scholarly journals The Italian National Surveillance System for Occupational Injuries: Conceptual Framework and Fatal Outcomes, 2002–2016

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (20) ◽  
pp. 7631
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Campo ◽  
Luca Cegolon ◽  
Diego De Merich ◽  
Ugo Fedeli ◽  
Mauro Pellicci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Economic Incentives ◽  
Third Party ◽  
National Database ◽  
Similar Distribution ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Injured Person ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Fatal Injuries

Background: A national database of work-related injuries has been established in Italy since 2002, collecting information on the injured person, his/her work tasks, the workplace and the risk factors contributing to incident dynamics, according to a model called Infor.Mo. Methods: A descriptive study of occupational fatal injuries, excluding work-related fatal traffic injuries, that occurred in Italy from 2002 to 2016 (15 years) was performed. Results: Among 4874 victims involved, all were males, mainly >51 years of age (43.2%), predominantly self-employed (27.8%) or workers with non-standard contracts (25%). About 18.4% and 17.3% of fatal events occurred in micro-enterprises belonging to, respectively, construction and agriculture. A wide range of nationalities (59 countries in addition to Italy) was identified. Overall, 18.9% of work-related fatal injuries were due to some form of hazardous energy—mechanical, thermal, electrical or chemical—that was normally present in the workplace. Workers’ falls from height (33.5%), heavy loads falling on workers from height (16.7%) and vehicles exiting their route and overturning (15.9%) were the events causing the greatest proportion of occupational fatal injuries in the present study (from 2002 to 2016) and in the initial pilot phase, focused on years 2002–2004, with a similar distribution of fatal events between the two time periods. The activity of the injured person made up 43.3% of 9386 risk factors identified in 4874 fatalities. Less common risk factors were related to work equipment (20.2%), work environment (14.9%), third–party activity (9.8%), personal protective equipment/clothing (8.0%) and materials (3.7%). The activity of the injured person remained the most relevant contributing factor even when the incident was caused by two or more risk factors. Discussion: Occupational fatal injuries occurred mainly in small size firms (up to nine employees) in hazardous workplaces. Small companies, which account for 68% (2888/4249) of all firms in the present study, generally have fewer resources to remain current with the continuously evolving health and safety at work regulations; moreover, these firms tend to be less compliant with health and safety at work regulations since they are less likely to be inspected by occupational vigilance services. Perspectives: An approach being introduced in Italy relies on the use of economic incentives to promote safe and healthy workplaces. The comparison of pre-intervention and post-intervention rates of work-related injuries by means of interrupted time series analyses could detect whether the intervention will have an effect significantly greater than the underlying secular trend.

scholarly journals The Italian National Surveillance System for Occupational Injuries: Conceptual Framework and Fatal Outcomes, 2002–2016

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Campo ◽  
L Cegolon ◽  
D De Merich ◽  
U Fedeli ◽  
M Pellicci ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Occupational Injuries ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Economic Incentives ◽  
National Database ◽  
Occupational Risk Factors ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Injured Person ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Fatal Injuries

ABSTRACTBackgroundA national database of work related injuries was established in Italy since 2002, collecting information on the injured person, his/her work tasks, the workplace as well as risk factors contributing to accident dynamics, according to a model called Infor.Mo.MethodsThe present is a qualitative description of occupational fatal injuries, excluding work-related fatal traffic injuries, that occurred in Italy from 2002 to 2016 (15 years).Results4,874 victims were registered, all were males, mainly of >51 years of age (50.5%), predominantly self-employed (27.8%) or workers with non-standard contracts (25%). About 18.4% and 17.3% of fatal accidents occurred in micro-enterprises belonging to, respectively, Construction and Agriculture. A wide range of nationalities (59 countries in addition to Italy) was identified. 18.9% work related fatal injuries were due to some form of dangerous energy □ mechanical, thermal, electrical, chemical □ freely present in the workplace. Fall of workers from height (33.5%), heavy bodies falling on workers from height (16.7%) and vehicles exiting their route and overturning (15.9%) were the accidents causing the greatest proportion of occupational fatal injuries. The activity of the injured person made up 43.3% of 9,386 risk factors identified in 4,874 fatalities. Less common risk factors were related to: work equipment (20.2%); work environment (14.9%); the activity of third parties (9.8%); personal protective equipment/clothing (8.0%) and materials (3.7%). The activity of the injured person remained the most relevant contributing factor even when the accident was caused by two or more risk factors.DiscussionOccupational fatal injuries occurred mainly in small size firms. Small companies generally have less resources to catch up with the continuously evolving health and safety at work regulations; moreover, they tend to be less compliant with occupational health and safety regulations since are less likely to be inspected by occupational vigilance services. As a result, the enforcement of regulations to control the occupational risk factors of occupational injuries is seemingly costly and scarcely effective. An alternative approach that is being introduced in Italy relies on the use of economic incentives to promote safe and healthy workplaces.

scholarly journals O7C.2 Developing a measuring strategy for monitoring and evaluation of a national occupational health intervention programme in great britain (GB)

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. A64.3-A65
Author(s):  
Yiqun Chen ◽  
Andrew Curran
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Health ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
National Level ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Monitoring And Evaluation ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Measurement Framework ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Over Time

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the GB regulator for health and safety at work. The HSE Health and Work (H&W) program designs and carries out a wide range of interventions; including inspection, enforcement and other regulatory activities as well as prevention; targeting priority health conditions in high-risk sectors. It is anticipated that long-term, sustainable and coordinated actions developed as part of the program will over time improve awareness, behaviors, control of exposures, and, as a result, prevent work-related ill health in GB workforce.An HSE Measuring Strategy, together with measurement framework and principles, has been developed. The measurement framework draws together data systems, covering Attitudes (A), Behaviors (B), Control of exposures (C), and Disease and work-related ill health reduction (D), based on a simple model to provide evidence required for evaluating the short, medium and long term impacts of the large scale and complex H&W program on the GB health and safety system. The Strategy gives a new focus on measuring behavioral changes and risk reductions; and emphasizes longitudinal measurement designs to assess progress over time.For developing the Strategy, workshops were organized to bring stakeholders across HSE to review existing systems for conducting population surveys, collecting exposure intelligence and occupational health surveillance, which have contributed to forming a long-term vision of fit-for-purpose measurement systems.We will present the development of the Strategy and the plans to implement it with the H&W program, which requires close collaborations between epidemiologists and social researchers, policy makers, and other multidisciplinary regulatory specialists. The lessons learnt will help HSE towards building the right evidence base for monitoring and evaluation of a range of national level intervention programs for work-related ill health prevention.©British Crown copyright (2019)

scholarly journals Considerations on Ergonomic Issues in Physiotherapy Activity

2021 ◽  
Vol 343 ◽  
pp. 10004
Author(s):  
Vlad Andrei Darabont ◽  
Doru Costin Darabont
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Mental Load ◽  
Repetitive Movement ◽  
Motor Disabilities ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
High Level ◽  
Technical Measures

Nowadays, the ergonomic issues become more and more important in all economic activity domains. Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) represent the main problem generated by the poor ergonomic design of the workplaces. The healthcare domain involves high level ergonomic risks related to physical and mental load of the work which could lead to MSDs. The paper presents an analysis of these ergonomic risks for physiotherapy activity and identifies potential measures to improve the health and safety in this domain. The physical load of the physiotherapist’s work is generated by the risk factors such as awkward postures, repetitive movement or working with patients with motor disabilities. The mental load of the physiotherapist’s work depends on risk factors such as working with patients with cognitive impairment and daily or weekly patient flows. The proposed preventive measures are organisational and technical. The organisational measures are based on the requirements of the occupational health and safety (OHS) legislation and on the good practice examples. The technical measures are based on the analysing the documentation of physiotherapy modern equipment. The results of the study can be used to improve the ergonomics and the health and safety of any workplace in physiotherapy activity.

Better musculoskeletal health for anaesthetists

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.M. Yentis ◽  
◽  
K. Asanati ◽  
C.R. Bailey ◽  
R. Hampton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
The Body ◽  
Musculoskeletal Health ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Many Sources ◽  
Psychological Risk

3Association of Anaesthetists | Better musculoskeletal health for anaesthetistsSummaryWork-related musculoskeletal disorders are very common amongst healthcare workers, and there is evidence that anaesthetists are at greater risk of upper limb disorders than other groups. This guidance aims to bring together advice and recommendations from a variety of sources in order to inform and support anaesthetists at work, in an attempt to reduce the prevalence and severity of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and the exacerbation of pre-existing disorders. Mechanical and psychosocial risk factors for work-associated musculoskeletal disorders are summarised, along with general principles for achieving better musculoskeletal health and practices specific to areas of the body most at risk. These include recommended exercises and stretches during sedentary work.RecommendationsAttention must be paid by both employers and anaesthetists to the physical and psychological risk factors that may lead to development and/or exacerbation of musculoskeletal disorders. This requires ongoing risk assessments and adherence to published standards of health and safety at work, including training. Such a programme is best achieved as part of a multidisciplinary approach.What other guidelines are available on this topic? There are many sources of guidance on health and safety in the workplace, across many sectors, much of which is of relevance to anaesthetists. There is no readily accessible guidance specifically aimed at the anaesthetic workplace.Why was this guideline developed?This guidance was developed as part of a wider piece of work by the Association of Anaesthetists based around ergonomics of the anaesthetic workplace, as a result of the increased reported incidence of musculoskeletal disorders amongst anaesthetists. It aims to draw on existing guidance and present a summary of advice relevant to anaesthetists and their practice.How and why does this publication differ from existing guidelines?This guidance summarises other advice and recommendations, and focuses on factors relevant to the anaesthetic workplace

Evaluating Change in Exposure to Risk for Musculoskeletal Disorders — A Practical Tool

2000 ◽  
Vol 44 (30) ◽  
pp. 5-407-5-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangyan Li ◽  
Peter Buckle
Keyword(s):  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Practical Tool ◽  
Art Research ◽  
High Level ◽  
Practice Assessment

A tool has been developed for health and safety practitioners to assess the exposure to workplace risks for work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The tool is based on the practitioners' needs and “state of the art” research findings. QEC has been tested, modified and validated using both simulated and real tasks, with the help of approximately 150 practitioners. The studies have shown that the tool has a high level of sensitivity and usability, and exhibits largely acceptable inter/intra-observer reliability. Field studies also indicate that the tool is, in practice, reliable and applicable for a wide range of tasks. With a short training period and some practice, assessment can normally be completed within approximately 10 minutes for each task.

scholarly journals Susceptibility to Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Occupational Settings: The Complex Interplay between Individual and Workplace Factors

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 1030
Author(s):  
Veruscka Leso ◽  
Luca Fontana ◽  
Ivo Iavicoli
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Occupational Health ◽  
Safety Management ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Infected People ◽  
Occupational Physicians ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Management Procedures ◽  
Occupational Settings

In the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the definition of risk factors for susceptibility to adverse outcomes seems essential to support public and occupational health policies. Some specific issues need to be addressed to understand vulnerability in occupational settings. Among these, individual factors, e.g., age, sex, and preexisting comorbidities (hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, cancer), that can predispose individuals to more severe outcomes and post-COVID-19 symptoms that may represent conditions of acquired susceptibility, possibly impacting the return to—and fitness for—work. Additionally, the risk of contracting COVID-19 through work should be addressed, considering the probability of being in contact with infected people, physical proximity to others, and social aggregation during work. Occupational health settings may represent appropriate scenarios for the early identification of vulnerable subjects, with the final aim to guide risk assessment and management procedures. These should include the systematic surveillance of work-related risk factors, collective preventive policies, stringent actions for specific groups of workers, decisions on occupational placement of employees, and health promotion activities. Concerted actions of general practitioners, hospital specialists, occupational physicians, and all the stakeholders involved in the occupational health and safety management should be focused on planning suitable preventive measures for susceptible subjects.

scholarly journals Determinants of Work-Related Risks among Veterinary Clinical Students in South West Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Oluwawemimo O. Adebowale ◽  
Monsurat O. Afolabi ◽  
Hezekiah K. Adesokan ◽  
Olubunmi G. Fasanmi ◽  
Olanike K. Adeyemo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health And Safety ◽  
Safety Training ◽  
Workplace Health ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Work Related ◽  
South West ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Animal Contact

Veterinary practices or activities expose professionals, including students, to hazards associated with animal contact. To describe workplace health and safety status and risk factors associated with hazards among veterinary clinical students in South West Nigeria, a cross-sectional survey was conducted using a semistructured questionnaire. Data on demographics, health and safety (HS) status, work-related hazards, healthcare facilities, and immunisation history were obtained. Of 167 students recruited, 100 (60.2%) were males, and >77.1% fell within the age group of 21–25 years. Many participants (77.0%) reported the lack of active HS committee. Exposures to various physical hazards (PHs) such as needlestick injuries (NSIs, 41.5%), animal scratches (42.0%), animal kicks (33.0%), falls/slips (25.0%), and, less frequently, animal bites (13.8%) were reported. Allergies (35.9%) and acute gastrointestinal infection (25.6%) mainly after contact with dogs presented with parvoviral enteritis were reported. For chemical hazards, 27.8% and 29.0% of participants indicated having had eye burn and choke on exposure to formalin. No adequate immunisation against either tetanus, rabies, or both was provided (<18%). An association between accommodation type and students’ level of health and safety training was observed (OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.241–0.897, p=0.02), and frequencies of student contact with various animal types were strongly associated with exposures to different physical and biological risks (p<0.05). This study revealed poor health and safety training, practices, and increased exposure of students to a wide range of hazards. Therefore, the development of mitigation programmes in veterinary schools becomes critical to safeguard students’ wellbeing.

scholarly journals Work conditions and health risks of persons employed in construction in Latvia

2010 ◽  
Vol 64 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 53-60
Author(s):  
Tatjana Farbtuha ◽  
Žanna Martinsone ◽  
Ivars Vanadziņš ◽  
Jānis Dundurs ◽  
Inese Mārtiņsone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Work Conditions ◽  
Employee Health ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Work Condition ◽  
Construction Companies ◽  
Work Related ◽  
State Revenue

Work conditions and health risks of persons employed in construction in Latvia The health effects of the work condition in construction were the focus for this study. The construction sector involves numerous risk factors, which can essentially endanger employee health and safety by causing accidents, occupational diseases and work-related diseases. The aim of this study was to examine the work condition, identity risk factors in the workplace, analyse the morbidity and accidents in the construction sector. According to the data of the State Revenue Service, the number of persons employed in construction in Latvia is growing each year. In the construction sector the number of accidents per 100 000 employees has tended to fall between 2003 and 2005, but the number of serious accidents has risen 1.3 times. Employees in construction companies are not sufficiently informed about the work environment risk factors and their influence on health and safety.

A Practical Method for the Assessment of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Risks - Quick Exposure Check (QEC)

1998 ◽  
Vol 42 (19) ◽  
pp. 1351-1355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangyan Li ◽  
Peter Buckle
Keyword(s):  
Health And Safety ◽  
Practical Method ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Art Research ◽  
High Level ◽  
Practice Assessment

A newer exposure tool has been developed for health and safety practitioners to assess the exposure to risks for work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The tool is based on the practitioners' needs for such a tool and “state of the art” research findings. QEC has been tested, modified and validated based upon various simulated and practical tasks, with the help of up to 150 practitioners. The studies have shown that the tool has a high level of sensitivity and usability, and exhibits largely acceptable inter/intra-observer reliability. Field studies also indicate that the tool is, in practice, reliable and applicable for a wide range of tasks. With a short training period and some practice, assessment can normally be completed within 10 minutes for each task.

Work-Related Accidents in the Maritime Transport Sector

2007 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 303-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julio Louro Rodríguez ◽  
José Ángel Fraguela Formoso
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
European Union ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Transport Sector ◽  
Maritime Transport ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Doctoral Thesis ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Risk Factors For Falling ◽  
Official Data

This article is partially based on the Doctoral thesis (Reference 1) entitled (in English) Working aboard and job-related accidents: Health and safety conditions on merchant vessel. Divided into four sections, the paper includes: issues relating to legislation, an analysis of accidents, the research that has been done about accidents and risk factors for falling on board. The main causes of accidents are examined. Moreover, conclusions are drawn by analysing work-related accidents in the Spanish maritime transport sector through a study covering the period between 1999 and 2003. The text was updated in 2004, with the latest official data, figures which may be equally applicable to the maritime sector throughout the European Union.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document