27 Mayıs 2020 Çarşamba

The Influence of Safety Climate, Safety Leadership, Workload, and Accident Experiences on Risk Perception: A Study of Korean Manufacturing Workers

An article on "The Influence of Safety Climate, Safety Leadership, Workload, and Accident Experiences on Risk Perception: A Study of Korean Manufacturing Workers" by Shezeen Oah, Rudia Na and Kwangsu Moon.

Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2018.01.008

ABSTRACT:

 Background
The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of workers' perceived workload, accident experiences, supervisors' safety leadership, and an organization's safety climate on the cognitive and emotional risk perception.

Methods

Six hundred and twenty employees in a variety of manufacturing organizations were asked to complete to a questionnaire. Among them, a total of 376 employees provided valid data for analysis. To test the hypothesis, correlation analysis and hierarchical regression analysis were used. Statistical analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS program, version 23.

Results

The results indicated that workload and accident experiences have a positive influence and safety leadership and safety climate have a negative influence on the cognitive and emotional risk perception. Workload, safety leadership, and the safety climate influence perceived risk more than accident experience, especially for the emotional risk perception.

Conclusion

These results indicated that multilevel factors (organization, group, and individual) play a critical role in predicting individual risk perceptions. Based on these results, therefore, to reduce risk perception related with unsafe behaviors and accidents, organizations need to conduct a variety of safety programs that enhance their safety climate beyond simple safety-related education and training. Simultaneously, it needs to seek ways to promote supervisors' safety leadership behaviors (e.g., site visits, feedback, safety communication, etc.). In addition, it is necessary to adjust work speed and amount and allocate task considering employees' skill and ability to reduce the workload for reducing risk perception.
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Lung Function of Grain Millers Exposed to Grain Dust and Diesel Exhaust in Two Food Markets in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria

An article on "Lung Function of Grain Millers Exposed to Grain Dust and Diesel Exhaust in Two Food Markets in Ibadan Metropolis, Nigeria" by Kemi Iyogun, Suraju A. Lateef and Godson R.E.E. Ana.

Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2018.01.002

ABSTRACT:

 Background
Despite growing concern over occupational exposure to particulate matter (PM) such as grain dust and diesel exhaust, information about the exposure level and health implications among workers in small-scale milling enterprises in developing countries like Nigeria has not been adequately documented. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of exposure to grain dust and diesel exhaust and effect on lung function among grain millers in food markets in Ibadan metropolis, Nigeria.

Methods

The study adopted descriptive cross-sectional design with a comparative approach. Sixteen grain milling shops each were randomly selected from two major food markets in Ibadan metropolis for indoor PM10 and PM2.5 monitoring. Seventy-two respondents each were proportionately selected from grain millers and shop owners for forced expiratory volume in one second and peak expiratory flow rate tests.

Results

The PM2.5 concentrations for both market locations ranged between 1,269.3 and 651.7 μg/m3, while PM10 concentrations were between 1,048.2 and 818.1 μg/m3. The recorded concentrations exceeded the World Health Organization guideline limit of 50 μg/m3 and 25 μg/m3 for PM2.5 and PM10, respectively. As compared with control group (2.1 L), significantly lower forced expiratory volume in one second value (1.61 L) was observed among the exposed group (p < 0.05). Likewise, significantly lower peak expiratory flow rate value (186.7 L/min) was recorded among the exposed group than the control group (269.51 L/min) (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Exposure to grain dust and diesel exhaust accentuated respiratory disorders with declines in lung functions amongst grain millers. Improved milling practices and engaging cleaner milling facilities should be adopted to minimize exposure and related hazards.
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Health Promotion at Work: A Comparison of Policy and Practice Across Europe

An article on "Health Promotion at Work: A Comparison of Policy and Practice Across Europe" by Sanne E. Verra, Amel Benzerga, Boshen Jiao and Kai Ruggeri.

Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2018.07.003

ABSTRACT:

 Background
Promoting healthy lifestyles at work should complement workplace safety programs. This study systematically investigates current states of occupational health and safety (OHS) policy as well as practice in the European Union (EU).

Methods

OHS policies of EU member states were categorized as either prevention or health promotion provisions using a manifest content analysis. Policy rankings were then created for each prevention and promotion. Rankings compared eight indicators from the European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks-2 data on prevention and promotion practices for each member state using Chi-square and probit regression analyses.

Results

Overall, 73.1% of EU establishments take preventive measures against direct physical harm, and about 35.4% take measures to prevent psychosocial risks. Merely 29.5% have measures to promote health. Weak and inconsistent links between OHS policy and practice indicators were identified.

Conclusion

National OHS policies evidently concentrate on prevention while compliance with health and safety practices is relatively low. Psychosocial risks are often addressed in national policy but not implemented by institutions. Current risk assessment methods are outdated and often lack psychosocial indicators. Health promotion at work is rare in policy and practice, and its interpretation remains preventive. Member states need to adopt policies that actively improve health and well-being at the workplace.
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Occupational Safety and Health Among Young Workers in the Nordic Countries: A Systematic Literature Review

An article on "Occupational Safety and Health Among Young Workers in the Nordic Countries: A Systematic Literature Review" by Therese N.Hanvold, Pete Kines, Mikko Nykänen, Sara Thomée, Kari A.Holte, Jukka Vuori, Morten Wærsted and Kaj B.Veiersted.

Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2018.12.003

ABSTRACT:

 This review aimed to identify risk factors for occupational accidents and illnesses among young workers in the Nordic countries and to attain knowledge on specific vulnerable groups within the young working force that may need special attention. We conducted a systematic review from 1994 to 2014 using five online databases. Of the 12,528 retrieved articles, 54 met the review criteria and were quality assessed, in which data were extracted focusing on identifying occupational safety, health risk factors, and vulnerable groups among the young workers. The review shows that mechanical factors such as heavy lifting, psychosocial factors such as low control over work pace, and organizational factors such as safety climate are all associated with increased injury risk for young Nordic workers. Results show that exposures to chemical substances were associated with skin reactions, e.g., hand eczema. Heavy lifting and awkward postures were risk factors for low back pain, and high job demands were risk factors for mental health outcomes. The review identified young unskilled workers including school drop-out workers as particularly vulnerable groups when it comes to occupational accidents. In addition, apprentices and young skilled workers were found to be vulnerable to work-related illnesses. It is essential to avoid stereotyping young Nordic workers into one group using only age as a factor, as young workers are a heterogeneous group and their vulnerabilities to occupational safety and health risks are contextual. Politicians, researchers, and practitioners should account for this complexity in the education, training and organization of work, and workplace health and safety culture.
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An Analysis of Individual and Social Factors Affecting Occupational Accidents

An article on "An Analysis of Individual and Social Factors Affecting Occupational Accidents" by Amir Barkhordari, Behnam Malmir and Mahdi Malakoutikhah.

Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2019.01.002

ABSTRACT:

Background

Workforce health is one of the primary and most challenging issues, particularly in industrialized countries. This article aims at modeling the major factors affecting accidents in the workplace, including general health, work–family conflict, effort–reward imbalance, and internal and external locus of control.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Esfahan Steel Company in Iran. A total of 450 participants were divided into two groups—control and case—and the questionnaires were distributed among them. Data were collected through a 7-part questionnaire. Finally, the results were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 and Amos software.

Results

All the studied variables had a significant relationship with the accident proneness. In the case group, general health with a coefficient of –0.37, work–family conflict with 0.10, effort–reward imbalance with 0.10, internal locus of control with –0.07, and external locus of control with 0.40 had a direct effect on occupational stress. Occupational stress also had a positive direct effect on accident proneness with a coefficient of 0.47. In addition, fitness indices of control group showed general health (–0.35), work–family conflict (0.36), effort–reward imbalance (0.13), internal locus of control (–0.15), and external locus of control (0.12) have a direct effect on occupational stress. Besides, occupational stress with a coefficient of 0.09 had a direct effect on accident proneness.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that although previous studies and the present study showed the effect of stress on accident and accident proneness, some hidden and external factors such as work–family conflict, effort–reward imbalance, and external locus of control that affect stress should also be considered. It helps industries face less occupational stress and, consequently, less occurrence rates of accidents.
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Leading for Safety: A Question of Leadership Focus

An article on "Leading for Safety: A Question of Leadership Focus" by Malin Mattson Molnar, UlricaVon Thiele Schwarz, Johnny Hellgren, Henna Hasson and Susanne Tafvelin.

Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2018.12.001

ABSTRACT:

 Background
There is considerable evidence that leadership influences workplace safety, but less is known about the relative importance of different leadership styles for safety. In addition, a leadership style characterized by an emphasis and a focus on promoting safety has rarely been investigated alongside other more general leadership styles.

Methods

Data were collected through a survey to which 269 employees in a paper mill company responded. A regression analysis was conducted to examine the relative roles of transformational, transactional (management-by-exception active; MBEA), and safety-specific leadership for different safety behavioral outcomes (compliance behavior and safety initiative behaviors) and for minor and major injuries.

Results

A safety-specific leadership contributed the most to the enhanced safety of the three different kinds of leadership. Transformational leadership did not contribute to any safety outcome over and above that of a safety-specific leadership, whereas a transactional leadership (MBEA) was associated with negative safety outcomes (fewer safety initiatives and increased minor injuries).

Conclusion

The most important thing for leaders aiming at improving workplace safety is to continuously emphasize safety, both in their communication and by acting as role models. This highlights the importance for leadership training programs aiming to improve safety to actually focus on safety-promoting communication and behaviors rather than general leadership. Furthermore, an overly monitoring and controlling leadership style can be detrimental to attempts at achieving improved workplace safety.
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The Interplay Between Supervisor Safety Support and Occupational Health and Safety Vulnerability on Work Injury

An article on "The Interplay Between Supervisor Safety Support and Occupational Health and Safety Vulnerability on Work Injury" by BasakYanar, Morgan Lay and Peter M. Smith.

Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2018.11.001

ABSTRACT:

 Background
Workers exposed to hazards without adequate protections are at greater risk of injury and illness. Supervisor activities have also been associated with injury risk. We examined the interplay between supervisor safety support and occupational health and safety (OHS) vulnerability on workplace injury and illness.

Methods

A survey was administered to 2,390 workers employed for more than 15 hrs/week in workplaces with at least five employees who had a direct supervisor. We examined the combined effects of hazard exposure with inadequate protection (OHS vulnerability) and supervisor support on workplace injury and illness, using additive interactions in log-binomial regression models.

Results

OHS vulnerability and lack of supervisor support independently increased the likelihood of physical injuries at work. Crude and adjusted models showed that the risk of physical injury was at least 3.5 times higher among those experiencing both OHS vulnerability and a lack of supervisor support than individuals without OHS vulnerability and with a supportive direct supervisor. Workers who experienced vulnerability were at less risk if they had a supervisor who was supportive.

Conclusion

In workplaces where workers experience one or more types of OHS vulnerability, having a supportive supervisor may play an important role in reducing the risk of injury and protecting workers.
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