Environmental evaluation for workplace violence in healthcare and social services

PROBLEM: Federal policy recommends environmental strategies as part of a comprehensive workplace violence program in healthcare and social services. The purpose of this project was to contribute specific, evidence-based guidance to the healthcare and social services employer communities regarding the use of environmental design to prevent violence. METHOD: A retrospective record review was conducted of environmental evaluations that were performed by an architect in two Participatory Action Research (PAR) projects for workplace violence prevention in 2000 and, in the second project in 2005. Ten facility environmental evaluation reports along with staff focus group reports from these facilities were analyzed to categorize environmental risk factors for Type II workplace violence. RESULTS: Findings were grouped according to their impact on access control, the ability to observe patients (natural surveillance), patient and worker safety (territoriality), and activity support. DISCUSSION: The environmental assessment findings reveal design and security issues that, if corrected, would improve safety and security of staff, patients, and visitors and reduce fear and unpredictability. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Healthcare and social assistance employers can improve the effectiveness of violence prevention efforts by including an environmental assessment with complementary hazard controls.     

Workplace violence intervention effectiveness: A systematic literature review

This is a systematic review of literature published since 1992, to determine the effectiveness of interventions in preventing workplace violence and to suggest interventions that need further evaluation research. The health care industry is the topic of 54% of the papers, the retail industry is the topic of 11% of the papers, and the remaining papers address the workplace in general or other situations. This finding drives the organization of this review: the first group of papers discussed in this review evaluates interventions to prevent workplace violence in the retail industry – mostly to prevent robbery and violence to retail workers. Singly or in combination, environmental designs in the retail industry, such as increased lighting to improve visibility and a limited cash-handling policy, can make workers safer, but more research is needed to overcome the barriers to implementation of environmental designs, especially in small businesses. The second group of papers in this review is about interventions to prevent violence to health care workers – mostly training and techniques of dealing with combative patients. Training health care workers to better cope with violent patients and to avoid injury is becoming standard practice, but research is needed to identify specific aspects of training and patient management programs that are most effective.     

Violence‐prevention climate,exposure to violence and aggression,and prevention behavior: A mediation model

This study explored mechanisms underlying employees' behaviors targeted at preventing workplace physical violence and verbal aggression. Poor psychological violence‐prevention climate perceptions and previous exposure to violence and aggression represent stressors that were associated with increased strains and reduced motivation. Strains and motivation, in turn, were related to prevention behaviors. We collected data from employee and coworker dyads, and structural equation modeling results supported that clear organizational policies, prompt management responses to assaults, and putting safety as a priority contributed positively to prevention behaviors through reduced strains and increased motivation. On the other hand, prior experiences of being attacked were related to more strains and lower motivation, which were related to lower prevention compliance. Our results inform future interventions for violence prevention. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

建筑企业员工职业病危害认知影响因素的调查分析

随着建筑行业的持续快速发展,建筑企业作业场所中的职业病危害呈现出高发性、复杂性和持续性等特点.通过针对建筑企业员工的实际状况设计调查问卷获取第一手资料,并运用SPSS17.0统计软件建立相关分析、回归分析等模型进行数据分析,可以得知建筑企业作业场所员工遭受职业病危害的可能性与对安全知识的了解程度、从业时间、性别及文化背景这四个因素的线性相关性.通过对建筑企业作业人员职业病危害的调查与分析,辨识出影响职业病危害的人为因素,提出相关的建议措施以改善建筑企业作业场所职业病危害严重的局面,提高建筑企业员工自我保护意识,增加其职业病危害防护知识,减少职业病危害事故的发生.     

Understanding non-industrialized workers' approaches to safety: How do commercial fishermen “stay safe”?

BACKGROUND: Commercial fishing is carried out worldwide, often in non-industrialized forms, and is associated with high rates of fatal and non-fatal occupational injury. PROBLEM: Fishermen who work independently in non-industrialized settings do not have access to union or industry sponsored safety services and must make their own decisions about safety practices. Learning the meaning of safety for them and the safety measures they employ is important before developing interventions. METHODS: Two fieldworkers conducted in-depth ethnographic interviews with 31 commercial fishermen in North Carolina. Interviews and fieldnotes were analyzed using QSR N5. RESULTS: Fishermen primarily related staying safe to work practices and attitudes. They identified specific safety measures, appropriate gear and boat maintenance, weather decisions, and working cooperatively when ocean fishing. DISCUSSION: The ethnographic research process can produce information about a group's norms of preventive behavior and safety concerns. Knowledge of workers' concepts and practices will inform researchers' inquiries.     

Workplace violence: a study of Turkish workers

This research was conducted to address the experience of workplace violence of Turkish workers from different sectors and to investigate the impact of the exposed violence on their psychological well-being. Data were collected anonymously with printed questionnaires from the volunteer participants and depended on self-reporting. The response rate was 79.0% (1708/2161). The prevalence of workplace violence was found to be 44.8%. The most common type was verbal violence together with mobbing (bullying). Victims of physical violence were mostly males, whereas females were found to be victims of verbal, psychological and sexual violence. Most cases did not result in legal action and the victims remained silent. Psychological well-being of exposed workers in terms of depression, anxiety and stress seemed to deteriorate. Workplace violence remains a silent epidemic in Turkey. Preventive measures against workplace violence and social support for violated workers do not exist.     

Changes in fall prevention training for apprentice carpenters based on a comprehensive needs assessment

Problem

Falls from heights in residential construction are common, especially among inexperienced workers.

Methods

We conducted a comprehensive needs assessment to determine gaps in the school-based apprentice carpenters' fall prevention training. A team of carpenter instructors and researchers revised the fall prevention training to fill these gaps. Apprentice evaluation and feedback guided ongoing curricular improvements.

Results

Most apprentice carpenters performed work tasks at heights prior to training and fall protection techniques were not commonly used at residential construction sites. Priorities of the revised school-based training included safe ladder habits, truss setting, scaffold use, guarding floor openings, and using personal fall arrest systems. New apprentices were targeted to ensure training prior to exposure at the workplace. We used adult learning principles to emphasize hands-on experiences. A framed portion of a residential construction site was fabricated to practice fall protection behaviors in a realistic setting. The revised curriculum has been delivered consistently and apprentice feedback has been very favorable.

Conclusions

Integration of needs assessment results was invaluable in revising the school-based carpenters apprentice fall prevention curriculum. Working closely with the instructors to tailor learning experiences has provided preliminary positive results.

Impact on Industry

The fall safety of the residential construction industry continues to lag behind commercial construction and industrial settings. The National Occupational Research Agenda includes a Strategic Goal to strengthen and extend the reach of quality training and education in the construction industry via mechanisms such as construction safety and health training needs assessments. This study demonstrates how a structured process can be used to identify and remedy gaps and improve training effectiveness. We encourage others to take steps to assess and increase the impact of training efforts directed at all residential construction professionals; including both union and non-union workers. The implications are even greater in the non-union sector where most U.S. residential work is done.     

Exploring differences in the workplace violence experiences of young workers in middle and late adolescence in the United States

Problem: Young workers, typically characterized as 15–24 years of age, are commonly employed in jobs where the risk of workplace violence is high. It is unknown how these young workers, at varying stages of development, might understand and respond to workplace violence differently. We set out to explore whether the experiences and understandings of young workers varied between those in middle (ages 15–17) and late (ages 18–24) adolescence. Method: Separate focus groups were conducted with working students (n = 31), ages 15–17 and ages 18–24, who had either experienced or witnessed workplace violence. A focus group guide was used to facilitate the sessions which were recorded, transcribed, and content analyzed for themes. Results: Those in the older group experienced more severe episodes of sexual harassment and physical assault, reported using formal mechanisms for reporting, and noticed an employer focus on customer satisfaction over employee safety, while the younger participants tended to report to their parents. Both groups reported negative effects of experiencing workplace violence including depression, anxiety, feelings of worthlessness, and spill over into personal life. Discussion: Findings suggest that young workers at different developmental stages may experience and respond to workplace violence differently. Further research is needed to see if these results are generalizable. Summary: It is imperative that we understand the distinct differences between these subsets of young workers and how they experience and respond to workplace violence in order to improve research, policy development, and prevention/intervention mechanisms. Practical Applications: Understanding that differences exist among young workers based on age due to developmental stage, lack of experience, education, and social awareness can enable employers, companies, policy makers, and researchers the opportunity to better address the issue of workplace violence in this population.     

Improving workplace safety by thinking about what might have been: A first look at the role of counterfactual thinking

Introduction: Information processing theories of workplace safety suggest that cognition is an antecedent of safety behavior. However, little research has directly tested cognitive factors as predictors of workplace safety within organizational psychology and behavior research. Counterfactuals (cognitions about “what might have been”) can be functional when they consist of characteristics (e.g., “upward’ – focusing on better outcomes) that alter behavior in a manner consistent with those outcomes. This field study aimed to examine the influence of counterfactual thinking on safety behavior and explanatory mechanisms and boundary conditions of that relationship. Method: A sample of 240 medical providers from a hospital in China responded to three surveys over a four-month time frame. Results: Results showed that upward counterfactuals were positively related to supervisor ratings of safety compliance and participation. These relationships were mediated by safety knowledge but not by safety motivation. Upward counterfactuals were more strongly related to safety behavior and knowledge than downward counterfactuals. As expected, safety locus of control strengthened the mediating effects of safety knowledge on the relationship between upward counterfactuals and safety behavior. Conclusions and Practical Applications: The findings demonstrated that counterfactual thinking is positively associated with safety behavior and knowledge, thus expanding the variables related to workplace safety and laying some initial groundwork for new safety interventions incorporating counterfactual thinking.     

Attributional processes and hazard control management in industry

This paper examines the applicability of attribution theory research to safety management in industry. Behavioral research on the perception of causality is reviewed in relation to: (a) how individual workers appraise the risks associated with various workplace hazards, (b) responses of first-line supervisors to safety incidents, and (c) the impact of upper management on the safety climate of the organization. Particular attention is given to the sources of attributional bias most likely to exist in organizational settings. Conclusions and safety program recommendations are presented.     

Nursing student evaluation of NIOSH workplace violence prevention for nurses online course

Introduction: As primary targets of workplace violence in health care settings, nurses may suffer negative physical and psychological consequences. NIOSH created an online course to educate nurses about violence prevention techniques. Method: A mixed-methods approach assessed workplace violence awareness and knowledge among nursing students. A pre/post/post-test survey and focus group discussions evaluated participant awareness and knowledge, assessed course design, and solicited recommendations for increasing participation and strategies for improving message retention. Results: The mean awareness scores differed significantly between pre-course and both post-course time points (Wilk's λ = 0.319, F(2, 46) = 49.01, p < 0.001). Post hoc tests using the Bonferroni correction revealed that course participation increased awareness of workplace violence from pre-course scores (M = 0.75, SD = 0.438) to immediate post-course (M = 2.13, SD = 0.789) and four-week post-course (M = 1.96, SD = 0.771) scores on a 3-item measure. Similarly, mean knowledge scores increased between pre-course and both post-course time points (Wilk's λ = 0.495, F(1.57, 73.66) = 37.26, p < 0.001). Post hoc tests using the Bonferroni correction revealed that course participation increased knowledge of workplace violence from pre-course scores (M = 6.65, SD = 1.45) to immediate post-course (M = 8.56, SD = 1.32) and four-week post-course (M = 8.19, SD = 1.42) scores on a 10-item measure. Qualitative data from the focus groups reinforced the quantitative findings. Participants citing benefits from the content strongly recommended including the course in nursing curriculums. Incorporating the course early in the nursing educational experience will better prepare students to deal with workplace violence when they enter health care professions. Conclusions: The results indicate that NIOSH and its partners created an effective online workplace violence awareness and prevention course. Practical applications: Nursing students and professionals can be effectively educated about workplace violence using an online format.     

电业火灾爆炸及其预防控制技术

指出了电力生产、传输、分配及使用过程中存在有火为爆炸危险性。了电业火灾爆炸的影响因素。结合电力工程实践,分析了电业火灾爆炸灾害的特点,综合了预防和控制电业火灾、爆炸灾害的技术和措施。     

The safety policies and practices of community multi-purpose recreation facilities

This research investigated the under-explored area of safety in multi-purpose recreation facilities (MPRFs). Facility managers and other managerial staff (key informants) from four MPRFs in Victoria, Australia participated in semi-structured interviews. Safety was considered important from Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S), business viability and legal liability perspectives but not from a health promotion or public health point of view. Most implemented injury prevention measures required gymnasium and pool staff or users to change their behaviours. Awareness of safety standards was higher for some operational areas (e.g. aquatics, child-care) than others (e.g. gymnasium, group fitness activities). Key informants struggled to keep abreast of legislation changes and they relied on commercial, regulatory, and industry information sources rather than evidence of best practice. Reported factors influencing safety in MPRFs were classified into three types: internal (e.g. training, culture); external (e.g. weather, demographic change); and governance (e.g. insurance, industry standards). Comprehensive, relevant and accessible industry safety standards, which focus not only on OH&S but equally on health promotion principles and public health perspectives linked to injury prevention, are required. Training is needed to reflect these broader and equally important perspectives. Health/injury, fitness/recreation and insurance sector links should be improved to ensure a consistent, sustainable approach to safety.     

基于ISM和AHP的作业场所风险影响因素研究

为了有效预防和控制作业场所职业危害,根据企业生产活动的过程和大量职业病案例分析,从人、物、环境、管理、安全技术、法制监管和社会经济利益等方面对作业场所职业危害风险影响因素进行分析,形成作业场所风险影响因素体系.运用系统工程理论,建立作业场所风险影响因素的5级多层递阶解释结构模型(ISM),并采用层次分析法(AHP)确定...     

Assessment of perceived injury risks and priorities among truck drivers and trucking companies in Washington State

Problem

The trucking industry experiences one of the highest work-related injury rates. Little work has been conducted previously in the United States to assess the hazards, needs, and injury prevention priorities in trucking. Method: Two separate industry-wide surveys of 359 trucking companies and 397 commercial truck drivers were conducted in Washington State. Results: Trucking companies and drivers both ranked musculoskeletal and slip, trip, fall injuries as the top two priorities. Controlling heavy lifting, using appropriate equipment, and addressing slippery surfaces were frequently listed as solutions. There appears to be a gap in safety climate perception between workers and employers. However, driver and company priorities agreed with industry workers' compensation claims. There is room for safety program management improvement in the industry. The study findings detail opportunities for prioritizing and reducing injuries. Impact on Industry: This information can be used to focus and design interventions for the prevention of work-related injuries while improving industry competitiveness.     

应用区间层次分析法(IAHP)研究高层建筑火灾安全因素

高层建筑物的火灾安全影响因素繁多,其对建筑物火灾安全性的影响不容易确定,采用传统的层次分析法对某些因子的影响权重进行确定时难度较大.本文采用区间层次分析法来解决这一问题.首先建立影响高层建筑火灾安全的层次分析模型,然后用区间层次分析法确定影响因子,采用区间数特征根法求出各个火灾安全因子的权重值,并进行一致性检验.研究表明,影响高层建筑火灾安全的因子从大到小依次为:安全疏散措施、管理与维护、消防设施、报警与灭火系统、阻燃与防火结构,得到了每个因子的权重.采用同样的方法确定了每个影响因子的子因子的权重及重要性排序.其结果与实际情况基本相符.表明在进行高层建筑火灾安全性评估时,区间层次分析法是一种较好的方法.     

Work-related fatal injuries in parking lots, 1993-2002

PROBLEM: Although parking facilities are a common feature of the landscape in the United States, little is known about their safety. METHOD: A dataset of parking lot fatalities for 1993-2002, created from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injury (CFOI) research file, was analyzed. RESULTS: The most common events in parking lots were contact with objects (15%), pedestrian fatalities (13%), homicides (36%), and suicides (11%). The perpetrators of parking lot fatalities, compared to all workplace homicides, were more likely to be known to the victim. CONCLUSION: The 206 work-related fatalities per year in parking lots present challenges to the safety community. Although much of the risk results from the usage of motor vehicles, violent acts are even more prominent. IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Because homicides are most prevalent in parking lots, both administrative and environmental measures may lower the risk of homicide. Although difficult to assess, various elements of the design of parking facilities may have an influence on the occurrence of injuries.     

Synthesis and recommendations of the economic evaluation of OHS interventions at the company level conference

PROBLEM: In today's economic environment, enterprises may not be able to fund every new project aimed at promoting health and safety in the workplace. Company level economic evaluation of interventions can provide guidance in sound business decision-making. The Economic Evaluation of Occupational Health and Safety Interventions at the Company Level Meeting brought together members of the global occupational safety and health community interested in encouraging the use of economic knowledge and tools to evaluate economic gains from occupational health and safety interventions. DISCUSSION: Discussions of the six models presented explored similarities, reliability, and potential use by corporate enterprises, small and medium enterprises, developing and transitioning nations, and economic theorists. Each group provided specific projects that could be pursued to advance knowledge in the area of economic evaluation at the company level. CONCLUSION: This conference established pathway to incorporate economic evaluation of health and safety interventions or programs at the workplace.     

Evaluation of the Risk OMT model for maintenance work on major offshore process equipment

Operational safety is receiving more and more attention in the Norwegian offshore industry. Almost two thirds of all leaks on offshore installations in the period 2001–2005, according to the Risk Level Project by the Petroleum Safety Authority in Norway, resulted from manual operations and interventions, as well as shut-down and start-up. The intention with the Risk OMT (risk modelling – integration of organisational, human and technical factors) program has been to develop more representative models for calculation of leak frequencies as a function of the volume of manual operations and interventions. In the Risk OMT project a generic risk model has been developed and is adapted to use for specific failure scenarios. The model considers the operational barriers in event trees and fault trees, as well as risk influencing factors that determine the basic event probabilities in the fault trees. The full model, which applies Bayesian belief networks, is presented more thoroughly in a separate paper. This paper presents the evaluation of the model. The model has been evaluated through some case studies, and one important aspect is the evaluation of the importance of each risk influencing factor. In addition some risk-reducing measures have been proposed, and the paper presents how the effect of these measures has been evaluated by using the model. Finally, possible applications and recommendations for further work are discussed.