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.     

Political drivers of epidemic response: foreign healthcare workers and the 2014 Ebola outbreak

This study demonstrates that countries responded quite differently to calls for healthcare workers (HCWs) during the Ebola epidemic in West Africa in 2014. Using a new dataset on the scale and timing of national pledges and the deployment of HCWs to states experiencing outbreaks of the virus disease (principally, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone), it shows that few foreign nations deployed HCWs early, some made pledges but then fulfilled them slowly, and most sent no HCWs at all. To aid understanding of such national responses, the paper reviews five theoretical perspectives that offer potentially competing or complementary explanations of foreign government medical assistance for international public health emergencies. The study systematically validates that countries varied greatly in whether and when they addressed HCW deployment needs during the Ebola crisis of 2014, and offers suggestions for a theory‐driven inquiry to elucidate the logics of foreign interventions in critical infectious disease epidemics.     

Evolution of worker sterility in honey-bees (Apis mellifera): how anarchistic workers evade policing by laying eggs that have low removal rates

In anarchistic honey-bee colonies, many workers’ sons are reared despite the presence of the queen. Worker-laid eggs are normally eaten by other workers in queenright colonies. Workers are thought to discriminate between queen-laid and worker-laid eggs by the presence or absence of a queen-produced egg-marking pheromone. This study compared the survival of three classes of eggs (worker-laid eggs from anarchistic colonies, worker-laid eggs from non-anarchistic queenless colonies, and queen-laid eggs) in both queenright normal colonies and queenright anarchistic colonies, in order to test the hypothesis that anarchistic workers evade policing by laying more acceptable eggs. As expected, few worker-laid eggs from non-anarchistic colonies survived more than 2 h. In contrast, worker-laid eggs from anarchistic colonies had much greater acceptability, which in some trials equalled the acceptability of queen-laid eggs. Anarchistic colonies were generally less discriminatory than normal queenright colonies towards worker-laid eggs, whether these originated from anarchistic colonies or normal queenless colonies. This indicates that the egg-removal aspect of the anarchistic syndrome involves both worker laying of eggs with greater acceptability and reduced discriminatory behaviour of policing workers. Received: 19 July 1999 / Received in revised form: 3 November 1999 / Accepted: 20 November 1999     

液桥凝聚用于办公废纸脱墨的研究

研究了混合办公废纸脱墨的选择性凝聚技术，在废纸浆中添加分散在水中并不与水相溶的长链烷作凝聚剂，这些凝聚剂选择性地将印刷墨粉通过液桥连结在一起，且形成大颗粒的球形聚团，再分选脱除。研究表明只需要加入占纸重量4％的廉价长链烷，即可获得95％以上的脱墨率。因此在混合办公废纸脱墨时加入凝聚剂进行液桥凝聚，可降低脱墨浆中的尘埃度并增加产品的白度。     

施工人员安全能力模型研究

在能力定义及能力模型文献综述的基础上,结合建筑业的实际,给出施工人员安全能力定义及其内涵,认为施工人员所表现出来的安全能力是安全能力任务与其内在特质相互匹配的结果;剖析安全能力与不安全行为及事故之间的关系,得出安全能力的匮乏必然导致施工人员作出不安全行为进而导致事故的发生。根据上述研究,结合建筑施工安全影响因素,提出并建立了施工人员安全能力模型。依据美国OSHA安全事故数据库中记录的一个高处坠落事故案例,应用该模型分析施工人员所表现出来的安全能力,从实践角度理解施工人员安全能力。此外,提出施工人员安全能力研究中一些有待思考和探索的问题。     

作业场所职业危害监管监察力量配备研究

职业危害形势严峻与监管力量相对匮乏的矛盾,是我国当前职业危害监管需要解决的问题之一。但是,实现作业场所职业危害的有效监管,应当配备多少数量的监管人员,一直以来缺乏系统的研究论证。本文根据国务院经济普查数据,以及国家统计局公布的有关工业企业的数据,初步探讨了分级监管模式下作业场所职业危害监管力量的配备情况,认为实现作业场所职业危害的有效分级监管,万名工人监管人员数至少达到1．34较为适宜,根据我国当前的工业企业从业人员数,全国范围内宜配备至少18590名职业卫生监管人员。     

影响农民工职业安全健康需求的自身因素分析

农民工群体为国家经济发展做出了重要贡献,但其职业安全健康状况却令人担忧。通过文献整理发现,农民工自身职业安全需求低是造成这种现象的重要原因之一。从农民工自身角度来分析,来自以下四方面的原因共同制约着农民工对职业安全的需求：（1）农民工知识结构欠缺、工作年限普遍较短、缺乏对职业安全的认知意识,影响农民工对职业危害的认知;（2）来自家庭的增收压力和降低寻找工作的间接成本的要求造成了目前农民工经济压力大的状况;（3）自身技能水平较弱以及缺乏对就业信息的分析能力,削弱了他们的就业竞争力;（4）农民工群体之间缺乏沟通信任以及长期的低社会地位限制了他们的谈判能力。以上四方面原因相互作用,产生效力叠加,共同导致了目前农民工职业安全需求不足的状况。     

农民工工伤保险现状及问题分析

通过文献分析和实地调研发现,造成我国农民工工伤保险参保率低、企业逃保、退保率高、申请工伤补偿难度大的原因可分为宏观和微观两个层面:城乡二元户籍制、劳动力供求关系、工伤保险制度等因素客观上使得农民工受歧视,地位低,工伤求偿困难;企业主观上追求短期利益和侥幸心理是构成其逃保、退保的主要因素.可通过优化制度体系、强化政府监管...     

办公楼疏散演练综合评估方法研究

我国每年进行数以万计的办公楼疏散演练,迫切需要科学有效的评估方法,以评估应急演练所体现出的应急准备能力,提高管理方和员工的疏散安全意识和能力。从疏散人员行为表现、组织实施疏散的指挥体系、疏散程序及相关保障条件等多方面综合考虑,将应急疏散组织体制机制分析、参演人员疏散行为观测及对其主观感受调查、计算机模拟分析三者有机结合,提出了一种办公楼疏散演练综合评估方法。运用该方法对一栋高层办公楼的疏散演练的策划、组织实施、疏散人员行为和主观感受等进行了全过程跟踪评估,系统描述了该方法的使用过程。     

美国粮仓农工的安全风险识别与防护

本文通过谷物装卸设备存在危险的实例,强调了储粮仓内农工存在淹埋及窒息风险,重点介绍了美国职业安全和健康署（OSHA）提出的标准和相关法规,以及粮仓农工的安全风险识别与防护经验,以对我国粮仓农工的安全与防护提供帮助。