The evolution of new and emerging occupational health and safety risks: A qualitative review.

BACKGROUND: Work itself and occupational health and safety (OHS) have evolved through industrial revolutions and will also continue to evolve in the future. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this qualitative literature review was to examine how the scientific discussion on new and emerging risks (NERs) related to OHS has evolved in recent decades in developed and newly industrialized countries. METHODS: A search of the Scopus database yielded 34 articles published before 2000 and from 2020 onwards. RESULTS: A review of the articles identified NERs themes related to changes in work patterns, changing workforce and growth in some sectors, climate change, new materials or increased use of materials, new technology and technological development, and viruses. In both article collection periods, possible adverse OHS effects discussed included musculoskeletal disorders, exposure to toxic agents, chemical compounds and hazardous materials, increased stress, increased likelihood of errors and accidents, psychosocial problems, mental fatigue, and increases in work-related illnesses and accidents. CONCLUSIONS: The articles published during both periods discussed similar themes. The main differences were regarding specific time-related cases, such as climate change and COVID-19. Based on the findings of this review, points to consider in OHS management and future studies are discussed.

Finding statistically significant high accident counts in exploration of occupational accident data.

INTRODUCTION: Finnish companies are legally required to insure their employees against occupational accidents. Insurance companies are then required to submit information about occupational accidents to the Finnish Workers' Compensation Center (TVK), which then publishes occupational accident statistics in Finland together with Statistics Finland. Our objective is to detect silent signals, by which we mean patterns in the data such as increased occupational accident frequencies for which there is initially only weak evidence, making their detection challenging. Detecting such patterns as early as possible is important, since there is often a cost associated with both reacting and not reacting: not reacting when an increased accident frequency is noted may lead to further accidents that could have been prevented. METHOD: In this work we use methods that allow us to detect silent signals in data sets and apply these methods in the analysis of real-world data sets related to important societal questions such as occupational accidents (using the national occupational accidents database). RESULTS: The traditional approach to determining whether an effect is random is statistical significance testing. Here we formulate the described exploration workflow of contingency tables into a principled statistical testing framework that allows the user to query the significance of high accident frequencies. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that we can use our iterative workflow to explore contingency tables and provide statistical guarantees for the observed frequencies. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Our method is useful in finding useful information from contingency tables constructed from accident databases, with statistical guarantees, even when we do not have a clear a priori hypothesis to test.

Occupational safety and health in shared workplaces according to workplace inspection reports.

The aim of this study was to create a holistic view of shared workplaces and the ways in which these 'special situations' for organizing work take place in practice. The characteristics of shared workplaces and the associated phenomena and challenges were also points of interest. Occupational safety and health inspection reports (N = 200) from the Regional State Administrative Agency of Finland were analysed to obtain information on the deficiencies observed in shared workplaces. The observations were categorized, and the categories were linked to the elements in the work system model. Thus, observation profiles for shared workplaces in the construction, manufacturing and mining and quarrying industries were created. In the observation profiles, significant differences were identified between two or more industries in terms of deficiencies related to organization, employee, task, tools and technology as well as work environment, i.e., the elements comprising the work system model.

Findings and views on occupational safety and health teaching at universities.

BACKGROUND: Young employees have often poorer occupational safety and health (OSH) skills and knowledge than older employees. Efforts should be made at different educational levels to strengthen young employees' OSH skills and knowledge. OBJECTIVE: To analyze OSH perceptions and attitudes among university students and to examine OSH professionals' views on OSH teaching. METHODS: This explorative study employs an iterative multi-method approach, including a paired comparison questionnaire for university students (N = 104) and OSH professionals (N = 40), an OSH questionnaire for university students (N = 130) and a Delphi survey for OSH professionals (N = 26). RESULTS: OSH perceptions and attitudes were found to vary widely among the students and some expressed somewhat stereotypical views about OSH. The results confirm the need to improve OSH education. To that end, the study reports concrete practical ideas from OSH professionals. CONCLUSIONS: The findings confirm the need to augment both the quality and quantity of OSH teaching at university level. Ideas are presented for future OSH teaching, along with recommendations for future studies.

Schools and kindergartens as shared workplaces: An analysis of the work ability management challenges of the meal and cleaning service employees.

BACKGROUND: Service organizations and their employees encounter challenges today due to an increase in the average age of employees, a decrease in recruitment, and changes in work tasks, sites, and communities. These factors give rise to physical and psychosocial burdens that can lower the work ability and productivity of the employees. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study is to find practical solutions for challenges related to the work environment and practices at a public in-house enterprise providing meal and cleaning services. Also, the design of a model for the management of these load factors at municipal workplaces, where stakeholders from different subdivisions work together, is intended. METHODS: The materials comprised of documents provided by the case organization, interviews, and work observations. Root cause analysis and participatory development sessions were carried out to find causes for the observed challenges and to discover practical solutions. RESULTS: A number of microergonomic solutions were found. Also, broader subjects for development, common to several target workplaces, were discovered. CONCLUSIONS: The concept of a shared workplace, proved useful in exploring ways to manage work ability and productivity. A generalizable macroergonomics model for the management of load factors at shared workplaces in the public sector was proposed.

Strategic accident reduction in an energy company and its resulting financial benefits.

This study provides a case example of an energy company that prioritized occupational safety and health and accident reduction as long-term, strategic development targets. Furthermore, this study describes the monetary benefits of this strategic decision. Company-specific accident indicators and monetary costs and benefits are evaluated. During the observation period (2010-2016), strategic investments in occupational safety and health cost the company EUR 0.8 million. However, EUR 1.8 million were saved in the same period, resulting in a 2.20 cost-benefit ratio. The trend in cost savings is strongly positive. Annual accident costs were EUR 0.4 million lower in 2016 compared to costs in 2010. This study demonstrates that long-term, strategic commitment to occupational safety and health provides monetary value.

Ergonomics in the arctic - a study and checklist for heavy machinery in open pit mining.

BACKGROUND: Heavy mining vehicle operators at arctic mines have a high risk of discomfort, musculoskeletal disorders and occupational accidents. There is a need for tailored approaches and safety management tools that take into account the specific characteristics of arctic work environments. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to develop a holistic evaluation tool for heavy mining vehicles and operator well-being in arctic mine environments. METHODS: Data collection was based on design science principles and included literature review, expert observations and participatory ergonomic sessions. RESULTS: As a result of this study, a systemic checklist was developed and tested by eight individuals in a 350-employee mining environment. CONCLUSIONS: The checklist includes sections for evaluating vehicle specific ergonomic and safety aspects from a technological point of view and for checking if the work has been arranged so that it can be performed safely and fluently from an employee's point of view.

Participatory video-assisted evaluation of truck drivers' work outside cab: deliveries in two types of transport.

The aim of this study was to identify risks and ergonomics discomfort during work of local and short haul delivery truck drivers outside a cab. The study used a video- and computer-based method (VIDAR). VIDAR is a participatory method identifying demanding work situations and their potential risks. The drivers' work was videoed and analysed by subjects and ergonomists. Delivery truck drivers should not be perceived as one group with equal risks because there were significant differences between the 2 types of transportation and specific types of risks. VIDAR produces visual material for risk management processes. VIDAR as a participatory approach stimulates active discussion about work-related risks and discomfort, and about possibilities for improvement. VIDAR may be also applied to work which comprises different working environments.