Handbook of Occupational Health and Wellness

2012 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Health And Wellness

scholarly journals The Low-Wage Essential Worker: Occupational Concerns and Needs in the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Round Table

2021 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 154-160
Author(s):  
Susan Gallagher ◽  
Asha Roy ◽  
Sandra J. Domeracki ◽  
Todd Mohrmann ◽  
Vicki Missar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Home Environment ◽  
Professional Education ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Round Table ◽  
Round Table Discussion ◽  
Health And Wellness ◽  
Infection Transmission ◽  
Work Settings ◽  
Education Training

Background Planning occupational health and wellness services and support directed toward low-wage, essential workers in the COVID-19 pandemic has posed a number of challenges across work settings. This article explores the concerns and needs of low-wage essential workers as understood by experts in the field. Methods Leading experts in the areas of occupational health and safety, risk management, insurance, and professional education/training were identified and invited to participate in a Round Table discussion. Questions posed to experts were based on literature that addressed COVID-19, essential workers, low-wage workers, infection transmission, education/training, and social justice. Findings Experts agreed that special considerations must be in place to address the concerns and needs of the low-wage essential worker. These special considerations should address not only the worker’s occupational experience but their family and home environment, fears and anxieties, and the economic impact of the COVID-19 restrictions and requirements. Conclusion/Application to practice The occupational health professional is a key resource to employers charged with addressing the concerns and needs of low-wage, essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Occupational Health and Breweries: A Collaborative Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Physical Exertion ◽  
Manufacturing Industries ◽  
Health And Wellness ◽  
Collaborative Approach ◽  
Safety Concerns

As the brewery industry grows and ages, so do its challenges, including safety, health, and wellness of its workers. New breweries being established are often created and operated by professionals and workers from other professions, not used to the rigors and physical exertion of the industry. For those of us that are at bit more established, the challenge then becomes preserving and sustaining healthy physical and mental capacities, so that we can maintain our breweries and keep them running efficiently. This article examines safety concerns not currently documented in our industry and looks at steps other manufacturing industries are taking to keep their employees healthy and free from injury.​

scholarly journals “In Initiative Overload”: Australian Perspectives on Promoting Physical Activity in the Workplace from Diverse Industries

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josephine Chau ◽  
Lina Engelen ◽  
Tracy Kolbe-Alexander ◽  
Sarah Young ◽  
Heidi Olsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Occupational Health ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Geographic Location ◽  
Office Workers ◽  
Health And Wellness ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Wellness Initiatives

Introduction: With two thirds of adults in paid employment and one third physically inactive, workplaces are an important setting for promoting more physical activity. We explored the attitudes and practices of employees and managers from different industries towards sitting and moving at work, to inform the development of acceptable solutions for encouraging businesses to adopt activity-promoting workplaces. Method: We conducted focus groups with employees and structured interviews with upper/middle managers from 12 organisations in a range of industries (e.g., education, healthcare, manufacturing, construction, insurance, mining). Topics focused on past and current workplace health and wellness initiatives, workplace culture and environment related to physical activity, responsibility for employee physical activity patterns at work, and enablers of/barriers to activity promoting workplaces. Results: Physical activity was not an explicit priority in existing occupational health and wellness initiatives. Instead, there was a strong focus on education about preventing and managing injuries, such as manual handling among non-office workers and desk-based ergonomics for office workers. Physical activity was viewed as a strategy for maintaining work ability and preventing injury, particularly in blue-collar staff, rather than for chronic disease prevention. Managers noted structural/organisational barriers/enablers to promoting physical activity at work (e.g., regulations, costs, competing concerns), while employees tended to focus on individual constraints such as time and geographic location. The issues of "initiative overload" and making physical activity a part of “business as usual” emerged as strong themes from employees and managers. Conclusions: While there is stakeholder enthusiasm for creating activity-promoting workplaces, multi-level support is needed to make physical activity an integral part of day-to-day business. The synergism between occupational health and safety priorities could be leveraged to facilitate the creation of activity-promoting workplaces.

scholarly journals Employee health and wellness in South Africa: The role of legislation and management standards

2009 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Sieberhagen ◽  
Sebastiaan Rothmann ◽  
Jacobus Pienaar
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Occupational Health ◽  
Work Environment ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Employee Health ◽  
Health And Wellness ◽  
Management Standards ◽  
Role Players

The aim of this study was to investigate the role that legislation and management standards might play in ensuring occupational health and wellness in South Africa. The Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1993 determines that an employer must establish and maintain a work environment that is safe and without risk to the health of employees. It seems that there is a lack of guidance in the laws and statutes with regard to dealing with employee health and wellness. A management standards approach, which involves all the role players in the regulation of employee health and wellness, should be implemented.

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