs increased from 2442 to 2907 and the attributable DALY rate (per 100,000 workers) slightly decreased from 11.94 to 11.91. The share of YLL in the attributable burden of disease was in the range of 43%-46%. Out of nine causes, about 90% of the attributable burden of disease in 2019 was related to cataracts (29.9%), malignant skin melanoma (27.4%), squamous-cell carcinoma (18.6%), and sunburn (17.2%). During the study period, the attributable DALY rate in women increased by 60.95% (from 5.04 to 8.11) and in men decreased by 2.06% (from 13.03 to 12.76). The total attributable DALYs and DALY rate rose by age during 2005-2019. The contributions of population growth, risk-deleted DALY rates, exposure risk, and population age structure in temporal changes of the attributable burden of disease were 19.27%, 9.13%, -1.35%, and -14.8%, respectively. The three highest attributable DALY rates in 2019 were observed in South Khorasan (21.28), Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari (17.42), and Kordestan (17.26), respectively. The preventive interventions against SUVR overexposure, regular screenings, and early treatments with an emphasis on occupations with continuous sun exposure and provinces with increasing attributable DALY rates should be considered in the occupational health action plan in the country.

Family-to-Work Interface and Workplace Injuries: The Mediating Roles of Burnout, Work Engagement, and Safety Violations

Past research has primarily investigated the role of the negative side (family-to-work conflict; FWC) of the family-to-work interface in workplace safety outcomes and neglected the positive side (family-to-work enrichment; FWE). Moreover, the mechanism underlying the relation between the family-to-work interface and workplace safety has not been well studied. From the perspectives of the job demands-resources model as well as conservation of resources theory, this study endeavors to extend the current literature on workplace safety by evaluating the mediating roles of burnout, work engagement, and safety violations in the associations of FWC and FWE with workplace injuries. Two-wave longitudinal survey data were obtained from 233 Chinese employees in two high-risk industries (nursing and railways). The hypothesized longitudinal mediation model was analyzed with the structural equation modeling technique. It was revealed that the association of FWE with workplace injuries was mediated by work engagement and then safety violations. Burnout was found to mediate the association of FWC with workplace injuries. Safety violations were also found to mediate the association of FWC with workplace injuries. The present findings offer insights into the underlying mechanisms by which the family-to-work interface influences workplace injuries.

Reducing Waste in Healthcare through Occupational Safety and Health Measures: A Study of Manufacturing Industries in Taiwan

Occupational accidents and diseases cause the loss of valuable workers and lead to high healthcare expenses. Because occupational accidents and diseases are ascribed to inadequate working conditions and work environments, they can be prevented through a well-established occupational safety and health management system, which can ensure workers' health and reduce the expense of healthcare. The study investigated the shortage of work-related occupational safety and health (OSH) measures in medium-sized manufacturing industries. This study mainly focused on qualitative interviews with 15 labor inspectors and 25 business executives from OSH participating to investigate the problems of occupational safety and health in the manufacturing industries in Taiwan. The results of a qualitative study show that the most important problems with OSH management are employers' negligence and workers' insufficient knowledge about OSH management. The research results revealed the following eighteen significant shortcomings of OSH management: employers care mostly about production profit and do not care much for OSH; OSH data collection and OSH planning are not suitable for the workplace; many managers of OSH affairs are not qualified, in terms of their professional or academic backgrounds; and the repair of workplaces' roofs often results in falling accidents, especially before or after a typhoon, because of workers' failure to use safety belts and/or to follow OSH guidelines. In order to address the shortcomings and bottlenecks, the study also presented recommendations for how to implement and revise the OSH Act and how to research and enhance OSH management. The results of this study will not only supply the Ministry of Labor (Taiwan) with data to plan the strategy of OSH management but also will allow employers and workers to improve OSH management in the workplace in order to prevent the occurrence of occupational accidents.

Mercury Exposure among E-Waste Recycling Workers in Colombia: Perceptions of Safety, Risk, and Access to Health Information

Exposures to the toxic element mercury (Hg) are exceptionally high among recycling workers globally. Recycling is a growing sector in Colombia, yet workers who directly handle e-waste are often unaware of the risks of exposure to mercury from post-consumer lighting products (e.g., fluorescent lamps). This qualitative study aimed to understand how recycling workers perceive their own risks from mercury exposure and how they find information about these risks, through interviews (n = 35) at the three largest formal recycling facilities in Colombia. Workers' risk perception was generally disconnected from their likely actual exposure to mercury, instead often seen juxtaposed to co-workers who worked more directly with hazardous waste. Recycling workers, who were predominantly men from lower-income socioeconomic backgrounds, had limited knowledge of health risks due to mercury exposure and were more likely to receive health-related information from informal sources. Over a third of interviewees had searched online for information about occupational health risks of mercury, but these searches were perceived as unsatisfactory due to information being difficult to find, not available in Spanish, or related to mercury exposure via seafood or mining rather than recycling. Workers expressed (over)confidence in personal protective equipment and concern about frequent employee turnover. This study points to weaknesses in environmental health literacy and public health communication around toxic exposures to mercury in the workplace. Stronger regulation and enforcement are needed to prevent toxic exposures and promote worker health equity.

Managing occupational health among goldminers in Ghana: Modelling the likelihood of experiencing occupational related health problems

Background

The importance of goldmining to Ghana’s development cannot be overestimated. However, the associated morbidities and mortalities resulting from occupational exposure to health hazards and the general cost associated with it is critical. In managing occupational health, a simple comprehension of the main determinants of the problem is required.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey of 504 goldminers was fitted to a nested binary logistic regression model to evaluate the independent effect of subsector departments, compositional attributes, contextual factors and working conditions on goldminers’ likelihood of experiencing occupational related health problems.

Results

Subsector department was robust and persisted in predicting experiencing occupational related health problems in all three models. Goldminers who were in artisanal small scale (ASM) non-production, large scale (LSM) production and LSM non-production were less likely to experience occupational related health problems as compared to their counterparts in ASM production. For the compositional factors, female goldminers were more likely to experience occupational related health problems as compared to their male co-workers. Goldminers who were married and also older miners were more likely to experience occupational related health problems as compared to the unmarried and the relatively younger goldminers. At the contextual level, miners who worked on shift-based schedule and also miners who lived close to mine sites were more likely to experience occupational related health problems. Among the working conditions, goldminers who worked in good health conditions were less likely to experience occupational related health problems. Surprisingly, goldminers who rated their safety conditions as good were more likely to experience occupational related health problems.

Conclusion

Gold miners are exposed to different health risk scenarios across subsectors and departments. These conditions need critical attention and action from industry stakeholders. Programs that promote self-care culture should be promoted, especially in the ASM subsector. PPE’s could be relied on for protection in the mining industry but they should be the last line of defense and not to replace preventive measures and actions.