[State of supply services for industrial hygiene and safety in Colombia]. / Estado de la oferta técnica de servicios de higiene y seguridad industrial, Colombia, 2010.

INTRODUCTION: Institutions that supply occupational health services must offer services that are reliable and of high quality across the spectrum of industrial hygiene and safety needs. OBJECTIVE: Services for occupational health were identified at several institutions, and the technical quality and reliability of these services were compared in different regions of Colombia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive study identified the services available for industrial hygiene and safety in 15 cities of Colombia. A survey was conducted in 192 institutions offering such services and a statistical analysis of these results was undertaken. This sample was taken from a nationwide list of institutions purportedly licensed for this activity. RESULTS: Thirty-two percent (61) of the evaluated institutions provided hygiene services, and 48% (93) provided safety services. The range of health services was provided on a subcontract basis both for professional personnel and the equipment. Six institutions in the area of industrial hygiene and 1 in the area of industrial security were supplying services with pending or suspended institutional licenses. CONCLUSION: Deficiencies in the quality, infrastructure and levels of automation were identified at institutions that supply services of hygiene and industrial security. The resulting recommendatios are that the Ministry of the Social Protection fortifies mechanisms for (1) the evaluation and control of the supplied services, and (2) verify that the institutional activity is in accordance with current and valid licensing.

Estado de la oferta técnica de servicios de higiene y seguridad industrial, Colombia, 2010 / State of supply services for industrial hygiene and safety in Colombia

Introducción. Las instituciones prestadoras de servicios de prevención de riesgos laborales tienen la función de ofrecer servicios técnicos y confiables en salud ocupacional, seguridad e higiene industrial. Objetivo. Identificar la oferta de servicios existentes respecto a la prevención de riesgos laborales (parte de higiene y seguridad industrial), considerando sus características técnicas y de calidad, en diferentes regiones del país. Materiales y métodos. Corresponde a un estudio descriptivo de corte transversal (2009-2010) de cobertura nacional (15 ciudades) para identificar la oferta de servicios de higiene y seguridad industrial. Se obtuvo un listado nacional de instituciones con licencia para prestar este tipo de servicios, se seleccionó una muestra de 192 instituciones, se aplicó una encuesta y se hizo el análisis estadístico de la información. Resultados. Sesenta y una (31,77 %) de las instituciones evaluadas prestan servicios de higiene y, 93 (48,44 %), de seguridad industrial. El estudio evidenció una oferta de servicios de higiene basada en la subcontratación. Se encontró que 6 (6,52 %) instituciones en el área de higiene industrial y 1 (0,52 %) en el área de seguridad industrial, no contaban con licencia vigente para la prestación del servicio. Conclusión. Se identificaron deficiencias en la calidad, condiciones de infraestructura y tecnificación de las instituciones que ofrecen servicios de higiene y seguridad industrial. Es necesario que el Ministerio de la Protección Social fortalezca los mecanismos para la evaluación y control de los servicios ofrecidos y revise la forma en que hoy se expiden las licencias que autorizan la prestación de estos servicios.

Introduction. Institutions that supply occupational health services must offer services that are reliable and of high quality across the spectrum of industrial hygiene and safety needs. Objective. Services for occupational health were identified at several institutions, and the technical quality and reliability of these services were compared in different regions of Colombia. Materials and methods. This descriptive study identified the services available for industrial hygiene and safety in 15 cities of Colombia. A survey was conducted in 192 institutions offering such services and a statistical analysis of these results was undertaken. This sample was taken from a nationwide list of institutions purportedly licensed for this activity. Results. Thirty-two percent (61) of the evaluated institutions provided hygiene services, and 48% (93) provided safety services. The range of health services was provided on a subcontract basis both for professional personnel and the equipment. Six institutions in the area of industrial hygiene and 1 in the area of industrial security were supplying services with pending or suspended institutional licenses. Conclusion. Deficiencies in the quality, infrastructure and levels of automation were identified at institutions that supply services of hygiene and industrial security. The resulting recommendatios are that the Ministry of the Social Protection fortifies mechanisms for (1) the evaluation and control of the supplied services, and (2) verify that the institutional activity is in accordance with current and valid licensing.

[Humanization in nursing assistance: perception of nurses in municipal health services]. / Humanização da assistência de enfermagem: percepção de enfermeiros nos serviços de saúde de um município.

The following paper aims to identify the perception of nurses regarding humanization in nursing assistance in a municipality, pointing out difficulties for users and nurses while rendering these services. This is an exploratory-descriptive study, with a qualitative approach involving thirty-seven nurses who answered an open survey The content of the surveys was analyzed through theme analysis. Categories led nurses to a more accurate perception of assistance humanization, like, for example, how to look after others as one would like to be taken care of and also how to have a whole view of the users. Regarding difficulties, the study displayed shortcomings in humanized service (lack of time; inappropriate facilities; and lack of material and human resources). Concerning humanization in health care provided by nurses, the necessity for a better support by the administrator and the promotion of workers' health have been highlighted. The nurses recommend the use of services taking into account the qualification and commitment of the worker with the user

Economic development and occupational health in Latin America: new directions for public health in less developed countries.

Occupational Health is increasingly recognized as an area of importance in Latin American public health. In the agricultural sector of the region, the concentration of arable land into large holdings devoted to the production of export crops has resulted in the formation of a large migrant work force and greatly increased use of pesticides. The manufacturing sector of Latin America has grown rapidly in size and importance. Throughout the continent, increasing numbers of workers are employed in high-hazard industrial jobs. Limited studies of occupational disease in agriculture, mining, and manufacturing suggest that there is a high prevalence of work-related illness in the populations at risk. Trade unions are generally weak, and the high rate of unemployment and underemployment render occupational health a low priority for many workers. Engineering controls and personal protective equipment are unknown or inadequate in many industries, and there is a shortage of trained occupational health professionals in the region. Steps are being taken by many Latin American governments to begin to address this problem. Needed are: increased worker and professional training; a uniform set of exposure standards; control of multinational marketing and usage of hazardous substances; the development of technical equipment appropriate for local use and increased research on occupational exposure in populations in less developed countries.