The role of policy for the management of psychosocial risks at the workplace in the European Union

A number of significant developments towards the management of psychosocial risks have been achieved at the policy level in the European Union (EU) since the introduction of the 1989 European Commission Council Framework Directive 89/391/EEC on Safety and Health of Workers at Work on which a new EU risk prevention culture has since been established, combining legislation, social dialogue, best practices and building partnerships. However, it has been widely acknowledged that initiatives aiming to promote workers’ health have not had the impact anticipated both by experts and policy makers and the main reason for this has been the gap that exists between policy and practice. This paper discusses the findings from the PRIMA-EF project, a policy-orientated project, which focussed on the development of a European framework for psychosocial risk management at the workplace. In particular, the paper presents the results of an EU stakeholder survey and interviews with EU policy level experts to assess their awareness, understanding and evaluation of the impact of policy initiatives for psychosocial risk management.     

Aspects of Tests and Assessment of Filtering Materials Used for Respiratory Protection Against Bioaerosols. Part II: Sweat in the Environment,Microorganisms in the Form of a Bioaerosol

The second part of the article presents the results of a study of antimicrobial activity of filter nonwovens with an addition of biocides, as a function of the presence of sweat in the environment and the method of microbe deposition on a nonwoven in the form of a liquid and a bioaerosol. At the same time, the filtration efficiency of nonwovens against microorganisms in the form of a bioaerosol was tested with the dynamic method. The results showed that the addition of sweat on the surface of a nonwoven resulted in an insignificant decrease of biological activity that still remained high. Moreover, an active nonwoven showed biostatic and biocidal activity only when microbes were deposited on the surface in the form of a solution. The nonwoven did not show any biological activity after deposition of microorganisms with the dynamical method in the form of a bioaerosol.     

存在多种化学有害物质作业场所危害性评价

作业场所同时存在多种化学有害物质的情形并不少见,如何对这类作业场所的危害性进行科学合理的综合评价是一个重要的课题。本文针对这类作业场所提出了一种简便可行的危害性评价方法,该方法以危害物质自身的危害特性如毒性、危害器官、吸收途径、致癌性和检测浓度为评价依据,较全面地反应了有害物质的危害性,对同时存在多种化学有害物质的作业场所的危害性评价与职业危害治理具有一定的现实意义。     

Validation of a questionnaire about the perception of occupational biohazard in Spanish companies

Objectives. The aim of this work was to develop, validate and test a new questionnaire to assess the biological risk in workers with intentional or unintentional exposure to biological agents. Methods. A questionnaire including 34 questions was developed to study the perception of workers against occupational biohazard. Content Validity Index (CVI) and Content Validity Ratio (CVR) were calculated for the analysis of content validity. A pilot study was carried out with 60 workers from 17 companies performing analysis of Cronbach's α to assess the internal consistency or reliability. Results. A total of 518 workers from 51 Spanish companies in which there is exposure to biological agents participated in the study yielding a response rate of 90%. The final questionnaire obtained a Cronbach's α > 0.759 with a stable test–retest result. The questionnaire validation demonstrates that it could be used to evaluate the biological risks and help the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases. Discussion. This study has validated the need to evaluate worker's perception against occupational risks, as well as the application of prevention methods and protective equipment. It is a first step towards developing an occupational biohazards assessment method including all the requirements set by the European Health and Safety Strategy 2013–2020.     

Prevention through design: The effect of European Directives on construction workplace accidents

Workplace accidents still occur with distressing frequency, particularly in construction. Industrialized countries have become increasingly aware of this situation and have adopted policies to attempt to deal with this issue. Such policies have led to the development of new laws and regulations with a view to improving workplace conditions.This paper first analyzes policies regarding accident prevention in the European Union, as initially stipulated in the European Framework Directive 89/391/EEC, and more specifically in Directive 92/57/EEC, on the implementation of minimum safety and health requirements at temporary or mobile construction sites, concentrating on prevention through design. Whilst designers previously had some responsibilities for reducing risk under common law provisions in many countries, this directive was the first explicit legislation to enforce particular duties upon them. The adaptation of the provisions in this directive to the national legislation of EU member countries is also studied.The second section of the paper analyzes the incidence rate of workplace accidents in the construction sector in each country from the year when these regulations came into force until the present time. Based on the evolution of these accident rates, the paper postulates the extent to which European policies have contributed to accident prevention in construction. It is now more than a decade since this legislation has been in force which provides a suitable period for a reflective analysis on it is impact.     

毛细管柱气相色谱法测定工作场所空气中的丙烯腈

为了建立采用毛细管柱测定工作场所空气中丙烯腈浓度的方法,使用活性炭管采集工作场所空气中的丙烯腈,二硫化碳溶液解吸,毛细管柱分离后,用氢火焰离子化检测器检测。结果显示:丙烯腈的检出限为0.73μg/ml,相关系数为0.9998,解吸效率94.3%～104.7%,相对标准偏差为0.41%～1.0%。因此,该方法灵敏度高、检测准确、操作性强,可提高丙烯腈的检测效率,适用于工作场所空气中丙烯腈的分析。     

Injury and time studies of working processes in fishing

Epidemiological studies of occupational injury document the incidence rates of the main structures as type of workplace and the work departments. The specific work processes within the departments represent an internal structure where the injury rates have not been given much attention before.The purpose of the present study was to relate the length of the working time to the number of injuries for the specific working processes in fishing. Time measurements were performed during participation in fishing trips with four different kinds of vessels. Risk index numbers for the specific working processes were calculated by dividing the number of injuries within a 5-year period with the total sum of minutes used for each working process as measured during one fishing trip for each type of fishing. The highest risk index numbers were found for embarking and disembarking the vessel, which only takes a minimum of time for the fishermen. Also for other working processes, especially working with the gear and nets, the index numbers were high and relevant for the prevention. This can be used as a supplemental tool of injury prevention to point out working processes that need high attention for prevention. The method can be applied for other industries.     

Analytical Study of the Heat Loss Attenuation by Clothing on Thermal Manikins Under Radiative Heat Loads

For wearers of protective clothing in radiation environments there are no quantitative guidelines available for the effect of a radiative heat load on heat exchange. Under the European Union funded project ThermProtect an analytical effort was defined to address the issue of radiative heat load while wearing protective clothing. As within the ThermProtect project much information has become available from thermal manikin experiments in thermal radiation environments, these sets of experimental data are used to verify the analytical approach. The analytical approach provided a good prediction of the heat loss in the manikin experiments, 95% of the variance was explained by the model. The model has not yet been validated at high radiative heat loads and neglects some physical properties of the radiation emissivity. Still, the analytical approach provides a pragmatic approach and may be useful for practical implementation in protective clothing standards for moderate thermal radiation environments.     

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.     

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...     

安全评价中作业场所灭火器配置评价的研究

灭火器具有轻便灵活,易于掌握操作的特点,是扑救初起火灾的重要消防器材,对应急状态下的消防灭火工作尤为重要。在建设项目安全预评价和验收评价中,往往受项目建设内容多,可行性研究报告或初步设计中对消防灭火器配置的设计详细程度有限等因素的影响,评价人员对建设项目作业场所灭火器配置情况是否符合相关规范、标准的要求,更多是通过检查该建设项目是否通过了当地公安消防部门的消防设计审核或消防验收来予以确认,往往很难具体确定作业场所灭火器材的配置包括规格、数量、设置位置是否满足该作业场所的要求。鉴于作业场所灭火器设置的重要性,就如何在建设项目安全评价中更好的对作业场所灭火器材的配备与设计进行评价,本文通过实例进行分析说明。旨在保证项目设计过程中对灭火器材配备的准确性,避免因灭火器配置规格、数量、位置的不当,造成火灾事故现场后果的严重化、扩大化,以减少火灾损失,保障人身和财产安全。     

“Vybuchovy trojuhelnik”: A software tool for evaluation of explosibility of coal mine atmosphere

Rescue operations during mine fires or methane explosions are highly dangerous for rescue workers. The knowledge of the composition of the coal mine atmosphere and the calculations of its explosibility may help to increase the safety of the rescuers. In the Czech Republic, a system called “Mine Gas Laboratory” (DPL) has been used for these purposes. The DPL allows measurement of the composition of the mine atmosphere and transmits the data necessary for evaluation to the surface. Up to now the explosibility evaluation of the coal mine atmosphere has depended either on the rescuers’ experience or on software code calculation. The code called “Vybuchovy trojuhelnik” (explosion triangle) is a graphical computing system intended for fast assessment of explosibility of fuel–air mixture. This article introduces the code and describes two simple methods of explosibility evaluation. The first method is “explosion triangle analysis”—a graphical method based on empirical graphs transformed into equations. The second method uses thermodynamic calculation based on chemical balance dynamics and Gibbs and Helmholtz energy. According to the requirements of the Czech Bureau of Mining (CBU) and Central Mine Rescue Service (HBZS), the code solves the problems of explosion triangle for both standard and non-standard coal mine atmosphere compositions. Unfortunately, the atmosphere composition must be introduced manually due to the unknown format of the data transmitted from the old DPL model. On 1 September 2005, a project started to develop a new system for on-line monitoring and atmosphere explosibility evaluation. The system should be able to measure CO₂, O₂, CH₄, H₂ and CO concentrations as well as the wind speed, temperature and humidity. The “Vybuchovy trojuhelnik” code will be used as a basis for explosibility evaluation, and an on-line connection with the new model of DPL will be established.     

全身正压生物防护服防护性能研究

为研究动力送风全身式正压生物防护服对人员的防护性能,采用标准方法检测正压生物防护服气密性和液体喷溅防护性能,连续监测穿着正压生物防护服活动时的内部正压值变化。采用微环境气溶胶密闭舱室平台,研究正压生物防护服对黏质沙雷氏菌(ATCC 8039)和phi-x174噬菌体气溶胶的整体防护性能。结果表明,正压生物防护服气密性和液体喷溅防护性能均达到气密型防护服和喷射液密防护服水平。对2种生物气溶胶的防护效率均在99.97%以上,且与送风量与环境湿度无关。正压生物防护服被人员穿着进行作业时,其内部能始终能保持大于16 Pa的正压。对该防护服防护性能的系统分析能全面评估类似防护服的整体防护性能,也为未来各类正压式防护服研发和防护性能研究提供技术参考。     

某市区重点行业职业病危害因素现状调查研究

对某市区重点行业15家企业职业病危害因素进行检测与评价,对普查结果进行综合分析。结果表明:15家企业工作场所化学有害因素职业卫生现状情况良好,但噪声危害程度较大;在6个重点行业中,电子制造行业有害因素合格率最低,为84%,其次是纺织行业,有害因素合格率为85%,其他化学原料及化学制品、化工、木制家具、石材加工四个行业合格率均较高;市直以上企业职业卫生现状情况优于区属企业,300-2000人之间较大规模的企业职业卫生现状情况优于300人以下的企业。同时,对企业提出了职业危害现状的改进措施与建议。     

A new training specification for workplace health promotion

The field of workplace health promotion has seen developments of concepts, practice and interest in recent years. However, recent EC wide research has pointed to problems which constrain its development. These include a lack of awareness amongst the major players who are in a position to implement workplace health promotion, difficulties in transmitting the concept of and organising genuine inter-disciplinary approaches to workplace health promotion, and a lack of training courses in the area.This paper describes a project to develop a training specification for workplace health promotion targeted at a range of professional and non-professional groups. These include occupational physicians and nurses, safety engineers, personnel managers, health and safety representatives and others.The project has developed a modular training specification — each trainee group can undertake all modules to an appropriate level of detail. It focuses on two broad areas — the health promotion process and the roles necessary to support that process. The first area defines an idealised health promotion process, which has been divided into 7 phases, while the second area outlines 6 principal roles in relation to interacting with that process. Future work will see the implementation of the training specification in a number of test sites.     

The evaluation of the european home and leisure accident surveillance system

In 1986 the Council of Ministers of the European Community set up a 5-year demonstration project called the European Home and Leisure Accident Surveillance System (EHLASS); this project collects data on home and leisure accidents from accident and emergency departments of hospitals. The study reported upon in this paper evaluates the results of the demonstration project, in particular at the national level, and identifies problems that need to be resolved during the second stage of the project. The major finding of the study is that there are many good reasons for continuing EHLASS. The conditions for successful implementation of the system have been identified; these conditions relate to the methodology and the management of the system. The key element for a successful implementation of EHLASS is decentralization of technical responsibilities and reinforcement of the coordinating role of the European Commission.     

Addressing emerging risks using carbon capture and storage as an example

The European iNTeg-Risk project is a large-scale integrated project aimed at improving the management of emerging risks related to new technologies in European industry. The project aims to build a new management paradigm for emerging risks as a set of principles supported by a common language, agreed tools and methods, and key performance indicators, all integrated into a single framework. It is using a number of Emerging Risk Representative Applications (ERRAs), or case studies, to inform the development of the framework; one of which concerns the carbon capture and storage (CCS) process.This paper describes the iNTeg-Risk CCS ERRA. Relevant hazards and properties of carbon dioxide are described and the emerging risks from CCS are discussed. Three new tools have been developed or trialled within the ERRA. These are: the DyPASI methodology for taking account of atypical (not usually identified) events during hazard identification; a methodology for including the time dimension in a risk assessment; and life-cycle approaches for risk management and communication. For CCS, the risk assessment needs to include both short-term potential accidents from capture, transport or injection, as well as very long-term risks from storage. Knowledge gaps which are generic to emerging risks are also identified.     

Empirical investigation of construction safety management activities and performance in Australia

The construction industry seems to suffer from a general inability to manage workplace health and safety to a level where an achieved improvement in safety performance by a way of pro-active measures can result in zero accidents. This paper investigates the effectiveness of safety management activities as currently adopted by Australian contracting organisations. A safety management survey has been conducted of contracting organisations operating in the State of Queensland, Australia. Based on a research model depicting statistical analysis techniques, a safety management index reflecting the intensity of level of safety management activities has been developed to provide a means whereby individual organisations can be assessed and graded on their safety management commitment and attitudes. The paper reports on a detailed empirical analysis carried out to examine the relationship between the intensity of safety management commitment and the overall safety performance, pro-activeness and record.     

Effects of workplace thermal conditions on safe work behavior

The effect of workplace thermal conditions on worker safety has not previously been adequately investigated, due in part to the difficulty of defining a suitable safety performance measure. This report describes a study conducted in two industrial plants to determine if a correlation exists between the safety-related behavior of workers and workplace thermal conditions. Both heat exposure measurements and behavioral observations were taken over a 14-month period, for a total of over 17,000 observations. The results indicate that temperatures below and above those typically preferred by most people have a significantly detrimental effect on the safety-related behavior of workers. This is demonstrated by an index based on the ratio of observed unsafe behaviors to the total number of observed behaviors. The relationship between this index of unsafe behavior and the ambient temperature formed a U-shaped curve. The minimum unsafe behavior index occurred within the zone of preferred temperature (approximately 17°C to 23°C, WBGT). Other factors such as metabolic workload and time during the shift also had significant effects on worker safety-related behavior.     

Occupational Health and Safety post-graduation courses in Europe: A general overview

The education of safety professionals shows a high variety in their level of approved qualifications, ranging from a technician level up to university master courses, and more recently, doctoral programs. In European countries, it seems that there are some differences in what regards the characteristics of the courses. These may be due to national particularities and legal issues, but also to the nature of the institutions and people ‘behind’ the courses.This paper presents the results of a survey carried out in the scope of an European research project and it aims to provide a basic understanding of the range and diversity of the OHS post-graduation courses. With an estimated average answer rate of 50%, the survey has only included courses with more than 120 teaching hours, from a post-graduation level, and with complete programs. Results are presented for 90 courses, from 18 countries, mainly (84.4%) from universities.It is possible to highlight the fact that, as expected, the majority of the courses (59%) are Masters (or equivalent), and are organised primarily by Engineering, Applied Sciences and Management schools/faculties, which together accounted for nearly 65% of the courses. In what regards the adopted quality systems reported by respondents, there is a predominance (65.8%) of the use of “internal” tools, such as the students and teachers evaluations and internal audits.One of the main conclusions is that there is a large variability amongst the analysed courses. However, it should be emphasised that these results are not representative of the situation all around Europe, as it was not possible to obtain information from all OHS courses. Considering the identified differences within all the European countries, the harmonisation of post-graduation courses on OHS, if it is to occur, has a long way to go.