Variability of limestone knapping methods in Middle Palaeolithic levels M and Ob of Abric Romaní (Barcelona, Spain)

This paper presents the limestone reduction sequences documented in levels M and Ob at Abric Romaní from a technological point of view. At level M, a recurrent knapping system has been identified, resulting in the frequency of pseudo-Levallois blanks. At archaeolevel Ob, the presence of Levallois methods are observed in association with this knapping system. In both cases, retouched tools are rare and dominated by notches and denticulates. Although it is not well-known the degree of similarity and difference between the two levels in relation to occupational patterns is not well understood, Neanderthals employed more opportunistic knapping strategies, investing less time and energy in the procurement of raw materials including for chert. In level Ob, although limestone is still collected in the local fluvial deposits, differences in raw material procurement have been identified for chert. Results show the plasticity and versality that Neanderthals had and how they took advantage of the different abiotic resources they had around them. In this paper, we discuss the limestone technology at Abric Romaní in the context of the Iberian Peninsula.

Negotiating Time and Space When Working From Home: Experiences During COVID-19

Stay-at-home mandates following the COVID-19 pandemic increased work from home (WFH). While WFH offers many benefits, navigating work in nontraditional contexts can be a challenge. The objective of this study was to explore the benefits and challenges of WFH during COVID-19 to identify supports and resources necessary. Comments from two free-response questions on a survey regarding experiences of WFH ( N = 648, N = 366) were analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis. Four themes emerged: time use, considerations of working in the home space, intersections between work-life and home-life, and temporality of WFH as situated within a pandemic. Across all themes were concerns related to participation in both work and home roles, work performance, and well-being. Findings highlight the importance of support during times of disruption of occupational patterns, roles, and routines. Despite challenges, many individuals hoped to continue WFH. Organizations should consider the complex intersections of work-life and home-life to develop supportive policies and resources.

Analysis of Prevalence and Risk Factors of Contact Sensitization with respect to the Occupational Profiles in a Greek Patient Cohort: A Retrospective Analysis of a Greek Referral Centre and Future Perspectives

Contact dermatitis is a frequent skin disorder related to environmental and occupational etiological factors, which could potentially affect all age groups, as well as both genders. The current study is aimed at exploring the patterns of contact sensitization with respect to the population’s occupational patterns in Greece. A retrospective analysis was performed in a cohort of 1978 patients from 2014 to 2016. Patients were divided into two categories; blue collars (BlC) and white collars (WhC), as well as detailed occupation was considered. Separation was performed on the basis of their profession, i.e., labor workers and handicraftsmen were sorted to the BlC group, while office employees were sorted to the WhC group. The common allergen in all occupational subgroups was nickel sulphate. The three most prevalent allergens in both BlC and WhC were nickel sulphate 5%, fragrance mix (I) 8%, and Balsam of Peru 25%. WhC males were uniquely sensitized to colophony 20% and formaldehyde 2%, and WhC females were uniquely sensitized to 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (CMIT) and neomycin sulphate 20%. Sensitization to allergens manifested occupation-specific patterns. Allergic contact dermatitis surveillance is of great importance towards the clinical and systematic understanding of the disease, especially with respect to the patient’s occupational profile.

A Study of the Socio-Economic Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns of an imminent economic crisis, feared to be much worse than the Great Depression. Although the pandemic is global, its impact is deeply local. This paper aims to determine the socio-economic implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly on the various organisations and on the consumption patterns of individuals. On the social front, there will be a look into how social distancing, panic buying and other preventive measures necessitated by this pandemic have altered the behavioural pattern of individuals in their interactions with other economic agents. Design/Methodology/Approach: The methodology adopted is a qualitative one, where in-depth interviews were conducted across various sectors. Our focus is primarily on changes in consumption and occupational patterns. Accordingly, interviews of household members, labourers and employers have been conducted. Such a study will have practical implications in terms of helping to build theory and policy. Findings: This study has analysed how global pandemics alter individual behaviour, from a socio-economic standpoint. Practical/Theoretical Implications: This research will prove useful in predicting human behaviour during any ‘flu-like’ epidemic in the future.

‘A Great Number of … Women’?: The Changing Involvement of Female Workers in Master and Servant Cases in England, 1685-1860

Between the late seventeenth and mid-nineteenth centuries in England, female workers’ involvement in employment disputes that were summarily adjudicated by Justices of the Peace (magistrates) under master and servant law decreased. Women’s diminishing work opportunities in arable agriculture after the late eighteenth century likely contributed to this downward trend. However, female textile workers were a notable exception, as manufacturers and magistrates used employment law to coerce greater productivity from them. Master and servant prosecutions both reflected changes in women’s occupational patterns and served as a means to exploit a feminized textile labour force that was crucial to industrialization and to our interpretation of its nature and causes.

Comparison of the characteristics of work-related injuries between older workers and the workers of the conventional working-age in the Republic of Korea, 2010–2014

ObjectiveWith population ageing, the number of older workers is increasing and the number of work-related injuries in older people is also increasing. Occupational patterns and work-related injury patterns vary with age. This study aimed to compare the incidence and characteristics of work-related injuries in older and younger workers in Korea.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective review of the characteristics of workers hospitalised with work-related injuries from January 2010 to December 2014, using data from the National Hospital Discharge In-Depth Injury Survey in South Korea. The analysis was stratified by age into older (aged ≥65 years) and younger (aged 20–64 years) workers.ResultsThe hospitalisation rate in older workers was double that of younger workers (2014 IRR: 2.06, 95% CI 1.53 to 2.76). Compared with workers of conventional working-age, a higher proportion of injured older workers were female (33.1% vs 13.6%, p<0.001), injured due to falls (40.8% vs 28.5%) and injured while working on a farm (46.5% vs 6.3%, p<0.001). In older workers, work-related injuries were seasonal and peaked during summer, but there was little seasonality in injuries among younger workers.ConclusionOlder workers are more vulnerable to work-related injuries and have a different profile of work-related injuries from younger workers. Age-related differences in the injury profile need to be considered when developing workplace injury prevention policies and programmes, and the specific vulnerabilities of older workers need to be addressed.

Migration and Occupational Changes

The major focus of this chapter is the occupational changes that occurred due to migration, especially on whether the poorer migrants have been able to realise their aspiration for better livelihoods by migrating to Dhaka. It analyses the respondents’ occupational patterns, trends, and changes at different points in time—before migration, immediately after migration, and the occupation at the time of the survey. It confirms structural changes in the economy with the waning of the number of agricultural workers and the increase in those employed in the services, construction, and transport sectors prior to migration. It also addresses the scope for better livelihood for an average urban resident, reviewing data on how long it took them to secure a job, whether it involved any cost, their level of job satisfaction, how long they continued with the same job, and whether they got an opportunity to switch to more-rewarding jobs.