Precision prevention in occupational health: a conceptual analysis and development of a unified understanding and an integrative framework.

Introduction: Precision prevention implements highly precise, tailored health interventions for individuals by directly addressing personal and environmental determinants of health. However, precision prevention does not yet appear to be fully established in occupational health. There are numerous understandings and conceptual approaches, but these have not yet been systematically presented or synthesized. Therefore, this conceptual analysis aims to propose a unified understanding and develop an integrative conceptual framework for precision prevention in occupational health. Methods: Firstly, to systematically present definitions and frameworks of precision prevention in occupational health, six international databases were searched for studies published between January 2010 and January 2024 that used the term precision prevention or its synonyms in the context of occupational health. Secondly, a qualitative content analysis was conducted to analyze the existing definitions and propose a unified understanding. Thirdly, based on the identified frameworks, a multi-stage exploratory development process was applied to develop and propose an integrative conceptual framework for precision prevention in occupational health. Results: After screening 3,681 articles, 154 publications were reviewed, wherein 29 definitions of precision prevention and 64 different frameworks were found, which can be summarized in eight higher-order categories. The qualitative content analysis revealed seven themes and illustrated many different wordings. The proposed unified understanding of precision prevention in occupational health takes up the identified themes. It includes, among other things, a contrast to a "one-size-fits-all approach" with a risk- and resource-oriented data collection and innovative data analytics with profiling to provide and improve tailored interventions. The developed and proposed integrative conceptual framework comprises three overarching stages: (1) data generation, (2) data management lifecycle and (3) interventions (development, implementation and adaptation). Discussion: Although there are already numerous studies on precision prevention in occupational health, this conceptual analysis offers, for the first time, a proposal for a unified understanding and an integrative conceptual framework. However, the proposed unified understanding and the developed integrative conceptual framework should only be seen as an initial proposal that should be critically discussed and further developed to expand and strengthen both research on precision prevention in occupational health and its practical application in the workplace.

What is needed to address psychosocial hazards in road transport? Using implementation science to understand the gaps.

Work-related psychosocial hazards have a significant influence on the development of musculoskeletal and mental health disorders (MSDs and MHDs). This study used behavioural change theory to guide understanding of barriers and enablers for leaders working in the Heavy Vehicle Road Transport industry, to address workplace psychosocial hazards. The findings will be used to inform design of a future intervention to support leaders to more effectively address these hazards. Principal results and major conclusions: A higher number of barriers than enablers were identified. The most prevalent barriers were inadequate knowledge and interpersonal skills, and environmental context and inadequate resources, and the most prevalent enabler was risk management. The findings extend previous evidence by providing more specific detail regarding requirements for addressing psychosocial hazards. Further, the findings identified there is a need to improve the capability, opportunity and motivation of leaders to enable them to more effectively address psychosocial hazards.

Evaluation of physical risk factors by fuzzy failure mode and effects analysis: an apparel mill example.

This study investigates the evaluation of risks faced by employees in a selected large-scale apparel mill using a risk assessment method with a fuzzy logic approach. The study found that risk assessment in the apparel industry is more accurate and reliable when using a fuzzy logic approach. Measurements were taken in three different time periods for noise, vibration, thermal comfort and lighting, which are physical risk factors. To evaluate the identified failure modes, the Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) method was first applied. Then, for the same failure modes, the fuzzy FMEA method was applied using Fuzzy Logic Designer, an add-on to MATLAB. The study concludes that the fuzzy FMEA method can be a more useful method for risk assessment in the apparel industry.

Assessing the health risks of chemicals in a company supplying chemicals to drilling rigs in Southern Iran using COSHH, SHEM-SAM, and SQRA methods.

Chemical industries are among the process industries and cause many risks. The present research aimed to analyze the health risks of a chemical warehouse of drilling rigs chemical Supply Company based on COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health), CHEM-SAM (Chemical Risk Management Self-Assessment Model), and SQRA (Subjective Quantified Risk Assessment) methods in 2021. The information was collected based on document review, MSDS of chemicals, processes, employees, and chemical exposure. Flammability, toxicity, allergy-causing, corrosivity, reactivity, LD50, and permissible thresholds of chemicals were also collected. The present research results showed that out of 59 main chemicals in the operational processes of the chemical warehouse of drilling rigs, 14 chemicals are flammable, 22 cause allergy responses, and three can cause death if inhaled. According to the results of the CHEM-SAM method, the employees and people outside the organization are at medium and low chemical risk based on the current management of the chemical warehouse, respectively. The results of the COSHH health assessment showed that chemicals had low, medium, high, and very high risk in 31, 13, 12, and 3 cases, respectively. The high-risk cases consisted of Ammonium Nitrate، Caustic Soda, and Poly.Aluminum.Chloride. Health risk assessment was also performed using the SQRA method, and results showed that chemicals have a very low, low, medium, high, and very high risk in 27, 12, 8, 9, and 3 cases, respectively. The results showed that the adverse health effects of chemical exposure in the drilling industry are alarming. Employees of different sectors of oil and gas industries are exposed to chemicals.

Occupational health and safety among farmers: a comprehensive study in Central Anatolia, Turkey.

BACKGROUND: The agricultural sector is vital for food production, economic stability, and environmental sustainability. However, it also poses significant occupational health and safety challenges due to factors such as heavy machinery usage, exposure to chemicals, and challenging environmental conditions. METHOD: This cross-sectional study involved 366 farmers affiliated with the Yozgat Chamber of Agriculture in Turkey. Data on demographic characteristics, occupational factors, and work accidents were collected with interview technique between May and August 2023. While descriptive data were expressed as categories with numbers and percentages, chi-square analysis was used to compare the obtained answers with the status of having or not having a work accident. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the effect of independent variables on the probability of having a work accident. RESULTS: The study revealed that 33.0% of farmers experienced work accidents in the last year. Most accidents occurred during work shifts (28.8%) and in the fall season (34.8%). Factors contributing to accidents included lack of personal protective equipment (51.5%) and transportation-related issues (36.4%). Logistic regression analysis indicated that working more than 8 h daily, working 5 days or more per week, and using bus/minibus transportation significantly increased the likelihood of experiencing work accidents. CONCLUSION: Findings underscore the importance of implementing effective occupational health and safety measures, including proper training, provision of personal protective equipment, and improving transportation safety. Addressing these issues can enhance the well-being of agricultural workers and contribute to a safer working environment in the sector.

How Resilient are Lucid Motivators? Endeavoring Reforms for Effects of Psycho-social Factors on Workers Health Through Concurrent Engineering.

Background: As the tremendous impact of extreme workloads, arduous working conditions, and disorganization disrupt humane job definitions in some industries, the need for workplace re-articulation was interfered to ameliorate psycho-social factors and suggest organizational intervention strategies. Especially for colossally wounded health-care (HC) systems, today it is now even more unrealizable to retain workforce resilience considering the immense impact of overwhelming working conditions. Methods: This study introduces employment of concurrent engineering tools to re-design humane workplaces annihilating abatement over devoured resources. The study handles HC-workforce resilience in a pioneering motive to introduce transformation of well-known motivators and proposes solutions for retention and resilience issues grounding on HC workers' own voice. Results: The proposed adjustable approach introduces integral use of focus group studies, SWARA, and QFD methods, and was practiced on a real-world case regarding Turkish HC workforce. The paper also presents widespread effects of findings by tendering generalized psycho-social rehabilitation strategies. Results confirmed the modifications of the most potent incessant motivators. Conclusion: "Burn out issues" and "Challenging work" were found as the most important motivator and satisfier, respectively, to be exigently fulfilled. Corrective interventions, required resolutions, and workplace articulation connotations were arbitrated in terms of entire outcomes on four dimensions in three different planning periods considering the current status, repercussions of pandemic, and contingency of similar catastrophes. Descriptive illustrations were additionally presented to support deducted interpretations.

Depression, Anxiety, and Coping Strategies Among Farmworkers Exposed to Substance Use at Work.

OBJECTIVE: Migrant farmworkers are at an increased risk of experiencing high levels of stress, depression, anxiety, and problematic substance use. Farmworker behavioral health is a predominant concern for agricultural health and safety efforts. While substance use has been found to be a visible part of the work environment among farming populations, there is scarce information about how farmworkers who are exposed to substance use at work are impacted. METHODS: This exploratory assessment investigated the association between substance use exposure at work and migrant farmworkers' (N = 58) symptoms of depression, anxiety, and coping strategies used. Univariate, bivariate, and regression analyses were conducted to examine data from a survey administered to migrant farmworkers in Southern California's Riverside and Imperial Valley counties. RESULTS: Exposure to substance use at work was significantly associated with farmworkers reporting more severe symptoms of anxiety (p = .018). We also found that anxiety among farmworkers was significantly related to their experiences of sexual harassment (p = .026), being called names or insulted (p = .05), feeling unsafe (p = .005), having an increased work burden (p = .001), and caring for a colleague (p = .001). Furthermore, as exposure to substance use at work increased, farmworkers reported more severe symptoms of depression (F (1,45) = 7.90, p = .007) and anxiety (F (1,45) = 16.743, p = .001). To cope, the farmworkers in our sample reported using emotion-focused coping strategies most often. CONCLUSIONS: Substance use exposure at work can affect migrant farmworker health and safety. Addressing and supporting the behavioral health of the entire farming community is warranted.

Video dataset for the detection of safe and unsafe behaviours in workplaces.

Real-time detection of safe and unsafe behaviours in production facilities is very important to prevent these behaviours before they occur. In this context, this study presents a high-resolution video-based dataset of safe and unsafe behaviours obtained from a closed production facility for use in occupational accident prevention. The dataset was collected from the security cameras of a production facility operating in an organised industrial zone in Eskisehir, Turkey, in November and December 2022, after obtaining the necessary permissions from company officials and employees. A total of 8 behaviour classes, 4 classes of safe and 4 classes of unsafe behaviours, were identified for the dataset and 691 video clips containing these behaviours were obtained. The video clips created for the dataset are in MP4 format at 1920×1080 pixels and 24 frames per second. In the dataset, the safe behaviour classes are Safe Walkway, Authorized Intervention, Closed Panel Cover and Safe Carrying, while the unsafe behaviour classes are Safe Walkway Violation, Unauthorized Intervention, Opened Panel Cover and Carrying Overload with Forklift.

Comparison of Health Complaints, Occupational Risks, and Occupational Health Practices of Healthcare Workers According to Professions and Departments in the Hospital.

BACKGROUND: It is essential to protect the health of healthcare workers who constitute a large part of the workforce worldwide and whose importance has become more evident after the recent pandemic. There are numerous occupational hazards for healthcare workers in hospitals. PURPOSE: The study aims to assess the exposure hazards of healthcare workers and their health complaints, as well as their awareness, knowledge, opinions, and attitudes towards occupational health and safety (OHS), considering workers' professions and departments in a public hospital. This cross-sectional study conducted a survey among healthcare workers (n=608) who worked at Yozgat City Hospital, Yozgat, Turkey. RESULTS: The majority of workers were nurses (43.4%, N=264/608). Latex exposure (63.7%, N=387/608) and noise (55.8%, N=339/608) were the most common exposed hazards, and the risk varies depending on their professions and job descriptions. However, the risk perception of workers was priorities of infectious diseases (48.5%, N=292/602) and violence (27.4%, N=165/602). Musculoskeletal system problems (71.9%, n=439/608) were observed very frequently in workers. Additionally, 9.2% (N=56/608) of workers were diagnosed with an occupational disease. The unit and profession most commonly diagnosed with occupational diseases were the laboratory (22.5%, N=9/40) and midwives (19.4%, N=14/72), respectively. The frequency of workers who stated that they had a work accident at least once in their lives was 31.9% (N=194/608), and higher frequencies belonged to nurses, health officers, and midwives. Additionally, the emergency department was the riskier unit. The study conducted relationship analyses between exposure to various occupational agents at different exposure frequencies and various health complaints. The relationships of occupational hazards such as chemotherapeutics, anesthetic gases, aerosol type drugs, sterilization and disinfection agents, xylene, toluene, formaldehyde, and surgical smoke with health complaints such as liver, dermal diseases, respiratory problems, and varicose veins have been determined. CONCLUSIONS: The hospital workers had a high rate of injuries to sharp objects and musculoskeletal systems. Remarkably, operating rooms and emergency rooms were found to be riskier in terms of work accidents. More than half of healthcare workers may delay using personal protective equipment (PPE) due to excessive workload. Further studies are needed on the effects of more specific occupational chemicals and diseases, such as varicose veins, fertility, and neurological problems. Frequent risk assessments, effective training, workload reduction, and biomarker monitoring are crucial for hospital workplace safety.

Sampling targets to assess occupational health in occupational health and safety management system audits: a mixed-methods research in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMS) are the foundation of occupational health and safety activities within an organization. An important element of these systems is audits. However, OHSMS auditors often lack confidence in conducting occupational health audits compared with their proficiency in conducting occupational safety audits. For occupational health to be effectively managed by OHSMS, the sampling competence of auditors engaged in third-party audits should be improved. Therefore, we conducted this study to identify appropriate sampling targets for occupational health related to International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 45001. METHODS: We adopted a mixed methods approach to identify appropriate sampling targets. This involved conducting focus group discussions with experts in occupational health and performing systematic text condensation analysis. The validity of our findings was further reinforced through confirmation by external auditors who specialize in ISO 45001. RESULTS: In the qualitative phase, 6 occupational health sampling targets were identified, and of these, 5 were subsequently validated in the quantitative phase: (1) Health issues, legal requirements, and occupational health goals identified by the organization; (2) Occupational health risk assessment and control processes; (3) Processes related to occupational health and documented information showing the results of efforts; (4) Organizational roles and functions of occupational health professionals and opportunities for their professional development; and (5) Processes to ensure commitment to occupational health issues and objectives. CONCLUSION: To ensure effective and comprehensive occupational health audits, auditors should review these targets. This study will enhance the competence of auditors by identifying appropriate occupational health sampling targets.

AN EVALUATION OF INDOOR SEX WORKERS' PSYCHOSOCIAL OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN METRO VANCOUVER, CANADA.

Criminalization of sex work is linked to increased risk of violence and lack of workplace protections for sex workers. Most jurisdictions globally prohibit some or all aspects of sex work with New Zealand constituting a notable exception, where sex work has been decriminalized and regulated via OHS guidelines. We used the Guide to Occupational Health and Safety in the New Zealand Sex Industry (NZ Guide) as an analytical framework to examine the lived-experiences of psychosocial OHS conditions of indoor sex workers in Metro Vancouver under end-demand criminalization. We drew on 47 semi-structured interviews, conducted in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese in 2017-2018, with indoor sex workers and third parties providing services for them. Participants' narratives were analyzed using a coding framework based on the NZ Guide's psychosocial factors section, including safety and security from violence and complaints processes, which highlighted specific OHS shortcomings in the context of end-demand sex work legislation in indoor sex work environments. Participants identified a significant lack of OHS support, including a lack of safety training, right to refuse services, and access to justice in the context of labour rights violations or fraud, robbery or violence. Our findings emphasize the benefits of full decriminalization of sex work to facilitate sex workers' access to OHS through development and implementation of OHS guidelines designed by and for the indoor sex industry. OHS guidelines should focus on labour rights and protections, including development of sex workers' right to refuse services and access to justice.

Implementing workplace health promotion in nursing - A process evaluation in different care settings.

OBJECTIVE: Workplace health promotion (WHP) in Germany is receiving increasing support from health insurance funds. Nevertheless, there is hardly any knowledge on the process of how health outcomes are achieved, especially in nursing. The aim of the study was to find out how and what can be implemented in different care settings and to examine the reactions and interactions of the participants under routine conditions. METHODS: Guided by a logic model, a holistic WHP approach was implemented in four acute care hospitals, seven inpatient care facilities and four outpatient care services from April 2021 to October 2022. Data on realized WHP interventions, participant assessment and topics of work design was collected and analyzed descriptively. RESULTS: The realized WHP interventions were adapted depending on the content and context. Mainly short relaxation interventions were delivered or those with an event character were received by participants. The highest participation rate of planned participants was achieved in team building training. Participants predominantly assessed WHP interventions as useful, the quality as (very) good and were generally (very) satisfied with the intervention components. For work design topics, intentions for the design of work organization were mainly documented in action plans. CONCLUSION: Cooperation with practitioners in research should be continued as a contribution to quality development. This could provide suggestions as to which content adjustments lead to greater acceptance by the target group in a specific context. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The project was registered in the German Clinical Trial Register (DRKS00024961, 2021/04/09).

Work-Life Conflict, Burnout, and Associated Factors Among Hydroelectric Power Plant Employees: A Cross-Sectional Study in Turkey.

INTRODUCTION: Power plants are associated with numerous occupational health and safety risk factors, with psychosocial risks being particularly significant. This study examines work-life conflict and burnout among power plant employees and discusses the factors associated with these issues. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study focused on employees at three hydroelectric power plants in Turkey. The inclusion criteria included employees with at least one year of tenure. Using cluster sampling, three plants were selected in Adana, Ankara, and Samsun. The sample size was determined to be 262, and 201 employees participated, yielding a 76.7% response rate. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire, which encompasses the sub-dimensions of a valid and reliable scale: The Work-Life Conflict and Burnout sub-dimensions of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire-III (COPSOQ-III) were used to measure the dependent variables. The independent variables included age, education level, total and weekly working hours, perceived health status, and department. The dependent variables were work-life conflict and burnout. Ethical approval was obtained from the Gazi University Ethics Committee. Statistical analysis compared the Pearson chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and Yates correction with a significance threshold of p < 0.05. RESULTS: The mean age was 40.83 years, with an average tenure of 11.54 years and a weekly work time of 43.51 hours. Most participants (94.5%) were male; technical unit workers comprised 71.6%. Health issues included smoking (39.8%) and chronic diseases (19.9%). Concerns about the working environment include insufficient knowledge about safety (25.4%) and lack of knowledge about risk assessments (32.3%). Many workers reported lacking personal protective equipment (11.4%) and rest areas (15.4%). Negative health impacts from work were noted by 31.8%. In addition, 51.2% believed that noise levels were outside the acceptable range. Two-thirds of employees reported inadequate measures against physical risks in the workplace. Many participants experienced work-life conflict (13.9%) and burnout (14.5%). High work-life conflict was significantly associated with younger age groups, less tenure, and negative perceived health status. Burnout was significantly related to the duration of employment, weekly working hours, and perceived health status. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the seriousness of burnout and work-life conflict among hydropower plant workers, emphasizing the need for administrative and organizational interventions to alleviate these issues. Regular occupational health and safety training, involvement in risk assessments, fair workload distribution, supportive work environments, and counseling services are recommended to reduce burnout and improve work-life balance.

Newer New Jersey work-based learning teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic: school safety regarding ventilation, trainings, and awareness of government agencies resources.

New Jersey (NJ) Safe Schools Program (NJSS) provides code-required trainings for NJ teachers supervising students in work-based learning (WBL) experiences. During the COVID-19 pandemic, increased use of chemical cleaning, sanitization, and disinfectant products (CSDPs) led to ventilation and other health concerns. NJSS conducted two surveys of newer NJ WBL teachers between October 2021 and June 2023, with a follow-up in fall 2022 for those who completed initial surveys before summer 2022. This study focused on questions regarding workspace ventilation; respirator and CSDPs trainings; awareness of government resources for safety and health (S&H); and demographics. Over 65% of participant classrooms have operable windows or ventilation systems, while 13% of school salons have ceiling fans. Half of participants didn't receive training on handling CSDPs, although 90% were aware of government S&H resources. Data suggested teachers have well-ventilated workspaces and are aware of different resources available, which is important to continue post COVID-19.

Can Occupational Safety and Health Preventive Measures Taken by the Employer Influence Sleep Disturbances in Teleworkers? Results from the Quantitative Study on Working Life with COVID-19 in Latvia.

This research on sleep disturbances emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study investigated the association between self-reported sleep disturbances among teleworkers and the preventive measures employers took to improve their working environment. Answers obtained via a web survey gathered from 1086 teleworkers (517 in the spring of 2021 and 569 in the spring of 2022) were analysed. The odds of self-reported sleep disturbances were significantly higher for all preventive measures in the group of respondents reporting a lack of a particular measure. The highest odds ratios were observed for the statement "My employer identified conditions where I am teleworking" (adjusted OR = 2.98, 95% CI 2.10-4.23) and "Online team-building events were organised" (adjusted OR = 2.85, 95% CI 1.88-4.35). The results of our study have revealed that workplace interventions that serve as a mediator for sleep disorders, even if they are not directly targeted at managing sleep disturbances or stress, can reduce the number of teleworkers reporting sleep disturbances. According to our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the effectiveness of employer interventions that help teleworkers manage their sleep disturbances.

Volatile gas scavenging in the paediatric intensive care unit: Occupational health and safety assessment.

Introduction: The use of volatile anesthetic agents in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is experiencing increased interest since the availability of the miniature vapourizing device. However, the effectiveness of scavenging systems in the presence of humidifiers in the ventilator circuit is unknown. Approach Methods: We performed a bench study to evaluate the effectiveness of the Deltasorb® scavenging system in the presence of isoflurane and active humidity by simulating both infant and child ventilator test settings. A total of four ventilators were set to ventilate test lungs, all with active humidity and a Deltasorb scavenging canister collecting exhaled ventilation gas. Two ventilators also had isoflurane delivered using the Anesthesia Conserving Device- small (ACD®-S) on the inspiratory limb (also called alternative ventilator configuration). We performed instantaneous measurements of isoflurane and continuous sampling with passive badges to measure average environmental exposure over a test period of 6.5 hours. Scavenging canisters were returned to the company, where desorption analysis showed the volume of water and isoflurane captured in each canister. Findings: Both instantaneous point sampling and diffusive sampling results were below the occupational exposure limit confirming safety. The canisters collected both isoflurane and a portion of the water vapour delivered; the percentage of captured water and isoflurane collected in infants was higher than the child ventilator test settings. Practice implications Conclusion: The tested scavenging configuration was effective in maintaining a safe working environment with active humidity and inspiratory limb (alternative) ventilator configuration of the the miniature vapourizing device.

An exploratory survey of on-site heat stress management practices in the Canadian mining industry.

With climate change fueling more frequent and intense periods of hot weather, heat stress management programs are becoming increasingly important for protecting the health and safety of workers in the Canadian mining industry. While the inclusion of heat-mitigation measures such as those provided by the American College of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) are commonly employed by industry, there is a need to develop more comprehensive industry-specific measures for heat stress prevention and management. To better understand current heat management practices and identify opportunities for improvement, an exploratory survey of 51 employees responsible for health and safety at underground mining (n = 35), and surface operations (n = 16) (e.g., open-pit mining, milling, smelting, and exploration site) was conducted in Canada. The respondents answered 50 questions related to workplace heat stress management, including descriptors of the workplace environment, perceived heat stress hazard, administration of heat stress management programming, heat stress emergency procedures, environmental monitoring strategies, and knowledge of mining-specific regulations related to heat stress. Twenty-four managers (47%) reported that heat-related illnesses led to restricted duty or lost time claims at their site, with a median of 5 [IQR: 2-10, max: 30] reportable heat-related illnesses occurring per site annually. Many also felt that heat-related illnesses are under-reported by their workforce (n = 36, 71%). Most sites reported established heat stress management programs to prevent heat illness (n = 43, 84%), typically based on the TLVs (n = 38, 75%). Although some organizations do conduct pre-task evaluations for heat stress (n = 30, 59%), more than half do not conduct post-job evaluations (n = 28, 55%) or pre-employment screening for heat stress vulnerability (n = 3, 6%). While our findings indicate that the health and safety managers recognize the hazard posed by heat and have stated practices to help address the hazard, we also observed inconsistencies in heat stress management programming across the sample. Developing and adopting a standard heat stress management and reporting system would be an important step toward protecting workers from existing and emerging threats from extreme heat and climate change.

Physical work environment in an activity-based flex office: a longitudinal case study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate and explore Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management, office ergonomics, and musculoskeletal symptoms in a group of office workers relocating from cell offices to activity-based flex offices (AFOs). METHODS: The analysis was based on qualitative interview data with 77 employees and longitudinal questionnaire data from 152 employees. RESULTS: Results indicate that there was a need to clarify roles and processes related to the management of OHS. Self-rated sit comfort, working posture, and availability of daylight deteriorated and symptoms in neck and shoulders increased after the relocation and seemed to be influenced by many factors, such as difficulties adjusting the workstations, the availability of suitable workplaces, and age, sex, and individual needs. CONCLUSION: Research on the long-term effects of physical work environments and management of (OHS) issues after implementing activity-based flex offices is sparse. This study demonstrates the importance of planning and organising OHS issue management when implementing an AFO, and to carefully implement office ergonomics among office workers.

Work-Related Health Conditions Among American Nurses: A Scoping Review.

Background: Working in the nursing profession is hazardous, and nurses report poor health. Risk factors associated with poor health outcomes have been documented. However, the extent of literature exploring the prevalence of health conditions among American nurses that may be attributable to their work has not been examined. Method: A scoping review following the Joanna Briggs Institute recommendations was conducted of peer-reviewed quantitative studies to answer the question: What are health conditions experienced by American nurses that may be attributable to their work as nurses? Results: Thirty articles met the inclusion criteria. Due to the methods used in many articles, studies of the prevalence of health conditions among the nursing population were lacking. Health conditions studied broke into six categories: (a) work-related injuries and hazards; (b) unhealthy lifestyles; (c) mental health conditions; (d) burnout; (e) fatigue, sleep, and migraines; and (f) reproductive health. The role of work in the health conditions studied varied from an immediate impact on health (e.g., a needlestick or injury) to a cumulative impact (e.g., scheduling or workplace demands). Within the work demands, the physical environment; physical, emotional, and cognitive demands of work; and shiftwork were all frequently identified as antecedents that could be further explored and addressed to improve nurse health. Conclusions: Healthcare systems should seek to address the hazards and exposures that may be linked to health conditions in the nursing workforce. Understanding and mitigating the impact of the pandemic and nursing work on the workforce's health is crucial to the solvency of the workforce. Occupational health practitioners should assess for workplace hazards and exposures.