scholarly journals Operationalization Of The Professional Risks Assessment Activity

2015 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-78
Author(s):  
Victoria Larisa Ivascu ◽  
Bianca Cirjaliu ◽  
Anca Draghici
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Analysis And Evaluation ◽  
Industrial Companies ◽  
Assessment Approach ◽  
Assessment Activity ◽  
Risks Assessment ◽  
Web Platform ◽  
Short Presentation

Abstract Professional risks assessment approach (integration of analysis and evaluation processes) is linked with the general concerns of nowadays companies for their employees’ health and safety assurances, in the context of organizations sustainable development. The paper presents an approach for the operationalization of the professional risk assessment activity in companies through the implementation and use of the OnRisk platform (this have been tested in some industrial companies). The short presentation of the relevant technical reports and statistics on OSH management at the European Union level underlines the need for the development of a professional risks assessment. Finally, there have been described the designed and developed OnRisk platform as a web platform together with some case studies that have validate the created tool.

Risk Assessment of Dental Unit Waterline Contamination

2003 ◽  
Vol os10 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline L Pankhurst
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Respiratory Health ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Respiratory Pathogens ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
Colony Forming Units ◽  
Assessment Approach ◽  
Dental Unit Waterlines ◽  
Mycobacterium Spp

Biofilms form rapidly on dental unit waterlines. The majority of the organisms in the biofilm are harmless environmental species, but some dental units may harbour opportunistic respiratory pathogens. This paper describes a risk assessment approach to analysing the hazard from biofilm organisms contaminating dental unit waterlines on the respiratory health of both the dental team and patients. The health risk from the respiratory pathogens Legionella spp, Mycobacterium spp and Pseudomonads was found to be low. Nevertheless, in order to satisfy water regulations and comply with health and safety legislation dentists should institute infection-control measures to maintain the dental unit water at the standard of less than 200 colony-forming units per ml of aerobic bacteria.

Biosafety of Genome Editing Applications in Plant Breeding: Considerations for a Focused Case-Specific Risk Assessment in the EU

BioTech ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Michael F. Eckerstorfer ◽  
Marcin Grabowski ◽  
Matteo Lener ◽  
Margret Engelhard ◽  
Samson Simon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Genome Editing ◽  
Genetically Modified Organisms ◽  
Unintended Effects ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Gm Plants ◽  
European Court ◽  
Assessment Approach ◽  
Deliberate Release ◽  
Specific Assessment

An intensely debated question is whether or how a mandatory environmental risk assessment (ERA) should be conducted for plants obtained through novel genomic techniques, including genome editing (GE). Some countries have already exempted certain types of GE applications from their regulations addressing genetically modified organisms (GMOs). In the European Union, the European Court of Justice confirmed in 2018 that plants developed by novel genomic techniques for directed mutagenesis are regulated as GMOs. Thus, they have to undergo an ERA prior to deliberate release or being placed on the market. Recently, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published two opinions on the relevance of the current EU ERA framework for GM plants obtained through novel genomic techniques (NGTs). Regarding GE plants, the opinions confirmed that the existing ERA framework is suitable in general and that the current ERA requirements need to be applied in a case specific manner. Since EFSA did not provide further guidance, this review addresses a couple of issues relevant for the case-specific assessment of GE plants. We discuss the suitability of general denominators of risk/safety and address characteristics of GE plants which require particular assessment approaches. We suggest integrating the following two sets of considerations into the ERA: considerations related to the traits developed by GE and considerations addressing the assessment of method-related unintended effects, e.g., due to off-target modifications. In conclusion, we recommend that further specific guidance for the ERA and monitoring should be developed to facilitate a focused assessment approach for GE plants.

How Chemicals Are Regulated in the European Union: A Commentary

2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-185
Author(s):  
Dan Jørgensen
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
European Union ◽  
Hazard Assessment ◽  
Chemical Compounds ◽  
Risk Assessments ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Assessment Approach ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Hazard Assessments

Professor Ragnar Lofstedt has written a very interesting and thought provoking paper “Risk versus Hazard Assessment – How to Regulate in the 21st Century”. The paper reflects upon the advantages and disadvantages of using risk assessments compared to hazard assessments of chemical compounds. It investigates the debate that has been going on in recent years in Europe between regulators, politicians, NGOs and industry on the subject.This commentary will discuss some of the assumptions that the analysis rests on as well as some of the conclusions that are presented in the paper.First, the commentary will discuss the definition and critique of the “risk assessment” approach that Lofstedt presents. The commentary here concludes that Lofstedt's analysis of risk assessment does not take sufficiently into account the fact that risks can not always be calculated in an exact way because uncertainty rather than certainty is the condition when analysing chemicals.

scholarly journals A Cloud-Based Tool for Integrating Occupational Risk Assessment Within Management Systems for SMEs

Safety ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
Diego De Merich ◽  
Maria Grazia Gnoni ◽  
Brunella Malorgio ◽  
Guido J. L. Micheli ◽  
Giusi Piga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Software Tool ◽  
Management Systems ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Small Companies ◽  
Accident Rate ◽  
Web Based ◽  
The Social ◽  
Service Sectors

About 67% of workers employed in the industrial and service sectors in the European Union are currently contracted by Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), which represent the economic heart of the European economy. However, this strength is counterbalanced by a considerably higher overall accident rate compared to Large Enterprises (LEs), and this trend seems to be confirmed worldwide. Moreover, most available tools for risk assessment and occupational health and safety (OHS) management are originally designed to fit the needs of LEs, resulting in a gap for SMEs. Therefore, the effective management of OHS in SMEs has become a crucial issue for researchers, practitioners and policymakers, aiming to improve the social and economic sustainability of small companies. The main purpose of this study is to provide guidelines to implement effective risk assessment processes and integrate them with OHS management systems in SMEs. A literature analysis of risk assessment and OHS management in SMEs highlights the main findings and gaps. Then, the three-phases methodology adopted is presented, outlining the main steps and outputs of the project. Finally, the web-based software tool for OHS risk analysis and management, designed to answer the specific needs of SMEs, is presented.

Occupational Safety and Health Risk Assessment in Engineered Nanoparticles Manufacturing Processes

2017 ◽  
Vol 887 ◽  
pp. 65-73
Author(s):  
George Bălan ◽  
Roland Iosif Moraru ◽  
Lorena Bălan
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Materials Science ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Engineered Nanoparticles ◽  
Manufacturing Processes ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Safety Regulations ◽  
Safety And Health

The engineered nanoparticles are more and more entering in Romanian working places, both in research laboratories and in manufacturing processes. Ever increasingly numerous evidence shows that this materials science revolution can generate significant health, safety and environmental hazards, in addition to the social, economic and ethical challenges involvedBased on the precautionary principle recommended be the European Union and a thorough literature review, this research is intended to introduce a framework for further development of an Occupational Health and Safety risk management foundation in this field of concern. Starting from a systematic approach in terms of occupational exposure, the paper emphasizes certain feasible means aimed at nanoparticle’s risk assessment, particularly in a qualitative manner. Recommendations are provided for the industry in order to meet the safety regulations, which in turn should be adapted to the findings of researches, considering that we are facing emerging risks whose nature is often unknown.

scholarly journals Environmental fate and effects assessment of human pharmaceuticals: lessons learnt from regulatory data

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Schwarz ◽  
Daniela Gildemeister ◽  
Arne Hein ◽  
Patrick Schröder ◽  
Jean Bachmann
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Fate ◽  
Environmental Risks ◽  
Marketing Approval ◽  
Current Guideline ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Medicinal Products ◽  
Effect Data ◽  
Assessment Approach ◽  
Biotic Degradation ◽  
High Sorption

AbstractHuman pharmaceuticals are extensively studied and assessed before marketing approval. Since 2006, this also includes an assessment of environmental risks. In the European Union, this is based on the guideline on the environmental risk assessment of medicinal products for human use (EMEA/CHMP/SWP/4447/00 corr 2), which is currently under revision. For Germany, the German Environment Agency (UBA) is tasked with the evaluation of environmental risks of human pharmaceuticals. Applicants seeking approval of medicinal products need to submit fate and effect data, in case predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) exceed 10 ng/L in surface waters, or the substance is of specific concern through its mode of action or physico-chemical characteristics.Over the last decade, this regulatory work resulted in an internal agency database containing effect data on approximately 300 active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). A considerable part of this data is currently not publicly available due to property rights held by the respective applicants. The database was evaluated to draw conclusions on how the current assessment approach may be improved.The evaluation of aquatic effect data shows considerable variation in ecotoxic effect concentrations, but supports the current use of 10 ng/L as PEC action limit. For endocrine-active substances and antibiotics, a clear sensitivity profile was observed, which allows a more targeted assessment in the future. The conclusions drawn from terrestrial effect data are less clear, as the database itself is biased because information is only available for substances with high sorption. Further adaptations of the terrestrial assessment strategy, including action triggers, appear necessary. Fate data show a high persistence of many APIs: approximately 43% of all APIs are classified as very persistent; 12% of these show DT50 values in a range where abiotic or biotic degradation is not expected.Overall, the evaluation has shown that improvements of the current guideline are possible.

scholarly journals A Methodology for Harmonizing Safety and Health Scales in Occupational Risk Assessment

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 4849
Author(s):  
Zuzhen Ji ◽  
Dirk Pons ◽  
John Pearse
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Public Health Perspective ◽  
Chronic Health ◽  
Risk Assessment Method

Successful implementation of Health and Safety (H&S) systems requires an effective mechanism to assess risk. Existing methods focus primarily on measuring the safety aspect; the risk of an accident is determined based on the product of severity of consequence and likelihood of the incident arising. The health component, i.e., chronic harm, is more difficult to assess. Partially, this is due to both consequences and the likelihood of health issues, which may be indeterminate. There is a need to develop a quantitative risk measurement for H&S risk management and with better representation for chronic health issues. The present paper has approached this from a different direction, by adopting a public health perspective of quality of life. We have then changed the risk assessment process to accommodate this. This was then applied to a case study. The case study showed that merely including the chronic harm scales appeared to be sufficient to elicit a more detailed consideration of hazards for chronic harm. This suggests that people are not insensitive to chronic harm hazards, but benefit from having a framework in which to communicate them. A method has been devised to harmonize safety and harm risk assessments. The result was a comprehensive risk assessment method with consideration of safety accidents and chronic health issues. This has the potential to benefit industry by making chronic harm more visible and hence more preventable.

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