The pandemic and its impact on occupational health and safety among mechanical engineering industries in India

Workplace health and safety has been of paramount importance for any nation and the stakeholders- authorities, employers and workers – must have reasonable sensitization for the same. During the COVID 19 pandemic, lots of policy formulations and regulations had to incorporate within the industries for the health and welfare of the workers. The “new normal” will take some time for adjustments, challenges and implications to be implemented effectively and consistently. Certain processes in the workplace, especially in the mechanical engineering companies, are likely for high close contact incidences. Special situations pertaining to workers’’ health, like crowded accommodations, travel risks as well common canteens, all need to be reconsidered for providing safer environment to the workers, as far as the current pandemic is concerned. This requires coordinated efforts from all the stakeholders within the mechanical field through subconscious acceptance of the norms of safety and hygiene at all levels.

Effects of a training program for occupational health professionals on the cognitions and perceptions of workers: a randomized controlled trial

Purpose To evaluate the effects of a training program for occupational health professionals (OHPs) on their ability to identify the cognitions and perceptions of workers with a chronic disease that may hinder work participation, and on their ability to recommend evidence-based interventions aimed at the identified cognitions and perceptions. Methods A randomized controlled trial was conducted in which OHPs were randomly assigned to a training program on the cognitions and perceptions of workers with a chronic disease (n = 29) or to a control group that did not receive training (n = 30). Participants received home assignments in which they had to identify the cognitions and perceptions of workers in video vignettes and had to indicate which interventions they would recommend to foster work participation. A generalized linear model repeated measures ANOVA was conducted to study the effects of the training program. Results The results of the analyses showed an increase in the ability to identify the cognitions and perceptions of workers of OHPs who received the training compared to the control group (p < 0.001). The results also showed an increased ability to recommend evidence-based interventions aimed at these cognitions and perceptions (p < 0.001) as a result of participation in the training. Conclusion The training program helps OHPs to identify cognitions and perceptions and to recommend evidence-based interventions. This can support them in their activities to increase the work participation of workers with a chronic disease.

Risk Factor Identification Occupational Health and Safety Medical Record Officer Filing Section in Hospital (Literature Review)

Background: Filing service is one of the medical record work units that responsible for the storage and maintenance of medical record files. Filing is one of the work units in medical records that are responsible for the storage and maintenance of medical record files. The work implementation process has risks that can threaten the safety and health of officers. Therefore, it can result in low quality of work. An attempt that can be performed to decrease the risk of accident is the implementation of good Occupational Health and Safety. Through several studies related to Occupational Health and Safety in Filing Unit, some of the factors causing work accidents are physical, chemical, biological, biomechanical factors related to ergonomics, individuals, and psychosocial, which causes the officers to feel unsafe and uncomfortable at work. Therefore, this study aims to identify what are the risk factors for occupational health and safety to medical record officers in the filing section at the hospital.Methods: The research method was qualitative research. The data collection used a literature study. The subjects of the study were medical record officers in the filing section, while the object of the study was occupational health and safety.Results: The results of the study, according to 10 journals reviewed, show that factors that become the risk to occupational health and safety of medical record officers in the filling section are lighting, air temperature, smells caused by old medical record files, virus exposure, medical record storage rack, awareness of using PPE, and work relationship between officers.Conclusions: It is expected that the hospital can improve work facilities and infrastructures, and the self-awareness of medical record officers to maintain safety and comfort at work is required so that a good and optimal working atmosphere can be created.