U.S. Food System Working Conditions as an Issue of Food Safety.

PubMed

Clayton, Megan L; Smith, Katherine C; Pollack, Keshia M; Neff, Roni A; Rutkow, Lainie

2017-02-01

Food workers' health and hygiene are common pathways to foodborne disease outbreaks. Improving food system jobs is important to food safety because working conditions impact workers' health, hygiene, and safe food handling. Stakeholders from key industries have advanced working conditions as an issue of public safety in the United States. Yet, for the food industry, stakeholder engagement with this topic is seemingly limited. To understand this lack of action, we interviewed key informants from organizations recognized for their agenda-setting role on food-worker issues. Findings suggest that participants recognize the work standards/food safety connection, yet perceived barriers limit adoption of a food safety frame, including more pressing priorities (e.g., occupational safety); poor fit with organizational strategies and mission; and questionable utility, including potential negative consequences. Using these findings, we consider how public health advocates may connect food working conditions to food and public safety and elevate it to the public policy agenda.

29 CFR 1915.15 - Maintenance of safe conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Enclosed Spaces and Other Dangerous Atmospheres in Shipyard Employment § 1915.15 Maintenance of safe... into spaces that have been certified “Safe for Workers” or “Safe for Hot Work” shall be disconnected... certificates. A competent person shall visually inspect and test each space certified as “Safe for Workers” or...

29 CFR 1915.15 - Maintenance of safe conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Enclosed Spaces and Other Dangerous Atmospheres in Shipyard Employment § 1915.15 Maintenance of safe... into spaces that have been certified “Safe for Workers” or “Safe for Hot Work” shall be disconnected... certificates. A competent person shall visually inspect and test each space certified as “Safe for Workers” or...

29 CFR 1919.29 - Limitations on safe working loads and proof loads.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) GEAR CERTIFICATION Certification of Vessels: Tests and Proof... pertinent limitations based on stability and/or on structural competence at particular radii. Safe working...

29 CFR 1919.29 - Limitations on safe working loads and proof loads.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) GEAR CERTIFICATION Certification of Vessels: Tests and Proof... pertinent limitations based on stability and/or on structural competence at particular radii. Safe working...

29 CFR 1919.29 - Limitations on safe working loads and proof loads.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) GEAR CERTIFICATION Certification of Vessels: Tests and Proof... pertinent limitations based on stability and/or on structural competence at particular radii. Safe working...

29 CFR 1919.29 - Limitations on safe working loads and proof loads.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) GEAR CERTIFICATION Certification of Vessels: Tests and Proof... pertinent limitations based on stability and/or on structural competence at particular radii. Safe working...

29 CFR 1919.29 - Limitations on safe working loads and proof loads.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) GEAR CERTIFICATION Certification of Vessels: Tests and Proof... pertinent limitations based on stability and/or on structural competence at particular radii. Safe working...

Exploring varieties of knowledge in safe work practices - an ethnographic study of surgical teams

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Within existing research in health and medicine, the nature of knowledge on how teams conduct safe work practices has yet to be properly explored. Methods We address this concern by exploring the varieties in which knowledge is expressed during interdisciplinary surgical operations. Specifically, the study was conducted in a surgical section of a Norwegian regional general hospital, between January and April of 2010, by means of an ethnographic design combining detailed non-participant observations, conversations and semi-structured interviews. Results Based on an analysis of the gathered data, we identify three particular themes in how knowledge is expressed by operating room personnel: (i) the ability and variety individuals demonstrate in handling multiple sources of information, before reaching a particular decision, (ii) the variety of ways awareness or anticipation of future events is expressed, and (iii) the different ways sudden and unexpected situations are handled by the individual team members. Conclusions We conclude that these facets of knowledge bring different insights into how safe work practices are achieved at an individual and team level in surgical operations, thus adding to the existing understanding of the nature of knowledge in safe work practices in surgical operations. Future research should focus on exploring and documenting the relationships between various elements of knowledge and safe work practices, in different surgical settings and countries. PMID:21914183

Working safely with H5N1 viruses.

PubMed

García-Sastre, Adolfo

2012-01-01

Research on H5N1 influenza viruses has received much attention recently due to the possible dangers associated with newly developed avian H5N1 viruses that were derived from highly pathogenic avian viruses and are now transmissible among ferrets via respiratory droplets. An appropriate discussion, based on scientific facts about the risks that such viruses pose and on the biocontainment facilities and practices necessary for working safely with these viruses, is needed. Selecting the right level of biocontainment is critical for minimizing the risks associated with H5N1 research while simultaneously allowing an appropriately fast pace of discovery. Rational countermeasures for preventing the spread of influenza can be developed only by gaining a thorough knowledge of the molecular mechanisms at work in host specificity and transmission.

SUNRAYCE 1993: Working safely with lead-acid batteries and photovoltaic power systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dephillips, M. P.; Moskowitz, P. D.; Fthenakis, V. M.

1992-11-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is sponsoring SUNRAYCE 93 to advance tile technology and use of photovoltaics and electric vehicles. Participants will use cars powered by photovoltaic modules and lead-acid storage batteries. This brochure, prepared for students and faculty participating in this race, outlines the health hazards presented by these electrical systems and gives guidance on strategies for their safe usage. At the outset, it should be noted that working with photovoltaic systems and batteries requires electric vehicle drivers and technicians to have 'hands-on' contact with the car on a daily basis. It is important that no one work near a photovoltaic energy system or battery, either in a vehicle or on the bench, unless they familiarize themselves with the components in use and know and observe safe work practices including the safety precautions described in the manuals provided by the various equipment vendors and this document.

Sociotechnical attributes of safe and unsafe work systems.

PubMed

Kleiner, Brian M; Hettinger, Lawrence J; DeJoy, David M; Huang, Yuang-Hsiang; Love, Peter E D

2015-01-01

Theoretical and practical approaches to safety based on sociotechnical systems principles place heavy emphasis on the intersections between social-organisational and technical-work process factors. Within this perspective, work system design emphasises factors such as the joint optimisation of social and technical processes, a focus on reliable human-system performance and safety metrics as design and analysis criteria, the maintenance of a realistic and consistent set of safety objectives and policies, and regular access to the expertise and input of workers. We discuss three current approaches to the analysis and design of complex sociotechnical systems: human-systems integration, macroergonomics and safety climate. Each approach emphasises key sociotechnical systems themes, and each prescribes a more holistic perspective on work systems than do traditional theories and methods. We contrast these perspectives with historical precedents such as system safety and traditional human factors and ergonomics, and describe potential future directions for their application in research and practice. The identification of factors that can reliably distinguish between safe and unsafe work systems is an important concern for ergonomists and other safety professionals. This paper presents a variety of sociotechnical systems perspectives on intersections between social--organisational and technology--work process factors as they impact work system analysis, design and operation.

Sociotechnical attributes of safe and unsafe work systems

PubMed Central

Kleiner, Brian M.; Hettinger, Lawrence J.; DeJoy, David M.; Huang, Yuang-Hsiang; Love, Peter E.D.

2015-01-01

Theoretical and practical approaches to safety based on sociotechnical systems principles place heavy emphasis on the intersections between social–organisational and technical–work process factors. Within this perspective, work system design emphasises factors such as the joint optimisation of social and technical processes, a focus on reliable human–system performance and safety metrics as design and analysis criteria, the maintenance of a realistic and consistent set of safety objectives and policies, and regular access to the expertise and input of workers. We discuss three current approaches to the analysis and design of complex sociotechnical systems: human–systems integration, macroergonomics and safety climate. Each approach emphasises key sociotechnical systems themes, and each prescribes a more holistic perspective on work systems than do traditional theories and methods. We contrast these perspectives with historical precedents such as system safety and traditional human factors and ergonomics, and describe potential future directions for their application in research and practice. Practitioner Summary: The identification of factors that can reliably distinguish between safe and unsafe work systems is an important concern for ergonomists and other safety professionals. This paper presents a variety of sociotechnical systems perspectives on intersections between social–organisational and technology–work process factors as they impact work system analysis, design and operation. PMID:25909756

28 CFR 545.24 - Inmate work conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 545.24 Judicial Administration BUREAU OF PRISONS, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT WORK... appropriate minimum standards for health and safety. Safety equipment is to be available where needed. (e) An inmate is expected to perform the work assignment in a safe manner, using safety equipment as instructed...

Working safely in summertime heat

Treesearch

Robert B. Rummer

1997-01-01

As logging operations continue in the hotter months of he year, the safety hazard of heat stress appears. Loggers are particularly at risk, because the combination of hard physical work and outdoor conditions puts high demands on the body. While loggers rarely die from heat stress, they may suffer heat illness symptoms ranging from the discomfort of heat rash to nausea...

[Rural work and health risks: a review into de "safe use" of pesticides in Brazil].

PubMed

de Abreu, Pedro Henrique Barbosa; Alonzo, Herling Gregorio Aguilar

2014-10-01

The paradigm of the "safe use" of pesticides is based on measures to control risks in the handling of these products. However, studies carried out in various regions of Brazil reveal a situation of widespread exposure and health damages among rural workers, revealing the ineffectiveness of this paradigm. This work presents a critical review of the "safe use" approach for pesticides in scientific papers published in Brazil in the past 15 years. Results indicate that these studies do not address, simultaneously, all the work activities that involve exposure and risk of intoxication (acquisition, transportation, storage, preparation and application, final disposal of empty containers and sanitization of contaminated clothes/ PPEs), nor do they comprehensively address the "safe use" measures recommended in safety manuals, which are mandatory for each activity. A total of 25 studies were selected and analyzed, revealing a high number of results and analyses regarding activities of preparation and application and final disposal of empty containers. The range of the approaches was seen to be timely in the six work activities. For future studies, a broader approach of the "safe use" of pesticides is recommended, seeking to reveal the complete infeasibility of this safety paradigm.

DroidSafe

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

branches of our work . 3.1 Understanding Sensitive API Call and API Information Usage Android applications are written in a type- safe language (Java...directly invoke resolved targets. Because DroidSafe works with a comprehensive model of the Android environment , it supports precise resolution of...STATEMENT. FOR THE CHIEF ENGINEER: / S / / S / MARK K. WILLIAMS WARREN H. DEBANY, JR. Work Unit Manager

Safe Schools, Safe Communities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Julie E.; Pickett, Dean; Pulliam, Janet L.; Schwartz, Richard A.; St. Germaine, Anne-Marie; Underwood, Julie; Worona, Jay

Schools must work together with agencies, groups, and individuals to eliminate the forces leading children to violence. Chapter 1, "School Safety: Working Together to Keep Schools Safe," stresses the importance of community collaboration in violence prevention. Effective prevention requires sharing information about students, consistent…

Safe and secure at work?: findings from the 2002 Workplace Risk Supplement.

PubMed

Jenkins, E Lynn; Fisher, Bonnie S; Hartley, Dan

2012-01-01

To examine employee's perception of safety and related workplace safety and prevention issues, including their use of self-protection measures and victimization experience. The Workplace Risk Supplement (WRS) to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) was administered to 55,158 employed respondents who were 16 years or older. Trained U.S. Census Bureau interviewers administered the WRS in all households selected for the NCVS during the 6-month reference period from January through June 2002. Responses from the 55,158 WRS respondents were weighted to obtain national estimates, resulting in 142,410,858 cases. The demographic distribution of WRS respondents is very similar to that of the U.S. labor force. Seven percent of respondents reported that they worried about someone in their workplace attacking them, while nearly 4% experienced victimization. The majority indicated that they felt that their workplace, the neighborhood around their workplace, and places they traveled to as part of their job were either "Very Safe" or "Somewhat Safe" from crime. Six percent carried some type of self protection while at work although this varied by occupation. Employees largely feel safe from violence while working. Differences in victimization by occupation bolster efforts to focus workplace violence prevention in high-risk occupations.

Female sex workers use power over their day-to-day lives to meet the condition of a conditional cash transfer intervention to incentivize safe sex.

PubMed

Cooper, Jan E; Dow, William H; de Walque, Damien; Keller, Ann C; McCoy, Sandra I; Fernald, Lia C H; Balampama, Marianna P; Kalolella, Admirabilis; Packel, Laura J; Wechsberg, Wendee M; Ozer, Emily J

2017-05-01

Female Sex Workers are a core population in the HIV epidemic, and interventions such as conditional cash transfers (CCTs), effective in other health domains, are a promising new approach to reduce the spread of HIV. Here we investigate how a population of Tanzanian female sex workers, though constrained in many ways, experience and use their power in the context of a CCT intervention that incentivizes safe sex. We analyzed 20 qualitative in-depth interviews with female sex workers enrolled in a randomized-controlled CCT program, the RESPECT II pilot, and found that while such women have limited choices, they do have substantial power over their work logistics that they leveraged to meet the conditions of the CCT and receive the cash award. It was through these decisions over work logistics, such as reducing the number of workdays and clients, that the CCT intervention had its greatest impact on modifying female sex workers' behavior. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Safe working hours--doctors in training a best practice issue.

PubMed

Lewis, Andrew

2002-01-01

In 1995, the Australian Medical Association launched its Safe Working Hours campaign. By 1998, this had been developed into a National Code of Conduct that continues to resonate in the Australian public health system. However, and particularly in respect of Doctors in Training (DITs) who continue to work long hours, there are levels of resistance to proposals that seek to re-organise work or change prevailing professional and cultural expectations. Long working hours have substantial impacts on a DIT's capacity to consistently deliver high quality patient care, dilute the effectiveness of their training regime and have negative consequences on their health, social life and family responsibilities. While public hospitals often maintain the view that minimal budget flexibility restricts their capacity to affect change in a positive way, in fact devisable productivity and efficiency gains can be achieved by reducing working hours. Further, the medical profession needs to consider whether long hours provide an optimal environment for quality learning and performance.

Nursing overtime: why, how much, and under what working conditions?

PubMed

Bae, Sung-Heui

2012-01-01

To provide the best care to patients, the physical wellness of nursing staff is essential. Current evidence indicates long work hours can lead to adverse nurse and patient outcomes. To provide quality and safe patient care, both staff nurses and nurse managers need to recognize the adverse effects of overtime, whether it is mandatory or voluntary. Results of this study showed overtime was not used more when there was an increase in nursing shortages. Further, overtime was not used to control shortages; rather, understaffing was an underlying condition of the nursing practice, at least in the study sample. Thus, efforts must be made not only to prevent nurses from working long hours, but also to resolve the problem of understaffing in order to retain qualified nurses in hospitals.

Differences among Thai Agricultural Workers' Health, Working Conditions, and Pesticide Use by Farm Type.

PubMed

Kongtip, Pornpimol; Nankongnab, Noppanun; Mahaboonpeeti, Redeerat; Bootsikeaw, Sasivimol; Batsungnoen, Kiattisak; Hanchenlaksh, Chalalai; Tipayamongkholgul, Mathuros; Woskie, Susan

2018-02-13

More than 11 million Thai people (38%) work in agriculture, but since most are in the informal sector, government enforcement and support are very limited. As a result, working conditions on Thai farms vary greatly, putting the health of many agricultural workers at risk. A cross-sectional study in three Thai provinces collected information on the work activities and conditions of 424 farmers representing five farm types: rice, vegetable, flower, rice/vegetable, and flower/vegetable. The agricultural workers were mainly women (60%); their average age was 53 but ranged from 18 to 87 years. More than 64% worked more than 5 days/week. Seventy-four percent of them had only primary school education. A number of the health and hazardous working conditions surveyed were significantly different by farm type. Rice farmers were found to have the highest prevalence of allergies, nasal congestion, wheezing, and acute symptoms after pesticide use, while flower farmers had the lowest prevalence of these health outcomes. Rice farmers reported the highest prevalence of hazardous working conditions including high noise levels, working on slippery surfaces, sitting or standing on a vibrating machine, spills of chemicals/pesticides, and sharp injuries. The lowest prevalence of these working conditions (except noise) was reported by flower farmers. Vegetable farmers reported the highest prevalence knee problems, while rice farmers had the lowest prevalence. Among these farmers, more than 27 different types of pesticides were reported in use during the past year, with the majority reporting use once a month. The flower/vegetable farming group reported the highest frequency of good exposure prevention practices during pesticide use. They were the most likely to report using cotton or rubber gloves or a disposable paper masks during insecticide spraying. Those farmers who only grew vegetables had the lowest frequency of good exposure prevention practices, including use of personal

Teacher Working Conditions that Matter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leithwood, Ken; McAdie, Pat

2007-01-01

To advance understanding of the issues concerning teachers' working conditions, the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario commissioned one of the authors to do an analytical review of literature on teachers' working conditions. This resulted in the publication, "Teacher Working Conditions That Matter: Evidence for Change." The…

29 CFR 1919.75 - Determination of crane or derrick safe working loads and limitations in absence of manufacturer's...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 29 Labor 7 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Determination of crane or derrick safe working loads and limitations in absence of manufacturer's data. 1919.75 Section 1919.75 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor... Certification of Shore-Based Material Handling Devices § 1919.75 Determination of crane or derrick safe working...

29 CFR 1919.75 - Determination of crane or derrick safe working loads and limitations in absence of manufacturer's...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 7 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Determination of crane or derrick safe working loads and limitations in absence of manufacturer's data. 1919.75 Section 1919.75 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor... Certification of Shore-Based Material Handling Devices § 1919.75 Determination of crane or derrick safe working...

Elevated Responding to Safe Conditions as a Specific Risk Factor for Anxiety Versus Depressive Disorders: Evidence From a Longitudinal Investigation

PubMed Central

Craske, Michelle G.; Wolitzky–Taylor, Kate B.; Mineka, Susan; Zinbarg, Richard; Waters, Allison M.; Vrshek–Schallhorn, Suzanne; Epstein, Alyssa; Naliboff, Bruce; Ornitz, Edward

2013-01-01

The current study evaluated the degree to which startle reflexes (SRs) in safe conditions versus danger conditions were predictive of the onset of anxiety disorders. Specificity of these effects to anxiety disorders was evaluated in comparison to unipolar depressive disorders and with consideration of level of neuroticism. A startle paradigm was administered at baseline to 132 nondisordered adolescents as part of a longitudinal study examining risk factors for emotional disorders. Participants underwent a repetition of eight safe-danger sequences and were told that delivery of an aversive stimulus leading to a muscle contraction of the arm would occur only in the late part of danger conditions. One aversive stimulus occurred midway in the safe-danger sequences. Participants were assessed for the onset of anxiety and unipolar depressive disorders annually over the next 3 to 4 years. Larger SR magnitude during safe conditions following delivery of the aversive stimulus predicted the subsequent first onset of anxiety disorders. Moreover, prediction of the onset of anxiety disorders remained significant above and beyond the effects of comorbid unipolar depression, neuroticism, and subjective ratings of intensity of the aversive stimulus. In sum, elevated responding to safe conditions following an aversive stimulus appears to be a specific, prospective risk factor for the first onset of anxiety disorders. PMID:21988452

Work-Family Conflict and Working Conditions in Western Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallie, Duncan; Russell, Helen

2009-01-01

This article explores the influence of working conditions on work-family conflict (WFC) among married/cohabiting employees across seven European countries. Using data from the European Social Survey, the paper first investigates the role of working conditions relative to household level characteristics in mediating work-family conflict at the…

Impact of a Safe Resident Handling Program in Nursing Homes on Return-to-Work and Re-injury Outcomes Following Work Injury.

PubMed

Kurowski, Alicia; Pransky, Glenn; Punnett, Laura

2018-05-21

Purpose This study examined the impact of a Safe Resident Handling Program (SRHP) on length of disability and re-injury, following work-related injuries of nursing home workers. Resident handling-related injuries and back injuries were of particular interest. Methods A large national nursing home corporation introduced a SRHP followed by three years of training for 136 centers. Lost-time workers' compensation claims (3 years pre-SRHP and 6 years post-SRHP) were evaluated. For each claim, length of first episode of disability and recurrence of disabling injury were evaluated over time. Differences were assessed using Chi square analyses and a generalized linear model, and "avoided" costs were projected. Results The SRHP had no impact on length of disability, but did appear to significantly reduce the rate of recurrence among resident handling-related injuries. As indemnity and medical costs were three times higher for claimants with recurrent disabling injuries, the SRHP resulted in significant "avoided" costs due to "avoided" recurrence. Conclusions In addition to reducing overall injury rates, SRHPs appear to improve long-term return-to-work success by reducing the rate of recurrent disabling injuries resulting in work disability. In this study, the impact was sustained over years, even after a formal training and implementation program ended. Since back pain is inherently a recurrent condition, results suggest that SRHPs help workers remain at work and return-to-work.

[Physicians' working conditions, health and working capacity].

PubMed

Elovainio, Marko; Virtanen, Marianna; Oksanen, Tuula

2017-01-01

Changes in the working environment will also influence the work of physicians. The greatest of these changes on the Finnish scale, the SOTE reform (the reform in social welfare and public health services), still lies ahead. Labor shortage, on-call duties and patient record systems providing little support to work add to the burden. In surveys related to psychosocial working conditions, physicians' greatest work load factors have been rush, forced working pace and poor communication despite the fact that, on average, they consider their working conditions to be good, frequently better than those of other professional groups, and are committed to carry on with their work until retirement age. Although psychic symptoms and sleep disturbances are common among physicians, there are fewer disability pensions due to e.g. depression among physicians than in other professional groups. Among the municipal professions, physicians have nearly the lowest rate of job absenteeism due to sickness. Challenges brought about by the changes in physician's work can be met with fair management, development of the social capital of the work community, organization of tasks and flexibility of working hours.

A system to test the ground surface conditions of construction sites--for safe and efficient work without physical strain.

PubMed

Koningsveld, Ernst; van der Grinten, Maarten; van der Molen, Henk; Krause, Frank

2005-07-01

Ground surface conditions on construction sites have an important influence on the health and safety of workers and their productivity. The development of an expert-based "working conditions evaluation" system is described, intended to assist site managers in recognising unsatisfactory ground conditions and remedying these. The system was evaluated in the period 2002-2003. The evaluation shows that companies recognize poor soil/ground conditions as problematic, but are not aware of the specific physical workload hazards. The developed methods allow assessment of the ground surface quality and selection of appropriate measures for improvement. However, barriers exist at present to wide implementation of the system across the industry. Most significant of these is that responsibility for a site's condition is not clearly located within contracting arrangements, nor is it a topic of serious negotiation.

[Working conditions of community nurses].

PubMed

Kułagowska, Ewa; Kosińska, Maria

2010-01-01

To ensure the most efficient workplace health promotion it is essential to identify and monitor health conditions of employees and all components of the work process, as well as to recognize their cause-effect relationships. Community nurses form an occupational group with a specific type of workplace that is usually located in the patient's place of residence and thus not inspected in terms of safety and hygiene. The aim of the study was to identify working conditions of community nurses with special reference to occupational hazards. An anonymous questionnaire was used as a major tool of this survey. It contained 33 questions, concerning the work process, working conditions, work loads and arduousness, hazards and work-related complaints. The questionnaire was completed by 86 community nurses working in the Upper Silesia region. Community nurses generally assessed their work as hard. A more thorough analysis revealed that nursing and curative care, nursing and hygienic care and rehabilitation were regarded by community nurses as hard, whereas social diagnostics and curative diagnostics were assessed as much easier tasks. Excessive physical load, forced position at work, aggressive patients, patients' aggressive family members, dangerous domestic animals, low quality of technical devices in patients' homes were reported as the greatest hazards. The obtained results reveal that working conditions of community nurses do not ensure their safety at work.

Effect of working conditions on non-work-related sickness absence.

PubMed

Sampere, M; Gimeno, D; Serra, C; Plana, M; Martínez, J M; Delclos, G L; Benavides, F G

2012-01-01

There is limited evidence of the role of working conditions as prognostic factors for non-work-related sickness absence (i.e. absence due to injuries or diseases of non-occupational origin). To analyse the association between working conditions and time to return to work (RTW) in workers with long-term (>15 days) non-work-related sickness absence. We followed up a total of 655 workers, who completed a baseline questionnaire including physical and psychosocial work factors, until their non-work-related long-term sickness absence ended. Time to RTW was determined based on the health insurance company register. Cox proportional hazard models were constructed to evaluate the associations between working conditions and time to RTW. A self-perceived high level of physical activity at work and work with back twisted or bent were related to longer duration of sickness absence. We did not find any strong evidence of associations between psychosocial work factors and time to RTW, although higher job insecurity and low reward showed marginal statistical significance. Hazardous physical working conditions are associated with longer duration of non-work-related sickness absence. Workplace ergonomic interventions could conceivably shorten the length of sickness absence that has not originated at work.

[Working conditions in operating rooms].

PubMed

Kułagowska, Ewa

2007-01-01

The aim of this study was to get acquainted with the opinions of the nursing staff on working conditions at their workplace. The study was carried out in a group of 398 nurses working in various kinds of operating rooms at 11 public hospitals. A questionnaire was used as a major tool of this study. The questionnaires were filled in by 259 operating room nurses (circulating nurses) and 139 nurse-anesthetists. The collected data show that working conditions in operating rooms do not ensure safety of the nursing staff at work. The main sources of problems are: work organization, technical factors, work equipment, work space, knowledge of hazards and strenuous factors among nurses, ways of preventing and/or limiting them. These elements are serious occupational risk factors influencing the work process and health status of nurses.

Picture Me Safe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irvin, Daniel W.

1977-01-01

The validity of well-written articles can be destroyed by poor illustration, especially when the pictures show unsafe practices. The responsibility lies with the author to provide clear printable pictures showing safe working environments and safe practices. (Editor)

Is work engagement related to work ability beyond working conditions and lifestyle factors?

PubMed

Airila, Auli; Hakanen, Jari; Punakallio, Anne; Lusa, Sirpa; Luukkonen, Ritva

2012-11-01

To examine the associations of age, lifestyle and work-related factors, and particularly work engagement with the work ability index (WAI) and its sub-dimensions. Step-wise regression analysis with a sample of Finnish firefighters (n = 403) was used. The outcome variables were the WAI and its six sub-dimensions. The independent variables consisted of age, lifestyle variables (alcohol consumption, BMI, smoking, physical exercise, and sleep problems), working conditions (job demands, physical workload, supervisory relations, and task resources), and work engagement. The outcome variables and all the variables related to lifestyle, working conditions, and work engagement were measured in 2009. Work ability at baseline 10 years earlier was adjusted for in the models. Work engagement, age, physical exercise, sleep problems, and physical workload were associated with the WAI. All independent variables, except BMI and alcohol consumption, were associated with at least one sub-dimension of the WAI after controlling the baseline WAI. Lifestyle variables, working conditions, and work engagement were more strongly related to the subjective WAI sub-dimensions than to the two more objective WAI sub-dimensions. Work engagement was significantly associated with work ability even after adjusting for various factors, indicating its importance in promoting work ability. Other key factors for good work ability were frequent exercise, good sleep, non-smoking, low job demands, low physical workload, and high task resources. More specifically, this study suggests that in maintaining work ability, it is valuable not only to promote lifestyle factors or working conditions, but also to enhance employees' positive state of work engagement.

Chronic health conditions and work ability in the ageing workforce: the impact of work conditions, psychosocial factors and perceived health.

PubMed

Koolhaas, Wendy; van der Klink, Jac J L; de Boer, Michiel R; Groothoff, Johan W; Brouwer, Sandra

2014-05-01

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of work conditions, psychosocial factors and perceived health on the association between the presence of a chronic health condition and (single-item) work ability among workers aged 45 years and older. In addition, we aimed to examine variables associated with work ability for workers with and without a chronic health condition separately. The data of this cross-sectional study were obtained from 5,247 workers aged 45 years and older in five different work sectors. Work ability was assessed with the first item of the Work Ability Index. The presence of a chronic health condition was assessed by self-report. Independent variables in the multivariable linear regression analysis were work conditions, psychosocial factors and perceived health status. The presence of a chronic health condition was negatively associated with work ability (B = -0.848). The strength of this association slightly attenuated after subsequently adding individual characteristics (B = -0.824), work conditions (B = -0.805) and more so after adding psychosocial factors (B = -0.704) and especially perceived health variables (B = -0.049) to the model. Variables associated with work ability for workers with and without a chronic health condition were similar. Perceived health and psychosocial factors, rather than work conditions, explained the association between the presence of a chronic health condition and work ability. Substantial differences in variables associated with work ability for workers with and without a chronic health condition were not found. Based on the lower mean scores for workers with a chronic health condition and work ability as well for predictors, these workers might have the most benefit by a policy focussing on enhancing these associated variables.

Work conditions and socioeconomic inequalities in work ability.

PubMed

Aittomäki, Akseli; Lahelma, Eero; Roos, Eva

2003-04-01

The objective of this study was to investigate socioeconomic inequalities in work ability among municipal employees and the contribution of work conditions to these inequalities. The subjects were employees of the City of Helsinki and were all over 40 years of age. Data (N=1,827) were collected in the age-group-based medical check-ups by occupational health personnel. Work ability was measured with a work ability index. The association between the work ability index with socioeconomic status was examined by fitting logistic regression models. There was a consistent gradient in work ability, lower socioeconomic groups having poorer work ability. Adjusting for physical stress accounted for a substantial part of the socioeconomic inequalities. Adjusting for possibilities for influence and development at work accounted for some of the difference between white-collar and blue-collar employees, but not for differences between the white-collar subgroups among the women. Mental stress and problems in the social environment were not clearly associated with the inequalities. Socioeconomic inequalities in work ability among municipal employees correspond to the inequalities in ill health found in general populations. Physical stress at work explained a large part of the inequality. Poor possibilities to influence one's work contributed to the excess of lowered work ability among the blue-collar employees, but not to the inequalities between white-collar subgroups of women. Apart from physical workload, work conditions did not explain socioeconomic inequalities between white-collar subgroups of women.

How Principals Can Help to Ensure Safe Science Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaufman, James A.

1995-01-01

Most schools inadequately protect the health and safety of students involved in science study. Echoing industry standards (and safety records), schools should have safety policies and committees, develop safety orientation programs, make working safely an employment condition, reward good safety performance, inspect and correct, and supply…

Gendered work conditions, health, and work outcomes.

PubMed

Bond, Meg A; Punnett, Laura; Pyle, Jean L; Cazeca, Dianne; Cooperman, Manuela

2004-01-01

This cross-sectional study of nonfaculty university employees examined associations among gendered work conditions (e.g., sexism and discrimination), job demands, and employee job satisfaction and health. Organizational responsiveness and social support were examined as effect modifiers. Comparisons were made by gender and by the male-female ratio in each job category. The relationship of gendered conditions of work to outcomes differed on the basis of respondents' sex and the job sex ratio. Although the same predictors were hypothesized for job satisfaction, physical health, and psychological distress, there were some differing results. The strongest correlate of job satisfaction was social support; perceived sexism in the workplace also contributed for both men and women. Organizational factors associated with psychological distress differed between female- and male-dominated jobs.

21 CFR 330.1 - General conditions for general recognition as safe, effective and not misbranded.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false General conditions for general recognition as safe, effective and not misbranded. 330.1 Section 330.1 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF... current good manufacturing practices, as established by parts 210 and 211 of this chapter. (b) The...

Perceived Work Conditions and Turnover Intentions: The Mediating Role of Meaning of Work

PubMed Central

Arnoux-Nicolas, Caroline; Sovet, Laurent; Lhotellier, Lin; Di Fabio, Annamaria; Bernaud, Jean-Luc

2016-01-01

Perceived working conditions lead to various negative outcomes for employee behaviors, including turnover intentions. Although potential mediators for these relationships were previously identified, the importance of meaning of work has not yet been investigated. This study examines the role of this psychological resource as a mediator for the relationships between perceived working conditions and turnover intentions in a sample of 336 French workers from different job contexts. Results show that adverse working conditions were positively and significantly associated with turnover intentions. Meaning of work is negatively related to both perceived working conditions and turnover intentions. Mediation analyses for meaning of work demonstrated indirect effects of several adverse working conditions on turnover intentions. The role of meaning of work as a psychological resource for employees facing adverse working conditions is discussed, especially regarding its implications for research and practice within organizational contexts. PMID:27242616

Perceived Work Conditions and Turnover Intentions: The Mediating Role of Meaning of Work.

PubMed

Arnoux-Nicolas, Caroline; Sovet, Laurent; Lhotellier, Lin; Di Fabio, Annamaria; Bernaud, Jean-Luc

2016-01-01

Perceived working conditions lead to various negative outcomes for employee behaviors, including turnover intentions. Although potential mediators for these relationships were previously identified, the importance of meaning of work has not yet been investigated. This study examines the role of this psychological resource as a mediator for the relationships between perceived working conditions and turnover intentions in a sample of 336 French workers from different job contexts. Results show that adverse working conditions were positively and significantly associated with turnover intentions. Meaning of work is negatively related to both perceived working conditions and turnover intentions. Mediation analyses for meaning of work demonstrated indirect effects of several adverse working conditions on turnover intentions. The role of meaning of work as a psychological resource for employees facing adverse working conditions is discussed, especially regarding its implications for research and practice within organizational contexts.

Teacher Working Conditions are Student Learning Conditions. A Report to Mike Easley on the 2004 North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southeast Center for Teaching Quality (The), University of North Carolina, 2004

2004-01-01

For virtually any business or organization, the conditions in which employees work drive their satisfaction and productivity. Yet, while business often focuses on employee satisfaction, many schools often struggle to address critical working conditions -- isolating teachers in classrooms with closed doors, denying them basic materials to do their…

Working conditions, job strain and work engagement among Belgian radiation oncologists.

PubMed

Bragard, I; Hansez, I; Coucke, P

2014-12-01

This national survey has measured the working conditions, work engagement, job strain, burn out, and the negative work-home interaction among Belgian radiation oncologists with validated questionnaires. In fact, previous studies had in general shown an interest to burn out and its association with working conditions among oncology workers, but not focused on radiation oncologists in particular. Moreover, few studies concerned work engagement and its association with working conditions although this could be important in preventing burn out. We used the WOrking Conditions and Control Questionnaire, the Positive and Negative Occupational States Inventory, the Maslach Burn out Inventory, and the negative work-home interaction subscale of the Survey Work-home Interaction Nijmegen. One open question asked about problematic job situations. Sixty-six radiation oncologists participated (30% response rate). Median scores of most of working conditions corresponded to normal scores. Control over time management (45.8) was close to low score, while control over future (60.9) was high. Median score of job strain (48.9) was normal, whereas median score of work engagement (60) was high. Median score of burn out was low. The mean of negative work-home interactions (1.1) was higher than the mean of 0.84 in a reference sample (t=4.3; P<0.001). The most frequent problematic situations referred to work organization (e.g. time pressure) and specific resources (e.g. chief support). Radiation oncologists showed a very high level of work engagement and experienced several job resources. However, some resources (as supervisor support) were missing and needed to be developed. These results were discussed in the context of motivational process described in the Job Demands-Resources Model. Copyright © 2014 Société française de radiothérapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

28 CFR 545.24 - Inmate work conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Inmate work conditions. 545.24 Section 545.24 Judicial Administration BUREAU OF PRISONS, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT WORK AND COMPENSATION Inmate Work and Performance Pay Program § 545.24 Inmate work conditions. (a) The...

21 CFR 330.1 - General conditions for general recognition as safe, effective and not misbranded.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 5 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false General conditions for general recognition as safe, effective and not misbranded. 330.1 Section 330.1 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF... product is labeled in compliance with chapter V of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the act) and...

Adoption of Sun Safe Work Place Practices by Local Governments

PubMed Central

Wallis, Allan; Andersen, Peter A.; Buller, David B.; Walkosz, Barbara; Lui, Lucia; Buller, Mary; Scott, Michael D.; Jenkins, Rob

2014-01-01

Context Outdoor workers are especially susceptible to skin cancer, the most common, but also one of the most preventable, forms of cancer. Colorado, the location of the study, has the second highest rate of skin cancer deaths in the nation. Objective Local government managers in Colorado—in municipalities, counties and special districts—were surveyed in order to ascertain the extent to which they engage in formal (written) and informal practices to protect their outdoor workers against excessive exposure to sun. Design The survey consisted of 51 question assessing awareness of formal or informal practices for sun protection of outdoor workers. An index of practices--the study's dependent variable--was created that was comprised or practices such as providing employees free or reduced-cost sunscreen, wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, long-sleeved work shirts, long work pants, and temporary or permanent outdoor shade shelters. Proscriptive policies, such as restricting the use of broad brimmed hats, were subtracted from the index. Surveys were completed by 825 administrators representing 98 jurisdictions. Responses from administrators in the same jurisdiction were averaged. Results Over 40 percent of responding jurisdictions indicated that they engaged in informal sun safety practices. Tests conducted to determine what variables might account for the adoption of these sun protection practices found that the degree to which a community could be regarded as cosmopolite and as having an individualistic political culture were significant predictors. Type of government was also significant. Although, higher community income was a significant predictor, neither local government budget nor size was significant. Conclusions The adoption of sun safe practices bears low costs with potentially high returns. Findings from this study suggest that awareness campaigns might most effectively target cosmopolite communities, but that the greatest impact might be achieved by targeting

Safe patient handling in diagnostic imaging.

PubMed

Murphey, Susan L

2010-01-01

Raising awareness of the risk to diagnostic imaging personnel from manually lifting, transferring, and repositioning patients is critical to improving workplace safety and staff utilization. The aging baby boomer generation and growing bariatric population exacerbate the problem. Also, legislative initiatives are increasing nationwide for hospitals to implement safe patient handling programs. A management process designed to improve working conditions through implementing ergonomic programs can reduce losses and improve productivity and patient care outcome measures for imaging departments.

Getting Home Safe and Sound: Occupational Safety and Health Administration at 38

PubMed Central

Silverstein, Michael

2008-01-01

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHAct) declared that every worker is entitled to safe and healthful working conditions, and that employers are responsible for work being free from all recognized hazards. Thirty-eight years after these assurances, however, it is difficult to find anyone who believes the promise of the OSHAct has been met. The persistence of preventable, life-threatening hazards at work is a failure to keep a national promise. I review the history of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and propose measures to better ensure that those who go to work every day return home safe and sound. These measures fall into 6 areas: leverage and accountability, safety and health systems, employee rights, equal protection, framing, and infrastructure. PMID:18235060

Getting home safe and sound: occupational safety and health administration at 38.

PubMed

Silverstein, Michael

2008-03-01

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHAct) declared that every worker is entitled to safe and healthful working conditions, and that employers are responsible for work being free from all recognized hazards. Thirty-eight years after these assurances, however, it is difficult to find anyone who believes the promise of the OSHAct has been met. The persistence of preventable, life-threatening hazards at work is a failure to keep a national promise. I review the history of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and propose measures to better ensure that those who go to work every day return home safe and sound. These measures fall into 6 areas: leverage and accountability, safety and health systems, employee rights, equal protection, framing, and infrastructure.

Nurse working conditions and patient safety outcomes.

PubMed

Stone, Patricia W; Mooney-Kane, Cathy; Larson, Elaine L; Horan, Teresa; Glance, Laurent G; Zwanziger, Jack; Dick, Andrew W

2007-06-01

System approaches, such as improving working conditions, have been advocated to improve patient safety. However, the independent effect of many working condition variables on patient outcomes is unknown. To examine effects of a comprehensive set of working conditions on elderly patient safety outcomes in intensive care units. Observational study, with patient outcome data collected using the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance system protocols and Medicare files. Several measures of health status and fixed setting characteristics were used to capture distinct dimensions of patient severity of illness and risk for disease. Working condition variables included organizational climate measured by nurse survey; objective measures of staffing, overtime, and wages (derived from payroll data); and hospital profitability and magnet accreditation. The sample comprised 15,846 patients in 51 adult intensive care units in 31 hospitals depending on the outcome analyzed; 1095 nurses were surveyed. Central line associated bloodstream infections (CLBSI), ventilator-associated pneumonia, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, 30-day mortality, and decubiti. Units with higher staffing had lower incidence of CLBSI, ventilator-associated pneumonia, 30-day mortality, and decubiti (P working conditions were associated with all outcomes measured. Improving working conditions will most likely promote patient safety. Future researchers and policymakers should consider a broad set of working condition variables.

Safe working practices and HIV infection: knowledge, attitudes, perception of risk, and policy in hospital.

PubMed Central

Davidson, G; Gillies, P

1993-01-01

OBJECTIVES--To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of risk of occupational HIV transmission in hospital in relation to existing guidelines. DESIGN--Cross sectional anonymous questionnaire survey of all occupational groups. SETTING--One large inner city teaching hospital. SUBJECTS--All 1530 staff working in the hospital in October 1991 and 22 managers. MAIN MEASURES--Knowledge of safe working practices and hospital guidelines; attitudes towards patients with AIDS; perception of risk of occupational transmission of HIV; availability of guidelines. RESULTS--The response rate in the questionnaire survey was 63% (958/1530). Although staff across all occupational groups knew of the potential risk of infection from needlestick injury (98%, 904/922), significantly more non-clinical staff (ambulance, catering, and domestic staff) than clinical staff (doctors, nurses, and paramedics) thought HIV could be transmitted by giving blood (38%, 153/404 v 12%, 40/346; chi 2 = 66.1 p < 0.001); one in ten clinical staff believed this. Except for midwives, half of staff in most occupational groups and 19% (17/91) of doctors and 22% (28/125) of nurses thought gloves should be worn in all contacts with people with AIDS. Most staff (62%, 593/958), including 38% (36/94) of doctors and 52% (67/128) of nurses thought patients should be routinely tested on admission, 17% of doctors and 19% of nurses thought they should be isolated in hospital. One in three staff perceived themselves at risk of HIV. Midwives, nurses, and theatre technicians were most aware of guidelines for safe working compared with only half of doctors, ambulance, and paramedical staff and no incinerator staff. CONCLUSIONS--Policy guidelines for safe working practices for patients with HIV infection and AIDS need to be disseminated across all occupational groups to reduce negative staff attitudes, improve knowledge of occupational transmission, establish an appropriate perception of risk, and create a supportive

Work performance decrements are associated with Australian working conditions, particularly the demand to work longer hours.

PubMed

Holden, Libby; Scuffham, Paul A; Hilton, Michael F; Vecchio, Nerina N; Whiteford, Harvey A

2010-03-01

To demonstrate the importance of including a range of working conditions in models exploring the association between health- and work-related performance. The Australian Work Outcomes Research Cost-benefit study cross-sectional screening data set was used to explore health-related absenteeism and work performance losses on a sample of approximately 78,000 working Australians, including available demographic and working condition factors. Data collected using the World Health Organization Health and Productivity Questionnaire were analyzed with negative binomial logistic regression and multinomial logistic regressions for absenteeism and work performance, respectively. Hours expected to work, annual wage, and job insecurity play a vital role in the association between health- and work-related performance for both work attendance and self-reported work performance. Australian working conditions are contributing to both absenteeism and low work performance, regardless of health status.

[Low risk of reproductive disorders among female greenhouse workers--safe work conditions or health selection for the light work?].

PubMed

Jurewicz, Joanna; Hanke, Wojciech; Makowiec-Dabrowska, Teresa

2008-01-01

There are two major potential hazards typical of work in greenhouses: hard physical work or exposure to pesticides. The aim of the study was to investigate whether the work in greenhouse during pregnancy have an adverse effect on its outcome (preterm delivery, spontaneous abortion and birth defects). The study was performed in a group of 460 women employed in 14 greenhouses involved in growing vegetables and flowers. The rate of spontaneous abortions was much elbeit insignificantly higher in the women working in greenhouses during pregnancy than in those employed out of them; that applied mostly to the women performing light jobs in greenhouses. An increased risk of preterm delivery and spontaneous abortion was also observed in women performing greenhouse light jobs. No significantly increased risk of birth defects was observed in children born to women working in greenhouses. Neither was there any relationship between exposure to RD or ED pesticides exposure--and the occurrence of preterm delivery, spontaneous abortion and birth defects. No higher risk of pathological pregnancy that could be associated with hard physical work and pesticide exposure was observed. This may result from the fact that women themselves select an appropriate kind of job during pregnancy and a possible removal of women with pathological pregnancy from jobs involving pesticide exposure, as well as from the promotion of biological protection. The greenhouse workers should be aware of the two typical hazards found in greenhouses (hard work and exposure to pesticides) and their potential negative effects on the reproduction. The results of this study warrant the need for further study of the effect of pesticide exposure and work load on the pregnancy outcome.

[Safe school].

PubMed

Liberal, Edson Ferreira; Aires, Roberto Tschoepke; Aires, Mariana Tschoepke; Osório, Ana Carla de Albuquerque

2005-11-01

To review the strategies to make school a safe environment. The paper first addresses the social context of accidents and violence in the school environment, and makes recommendations, based on the literature data, for the implementation of safe schools. Articles published between 1993 and 2005 in the MEDLINE database. Brazilian epidemiological and literature data have also been searched. There is growing evidence that intervention has multiple components, focusing on health education practices, with the participation of the whole community. The aim of those interventions is to help students and community members to adopt healthy and safe behaviors. Schools are taking on an increasing role in health promotion, disease prevention, and injury prevention. In the context of prevention of external causes of morbidity and mortality, it is important to recognize a risky environment, places, and risk behaviors as favorable to injury and violence, as well as the concept of accident as something one can avoid. Implementation of safe schools represents a promising new direction for school-based preventive work. It is important to note that a safe school should intervene not only in its physical structure, but it should also make it as safe as possible by gathering the school community through health education, and mainly encouraging healthy behavior.

Working conditions, work style, and job satisfaction among Albanian teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kloep, Marion; Tarifa, Fatos

1994-03-01

For the first time in Albania, a large-scale study investigating teachers' working conditions was conducted. 349 teachers from many parts of the country and from all school levels answered an extensive questionnaire, providing a comprehensive description of their working situation. As data for parts of the study exist from the USA, Germany, Singapore, England, and Poland, results could be discussed in comparison to the conditions in these countries, showing that self-reported job satisfaction and engagement in effective classroom practices is relatively high among Albanian teachers, while the economic and physical conditions are bad. Stepwise regression analyses reveal that the items measuring professional autonomy account for a considerable part of the variance of the job satisfaction measure; while work efficiency is mainly predicted by items measuring social support and, again, professional autonomy.

Assessment of the relationship between physical working conditions and different levels of work ability.

PubMed

Attarchi, Mirsaeed; Ghaffari, Mostafa; Abdi, Alireza; Mirzamohammadi, Elham; Seyedmehdi, Seyed Mohammad; Rahimpour, Farzaneh; Fazlalizadeh, Maryam; Mohammadi, Saber

2014-04-20

Early leaving of workplace by work forces is one of the fundamental problems worldwide. Maintenance and enhancement of employees work ability are important for raising productivity. This study investigated the relationship between work ability index and physical working conditions and was carried out in 2013 on 641 workers at a manufacturing plant in Tehran. Work ability was assessed by the questionnaire of work ability index and the participants were classified into four work ability groups of poor, moderate, good, and excellent. Physical working conditions were evaluated by the MUSIC-Norrtalje questionnaire and the participants were classified into two groups with proper and poor physical working conditions. The mean score of work ability questionnaire was 42.40; and 2.5% (16 persons), 9.2% (59 persons), 38.2% (245 persons), and 50.1% (321 persons) of the participants were in poor, moderate, good, and excellent work ability groups, respectively. The mean score of physical working conditions questionnaire was 20.06. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that even after adjusting the confounding variables, a significant correlation existed between work ability and physical working conditions (p < 0.05). According to the results of this study, there may be a correlation between physical working conditions such as awkward postures, repetitive movements, load lifting, exposure to whole body vibration and so on with work ability. Therefore it seems that enhancement of the quality of physical working conditions may increase work ability.

Assessment of the Relationship between Physical Working Conditions and Different Levels of Work Ability

PubMed Central

Attarchi, Mirsaeed; Ghaffari, Mostafa; Abdi, Alireza; Mirzamohammadi, Elham; Seyedmehdi, Seyed Mohammad; Rahimpour, Farzaneh; Fazlalizadeh, Maryam; Mohammadi, Saber

2014-01-01

Early leaving of workplace by work forces is one of the fundamental problems worldwide. Maintenance and enhancement of employees work ability are important for raising productivity. This study investigated the relationship between work ability index and physical working conditions and was carried out in 2013 on 641 workers at a manufacturing plant in Tehran. Work ability was assessed by the questionnaire of work ability index and the participants were classified into four work ability groups of poor, moderate, good, and excellent. Physical working conditions were evaluated by the MUSIC-Norrtalje questionnaire and the participants were classified into two groups with proper and poor physical working conditions. The mean score of work ability questionnaire was 42.40; and 2.5% (16 persons), 9.2% (59 persons), 38.2% (245 persons), and 50.1% (321 persons) of the participants were in poor, moderate, good, and excellent work ability groups, respectively. The mean score of physical working conditions questionnaire was 20.06. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that even after adjusting the confounding variables, a significant correlation existed between work ability and physical working conditions (p<0.05). According to the results of this study, there may be a correlation between physical working conditions such as awkward postures, repetitive movements, load lifting, exposure to whole body vibration and so on with work ability. Therefore it seems that enhancement of the quality of physical working conditions may increase work ability. PMID:24999133

The Type of Payment and Working Conditions.

PubMed

Rhee, Kyung Yong; Kim, Young Sun; Cho, Yoon Ho

2015-12-01

The type of payment is one of the important factors that has an effect on the health of employees, as a basic working condition. In the conventional research field of occupational safety and health, only the physical, chemical, biological, and ergonomic factors are treated as the main hazardous factors. Managerial factors and basic working conditions such as working hours and the type of payment are neglected. This paper aimed to investigate the association of the type of payment and the exposure to the various hazardous factors as an heuristic study. The third Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS) by the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute in 2011 was used for this study. Among the total sample of 50,032 economically active persons, 34,788 employees were considered for analysis. This study examined the relation between the three types of payment such as basic fixed salary and wage, piece rate, and extra payment for bad and dangerous working conditions and exposure to hazardous factors like vibration, noise, temperature, chemical contact, and working at very high speeds. Multivariate regression analysis was used to measure the effect of the type of payment on working hours exposed to hazards. The result showed that the proportion of employees with a basic fixed salary was 94.5%, the proportion with piece rates was 38.6%, and the proportion who received extra payment for hazardous working conditions was 11.7%. The piece rate was associated with exposure to working with tight deadlines and stressful jobs. This study had some limitations because KWCS was a cross-sectional survey.

Safe delivery practices: experience from cross-sectional data of Bangladeshi women.

PubMed

Kabir, M A; Goh, Kim-Leng; Khan, M M H; Al-Amin, Abul Quasem; Azam, Mohammad Nurul

2015-03-01

This study examines the safe delivery practices of Bangladeshi women using data on 4905 ever-married women aged 15 to 49 years from the 2007 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey. Variables that included age, region of origin, education level of respondent and spouse, residence, working status, religion, involvement in NGOs, mass media exposure, and wealth index were analyzed to find correlates of safe delivery practices. More than 80% of the deliveries took place at home, and only 18% were under safe and hygienic conditions. The likelihood of safe deliveries was significantly lower among younger and older mothers than middle-aged mothers and higher among educated mothers and those living in urban areas. Economically better-off mothers and those with greater exposure to mass media had a significantly higher incidence of safe delivery practices. A significant association with religion and safe delivery practices was revealed. Demographic, socioeconomic, cultural, and programmatic factors that are strongly associated with safe delivery practices should be considered in the formulation of reproductive health policy. © 2012 APJPH.

Working Conditions: Job Design. Working Paper #4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gersten, Russell; And Others

This summary report presents an integration of findings on teachers' perceptions of their working conditions, based on survey and interview data from special educators in six large urban school districts. Emphasis is on perceptions of problems related to job design, the highly interrelated set of structures, systems, and processes intended to…

The Current Working Conditions in Ugandan Apparel Assembly Plants.

PubMed

Tebyetekerwa, Mike; Akankwasa, Nicholus Tayari; Marriam, Ifra

2017-12-01

The present rapid shift of industrialization from developed to developing countries requires developing countries to understand issues related to work organization, management, and working conditions. There are many factors slackening production, of which working conditions is part. A complete inquiry into the workers' working conditions can enable managements to reduce risks in the workplaces and improve productivity. Understanding and awareness of the benefits of workplace research and a probe into the working conditions in the Ugandan apparel assembly plants are urgently required. A total of 103 (70 women and 33 men) workers from five different plants were interviewed. Together with the top management of various plants, questionnaires about the workers' opinions of their physical working conditions were prepared. Data was collected using two methods: (1) questionnaire; and (2) observation of the workers during their work. The results indicated that poor plant working conditions were mainly contributed by the workers' social factors and the management policies. The government, together with the management, should work to improve the working conditions in the apparel assembly plants, as it greatly affects both.

[Nursing workloads and working conditions: integrative review].

PubMed

Schmoeller, Roseli; Trindade, Letícia de Lima; Neis, Márcia Binder; Gelbcke, Francine Lima; de Pires, Denise Elvira Pires

2011-06-01

This study reviews theoretical production concerning workloads and working conditions for nurses. For that, an integrative review was carried out using scientific articles, theses and dissertations indexed in two Brazilian databases, Virtual Health Care Library (Biblioteca Virtual de Saúde) and Digital Database of Dissertations (Banco Digital de Teses), over the last ten years. From 132 identified studies, 27 were selected. Results indicate workloads as responsible for professional weariness, affecting the occurrence of work accidents and health problems. In order to adequate workloads studies indicate some strategies, such as having an adequate numbers of employees, continuing education, and better working conditions. The challenge is to continue research that reveal more precisely the relationships between workloads, working conditions, and health of the nursing team.

Morbidity among nursing personnel and its association with working conditions and work organization.

PubMed

Vasconcelos, S; Marqueze, E; Gonçalves, L; Lemos, L; Araújo, L; Fischer, F M; Moreno, C R C

2012-01-01

Work organization patterns and working conditions experienced by nursing personnel in the hospital settings may be associated to increased morbidity among these health workers. To estimate the prevalence and factors associated with self-reported diseases among nursing personnel at the emergency hospital in Rio Branco/State of Acre, Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 272 participants who answered a questionnaire including sociodemographic characteristics, working conditions, lifestyles, work ability, and a fatigue perception scale. The self-reported diseases in the 12 months prior to data collection were considered the dependent variable. A total of 85.7% of the participants reported one or more diseases in the past 12 months. Most prevalent diseases were: musculoskeletal diseases (37.1%), digestive diseases (28.7%), mental disorders (28.3%), work injuries (27.9%), and respiratory diseases (26.8%). The following significant variables remained in the final model: high work demands (OR 2.69), reported fatigue (OR 3.59), night work (OR 6.55) and being a technician or nursing assistant (OR 4.23). Variables related to working conditions and work organization were associated with the occurrence of reported diseases among nursing professionals. Health promotion measures at work require a comprehensive approach including the working conditions and the work organization.

The Safe Yield and Climatic Variability: Implications for Groundwater Management.

PubMed

Loáiciga, Hugo A

2017-05-01

Methods for calculating the safe yield are evaluated in this paper using a high-quality and long historical data set of groundwater recharge, discharge, extraction, and precipitation in a karst aquifer. Consideration is given to the role that climatic variability has on the determination of a climatically representative period with which to evaluate the safe yield. The methods employed to estimate the safe yield are consistent with its definition as a long-term average extraction rate that avoids adverse impacts on groundwater. The safe yield is a useful baseline for groundwater planning; yet, it is herein shown that it is not an operational rule that works well under all climatic conditions. This paper shows that due to the nature of dynamic groundwater processes it may be most appropriate to use an adaptive groundwater management strategy that links groundwater extraction rates to groundwater discharge rates, thus achieving a safe yield that represents an estimated long-term sustainable yield. An example of the calculation of the safe yield of the Edwards Aquifer (Texas) demonstrates that it is about one-half of the average annual recharge. © 2016, National Ground Water Association.

Teachers' Working Conditions. Findings from "The Condition of Education, 1996," No. 7.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Choy, Susan P.

Working conditions play an important role in a school's ability to attract, develop, and retain effective teachers. Data presented here describe a number of aspects of teachers' working conditions, including workload, compensation, school and district support for teachers' professional development, school decision making, school safety, student…

Guide to Controlling Asthma at Work

MedlinePlus

... asthma to flare-up. Some exposures in the work environment have been associated with causing asthma symptoms. 1 ... 1-800-LUNGUSA). Employers are responsible for providing safe work conditions, including healthy air. Although many laws have ...

The double whammy of a work handicap (differential) effects of health on working conditions and outcomes.

PubMed

Steenbeek, Romy; Giesen, Femke B M; Ybema, Jan Fekke

2009-08-01

To determine the effect of health on working conditions and outcomes. Data were collected in the longitudinal Study on Health at Work (n = 1597 employees), using multiple regression analyses and focusing on three groups of employees: 1) healthy, 2) chronic health complaints without a work handicap, and 3) chronic health complaints with a work handicap. 1) Employees with a work handicap experienced less favorable working conditions and outcomes than other employees. 2) Employees with a work handicap experienced less favorable working conditions and outcomes over time. 3) Employees with chronic health complaints were more vulnerable to the influence of working conditions on outcomes, whereas employees with a work handicap, unexpectedly, benefited from high work pressure and low autonomy. 1) Employees with a work handicap differ considerably from employees with chronic health complaints. 2) Employees with a work handicap drift into less favorable working conditions and outcomes. 3) Healthy employees, employees with chronic health complaints, and employees with a work handicap, all are vulnerable to different working conditions.

Call-handlers' working conditions and their subjective experience of work: a transversal study.

PubMed

Croidieu, Sophie; Charbotel, Barbara; Vohito, Michel; Renaud, Liliane; Jaussaud, Joelle; Bourboul, Christian; Ardiet, Dominique; Imbard, Isabelle; Guerin, Anne Céline; Bergeret, Alain

2008-10-01

The present study sought to describe call-center working conditions and call-handlers' subjective experience of their work. A transversal study was performed in companies followed by the 47 occupational physicians taking part. A dedicated questionnaire included one part on working conditions (work-station organization, task types, work schedules, and controls) and another on the perception of working conditions. Psychosocial risk factors were explored by three dimensions of the Karasek questionnaire, decision latitude, psychological demands and social support. A descriptive stage characterized the population and quantified the frequency of the various types of work organization, working conditions and perception. Certain working conditions data were crossed with perception data. The total sample comprised 2,130 call-handlers from around 100 different companies. The population was 71.9% female, with a mean age of 32.4 years. The general educational level was high, with 1,443 (68.2%) of call-handlers having at least 2 years' higher education; 1,937 of the workers (91.2%) had permanent work contracts. Some working situations were found to be associated with low decision latitude and high psychological demands: i.e., where the schedule (full-time or part-time) was imposed, where the call-handlers had not chosen to work in a call-center, or where they received prior warning of controls. Moreover, the rate of low decision latitude and high psychological demands increased with seniority in the job. The rate of low decision latitude increased with the size of the company and was higher when call duration was imposed and when the call-handlers handled only incoming calls. The rate of high psychological demands was higher when call-handlers handled both incoming and outgoing calls. This study confirmed the high rate of psychosocial constraints for call-handlers and identified work situations at risk.

Contractual conditions, working conditions and their impact on health and well-being.

PubMed

Robone, Silvana; Jones, Andrew M; Rice, Nigel

2011-10-01

Given changes in the labour market in past decades, it is of interest to evaluate whether and how contractual and working conditions affect health and psychological well-being in society today. We consider the effects of contractual and working conditions on self-assessed health and psychological well-being using twelve waves (1991/1992-2002/2003) of the British Household Panel Survey. For self-assessed health, the dependent variable is categorical, and we estimate non-linear dynamic panel ordered probit models, while for psychological well-being, we estimate a dynamic linear specification. The results show that both contractual and working conditions have an influence on health and psychological well-being and that the impact is different for men and women.

Curiosity's Autonomous Surface Safing Behavior Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neilson, Tracy A.; Manning, Robert M.

2013-01-01

The safing routines on all robotic deep-space vehicles are designed to put the vehicle in a power and thermally safe configuration, enabling communication with the mission operators on Earth. Achieving this goal is made a little more difficult on Curiosity because the power requirements for the core avionics and the telecommunication equipment exceed the capability of the single power source, the Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator. This drove the system design to create an operational mode, called "sleep mode", where the vehicle turns off most of the loads in order to charge the two Li-ion batteries. The system must keep the vehicle safe from over-heat and under-heat conditions, battery cell failures, under-voltage conditions, and clock failures, both while the computer is running and while the system is sleeping. The other goal of a safing routine is to communicate. On most spacecraft, this simply involves turning on the receiver and transmitter continuously. For Curiosity, Earth is above the horizon only a part of the day for direct communication to the Earth, and the orbiter overpass opportunities only occur a few times a day. The design must robustly place the Rover in a communicable condition at the correct time. This paper discusses Curiosity's autonomous safing behavior and describes how the vehicle remains power and thermally safe while sleeping, as well as a description of how the Rover communicates with the orbiters and Earth at specific times.

Health, work and working conditions: a review of the European economic literature.

PubMed

Barnay, Thomas

2016-07-01

Economists have traditionally been very cautious when studying the interaction between employment and health because of the two-way causal relationship between these two variables: health status influences the probability of being employed and, at the same time, working affects the health status. Because these two variables are determined simultaneously, researchers control endogeneity skews (e.g., reverse causality, omitted variables) when conducting empirical analysis. With these caveats in mind, the literature finds that a favourable work environment and high job security lead to better health conditions. Being employed with appropriate working conditions plays a protective role on physical health and psychiatric disorders. By contrast, non-employment and retirement are generally worse for mental health than employment, and overemployment has a negative effect on health. These findings stress the importance of employment and of adequate working conditions for the health of workers. In this context, it is a concern that a significant proportion of European workers (29 %) would like to work fewer hours because unwanted long hours are likely to signal a poor level of job satisfaction and inadequate working conditions, with detrimental effects on health. Thus, in Europe, labour-market policy has increasingly paid attention to job sustainability and job satisfaction. The literature clearly invites employers to take better account of the worker preferences when setting the number of hours worked. Overall, a specific "flexicurity" (combination of high employment protection, job satisfaction and active labour-market policies) is likely to have a positive effect on health.

Psychosocial working conditions and work-related stressors among UK veterinary surgeons.

PubMed

Bartram, David J; Yadegarfar, Ghasem; Baldwin, David S

2009-08-01

Anecdotally, veterinary surgeons report high levels of work-related stress. To investigate psychosocial working conditions, self-reported causes of work-related stress and satisfaction among a representative sample of vets practising in the UK. A cross-sectional study using a questionnaire mailed to a stratified random sample of 3200 vets. The Health & Safety Executive Management Standards Indicator Tool and a series of bespoke questions were embedded in a 120 item questionnaire, which also assessed anxiety and depressive symptoms, alcohol consumption, suicidal ideation, positive mental well-being and work-home interaction. A total of 1796 useable questionnaires were returned (response rate 56%). Number of hours worked and making professional mistakes were the main reported contributors to stress. Good clinical outcomes and relationships with colleagues were the greatest sources of satisfaction. Anxiety and depressive symptoms are associated with less favourable working conditions. Compared to the general population, the sample reported higher risk of work-related stress for demands and managerial support but lower risk for relationships and change. The results could be used to inform the development of targeted interventions.

Nursing work hours: individual needs versus working conditions.

PubMed

Silva, Amanda Aparecida; Rotenberg, Lúcia; Fischer, Frida Marina

2011-12-01

To assess factors associated with professional and total hours of work (work + home) among nursing staff. Cross-sectional study conducted in a university hospital in the city of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil, between 2004 and 2005. A total of 696 workers (nurses, nurse technicians and aids), mostly women (87.8%) working day and/or night shifts, participated in the study. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collected information on demographic characteristics, and working and life conditions. Translated and adapted into Portuguese versions of the Job Stress Scale, Effort-reward imbalance, Short-Form-Health-related quality of life and the Work Ability Index were also administered. Logistic regression models were used for data analysis. Sole breadwinner, working night shifts and effort-reward imbalance were the variables associated with both professional (OR = 3.38, OR = 10.43, OR = 2.07, respectively) and total hours of work (OR = 1.57, OR = 3.37, OR = 2.75, respectively). There was no significant association between the variables related to hours of work and low Work Ability Index. Inadequate rest at home was statistically associated with professional (OR = 2.47) and total hours of work (OR = 1.48). Inadequate leisure time was significantly associated with professional hours of work (OR = 1.58) and barely associated with total hours of work (OR = 1.43). The sole breadwinner, working night shifts and effort-reward imbalance are variables that need to be further investigated in studies on work hours among nursing staff. These studies should explore workers' income and the relationship between effort and reward, taking into consideration gender issues.

The Lead-Safe Certified Guide to Renovate Right

MedlinePlus

... for information about courses and resources on lead-safe work practices. 1 RENOVAT ING, REPA IRING, OR PA ... child care facility or school. • Always use lead-safe work practices when renovation or repair will disturb painted ...

A qualitative assessment of safe work practices in logging in the southern United States.

PubMed

Conway, Sadie H; Pompeii, Lisa A; Casanova, Vanessa; Douphrate, David I

2017-01-01

The logging industry is recognized as one of the most dangerous professions in the U.S., but little is known about safety management practices on remote logging sites. A total of six focus group sessions were held among logging supervisors and front line crew members in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas (N = 27 participants). Participants perceived that logging was a dangerous profession, but its risks had been mitigated in several ways, most notably through mechanization of timber harvesting. Log trucking-related incidents were widely identified as the primary source of risk for injury and death on logging work sites. Human error, in general, and being out of the machinery on the work site were highlighted as additional sources of risk. Participants indicated high levels of personal motivation to work in a safe manner but tended to underestimate workplace hazards and expressed widely varying levels of co-worker trust. Am. J. Ind. Med. 60:58-68, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Workplace rehabilitation and supportive conditions at work: a prospective study.

PubMed

Ahlstrom, Linda; Hagberg, Mats; Dellve, Lotta

2013-06-01

To investigate the impact of rehabilitation measures on work ability and return to work (RTW), specifically the association between workplace rehabilitation/supportive conditions at work and work ability and RTW over time, among women on long-term sick leave. Questionnaire data were collected (baseline, 6 and 12 months) from a cohort of women (n = 324). Linear mixed models were used for longitudinal analysis of the repeated measurements of work ability index (WAI), work ability score and working degree. These analyses were performed with different models; the explanatory variables for each model were workplace rehabilitation, supportive conditions at work and time. The individuals provided with workplace rehabilitation and supportive conditions (e.g. influence at work, possibilities for development, degree of freedom at work, meaning of work, quality of leadership, social support, sense of community and work satisfaction) had significantly increased WAI and work ability score over time. These individuals scored higher work ability compared to those individuals having workplace rehabilitation without supportive conditions, or neither. Additionally, among the individuals provided with workplace rehabilitation and supportive conditions, working degree increased significantly more over time compared to those individuals with no workplace rehabilitation and no supportive conditions. The results highlight the importance of integrating workplace rehabilitation with supportive conditions at work in order to increase work ability and improve the RTW process for women on long-term sick leave.

[Characteristics of working conditions at metallurgy-related plants].

PubMed

Egorova, A M

2008-01-01

Working conditions at more versus less advanced technology steel plants of the Volgograd Region are analyzed. The working conditions at the less advanced technology plants are referred to as a very high occupational risk. It is necessary to work out measures to lower the poor impact of microclimate, dust, noise, to improve illumination, and to regulate labor at steel plants.

33 CFR 83.06 - Safe speed (Rule 6).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Safe speed (Rule 6). 83.06... Safe speed (Rule 6). Every vessel shall at all times proceed at a safe speed so that she can take... prevailing circumstances and conditions. In determining a safe speed the following factors shall be among...

33 CFR 83.06 - Safe speed (Rule 6).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Safe speed (Rule 6). 83.06... Safe speed (Rule 6). Every vessel shall at all times proceed at a safe speed so that she can take... prevailing circumstances and conditions. In determining a safe speed the following factors shall be among...

Stay Safe at Work

MedlinePlus

... Back injuries are the most common type of workplace injury. You are at risk of getting hurt at ... To learn more, check out this list of workplace safety and health topics . Next section Arrange Your Work ...

Safe Grid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chow, Edward T.; Stewart, Helen; Korsmeyer, David (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

The biggest users of GRID technologies came from the science and technology communities. These consist of government, industry and academia (national and international). The NASA GRID is moving into a higher technology readiness level (TRL) today; and as a joint effort among these leaders within government, academia, and industry, the NASA GRID plans to extend availability to enable scientists and engineers across these geographical boundaries collaborate to solve important problems facing the world in the 21 st century. In order to enable NASA programs and missions to use IPG resources for program and mission design, the IPG capabilities needs to be accessible from inside the NASA center networks. However, because different NASA centers maintain different security domains, the GRID penetration across different firewalls is a concern for center security people. This is the reason why some IPG resources are been separated from the NASA center network. Also, because of the center network security and ITAR concerns, the NASA IPG resource owner may not have full control over who can access remotely from outside the NASA center. In order to obtain organizational approval for secured remote access, the IPG infrastructure needs to be adapted to work with the NASA business process. Improvements need to be made before the IPG can be used for NASA program and mission development. The Secured Advanced Federated Environment (SAFE) technology is designed to provide federated security across NASA center and NASA partner's security domains. Instead of one giant center firewall which can be difficult to modify for different GRID applications, the SAFE "micro security domain" provide large number of professionally managed "micro firewalls" that can allow NASA centers to accept remote IPG access without the worry of damaging other center resources. The SAFE policy-driven capability-based federated security mechanism can enable joint organizational and resource owner approved remote

Driving simulator validation of driver behavior with limited safe vantage points for data collection in work zones.

PubMed

Bham, Ghulam H; Leu, Ming C; Vallati, Manoj; Mathur, Durga R

2014-06-01

This study is aimed at validating a driving simulator (DS) for the study of driver behavior in work zones. A validation study requires field data collection. For studies conducted in highway work zones, the availability of safe vantage points for data collection at critical locations can be a significant challenge. A validation framework is therefore proposed in this paper, demonstrated using a fixed-based DS that addresses the issue by using a global positioning system (GPS). The validation of the DS was conducted using objective and subjective evaluations. The objective validation was divided into qualitative and quantitative evaluations. The DS was validated by comparing the results of simulation with the field data, which were collected using a GPS along the highway and video recordings at specific locations in a work zone. The constructed work zone scenario in the DS was subjectively evaluated with 46 participants. The objective evaluation established the absolute and relative validity of the DS. The mean speeds from the DS data showed excellent agreement with the field data. The subjective evaluation indicated realistic driving experience by the participants. The use of GPS showed that continuous data collected along the highway can overcome the challenges of unavailability of safe vantage points especially at critical locations. Further, a validated DS can be used for examining driver behavior in complex situations by replicating realistic scenarios. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

28 CFR 545.24 - Inmate work conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... AND COMPENSATION Inmate Work and Performance Pay Program § 545.24 Inmate work conditions. (a) The... supervisor so that appropriate action (for example, medical attention, and submission of necessary reports...

28 CFR 545.24 - Inmate work conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... AND COMPENSATION Inmate Work and Performance Pay Program § 545.24 Inmate work conditions. (a) The... supervisor so that appropriate action (for example, medical attention, and submission of necessary reports...

28 CFR 545.24 - Inmate work conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... AND COMPENSATION Inmate Work and Performance Pay Program § 545.24 Inmate work conditions. (a) The... supervisor so that appropriate action (for example, medical attention, and submission of necessary reports...

Demand-specific work ability, poor health and working conditions in middle-aged full-time employees.

PubMed

Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Thielen, Karsten; Nygaard, Else; Thorsen, Sannie Vester; Diderichsen, Finn

2014-07-01

We investigated the prevalence of reduced demand-specific work ability, its association with age, gender, education, poor health, and working conditions, and the interaction between poor health and working conditions regarding reduced demand-specific work ability. We used cross-sectional questionnaire data from 3381 full-time employees responding to questions about vocational education, job demands and social support (working conditions), musculoskeletal pain (MSP) and major depression (MD) (poor health) and seven questions about difficulty managing different job demands (reduced demand-specific work ability). Reduced demand-specific work ability varied from 9% to 19% among the 46-year old and from 11% to 21% among the 56-year old. Age was associated with two, gender with four, and education with all measures of reduced demand-specific work ability. MSP was associated with four and MD was associated with six measures of reduced demand-specific work ability. We found no interaction between working conditions and poor health regarding reduced demand-specific work ability. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

[Risk of certain obstetric pathologies in women employed in working conditions non-complying with the current legal status on work load and working conditions appropriate for pregnant women].

PubMed

Makowiec-Dabrowska, Teresa; Hanke, Wojciech; Sobala, Wojciech; Radwan-Włodarczyk, Zyta; Koszada-Włodarczyk, Wiesława

2003-01-01

The aim of the study was to define the incidence of prematurity and small-for-gestational age (SGA) infants in occupationally involved pregnant women, and to find out how far working conditions departing from binding regulations contribute to the risk of the development of these pathologies. The study was carried out on a representative sample of 3050 women employed for longer than one week during pregnancy in the Łódź district. An interview conducted with the subjects few days after delivery was the source of information about working conditions. The obtained information was compared with the real situation in about 10% of randomly selected workposts. A high level of consistence was observed. The study revealed that almost 60% of women work in conditions, which do not comply with the Labor Code provisions setting working conditions permissible for pregnant women. In the study group, 4.68% of prematurity and 6.15% of SGA were recorded. A 66% excess in the risk of delivering SGA infants in case of at least one factor not complying with regulations was revealed. The excess was growing with the increased number of departures from regulations and continuation of employment during pregnancy. It was estimated that the number of SGA cases would decrease by 28% if the working conditions would have met the requirements. A prolonged time of work, local vibration for > 4h/shift, forced work pace, excessive effort and forced body position during the work performance contributed mostly to the risk of pathology. Interestingly, the risk of premature delivery was lower by about 40% in women working in unsatisfactory conditions, which is attributed to termination of work immediately after the occurrence of pregnancy-threatening symptoms. Only those women whose pregnancy was not threatened with pathology could continue their work. The study revealed a quite large number of workplaces not complying with regulations on working conditions permissible for pregnant women. Therefore

Safe Spaces, Support, Social Capital: A Critical Analysis of Artists Working with Vulnerable Young People in Educational Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sellman, Edward

2015-01-01

This article provides a critical and thematic analysis of three research projects involving artists working with vulnerable young people in educational contexts. It argues that artists create safe spaces in contrast to traditional educational activities but it will also raise questions about what constitutes such a space for participants. It will…

Professions and Working Conditions Associated With Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

PubMed

Almirall, Jordi; Serra-Prat, Mateu; Bolíbar, Ignasi; Palomera, Elisabet; Roig, Jordi; Boixeda, Ramon; Bartolomé, Maria; de la Torre, Mari; Parra, Olga; Torres, Antoni

2015-12-01

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is not considered a professional disease, and the effect of different occupations and working conditions on susceptibility to CAP is unknown. The aim of this study is to determine whether different jobs and certain working conditions are risk factors for CAP. Over a 1-year period, all radiologically confirmed cases of CAP (n=1,336) and age- and sex-matched controls (n=1,326) were enrolled in a population-based case-control study. A questionnaire on CAP risk factors, including work-related questions, was administered to all participants during an in-person interview. The bivariate analysis showed that office work is a protective factor against CAP, while building work, contact with dust and sudden changes of temperature in the workplace were risk factors for CAP. The occupational factor disappeared when the multivariate analysis was adjusted for working conditions. Contact with dust (previous month) and sudden changes of temperature (previous 3 months) were risk factors for CAP, irrespective of the number of years spent working in these conditions, suggesting reversibility. Some recent working conditions such as exposure to dust and sudden changes of temperature in the workplace are risk factors for CAP. Both factors are reversible and preventable. Copyright © 2014 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Pay, working conditions, and teacher quality.

PubMed

Hanushek, Eric A; Rivkin, Steven G

2007-01-01

Eric Hanushek and Steven Rivkin examine how salary and working conditions affect the quality of instruction in the classroom. The wages of teachers relative to those of other college graduates have fallen steadily since 1940. Today, average wages differ little, however, between urban and suburban districts. In some metropolitan areas urban districts pay more, while in others, suburban districts pay more. But working conditions in urban and suburban districts differ substantially, with urban teachers reporting far less administrator and parental support, worse materials, and greater student problems. Difficult working conditions may drive much of the difference in turnover of teachers and the transfer of teachers across schools. Using rich data from Texas public schools, the authors describe in detail what happens when teachers move from school to school. They examine how salaries and student characteristics change when teachers move and also whether turnover affects teacher quality and student achievement. They note that both wages and student characteristics affect teachers' choices and result in a sorting of teachers across schools, but they find little evidence that teacher transitions are detrimental to student learning. The extent to which variations in salaries and working conditions translate into differences in the quality of instruction depends importantly on the effectiveness of school personnel policies in hiring and retaining the most effective teachers and on constraints on both entry into the profession and the firing of low performers. The authors conclude that overall salary increases for teachers would be both expensive and ineffective. The best way to improve the quality of instruction would be to lower barriers to becoming a teacher, such as certification, and to link compensation and career advancement more closely with teachers' ability to raise student performance.

Work disability resulting from chronic health conditions.

PubMed

Lerner, Debra; Allaire, Saralynn H; Reisine, Susan T

2005-03-01

To describe current programs and policies for addressing work disability among adults with chronic health conditions, and to identify opportunities for new research aimed at reducing the problem. The authors conducted secondary data analysis and a literature review. Millions of Americans with a chronic health condition have a work disability or are at risk of developing one. This public health problem is costing hundreds of billions of dollars a year nationally in lost productivity and diminishing the quality of life of millions of Americans. The medical care system, employers, and government--three traditional sources of help for adults with chronic health problems--are not sufficiently oriented toward the primary or secondary prevention of work disability. New research is urgently needed to reduce the burden of work disability on individuals and society.

Working Conditions in the Industrial Nations: What Lies Ahead?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spyropoulos, Georges

1984-01-01

Over the past 15 years, traditional concepts of working conditions and of work have been challenged in industrialized nations. The improvement of working conditions has become a basic issue, affected by the economic situation, technological advances, social climate, labor relations, and individual behavior. (Author/SK)

20 CFR 632.82 - Benefits and working conditions for participants.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Benefits and working conditions for... Benefits and working conditions for participants. The provisions of sections 142 and 143 of the Act shall apply to benefits and working conditions. ...

The effect of equipment proximity on safe performance in a manufacturing setting.

PubMed

Abellon, O Elizabeth; Wilder, David A

2014-01-01

We examined the effect of equipment proximity on the safe performance of 3 assembly workers in a manufacturing setting. After a baseline period in which protective eyewear was kept 6.1 m from employee workstations, task clarification was used to inform participants to wear their eyewear while they worked. Next, the eyewear was moved to 1.5 m from employee workstations. After a return to the 6.1-m condition, the eyewear was again positioned 1.5 m from workstations. Results indicate that task clarification alone was ineffective, but safe performance increased when eyewear was stored in close proximity to employees. A social validity measure suggested that safe performance among the employees increased to levels comparable to that of an exemplary employee. © Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Physician job satisfaction and working conditions in Japan.

PubMed

Wada, Koji; Arimatsu, Mayuri; Higashi, Toshiaki; Yoshikawa, Toru; Oda, Susumu; Taniguchi, Hatsumi; Kawashima, Masatoshi; Aizawa, Yoshiharu

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine factors of working conditions associated with job satisfaction among physicians in Japan. We sent a questionnaire to all the physicians who graduated from a medical school in Japan. Physicians who were satisfied with their job were determined as those who selected "very satisfied" and "satisfied" in response to the question: "Overall, are you satisfied with your job?" Working conditions were determined from 10 different aspects: income fairness, hospital resources, career satisfaction, difficulty in patient care, lack of personal time, administrative work, workload, and relationships with physician colleagues, staff and patients. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association between working conditions and job satisfaction. Among the respondents, 209 (55.4%) men and 62 (61.4%) women were determined to be satisfied with their job. Job satisfaction was associated with income fairness for both men (corrected odds ratio 1.31, 95% confidence interval 1.09 to 1.47) and women (1.35, 1.05 to 1.53). For men, job satisfaction was associated with good hospital resources (1.45, 1.29 to 1.57), high career satisfaction (1.41, 1.23 to 1.57), good relationships with physician colleagues (1.33, 1.12 to 1.49), and good relationships with hospital staff (1.28, 1.07 to 1.45). For women, job satisfaction was associated with good relationships with patients (1.41, 1.07 to 1.56). Certain working conditions were important factors for job satisfaction among physicians. These factors should be discussed for improving working conditions.

33 CFR 142.7 - Reports of unsafe working conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Reports of unsafe working... working conditions. (a) Any person may report a possible violation of any regulation in this subchapter or any other hazardous or unsafe working condition on any unit engaged in OCS activities to an Officer in...

Safe places for pedestrians: using cognitive work analysis to consider the relationships between the engineering and urban design of footpaths.

PubMed

Stevens, Nicholas; Salmon, Paul

2014-11-01

Footpaths provide an integral component of our urban environments and have the potential to act as safe places for people and the focus for community life. Despite this, the approach to designing footpaths that are safe while providing this sense of place often occurs in silos. There is often very little consideration given to how designing for sense of place impacts safety and vice versa. The aim of this study was to use a systems analysis and design framework to develop a design template for an 'ideal' footpath system that embodies both safety and sense of place. This was achieved through using the first phase of the Cognitive Work Analysis framework, Work Domain Analysis, to specify a model of footpaths as safe places for pedestrians. This model was subsequently used to assess two existing footpath environments to determine the extent to which they meet the design requirements specified. The findings show instances where the existing footpaths both meet and fail to meet the design requirements specified. Through utilising a systems approach for footpaths, this paper has provided a novel design template that can inform new footpath design efforts or be used to evaluate the extent to which existing footpaths achieve their safety and sense of place requirements. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Monitoring psychosocial stress at work: development of the Psychosocial Working Conditions Questionnaire.

PubMed

Widerszal-Bazyl, M; Cieślak, R

2000-01-01

Many studies on the impact of psychosocial working conditions on health prove that psychosocial stress at work is an important risk factor endangering workers' health. Thus it should be constantly monitored like other work hazards. The paper presents a newly developed instrument for stress monitoring called the Psychosocial Working Conditions Questionnaire (PWC). Its structure is based on Robert Karasek's model of job stress (Karasek, 1979; Karasek & Theorell, 1990). It consists of 3 main scales Job Demands, Job Control, Social Support and 2 additional scales adapted from the Occupational Stress Questionnaire (Elo, Leppanen, Lindstrom, & Ropponen, 1992), Well-Being and Desired Changes. The study of 8 occupational groups (bank and insurance specialists, middle medical personnel, construction workers, shop assistants, government and self-government administration officers, computer scientists, public transport drivers, teachers, N = 3,669) indicates that PWC has satisfactory psychometrics parameters. Norms for the 8 groups were developed.

Mexican-Origin Parents’ Work Conditions and Adolescents’ Adjustment

PubMed Central

Wheeler, Lorey A.; Updegraff, Kimberly A.; Crouter, Ann

2015-01-01

Mexican-origin parents’ work experiences are a distal extra-familial context for adolescents’ adjustment. This two-wave multi-informant study examined the prospective mechanisms linking parents’ work conditions (i.e., self-direction, work pressure, workplace discrimination) to adolescents’ adjustment (i.e., educational expectations, depressive symptoms, risky behavior) across the transition to high school drawing on work socialization and spillover models. We examined the indirect effects of parental work conditions on adolescent adjustment through parents’ psychological functioning (i.e., depressive symptoms, role overload) and aspects of the parent-adolescent relationship (i.e., parental solicitation, parent-adolescent conflict), as well as moderation by adolescent gender. Participants were 246 predominantly immigrant, Mexican-origin, two-parent families who participated in home interviews when adolescents were approximately 13 and 15 years of age. Results supported the positive impact of fathers’ occupational self-direction on all three aspects of adolescents’ adjustment through decreased father-adolescent conflict, after controlling for family socioeconomic status and earner status, and underemployment. Parental work pressure and discrimination were indirectly linked to adolescents’ adjustment, with different mechanisms emerging for mothers and fathers. Adolescents’ gender moderated the associations between fathers’ self-direction and girls’ depressive symptoms, and fathers’ experiences of discrimination and boys’ risk behavior. Results suggest that Mexican-origin mothers’ and fathers’ perceptions of work conditions have important implications for multiple domains of adolescents’ adjustment across the transition to high school. PMID:25938710

Working Conditions and Mental Health of Nursing Staff in Nursing Homes

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yuan; Punnett, Laura; Mawn, Barbara; Gore, Rebecca

2018-01-01

Nursing staff in nursing homes suffer from poor mental health, probably associated with stressful working conditions. Working conditions may distribute differently among nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses, and registered nurses due to their different levels in the organizational hierarchy. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the association between working conditions and mental health among different nursing groups, and examine the potential moderating effect of job group on this association. Self-administered questionnaires were collected with 1,129 nursing staff in 15 for-profit non-unionized nursing homes. Working conditions included both physical and psychosocial domains. Multivariate linear regression modeling found that mental health was associated with different working conditions in different nursing groups: physical safety (β = 2.37, p < 0.05) and work-family conflict (β = –2.44, p < 0.01) in NAs; work-family conflict (β = –4.17, p < 0.01) in LPNs; and physical demands (β = 10.54, p < 0.05) in RNs. Job group did not moderate the association between working conditions and mental health. Future workplace interventions to improve mental health should reach to nursing staff at different levels and consider tailored working condition interventions in different nursing groups. PMID:27104634

Working Conditions and Mental Health of Nursing Staff in Nursing Homes.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuan; Punnett, Laura; Mawn, Barbara; Gore, Rebecca

2016-07-01

Nursing staff in nursing homes suffer from poor mental health, probably associated with stressful working conditions. Working conditions may distribute differently among nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses, and registered nurses due to their different levels in the organizational hierarchy. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the association between working conditions and mental health among different nursing groups, and examine the potential moderating effect of job group on this association. Self-administered questionnaires were collected with 1,129 nursing staff in 15 for-profit non-unionized nursing homes. Working conditions included both physical and psychosocial domains. Multivariate linear regression modeling found that mental health was associated with different working conditions in different nursing groups: physical safety (β = 2.37, p < 0.05) and work-family conflict (β = -2.44, p < 0.01) in NAs; work-family conflict (β = -4.17, p < 0.01) in LPNs; and physical demands (β = 10.54, p < 0.05) in RNs. Job group did not moderate the association between working conditions and mental health. Future workplace interventions to improve mental health should reach to nursing staff at different levels and consider tailored working condition interventions in different nursing groups.

Long Working Hours in Korea: Based on the 2014 Korean Working Conditions Survey.

PubMed

Park, Jungsun; Kim, Yangho; Han, Boyoung

2017-12-01

Long working hours adversely affect worker safety and health. In 2004, Korea passed legislation that limited the work week to 40 hours, in an effort to improve quality-of-life and increase business competitiveness. This regulation was implemented in stages, first for large businesses and then for small businesses, from 2004 to 2011. We previously reported that average weekly working hours decreased from 2006 to 2010, based on the Korean Working Conditions Survey. In the present study, we examine whether average weekly working hours continued to decrease in 2014 based on the 2014 Korean Working Conditions Survey. The results show that average weekly working hours among all groups of workers decreased in 2014 relative to previous years; however, self-employed individuals and employers (who are not covered by the new legislation) in the specific service sectors worked > 60 h/wk in 2014. The Korean government should prohibit employees from working excessive hours and should also attempt to achieve social and public consensus regarding work time reduction to improve the safety, health, and quality-of-life of all citizens, including those who are employers and self-employed.

Individual features, working conditions and work injuries are associated with work ability among nursing professionals.

PubMed

Fischer, Frida Marina; Martinez, Maria Carmen

2013-01-01

To investigate factors associated with work ability among nursing professionals. They comprised 514 nursing professionals (83.8% of the total number of workers) from a hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. In 2009, we conducted a cross-sectional study that was a part of a 5-year planned cohort study initiated in 2008. We administered a comprehensive questionnaire to the participants in order to obtain data on their sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyles, and working conditions. The questionnaire also contained the Brazilian versions of the following: the Job Stress Scale (JSS), Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) Questionnaire, Work-Related Activities That May Contribute To Job-Related Pain and/or Injury (WRAPI), and Work Ability Index (WAI). The results were analyzed using descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate linear regression analyses. On the WAI, 74.9% of the workers obtained a score of over 40 points (score range 7-49); the mean score was 42.3 points (SD=4.5). The final multivariate model showed that lower WAI scores were related to the work-related outcome, which was work injury, and the following individual characteristics and working conditions: body mass index (p=0.001), sex (female; p=0.002), sedentariness (p < 0.001), time in the profession (p=0.005), social support at work (p=0.003), effort-reward ratio (p=0.001), violence at work (p=0.005), WRAPI score (p < 0.001), and work injuries (yes; p=0.001). Various factors were associated with work ability. The results showed that a number of variables should be considered when planning and implementing actions to maintain or improve work ability among nursing professionals.

Psychosocial working conditions and diabetes self-management at work: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Loerbroks, Adrian; Nguyen, Xuan Quynh; Vu-Eickmann, Patricia; Krichbaum, Michael; Kulzer, Bernhard; Icks, Andrea; Angerer, Peter

2018-06-01

We conducted a qualitative study to expand our current understanding of the potential link between psychosocial working conditions and diabetes self-management at work. Thirty employed adults with diabetes mellitus living in Germany (n = 19 with type 1, n = 11 with type 2, 57% female, aged 24-64 years) were recruited. Using a topic guide, we carried out in-depth interviews in face-to-face contact or by telephone. Interviews were transcribed and content-analyzed using MaxQDA. Psychosocial working conditions perceived to detrimentally affect self-management activities included, amongst others, a high workload, poor job control, unhygienic working environments, the requirement to work under high or fluctuating temperature, perceived social norms at the workplace, and the attitude to prioritize work-related demands as opposed to diabetes-related demands. The types of self-management activities considered to be adversely affected related to glucose monitoring, insulin injections, dietary control, the ability to recognize hypoglycemia and health care use. Various types of occupational psychosocial factors may determine diabetes self-management practices at the workplace. Quantitative studies are needed to confirm our observations. Subsequently, interventions could be developed and evaluated to improve opportunities to adequately engage into diabetes self-management at work. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mexican-origin parents' work conditions and adolescents' adjustment.

PubMed

Wheeler, Lorey A; Updegraff, Kimberly A; Crouter, Ann

2015-06-01

Mexican-origin parents' work experiences are a distal extrafamilial context for adolescents' adjustment. This 2-wave multiinformant study examined the prospective mechanisms linking parents' work conditions (i.e., self-direction, work pressure, workplace discrimination) to adolescents' adjustment (i.e., educational expectations, depressive symptoms, risky behavior) across the transition to high school drawing on work socialization and spillover models. We examined the indirect effects of parental work conditions on adolescent adjustment through parents' psychological functioning (i.e., depressive symptoms, role overload) and aspects of the parent-adolescent relationship (i.e., parental solicitation, parent-adolescent conflict), as well as moderation by adolescent gender. Participants were 246 predominantly immigrant, Mexican-origin, 2-parent families who participated in home interviews when adolescents were approximately 13 and 15 years of age. Results supported the positive impact of fathers' occupational self-direction on all 3 aspects of adolescents' adjustment through decreased father-adolescent conflict, after controlling for family socioeconomic status and earner status, and underemployment. Parental work pressure and discrimination were indirectly linked to adolescents' adjustment, with different mechanisms emerging for mothers and fathers. Adolescents' gender moderated the associations between fathers' self-direction and girls' depressive symptoms, and fathers' experiences of discrimination and boys' risk behavior. Results suggest that Mexican-origin mothers' and fathers' perceptions of work conditions have important implications for multiple domains of adolescents' adjustment across the transition to high school. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Beth Reis and the Safe Schools Coalition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaught, Sabina E.

2007-01-01

This article chronicles the formation and organization of the Safe Schools Coalition (SCC) through the experiences of Beth Reis, co-founder and co-Chair. The article suggests ways in which the SCC can serve as a model for both collective and individual work in promoting safe schools.

Relapse of extinguished fear after exposure to a dangerous context is mitigated by testing in a safe context.

PubMed

Goode, Travis D; Kim, Janice J; Maren, Stephen

2015-03-01

Aversive events can trigger relapse of extinguished fear memories, presenting a major challenge to the long-term efficacy of therapeutic interventions. Here, we examined factors regulating the relapse of extinguished fear after exposure of rats to a dangerous context. Rats received unsignaled shock in a distinct context ("dangerous" context) 24 h prior to auditory fear conditioning in another context. Fear to the auditory conditioned stimulus (CS) was subsequently extinguished either in the conditioning context ("ambiguous" context) or in a third novel context ("safe" context). Exposure to the dangerous context 30 min before a CS retention test caused relapse to the CS in the ambiguous and safe test contexts relative to nonextinguished controls. When rats were tested 24 h later (with or without short-term testing), rats tested in the ambiguous context continued to exhibit relapse, whereas rats tested in the safe context did not. Additionally, exposure of rats to the conditioning context--in place of the unsignaled shock context--did not result in relapse of fear to the CS in the safe testing context. Our work highlights the vulnerabilities of extinction recall to interference, and demonstrates the importance of context associations in the relapse of fear after extinction. © 2015 Goode et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Nurse practitioners' work hours and overtime: How much, and under what working conditions?

PubMed

Bae, Sung-Heui; Champion, Jane Dimmitt

2016-03-01

To explore the nature and prevalence of nurse practitioner (NP) overtime, work hours, and their relationship to practice within NP work conditions. A secondary analysis of data extracted from the 2012 National Sample Survey of Nurse Practitioners. The focus in this study was on data from NPs in active practice in clinical settings. The final analytic sample consisted of 9010 NPs. NPs working in hospitals and long-term care settings tended to work more than 40 h/week (p < .001). When healthcare facilities used electronic health records (p < .001) or had recently adopted electronic health records (p = .002), NPs were found to work more hours per week than those who did not. Regarding the type of relationships with physicians, NPs who worked more than 40 h/week either had hierarchical relationships with them (p < 0.001), or relationships in which the physician examined and signed off on patients whom the NP had examined (p < .001). These analyses provide a preliminary description of the nature and prevalence of NP work hours/overtime and work conditions related to longer work hours. Further study is indicated to assess the potential impact of work hours/overtime on NP roles and patient outcomes. ©2015 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

Safe medication management in specialized home healthcare - an observational study.

PubMed

Lindblad, Marléne; Flink, Maria; Ekstedt, Mirjam

2017-08-24

Medication management is a complex, error-prone process. The aim of this study was to explore what constitutes the complexity of the medication management process (MMP) in specialized home healthcare and how healthcare professionals handle this complexity. The study is theoretically based in resilience engineering. Data were collected during the MMP at three specialized home healthcare units in Sweden using two strategies: observation of workplaces and shadowing RNs in everyday work, including interviews. Transcribed material was analysed using grounded theory. The MMP in home healthcare was dynamic and complex with unclear boundaries of responsibilities, inadequate information systems and fluctuating work conditions. Healthcare professionals adapted their everyday clinical work by sharing responsibility and simultaneously being authoritative and preserving patients' active participation, autonomy and integrity. To promote a safe MMP, healthcare professionals constantly re-prioritized goals, handled gaps in communication and information transmission at a distance by creating new bridging solutions. Trade-offs and workarounds were necessary elements, but also posed a threat to patient safety, as these interim solutions were not systematically evaluated or devised learning strategies. To manage a safe medication process in home healthcare, healthcare professionals need to adapt to fluctuating conditions and create bridging strategies through multiple parallel activities distributed over time, space and actors. The healthcare professionals' strategies could be integrated in continuous learning, while preserving boundaries of safety, instead of being more or less interim solutions. Patients' and family caregivers' as active partners in the MMP may be an underestimated resource for a resilient home healthcare.

A Strategy to Safely Live and Work in the Space Radiation Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corbin, Barbara J.; Sulzman, Frank M.; Krenek, Sam

2006-01-01

The goal of the National Aeronautics and Space Agency and the Space Radiation Project is to ensure that astronauts can safely live and work in the space radiation environment. The space radiation environment poses both acute and chronic risks to crew health and safety, but unlike some other aspects of space travel, space radiation exposure has clinically relevant implications for the lifetime of the crew. The term safely means that risks are sufficiently understood such that acceptable limits on mission, post-mission and multi-mission consequences (for example, excess lifetime fatal cancer risk) can be defined. The Space Radiation Project strategy has several elements. The first element is to use a peer-reviewed research program to increase our mechanistic knowledge and genetic capabilities to develop tools for individual risk projection, thereby reducing our dependency on epidemiological data and population-based risk assessment. The second element is to use the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory to provide a ground-based facility to study the understanding of health effects/mechanisms of damage from space radiation exposure and the development and validation of biological models of risk, as well as methods for extrapolation to human risk. The third element is a risk modeling effort that integrates the results from research efforts into models of human risk to reduce uncertainties in predicting risk of carcinogenesis, central nervous system damage, degenerative tissue disease, and acute radiation effects. To understand the biological basis for risk, we must also understand the physical aspects of the crew environment. Thus the fourth element develops computer codes to predict radiation transport properties, evaluate integrated shielding technologies and provide design optimization recommendations for the design of human space systems. Understanding the risks and determining methods to mitigate the risks are keys to a successful radiation protection strategy.

NASA Strategy to Safely Live and Work in the Space Radiation Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cucinotta, Francis A.; Wu, Honglu; Corbin, Barbara J.; Sulzman, Frank M.; Krenek, Sam

2007-01-01

In space, astronauts are constantly bombarded with energetic particles. The goal of the National Aeronautics and Space Agency and the NASA Space Radiation Project is to ensure that astronauts can safely live and work in the space radiation environment. The space radiation environment poses both acute and chronic risks to crew health and safety, but unlike some other aspects of space travel, space radiation exposure has clinically relevant implications for the lifetime of the crew. Among the identified radiation risks are cancer, acute and late CNS damage, chronic and degenerative tissue decease, and acute radiation syndrome. The term "safely" means that risks are sufficiently understood such that acceptable limits on mission, post-mission and multi-mission consequences can be defined. The NASA Space Radiation Project strategy has several elements. The first element is to use a peer-reviewed research program to increase our mechanistic knowledge and genetic capabilities to develop tools for individual risk projection, thereby reducing our dependency on epidemiological data and population-based risk assessment. The second element is to use the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory to provide a ground-based facility to study the health effects/mechanisms of damage from space radiation exposure and the development and validation of biological models of risk, as well as methods for extrapolation to human risk. The third element is a risk modeling effort that integrates the results from research efforts into models of human risk to reduce uncertainties in predicting the identified radiation risks. To understand the biological basis for risk, we must also understand the physical aspects of the crew environment. Thus, the fourth element develops computer algorithms to predict radiation transport properties, evaluate integrated shielding technologies and provide design optimization recommendations for the design of human space systems. Understanding the risks and determining

Teachers' Perceptions of Their Working Conditions: How Predictive of Policy-Relevant Outcomes? Working Paper 33

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ladd, Helen F.

2009-01-01

This quantitative study uses data from North Carolina to examine the extent to which survey based perceptions of working conditions are predictive of policy-relevant outcomes, independent of other school characteristics such as the demographic mix of the school's students. Working conditions emerge as highly predictive of teachers' stated…

29 CFR 1620.18 - Jobs performed under similar working conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 29 Labor 4 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Jobs performed under similar working conditions. 1620.18... THE EQUAL PAY ACT § 1620.18 Jobs performed under similar working conditions. (a) In general. In order for the equal pay standard to apply, the jobs are required to be performed under similar working...

29 CFR 1620.18 - Jobs performed under similar working conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 29 Labor 4 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Jobs performed under similar working conditions. 1620.18... THE EQUAL PAY ACT § 1620.18 Jobs performed under similar working conditions. (a) In general. In order for the equal pay standard to apply, the jobs are required to be performed under similar working...

29 CFR 1620.18 - Jobs performed under similar working conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 29 Labor 4 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Jobs performed under similar working conditions. 1620.18... THE EQUAL PAY ACT § 1620.18 Jobs performed under similar working conditions. (a) In general. In order for the equal pay standard to apply, the jobs are required to be performed under similar working...

29 CFR 1620.18 - Jobs performed under similar working conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 29 Labor 4 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Jobs performed under similar working conditions. 1620.18... THE EQUAL PAY ACT § 1620.18 Jobs performed under similar working conditions. (a) In general. In order for the equal pay standard to apply, the jobs are required to be performed under similar working...

29 CFR 1620.18 - Jobs performed under similar working conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Jobs performed under similar working conditions. 1620.18... THE EQUAL PAY ACT § 1620.18 Jobs performed under similar working conditions. (a) In general. In order for the equal pay standard to apply, the jobs are required to be performed under similar working...

Safe handling of antineoplastic drugs.

PubMed

Harrison, B R

1994-07-01

Managers should be aware of the hazardous properties of antineoplastic drugs and of the procedures and equipment commonly recommended to provide a safe working environment for employees, patients, and visitors. Compliance with the many published guidelines should help ensure passage of the inevitable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or Joint Commission inspection. Acute and chronic toxicities of the antineoplastic drugs, the potential for exposure in the workplace, and the basic guidelines for safe handling of these agents are reviewed.

The impact of adjusted work conditions and disease-modifying drugs on work ability in multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Wickström, Anne; Fagerström, Maria; Wickström, Lucas; Granåsen, Gabriel; Dahle, Charlotte; Vrethem, Magnus; Sundström, Peter

2017-07-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disorder that causes significantly reduced ability to work, and the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) is one of the main predictors for reduced work ability. To investigate how work requirements, flexible work conditions and disease-modifying drugs (DMDs) influence the work ability in relation to different EDSS grades in two MS populations. Work ability was studied in two MS populations: one in the southern and one in the northern part of Sweden, both demographically similar. In the latter population, more active work-promoting interventions have been practised and second-generation DMDs have been widely used from the onset of disease for several years. The proportion of MS patients who participated in the workforce or studied was significantly higher in the northern compared with the southern population ( p < 0.001). The employees in the northern population had significantly lower requirements, greater adapted work conditions and were able to work more hours per week. Higher EDSS was associated with lower reduction in number of worked hours per week in the northern population ( p = 0.042). Our data indicated that treatment strategy and adjusted work conditions have impact on work ability in MS.

Pay, Working Conditions, and Teacher Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanushek, Eric A.; Rivkin, Steven G.

2007-01-01

Eric Hanushek and Steven Rivkin examine how salary and working conditions affect the quality of instruction in the classroom. The wages of teachers relative to those of other college graduates have fallen steadily since 1940. Today, average wages differ little, however, between urban and suburban districts. In some metropolitan areas urban…

Maternal Work Conditions and Child Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Felfe, Christina; Hsin, Amy

2012-01-01

How do maternal work conditions, such as psychological stress and physical hazards, affect children's development? Combining data from the Child Development Supplement of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and the Occupational Information Network allows us to shed some light on this question. We employ various techniques including OLS with…

Promoting job safety for workers with intellectual disabilities: the staying safe at work training curriculum.

PubMed

Dewey, Robin

2011-01-01

In the United States, approximately 125,000 people with disabilities are employed through Community Rehabilitation Programs in manufacturing, assembly, and service jobs. These jobs have significant hazards and, consequently, the workers are at risk of injury. Training that empowers workers to participate in prevention efforts can help reduce work-related injuries. In general this kind of health and safety training in the United States is limited. It is even more so for workers with intellectual disabilities, in part because there have not been programs for teaching individuals with cognitive challenges health and safety skills, adapted to their learning needs. This paper describes the development and promotion of the Staying Safe at Work curriculum of UC Berkeley's Labor Occupational Health Program, which is designed for use by support agencies and employers of workers with intellectual disabilities. The goal of this program is to teach these workers essential occupational safety and health skills in a manner they can understand.

Working conditions and occupational risk exposure in employees driving for work.

PubMed

Fort, Emmanuel; Ndagire, Sheba; Gadegbeku, Blandine; Hours, Martine; Charbotel, Barbara

2016-04-01

An analysis of the occupational constraints and exposures to which employees facing road risk at work are subject was performed, with comparison versus non-exposed employees. Objective was to improve knowledge of the characteristics of workers exposed to road risk in France and of the concomitant occupational constraints. The descriptive study was based on data from the 2010 SUMER survey (Medical Monitoring of Occupational Risk Exposure: Surveillance Médicale des Expositions aux Risques professionnels), which included data not only on road risk exposure at work but also on a range of socio-occupational factors and working conditions. The main variable of interest was "driving (car, truck, bus, coach, etc.) on public thoroughfares" for work (during the last week of work). This was a dichotomous "Yes/No" variable, distinguishing employees who drove for work; it also comprised 4-step weekly exposure duration: <2h, 2-10h, 10-20h and ≥20h. 75% of the employees with driving exposure were male. Certain socio-occupational categories were found significantly more frequently: professional drivers (INSEE occupations and socio-occupational categories (PCS) 64), skilled workers (PCS 61), intermediate professions and teaching, health, civil service (functionaries) and assimilated (PCS 46) and company executives (PCS 36). Employees with driving exposure more often worked in small businesses or establishments. Constraints in terms of schedule and work-time were more frequent in employees with driving exposure. Constraints in terms of work rhythm were more frequent in non-exposed employees, with the exception of external demands requiring immediate response. On the Karasek's Job Demand-Control Model, employees with driving exposure less often had low decision latitude. Prevalence of job-strain was also lower, as was prevalence of "iso-strain" (combination of job-strain and social isolation). Employees with driving exposure were less often concerned by hostile behavior and, when

[An Exploration of Working Conditions and Flexible System for Hospital Nurses].

PubMed

Huang, Chung-I; Yu, Chien; Yu, Chin-Cheh

2016-04-01

The lack of sufficient numbers of professional nurses in the healthcare system in Taiwan is an issue that affects the sustainability of this system and that relates closely to working conditions. The present study explores the expectations that nurses hold with regard to working conditions and the operation of a flexible system in hospitals. A literature review and focus-group interviews were used to develop the questionnaire Working Conditions and Flexible System. A total of 1,150 copies of this questionnaire were distributed to practicing nurses using stratified random sampling, with 1,146 valid copies returned for a valid recovery rate of 99.65%. The results show that the expectations of participants concerning working conditions and a flexible system focus on the 6 factors of task, numerical, divisional, temporal, wages, and leading flexibility. The total mean was 4.35 (SD=0.42). The means for the 6 types of flexibility were all greater than 4.0. Participants deemed flexibility to be of high importance. The demographic variables hospital, work location, age, education level, work position, work unit, and total work years all affected the 6 types of flexibility significantly. The present study supports that the retention of nurses is significantly associated with working conditions and the operation of a flexible system. Administrators and mangers must create positive working conditions and a flexible system in order to enhance the retention and career development of nurses.

Safe sex

MedlinePlus

... sex; Sexually transmitted - safe sex; GC - safe sex; Gonorrhea - safe sex; Herpes - safe sex; HIV - safe sex; ... contact. STIs include: Chlamydia Genital herpes Genital warts Gonorrhea Hepatitis HIV HPV Syphilis STIs are also called ...

Work readiness tools for young adults with chronic conditions.

PubMed

Metzinger, Courtney; Berg, Christine

2015-01-01

Young adults with chronic health conditions can experience barriers to work performance, ability, and their present and future worker roles. Work readiness resources can expand individuals' work skills, abilities, and interests. Five work readiness tools are presented (1) building an occupational profile, (2) generating environmental strategies, (3) on-the-job strategy use, and exploration of online tools (4) O*NET® and (5) O*NET® Interest Profiler, along with two theories (Knowles's Andragogy and Lawton's Ecological Model) to guide tool use. Use of these tools can assist young adults to better manage their health and expand their vocational identities for success at work. These approaches and tools support health professionals, community partners, and vocational organizations in their efforts to help young adults with chronic conditions.

Risk and resilience: health inequalities, working conditions and sickness benefit arrangements: an analysis of the 2010 European Working Conditions survey.

PubMed

van der Wel, Kjetil A; Bambra, Clare; Dragano, Nico; Eikemo, Terje A; Lunau, Thorsten

2015-11-01

In this article we ask whether the level of sickness benefit provision protects the health of employees, particularly those who are most exposed to hazardous working conditions or who have a little education. The study uses the European Working Condition Survey that includes information on 20,626 individuals from 28 countries. Health was measured by self-reported mental wellbeing and self-rated general health. Country-level sickness benefit provision was constructed using spending data from Eurostat. Group-specific associations were fitted using cross-level interaction terms between sickness benefit provision and physical and psychosocial working conditions respectively, as well as those with little education. The mental wellbeing of employees exposed to psychosocial job strain and physical hazards, or who had little education, was better in countries that offer more generous sickness benefit. These results were found in both men and women and were robust to the inclusion of GDP and country fixed effects. In the analyses of self-reported general health, few group-specific associations were found. This article concludes that generous sickness benefit provision may strengthen employee's resilience against mental health risks at work and risks associated with little education. Consequently, in countries with a generous provision of sickness benefit, social inequalities in mental health are smaller. © 2015 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness.

Evaluation of work zone split traffic symbol sign : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-08-01

Effective signage that is easy to understand facilitates safe driving through a work zone. While the guidance for work zone signage in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) is suitable for many conditions, there may be instances where...

Assessing the relationships between nurse working conditions and patient outcomes: systematic literature review.

PubMed

Bae, Sung-Heui

2011-09-01

The purpose of the study was to systematically evaluate nurse working conditions and to review the literature dealing with their association with patient outcomes. Improving nurse working conditions is essential to address nursing shortages. Although general reviews of the literature support the positive link between working conditions and patient outcomes, definitive evidence has been lacking. A search of six electronic bibliographic databases was conducted for the primary research published in English, from January 2000 to October 2009. The concepts of working conditions were categorized into 10 groups of working conditions. A total of 69 relationships between working conditions and patient outcomes were examined. Increased attention has been drawn to nurse working conditions resulting from nursing shortages. The findings of this review suggested that the evidence supporting positive relationships between working conditions and patient outcomes is inconclusive. Further studies of a longitudinal and interventional nature in various settings are needed to advance knowledge of the complex contextual and multivariate influences among nurse working conditions and patient outcomes. Efforts to improve working conditions should be made in various health-care work settings to ensure patient safety and improve patient quality of outcomes. 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Working safely with robot workers: Recommendations for the new workplace.

PubMed

Murashov, Vladimir; Hearl, Frank; Howard, John

2016-01-01

The increasing use of robots in performing tasks alongside or together with human co-workers raises novel occupational safety and health issues. The new 21st century workplace will be one in which occupational robotics plays an increasing role. This article describes the increasing complexity of robots and proposes a number of recommendations for the practice of safe occupational robotics.

Working Safely with Robot Workers: Recommendations for the New Workplace

PubMed Central

Murashov, Vladimir; Hearl, Frank; Howard, John

2016-01-01

The increasing use of robots in performing tasks alongside or together with human coworkers raises novel occupational safety and health issues. The new 21st century workplace will be one in which occupational robotics plays an increasing role. This paper describes the increasing complexity of robots and proposes a number of recommendations for the practice of safe occupational robotics. PMID:26554511

Which non-technical skills do junior doctors require to prescribe safely? A systematic review.

PubMed

Dearden, Effie; Mellanby, Edward; Cameron, Helen; Harden, Jeni

2015-12-01

Prescribing errors are a major source of avoidable morbidity and mortality. Junior doctors write most in-hospital prescriptions and are the least experienced members of the healthcare team. This puts them at high risk of error and makes them attractive targets for interventions to improve prescription safety. Error analysis has shown a background of complex environments with multiple contributory conditions. Similar conditions in other high risk industries, such as aviation, have led to an increased understanding of so-called human factors and the use of non-technical skills (NTS) training to try to reduce error. To date no research has examined the NTS required for safe prescribing. The aim of this review was to develop a prototype NTS taxonomy for safe prescribing, by junior doctors, in hospital settings. A systematic search identified 14 studies analyzing prescribing behaviours and errors by junior doctors. Framework analysis was used to extract data from the studies and identify behaviours related to categories of NTS that might be relevant to safe and effective prescribing performance by junior doctors. Categories were derived from existing literature and inductively from the data. A prototype taxonomy of relevant categories (situational awareness, decision making, communication and team working, and task management) and elements was constructed. This prototype will form the basis of future work to create a tool that can be used for training and assessment of medical students and junior doctors to reduce prescribing error in the future. © 2015 The British Pharmacological Society.

[Influence of work conditions on health of working population in Rostov region].

PubMed

Piktushanskaia, T E; Bykovskaia, T Iu

2011-01-01

The authors analyzed work conditions and occupational morbidity among working population of Rostov region. Miners and agricultural workers appeared to lead in exposure to occupational hazards, but occupational morbidity among the miners is the highest, but that among the agricultural workers was proved to be the lowest. A conclusion covered necessity to improve periodic medical examination system for workers exposed to occupational hazards, including the agricultural workers.

[WORKING CONDITIONS AND STATE OF HEALTH OF TBILISI SUBWAY EMPLOYEES].

PubMed

Khunashvili, N; Tsimakuridze, Mar; Bakradze, L; Khachapuridze, N; Tsimakuridze, Maya

2017-03-01

For the purpose of preventive events complex hygienic, clinical-functional, laboratory and biostatic researches are implemented on the basis of Tbilisi Subway. Conditions of work are characterized by complex of unfavorable factors of the working environment and the labor process. Working environment is characterized by combination of unfavorable state of physical factors and air pollution with dust and toxic substances. The levels of noise and vibration refer to the 3.4 class of harmfulness. The content of dust and toxic substances corresponds to 3.1-3.2 classes of working conditions harmfulness. In the indexes of health status, the leading diseases are pathology of cardiovascular, nervous and digestive systems. Cause-effect relationships between working conditions and individual health indicators have been already established, which served as the basis for the development of comprehensive preventive health measures.

Reprint of "Safe places for pedestrians: using cognitive work analysis to consider the relationships between the engineering and urban design of footpaths".

PubMed

Stevens, Nicholas; Salmon, Paul

2015-01-01

Footpaths provide an integral component of our urban environments and have the potential to act as safe places for people and the focus for community life. Despite this, the approach to designing footpaths that are safe while providing this sense of place often occurs in silos. There is often very little consideration given to how designing for sense of place impacts safety and vice versa. The aim of this study was to use a systems analysis and design framework to develop a design template for an 'ideal' footpath system that embodies both safety and sense of place. This was achieved through using the first phase of the Cognitive Work Analysis framework, Work Domain Analysis, to specify a model of footpaths as safe places for pedestrians. This model was subsequently used to assess two existing footpath environments to determine the extent to which they meet the design requirements specified. The findings show instances where the existing footpaths both meet and fail to meet the design requirements specified. Through utilising a systems approach for footpaths, this paper has provided a novel design template that can inform new footpath design efforts or be used to evaluate the extent to which existing footpaths achieve their safety and sense of place requirements. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Women in informal economy health and work conditions Bogotá. 2007].

PubMed

Sotelo-Suárez, Nidia R; Quiroz-Arcentáles, Jorge L; Mahecha-Montilla, Charo P; López-Sánchez, Paola A

2012-06-01

To determine work and health conditions of women working in informal economy in Bogotá, as well as to recommend priority action plans for preventing illnesses and accidents related to work and their consequences. Descriptive observational study. This study analyzed information collected by local groups in work-related contexts during 2007 as part of a set of forms of intervention established according to the Plan de Atención Básica (Primary Care Plan). This plan included 3 715 units of informal work from every point of the city. 3 936 women registers in all were analyzed. This study reveals evident precariousness conditions of women in this economic sector. Specifically, there are certain evident conditions that had shown in this study such as low education levels, incomes below the minimum legal standards, high exposure to damaging health work conditions, long work hours, and few hours for leisure and free time. Furthermore, 75 % of women included in this study are female head of household. This condition makes them more vulnerable to a heavier family and social burden. Closer attention to informal economy phenomenon is suggested in order to avoid vulnerable conditions of working women. Besides, it is necessary to improve the articulation between Academy and forms of intervention through public policies for knowing deeply repeated phenomena regarding the population of study. This articulation can be thought for implementing programs designed for improving women's quality of life.

The role of working memory and declarative memory in trace conditioning

PubMed Central

Connor, David A.; Gould, Thomas J.

2017-01-01

Translational assays of cognition that are similarly implemented in both lower and higher-order species, such as rodents and primates, provide a means to reconcile preclinical modeling of psychiatric neuropathology and clinical research. To this end, Pavlovian conditioning has provided a useful tool for investigating cognitive processes in both lab animal models and humans. This review focuses on trace conditioning, a form of Pavlovian conditioning typified by the insertion of a temporal gap (i.e., trace interval) between presentations of a conditioned stimulus (CS) and an unconditioned stimulus (US). This review aims to discuss pre-clinical and clinical work investigating the mnemonic processes recruited for trace conditioning. Much work suggests that trace conditioning involves unique neurocognitive mechanisms to facilitate formation of trace memories in contrast to standard Pavlovian conditioning. For example, the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC) appear to play critical roles in trace conditioning. Moreover, cognitive mechanistic accounts in human studies suggest that working memory and declarative memory processes are engaged to facilitate formation of trace memories. The aim of this review is to integrate cognitive and neurobiological accounts of trace conditioning from preclinical and clinical studies to examine involvement of working and declarative memory. PMID:27422017

Sleep complaints in middle-aged women and men: the contribution of working conditions and work-family conflicts.

PubMed

Lallukka, Tea; Rahkonen, Ossi; Lahelma, Eero; Arber, Sara

2010-09-01

This study aimed to examine how physical working conditions, psychosocial working conditions and work-family conflicts are associated with sleep complaints, and whether health behaviours explain these associations. We used pooled postal questionnaire surveys collected in 2001-2002 among 40-60-year-old employees of the City of Helsinki (n = 5819, response rate 66%). Participants were classified as having sleep complaints if they reported sleep complaints at least once a week on average (24% of women and 20% of men). Independent variables included environmental work exposures, physical workload, computer work, Karasek's job strain and work-family conflicts. Age, marital status, occupational class, work arrangements, health behaviours and obesity were adjusted for. Most working conditions were associated strongly with sleep complaints after adjustment for age only. After adjustment for work-family conflicts, the associations somewhat attenuated. Work-family conflicts were also associated strongly with women's [odds ratio (OR) 5.90; confidence interval (CI) 4.16-8.38] and men's sleep (OR 2.56; CI 1.34-4.87). The associations remained robust even after controlling for unhealthy behaviours, obesity, health status, depression and medications. Physically strenuous working conditions, psychosocial job strain and work-family conflicts may increase sleep complaints. Efforts to support employees to cope with psychosocial stress and reach a better balance between paid work and family life might reduce sleep complaints. Sleep complaints need to be taken into account in worksite health promotion and occupational health care in order to reduce the burden of poor sleep.

Women and Working Conditions: Prospects for Improvement?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seguret, Marie-Claire

1983-01-01

Women's difficult working conditions are due to factors such as the nature and form of women's employment, their reproductive role, and family responsibilities. The relative importance of these factors must be assessed in order to redress inequalities. (SK)

Examining the relationship between psychosocial working conditions, physical work demands, and leisure time physical activity in Canada.

PubMed

Morassaei, Sara; Smith, Peter M

2011-10-01

To examine the effects of psychosocial working conditions and physical work demands on leisure time physical activity (LTPA). Using path analysis, direct and indirect effects of self-reported working conditions on LTPA levels were assessed in a representative sample of 4167 workers from the 2000 to 2001 Canadian National Population Health Survey. Higher levels of skill discretion and decision latitude were associated with higher LTPA. Physical work demands had opposite effects among men versus women, and skill discretion had a stronger effect among women than among men. Job security had a stronger effect on older workers and those without children younger than 13 years. The results support the influence of the work environment on LTPA and suggest that certain work conditions should be targeted in future interventions seeking to impact participation in physical activity.

Participation and influence of migrant workers on working conditions: a qualitative approach.

PubMed

López-Jacob, María J; Safont, Eva Canaleta; García, Ana M; Garí, Aitana; Agudelo-Suárez, Andrés; Gil, Angel; Benavides, Fernando G

2010-01-01

Workers participation in the management of employment and working conditions is an important determinant of both positive and negative effects of work on human health. Through a qualitative approach, this study analyzes the degree of control and influence that migrant workers in different Spanish cities have over their own working conditions (Immigration, Work, and Health [ITSAL] Project). Results showed that migrant workers had little influence on employment and working conditions. Immigrant workers are mostly interested in issues such as salaries, hiring, and hours of work. Fear of dismissal makes immigrant workers reluctant to demand improved working conditions. We received limited information about immigrant workers' understanding of their rights and their perceptions of the possibilities to influence working conditions through trade union activity. Informal social networks play an essential role in disseminating information on workers' rights, although the effect is not always positive. Unions need to increase attention to and adapt measures for this particularly vulnerable group of workers.

[Work condition of electricians servicing railway shunting and maneuvering yards].

PubMed

Talivanova, R V; Elizarov, B B; Kudrin, V A; Ovechkina, Zh V

1995-01-01

The article represents main occupational hazards and work conditions of such railway occupation as electromechanic and electromounter of shunting yards of railway stations. Complete hygienic evaluation of the occupational activities is given for individuals working at Moskovskaya, Oktjabrskaya and Sevemaya railroads. Health state of the workers was studied according to transitory disablement materials, the morbidity and its structure were analyzed. The authors outline some suggestions to improve the work conditions and decrease the morbidity.

Embracing Safe Ground Test Facility Operations and Maintenance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunn, Steven C.; Green, Donald R.

2010-01-01

Conducting integrated operations and maintenance in wind tunnel ground test facilities requires a balance of meeting due dates, efficient operation, responsiveness to the test customer, data quality, effective maintenance (relating to readiness and reliability), and personnel and facility safety. Safety is non-negotiable, so the balance must be an "and" with other requirements and needs. Pressure to deliver services faster at increasing levels of quality in under-maintained facilities is typical. A challenge for management is to balance the "need for speed" with safety and quality. It s especially important to communicate this balance across the organization - workers, with a desire to perform, can be tempted to cut corners on defined processes to increase speed. Having a lean staff can extend the time required for pre-test preparations, so providing a safe work environment for facility personnel and providing good stewardship for expensive National capabilities can be put at risk by one well-intending person using at-risk behavior. This paper documents a specific, though typical, operational environment and cites management and worker safety initiatives and tools used to provide a safe work environment. Results are presented and clearly show that the work environment is a relatively safe one, though still not good enough to keep from preventing injury. So, the journey to a zero injury work environment - both in measured reality and in the minds of each employee - continues. The intent of this paper is to provide a benchmark for others with operational environments and stimulate additional sharing and discussion on having and keeping a safe work environment.

48 CFR 52.236-3 - Site Investigation and Conditions Affecting the Work.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Conditions Affecting the Work. 52.236-3 Section 52.236-3 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL... Provisions and Clauses 52.236-3 Site Investigation and Conditions Affecting the Work. As prescribed in 36.503, insert the following clause: Site Investigation and Conditions Affecting the Work (APR 1984) (a) The...

C-SAFE: A Computer-Delivered Sexual Health Promotion Program for Latinas.

PubMed

Klein, Charles H; Kuhn, Tamara; Altamirano, Midori; Lomonaco, Carmela

2017-07-01

This article describes the development and evaluation of C-SAFE (Sexual Awareness for Everyone), a computer-delivered sexual health promotion program for Latinas. We first describe the process of adapting an evidence-based, group-level intervention into an individually administered computer-delivered program. We then present the methods and results of a randomized control trial with 321 Latinas in California and Florida to test C-SAFE's preliminary efficacy in reducing sexual health risk. We found no statistically significant differences between the two conditions at a six-month follow-up in terms of sexual behaviors or attitudes toward sexually transmitted infections and condoms, although C-SAFE women reported fewer days in the past month when their mental health was not good (p = .02). C-SAFE condition women also reported more satisfaction than control condition women in their assessment of information presentation (on a scale of 1 = poor and 5 = excellent; C-SAFE = 4.45 vs. control = 4.25, p = .053) and having learned something new (C-SAFE = 95.1% vs. control = 79.3%, χ 2 < 0.001), with utility of content for Latinas approaching significance (C-SAFE = 4.50 vs. control = 4.31, p = .058). In conclusion we discuss the importance of teachable moments, matching of delivery modalities to implementation contexts, and possible directions for evidence-based sexual health promotion programs given the current sexual health landscape.

Mental Health of Elementary Schoolteachers in Southern Brazil: Working Conditions and Health Consequences.

PubMed

Cezar-Vaz, Marta Regina; Bonow, Clarice Alves; de Almeida, Marlise Capa Verde; Rocha, Laurelize Pereira; Borges, Anelise Miritz

2015-01-01

The mental health of educators is a growing problem in many countries. This study sought to identify self-reported stressful working conditions of elementary schoolteachers and the biopsychosocial consequences of those working conditions and then identify working conditions that promote well-being for teachers in the workplace. Exploratory study was done with 37 teachers. Data collection was performed using a structured interview with a questionnaire. Results show that stressful working conditions are related to inadequate salary, an excessive number of activities, and having to take work home. Biopsychosocial consequences include anxiety, stress, and sleep disorders. There was a statistically significant association between inadequate salary and anxiety (p = 0.01) and between an excessive number of activities and stress (p = 0.01). Teachers reported that a good relationship among colleagues is a working condition that promotes well-being in the workplace. The identification of stressful working conditions for teachers, the biopsychosocial consequences, and working conditions that promote well-being in the workplace are relevant to determining actions that improve the work environment and, consequently, the health of teachers.

Mental Health of Elementary Schoolteachers in Southern Brazil: Working Conditions and Health Consequences

PubMed Central

Cezar-Vaz, Marta Regina; Bonow, Clarice Alves; de Almeida, Marlise Capa Verde; Rocha, Laurelize Pereira; Borges, Anelise Miritz

2015-01-01

The mental health of educators is a growing problem in many countries. This study sought to identify self-reported stressful working conditions of elementary schoolteachers and the biopsychosocial consequences of those working conditions and then identify working conditions that promote well-being for teachers in the workplace. Exploratory study was done with 37 teachers. Data collection was performed using a structured interview with a questionnaire. Results show that stressful working conditions are related to inadequate salary, an excessive number of activities, and having to take work home. Biopsychosocial consequences include anxiety, stress, and sleep disorders. There was a statistically significant association between inadequate salary and anxiety (p = 0.01) and between an excessive number of activities and stress (p = 0.01). Teachers reported that a good relationship among colleagues is a working condition that promotes well-being in the workplace. The identification of stressful working conditions for teachers, the biopsychosocial consequences, and working conditions that promote well-being in the workplace are relevant to determining actions that improve the work environment and, consequently, the health of teachers. PMID:26366433

Smart aircraft fastener evaluation (SAFE) system: a condition-based corrosion detection system for aging aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schoess, Jeffrey N.; Seifert, Greg; Paul, Clare A.

1996-05-01

The smart aircraft fastener evaluation (SAFE) system is an advanced structural health monitoring effort to detect and characterize corrosion in hidden and inaccessible locations of aircraft structures. Hidden corrosion is the number one logistics problem for the U.S. Air Force, with an estimated maintenance cost of $700M per year in 1990 dollars. The SAFE system incorporates a solid-state electrochemical microsensor and smart sensor electronics in the body of a Hi-Lok aircraft fastener to process and autonomously report corrosion status to aircraft maintenance personnel. The long-term payoff for using SAFE technology will be in predictive maintenance for aging aircraft and rotorcraft systems, fugitive emissions applications such as control valves, chemical pipeline vessels, and industrial boilers. Predictive maintenance capability, service, and repair will replace the current practice of scheduled maintenance to substantially reduce operational costs. A summary of the SAFE concept, laboratory test results, and future field test plans is presented.

Long working hours in Korea: results of the 2010 Working Conditions Survey.

PubMed

Park, Jungsun; Kwon, Oh Jun; Kim, Yangho

2012-01-01

Long working hours adversely affect workers' safety and health. In 2004, Korea passed legislation limiting the working week to 40 h, to improve quality-of-life and to increase business competitiveness. In the present study, we explored the characteristics of work in Korea and compared our data of the second Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS) with those of the first KWCS. We found that the average number of hours worked weekly has been reduced but the proportions of workers who work for more than 48 h per week has increased over the 4 yr between the two Korean surveys in all categories studied (male, female, employee, self-employed, and employer). We also found that self-employed and employers work much longer hours than do employees, who are protected by the Labor Standards Act. This was particularly true in the accommodation and food service sectors. In conclusion, Korean workers work longer than do workers of EU countries. The use of average figures masks differences in the numbers of working hours among those engaged in various types of employment, or in certain work sectors. Therefore, the Korean government should not simply monitor reductions in average weekly working hours, but should identify employees working for over 60 h weekly, and reduce their working time.

Working conditions, socioeconomic factors and low birth weight: path analysis.

PubMed

Mahmoodi, Zohreh; Karimlou, Masoud; Sajjadi, Homeira; Dejman, Masoumeh; Vameghi, Meroe; Dolatian, Mahrokh

2013-09-01

In recent years, with socioeconomic changes in the society, the presence of women in the workplace is inevitable. The differences in working condition, especially for pregnant women, has adverse consequences like low birth weight. This study was conducted with the aim to model the relationship between working conditions, socioeconomic factors, and birth weight. This study was conducted in case-control design. The control group consisted of 500 women with normal weight babies, and the case group, 250 women with low weight babies from selected hospitals in Tehran. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire to determine mothers' lifestyle during pregnancy with low birth weight with health-affecting social determinants approach. This questionnaire investigated women's occupational lifestyle in terms of working conditions, activities, and job satisfaction. Data were analyzed with SPSS-16 and Lisrel-8.8 software using statistical path analysis. The final path model fitted well (CFI =1, RMSEA=0.00) and showed that among direct paths, working condition (β=-0.032), among indirect paths, household income (β=-0.42), and in the overall effect, unemployed spouse (β=-0.1828) had the most effects on the low birth weight. Negative coefficients indicate decreasing effect on birth weight. Based on the path analysis model, working condition and socioeconomic status directly and indirectly influence birth weight. Thus, as well as attention to treatment and health care (biological aspect), special attention must also be paid to mothers' socioeconomic factors.

Working Conditions, Socioeconomic Factors and Low Birth Weight: Path Analysis

PubMed Central

Mahmoodi, Zohreh; Karimlou, Masoud; Sajjadi, Homeira; Dejman, Masoumeh; Vameghi, Meroe; Dolatian, Mahrokh

2013-01-01

Background In recent years, with socioeconomic changes in the society, the presence of women in the workplace is inevitable. The differences in working condition, especially for pregnant women, has adverse consequences like low birth weight. Objectives This study was conducted with the aim to model the relationship between working conditions, socioeconomic factors, and birth weight. Patients and Methods This study was conducted in case-control design. The control group consisted of 500 women with normal weight babies, and the case group, 250 women with low weight babies from selected hospitals in Tehran. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire to determine mothers’ lifestyle during pregnancy with low birth weight with health-affecting social determinants approach. This questionnaire investigated women’s occupational lifestyle in terms of working conditions, activities, and job satisfaction. Data were analyzed with SPSS-16 and Lisrel-8.8 software using statistical path analysis. Results The final path model fitted well (CFI =1, RMSEA=0.00) and showed that among direct paths, working condition (β=-0.032), among indirect paths, household income (β=-0.42), and in the overall effect, unemployed spouse (β=-0.1828) had the most effects on the low birth weight. Negative coefficients indicate decreasing effect on birth weight. Conclusions Based on the path analysis model, working condition and socioeconomic status directly and indirectly influence birth weight. Thus, as well as attention to treatment and health care (biological aspect), special attention must also be paid to mothers’ socioeconomic factors. PMID:24616796

Gender and Ageing at Work in Chile: Employment, Working Conditions, Work-Life Balance and Health of Men and Women in an Ageing Workforce.

PubMed

Vives, Alejandra; Gray, Nora; González, Francisca; Molina, Agustín

2018-04-18

In Chile, working after retirement age has grown substantially over the last years. This, in addition to the country's current discussion about extending retirement age, motivates the need of generating evidence on the occupational health and safety of the working old, with a special focus on women, who are critically disadvantaged in Chile's labour market. The objective of this paper is to describe and compare the ageing workforce of women and men in Chile in terms of labour market participation, employment and working conditions, work-life balance, and health. The social determinants of health and employment sustainability frameworks guide this study. Cross-sectional data from three publicly available sources: the Chilean Labour Force Survey, NENE (2010); the first Chilean Employment and working conditions survey, ENETS (2009-2010) and the second National Health Survey, ENS (2009). Participation rates and employment conditions (NENE and ENETS), working conditions, occupational health and work-life balance (ENETS) and chronic health conditions (ENS) were described by 5-year age groups separately for women and men. Descriptions cover all age groups in order to identify trends and patterns characteristic of older workers. Rates of occupation decrease sharply after age 54 in women and 59 in men. Ageing women and men who continue to work are more likely to be in own-account (self-employed) work than younger workers; in the case of women, in households as domestic workers, and men, in agriculture. Social protection and workplace rights are markedly reduced in older workers. Part-time work increases from the age of 50 onwards, especially among women, but average working hours do not decrease under 30 h a week for either women or men. Interestingly, between ages 60 and 64, there is a peak increase of day and night shift-work among women, which co-occurs with a peak in domestic work, possibly corresponding to women working as caretakers of elderly people. Several

Assessing the 'system' in safe systems-based road designs: using cognitive work analysis to evaluate intersection designs.

PubMed

Cornelissen, M; Salmon, P M; Stanton, N A; McClure, R

2015-01-01

While a safe systems approach has long been acknowledged as the underlying philosophy of contemporary road safety strategies, systemic applications are sparse. This article argues that systems-based methods from the discipline of Ergonomics have a key role to play in road transport design and evaluation. To demonstrate, the Cognitive Work Analysis framework was used to evaluate two road designs - a traditional Melbourne intersection and a cut-through design for future intersections based on road safety safe systems principles. The results demonstrate that, although the cut-through intersection appears different in layout from the traditional intersection, system constraints are not markedly different. Furthermore, the analyses demonstrated that redistribution of constraints in the cut-through intersection resulted in emergent behaviour, which was not anticipated and could prove problematic. Further, based on the lack of understanding of emergent behaviour, similar design induced problems are apparent across both intersections. Specifically, incompatibilities between infrastructure, vehicles and different road users were not dealt with by the proposed design changes. The importance of applying systems methods in the design and evaluation of road transport systems is discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Working Conditions and Workplace Barriers to Vocal Health in Primary School Teachers.

PubMed

Munier, Caitriona; Farrell, Rory

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the working conditions and workplace barriers to vocal health in primary school teachers. The relationship between working conditions and voice is analyzed. This is a survey study in 42 randomized schools from a restricted geographical area. An 85-item questionnaire was administered to 550 primary school teachers in 42 schools in Dublin. It was designed to obtain information on demographics, vocal use patterns, vocal health, work organization, working conditions, and teacher's perceptions of the conditions in teaching that might cause a voice problem. The relationship between voice and overstretched work demands, and voice and class size, was examined. A chi-squared test was run to test the null hypothesis that the variables overstretched work demands and voice and class size and voice are independent. Subjects were given the opportunity to give their opinion on their working conditions and on the availability of advice and support within the workplace. A final question sought their opinion on what should be included in a voice care program. A 55% response rate was obtained (n = 304). It was found with 96.52% confidence that the variables overstretched work demands and voice are related. Likewise, it was found that the variables class size and voice are related with 99.97% confidence. There are workplace barriers to vocal health. The working conditions of primary school teachers need to be fully adapted to promote vocal health. Changes by education and health policy makers are needed to achieve this goal. There is a need for future research which focuses on the working conditions of teachers. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Relapse of extinguished fear after exposure to a dangerous context is mitigated by testing in a safe context

PubMed Central

Goode, Travis D.; Kim, Janice J.

2015-01-01

Aversive events can trigger relapse of extinguished fear memories, presenting a major challenge to the long-term efficacy of therapeutic interventions. Here, we examined factors regulating the relapse of extinguished fear after exposure of rats to a dangerous context. Rats received unsignaled shock in a distinct context (“dangerous” context) 24 h prior to auditory fear conditioning in another context. Fear to the auditory conditioned stimulus (CS) was subsequently extinguished either in the conditioning context (“ambiguous” context) or in a third novel context (“safe” context). Exposure to the dangerous context 30 min before a CS retention test caused relapse to the CS in the ambiguous and safe test contexts relative to nonextinguished controls. When rats were tested 24 h later (with or without short-term testing), rats tested in the ambiguous context continued to exhibit relapse, whereas rats tested in the safe context did not. Additionally, exposure of rats to the conditioning context—in place of the unsignaled shock context—did not result in relapse of fear to the CS in the safe testing context. Our work highlights the vulnerabilities of extinction recall to interference, and demonstrates the importance of context associations in the relapse of fear after extinction. PMID:25691517

Crisis in the health sector: Impact on nurses' working conditions.

PubMed

Granero-Lázaro, Alberto; Blanch-Ribas, Josep M; Roldán-Merino, Juan Francisco; Torralbas-Ortega, Jordi; Escayola-Maranges, Ana María

In a context of economic crisis and policies to reduce the public deficit, the budgets of the Catalan Health Institute (CHI) were cut by 15.33% between 2010 and 2014. To assess the perceived impact on nurses' work conditions of measures to contain health spending. The study design was descriptive and transversal. A sample of 1,760 nurses from the province of Barcelona answered a questionnaire on the perceived impact of health spending containment measures implemented in their workplace during the early years of the crisis. Among the main aspects of the perceived impact of these measures, 86.6% of the nurses identified a pay cut and an increase in the following relevant parameters of their working conditions: number of hours worked (66.7%), final ratio of treated patients (35.2%), task complexity and workload (75.3%), rotation through various departments (31.5%), work shifts (21.4%) or work areas (23.4%), job insecurity (58.4%) and loss of employment by dismissal (6.6%) or non-renewal of contract (9%). The perceived impact of the crisis showed a triple negative component: Pay cut, work overload and job insecurity. As a combined effect of this multiple trend, the nurses acknowledged a deterioration in their working conditions and quality of working life. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Safety on the Job. Some Guidelines for Working Safely. Instructor's Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

This teacher's guide was developed to help teachers (especially in Oklahoma) promote safe practices on the job. As a supplement to existing programs in the requirements for job safety, this book can also promote same basic safety attitudes and help support basic safety concepts, with an emphasis on accident prevention. The guide contains eight…

The recommended Threshold Limit Values for heat exposure fail to maintain body core temperature within safe limits in older working adults.

PubMed

Lamarche, Dallon T; Meade, Robert D; D'Souza, Andrew W; Flouris, Andreas D; Hardcastle, Stephen G; Sigal, Ronald J; Boulay, Pierre; Kenny, Glen P

2017-09-01

body core temperature from exceeding 38°C in older workers. Furthermore, a stable core temperature was not achieved within safe limits (i.e., ≤38°C) indicating that the TLV® guidelines may not adequately protect all individuals during work in hot conditions.

Working Safely at Some Times and Unsafely at Others: A Typology and Within-Person Process Model of Safety-Related Work Behaviors.

PubMed

Beus, Jeremy M; Taylor, William D

2017-06-22

Why do individuals choose to work safely in some instances and unsafely in others? Though this inherently within-person question is straightforward, the preponderance of between-person theory and research in the workplace safety literature is not equipped to answer it. Additionally, the limited way in which safety-related behaviors tend to be conceptualized further restricts understanding of why individuals vary in their safety-related actions. We use a goal-focused approach to conceptually address this question of behavioral variability and contribute to workplace safety research in 2 key ways. First, we establish an updated typology of safety-related behaviors that differentiates behaviors based on goal choice (i.e., safe vs. unsafe behaviors), goal-directedness (i.e., intentional vs. unintentional behaviors), and the means of goal pursuit (i.e., commission vs. omission and promotion vs. prevention-focused behaviors). Second, using an expectancy-value theoretical framework to explain variance in goal choice, we establish within-person propositions stating that safety-related goal choice and subsequent behaviors are a function of the target of safety-related behaviors, the instrumentality and resource requirement of behaviors, and the perceived severity, likelihood, and immediacy of the threats associated with behaviors. Taken together, we define what safety-related behaviors are, explain how they differ, and offer propositions concerning when and why they may vary within-persons. We explore potential between-person moderators of our theoretical propositions and discuss the practical implications of our typology and process model of safety-related behavior. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

[Anniversary of the medical department of the Federal Office for Safe Storage and Destruction of Chemical Weapons].

PubMed

Kuz'menko, I E

2013-01-01

The article is devoted to the process of formation and development of CW destruction management system and medical support of professional activities of personnel. Founders of Medical department of the Federal Directorate for Safe Storage and Destruction of Chemical Weapons are presented. Main principles and ways of working of medical department in specific conditions are covered.

National working conditions surveys in Latin America: comparison of methodological characteristics

PubMed Central

Merino-Salazar, Pamela; Artazcoz, Lucía; Campos-Serna, Javier; Gimeno, David; Benavides, Fernando G.

2015-01-01

Background: High-quality and comparable data to monitor working conditions and health in Latin America are not currently available. In 2007, multiple Latin American countries started implementing national working conditions surveys. However, little is known about their methodological characteristics. Objective: To identify commonalities and differences in the methodologies of working conditions surveys (WCSs) conducted in Latin America through 2013. Methods: The study critically examined WCSs in Latin America between 2007 and 2013. Sampling design, data collection, and questionnaire content were compared. Results: Two types of surveys were identified: (1) surveys covering the entire working population and administered at the respondent's home and (2) surveys administered at the workplace. There was considerable overlap in the topics covered by the dimensions of employment and working conditions measured, but less overlap in terms of health outcomes, prevention resources, and activities. Conclusions: Although WCSs from Latin America are similar, there was heterogeneity across surveyed populations and location of the interview. Reducing differences in surveys between countries will increase comparability and allow for a more comprehensive understanding of occupational health in the region. PMID:26079314

National working conditions surveys in Latin America: comparison of methodological characteristics.

PubMed

Merino-Salazar, Pamela; Artazcoz, Lucía; Campos-Serna, Javier; Gimeno, David; Benavides, Fernando G

2015-01-01

High-quality and comparable data to monitor working conditions and health in Latin America are not currently available. In 2007, multiple Latin American countries started implementing national working conditions surveys. However, little is known about their methodological characteristics. To identify commonalities and differences in the methodologies of working conditions surveys (WCSs) conducted in Latin America through 2013. The study critically examined WCSs in Latin America between 2007 and 2013. Sampling design, data collection, and questionnaire content were compared. Two types of surveys were identified: (1) surveys covering the entire working population and administered at the respondent's home and (2) surveys administered at the workplace. There was considerable overlap in the topics covered by the dimensions of employment and working conditions measured, but less overlap in terms of health outcomes, prevention resources, and activities. Although WCSs from Latin America are similar, there was heterogeneity across surveyed populations and location of the interview. Reducing differences in surveys between countries will increase comparability and allow for a more comprehensive understanding of occupational health in the region.

IS WORK-FAMILY CONFLICT A MULTILEVEL STRESSOR LINKING JOB CONDITIONS TO MENTAL HEALTH? EVIDENCE FROM THE WORK, FAMILY AND HEALTH NETWORK.

PubMed

Moen, Phyllis; Kaduk, Anne; Kossek, Ellen Ernst; Hammer, Leslie; Buxton, Orfeu M; O'Donnell, Emily; Almeida, David; Fox, Kimberly; Tranby, Eric; Oakes, J Michael; Casper, Lynne

Most research on the work conditions and family responsibilities associated with work-family conflict and other measures of mental health uses the individual employee as the unit of analysis. We argue that work conditions are both individual psychosocial assessments and objective characteristics of the proximal work environment, necessitating multilevel analyses of both individual- and team-level work conditions on mental health. This study uses multilevel data on 748 high-tech professionals in 120 teams to investigate relationships between team- and individual-level job conditions, work-family conflict, and four mental health outcomes (job satisfaction, emotional exhaustion, perceived stress, and psychological distress). We find that work-to-family conflict is socially patterned across teams, as are job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion. Team-level job conditions predict team-level outcomes, while individuals' perceptions of their job conditions are better predictors of individuals' work-to-family conflict and mental health. Work-to-family conflict operates as a partial mediator between job demands and mental health outcomes. Our findings suggest that organizational leaders concerned about presenteeism, sickness absences, and productivity would do well to focus on changing job conditions in ways that reduce job demands and work-to-family conflict in order to promote employees' mental health. We show that both work-to-family conflict and job conditions can be fruitfully framed as team characteristics, shared appraisals held in common by team members. This challenges the framing of work-to-family conflict as a "private trouble" and provides support for work-to-family conflict as a structural mismatch grounded in the social and temporal organization of work.

Thermodynamic performance analysis of ramjet engine at wide working conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ou, Min; Yan, Li; Tang, Jing-feng; Huang, Wei; Chen, Xiao-qian

2017-03-01

Although ramjet has the advantages of high-speed flying and higher specific impulse, the performance parameters will decline seriously with the increase of flight Mach number and flight height. Therefore, the investigation on the thermodynamic performance of ramjet is very crucial for broadening the working range. In the current study, a typical ramjet model has been employed to investigate the performance characteristics at wide working conditions. First of all, the compression characteristic analysis is carried out based on the Brayton cycle. The obtained results show that the specific cross-section area (A2 and A5) and the air-fuel ratio (f) have a great influence on the ramjet performance indexes. Secondly, the thermodynamic calculation process of ramjet is given from the view of the pneumatic thermal analysis. Then, the variable trends of the ramjet performance indexes with the flow conditions, the air-fuel ratio (f), the specific cross-sectional area (A2 and A5) under the fixed operating condition, equipotential dynamic pressure condition and variable dynamic pressure condition have been discussed. Finally, the optimum value of the specific cross-sectional area (A5) and the air-fuel ratio (f) of the ramjet model at a fixed work condition (Ma=3.5, H=12 km) are obtained.

Working conditions in mid-life and mental health in older ages.

PubMed

Wahrendorf, Morten; Blane, David; Bartley, Mel; Dragano, Nico; Siegrist, Johannes

2013-03-01

This article illustrates the importance of previous working conditions during mid-life (between 40 and 55) for mental health among older retired men and women (60 or older) across 13 European countries. We link information on health from the second wave (2006-2007) of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) with information on respondents' working life collected retrospectively in the SHARELIFE interview (2008-2009). To measure working conditions, we rely on core assumptions of existing theoretical models of work stress (the demand-control-support and the effort-reward imbalance model) and distinguish four types of unhealthy working conditions: (1) a stressful psychosocial work environment (as assessed by the two work stress models) (2) a disadvantaged occupational position throughout the whole period of mid-life, (3) experience of involuntary job loss, and (4) exposure to job instability. Health after labour market exit is measured using depressive symptoms, as measured by the EURO-D depression scale. Main results show that men and women who experienced psychosocial stress at work or had low occupational positions during mid-life had significantly higher probabilities of high depressive symptoms during retirement. Additionally, men with unstable working careers and an involuntary job loss were at higher risks to report high depressive symptoms in later life. These associations remain significant after controlling for workers' health and social position prior mid-life. These findings support the assumption that mental health of retirees who experienced poor working conditions during mid-life is impaired. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Arduous working conditions for beginners: when workplace prevention becomes an economic risk].

PubMed

Latil, François

2015-01-01

The French law of 20.01.2014 recently instituted an arduous working conditions allowance. This innovated legislation is designed to improve the status of workers subject to arduous working conditions either by allowing lighter work schedules or job reclassification or early retirement. The impact of arduous working conditions on health has been clearly established, but no consensual solution has yet been proposed. Life expectancy without disability can differ by as much as 9 years between higher executives and manual workers, but the proposed solutions comprise a multitude of perverse effects. Workers may benefit from maintaining their arduous working conditions in order to preserve their right to early retirement. Companies do not necessarily have the desire or the resources to invest in prevention, which is the only consensually accepted effective measure, if they are also required to finance both training and retirement. In particular, management of the arduous working conditions allowance is very complex and entirely financed by companies. Consequently, company productivity can be impacted, leading to transfers of company headquarters, outsourcing to interim workers, replacement of jobs by automation. Unemployment could be the big winner of this conflict. Politically, arduous working conditions allowance appears to be very difficult to put into practice and can be considered to be more a promise by the government to the left and to the trade unions.

The Influence of Work-Related Fatigue, Work Conditions, and Personal Characteristics on Intent to Leave Among New Nurses.

PubMed

Liu, Yi; Wu, Li-Min; Chou, Pi-Ling; Chen, Mei-Hsin; Yang, Li-Chien; Hsu, Hsin-Tien

2016-01-01

This study aimed to (a) test the fit of the hypothesized model for new nurses' intent to leave and (b) determine the extent to which personal characteristics, work conditions, and work-related fatigue predict intent to leave among new nurses. This study was a cross-sectional survey study. A total of 162 new nurses were recruited. A hypothesized model was proposed for model testing. Structural equation modelling was used for data analysis. Work conditions only had an effect through work-related fatigue on new nurses' intent to leave. Personal characteristics did not have a significant effect on new nurses' intent to leave. The final model showed a good fit. Work-related fatigue, work conditions, and health explained 65% of the variance in new nurses' intent to leave. Work-related fatigue was a major determinant of new nurses' intent to leave. More attention should be paid to fatigue reduction strategies among new nurses. Work-related fatigue should be monitored, particularly for new nurses who work more than 10 hr per day and who have greater workloads. © 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International.

[Working conditions, living conditions and physical health problems declared among penitentiary administration personnel in France].

PubMed

Goldberg, P; Landre, M F; David, S; Goldberg, M; Dassa, S; Marne, M J

1996-06-01

A cross-sectional epidemiological survey was conducted among prison staff in France to investigate the relationships between working conditions and health. The sample included men and women 20 to 64 years old belonging to all categories of prison personnel: prison guards, administrative staff, socioeducational workers, technicians, health care workers, and managers (n = 4587, response rate 45.7%). A mailed self-administered questionnaire was used to assess sociodemographic characteristics, working conditions, and physical and mental disorders. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the effects of working conditions and social relationships on health of prison staff. However, the results reported here only concern 17 health disorders: body mass index, sick leave, medication use, accidents, digestive disorders, lower extremities and back disorders, hypertension, hemorrhoids, arthritis, skin disorders, urinary infections, chronic bronchitis, cholesterol, gastric ulcer, respiratory infections, ocular disorders. The living non professional conditions mostly associated with health disorders were financial difficulties (OR: 1.9 for digestive disorders, 1.8 for gastric ulcer, 1.7 for medication use) and irregularity of meals (OR = 1.5 for digestive disorders, and hypertension). In the occupational environment, the factors most associated with health disorders are seniority (OR = 4.2 for arthritis, 2.3 for cholesterol) and constraints (OR = 1.7 for lower extremities disorders). In spite of some limits associated to this kind of study, relationships between occupational and non occupational factors and physical health conditions were observed; the results also pointed out the protective role of the social relationships for health conditions.

High-power UV-LED degradation: Continuous and cycled working condition influence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arques-Orobon, F. J.; Nuñez, N.; Vazquez, M.; Segura-Antunez, C.; González-Posadas, V.

2015-09-01

High-power (HP) UV-LEDs can replace UV lamps for real-time fluoro-sensing applications by allowing portable and autonomous systems. However, HP UV-LEDs are not a mature technology, and there are still open issues regarding their performance evolution over time. This paper presents a reliability study of 3 W UV-LEDs, with special focus on LED degradation for two working conditions: continuous and cycled (30 s ON and 30 s OFF). Accelerated life tests are developed to evaluate the influence of temperature and electrical working conditions in high-power LEDs degradation, being the predominant failure mechanism the degradation of the package. An analysis that includes dynamic thermal and optical HP UV-LED measurements has been performed. Static thermal and stress simulation analysis with the finite element method (FEM) identifies the causes of package degradation. Accelerated life test results prove that HP UV-LEDs working in cycled condition have a better performance than those working in continuous condition.

IS WORK-FAMILY CONFLICT A MULTILEVEL STRESSOR LINKING JOB CONDITIONS TO MENTAL HEALTH? EVIDENCE FROM THE WORK, FAMILY AND HEALTH NETWORK

PubMed Central

Moen, Phyllis; Kaduk, Anne; Kossek, Ellen Ernst; Hammer, Leslie; Buxton, Orfeu M.; O’Donnell, Emily; Almeida, David; Fox, Kimberly; Tranby, Eric; Oakes, J. Michael; Casper, Lynne

2015-01-01

Purpose Most research on the work conditions and family responsibilities associated with work-family conflict and other measures of mental health uses the individual employee as the unit of analysis. We argue that work conditions are both individual psychosocial assessments and objective characteristics of the proximal work environment, necessitating multilevel analyses of both individual- and team-level work conditions on mental health. Methodology/approach This study uses multilevel data on 748 high-tech professionals in 120 teams to investigate relationships between team- and individual-level job conditions, work-family conflict, and four mental health outcomes (job satisfaction, emotional exhaustion, perceived stress, and psychological distress). Findings We find that work-to-family conflict is socially patterned across teams, as are job satisfaction and emotional exhaustion. Team-level job conditions predict team-level outcomes, while individuals’ perceptions of their job conditions are better predictors of individuals’ work-to-family conflict and mental health. Work-to-family conflict operates as a partial mediator between job demands and mental health outcomes. Practical implications Our findings suggest that organizational leaders concerned about presenteeism, sickness absences, and productivity would do well to focus on changing job conditions in ways that reduce job demands and work-to-family conflict in order to promote employees’ mental health. Originality/value of the chapter We show that both work-to-family conflict and job conditions can be fruitfully framed as team characteristics, shared appraisals held in common by team members. This challenges the framing of work-to-family conflict as a “private trouble” and provides support for work-to-family conflict as a structural mismatch grounded in the social and temporal organization of work. PMID:25866431

Multicriteria ranking of workplaces regarding working conditions in a mining company.

PubMed

Bogdanović, Dejan; Stanković, Vladimir; Urošević, Snežana; Stojanović, Miloš

2016-12-01

Ranking of workplaces with respect to working conditions is very significant for each company. It indicates the positions where employees are most exposed to adverse effects resulting from the working environment, which endangers their health. This article presents the results obtained for 12 different production workplaces in the copper mining and smelting complex RTB Bor - 'Veliki Krivelj' open pit, based on six parameters measured regularly which defined the following working environment conditions: air temperature, light, noise, dustiness, chemical hazards and vibrations. The ranking of workplaces has been performed by PROMETHEE/GAIA. Additional optimization of workplaces is done by PROMETHEE V with the given limits related to maximum permitted values for working environment parameters. The obtained results indicate that the most difficult workplace is on the excavation location (excavator operator). This method can be successfully used for solving similar kinds of problems, in order to improve working conditions.

[Work process and working conditions in poultry processing plants: report of a survey on occupational health surveillance].

PubMed

Oliveira, Paulo Antonio Barros; Mendes, Jussara Maria Rosa

2014-12-01

This article presents the report of a survey on health surveillance activities performed in poultry processing plants in the south of Brazil. It aims to contribute to an understanding of the work process developed, the growth of the sector, the organization of labor and the confrontation with the economic model of this sector, which has been exposing employees to working conditions that undermine their health. The working conditions identified are considered largely incompatible with health and human dignity. The study supports interinstitutional intervention, especially with the Public Ministry of Labor, criticizes the weak implementation of specific government interventions in health conditions in the industry and introduces the new Regulatory Standard 36 as a positive perspective for the near future.

Do Work Condition Interventions Affect Quality and Errors in Primary Care? Results from the Healthy Work Place Study.

PubMed

Linzer, Mark; Poplau, Sara; Brown, Roger; Grossman, Ellie; Varkey, Anita; Yale, Steven; Williams, Eric S; Hicks, Lanis; Wallock, Jill; Kohnhorst, Diane; Barbouche, Michael

2017-01-01

While primary care work conditions are associated with adverse clinician outcomes, little is known about the effect of work condition interventions on quality or safety. A cluster randomized controlled trial of 34 clinics in the upper Midwest and New York City. Primary care clinicians and their diabetic and hypertensive patients. Quality improvement projects to improve communication between providers, workflow design, and chronic disease management. Intervention clinics received brief summaries of their clinician and patient outcome data at baseline. We measured work conditions and clinician and patient outcomes both at baseline and 6-12 months post-intervention. Multilevel regression analyses assessed the impact of work condition changes on outcomes. Subgroup analyses assessed impact by intervention category. There were no significant differences in error reduction (19 % vs. 11 %, OR of improvement 1.84, 95 % CI 0.70, 4.82, p = 0.21) or quality of care improvement (19 % improved vs. 44 %, OR 0.62, 95 % CI 0.58, 1.21, p = 0.42) between intervention and control clinics. The conceptual model linking work conditions, provider outcomes, and error reduction showed significant relationships between work conditions and provider outcomes (p ≤ 0.001) and a trend toward a reduced error rate in providers with lower burnout (OR 1.44, 95 % CI 0.94, 2.23, p = 0.09). Few quality metrics, short time span, fewer clinicians recruited than anticipated. Work-life interventions improving clinician satisfaction and well-being do not necessarily reduce errors or improve quality. Longer, more focused interventions may be needed to produce meaningful improvements in patient care. ClinicalTrials.gov # NCT02542995.

29 CFR 1960.28 - Employee reports of unsafe or unhealthful working conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Employee reports of unsafe or unhealthful working... of unsafe or unhealthful working conditions. (a) The purpose of employee reports is to inform agencies of the existence of, or potential for, unsafe or unhealthful working conditions. A report under...

Young Children Can Be Key to Fire-Safe Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kourofsky, Carolyn E.; Cole, Robert E.

2010-01-01

For more than 15 years, preschool programs nationwide have worked with Fireproof Children/Prevention First, an international center for injury prevention research and education, to bring fire safety education to young children and their families. The "play safe! be safe!"[R] curriculum includes lessons that young children can learn and understand,…

Working conditions in the engine department - A qualitative study among engine room personnel on board Swedish merchant ships.

PubMed

Lundh, Monica; Lützhöft, Margareta; Rydstedt, Leif; Dahlman, Joakim

2011-01-01

The specific problems associated with the work on board within the merchant fleet are well known and have over the years been a topic of discussion. The work conditions in the engine room (ER) are demanding due to, e.g. the thermal climate, noise and awkward working postures. The work in the engine control room (ECR) has over recent years undergone major changes, mainly due to the introduction of computers on board. In order to capture the impact these changes had implied, and also to investigate how the work situation has developed, a total of 20 engine officers and engine ratings were interviewed. The interviews were semi-structured and Grounded Theory was used for the data analysis. The aim of the present study was to describe how the engine crew perceive their work situation and working environment on board. Further, the aim was to identify areas for improvements which the engine crew consider especially important for a safe and effective work environment. The result of the study shows that the design of the ECR and ER is crucial for how different tasks are performed. Design which does not support operational procedures and how tasks are performed risk inducing inappropriate behaviour as the crew members' are compelled to find alternative ways to perform their tasks in order to get the job done. These types of behaviour can induce an increased risk of exposure to hazardous substances and the engine crew members becoming injured. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Building capacity to secure healthier and safer working conditions for healthcare workers: A South African-Canadian collaboration.

PubMed

Yassi, Annalee; Nophale, Letshego E; Dybka, Lyndsay; Bryce, Elizabeth; Kruger, Willem; Spiegel, Jerry

2009-01-01

Healthcare workers face difficult working conditions, particularly where HIV and tuberculosis add to understaffing. Questionnaires, workplace assessments, and discussion groups were conducted at a regional hospital in South Africa to obtain baseline data and input from the workforce in designing interventions. Findings highlighted weaknesses in knowledge, for example regarding the use of N95 respirators and safe handling of sharps, and suggested the need for improved training. Access to supplies and personal protective equipment was the major reported reason for failure to follow proper procedures; this was confirmed by workplace assessments. Discussion groups highlighted the important role for worker Health and Safety Committees (HSC), including in combating stigma and encouraging reporting. Interest in data to support decision-making resulted in development of the Occupational Health and Safety Information System (OHASIS); further training of HSCs is still needed. Multi-stakeholder international collaboration aimed at building HSC capacity is well-received.

Personal factors and working conditions as predictors of work injuries among industrial workers.

PubMed

Kamel, M I; Atta, H Y; Foda, N T; Mostafa, Y A; Youssef, R M

1998-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the personal factors and working conditions that predict work injuries among industrial workers. To fulfill this aim, a case control study was conducted including 2003 industrial workers who sustained a work injury and an equal number of controls. All were subjected to an interview questionnaire to collect relevant information. Moreover, records were reviewed to obtain the medical history of enrolled workers. Data revealed that workers in the index and control groups are comparable in respect to their sociodemographic characteristics. The multivariate logistic regression analysis pointed out that safety training significantly reduces the risk of work accidents among industrial workers. On the other hand, work accidents are more likely to occur in the main working shift. Moreover, workers who suffer from chronic health problems calling for surgical treatment, as well as those who reported family problems, are more likely to experience work accidents. These workers should receive considerable attention to reduce the extent of work injuries. More importantly, safety-training programs are mandatory for accident prevention in industrial settings.

Breastfeeding knowledge among working pregnant women in Turkey.

PubMed

Karanci, Gülsah; Yenal, Kerziban

2014-04-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the breastfeeding knowledge of pregnant working women and explore factors that affected their knowledge. This Turkish study included 260 healthy, working women in the last trimester of pregnancy. Two separate questionnaires developed by the researcher were used to collect data. The average knowledge score of pregnant women respondents for all questions were 6.03 ± 2.99 (range: 0 to 14). Pregnant women had the least knowledge about duration of expressing breast milk (21.9%) and safe storage conditions for breast milk (27.2%). They knew the most about methods to express breast milk (87.3%) and features of containers used to store expressed milk (80%). Study results indicated that working pregnant women need better prenatal education to continue safe breastfeeding after returning to work. Occupational health nurses should inform working pregnant women about expression and storage of breast milk during prenatal education. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

Safe use of chemicals for sterilization in healthcare.

PubMed

Warburton, P Richard

2012-01-01

Chemical sterilization is necessary for temperature sensitive items that cannot be sterilized with steam. These chemical sterilants are by their nature hazardous; otherwise, they would not function well. Modern sterilizers and associated equipment are designed so that these chemicals can be used safely. Whether through mechanical failure, wear and tear, or user error, leaks do sometimes occur. The maximum chemical exposure is determined by OSHA permissible exposure limits, if available, and if not available, employers should use recognized standards. Employers have a duty to ensure safe work environment and take appropriate action to mitigate potential risks. Employers should therefore assess the hazards of the chemicals used, the potential modes for leakage, means for identifying leaks and the risk of exposure of employees. Ideally, work practices should be developed by healthcare facilities so that sterile processing employees know what to do in case of a chemical leak or spill, and how to safely use these chemicals to ensure their own, and patient safety.

Analysis of conditions and organization of work of notebook computer users.

PubMed

Malińska, Marzena; Bugajska, Joanna; Kamińska, Joanna; Jędryka-Góral, Anna

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate working conditions with a notebook computer (notebook) as a potential cause of musculoskeletal disorders. The study had 2 stages. The first one was a questionnaire survey among 300 notebook users. The next stage was an expert analysis of 53 randomly selected workstations. The questionnaire survey included questions about the participants, their working conditions, work organization and also duration of work with a notebook. The results of the research showed that most examined operators used a notebook as a basic working tool. The most important irregularities included an unadjustable working surface, unadjustable height of the seat pan and backrest, unadjustable height and distance between the armrests and no additional ergonomic devices (external keyboard, docking station, notebook stand or footstool).

Psychosocial Working Conditions and Cognitive Complaints among Swedish Employees

PubMed Central

Stenfors, Cecilia U. D.; Magnusson Hanson, Linda; Oxenstierna, Gabriel; Theorell, Töres; Nilsson, Lars-Göran

2013-01-01

Background Cognitive complaints involving problems with concentration, memory, decision-making and thinking are relatively common in the work force. The sensitivity of both subjective and objective cognitive functioning to common psychiatric conditions, stress levels and to cognitive load makes it plausible that psychosocial working conditions play a role in cognitive complaints. Thus, this study aimed to test the associations between psychosocial work factors and cognitive complaints in nationally representative samples of the Swedish work force. Cross-sectional (n = 9751) and prospective (n = 3644; two time points two years apart) sequential multiple regression analyses were run, adjusting for general confounders, depressive- and sleeping problems. Additional prospective analyses were run adjusting for baseline cognitive complaints. Cross-sectional results High quantitative demands, information and communication technology (ICT) demands, underqualification and conflicts were positively associated with cognitive complaints, while social support, good resources at work and overqualification were negatively associated with cognitive complaints in all models. Skill discretion and decision authority were weakly associated with cognitive complaints. Conflicts were more strongly associated with cognitive complaints in women than in men, after adjustment for general confounders. Prospective results Quantitative job demands, ICT demands and underqualification were positively associated with future cognitive complaints in all models, including when adjusted for baseline cognitive complaints. Decision authority was weakly positively associated with future cognitive complaints, only after adjustment for depressive- and sleeping problems respectively. Social support was negatively associated with future cognitive complaints after adjustment for general confounders and baseline cognitive complaints. Skill discretion and resources were negatively associated with future

[Integral quantitative evaluation of working conditions in the construction industry].

PubMed

Guseĭnov, A A

1993-01-01

Present method evaluating the quality of environment (using MAC and MAL) does not enable to assess completely and objectively the work conditions of building industry due to multiple confounding elements. A solution to this complicated problem including the analysis of various correlating elements of the system "human--work conditions--environment" may be encouraged by social norm of morbidity, which is independent on industrial and natural environment. The complete integral assessment enables to see the whole situation and reveal the points at risk.

Human ergology that promotes participatory approach to improving safety, health and working conditions at grassroots workplaces: achievements and actions.

PubMed

Kawakami, Tsuyoshi

2011-12-01

Participatory approaches are increasingly applied to improve safety, health and working conditions of grassroots workplaces in Asia. The core concepts and methods in human ergology research such as promoting real work life studies, relying on positive efforts of local people (daily life-technology), promoting active participation of local people to identify practical solutions, and learning from local human networks to reach grassroots workplaces, have provided useful viewpoints to devise such participatory training programmes. This study was aimed to study and analyze how human ergology approaches were applied in the actual development and application of three typical participatory training programmes: WISH (Work Improvement for Safe Home) with home workers in Cambodia, WISCON (Work Improvement in Small Construction Sites) with construction workers in Thailand, and WARM (Work Adjustment for Recycling and Managing Waste) with waste collectors in Fiji. The results revealed that all the three programmes, in the course of their developments, commonly applied direct observation methods of the work of target workers before devising the training programmes, learned from existing local good examples and efforts, and emphasized local human networks for cooperation. These methods and approaches were repeatedly applied in grassroots workplaces by taking advantage of their the sustainability and impacts. It was concluded that human ergology approaches largely contributed to the developments and expansion of participatory training programmes and could continue to support the self-help initiatives of local people for promoting human-centred work.

[Occupational differences in exposure to hazardous work conditions].

PubMed

Marinacci, Chiara; d'Errico, A; Cardano, M; Perini, F; Costa, G

2005-01-01

Few studies have been aimed at describing organizational and psychosocial conditions of the Italian workforce by occupational group, and they have been mainly conducted within specific occupations. The present study aimed at identifying specific groups of occupations which have unfavourable profiles from the point of view of exposure to specific organizational factors and psychosocial risks, and to physical, chemical and ergonomic risks, and analyzing their distribution by worker age. The analysis was conducted on a sample of 4,195 workers in the Piedmont Region who were members of the CGIL Trade Union (Italian General Confederation of Labour), who answered a self-administered questionnaire in 2000, aimed at assessing chemical, physical, and ergonomic risks, accidents, and psychosocial factors connected with work organization and work tasks. Psychosocial risks were assessed via three scales aimed at measuring the degree of control, psychophysical demands, and worker satisfaction. The proportion of workers exposed to the above mentioned risks was analysed according to occupational group. This group was then compared with all other groups taken together, according to prevalence of high strain condition (combination of high demand and low control) and HSUR condition (High Strain Unfairly Rewarded; combination of high strain and low satisfaction). Among males aged 25-44 years, restricted to the occupation groups with more than ten workers in high strain condition, significantly higher proportions of stress were observed in leather workers and shoemakers, paper factory workers, rubber workers, crane and bridge crane operators, plastic workers, painters, transport drivers and carpenters. For many of these groups, excesses were confirmed for the HSUR condition. Among subjects aged over 44 years, a higher risk for high strain was confirmed in rubber workers, transport drivers and carpenters. In addition, machine tool operators, assembly line and mechanical workers in this

Challenges of safe medication practice in paediatric care--a nursing perspective.

PubMed

Star, Kristina; Nordin, Karin; Pöder, Ulrika; Edwards, I Ralph

2013-05-01

To explore nurses' experiences of handling medications in paediatric clinical practice, with a focus on factors that hinder and facilitate safe medication practices. Twenty nurses (registered nurses) from four paediatric wards at two hospitals in Sweden were interviewed in focus groups. The interviews were analysed using content analysis. Six themes emerged from the analysed interviews: the complexity specific for nurses working on paediatric wards is a hindrance to safe medication practices; nurses' concerns about medication errors cause a considerable psychological burden; the individual nurse works hard for safe medication practices and values support from other nurse colleagues; circumstances out of the ordinary are perceived as critical challenges for maintaining patient safety; nurses value clear instructions, guidelines and routines, but these are often missing, variable or changeable; management, other medical professionals, the pharmacy, the pharmaceutical industry and informatics support need to respond to the requirements of the nurses' working situations to improve safe medication practices. Weaknesses were apparent in the long chain of the medication-delivery process. A joint effort by different professions involved in that delivery process, and a nationwide collaboration between hospitals is recommended to increase safe medication practices in paediatric care. ©2013 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Working from the Inside Out: A Case Study of Mackay Safe Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanson, Dale; Gunning, Colleen; Rose, Judy; McFarlane, Kathryn; Franklin, Richard C.

2015-01-01

Mackay Whitsunday Safe Community (MWSC) was established in 2000 in response to high rates of injury observed in the region. MWSC assumed an ecological perspective, incorporating targeted safety promotion campaigns reinforced by supportive environments and policy. By involving the community in finding its own solutions, MWSC attempted to catalyze…

Hospital nurses' working conditions in relation to motivation and patient safety.

PubMed

Toode, Kristi; Routasalo, Pirkko; Helminen, Mika; Suominen, Tarja

2015-03-01

There is a lack of empirical knowledge about nurses' perceptions of their workplace characteristics and conditions, such as level of autonomy and decision authority, work climate, teamwork, skill exploitation and learning opportunities, and their work motivation in relation to practice outputs such as patient safety. Such knowledge is needed particularly in countries, such as Estonia, where hospital systems for preventing errors and improving patient safety are in the early stages of development. This article reports the findings from a cross-sectional survey of hospital nurses in Estonia that was aimed at determining their perceptions of workplace characteristics, working conditions, work motivation and patient safety, and at exploring the relationship between these. Results suggest that perceptions of personal control over their work can affect nurses' motivation, and that perceptions of work satisfaction might be relevant to patient safety improvement work.

[Third working conditions and health survey in Navarre, Spain: main findings].

PubMed

García, Vega

To describe health problems and working conditions perceived by workers of Navarra, Spain. Conduct of the Third Survey of Working Conditions and Health in Navarre. We administered the Seventh Spanish National Survey of Working Conditions questionnaire by personal interviews conducted in the workers' homes between October 2014 and December 2014, and using a three-stage stratified sampling approach, by economic activity, work establishment size and gender. A total of 2744 interviews were completed, with a confidence level of 95.5% and P=Q, error ± 1.99. The analysis was weighted by the sampling variables. The results were summarized as percentages for qualitative variables and point estimates for quantitative variables. Among the postivie findings, 85% of respondents were well informed of job risks, 68% had access to a health and safety representative, 50% underwent risk assessments and 60% received periodic medical examinations. Among the notable self-reported occupational risk factors were exposure to loud noise (16%), chemicals (33%), accident-prone situations (76%), repetitive movements (62%), awkward postures (41%) and biological agents (11%). Issues of concern include a high percentage of overtime work (44% of men and 39% of women), feelings of being overworked (30.6% and 29.4%, respectively) and exposure to abusive behaviors (11.7% for verbal abuse), especially among women, healthcare workers and teachers. The most prevalent health problems were musculoskeletal (49% reporting back pain) and issues related to work stress (20%). The current working conditions in Navarre feature improved preventive services, persistence of traditional occupational risk factors and emergence of new issues such as violence and work stressors. Copyright belongs to the Societat Catalana de Salut Laboral.

Psychosocial working conditions and weight gain among employees.

PubMed

Lallukka, T; Laaksonen, M; Martikainen, P; Sarlio-Lähteenkorva, S; Lahelma, E

2005-08-01

To study the associations between psychosocial working conditions and weight gain. Data from postal questionnaires (response rate 67%) sent to 40- to 60-y-old women (n=7093) and men (n=1799) employed by the City of Helsinki in 2000-2002 were analysed. Weight gain during the previous 12 months was the outcome variable in logistic regression analyses. Independent variables included Karasek's job demands and job control, work fatigue, working overtime, work-related mental strain, social support and the work-home interface. The final models were adjusted for age, education, marital status, physical strain and body mass index. In the previous 12 months, 25% of women and 19% of men reported weight gain. Work fatigue and working overtime were associated with weight gain in both sexes. Women who were dissatisfied with combining paid work and family life were more likely to have gained weight. Men with low job demands were less likely to have gained weight. All of these associations were independent of each other. Few work-related factors were associated with weight gain. However, our study suggests that work fatigue and working overtime are potential risk factors for weight gain. These findings need to be confirmed in prospective studies.

Geological conditions of safe long-term storage and disposal of depleted uranium hexafluoride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laverov, N. P.; Velichkin, V. I.; Omel'Yanenko, B. I.; Yudintsev, S. V.; Tagirov, B. R.

2010-08-01

The production of enriched uranium used in nuclear weapons and fuel for atomic power plants is accompanied by the formation of depleted uranium (DU), the amount of which annually increases by 35-40 kt. To date, more than 1.6 Mt DU has accumulated in the world. The main DU mass is stored as environ-mentally hazardous uranium hexafluoride (UF6), which is highly volatile and soluble in water with the formation of hydrofluoric acid. To ensure safe UF6 storage, it is necessary to convert this compound in chemically stable phases. The industrial reprocessing of UF6 into U3O8 and HF implemented in France is highly expensive. We substantiate the expediency of long-term storage of depleted uranium hexafluoride in underground repositories localized in limestone. On the basis of geochemical data and thermodynamic calculations, we show that interaction in the steel container-UF6-limestone-groundwater system gives rise to the development of a slightly alkaline reductive medium favorable for chemical reaction with formation of uraninite (UO2) and fluorite (CaF2). The proposed engineering solution not only ensures safe DU storage but also makes it possible to produce uraninite, which can be utilized, if necessary, in fast-neutron reactors. In the course of further investigations aimed at safe maintenance of DU, it is necessary to study the kinetics of conversion of UF6 into stable phases, involving laboratory and field experiments.

Psychosocial work conditions, social capital, and daily smoking: a population based study.

PubMed

Lindström, M

2004-09-01

To investigate the associations between psychosocial conditions at work, social capital/social participation, and daily smoking. The 2000 public health survey in Scania is a cross sectional postal questionnaire study with a 59% participation rate. A total of 5180 persons aged 18-64 years that belonged to the work force and the unemployed were included in this study. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the associations between psychosocial factors at work/unemployment, social participation, and daily smoking. Psychosocial conditions at work were defined according to the Karasek-Theorell demand-control/decision latitudes into relaxed, active, passive, and jobstrain categories. The multivariate analyses included age, country of origin, education and economic stress. 17.2% proportion of all men and 21.9% of all women were daily smokers. The jobstrain (high demands/low control) and unemployed categories had significantly higher odds ratios of daily smoking among both men and women compared to the relaxed (low demands/high control) reference category. The passive (low demands/low control), jobstrain, and unemployed categories were also significantly associated with low social participation. Low social participation was significantly and positively associated with daily smoking within each of the psychosocial work conditions and unemployed categories. The positive association between low social capital/low social participation and daily smoking is well known. However, both social participation and daily smoking are associated with psychosocial work conditions and unemployment. Psychosocial work conditions and unemployment may affect daily smoking both directly and through a pathway including social participation.

Occupational noise exposure, psychosocial working conditions and the risk of tinnitus.

PubMed

Frederiksen, Thomas Winther; Ramlau-Hansen, Cecilia Høst; Stokholm, Zara Ann; Grynderup, Matias Brødsgaard; Hansen, Åse Marie; Lund, Søren Peter; Kristiansen, Jesper; Vestergaard, Jesper Medom; Bonde, Jens Peter; Kolstad, Henrik Albert

2017-02-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of occupational noise (current and cumulative doses) and psychosocial work factors (psychological demands and decision latitude) on tinnitus occurrence among workers, using objective and non-self-reported exposure measures to prevent reporting bias. In a cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from a Danish survey from 2009 to 2010 that included 534 workers from children day care units and 10 manufacturing trades. Associations between risk factors (current noise exposure, cumulative noise exposure and psychosocial working conditions) and tinnitus were analyzed with logistic regression. We found no statistically significant associations between either current [OR 0.95 (95% CI 0.89; 1.01)] or cumulative [OR 0.93 (95% CI 0.81; 1.06)] occupational noise exposure and tinnitus. Likewise, results for psychosocial working conditions showed no statistically significant association between work place decision latitude [OR 1.06 (95% CI 0.94; 1.13)] or psychological demands [OR 1.07 (95% CI 0.90; 1.26)] and tinnitus. Our results suggest that current Danish occupational noise levels (in combination with relevant noise protection) are not associated with tinnitus. Also, results indicated that the psychosocial working conditions we observed in this cohort of mainly industrial workers were not associated with tinnitus. Therefore, psychosocial working conditions comparable to those observed in this study are probably not relevant to take into account in the evaluation of workers presenting with tinnitus.

Safe motherhood partners -- the International Children's Centre.

PubMed

1994-01-01

The International Children's Centre (ICC) works worldwide to improve child health in the least developed countries. In its training and research projects the agency contributes to the Safe Motherhood Initiative to improve the health of mothers and infants. ICC is based in Paris, it was established in 1949, and the agency has cooperated with governments, nongovernmental organizations and international bodies like the World Health Organization (WHO) in child care. ICC's activities reflect concern for the health of women before and during pregnancy and the rest of their lives. The center's work comprises training, research, local projects, and information and documentation. Following the 1987 Nairobi conference on safe motherhood, ICC organized a seminar in Paris on maternal mortality in Sub-Saharan francophone Africa, which led to participation in the Safe Motherhood Initiative with a variety of training and research programs. ICC training is integrated, community-based, and multidisciplinary. Anthropology, psychology, economics and management have played a role in ICC training courses. The center runs an international course on maternal and child health from January to April each year and also organizes distance training courses on problem solving in health care. ICC training programs have taken place in Laos, Senegal, and Vietnam to strengthen the work of maternal and child health training centers there. A 4-week course on economic evaluation of health programs is held in Paris each July. In 1989 and 1990, ICC organized in collaboration with WHO safe motherhood workshops on research methodology in Benin and in Burkina Faso with participants from 6 francophone African countries. One research project in Benin is on risk factors for maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity, and the other in Cameroon on improving surveillance of pregnancy, delivery, and the postnatal period. ICC focuses on long-term planning and action for the benefit of mothers and children.

Presenteeism among self-employed workers: Korean working conditions survey.

PubMed

Kim, Min-Su; Park, Jae Bum; Min, Kyoung-Bok; Lee, Kyung-Jong; Kwon, Kimin

2014-01-01

Presenteeism has become a public concern recently. Thus, we aimed to understand the relationship between self-employed workers and presenteeism using a nationally representative sample of Korean workers. Using data from the Korean Working Conditions Survey conducted in 2011, a total of 43,392 workers including paid employees and self-employed workers were analyzed. The effect of employment status on presenteeism was analyzed using logistic regression analysis. The independent variables were socioeconomic characteristics, working conditions, and working environments. Among the 43,392 workers, 34,783 were paid and 8,609 were self-employed. Self-employed workers were more likely to exhibit presenteeism than were paid workers. An elevated odds ratio of 1.27 (95% CI 1.19-1.36) was found for presenteeism among self-employed workers. Being self-employed was significantly related with exhibiting presenteeism. Additional research should investigate whether other factors mediate the relationship between employment status and presenteeism as well as ways to reduce presenteeism among self-employed workers.

Working conditions as risk factors for disability retirement: a longitudinal register linkage study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Early retirement due to disability is a public health and work environment problem that shortens working careers. Transition to disability retirement is based on ill-health, but working conditions are also of relevance. We examined the contributions of work arrangements, physical working conditions and psychosocial working conditions to subsequent disability retirement. Methods The data were derived from the Helsinki Health Study cohort on employees of the City of Helsinki, Finland. Information on working conditions was obtained from the baseline surveys conducted in 2000, 2001 and 2002. These data were linked with register data on disability retirement and their main diagnoses obtained from the Finnish Centre for Pensions. Follow up by the end of 2008 yielded 525 disability retirement events. The analysed data included 6525 participants and 525 disability retirement events. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated from Cox regression analysis. Results Several working conditions showed own associations with disability retirement before adjustment. After adjustment for all working conditions, the primary risk factors for all-cause disability retirement were physical workload among women (HR 2.02, 95% CI 1.57-2.59) and men (HR 2.00, 95% CI 1.18-3.38), and low job control among women (HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.29-1.99). In addition, for disability retirement due to musculoskeletal causes, the risk factors were physical workload and low job control. For disability retirement due to mental causes the risk factors were computer work and low job control. Furthermore, occupational class was a risk factor for disability retirement due to all causes and musculoskeletal diseases. Conclusions Among various working conditions, those that are physically demanding and those that imply low job control are potential risk factors for disability retirement. Improving the physical working environment and enhancing control over one’s job is likely

Perceived unfairness in working conditions: The case of public health services in Tanzania

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The focus on the determinants of the quality of health services in low-income countries is increasing. Health workers' motivation has emerged as a topic of substantial interest in this context. The main objective of this article is to explore health workers' experience of working conditions, linked to motivation to work. Working conditions have been pointed out as a key factor in ensuring a motivated and well performing staff. The empirical focus is on rural public health services in Tanzania. The study aims to situate the results in a broader historical context in order to enhance our understanding of the health worker discourse on working conditions. Methods The study has a qualitative study design to elicit detailed information on health workers' experience of their working conditions. The data comprise focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews (IDIs) with administrators, clinicians and nursing staff in the public health services in a rural district in Tanzania. The study has an ethnographic backdrop based on earlier long-term fieldwork in the same part of Tanzania. Results The article provides insights into health workers' understanding and assessment of their working conditions. An experience of unsatisfactory working conditions as well as a perceived lack of fundamental fairness dominated the FGDs and IDIs. Informants reported unfairness with reference to factors such as salary, promotion, recognition of work experience, allocation of allowances and access to training as well as to human resource management. The study also revealed that many health workers lack information or knowledge about factors that influence their working conditions. Conclusions The article calls for attention to the importance of locating the discourse of unfairness related to working conditions in a broader historical/political context. Tanzanian history has been characterised by an ambiguous and shifting landscape of state regulation, economic reforms

Co-creating Emotionally Safe Environments at Camp: Training Staff To Facilitate Adventure Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brownlee, Matt; Yerkes, Rita

2003-01-01

An emotionally safe environment helps campers participate in adventure activities. Staff development tips for creating a safe environment include using cooperative goal setting; using parallel training processes; developing working lesson plans that outline facilitation techniques for creating emotionally safe environments; and using co-created…

Cool and Safe: Multiplicity in Safe Innovation at Unilever

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penders, Bart

2011-01-01

This article presents the making of a safe innovation: the application of ice structuring protein (ISP) in edible ices. It argues that safety is not the absence of risk but is an active accomplishment; innovations are not "made safe afterward" but "safe innovations are made". Furthermore, there are multiple safeties to be accomplished in the…

Psychosomatic symptoms and stressful working conditions among Palestinian nurses: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Jaradat, Yousef; Nijem, Khaldoun; Lien, Lars; Stigum, Hein; Bjertness, Espen; Bast-Pettersen, Rita

2016-01-01

Background: High levels of perceived stressful working conditions have been found to have an adverse effect on physical and mental health. Objectives: To examine the associations between self-reported stressful working conditions and Psychosomatic Symptoms (PSS), and to investigate possible gender differences. Methods: The present cross-sectional study comprises 430 nurses employed in Hebron district, Palestine. Self-reported stressful working conditions were recorded, and a Psychosomatic Symptoms Check list was used to assess prevalence of PSS. Findings: Median score on the psychosomatic symptom checklist for the group was 11, (range 1–21). Women reported more symptoms than men, with medians 11.6 and 10.0, respectively (p = .0001). PSS were associated with more self-reported stressful working conditions for both men (p < .0001) and women (p < .0001). The association was strongest among men. Conclusions: PSS were associated with high self-reported stressful working conditions, and this association was strongest among the men. PMID:27160155

77 FR 58608 - Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC); Working Group Activity Update

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-21

... published on April 18, 2012 (77 FR 23159). Contact: Steve Clay, (202) 493-6259. Task 06-03--Medical... environmental, sanitary, and other working conditions in locomotive cabs affect the crew's health and the safe...

Do Working Conditions at Older Ages Shape the Health Gradient?

PubMed Central

Schmitz, Lauren L.

2016-01-01

This study examines whether working conditions at the end of workers’ careers impact health and contribute to health disparities across occupations. A dynamic panel correlated random effects model is used in conjunction with a rich data set that combines information from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), expert ratings of job demands from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET), and mid-career earnings records from the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) Master Earnings File (MEF). Results reveal a strong relationship between positive aspects of the psychosocial work environment and improved self-reported health status, blood pressure, and cognitive function. However, there is little evidence to suggest that working conditions shape observed health disparities between occupations in the years leading up to retirement. PMID:27814483

Feeling safe during an inpatient hospitalization: a concept analysis.

PubMed

Mollon, Deene

2014-08-01

This paper aims to explore the critical attributes of the concept feeling safe. The safe delivery of care is a high priority; however; it is not really known what it means to the patient to 'feel safe' during an inpatient hospitalization. This analysis explores the topic of safety from the patient's perspective. Concept analysis. The data bases of CINAHL, Medline, PsychInfo and Google Scholar for the years 1995-2012 were searched using the terms safe and feeling safe. The eight-step concept analysis method of Walker and Avant was used to analyse the concept of feeling safe. Uses and defining attributes, as well as identified antecedents, consequences and empirical referents, are presented. Case examples are provided to assist in the understanding of defining attributes. Feeling safe is defined as an emotional state where perceptions of care contribute to a sense of security and freedom from harm. Four attributes were identified: trust, cared for, presence and knowledge. Relationship, environment and suffering are the antecedents of feeling safe, while control, hope and relaxed or calm are the consequences. Empirical referents and early development of a theory of feeling safe are explored. This analysis begins the work of synthesizing qualitative research already completed around the concept of feeling safe by defining the key attributes of the concept. Support for the importance of developing patient-centred models of care and creating positive environments where patients receive high-quality care and feel safe is provided. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Work Disability Associated with Cancer Survivorship and Other Chronic Conditions

PubMed Central

Short, Pamela Farley; Vasey, Joseph J.; BeLue, Rhonda

2014-01-01

Summary The long-term effects of cancer and its treatment on employment and productivity are a major concern for the 40% of cancer survivors in the U.S. who are working age. This study’s objectives were (1) to quantify the increase in work disability attributable to cancer in a cohort of adult survivors who were an average of 46 months post-diagnosis and (2) to compare disability rates in cancer survivors to individuals with other chronic conditions. Data from the Penn State Cancer Survivor Study (PSCSS) and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) were compared. The PSCSS sample included 647 survivors age 55–65, diagnosed at four medical centers in Pennsylvania and Maryland. There were 5988 similarly aged subjects without cancer in the HRS. Adjusted odds ratios for work disability were estimated for cancer survivorship, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, lung disease, and arthritis/rheumatism with multivariate logistic regression. Even for cancer-free survivors, the disability rate was significantly higher in comparison to adults with no chronic conditions (female OR=1.94; male OR=1.89). There were few significant differences between disability rates for cancer and other conditions. The elevated disability rate is another argument for viewing cancer survivorship as a chronic condition potentially requiring a broad range of psychosocial services. PMID:17429835

Safe Sleep Practices of Kansas Birthing Hospitals

PubMed Central

Ahlers-Schmidt, Carolyn R.; Schunn, Christy; Sage, Cherie; Engel, Matthew; Benton, Mary

2018-01-01

Background Sleep-related death is tied with congenital anomalies as the leading cause of infant mortality in Kansas, and external risk factors are present in 83% of these deaths. Hospitals can impact caregiver intentions to follow risk-reduction strategies. This project assessed the current practices and policies of Kansas hospitals with regard to safe sleep. Methods A cross-sectional survey of existing safe sleep practices and policies in Kansas hospitals was performed. Hospitals were categorized based on reported delivery volume and data were compared across hospital sizes. Results Thirty-one of 73 (42%) contacted hospitals responded. Individual survey respondents represented various hospital departments including newborn/well-baby (68%), neonatal intensive care unit (3%) and other non-nursery departments or administration (29%). Fifty-eight percent of respondents reported staff were trained on infant safe sleep; 44% of these held trainings annually. High volume hospitals tended to have more annual training than low or mid volume birth hospitals. Thirty-nine percent reported a safe sleep policy, though most of these (67%) reported never auditing compliance. The top barrier to safe sleep education, regardless of delivery volume, was conflicting patient and family member beliefs. Conclusions Hospital promotion of infant safe sleep is being conducted in Kansas to varying degrees. High and mid volume birth hospitals may need to work more on formal auditing of safe sleep practices, while low volume hospitals may need more staff training. Low volume hospitals also may benefit from access to additional caregiver education materials. Finally, it is important to note hospitals should not be solely responsible for safe sleep education. PMID:29844848

[Participation to improve working conditions: evidence and experience].

PubMed

García, Ana M; Boix, Pere; G Benavides, Fernando; Gadea, Rafael; Rodrigo, Fernando; Serra, Consol

2016-11-01

Participation of stakeholders is a key requirement for the success of public health programmes. Working and employment conditions are major determinants for people's health and wellbeing, and workplaces are ideal environments to implement programmes with a very direct level of participation. In Spain, the main regulatory framework for occupational health and safety, Law 31/1995, establishes the principles of "efficiency, coordination and participation" as a necessary basis for workers' health protection. This same Law establishes the role of the health and safety workers' representative, responsible for occupational risk prevention, and the occupational health and safety committee, a body with equal representation and the same objectives at the heart of the company. Among recent experiences of participation in occupational health, participatory ergonomics programmes have stood out. The aim of these programmes is to improve working conditions with a view to reducing musculoskeletal disorders, which is a very common and highly prevalent work-related injury in Spain. This study describes the characteristics and results of some experiences of participatory ergonomics carried out recently in Spain, from which relevant learning can be extrapolated about processes, facilitators and barriers in order to extend such programmes to other areas of occupational and public health. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial work conditions, social capital, and daily smoking: a population based study

PubMed Central

Lindstrom, M

2004-01-01

Objective: To investigate the associations between psychosocial conditions at work, social capital/social participation, and daily smoking. Design/setting/participants/measurements: The 2000 public health survey in Scania is a cross sectional postal questionnaire study with a 59% participation rate. A total of 5180 persons aged 18–64 years that belonged to the work force and the unemployed were included in this study. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the associations between psychosocial factors at work/unemployment, social participation, and daily smoking. Psychosocial conditions at work were defined according to the Karasek-Theorell demand–control/decision latitudes into relaxed, active, passive, and jobstrain categories. The multivariate analyses included age, country of origin, education and economic stress. Results: 17.2% proportion of all men and 21.9% of all women were daily smokers. The jobstrain (high demands/low control) and unemployed categories had significantly higher odds ratios of daily smoking among both men and women compared to the relaxed (low demands/high control) reference category. The passive (low demands/low control), jobstrain, and unemployed categories were also significantly associated with low social participation. Low social participation was significantly and positively associated with daily smoking within each of the psychosocial work conditions and unemployed categories. Conclusions: The positive association between low social capital/low social participation and daily smoking is well known. However, both social participation and daily smoking are associated with psychosocial work conditions and unemployment. Psychosocial work conditions and unemployment may affect daily smoking both directly and through a pathway including social participation. PMID:15333886

Safe prescribing: a titanic challenge

PubMed Central

Routledge, Philip A

2012-01-01

The challenge to achieve safe prescribing merits the adjective ‘titanic’. The organisational and human errors leading to poor prescribing (e.g. underprescribing, overprescribing, misprescribing or medication errors) have parallels in the organisational and human errors that led to the loss of the Titanic 100 years ago this year. Prescribing can be adversely affected by communication failures, critical conditions, complacency, corner cutting, callowness and a lack of courage of conviction, all of which were also factors leading to the Titanic tragedy. These issues need to be addressed by a commitment to excellence, the final component of the ‘Seven C's’. Optimal prescribing is dependent upon close communication and collaborative working between highly trained health professionals, whose role is to ensure maximum clinical effectiveness, whilst also protecting their patients from avoidable harm. Since humans are prone to error, and the environments in which they work are imperfect, it is not surprising that medication errors are common, occurring more often during the prescribing stage than during dispensing or administration. A commitment to excellence in prescribing includes a continued focus on lifelong learning (including interprofessional learning) in pharmacology and therapeutics. This should be accompanied by improvements in the clinical working environment of prescribers, and the encouragement of a strong safety culture (including reporting of adverse incidents as well as suspected adverse drug reactions whenever appropriate). Finally, members of the clinical team must be prepared to challenge each other, when necessary, to ensure that prescribing combines the highest likelihood of benefit with the lowest potential for harm. PMID:22738396

Part of the job: the role of physical work conditions in the nurse turnover process.

PubMed

Vardaman, James M; Cornell, Paul T; Allen, David G; Gondo, Maria B; Muslin, Ivan S; Mobley, Robin N; Brock, Meagan E; Sigmon, Tracy L

2014-01-01

Retention of nursing staff remains an important issue for health care managers. Turnover research has focused primarily on motivational and social factors as keys to retention, whereas the role of the physical work conditions has received considerably less attention. However, work design theory suggests that physical work conditions may be an important factor in fostering retention among nursing staff. The aim of this study was to integrate work design theory with turnover process models to explore the influence of perceptions of physical work conditions on the development of turnover intentions among nursing staff. Drawing on two samples of registered nurses working in cancer units in metropolitan hospitals in the southeastern United States, this study explores the impact of perceptions of physical work conditions on turnover intentions using ordinary least squares regression. Hypotheses are tested in Study 1 and replicated in Study 2. A measure of perceptions of physical work conditions is also developed and validated using exploratory (Study 1) and confirmatory (Study 2) factor analyses. Perceptions of physical work conditions explain variance in turnover intentions above than that explained by motivational and social factors. Specifically, employee perceptions of noisy work conditions are found to significantly increase turnover intentions, whereas perceptions that work conditions facilitate tasks were found to significantly reduce turnover intentions. Perceptions of temperature and health hazard did not show significant effects. Results suggest that health care managers and scholars should re-examine the role of physical work conditions in the turnover process. Investments in upgrades that facilitate tasks may foster retention better than investments that simply improve employee comfort. Negative perceptions of work conditions may have no impact if they are considered a normal "part of the job," although negative perceptions of conditions that are viewed as

Sexual harassment at work place: are you safe?

PubMed

Naveed, Anila; Tharani, Ambreen; Alwani, Nasreen

2010-01-01

In today's world women are increasingly participating in the realm of work force, yet they are facing many obstacles in their way. Sexual harassment is one of those obstacles. Sexual harassment at work place is prevalent in every society. It could happen to anyone but women are the targeted victims. Sexual harassment is considered as a traumatic event and the victim may end up in having physical and mental sufferings that hinders a person to work effectively. At an organisational level this may result in decrease work effectiveness, decreased work productivity, high absenteeism, high turnover, and low staff morale. Hence there is a need that, organisations and government should look seriously into this matter. Proper education and training programs should be developed to deal with these issues. The goal must be both to deal with sexual harassment incidents effectively and to prevent the occurrence of future incidents.

Relationship between work-related accidents and hot weather conditions in Tuscany (central Italy).

PubMed

Morabito, Marco; Cecchi, Lorenzo; Crisci, Alfonso; Modesti, Pietro Amedeo; Orlandini, Simone

2006-07-01

Nowadays, no studies have been published on the relationship between meteorological conditions and work-related mortality and morbidity in Italy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between hot weather conditions and hospital admissions due to work-related accidents in Tuscany (central Italy) over the period 1998-2003. Apparent temperature (AT) values were calculated to evaluate human weather discomfort due to hot conditions and then tested for work accident differences using non-parametric procedures. Present findings showed that hot weather conditions might represent a risk factor for work-related accidents in Italy during summer. In particular early warming days during June, characterized by heat discomfort, are less tolerated by workers than warming days of the following summer months. The peak of work-related accidents occurred on days characterized by high, but not extreme, thermal conditions. Workers maybe change their behaviour when heat stress increases, reducing risks by adopting preventive measures. Results suggested that days with an average daytime AT value ranged between 24.8 degrees C and 27.5 degrees C were at the highest risk of work-related accidents. In conclusion, present findings might represent the first step for the development of a watch/warning system for workers that might be used by employers for planning work activities.

"It's still a great adventure" - exploring offshore employees' working conditions in a qualitative study.

PubMed

Mette, Janika; Velasco Garrido, Marcial; Harth, Volker; Preisser, Alexandra M; Mache, Stefanie

2017-01-01

Despite the particular demands inherent to offshore work, little is known about the working conditions of employees in the German offshore wind industry. To date, neither offshore employees' job demands and resources, nor their needs for improving the working conditions have been explored. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a qualitative analysis to gain further insight into these topics. Forty-two semi-structured telephone interviews with German offshore employees ( n  = 21) and offshore experts ( n  = 21) were conducted. Employees and experts were interviewed with regard to their perceptions of their working conditions offshore. In addition, employees were asked to identify areas with potential need for improvement. The interviews were analysed in a deductive-inductive process according to Mayring's qualitative content analysis. Employees and experts reported various demands of offshore work, including challenging physical labour, long shifts, inactive waiting times, and recurrent absences from home. In contrast, the high personal meaning of the work, regular work schedule (14 days offshore, 14 days onshore), and strong comradeship were highlighted as job resources. Interviewees' working conditions varied considerably, e.g. regarding their work tasks and accommodations. Most of the job demands were perceived in terms of the work organization and living conditions offshore. Likewise, employees expressed the majority of needs for improvement in these areas. Our study offers important insight into the working conditions of employees in the German offshore wind industry. The results can provide a basis for further quantitative research in order to generalize the findings. Moreover, they can be utilized to develop needs-based interventions to improve the working conditions offshore.

Women's Work Conditions and Marital Adjustment in Two-Earner Couples: A Structural Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sears, Heather A.; Galambos, Nancy L.

1992-01-01

Evaluated structural model of women's work conditions, women's stress, and marital adjustment using path analysis. Findings from 86 2-earner couples with adolescents indicated support for spillover model in which women's work stress and global stress mediated link between their work conditions and their perceptions of marital adjustment.…

[Psychosocial working conditions and mental health status of the German babyboomer generation].

PubMed

Tophoven, S; Tisch, A; Rauch, A; Burghardt, A

2015-04-01

The baby boomers are the first to be available to the German labour market up to the age of 67. A crucial premise for a long working life is good health. However, there is evidence that psychosocial working conditions are related to health. More and more employees report psychosocial stress at work. In addition, mental illness has become one of the main reasons for the entry into disability pension. Against this background this study considers the relationship between psychosocial work conditions and mental health exemplarily for two birth cohorts of the German baby boomers. For the analysis of the assumed relationships data of the lidA study "lidA - leben in der Arbeit - German Cohort Study on Work, Age and Health" is used (N=6 057). Mental health is assessed by the mental health scale of the SF-12. In addition, the items and the scales quantitative job requirements, work pace and support from colleagues from the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) are used. As further control variables cohort affiliation, level of education, occupational status and partnership are considered. Multivariate analyses of the relations between quantitative job requirements, work pace and the experienced support from colleagues show significant relationship to mental health. The increasing frequency of the requirement to work quickly and increasing quantitative job demands are negatively associated to mental health. However, support of colleagues shows a positive relationship to mental health. These results are similarly observed for women and men. For the regarded group of the German babyboomers, employees at the threshold to higher working age, it is clearly shown that psychosocial working conditions are related to mental health. Since this group still has to work up to 18 years given a statutory retirement age of 67, psychosocial working conditions should rather be in the focus of occupational safety. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Phase Distribution Phenomena for Simulated Microgravity Conditions: Experimental Work

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singhal, Maneesh; Bonetto, Fabian J.; Lahey, R. T., Jr.

1996-01-01

This report summarizes the work accomplished at Rensselaer to study phase distribution phenomenon under simulated microgravity conditions. Our group at Rensselaer has been able to develop sophisticated analytical models to predict phase distribution in two-phase flows under a variety of conditions. These models are based on physics and data obtained from carefully controlled experiments that are being conducted here. These experiments also serve to verify the models developed.

Phase Distribution Phenomena for Simulated Microgravity Conditions: Experimental Work

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singhal, Maneesh; Bonetto, Fabian J.; Lahey, R. T., Jr.

1996-01-01

This report summarizes the work accomplished at Rensselaer to study phase distribution phenomenon under simulated microgravity conditions. Our group at Rensselaer has been able to develop sophisticated analytical models to predict phase distribution in two-phase flows under variety of conditions. These models are based on physics and data obtained from carefully controlled experiments that are being conducted here. These experiments also serve to verify the models developed.

EPA Reaches Settlement with Two N.H. Companies for Failure to Disclose Lead Paint Information or Follow Lead-Safe Work Practices at Residential Property in Manchester

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The U.S. EPA finalized a settlement agreement with two N.H. companies for their alleged failure to follow lead-safe work practices and provide proper lead paint disclosure to tenants at a residential property in Manchester, N.H.

Women's Learning in Contract Work: Practicing Contradictions in Boundaryless Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenwick, Tara

2008-01-01

The general rise in contractors, particularly among knowledge workers negotiating "boundaryless" employment conditions, has generated interest in the nature and forms of contract work. This article explores the learning of contract workers as they negotiate these conditions, with a focus on women. Drawing from a qualitative study of…

Work conditions, mental workload and patient care quality: a multisource study in the emergency department.

PubMed

Weigl, Matthias; Müller, Andreas; Holland, Stephan; Wedel, Susanne; Woloshynowych, Maria

2016-07-01

Workflow interruptions, multitasking and workload demands are inherent to emergency departments (ED) work systems. Potential effects of ED providers' work on care quality and patient safety have, however, been rarely addressed. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and associations of ED staff's workflow interruptions, multitasking and workload with patient care quality outcomes. We applied a mixed-methods design in a two-step procedure. First, we conducted a time-motion study to observe the rate of interruptions and multitasking activities. Second, during 20-day shifts we assessed ED staff's reports on workflow interruptions, multitasking activities and mental workload. Additionally, we assessed two care quality indicators with standardised questionnaires: first, ED patients' evaluations of perceived care quality; second, patient intrahospital transfers evaluated by ward staff. The study was conducted in a medium-sized community ED (16 600 annual visits). ED personnel's workflow was disrupted on average 5.63 times per hour. 30% of time was spent on multitasking activities. During 20 observations days, data were gathered from 76 ED professionals, 239 patients and 205 patient transfers. After aggregating daywise data and controlling for staffing levels, prospective associations revealed significant negative associations between ED personnel's mental workload and patients' perceived quality of care. Conversely, workflow interruptions were positively associated with patient-related information on discharge and overall quality of transfer. Our investigation indicated that ED staff's capability to cope with demanding work conditions was associated with patient care quality. Our findings contribute to an improved understanding of the complex effects of interruptions and multitasking in the ED environment for creating safe and efficient ED work and care systems. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a

Asymptotically Safe Standard Model via Vectorlike Fermions.

PubMed

Mann, R B; Meffe, J R; Sannino, F; Steele, T G; Wang, Z W; Zhang, C

2017-12-29

We construct asymptotically safe extensions of the standard model by adding gauged vectorlike fermions. Using large number-of-flavor techniques we argue that all gauge couplings, including the hypercharge and, under certain conditions, the Higgs coupling, can achieve an interacting ultraviolet fixed point.

Asymptotically Safe Standard Model via Vectorlike Fermions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mann, R. B.; Meffe, J. R.; Sannino, F.; Steele, T. G.; Wang, Z. W.; Zhang, C.

2017-12-01

We construct asymptotically safe extensions of the standard model by adding gauged vectorlike fermions. Using large number-of-flavor techniques we argue that all gauge couplings, including the hypercharge and, under certain conditions, the Higgs coupling, can achieve an interacting ultraviolet fixed point.

[Young French neurosurgeons: Working conditions and outlook].

PubMed

Pommier, B; Manet, R; Gay, E; Vassal, F; Nuti, C; Hladky, J-P

2015-10-01

Due to the increase in the number of French neurosurgeon residents the neurosurgical workforce is changing. The main objective of this survey was to assess working conditions and perspectives for young French neurosurgeons. An on-line survey was sent to young French neurosurgeons based on a mailing-list (219 mail addresses of Residents and Fellows obtained during previous meetings). The form contained questions about career, amount of work, salary, quality of life, teaching and university work. We received 78 replies from January to March 2014. A total of 56% from fellows saying they had undergone difficulties in obtaining a fellowship, although 78% were satisfied. Fellows considered a private career more often than residents. Overall, young neurosurgeons were worried about future employment. Some 33% admitted contemplating a different career from one they originally wanted. The average weekly working time of 76.8 hours was deemed to be excessive. Security rests after overnight shifts were lacking or incomplete in 91% of cases. The work atmosphere was good overall (3.7/5), and so was the quality of life (3.2/5). Theoretical teaching was unsatisfactory (2.43/5) as well as the time allowed for academic work (approximately 1.58 half-days per month). However, practical teaching was considered rewarding (3.63/5). This study provides some guidance for upcoming reforms, and should be considered again at a later date to evaluate progress. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Multilevel models in the explanation of the relationship between safety climate and safe behavior.

PubMed

Cheyne, Alistair; Tomás, José M; Oliver, Amparo

2013-01-01

This study examines the relationships between components of organizational safety climate, including employee attitudes to organizational safety issues; perceptions of the physical working environment, and evaluations of worker engagement with safety issues; and relates these to self-reported levels of safety behavior. It attempts to explore the relationships between these variables in 1189 workers across 78 work groups in a large transportation organization. Evaluations of safety climate, the working environment and worker engagement, as well as safe behaviors, were collected using a self report questionnaire. The multilevel analysis showed that both levels of evaluation (the work group and the individual), and some cross-level interactions, were significant in explaining safe behaviors. Analyses revealed that a number of variables, at both levels, were associated with worker engagement and safe behaviors. The results suggest that, while individual evaluations of safety issues are important, there is also a role for the fostering of collective safety climates in encouraging safe behaviors and therefore reducing accidents.

Associations of psychosocial working conditions and working time characteristics with somatic complaints in German resident physicians.

PubMed

Fischer, Nina; Degen, Christiane; Li, Jian; Loerbroks, Adrian; Müller, Andreas; Angerer, Peter

2016-05-01

Somatic complaints (SC) are highly prevalent in working populations and cause suffering and extensive health-care utilization. Adverse psychosocial working conditions as conceptualized in the Job Demand-Control-Support Model (JDC-S) and adverse working time characteristics (WTC) are potential risk factors. This combination is particularly common in hospital physicians. This study examines associations of JDC-S and WTC with SC in resident physicians from Germany. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 405 physicians at the end of residency training. SC were measured using the Giessen Subjective Complaints List (GBB-24) containing the sub-categories exhaustion, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, and cardiovascular complaints. Data on working conditions were collected by a self-report method for work analysis in hospitals (TAA-KH-S) and by questions on WTC (i.e., working hours). Multivariable stepwise regression analyses were applied. Workload showed the most pronounced relationship with all sub-categories of SC except gastrointestinal complaints. Job autonomy was not significantly related to any SC sub-category. Social support at work was inversely associated with all SC sub-categories except for cardiovascular complaints. Free weekends were associated with reduced SC except for exhaustion. Shift work was related to an increased SC total score and musculoskeletal complaints. Working hours showed no association with SC. In resident physicians, high workload and shift work are associated with increased SC, while social support at work and free weekends are associated with decreased SC. These insights may inform the development of preventive measures to improve the health of this professional group. Prospective studies are needed though to corroborate our findings.

"From safe source to safe sink" development of colorimetric assay for gabapentin in bulk drug and capsules using naturally derived genipin.

PubMed

Winotapun, Weerapath; Kongpakwattana, Khachen; Dejpittayanunt, Sirirat; Pathomcharoensukchai, Suwaparp; Suksaran, Udomluck; Nuntharatanapong, Nopparat; Rojanarata, Theerasak

2012-09-15

A novel colorimetric assay for gabapentin in bulk drug and capsules has been developed via a safety-and-sustainability concerning concept. The method relied on the reaction of primary amino group of drug with non-toxic and eco-friendly genipin in totally aqueous medium to form the blue product which was subsequently measured by visible spectrophotometry at 590 nm. Under the optimized conditions, Beer's law was obeyed in the concentration range of 0.15-0.50 mM (r(2)=0.9998). It was accurate, precise and insensitive to the interferences from all related compounds specified in the United States Pharmacopeia as well as commonly used excipients. Furthermore, it gave the assay results in agreement with the pharmacopeial chromatographic method. Owing to the environmental concern and responsibility, a fast and facile method was also proposed for the treatment of waste generated from the assay based on the decoloration by using gypsum as a cheap and commonly available adsorbent. After the treatment, more than 95% of the initial blue product was removed from the waste solution and the treated waste was proven to be safe for aquatic organisms, as studied in brine shrimp and guppy fishes. Therefore, this work not only reports for the first time the application of naturally derived genipin to drug analysis, but also presents a new and contemporary paradigm that illustrates the fully benign-by-design development of the analytical methodologies in the era of Green Chemistry, starting from the safe source of reagents toward the safe sink when waste is released into the environment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Working Memory-Learning Condition Interactions Proficiency in L2 Russian under Naturalistic and Formal Learning Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canner, Marc T.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the relationships between working memory (WM) and three commonly used learning strategies or conditions in the nature of proficiency among adult L2 Russian learners. Based on the aptitude-learning condition interaction framework articulated by Robinson (2002b), the study identifies two types of…

Effects of respirators under heat/work conditions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

James, R.; Dukes-Dobos, F.; Smith, R.

Physiological responses and perceived strain of five unacclimatized male subjects were studied. The subjects were exposed to heat during an exercise task and were evaluated while wearing half and full facepiece, cartridge-type, air-purifying respirators, and without a respirator. The exercise consisted of walking on a treadmill for a period of 1 hour in a controlled environmental chamber at each of two different energy expenditure levels (200 and 400 kcal/hr)(approx. = 58 and 116 Watts) and two different heat exposures (air temperatures of 25/sup 0/C and 43.3./sup 0/C). The results indicated that wearing a full facepiece respirator imposed significant physiological strainmore » added to that caused by the heat and workloads used in the study. Five of the six physiological measures show this increased physiological strain: (1) heart rate; (2) minute ventilation; (3) oxygen consumption; (4) energy expenditure; and (5) oral temperature. There was no detectable effect on sweat rate. Although subjective ratings indicated more discomfort with increasing physiological strain, the observed correlations between such measures were low (T/sub b/ < .60). The net consequence of the significant effects indicates that workers' tolerance to moderate or high levels of work under hot conditions while wearing a respirator is reduced. The reduction is more pronounced when wearing a full mask than when wearing a half mask. Changes in respirator design which minimize respiratory dead space are suggested to alleviate this problem. Otherwise, prevention of excessive physiological strain from respirator use when working at moderate or higher levels at hot job sites could necessitate more rest breaks or limiting work time under such conditions.« less

Final Report on the Mississippi Project CLEAR Voice Teacher Working Conditions Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berry, Barnett; Fuller, Ed

2008-01-01

In 2007, the state of Mississippi conducted a web-based survey of all school-based licensed educators in which they were asked to share their perceptions of the state of teacher working conditions in Mississippi. This report of the Mississippi Teacher Working Conditions Survey, Project CLEAR Voice (Cultivate Learning Environments to Accelerate…

29 CFR 1926.1080 - Safe practices manual.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION Diving General Operations Procedures § 1926.1080 Safe practices manual. Note: The requirements applicable to construction work under this section are...

How NIF Works

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2009-07-30

The National Ignition Facility, located at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, is the world's largest laser system... 192 huge laser beams in a massive building, all focused down at the last moment at a 2 millimeter ball containing frozen hydrogen gas. The goal is to achieve fusion... getting more energy out than was used to create it. It's never been done before under controlled conditions, just in nuclear weapons and in stars. We expect to do it within the next 2-3 years. The purpose is threefold: to create an almost limitless supply of safe, carbon-free, proliferation-free electricity; examine new regimes ofmore » astrophysics as well as basic science; and study the inner-workings of the U.S. stockpile of nuclear weapons to ensure they remain safe, secure and reliable without the need for underground testing. More information about NIF can be found at:« less

How NIF Works

ScienceCinema

None

2017-12-09

The National Ignition Facility, located at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, is the world's largest laser system... 192 huge laser beams in a massive building, all focused down at the last moment at a 2 millimeter ball containing frozen hydrogen gas. The goal is to achieve fusion... getting more energy out than was used to create it. It's never been done before under controlled conditions, just in nuclear weapons and in stars. We expect to do it within the next 2-3 years. The purpose is threefold: to create an almost limitless supply of safe, carbon-free, proliferation-free electricity; examine new regimes of astrophysics as well as basic science; and study the inner-workings of the U.S. stockpile of nuclear weapons to ensure they remain safe, secure and reliable without the need for underground testing. More information about NIF can be found at:

[Medical and sanitary conditions of life activities of sea craft crew (review of literature)].

PubMed

Kubasov, R V; Lupachev, V V; Kubasova, E D

2016-08-01

The article characterizes sea work conditions under which crew-members carry occupational activitie's during the sail. Negative factors influencing health of crew members are listed. Among these factors, the major influence is caused by physical (noise, vibration, mechanical impacts, ionizing radiation varying in frequency), chemical, climate and.geographic, social an psychologic factors. Conclusion is that extreme work conditions of sailing staffers cause overstrain of adaptation systems, disorders of regulation fuctions, worsen health state and induce disablement. Within a system of medical care.for water transport workers, necessity is to have complex accounting of occupational hazards for more qualitative and safe work conditions.

Psychosocial working conditions and exhaustion in a working population sample of Swedish middle-aged men and women.

PubMed

Lindeberg, Sara I; Rosvall, Maria; Choi, Bongkyoo; Canivet, Catarina; Isacsson, Sven-Olof; Karasek, Robert; Ostergren, Per-Olof

2011-04-01

Exhaustion is a concept of interest for both occupational health research and stress-disease theory research. The aim of the present study was to explore associations between chronic stressors, in terms of psychosocial working conditions, and exhaustion in a Swedish middle-aged population sample. A vocationally active population sample of the Malmö Shoulder and Neck Study cohort, comprising 2555 men and 2466 women between 45 and 64 years of age, was used. Psychosocial working conditions, assessed by means of the demand-control-support model, were measured longitudinally with a 1-year interval. Exhaustion was assessed by the SF-36 vitality scale and measured at follow-up, yielding a cross-sectional study design. Exhaustion was twice as common in women as in men. High psychological job demands, low job control and low job support were independently associated with exhaustion in both men and women. These associations remained after controlling for a variety of potential confounders and mediators, including socio-demographic factors, lifestyle factors, musculoskeletal pain, disease, other work-related factors (including physical workload) and non-work-related factors. High demands in combination with low control (job strain), and job strain combined with low job support (iso-strain), increased the risk for exhaustion. Psychosocial working conditions seem to contribute to exhaustion in middle-aged men and women. Future research should include exploration of exhaustion as a possible mediator between work stress and disease, as well as exploration of other chronic stressors, including non-work-related stressors, regarding their effects on exhaustion in men and women.

Investigation of safe-life fail-safe criteria for the space shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

An investigation was made to determine the effects of a safe-life design approach and a fail-safe design approach on the space shuttle booster vehicle structure, and to recommend any changes to the structural design criteria. Two configurations of the booster vehicle were considered, one incorporating a delta wing (B-9U configuration) and the other a swept wing (B-16B configuration). Several major structural components of the booster were studied to determine the fatigue life, safe-life, and fail-safe capabilities of the baseline design. Each component was investigated to determine the practicability of applying a safe-life or fail-safe design philosophy, the changes such design approaches might require, and the impact of these changes on weight, cost, development plans, and performance.

A Study of Leadership Strategies and Their Impact on Teacher Working Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenbalm, Elizabeth M.

2012-01-01

Throughout this study, the researcher sought to find the key strategies needed to improve school culture and working conditions. These findings were measured by the 2010 and 2012 North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey (NC TWCS) data, as well as staff focus-group dialogue at three selected schools. The participant groups consisted of an…

Nurse overtime, working conditions, and the presence of mandatory nurse overtime regulations.

PubMed

Bae, Sung-Heui

2012-05-01

Although more states have regulated mandatory nurse overtime, limited research has examined the impact of these regulations on the actual time nurses work and their working conditions. The purpose of this study was to compare nurse overtime and working conditions between states with and states without regulations limiting mandatory nurse overtime. Data were collected from registered nurses working in hospitals located in states with and without mandatory nurse overtime regulations; the final sample consisted of 219 nurses. No difference was found in overtime worked between nurses who worked in states with regulations or without. Those nurses working in states with regulations cared for more patients per shift and experienced more chronic nursing shortages on their nursing units than those working in states without regulation. Continuous efforts are needed to improve the implementation of regulations to reduce nurse mandatory overtime and long work hours. Copyright 2012, SLACK Incorporated.

Implementation of Safe-by-Design for Nanomaterial Development and Safe Innovation: Why We Need a Comprehensive Approach

PubMed Central

Kraegeloh, Annette; Suarez-Merino, Blanca; Sluijters, Teun; Micheletti, Christian

2018-01-01

Manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) are regarded as key components of innovations in various fields with high potential impact (e.g., energy generation and storage, electronics, photonics, diagnostics, theranostics, or drug delivery agents). Widespread use of MNMs raises concerns about their safety for humans and the environment, possibly limiting the impact of the nanotechnology-based innovation. The development of safe MNMs and nanoproducts has to result in a safe as well as functional material or product. Its safe use, and disposal at the end of its life cycle must be taken into account too. However, not all MNMs are similarly useful for all applications, some might bear a higher hazard potential than others, and use scenarios could lead to different exposure probabilities. To improve both safety and efficacy of nanotechnology, we think that a new proactive approach is necessary, based on pre-regulatory safety assessment and dialogue between stakeholders. On the basis of the work carried out in different European Union (EU) initiatives, developing and integrating MNMs Safe-by-Design and Trusted Environments (NANoREG, ProSafe, and NanoReg2), we present our point of view here. This concept, when fully developed, will allow for cost effective industrial innovation, and an exchange of key information between regulators and innovators. Regulators are thus informed about incoming innovations in good time, supporting a proactive regulatory action. The final goal is to contribute to the nanotechnology governance, having faster, cheaper, effective, and safer nano-products on the market. PMID:29661997

Implementation of Safe-by-Design for Nanomaterial Development and Safe Innovation: Why We Need a Comprehensive Approach.

PubMed

Kraegeloh, Annette; Suarez-Merino, Blanca; Sluijters, Teun; Micheletti, Christian

2018-04-14

Manufactured nanomaterials (MNMs) are regarded as key components of innovations in various fields with high potential impact (e.g., energy generation and storage, electronics, photonics, diagnostics, theranostics, or drug delivery agents). Widespread use of MNMs raises concerns about their safety for humans and the environment, possibly limiting the impact of the nanotechnology-based innovation. The development of safe MNMs and nanoproducts has to result in a safe as well as functional material or product. Its safe use, and disposal at the end of its life cycle must be taken into account too. However, not all MNMs are similarly useful for all applications, some might bear a higher hazard potential than others, and use scenarios could lead to different exposure probabilities. To improve both safety and efficacy of nanotechnology, we think that a new proactive approach is necessary, based on pre-regulatory safety assessment and dialogue between stakeholders. On the basis of the work carried out in different European Union (EU) initiatives, developing and integrating MNMs Safe-by-Design and Trusted Environments (NANoREG, ProSafe, and NanoReg2), we present our point of view here. This concept, when fully developed, will allow for cost effective industrial innovation, and an exchange of key information between regulators and innovators. Regulators are thus informed about incoming innovations in good time, supporting a proactive regulatory action. The final goal is to contribute to the nanotechnology governance, having faster, cheaper, effective, and safer nano-products on the market.

Burnout, working conditions and gender - results from the northern Sweden MONICA Study

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Sick-leave because of mental and behavioural disorders has increased considerably in Sweden since the late nineties, and especially in women. The aim of this study was to assess the level of burnout in the general working population in northern Sweden and analyse it's relation to working conditions and gender. Methods In this cross-sectional study the survey from the MONICA-study (Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease) in northern Sweden 2004 was used. A burnout instrument, the Shirom Melamed Burnout Questionnaire (SMBQ), was incorporated in the original survey which was sent to a random sample of 2500 individuals with a response rate of 76%. After including only actively working people, aged 25-64 years, our study population consisted of 1000 participants (497 women and 503 men). ANOVA and multiple linear regression models were used. Results The prevalence of a high level of burnout (SMBQ >4.0) was 13%. Women had a higher level of burnout than men with the most pronounced difference in the age group 35-44 years. In both sexes the level of burnout decreased with age. Demand and control at work, and job insecurity were related to burnout. In women the level of education, socioeconomic position, work object, and working varying hours were of importance. Interaction effects were found between sex and work object, and sex and working hours. In a multiple regression analysis almost half of the gender difference could be explained by work related and life situational factors. Conclusions Working life conditions contributed to the level of burnout in this actively working sample from the general population in northern Sweden. Especially in women, socioeconomic position was associated with burnout. The high level of burnout in women compared to men was partly explained by more unfavourable working conditions and life situational factors. Efforts to level out gender differences in burnout should probably focus on improving both working

Standing working posture compared in pregnant and non-pregnant conditions.

PubMed

Paul, J A; Frings-Dresen, M H

1994-09-01

During pregnancy, an increase in body weight occurs together with changes in body weight distribution and in fit between body dimensions and workplace layout. These changes may cause alterations in working posture which may, in turn, have adverse consequences for the biomechanical load on the musculoskeletal system and so increase the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. Using photographic posture registration, the standing working posture was studied in 27 women during the last stage of pregnancy and after delivery (the experimental group). The women performed an assembly task while standing at various workplace layouts. The postural differences between the pregnant condition and the non-pregnant condition were studied and the effect of the various workplace layouts assessed. Ten non-pregnant controls were also studied twice to establish the effect of the time interval between the measuring occasions. We found that the women of the experimental group stood further from the work surface in the pregnant condition compared to the non-pregnant condition, the hips were positioned more backwards, and, in order to reach the tesk, they increased the flexion of the trunk, increased the anteflexion of the upper arms, and extended the arms more. At the workplace layout in which the work surface height was self-selected, the postural differences due to pregnancy were smallest or even absent, compared to the postural differences in the other workplace layouts studied. Ergonomists and workers in occupational health services should be alert to the consequences for the biomechanical load on the musculoskeletal system and the risk of development of health complaints caused by postural changes due to pregnancy. An adjustable workplace layout may prevent some problems.

Safe Space Oddity: Revisiting Critical Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Redmond, Melissa

2010-01-01

Inspired by an incident in a social work graduate classroom in which she was a teaching assistant, the author reflects on her commitment to constructivist teaching methods, critical theory, and critical pedagogy. Exploring the educational utility of notions such as public space and safe space, the author employs this personal experience to examine…

Work conditions and the food choice coping strategies of employed parents.

PubMed

Devine, Carol M; Farrell, Tracy J; Blake, Christine E; Jastran, Margaret; Wethington, Elaine; Bisogni, Carole A

2009-01-01

How work conditions relate to parents' food choice coping strategies. Pilot telephone survey. City in the northeastern United States (US). Black, white, and Hispanic employed mothers (25) and fathers (25) randomly recruited from low-/moderate-income zip codes; 78% of those reached and eligible participated. Sociodemographic characteristics; work conditions (hours, shift, job schedule, security, satisfaction, food access); food choice coping strategies (22 behavioral items for managing food in response to work and family demands (ie, food prepared at/away from home, missing meals, individualizing meals, speeding up, planning). Two-tailed chi-square and Fisher exact tests (P < or = .05, unless noted). Half or more of respondents often/sometimes used 12 of 22 food choice coping strategies. Long hours and nonstandard hours and schedules were positively associated among fathers with take-out meals, missed family meals, prepared entrees, and eating while working; and among mothers with restaurant meals, missed breakfast, and prepared entrees. Job security, satisfaction, and food access were also associated with gender-specific strategies. Structural work conditions among parents such as job hours, schedule, satisfaction, and food access are associated with food choice coping strategies with importance for dietary quality. Findings have implications for worksite interventions but need examination in a larger sample.

Bad Jobs, Bad Health? How Work and Working Conditions Contribute to Health Disparities.

PubMed

Burgard, Sarah A; Lin, Katherine Y

2013-08-01

In this review, we touch on a broad array of ways that work is linked to health and health disparities for individuals and societies. First focusing on the health of individuals, we discuss the health differences between those who do and do not work for pay, and review key positive and negative exposures that can generate health disparities among the employed. These include both psychosocial factors like the benefits of a high status job or the burden of perceived job insecurity, as well as physical exposures to dangerous working conditions like asbestos or rotating shift work. We also provide a discussion of the ways differential exposure to these aspects of work contributes to social disparities in health within and across generations. Analytic complexities in assessing the link between work and health for individuals, such as health selection, are also discussed. We then touch on several contextual level associations between work and the health of populations, discussing the importance of the occupational structure in a given society, the policy environment that prevails there, and the oscillations of the macroeconomy for generating societal disparities in health. We close with a discussion of four areas and associated recommendations that draw on this corpus of knowledge but would push the research on work, health and inequality toward even greater scholarly and policy relevance.

Bad Jobs, Bad Health? How Work and Working Conditions Contribute to Health Disparities

PubMed Central

Burgard, Sarah A.; Lin, Katherine Y.

2013-01-01

In this review, we touch on a broad array of ways that work is linked to health and health disparities for individuals and societies. First focusing on the health of individuals, we discuss the health differences between those who do and do not work for pay, and review key positive and negative exposures that can generate health disparities among the employed. These include both psychosocial factors like the benefits of a high status job or the burden of perceived job insecurity, as well as physical exposures to dangerous working conditions like asbestos or rotating shift work. We also provide a discussion of the ways differential exposure to these aspects of work contributes to social disparities in health within and across generations. Analytic complexities in assessing the link between work and health for individuals, such as health selection, are also discussed. We then touch on several contextual level associations between work and the health of populations, discussing the importance of the occupational structure in a given society, the policy environment that prevails there, and the oscillations of the macroeconomy for generating societal disparities in health. We close with a discussion of four areas and associated recommendations that draw on this corpus of knowledge but would push the research on work, health and inequality toward even greater scholarly and policy relevance. PMID:24187340

Safe Zones: Creating LGBT Safe Space Ally Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poynter, Kerry John; Tubbs, Nancy Jean

2008-01-01

This article discusses model LGBT Safe Space Ally programs. These programs, often called "Safe Zones," include self selected students, faculty, and employees who publicly show support by displaying stickers, signs, and other identifiable items. Issues covered in the article include history, development, training, membership, assessment, and…

Health Monitoring and Management for Manufacturing Workers in Adverse Working Conditions.

PubMed

Xu, Xiaoya; Zhong, Miao; Wan, Jiafu; Yi, Minglun; Gao, Tiancheng

2016-10-01

In adverse working conditions, environmental parameters such as metallic dust, noise, and environmental temperature, directly affect the health condition of manufacturing workers. It is therefore important to implement health monitoring and management based on important physiological parameters (e.g., heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature). In recent years, new technologies, such as body area networks, cloud computing, and smart clothing, have allowed the improvement of the quality of services. In this article, we first give five-layer architecture for health monitoring and management of manufacturing workers. Then, we analyze the system implementation process, including environmental data processing, physical condition monitoring and system services and management, and present the corresponding algorithms. Finally, we carry out an evaluation and analysis from the perspective of insurance and compensation for manufacturing workers in adverse working conditions. The proposed scheme will contribute to the improvement of workplace conditions, realize health monitoring and management, and protect the interests of manufacturing workers.

Attitudes toward working conditions: are European Union workers satisfied with their working hours and work-life balance?

PubMed

Matilla-Santander, Nuria; Lidón-Moyano, Cristina; González-Marrón, Adrián; Bunch, Kailey; Martín-Sánchez, Juan Carlos; Martínez-Sánchez, José M

2017-12-23

To describe the satisfaction with working hours and satisfaction with work-life balance and their association in the European Union (EU-28). This is a cross-sectional study based on data from the Flash Eurobarometer 398 among workers of the EU-28 from 2014 (n=13,683). We calculated percentages and their 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). We also applied a multi-level generalised linear model using the Poisson family, to calculate the adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) of satisfaction with work-life balance based on working hours. All analyses were stratified by individual, employment and welfare regime country classification. The satisfaction with working hours and work-life balance was 80.62% and 74.48%, respectively, and was significantly higher among women. The highest percentages of satisfaction were found in the Nordic welfare regime countries (90.2% and 85.3%, respectively). There was a statistically significant association between satisfaction with working hours and work-life balance (aPR: 2.63; 95%CI: 2.28-3.04), and the magnitude of the association differed in individual, employment and welfare regime country classifications. The main reasons declared for dissatisfaction were "excessive working hours" (48.7%), "shift work" (27.9%), and "inability to influence the work schedule" (28.3%). Differences were observed according to sex and type of welfare regime. The differences found in the association between satisfaction with work-life balance and working hours according to sociodemographic characteristics and welfare regime show that there are inequalities in the working conditions in the EU countries. Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Organizational commitment, work environment conditions, and life satisfaction among Iranian nurses.

PubMed

Vanaki, Zohreh; Vagharseyyedin, Seyyed Abolfazl

2009-12-01

Employee commitment to the organization is a crucial issue in today's health-care market. In Iran, few studies have sought to evaluate the factors that contribute to forms of commitment. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between nurses' organizational commitment, work environment conditions, and life satisfaction. A cross-sectional design was utilized. Questionnaires were distributed to all the staff nurses who had permanent employment (with at least 2 years of experience in nursing) in the five hospitals affiliated to Birjand Medical Sciences University. Two hundred and fifty participants returned completed questionnaires. Most were female and married. The correlation of the total scores of nurses' affective organizational commitment and work environment conditions indicated a significant and positive relationship. Also, a statistically significant relationship was found between affective organizational commitment and life satisfaction. The implementation of a comprehensive program to improve the work conditions and life satisfaction of nurses could enhance their organizational commitment.

Health-related quality of life and working conditions among nursing providers.

PubMed

Silva, Amanda Aparecida; Souza, José Maria Pacheco de; Borges, Flávio Notarnicola da Silva; Fischer, Frida Marina

2010-08-01

To evaluate working conditions associated with health-related quality of life (HRQL) among nursing providers. Cross-sectional study conducted in a university hospital in the city of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, during 2004-2005. The study sample comprised 696 registered nurses, nurse technicians and nurse assistants, predominantly females (87.8%), who worked day and/or night shifts. Data on sociodemographic information, working and living conditions, lifestyles, and health symptoms were collected using self-administered questionnaires. The following questionnaires were also used: Job Stress Scale, Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) and Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Ordinal logistic regression analysis using proportional odds model was performed to evaluate each dimension of the SF-36. Around 22% of the sample was found to be have high strain and 8% showed an effort-reward imbalance at work. The dimensions with the lowest mean scores in the SF-36 were vitality, bodily pain and mental health. High-strain job, effort-reward imbalance (ERI>1.01), and being a registered nurse were independently associated with low scores on the role emotional dimension. Those dimensions associated to mental health were the ones most affected by psychosocial factors at work. Effort-reward imbalance was more associated with health than high-strain (high demand and low control). The study results suggest that the joint analysis of psychosocial factors at work such as effort-reward imbalance and demand-control can provide more insight to the discussion of professional roles, working conditions and HRQL of nursing providers.

Gender difference in safe and unsafe practice of pesticide handling in tobacco farmers of malaysia.

PubMed

Bin Nordin, R; Araki, S; Sato, H; Yokoyama, K; Bin Wan Muda, W A; Win Kyi, D

2001-01-01

of personal attire tend to result in lower scores on use of personal protective equipment and personal protective clothing while personal hygiene practices result in lower score on safe work habit; and, (2) for male tobacco farmers, the lower scores on reading and following instruction on pesticide label and mixing pesticide and maintenance of pesticide sprayer in good condition suggests that they were not primarily involved in these activities. It is postulated that these differences in safe and unsafe practices of pesticide handling across gender is related to the choice of personal attire, personal hygiene practices and division of labour within farming households which in turn is influenced by prevailing sociocultural norms in the community.

Gender Difference in Safe and Unsafe Practice of Pesticide Handling in Tobacco Farmers of Malaysia

PubMed Central

BIN NORDIN, Rusli; ARAKI, Shunichi; SATO, Hajime; YOKOYAMA, Kazuhito; BIN WAN MUDA, Wan Abdul Manan; WIN KYI, Daw

2001-01-01

of personal attire tend to result in lower scores on use of personal protective equipment and personal protective clothing while personal hygiene practices result in lower score on safe work habit; and, (2) for male tobacco farmers, the lower scores on reading and following instruction on pesticide label and mixing pesticide and maintenance of pesticide sprayer in good condition suggests that they were not primarily involved in these activities. It is postulated that these differences in safe and unsafe practices of pesticide handling across gender is related to the choice of personal attire, personal hygiene practices and division of labour within farming households which in turn is influenced by prevailing sociocultural norms in the community. PMID:22973149

Gender and work orientations in conditions of job insecurity.

PubMed

Charles, Nickie; James, Emma

2003-06-01

This paper explores women's and men's work orientations in conditions of job insecurity, arguing that it is time to move beyond essentalist conceptions of work orientations and central life interests in order to understand the significance of paid work in people's lives. Data from a qualitative study are presented which show that the significance of paid work and the priority given to home and work are affected by experiences of job insecurity, changing domestic circumstances and stage in the life cycle and that this is the case for both women and men. Conversely, the significance of paid work can affect how job insecurity is experienced and its impact on individuals and their families. The assumption that men's work orientations are homogeneous and that work is their central life interest is not supported by the findings presented here and it is argued that the significance of work in men's and women's lives is more variable than has hitherto been recognized. To capture this variability it is time to move away from the acrimony of the debate over women's work orientations and notions of a central life interest which underpin it.

Safe prescribing: a titanic challenge.

PubMed

Routledge, Philip A

2012-10-01

The challenge to achieve safe prescribing merits the adjective 'titanic'. The organisational and human errors leading to poor prescribing (e.g. underprescribing, overprescribing, misprescribing or medication errors) have parallels in the organisational and human errors that led to the loss of the Titanic 100 years ago this year. Prescribing can be adversely affected by communication failures, critical conditions, complacency, corner cutting, callowness and a lack of courage of conviction, all of which were also factors leading to the Titanic tragedy. These issues need to be addressed by a commitment to excellence, the final component of the 'Seven C's'. Optimal prescribing is dependent upon close communication and collaborative working between highly trained health professionals, whose role is to ensure maximum clinical effectiveness, whilst also protecting their patients from avoidable harm. Since humans are prone to error, and the environments in which they work are imperfect, it is not surprising that medication errors are common, occurring more often during the prescribing stage than during dispensing or administration. A commitment to excellence in prescribing includes a continued focus on lifelong learning (including interprofessional learning) in pharmacology and therapeutics. This should be accompanied by improvements in the clinical working environment of prescribers, and the encouragement of a strong safety culture (including reporting of adverse incidents as well as suspected adverse drug reactions whenever appropriate). Finally, members of the clinical team must be prepared to challenge each other, when necessary, to ensure that prescribing combines the highest likelihood of benefit with the lowest potential for harm. © 2012 The Author. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology © 2012 The British Pharmacological Society.

Care giving and nursing, work conditions and Humanitude®.

PubMed

Biquand, Sylvain; Zittel, Benoit

2012-01-01

Increased lifespan in western societies causes the increase of hospitalization in the old age, notably for patient showing forms of dementia including Altzheimer disease. These patients relate poorly to care givers and nurses, and cases of maltreatment have repeatedly been reported. To prevent abuse and increase patient's quality of life, Gineste and Pelissier (2007) proposed a philosophy of care based on the Humanitude® concept. Acknowledging that being human is being vertical and related to other humans, the pillars of Humanitude® are gaze, touch, talk, and standing. These modes of relation are systematically developed in care giving techniques derived from the concept. After several studies in geriatric hospitals, to assess psychosocial and ergonomic aspects of work, we present an analysis of the gap between the logic of human care and the logic of hospital organization, impacting employees work conditions and psychological welfare. Care giving is not only a "one to one" relation with the patient but needs to be integrated in the whole organization. Psychologists and ergonomists should be instrumental in defining the project and the organization linking human care giving towards the patients and better work conditions for healthcare employees.

Ensuring a Safe Technological Revolution

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

Defense AT&L: November-December 2016 14 Ensuring a Safe Technological Revolution William E. Frazier, Ph.D. n Elizabeth L. McMichael n Jennifer...for 5 years, working on nonferrous welding and AM and has an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. I n...has acceptable proper- ties. A “certified” part can perform properly in its operating environment . The conventional qualification/certification

Paid caregiver motivation, work conditions, and falls among senior clients.

PubMed

Lindquist, Lee A; Tam, Karen; Friesema, Elisha; Martin, Gary J

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the motivation of paid non-familial caregivers of seniors, understand more about their work conditions, and identify any links to negative outcomes among their senior clients. Ninety-eight paid caregivers (eighty-five female and thirteen male), recruited from multiple sites (i.e. senior centers, shopping malls, local parks, lobbies of senior apartments, caregiver agency meetings) completed face-to-face questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. We found that 60.7% of participants chose to become a caregiver because they enjoyed being with seniors while 31.7% were unable to obtain other work, and 8.2% stated it was a prerequisite to a different health related occupation. Caregivers stated that the most challenging conditions of their work were physical lifting (24.5%), behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (24.5%), senior depression/mood changes (18.4%), attachment with impending death (8.2%), missing injuries to client (5.1%), lack of sleep (4.1%), and lack of connection with outside world (3.1%). Caregivers who reported that the best part of their job was the salary, flexible hours, and ease of work were significantly more likely to have clients who fell and fractured a bone than those who enjoyed being with seniors (job characteristics, 62.5% vs. senior enjoyment, 25.6%; p<0.004). We concluded that in pursuing their occupation, paid caregivers are motivated commonly by their love of seniors and also by their lack of other job opportunities. Paid caregivers frequently face challenging work conditions. When seeking a caregiver for a senior, motivation of the caregiver should be considered when hiring. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sex work and sex trafficking.

PubMed

Ditmore, M; Saunders, P

1998-01-01

Preventing HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), as well as sexual and physical violence, are major occupational health and safety concerns for prostitutes. Considerable evidence shows that anti-prostitution laws facilitate violence and abuse against prostitutes and may increase their risk of contracting HIV/STDs. For example, police often take advantage of existing laws against prostitution to demand money or sex. In general, the strict enforcement of anti-prostitution laws marginalizes prostitutes from services which could help them avoid abuse and promotes an environment in which prostitutes must take risks to avoid detection and arrest. One strategy to improve prostitutes' lives would therefore be to remove laws which prevent them from working safely and from travelling abroad to work legally. Projects in which prostitutes are actively involved have helped break down stereotypes against prostitutes, while police-sex worker liaison projects in Scotland and Australia have led to higher levels of reporting of crimes against prostitutes. The Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP), an organization which links sex worker health programs around the world, has found that the incidence of HIV/STDs among prostitutes is lowest when they have control over their work conditions; access to condoms, lubricants, and other safe sex materials; and respect of their basic human and legal rights. People need to understand that consensual involvement in sex work is different from forced sex trafficking.

Will I be able to do my work at 60? An analysis of working conditions that hinder active ageing.

PubMed

Barros, Carla; Carnide, Filomena; Cunha, Liliana; Santos, Marta; Silva, Catarina

2015-01-01

Most developed countries have considered population ageing as one of the economic challenges that need to be overcome. Managing ageing has led to consideration of a number of policies where it is essential to increase the employment rate for older workers. This study aims to analyze the working conditions which tend to be perceived as hindering continuity in the workplace at the age of 60. 1234 workers from different sectors and socio-professional categories (52% men and 48% women; 64.5% younger than 45 years old). A quantitative overview was adopted with the use of logistic regression models. The INSAT was used (Work and Health Questionnaire). Apart from factors of great physical constraint, other less visible aspects play a role in the idea of workers not being able to continue to work by the age of 60, namely factors linked to work organizational options and relationships with others. Working conditions have a great influence in the idea of inability to perform the same type of work at 60. This notion does not only apply to older workers. In fact, even younger workers under certain working conditions hold the same view, thus raising social concerns that should be taken into account by public policies.

Health Conditions and Factors Related to the Work Ability of Teachers

PubMed Central

VEDOVATO, Tatiana Giovanelli; MONTEIRO, Inês

2014-01-01

This is a cross-sectional study conducted with 258 teachers from nine state schools in two municipalities of São Paulo state with the purpose of assessing their work ability. A questionnaire with socio-demographic and health/work conditions data and the Work Ability Index (WAI) was performed. Most teachers were females, 41.9 yr old on average (SD 9.4), and with an undergraduate degree (95.7%). The work ability was considered good for 42.6% and moderate/low for 35.3%. In linear regressions models, which used the two domain model, the significant variables for a decrease in WAI were: individual perception of a worsening in the health situation (p<0001), having children (p=0.0003 / p=0.0001), difficulty in sleeping well at night (p=0.0009 / p=0.0014), history of physical pain in the previous six months (p<0.0001 / p<0.0001), being a teacher with a contract (p=0.0007) and working as a teacher for a longer time. (p=0.0183). Public investments on the work conditions of teachers are important to recover and to maintain their work ability. PMID:24429517

Changes in working conditions and physical health functioning among midlife and ageing employees.

PubMed

Mänty, Minna; Kouvonen, Anne; Lallukka, Tea; Lahti, Jouni; Lahelma, Eero; Rahkonen, Ossi

2015-11-01

The aim this study was to examine the effect of changes in physical and psychosocial working conditions on physical health functioning among ageing municipal employees. Follow-up survey data were collected from midlife employees of the City of Helsinki, Finland, at three time points: wave 1 (2000-2002), wave 2 (2007), and wave 3 (2012). Changes in physical and psychosocial working conditions were assessed between waves 1 and 2. Physical health functioning was measured by the physical component summary (PCS) of the Short-Form 36 questionnaire at each of the three waves. In total, 2784 respondents (83% women) who remained employed over the follow-up were available for the analyses. Linear mixed-effect models were used to assess the associations and adjust for key covariates (age, gender, obesity, chronic diseases, and health behaviors). Repeated and increased exposure to adverse physical working conditions was associated with greater decline in physical health functioning over time. In contrast, decrease in exposures reduced the decline. Of the psychosocial working conditions, changes in job demands had no effects on physical health functioning. However, decreased job control was associated with greater decline and repeated high or increased job control reduced the decline in physical health functioning over time. Adverse changes in physical working conditions and job control were associated with greater decline in physical health functioning over time, whereas favorable changes in these exposures reduced the decline. Preventing deterioration and promoting improvement of working conditions are likely to help maintain better physical health functioning among ageing employees.

A Safe School's Top 10 Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brunner, Judy; Lewis, Dennis

2005-01-01

An environment of safety in the school seldom comes down to any one particular component or plan; it is a combination of strategies and ideas that makes a school safe and secure for everyone. In this article, the authors provide practical information to educators who are already working to capacity in terms of time allocation and monetary…

Health Status and Working Condition of Migrant Workers: Major Public Health Problems.

PubMed

Bener, Abdulbari

2017-01-01

Very little research and survey have been performed on the occupational health, hazards, and working condition of urban and rural of workers in Qatar. The aim of the current study is to identify the health status, lifestyle condition, working-related problems, and accidents experienced by Indian subcontinental migrants (ISCM) in Qatar and their access to health-care facilities. This is a cross-sectional study based on a representative sample of 1186 workers and study covering sociodemographic characteristics, medical conditions, and health-seeking behaviors and personal experience. There were statistically significant differences between semi-urban and urban migrant workers in terms of educational, occupation, income, working hours, and accommodation type ( P < 0.001). Furthermore, there were statistically significant differences between migrant workers in terms of body mass index, delay in receiving salary, the right to medical insurance and sick day entitlement, cigarettes and shisha smoking, amenities, having on-site safety measure, and sleeping hours ( P < 0.01). Moreover, there were statistically significant differences between semi-urban and urban migrant workers in terms of pain, cardiopulmonary, gastrointestinal, and pseudoneurologic and medical symptoms ( P < 0.01). Multiple logistic regression was used for predictors' health problems in migrant workers such as the absence of drinking water, tap water availability, safety facility tools, occupational status, shisha smoking, toilet facility, working hours, and accommodation type were considered the strong predictors. The current study revealed that there is a lack of insufficient information for the migrants about their lifestyle, medical conditions, health risks, injury, and rights privilege in relation to legal working condition and health services.

Factors on working conditions and prolonged fatigue among physicians in Japan.

PubMed

Wada, Koji; Arimatsu, Mayuri; Yoshikawa, Toru; Oda, Susumu; Taniguchi, Hatsumi; Higashi, Toshiaki; Aizawa, Yoshiharu

2008-10-01

Fatigue among physicians could affect patients' safety and physicians' health. Fatigue could be caused by unfavorable working conditions. However, there have been no studies on the working conditions and fatigue among physicians in Japan. The objective of this study was to determine the factors on working conditions associated with prolonged fatigue among physicians in Japan. A questionnaire was mailed to physicians who graduated from one of the medical schools in Japan and who have had more than 3 years of experience in clinical practice. They were asked to assess 10 different aspects of their working conditions using a 5-point Likert scale. Prolonged fatigue was measured using the checklist of individual strength questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the multivariate relationship between the variables and prolonged fatigue. Data from 377 men and 101 women were analyzed in this study. For both male and female physicians, a harder workload was positively associated and better career satisfaction was negatively associated with prolonged fatigue. Prolonged fatigue was negatively associated with better relationships with other physicians and staff for male physicians and less personal time for female physicians. The adjusted variance in prolonged fatigue related to exposure variables was 26 and 29% in men and in women, respectively. The result of this study suggested that it is desirable to take these factors into consideration in the management of prolonged fatigue among physicians in Japan.

Young consumers' considerations of healthy working conditions in purchasing decisions: a qualitative examination.

PubMed

Dixon, Shane M; Nordvall, Anna-Carin; Cukier, Wendy; Neumann, W Patrick

2017-05-01

Research has suggested that products manufactured under healthy work conditions (HWC) may provide a marketing advantage to companies. This paper explores young consumers' considerations of HWC in purchasing decisions using data from qualitative interviews with a sample of 21 university students. The results suggest that interviewees frequently considered the working conditions of those who produced the products they purchased. Participants reported a willingness to pay 17.5% more on a $100 product if it were produced under HWC compared to not. Their ability and willingness to act on this issue was, however, hampered by  a lack of credible information about working conditions in production, the limited availability of HWC goods and a presumed higher price of HWC goods. While caution should be applied when generalising from this targetable market segment to a general population, these results provide actionable direction for companies interested in using a HWC brand image to gain a strategic sales advantage. Practitioner Summary: This interview study shows that young consumers are interested in, and willing to pay a premium for, goods made under healthy working conditions (HWC). Reported barriers to acting on this impulse include a lack of credible information on working conditions. Ergonomics can help provide a strategic marketing advantage for companies.

The Reciprocal Effect of Psychosocial Aspects on Nurses' Working Conditions

PubMed Central

Kowalczuk, Krystyna; Krajewska-Kułak, Elżbieta; Sobolewski, Marek

2017-01-01

Objectives: Psychosocial work risks are most often considered in the context of occupational stress. The aim of this article is to evaluate the correlations between different aspects of nurses' psychosocial working conditions. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted using the questionnaire: Psychosocial aspects of work. A total of 789 nurses working in inpatient health care facilities in Bialystok were included in the study. Correlation analysis was performed by determining Spearman's correlation coefficient. Results: Correlations between the primary scales, such as job demands, control, social support, well-being, and expectations of changes, were evaluated. The weakest correlation was shown between the assessment of job demands and other work aspects. The strongest correlation was found between the ability to control and social support. Perception of the need for changes was influenced by the assessment of job demands, components of the control scale and, most of all, the scale of social support. A strong correlation was found between physical and psychological well-being and support from superiors and coworkers. Conclusions: The state of well-being had no effects on nurses' assessment of the demands they were faced with. Nurses' well-being depended only on social support provided by their superiors and colleagues, the sense of being able to have an effect on the performed work, minimal conflicts, and absence of overload.Management should enable adequate working conditions in order to ensure nurses' physical and psychological well-being, as both these aspects were closely correlated.Poor social support, lack of a sense of control over one's work, conflicts, and work overload were factors that promoted nurses' expectations of changes. PMID:28861019

Development of an Ultra-Safe Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery.

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-11-15

34 DEVELOPMENT OF AN ULTRA-SAFE RECHARGEABLE LITHIUM - ION BATTERY DTIC \\ JANI 0 1995 19941221 079 Contract # N00014-94-C-0141 ARPA Order...DEVELOPMENT OF AN ULTRA-SAFE RECHARGEABLE LITHIUM - ION BATTERY R&D STATUS REPORT 1931-1001/0 ARPA Order No.: 9332004arp01/13APR1994/313ES Program Code...Title of Work: Lithium - ion Battery Development Reporting Period: August 15, 1994 to November 15, 1994 Description of Progress: The project activities had

76 FR 44265 - General Working Conditions in Shipyard Employment; Correction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-25

... Employment; Correction AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor. ACTION: Final... on General Working Conditions in Shipyard Employment published in the Federal Register of May 2, 2011...

Study of the ‘lifeline’ as the measure allowing for safe self-rescue of miners in conditions of lack of visibility caused by underground fire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badura, Henryk; Grodzicka, Aneta; Musioł, Dariusz

2017-11-01

The article presents statistical data regarding the evacuation of miners affected by underground fire hazards. The data indicates that the hazard remains considerable. Due to the increasing lengths of escape routes, measures should be introduced in the longwall regions, which shall improve the safe evacuation of miners, especially in conditions of highly limited visibility or the lack thereof. Within the research project No. 12, entitled: ‘The development of orientation systems and systems for signalling the direction of crew withdrawal for escape routes in longwall gates’, which is a part of the Strategic Research Project entitled ‘The improvement of work safety in mines’ financed by the National Centre for Research and Development, a ‘lifeline’ was designed - that is, a measure that is very effective in the evacuation of staff. Subsequently, tests of time of passage were conducted in the ‘Krupiński’ coal mine in conditions of lack of visibility. The tests have confirmed the suitability of the ‘lifeline’ as the measure used for orientation towards the correct direction of evacuation, which increases the pace and the confidence while travelling through the escape route. The mean speed of passage through the heading with an upwards inclination of 11° was 22 m/min, while in case of a nearly horizontal longwall gate, it was 39 m/min.

[Working conditions of traditional birth attendants: some characteristics of rural home situations].

PubMed

Bessa, L F

1999-09-01

This is a study of qualitative and dialectical approach, which subject is to analyze the working conditions of the traditional birth attendants, in a reproductive perspective of work, and for this reason, economically undervalued. The analysis has been constructed having as central category the work, under marxist and feminist premises. Obtained results permit us to state these traditional birth attendants do their work in material and financial poor conditions, related to transportation, access, and still, working environment. The analysis of this practice has given us a possibility to present a discussion on some traits of the traditional birth attendant's work, which is characterized as a reproductive work, economically undervalued, autonomous and eminently feminine. It still configures as a social practice of popular health, legitimated by the community. In the rural domestic obstetrics practice, unequal relations were in evidence since men and women play different roles in the same occupation, being women's responsability the reproduction of the feminine role.

Full- and part-time work: gender and welfare-type differences in European working conditions, job satisfaction, health status, and psychosocial issues.

PubMed

Bartoll, Xavier; Cortès, Imma; Artazcoz, Lucía

2014-07-01

The aim of this study was to analyze the differences between full- and part-time employment (FTE and PTE) in terms of working conditions, on the one hand, and job satisfaction, health status, and work-related psychosocial problems according to gender and welfare state regime, on the other hand, and to analyze the role of working conditions in the association between PTE and FTE. This cross-sectional study was based on a sample of 7921 men and 8220 women from the European Working Conditions Survey aged 16-64 years, who were employed part-time (5-19 or 20-30 hours per week) or full-time (31-40 hours/week). Multiple logistic regression models were fitted separately for each gender and welfare state regime. PTE is associated with poorer working conditions than FTE for all national welfare types. Among women, only those in southern European countries experienced low job satisfaction [odds ratio after adjustment (OR adj) for sociodemographic variables, OR adj1.73, and 1.66, for those working 20-30 and 5-19 hours/week, respectively; reference group: FTE workers], but this association disappeared after further adjustment for working conditions. Low job satisfaction and poorer health status was more common among PTE men from continental (low job satisfaction, OR adj1.80 and 3.61, for 20-30 and 5-19 working hours/week, respectively), and southern European (OR adj, 2.98, for 5-19 working hours/week) countries. PTE tended to be associated with fewer psychosocial problems among women, but with more psychosocial problems among men in continental Europe and those those engaged in "mini-jobs" in southern European welfare regimes. The association between FTE and PTE and job satisfaction, health status, and psychosocial problems is partly driven by working conditions and differs between gender and welfare regime. This highlights the importance of promoting effective measures to ensure equal treatment between FTE and PTE workers and the role of the social norms that form part of

Stressful working conditions and poor self-rated health among financial services employees.

PubMed

Silva, Luiz Sérgio; Barreto, Sandhi Maria

2012-06-01

To assess the association between exposure to adverse psychosocial working conditions and poor self-rated health among bank employees. A cross-sectional study including a sample of 2,054 employees of a government bank was conducted in 2008. Self-rated health was assessed by a single question: "In general, would you say your health is (...)." Exposure to adverse psychosocial working conditions was evaluated by the effort-reward imbalance model and the demand-control model. Information on other independent variables was obtained through a self-administered semi-structured questionnaire. A multiple logistic regression analysis was performed and odds ratio calculated to assess independent associations between adverse psychosocial working conditions and poor self-rated health. The overall prevalence of poor self-rated health was 9%, with no significant gender difference. Exposure to high demand and low control environment at work was associated with poor self-rated health. Employees with high effort-reward imbalance and overcommitment also reported poor self-rated health, with a dose-response relationship. Social support at work was inversely related to poor self-rated health, with a dose-response relationship. Exposure to adverse psychosocial work factors assessed based on the effort-reward imbalance model and the demand-control model is independently associated with poor self-rated health among the workers studied.

Nurses' clinical reasoning practices that support safe medication administration: An integrative review of the literature.

PubMed

Rohde, Emily; Domm, Elizabeth

2018-02-01

To review the current literature about nurses' clinical reasoning practices that support safe medication administration. The literature about medication administration frequently focuses on avoiding medication errors. Nurses' clinical reasoning used during medication administration to maintain medication safety receives less attention in the literature. As healthcare professionals, nurses work closely with patients, assessing and intervening to promote mediation safety prior to, during and after medication administration. They also provide discharge teaching about using medication safely. Nurses' clinical reasoning and practices that support medication safety are often invisible when the focus is medication errors avoidance. An integrative literature review was guided by Whittemore and Knafl's (Journal of Advanced Nursing, 5, 2005 and 546) five-stage review of the 11 articles that met review criteria. This review is modelled after Gaffney et al.'s (Journal of Clinical Nursing, 25, 2016 and 906) integrative review on medical error recovery. Health databases were accessed and systematically searched for research reporting nurses' clinical reasoning practices that supported safe medication administration. The level and quality of evidence of the included research articles were assessed using The Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Rating Scale©. Nurses have a central role in safe medication administration, including but not limited to risk awareness about the potential for medication errors. Nurses assess patients and their medication and use knowledge and clinical reasoning to administer medication safely. Results indicated nurses' use of clinical reasoning to maintain safe medication administration was inadequately articulated in 10 of 11 studies reviewed. Nurses are primarily responsible for safe medication administration. Nurses draw from their foundational knowledge of patient conditions and organisational processes and use clinical reasoning that

Physicians' working conditions and job satisfaction: does hospital ownership in Germany make a difference?

PubMed

Mache, Stefanie; Vitzthum, Karin; Nienhaus, Albert; Klapp, Burghard F; Groneberg, David A

2009-08-13

A growing number of German hospitals have been privatized with the intention of increasing cost effectiveness and improving the quality of health care. Numerous studies investigated what possible qualitative and economic consequences these changes issues might have on patient care.However, little is known about how this privatization trend relates to physicians' working conditions and job satisfaction. It was anticipated that different working conditions would be associated with different types of hospital ownership. To that end, this study's purpose is to compare how physicians, working for both public and privatized hospitals, rate their respective psychosocial working conditions and job satisfaction. The study was designed as a cross-sectional comparison using questionnaire data from 203 physicians working at German hospitals of different ownership types (private for-profit, public and private nonprofit). The present study shows that several aspects of physicians' perceived working conditions differ significantly depending on hospital ownership. However, results also indicated that physicians' job satisfaction does not vary between different types of hospital ownership. Finally, it was demonstrated that job demands and resources are associated with job satisfaction, while type of ownership is not. This study represents one of a few studies that investigate the effect of hospital ownership on physicians work situation and demonstrated that the type of ownership is a potential factor accounting for differences in working conditions. The findings provide an informative basis to find solutions improving physicians' work at German hospitals.

Simulation of drive of mechanisms, working in specific conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivanovskaya, A. V.; Rybak, A. T.

2018-05-01

This paper presents a method for determining the dynamic loads on the lifting actuator device other than the conventional methods, for example, ship windlass. For such devices, the operation of their drives is typical under special conditions: different environments, the influence of hydrometeorological factors, a high level of vibration, variability of loading, etc. Hoisting devices working in such conditions are not considered in the standard; however, relevant studies concern permissible parameters of the drive devices of this kind. As an example, the article studied the work deck lifting devices - windlass. To construct a model, the windlass is represented by a rod of the variable cross-section. As a result, a mathematical model of the longitudinal oscillations of such rod is obtained. Analytic dependencies have also been obtained to determine the natural frequencies of the lowest forms of oscillations, which are necessary and are the basis for evaluating the parameters of operation of this type of the device.

Health Status and Working Condition of Migrant Workers: Major Public Health Problems

PubMed Central

Bener, Abdulbari

2017-01-01

Background: Very little research and survey have been performed on the occupational health, hazards, and working condition of urban and rural of workers in Qatar. The aim of the current study is to identify the health status, lifestyle condition, working-related problems, and accidents experienced by Indian subcontinental migrants (ISCM) in Qatar and their access to health-care facilities. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study based on a representative sample of 1186 workers and study covering sociodemographic characteristics, medical conditions, and health-seeking behaviors and personal experience. Results: There were statistically significant differences between semi-urban and urban migrant workers in terms of educational, occupation, income, working hours, and accommodation type (P < 0.001). Furthermore, there were statistically significant differences between migrant workers in terms of body mass index, delay in receiving salary, the right to medical insurance and sick day entitlement, cigarettes and shisha smoking, amenities, having on-site safety measure, and sleeping hours (P < 0.01). Moreover, there were statistically significant differences between semi-urban and urban migrant workers in terms of pain, cardiopulmonary, gastrointestinal, and pseudoneurologic and medical symptoms (P < 0.01). Multiple logistic regression was used for predictors’ health problems in migrant workers such as the absence of drinking water, tap water availability, safety facility tools, occupational status, shisha smoking, toilet facility, working hours, and accommodation type were considered the strong predictors. Conclusions: The current study revealed that there is a lack of insufficient information for the migrants about their lifestyle, medical conditions, health risks, injury, and rights privilege in relation to legal working condition and health services. PMID:28966757

How Much Do School Principals Matter When It Comes to Teacher Working Conditions?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burkhauser, Susan

2017-01-01

Teacher turnover is a challenge for U.S. public schools. Research suggests that teachers' perceptions of their school working conditions influence their leaving decisions. Related research suggests that principals may be in the best position to influence school working conditions. Using 4 years of panel data constructed from the North Carolina…

Personality Development at Work: Workplace Conditions, Personality Changes, and the Corresponsive Principle.

PubMed

Le, Kimdy; Donnellan, M Brent; Conger, Rand

2014-02-01

Investigations concerning adult personality development have increasingly focused on factors that are associated with apparent personality trait changes. The current study contributes to this literature by replicating and extending previous research concerning personality trait development in young adulthood and perceptions of workplace conditions. Analyses were based on up to 442 individuals who participated in the ongoing Family Transitions Project (e.g., Conger & Conger, 2002). The current analyses included personality trait data from 1994 and 2003, high school grades and socioeconomic status indicators from 1994, and reports about work conditions in 2001, 2003, and 2005. Personality attributes were prospectively associated with work conditions and income. Findings also support the corresponsive principle of personality development (e.g., Roberts, Caspi, & Moffitt, 2003): Traits that were prospectively associated with particular workplace conditions often seemed to be accentuated by those conditions. Personality traits are prospectively associated with perceptions of the workplace. Workplace conditions are also associated with trait development. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Personality Development at Work: Workplace Conditions, Personality Changes, and the Corresponsive Principle

PubMed Central

Le, Kimdy; Donnellan, M. Brent; Conger, Rand

2013-01-01

Objective Investigations concerning adult personality development have increasingly focused on factors that are associated with apparent personality trait changes. The current study contributes to this literature by replicating and extending previous research concerning personality trait development in young adulthood and perceptions of workplace conditions. Method Analyses were based on up to 442 individuals who participated in the ongoing Family Transitions Project (e.g., Conger & Conger, 2002). The current analyses included personality trait data from 1994 and 2003, high-school grades and SES indicators from 1994, and reports about work conditions in 2001, 2003, and 2005. Results Personality attributes were prospectively associated with work conditions and income. Findings also support the corresponsive principle of personality development (e.g. Roberts, Caspi, & Moffitt, 2003): Traits that were prospectively associated with particular workplace conditions often seemed to be accentuated by those conditions. Conclusions Personality traits are prospectively associated with perceptions of the workplace. Workplace conditions are also associated with trait development. PMID:23336723

76 FR 61750 - Vehicle-Mounted Elevating and Rotating Work Platforms (Aerial Lifts); Extension of the Office of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-05

...] Vehicle-Mounted Elevating and Rotating Work Platforms (Aerial Lifts); Extension of the Office of... requirement contained in the Standard on Vehicle-Mounted Elevating and Rotating Work Platforms (Aerial Lifts... by ensuring that aerial lifts are in safe operating condition. DATES: Comments must be submitted...

School Locale and Teachers' Perceptions of School Leadership as a Working Condition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackwell, Dara Hayes

2015-01-01

To improve teacher retention, many scholars have set out to identify which teacher working conditions influence teachers' decisions to remain in the profession or stay in a particular school or district. School leadership has been identified as one of the most important working conditions affecting teachers' decisions to remain in a school.…

Power output and carrier dynamics studies of perovskite solar cells under working conditions.

PubMed

Yu, Man; Wang, Hao-Yi; Hao, Ming-Yang; Qin, Yujun; Fu, Li-Min; Zhang, Jian-Ping; Ai, Xi-Cheng

2017-08-02

Perovskite solar cells have emerged as promising photovoltaic systems with superb power conversion efficiency. For the practical application of perovskite devices, the greatest concerns are the power output density and the related dynamics under working conditions. In this study, the working conditions of planar and mesoscopic perovskite solar cells are simulated and the power output density evolutions with the working voltage are highlighted. The planar device exhibits higher capability of outputting power than the mesoscopic one. The transient photoelectric conversion dynamics are investigated under the open circuit, short circuit and working conditions. It is found that the power output and dynamic processes are correlated intrinsically, which suggests that the power output is the competitive result of the charge carrier recombination and transport. The present work offers a unique view to elucidating the relationship between the power output and the charge carrier dynamics for perovskite solar cells in a comprehensive manner, which would be beneficial to their future practical applications.

Reactive, Safe Navigation for Lunar and Planetary Robots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Utz, Hans; Ruland, Thomas

2008-01-01

When humans return to the moon, Astronauts will be accompanied by robotic helpers. Enabling robots to safely operate near astronauts on the lunar surface has the potential to significantly improve the efficiency of crew surface operations. Safely operating robots in close proximity to astronauts on the lunar surface requires reactive obstacle avoidance capabilities not available on existing planetary robots. In this paper we present work on safe, reactive navigation using a stereo based high-speed terrain analysis and obstacle avoidance system. Advances in the design of the algorithms allow it to run terrain analysis and obstacle avoidance algorithms at full frame rate (30Hz) on off the shelf hardware. The results of this analysis are fed into a fast, reactive path selection module, enforcing the safety of the chosen actions. The key components of the system are discussed and test results are presented.

Combination of process and vibration data for improved condition monitoring of industrial systems working under variable operating conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiz-Cárcel, C.; Jaramillo, V. H.; Mba, D.; Ottewill, J. R.; Cao, Y.

2016-01-01

The detection and diagnosis of faults in industrial processes is a very active field of research due to the reduction in maintenance costs achieved by the implementation of process monitoring algorithms such as Principal Component Analysis, Partial Least Squares or more recently Canonical Variate Analysis (CVA). Typically the condition of rotating machinery is monitored separately using vibration analysis or other specific techniques. Conventional vibration-based condition monitoring techniques are based on the tracking of key features observed in the measured signal. Typically steady-state loading conditions are required to ensure consistency between measurements. In this paper, a technique based on merging process and vibration data is proposed with the objective of improving the detection of mechanical faults in industrial systems working under variable operating conditions. The capabilities of CVA for detection and diagnosis of faults were tested using experimental data acquired from a compressor test rig where different process faults were introduced. Results suggest that the combination of process and vibration data can effectively improve the detectability of mechanical faults in systems working under variable operating conditions.

Working Conditions of Foreign Language Teachers: Results from a Pilot Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez-Gomez, Coral; Albright, Jeremy J.

2009-01-01

Recent research has consistently shown that teacher working conditions are highly predictive of faculty turnover and student performance. However, very little work investigates specifically the experiences of foreign-language instructors. This paper reports results from a pilot survey of language teachers in public and private schools from across…

Employment, working conditions, and preterm birth: results from the Europop case-control survey.

PubMed

Saurel-Cubizolles, M J; Zeitlin, J; Lelong, N; Papiernik, E; Di Renzo, G C; Bréart, G

2004-05-01

To analyse the relation between preterm birth and working conditions in Europe using common measures of exposure and to test whether employment related risks varied by country of residence. A case-control study in which cases included all consecutive singleton preterm births and controls included one of every ten singleton term births in each participating maternity unit. Data about working conditions were obtained by interview from women after delivery. Sixteen European countries. The analysis included 5145 preterm and 7911 term births of which 2369 preterm and 4098 term births were to women employed during pregnancy. Analyses of working conditions were carried out for women working through at least the third month of pregnancy. Employed women did not have an excess risk of preterm birth. Among working women, a moderate excess risk was observed for women working more than 42 hours a week (OR = 1.33, CI = 1.1 to 1.6), standing more than six hours a day (OR = 1.26, CI = 1.1 to 1.5), and for women with low job satisfaction (OR = 1.27, CI = 1.1 to 1.5). There were stronger links in countries with a lower overall level of perinatal health and a common practice of long prenatal leaves. These findings show that specific working conditions affect the risk of preterm birth. They also suggest employment related risks could be mediated by the social and legislative context.

Working condition of nurses in Japan: awareness of work-life balance among nursing personnel at a university hospital.

PubMed

Tanaka, Sachiko; Maruyama, Yukie; Ooshima, Satoko; Ito, Hirotaka

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the awareness of work-life balance (WLB) among the nursing personnel at a university hospital in Japan. Survey. A questionnaire was sent to 1236 nursing personnel working at a university hospital and 1081 (87·5%) responses received. The questions concerned the following: (1) respondent demographical characteristics, (2) living background, (3) wishes for working environments and (4) motivation to work and health condition. The data were analysed by simple and cross-tabulations. The results can be summarised as follows: (1) the concept and significance of WLB has not yet been established among nurses in Japan, (2) three factors were found, which nurses need as working environment, 1st quality-of-life benefits, 2nd flexible working style, 3rd lifelong learning and (3) nurses who reported good WLB also reported higher job satisfaction and job motivation. The concept and significance of WLB has not yet been established among nurses. Thus, it is needed to enlighten nurses on the concept and significance of WLB as well as how they should practise WLB. Approximately half of the nurses gave their jobs first priority in reality, although they had various needs for their private lives and household affairs, as well as jobs. WLB cannot be achieved only by individual attitudes; thus, organisational efforts are necessary. In the correlation between WLB and 'job satisfaction' and 'job motivation,' nurses who were satisfied with their job and those who were highly motivated showed higher WLB. There was a significant correlation between satisfaction and motivation. It is necessary that nurses understand and have any information about working policy to improve working conditions to get better conditions which they need. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Social responsibility and work conditions: building a reference label, Démarche T®.

PubMed

Biquand, Sylvain; Zittel, Benoit

2012-01-01

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is now considered in large and global companies and the recent publication of the ISO 26000 standard clarifies the targets. Based on our consultancy's experience for fifteen years in ergonomics mainly in French small and medium enterprises, we developed a label to coax and value efforts of companies in dealing with health and safety at the work place as required by ISO 26000 paragraph 6.4. The formal approach of ISO describes what should be achieved but gives no cue on how actual conditions of work should be improved. The label, called Démarche T (ie Process W where W stands for work) aims the management of work conditions as a process, giving visibility and credit to companies for their continuous involvement in the matter. We describe the items and processes that are part of our assessment. We first conduct an ergonomic diagnosis including the analysis of records on health, physical and psychological well-being, observations at the workplace and interviews with the workers. This diagnosis is followed by recommendations. The fulfillment of these is assessed yearly. Items under assessment include: - ergonomics, health and safety in the companies statements and their impact in actual project management; - relations with workers through the committee for health and safety; - actual results on health, safety and work conditions. On a local level, we give the companies passing the label a competitive edge in recruiting better candidates motivated by good work conditions, and help them fulfill ISO 26000 requirements, an increasingly decisive advantage to benefit from public regional and European support. Our paper describes the diagnosis and follow-up process.

Exploring Conditions for Transformative Learning in Work-Integrated Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McRae, Norah

2015-01-01

A qualitative study was undertaken that explored the conditions for transformative learning in cooperative education as a form of work-integrated learning (WIL), towards the development of a theoretical model. Four case studies were analyzed based on interviews with WIL students, supervisors and their co-op coordinator. The findings revealed that…

Work-Family Balance and Energy: A Day-Level Study on Recovery Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanz-Vergel, Ana Isabel; Demerouti, Evangelia; Moreno-Jimenez, Bernardo; Mayo, Margarita

2010-01-01

The present study examines whether daily recovery inhibiting and enhancing conditions predict day-levels of work-family conflict (WFC), work-family facilitation (WFF), exhaustion and vigor. Forty-nine individuals from various professional backgrounds in Spain provided questionnaire and daily survey measures over a period of five working days.…

Does safety climate moderate the influence of staffing adequacy and work conditions on nurse injuries?

PubMed

Mark, Barbara A; Hughes, Linda C; Belyea, Michael; Chang, Yunkyung; Hofmann, David; Jones, Cheryl B; Bacon, Cynthia T

2007-01-01

Hospital nurses have one of the highest work-related injury rates in the United States. Yet, approaches to improving employee safety have generally focused on attempts to modify individual behavior through enforced compliance with safety rules and mandatory participation in safety training. We examined a theoretical model that investigated the impact on nurse injuries (back injuries and needlesticks) of critical structural variables (staffing adequacy, work engagement, and work conditions) and further tested whether safety climate moderated these effects. A longitudinal, non-experimental, organizational study, conducted in 281 medical-surgical units in 143 general acute care hospitals in the United States. Work engagement and work conditions were positively related to safety climate, but not directly to nurse back injuries or needlesticks. Safety climate moderated the relationship between work engagement and needlesticks, while safety climate moderated the effect of work conditions on both needlesticks and back injuries, although in unexpected ways. DISCUSSION AND IMPACT ON INDUSTRY: Our findings suggest that positive work engagement and work conditions contribute to enhanced safety climate and can reduce nurse injuries.

[Offshore work and the work of nurses on board: an integrative review].

PubMed

Antoniolli, Silvana Aline Cordeiro; Emmel, Suzel Vaz; Ferreira, Gímerson Erick; Paz, Potiguara de Oliveira; Kaiser, Dagmar Elaine

2015-08-01

To know the production of theoretical approaches on issues related to offshore work and the work of offshore nurses. Integrative literature review conducted in the databases of LILACS, BDENF, MEDLINE, SciELO and Index PSI. We selected 33 studies published in national and international journals between 1997 and 2014. The thematic analysis corpus resulted in four central themes: offshore work environment; amid work adversities, an escape; structuring of offshore health and safety services; in search of safe practices. This study contributes to the offshore work of nurses in relation to the nature of work, acting amid adversities and the restless search for safe practices in the open sea.

Safe and healthy integration into semiskilled jobs: does gender matter?

PubMed

Laberge, Marie; Vézina, Nicole; Saint-Charles, Johanne

2012-01-01

Women report fewer injuries than men when they are young, but report a higher proportion of professional diseases later in life (35 years +). Understanding early work conditions that lead to postponed health outcomes is necessary if we are to prevent women's injury as well as men's. Introduction to work and safe integration programs are often put forward to prevent injuries among youth. This paper aims to illustrate some differences in the job introduction / integration process for men and women and to discuss some gender-based Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) implications. Data come from two waves of interviews with 31 students enrolled in vocational training for a semiskilled trade. Results demonstrated differences between men and women: trades chosen, OHS complaints, supervising patterns, integration to work, etc. Women often choose customer service jobs, have less formal supervision and are often left to themselves when learning to do their job. Men declared more accidents while women reported more musculoskeletal symptoms. Findings from this research suggest young women's OHS issues should not be trivialized and that specific youth prevention programs for sectors where women are more present, such as customer service, should be developed.

Association between night work and cardiovascular diseases: analysis of the 3rd Korean working conditions survey.

PubMed

Park, Sungjin; Nam, Juhyun; Lee, Jong-Ku; Oh, Sung-Soo; Kang, Hee-Tae; Koh, Sang-Baek

2015-01-01

This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between night work and cardiovascular diseases among wage workers in Korea. The study was based on the 3rd Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS; 2011). This study included 29,711 wage workers. We used the chi-squared test and logistic regression to examine the association between cardiovascular diseases and night work and cumulative night work. Among all of the paid workers, 12.5% reported doing night work ≥ 1 day per month. Night work was significantly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (odds ratio [OR] 1.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-2.25). Also, compared to the group that did not do night works, the group with higher cumulative night work demonstrated an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.19-2.74). This study suggests that night work is significantly associated with cardiovascular diseases.

[Shift Work among Men and Women on the Threshold to Higher Working Age - Working Conditions and Health Status].

PubMed

Leser, C; Tisch, A; Tophoven, S

2016-11-01

Background: The number of older employees in shift and night work has increased significantly in recent years. Furthermore, the proportion of women in shift and night work has increased markedly. This is due to the aging workforce and the expansion of shift work in the tertiary sector. Previous research shows that shift work is often associated with health risks. Against this background, the aim of the present study is to examine the situation of working men and women on the threshold to higher working age with regard to the relationship between shift work and physical health. Methods: We employed data from the study "lidA - leben in der Arbeit" German Cohort Study on Work, Age and Health, a survey of the German baby boom cohorts born in 1959 and 1965 (n=5 637). Linear regression models are used to study the effect of shift work - with and without night work - and of further work exposures on the baby boomers' physical health status. The models control for sleep and health-related behaviour and are stratified by gender. Among women, also the scope of work was taken into account. Results: The results show that male shift workers are burdened by their on average lower occupational status and by physical exposure; female shift workers additionally suffer from high personal effort and low rewards and female part-time shift workers also from overcommitment. Conclusion: Working conditions of shift workers are strongly characterised by work stress. In order to preserve aging shift workers' work ability, some organisational measures seem necessary. In this context, occupational safety and health management as well as opportunities for recovery and encouraging leadership should be considered. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Teacher Working Conditions: Perceptions of Novice and Experienced K-12 Virtual School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francis, Tiffany

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine if there is a difference between novice and experienced teachers' perceptions of the working conditions at the K-12 virtual school. This study examined the teachers' total years employed at the school to determine if a difference exists in the groups' perceptions of the teacher working conditions. Teacher…

Health inequalities among workers with a foreign background in Sweden: do working conditions matter?

PubMed

Dunlavy, Andrea C; Rostila, Mikael

2013-07-10

Employment and working conditions are key social determinants of health, yet current information is lacking regarding relationships between foreign background status, working conditions and health among workers in Sweden. This study utilized cross-sectional data from the 2010 Swedish Level of Living Survey (LNU) and the Level of Living Survey for Foreign Born Persons and their Children (LNU-UFB) to assess whether or not health inequalities exist between native Swedish and foreign background workers and if exposure to adverse psychosocial and physical working conditions contributes to the risk for poor health among foreign background workers. A sub-sample of 4,021 employed individuals aged 18-65 was analyzed using logistic regression. Eastern European, Latin American and Other Non-Western workers had an increased risk of both poor self-rated health and mental distress compared to native Swedish workers. Exposure to adverse working conditions only minimally influenced the risk of poor health. Further research should examine workers who are less integrated or who have less secure labor market attachments and also investigate how additional working conditions may influence associations between health and foreign background status.

Health Inequalities among Workers with a Foreign Background in Sweden: Do Working Conditions Matter?

PubMed Central

Dunlavy, Andrea C.; Rostila, Mikael

2013-01-01

Employment and working conditions are key social determinants of health, yet current information is lacking regarding relationships between foreign background status, working conditions and health among workers in Sweden. This study utilized cross-sectional data from the 2010 Swedish Level of Living Survey (LNU) and the Level of Living Survey for Foreign Born Persons and their Children (LNU-UFB) to assess whether or not health inequalities exist between native Swedish and foreign background workers and if exposure to adverse psychosocial and physical working conditions contributes to the risk for poor health among foreign background workers. A sub-sample of 4,021 employed individuals aged 18–65 was analyzed using logistic regression. Eastern European, Latin American and Other Non-Western workers had an increased risk of both poor self-rated health and mental distress compared to native Swedish workers. Exposure to adverse working conditions only minimally influenced the risk of poor health. Further research should examine workers who are less integrated or who have less secure labor market attachments and also investigate how additional working conditions may influence associations between health and foreign background status. PMID:23846669

The impact of training and working conditions on junior doctors’ intention to leave clinical practice

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The shortage of physicians is an evolving problem throughout the world. In this study we aimed to identify to what extent junior doctors’ training and working conditions determine their intention to leave clinical practice after residency training. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted in 557 junior doctors undergoing residency training in German hospitals. Self-reported specialty training conditions, working conditions and intention to leave clinical practice were measured over three time points. Scales covering training conditions were assessed by structured residency training, professional support, and dealing with lack of knowledge; working conditions were evaluated by work overload, job autonomy and social support, based on the Demand–Control–Support model. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression analyses with random intercept for longitudinal data were applied to determine the odds ratio of having a higher level of intention to leave clinical practice. Results In the models that considered training and working conditions separately to predict intention to leave clinical practice we found significant baseline effects and change effects. After modelling training and working conditions simultaneously, we found evidence that the change effect of job autonomy (OR 0.77, p = .005) was associated with intention to leave clinical practice, whereas for the training conditions, only the baseline effects of structured residency training (OR 0.74, p = .017) and dealing with lack of knowledge (OR 0.74, p = .026) predicted intention to leave clinical practice. Conclusions Junior doctors undergoing specialty training experience high workload in hospital practice and intense requirements in terms of specialty training. Our study indicates that simultaneously improving working conditions over time and establishing a high standard of specialty training conditions may prevent junior doctors from considering leaving clinical practice after

[Problems in improvement of work conditions in railroad transport].

PubMed

Boiarchuk, I F; Shkol'nikov, B I; Dorfman, A A

1995-01-01

Within a short period of time the temperature conditions have been improved at working places of locomotive drivers and their assistants, a new switchboard for locomotives developed, noise and vibration in cabins were reduced, etc. Hygienic problems associated with improvement of locomotives are supervised by the Ministry of Communications and by special commissions.

New working conditions and consequences on activity of home healthcare workers.

PubMed

Van De Weerdt, Corinne; Baratta, René

2012-01-01

Home healthcare is steadily growing in Europe. There are a number of reasons for this development: aging population, rising hospital costs, preference to stay in one's own home. Nevertheless, it has been known that home healthcare workers are frequently exposed to a variety of potentially serious occupational hazards. Furthermore, emotional labor is frequently high in this profession. This paper describes an ergonomic study conducted at a home healthcare service. The research focuses on analyzing working conditions of home healthcare aides and nurses, as well as the impacts of their work in terms of job satisfaction, well-being, emotions at work, relationships with the others and occupational stress. The study show that employee strategies are specifically centered around preserving the relationship between patients and workers and coping with the job demands. This paper also shows that home healthcare workers express emotions and conceal them from others. Finally, recommendations discussed with the manager and workers to improve working conditions in this sector led to practical proposals: for example, implementing certain equipment items better suited to difficult care, encouraging assistance between healthcare workers when operations require this through adequate organizational measures, extending work emotion-focused discussion groups with management involvement.

Working conditions and environmental exposures among electronic waste workers in Ghana.

PubMed

Akormedi, Matthew; Asampong, Emmanuel; Fobil, Julius N

2013-01-01

To investigate and describe informal e-waste recycling and working conditions at Agbogbloshie, Accra, Ghana. We conducted in-depth interviews which were qualitatively analysed from a grounded theory perspective. Workers obtained e-waste from the various residential areas in Accra, then dismantled and burned them in open air to recover copper, aluminum, steel, and other products for sale to customers on-site or at the nearby Agbogbloshie market. The processers worked under unhealthy conditions often surrounded by refuse and human excreta without any form of protective gear and were thus exposed to frequent burns, cuts, and inhalation of highly contaminated fumes. We observed no form of social security/support system for the workers, who formed informal associations to support one another in times of difficulty. e-waste recycling working conditions were very challenging and presented serious hazards to worker health and wellbeing. Formalizing the e-waste processing activities requires developing a framework of sustainable financial and social security for the e-waste workers, including adoption of low-cost, socially acceptable, easy-to-operate, and cleaner technologies that would safeguard the health of the workers and the general public.

METHOD OF CONDUCTING A PERSON BETWEEN A SAFE REGION AND A DANGEROUS REGION

DOEpatents

Moulthrop, H.A.

1957-11-12

This invention relates to a method for conducting a person between a safe region and a dangerous or con taminated region so that he may work in the dangerous region without risk to himself or the hinderance of an attached tube, and without danger of contaminating the safe region. A safely suit in which a person is to work is connected by a thermoplastic tube, turned partially inside out, to a hole in the wall separating the dangerous region. The tube is sealed by pressure and separated into two parts at the seal, whereupon the person in the suit may move around freely in the dangerous area. When the person desires to exit the dangerous region, the parts of the tube are resealed, removing a portion of the tube at the seal, and the person leaves the hole whcre he entered, seals the tube to close the hole, and cuts his suit free from the tube. Bands of masking tape inside and outside of the tube at predetermined points simplify the pressure sealing of the tube at the desired points. This patent provides a simple, safe and economical method of freely working in a dangerous region.

Who in Europe Works beyond the State Pension Age and under which Conditions? Results from SHARE.

PubMed

Wahrendorf, Morten; Akinwale, Bola; Landy, Rebecca; Matthews, Katey; Blane, David

2017-01-01

There is much research about those who exit the labour market prematurely, however, comparatively little is known about people working longer and about their employment and working conditions. In this paper, we describe the employment and working conditions of men and women working between 65 and 80 years, and compare them with previous conditions of those retired in the same age group. Analyses are based on wave 4 data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) with information collected between 2009 and 2011 from 17,625 older men and women across 16 European countries. Besides socio-demographic and health-related factors (physical and mental health), the focus lies on employment conditions (e.g. employment status, occupational position and working hours) and on stressful working conditions, measured in terms of low control at work and effort-reward imbalance. In case of retired people, information on working conditions refer to the last job before retirement. Following descriptive analyses, we then conduct multivariable analyses and investigate how working conditions and poor health are related to labour market participation (i.e. random intercept models accounting for country affiliation and adjusted for potential confounders). Results illustrate that people working between the ages of 65 and 80 are more likely to be self-employed (either with or without employees) and work in advantaged occupational positions. Furthermore, findings reveal that psychosocial working conditions are generally better than the conditions retired respondents had in their last job. Finally, in contrast to those who work, health tends to be worse among retired people. In conclusion, findings deliver empirical evidence that paid employment beyond age 65 is more common among self-employed workers throughout Europe, in advantaged occupations and under-favourable psychosocial circumstances, and that this group of workers are in considerably good mental and physical

A ‘Simple Anterior Fish Excluder’ (SAFE) for Mitigating Penaeid-Trawl Bycatch

PubMed Central

McHugh, Matthew J.; Broadhurst, Matt K.; Sterling, David J.; Millar, Russell B.

2015-01-01

Various plastic strips and sheets (termed ‘simple anterior fish excluders’−SAFEs) were positioned across the openings of penaeid trawls in attempts at reducing the unwanted bycatches of small teleosts. Initially, three SAFEs (a single wire without, and with small and large plastic panels) were compared against a control (no SAFE) on paired beam trawls. All SAFEs maintained targeted Metapenaeus macleayi catches, while the largest plastic SAFE significantly reduced total bycatch by 51% and the numbers of Pomatomus saltatrix, Mugil cephalus and Herklotsichthys castelnaui by up to 58%. A redesigned SAFE (‘continuous plastic’) was subsequently tested (against a control) on paired otter trawls, significantly reducing total bycatch by 28% and P. saltatrix and H. castelnaui by up to 42%. The continuous-plastic SAFE also significantly reduced M. macleayi catches by ~7%, but this was explained by ~5% less wing-end spread, and could be simply negated through otter-board refinement. Further work is required to refine the tested SAFEs, and to quantify species-specific escape mechanisms. Nevertheless, the SAFE concept might represent an effective approach for improving penaeid-trawl selectivity. PMID:25837892

Physical working conditions as covered in European monitoring questionnaires.

PubMed

Tynes, Tore; Aagestad, Cecilie; Thorsen, Sannie Vester; Andersen, Lars Louis; Perkio-Makela, Merja; García, Francisco Javier Pinilla; Blanco, Luz Galiana; Vermeylen, Greet; Parent-Thirion, Agnes; Hooftman, Wendela; Houtman, Irene; Liebers, Falk; Burr, Hermann; Formazin, Maren

2017-06-05

The prevalence of workers with demanding physical working conditions in the European work force remains high, and occupational physical exposures are considered important risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), a major burden for both workers and society. Exposures to physical workloads are therefore part of the European nationwide surveys to monitor working conditions and health. An interesting question is to what extent the same domains, dimensions and items referring to the physical workloads are covered in the surveys. The purpose of this paper is to determine 1) which domains and dimensions of the physical workloads are monitored in surveys at the national level and the EU level and 2) the degree of European consensus among these surveys regarding coverage of individual domains and dimensions. Items on physical workloads used in one European wide/Spanish and five other European nationwide work environment surveys were classified into the domains and dimensions they cover, using a taxonomy agreed upon among all participating partners. The taxonomy reveals that there is a modest overlap between the domains covered in the surveys, but when considering dimensions, the results indicate a lower agreement. The phrasing of items and answering categories differs between the surveys. Among the domains, the three domains covered by all surveys are "lifting, holding & carrying of loads/pushing & pulling of loads", "awkward body postures" and "vibrations". The three domains covered less well, that is only by three surveys or less, are "physical work effort", "working sitting", and "mixed exposure". This is the fırst thorough overview to evaluate the coverage of domains and dimensions of self-reported physical workloads in a selection of European nationwide surveys. We hope the overview will provide input to the revisions and updates of the individual countries' surveys in order to enhance coverage of relevant domains and dimensions in all surveys and to increase

30 CFR 77.803 - Fail safe ground check circuits on high-voltage resistance grounded systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Fail safe ground check circuits on high-voltage... WORK AREAS OF UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Surface High-Voltage Distribution § 77.803 Fail safe ground check..., resistance grounded systems shall include a fail safe ground check circuit or other no less effective device...

30 CFR 77.803 - Fail safe ground check circuits on high-voltage resistance grounded systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Fail safe ground check circuits on high-voltage... WORK AREAS OF UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Surface High-Voltage Distribution § 77.803 Fail safe ground check..., resistance grounded systems shall include a fail safe ground check circuit or other no less effective device...

30 CFR 77.803 - Fail safe ground check circuits on high-voltage resistance grounded systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Fail safe ground check circuits on high-voltage... WORK AREAS OF UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Surface High-Voltage Distribution § 77.803 Fail safe ground check..., resistance grounded systems shall include a fail safe ground check circuit or other no less effective device...

30 CFR 77.803 - Fail safe ground check circuits on high-voltage resistance grounded systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Fail safe ground check circuits on high-voltage... WORK AREAS OF UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Surface High-Voltage Distribution § 77.803 Fail safe ground check..., resistance grounded systems shall include a fail safe ground check circuit or other no less effective device...

Work conditions and morbidity among coal miners in Guachetá, Colombia: The miners' perspective.

PubMed

Jiménez-Forero, Claudia P; Zabala, Ivonne T; Idrovo, Álvaro J

2015-08-01

Investigations in Colombia about work and health conditions in coal mining are scarce and few have focused on the perception of the exposed population and their behaviors in response to inherent risks. To determine the association between work conditions and the perception of morbidity among coal miners in Guachetá, Cundinamarca. A cross-sectional study was performed with 154 workers selected randomly from the total registered with the municipality. Information about social and demographic characteristics and work and health conditions in the mines was gathered. The prevalence was estimated for respiratory, musculoskeletal and auditory disorders. The associations between certain work conditions, and events with a prevalence over 30% were explored using bivariate and multivariate analyses with Poisson regressions with robust variance. Workers were mostly men. Ages ranged from 18 to 77 years. Most frequently reported health problems were: back pain (46.1 %), pain in an upper limb (40.3%), pain in a lower limb (34.4 %), and respiratory (17.5 %) and auditory problems (13.6 %). Significant differences in perception were found depending on time on the job and underground or ground work conditions. The most recognized risks were those associated with musculoskeletal disorders since they were closer in time to the work performed (time discount). Some actions to identify psychological traits are proposed in order to improve risk perception among coal miners.

Gender, Jobs and Working Conditions in the European Union.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fagan, Colette; Burchell, Brendan

Trends in gender, jobs, and working conditions in the European Union (EU) were examined. In 2000, representative samples of approximately 1,500 workers in each of the EU member states (500 in Luxembourg) were surveyed. To identify trends, the survey findings were compared with those of similar surveys conducted in 1991 and 1996. The comparison…

Work absenteeism by parents because of oral conditions in preschool children.

PubMed

Ribeiro, Gustavo Leite; Gomes, Monalisa Cesarino; de Lima, Kenio Costa; Martins, Carolina Castro; Paiva, Saul Martins; Granville-Garcia, Ana Flávia

2015-12-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of oral conditions in preschool children and associated factors on work absenteeism experienced by parents or guardians. A preschool-based, cross-sectional study was conducted of 837 children, 3-5 years of age, in Campina Grande, Brazil. Parents or guardians answered the Brazilian version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale. The item 'taken time off work' was the dependent variable. Questionnaires addressing sociodemographic variables, history of toothache and health perceptions (general and oral) were also administered. Clinical examinations for dental caries and traumatic dental injury (TDI) were performed by three dentists who had undergone training and calibration exercises. Cohen's kappa (κ) was 0.83-0.88 for interexaminer agreement and 0.85-0.90 for intra-examiner agreement. Descriptive, analytical statistics were conducted, followed by logistic regression for complex samples (α = 5%). The prevalence of parents' or guardians' work absenteeism because of the oral conditions of their children was 9.2%. The following variables were significantly associated with work absenteeism: mother's low schooling [odds ratio (OR) = 2.31; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.31-4.07]; history of toothache (OR = 6.33; 95% CI: 3.18-12.61); and avulsion or luxation types of TDI (OR = 8.54; 95% CI: 1.80-40.53). Other oral conditions that do not generally cause pain, such as dental caries with a low degree of severity or inactive dental caries and uncomplicated TDI, were not associated with parents' or guardians' work absenteeism of preschool children. It is concluded that toothache, avulsion, luxation and a low degree of mother's schooling are associated with work absenteeism. © 2015 FDI World Dental Federation.

Effectiveness of a Driving Intervention on Safe Community Mobility for Returning Combat Veterans

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-01

study is a follow-on to prior DOD funded work “Efficacy of a Driving Intervention Program on Safe Community Mobility for Combat Veterans”. Funding for...lack of control groups, suggest that a simu- lator-based OT-DI can provide a safe environment for testing and training of CV to reduce dangerous...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0032 TITLE: Effectiveness of a Driving Intervention on Safe Community Mobility for Returning Combat Veterans

[Scoping review about working conditions and health of immigrant workers in Spain].

PubMed

Ronda-Pérez, Elena; Agudelo-Suárez, Andrés A; López-Jacob, María José; García, Ana M; Benavides, Fernando G

2014-01-01

The relationship between immigration, work, and health is one of the most important challenges in occupational health at current, particularly in Spain, by the significant increase in the migrant workers in the labor market occurred. This investigation aims to know the relationship betwen working conditions and their effects on migrant workers. Scoping review of scientific papers on this topic at the Medline and Medes databases in Spanish and English (1998-2012). The articles included were full text reviewed. 20 studies were included, 13 with quantitative methodology and 7 qualitative. The topics address specific health problems related to work (primarily occupational accidents), disability, and differences in working conditions and employment. The findings of the studies show a higher incidence of injury accidents, lower rates of disability, higher prevalence of work presenteeism, exposure to psychosocial factors, and precariousness. Despite the uniqueness of the demographic process migration happened in Spain, health problems and determinants identified no different from those referenced in other countries, in other contexts and in other times.

Safe sex self-efficacy and safe sex practice in a Southern United States College

PubMed Central

Addoh, Ovuokerie; Sng, Eveleen; Loprinzi, Paul D.

2017-01-01

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the association between safe sex self-efficacy and safe-sex practice in a Southern college setting. Methods: Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the association between safe sex self-efficacy in four domains (mechanics, partner disapproval, assertiveness, intoxicants) and safe sex practice (outcome variable). Results: For every 1-unit increase in the composite condom use self-efficacy score, there was an 8% increase in the odds of being beyond the median safe-sex practice score (odds ration [OR]: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.02-1.15). Additionally, for every 1-unit increase in intoxicants self-efficacy score, there was a 31% increase in the odds of being beyond the median safe-sex practice score (OR: 1.31, 95% CI: 1.08-1.58). Conclusion: A greater degree of safe-sex self-efficacy is associated with increased odds of safe-sex practice. These findings are informative for the development of targeted approaches to foster safe-sex behavior in Southern US colleges. PMID:28326287

A Safe Ride to School; A Safe Ride Home.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Illinois State Board of Education, Springfield.

Text and illustrations are used to teach safe school bus riding practices. The guide begins with instructions to parents or guardians to set a good example of safe behavior, and to help children learn safety rules and be on time. Instructions to children concern obeying the bus driver, boarding the bus, riding the bus, crossing the road, and using…

Ontological approach for safe and effective polypharmacy prescription

PubMed Central

Grando, Adela; Farrish, Susan; Boyd, Cynthia; Boxwala, Aziz

2012-01-01

The intake of multiple medications in patients with various medical conditions challenges the delivery of medical care. Initial empirical studies and pilot implementations seem to indicate that generic safe and effective multi-drug prescription principles could be defined and reused to reduce adverse drug events and to support compliance with medical guidelines and drug formularies. Given that ontologies are known to provide well-principled, sharable, setting-independent and machine-interpretable declarative specification frameworks for modeling and reasoning on biomedical problems, we explore here their use in the context of multi-drug prescription. We propose an ontology for modeling drug-related knowledge and a repository of safe and effective generic prescription principles. To test the usability and the level of granularity of the developed ontology-based specification models and heuristic we implemented a tool that computes the complexity of multi-drug treatments, and a decision aid to check the safeness and effectiveness of prescribed multi-drug treatments. PMID:23304299

Inherently safe in situ uranium recovery

DOEpatents

Krumhansl, James L; Brady, Patrick V

2014-04-29

An in situ recovery of uranium operation involves circulating reactive fluids through an underground uranium deposit. These fluids contain chemicals that dissolve the uranium ore. Uranium is recovered from the fluids after they are pumped back to the surface. Chemicals used to accomplish this include complexing agents that are organic, readily degradable, and/or have a predictable lifetime in an aquifer. Efficiency is increased through development of organic agents targeted to complexing tetravalent uranium rather than hexavalent uranium. The operation provides for in situ immobilization of some oxy-anion pollutants under oxidizing conditions as well as reducing conditions. The operation also artificially reestablishes reducing conditions on the aquifer after uranium recovery is completed. With the ability to have the impacted aquifer reliably remediated, the uranium recovery operation can be considered inherently safe.

Obesity/Overweight and the Role of Working Conditions: A Qualitative, Participatory Investigation

PubMed Central

Nobrega, Suzanne; Champagne, Nicole; Abreu, Marlene; Goldstein-Gelb, Marcy; Montano, Mirna; Lopez, Isabel; Arevalo, Jonny; Bruce, Suezanne; Punnett, Laura

2018-01-01

The rising U.S. prevalence of obesity has generated significant concern and demonstrates striking socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities. Most interventions target individual behaviors, sometimes in combination with improving the physical environment in the community but rarely involving modifications of the work environment. With 3.6 million workers earning at or below the federal minimum wage, it is imperative to understand the impact of working conditions on health and weight for lower income workers. To investigate this question, a university–community partnership created a participatory research team and conducted eight focus groups, in English and Spanish, with people holding low-wage jobs in various industries. Analysis of transcripts identified four themes: physically demanding work (illnesses, injuries, leisure-time physical activity), psychosocial work stressors (high demands, low control, low social support, poor treatment), food environment at work (available food choices, kitchen equipment), and time pressure (scheduling, having multiple jobs and responsibilities). Physical and psychosocial features of work were identified as important antecedents for overweight. In particular, nontraditional work shifts and inflexible schedules limited participants’ ability to adhere to public health recommendations for diet and physical activity. Workplace programs to address obesity in low-wage workers must include the effect of working conditions as a fundamental starting point. PMID:26333770

Obesity/Overweight and the Role of Working Conditions: A Qualitative, Participatory Investigation.

PubMed

Nobrega, Suzanne; Champagne, Nicole; Abreu, Marlene; Goldstein-Gelb, Marcy; Montano, Mirna; Lopez, Isabel; Arevalo, Jonny; Bruce, Suezanne; Punnett, Laura

2016-01-01

The rising U.S. prevalence of obesity has generated significant concern and demonstrates striking socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities. Most interventions target individual behaviors, sometimes in combination with improving the physical environment in the community but rarely involving modifications of the work environment. With 3.6 million workers earning at or below the federal minimum wage, it is imperative to understand the impact of working conditions on health and weight for lower income workers. To investigate this question, a university-community partnership created a participatory research team and conducted eight focus groups, in English and Spanish, with people holding low-wage jobs in various industries. Analysis of transcripts identified four themes: physically demanding work (illnesses, injuries, leisure-time physical activity), psychosocial work stressors (high demands, low control, low social support, poor treatment), food environment at work (available food choices, kitchen equipment), and time pressure (scheduling, having multiple jobs and responsibilities). Physical and psychosocial features of work were identified as important antecedents for overweight. In particular, nontraditional work shifts and inflexible schedules limited participants' ability to adhere to public health recommendations for diet and physical activity. Workplace programs to address obesity in low-wage workers must include the effect of working conditions as a fundamental starting point. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

Relationship between concealment of emotions at work and musculoskeletal symptoms: results from the third Korean Working Conditions Survey.

PubMed

Jung, Kyungyong; Kim, Dae Hwan; Ryu, Ji Young

2018-05-11

In this study, we explored the relationship between concealing emotions at work and musculoskeletal symptoms in Korean workers using data from a national, population-based survey. Data were obtained from the third Korean Working Conditions Survey in 2011. We investigated the prevalence of three musculoskeletal symptoms ("back pain", "pain in the upper extremities", and "pain in the lower extremities"). Multiple logistic regression analysis was also performed to determine odds ratios (ORs) for musculoskeletal symptoms according to concealing emotions at work, adjusting for socioeconomic factors. In both sexes, the emotion-concealing group showed a significantly higher prevalence of "pain in the upper extremities" and "pain in the lower extremities" than the non-emotion-concealing group. For back pain, male - but not female - workers who concealed their emotions showed a higher prevalence than their non-emotion-concealing counterparts; the difference was statistically significant. Adjusted ORs for musculoskeletal symptoms (excluding "back pain" for female workers) in the emotion-concealing group were significantly higher. Our study suggests that concealment of emotions is closely associated with musculoskeletal symptoms, and the work environment should operate in consideration not only of the physical health work condition of workers but also of their emotional efforts including concealing emotion at work.

Empowering leaders optimize working conditions for engagement: a multilevel study.

PubMed

Tuckey, Michelle R; Bakker, Arnold B; Dollard, Maureen F

2012-01-01

Using a multilevel framework, this study examined the role of empowering leadership at the group level by fire brigade captains in facilitating the individual level motivational processes that underpin work engagement in volunteer firefighters. Anonymous mail surveys were completed by 540 volunteer firefighters from 68 fire brigades and, separately, by 68 brigade captains. As predicted on the basis of the Job Demands-Resources model, increased levels of cognitive demands and cognitive resources partially mediated the relationship between empowering leadership and work engagement. In a three-way Leadership × Demands × Resources interaction, empowering leadership also had the effect of optimizing working conditions for engagement by strengthening the positive effect of a work context in which both cognitive demands and cognitive resources were high. Our findings shed light on a process through which leaders can empower workers and enhance well-being: via their influence on and interaction with the work environment. They also underscore the need to examine work engagement from a multilevel theoretical perspective.

First-trimester working conditions and birthweight: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Vrijkotte, Tanja G M; van der Wal, Marcel F; van Eijsden, Manon; Bonsel, Gouke J

2009-08-01

We investigated the relationship between women's first-trimester working conditions and infant birthweight. Pregnant women (N = 8266) participating in the Amsterdam Born Children and Their Development study completed a questionnaire gathering information on employment and working conditions. After exclusions, 7135 women remained in our analyses. Low birthweight and delivery of a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant were the main outcome measures. After adjustment, a workweek of 32 hours or more (mean birthweight decrease of 43 g) and high job strain (mean birthweight decrease of 72 g) were significantly associated with birthweight. Only high job strain increased the risk of delivering an SGA infant (odds ratio [OR] = 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1, 2.2). After adjustment, the combination of high job strain and a long workweek resulted in the largest birthweight reduction (150 g) and the highest risk of delivering an SGA infant (OR = 2.0; 95% CI = 1.2, 3.2). High levels of job strain during early pregnancy are associated with reduced birthweight and an increased risk of delivering an SGA infant, particularly if mothers work 32 or more hours per week.

THE EFFECTS OF RESPONSE EFFORT ON SAFE PERFORMANCE BY THERAPISTS AT AN AUTISM TREATMENT FACILITY

PubMed Central

Casella, Sarah E; Wilder, David A; Neidert, Pamela; Rey, Catalina; Compton, Megan; Chong, Ivy

2010-01-01

The effects of response effort on safe behaviors (i.e., glove wearing, hand sanitizing, and electrical outlet replacement) exhibited by therapists at an autism treatment center were examined. Participants were exposed to 2 or 3 levels of effort (i.e., high, medium, low) for each dependent variable. Results showed increased safe performance during the low-effort conditions relative to other conditions across all dependent variables for all participants. PMID:21541157

A Comparison between the Second Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS) and the First KWCS.

PubMed

Kim, Young Sun; Park, Jungsun; Rhee, Kyung Yong; Kim, Hye Min

2015-06-01

The study was designed to assess the changes in working conditions through a comparative analysis of the characteristics of working conditions in 2006 and 2010. We performed a comparative analysis of the data related to the first Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS) and the second KWCS in the categories of demographic characteristics, quality of labor, exposure to hazards, and health problems. From our analysis of the demographic characteristics, we saw an increase in labor force participation rate of women and elderly people. As a result of the investigation with regards to working hours, the ratio of employees who worked for ≥ 49 hours per week was decreased and the ratio of employees who worked for ≥ 40 h/wk increased. As for exposure to hazards, exposure to tobacco smoke notably decreased in 2010 compared with 2006. With regards to health problems, there was a sharp increase in the number of people who complained of muscle pain in their arms and legs. KWCS data included many aspects of working conditions as a nationwide sample. In addition, because this is a periodic nationwide survey, the labor force, working hours, harmful factor exposure, and the change in health problems characteristics according to the flow of time could be investigated. The information comparing the main results of the first survey conducted in 2006 and the second survey conducted in 2010 obtained through this study can be used as an important base material for the establishment of the national policy.

Teachers' Perceptions of Their Working Conditions: How Predictive of Planned and Actual Teacher Movement?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ladd, Helen F.

2011-01-01

This quantitative study examines the relationship between teachers' perceptions of their working conditions and their intended and actual departures from schools. Based on rich administrative data for North Carolina combined with a 2006 statewide survey administered to all teachers in the state, the study documents that working conditions are…

Precarious existence and deteriorating work conditions for women in India: implications for health.

PubMed

Swaminathan, Padmini

2007-01-01

The Indian economy has experienced economic growth post-1991 but has demonstrated an inability to generate adequate employment and even less of "quality" employment for much of its labor force. This article is based on data collected from conversations with women workers on the theme of "women, work and health," with an emphasis on, one, task allotment and working conditions in the household; and two, those related to conditions of work at the worksite and the gendered experience of such work. While narratives cannot establish causality between particular work environments and related adverse outcomes, they nevertheless provide crucial insights into what is likely to be blighting these women's lives. Advocates of women's work outside their home need to pay attention to both their remuneration for work and the costs to their health and well-being of such employment, so that policies aimed at employment generation also are sensitive to the adverse outcomes of such employment.

Minor mental disorders in Taiwanese healthcare workers and the associations with psychosocial work conditions.

PubMed

Cheng, Wan-Ju; Cheng, Yawen

2017-04-01

Healthcare workers face multiple psychosocial work hazards intrinsic to their work, including heavy workloads and shift work. However, how contemporary adverse psychosocial work conditions, such as workplace justice and insecurity, may contribute to increased mental health risks has rarely been studied. This study aimed to search for modifiable psychosocial work factors associated with mental health disorders in Taiwanese healthcare workers. A total of 349 healthcare workers were identified from 19,641 employees who participated in a national survey of Taiwan. Minor mental disorder was assessed using the five-item brief symptom rating scale. We compared psychosocial work characteristics and the prevalence of minor mental disorder in healthcare workers with that in a sociodemographically matched sample, and examined the associations of psychosocial work conditions with mental health status. Healthcare workers were found to have a higher prevalence of minor mental disorder than general workers, and they were more likely to have longer working hours, heavier psychological job demands, higher job control, more workplace violence, and a higher prevalence of shift work. Among healthcare workers, experiences of workplace violence, lower workplace justice, heavier psychological job demands, and job insecurity were associated with a higher risk for minor mental disorder, even after controlling for working hours and shift work. Despite the fact that healthcare workers work longer hours and shift work, there were several modifiable psychosocial work conditions that should be targeted to improve their mental health. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Associations between self-reported working conditions and registered health and safety results.

PubMed

Høivik, Dordi; Baste, Valborg; Brandsdal, Einar; Moen, Bente E

2007-02-01

To investigate the association between self-reported working conditions and registered health and safety results in a petroleum company in Norway. We analyzed data from company surveys of working and organizational conditions in 2003 and 2004 and data from the company's files of sickness absence, personal injuries, serious incidents, and undesirable incidents in 2003 and 2004 as well as personal injuries from 2000 to 2004 using Pearson's correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analyses. Good perception of confidence in management in 2003 and 2004 was significantly negatively correlated with the number of personal injuries from 2000 to 2004. Management style and trust in the manager are important factors for predicting personal injuries. The company's working and organizational survey might be used as an indicator for injury risk.

Safe teleradiology: information assurance as project planning methodology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collmann, Jeff R.; Alaoui, Adil; Nguyen, Dan; Lindisch, David

2003-05-01

This project demonstrates use of OCTAVE, an information security risk assessment method, as an approach to the safe design and planning of a teleradiology system. By adopting this approach to project planning, we intended to provide evidence that including information security as an intrinsic component of project planning improves information assurance and that using information assurance as a planning tool produces and improves the general system management plan. Several considerations justify this approach to planning a safe teleradiology system. First, because OCTAVE was designed as a method for retrospectively assessing and proposing enhancements for the security of existing information management systems, it should function well as a guide to prospectively designing and deploying a secure information system such as teleradiology. Second, because OCTAVE provides assessment and planning tools for use primarily by interdisciplinary teams from user organizations, not consultants, it should enhance the ability of such teams at the local level to plan safe information systems. Third, from the perspective of sociological theory, OCTAVE explicitly attempts to enhance organizational conditions identified as necessary to safely manage complex technologies. Approaching information system design from the perspective of information security risk management proactively integrates health information assurance into a project"s core. This contrasts with typical approaches that perceive "security" as a secondary attribute to be "added" after designing the system and with approaches that identify information assurance only with security devices and user training. The perspective of health information assurance embraces so many dimensions of a computerized health information system"s design that one may successfully deploy a method for retrospectively assessing information security risk as a prospective planning tool. From a sociological perspective, this approach enhances the

Differences in working conditions and employment arrangements among migrant and non-migrant workers in Europe.

PubMed

Ronda Pérez, Elena; Benavides, Fernando G; Levecque, Katia; Love, John G; Felt, Emily; Van Rossem, Ronan

2012-01-01

To determine migrant workers' exposure to select occupational risks and compare it with that of non-migrant workers in Europe. Based on the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS-2005, n=29,654 workers, 31 countries) we examined differential prevalence amongst migrant and non-migrant workers' primary paid jobs in terms of employment arrangements (working >10 hours/day, working >5 days/week, on Sundays, without a contract, changes in the work schedule and not free to decide when to take holidays or days off) and working conditions (exposure to hazards including chemical, physical agents, physical load and psychological conditions). For the purpose of this study, a migrant is defined as a person without nationality of the country of residence (n=926). Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) for age, economic sector and education were calculated. Differences in employment arrangements and working conditions were noted by migration status, gender and occupational status. Among non-manual workers, migrant males are more exposed than non-migrant males to negative psychosocial conditions--working at a very high speed (aPR 1.23; 95% CI 1.07-1.42) and shift work (aPR 1.66; 95% CI 1.27-2.17)--and adverse employment arrangements: working on Sundays (aPR 1.91; 95% CI 1.42-2.55), variable starting/finishing times (aPR 1.17; 95% CI 1.04-1.32) and changes in work schedule (aPR 1.56; 95% CI 1.30-1.88). Compared with non-migrant males, male migrant manual workers are the group with a greater number of disparities in terms of exposure to negative working conditions. Female migrant non-manual workers are more exposed to psychosocial conditions - working at very high speed (aPR 1.26; 95% CI 1.10-1.44) and shift work (aPR 1.61; 95% CI 1.29-2.01) while female manual migrant workers were more likely to report standing or walking (aPR 2.43; 95% CI 1.98-2.97), not having a contract (aPR 2.94; 95% CI 2.07-4.10) and not being free to decide days off and holidays (aPR 1.25; 95% CI 1.07-1.48) than

SafeConnect Solar - Final Scientific/Technical Report (Updated)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McNish, Zachary

2016-02-03

Final Scientific/Technical Report from Tier 0 SunShot Incubator award for hardware-based solution to reducing soft costs of installed solar. The primary objective of this project was for SafeConnect Solar (“SafeConnect”) to create working proof-of-concept hardware prototypes from its proprietary intellectual property and business concepts for a plug-and-play, safety-oriented hardware solution for photovoltaic solar systems. Specifically, SafeConnect sought to build prototypes of its “SmartBox” and related cabling and connectors, as well as the firmware needed to run the hardware. This hardware is designed to ensure a residential PV system installed with it can address all safety concerns that currently form themore » basis of AHJ electrical permitting and licensing requirements, thereby reducing the amount of permitting and specialized labor required on a residential PV system, and also opening up new sales channels and customer acquisition opportunities.« less

Academics in a New Work Environment: The Impact of New Public Management on Work Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santiago, Rui; Carvalho, Teresa

2008-01-01

New public management (NPM) approaches have informed policy in the public sector in advanced countries in the last decade. Some authors suggest that the main objective of NPM at the organisational level is to change the traditional way professionals are regulated. This study examines the impact of NPM on the working conditions of Portuguese higher…

Use Medicines Safely

MedlinePlus

... Medicines Safely Print This Topic En español Use Medicines Safely Browse Sections The Basics Overview Prescription Medicines ... Medicines 1 of 7 sections The Basics: Prescription Medicines There are different types of medicine. The 2 ...

Creature comforts: personal communities, pets and the work of managing a long-term condition.

PubMed

Brooks, Helen L; Rogers, Anne; Kapadia, Dharmi; Pilgrim, Jack; Reeves, David; Vassilev, Ivaylo

2013-06-01

To explore in the context of peoples' personal social networks, the contribution that pets make to 'the work' associated with the management of long-term conditions. Mixed methods survey with nested parallel qualitative study; 300 participants were drawn from diabetes and chronic heart disease registers of General Practices across Greater Manchester in the North West of England. Notions of 'work' were used to describe the illness and everyday activities associated with chronic illness. Nineteen percent of participants identified at least one pet within their network. Pets contributed mostly to managing emotions (emotional work), to enhancing a sense of self identity (biographical work) and to a lesser extent practical tasks (everyday work). There were indicators that pets mediated relationships for people living with a long-term condition through very weak ties with others in domestic and community settings. The findings suggest that pets have unique qualities and are not simply substitutes for human relationships in long-term condition management. The study has potential implications for furthering a social contextual analysis of chronic illness, the understanding of relationships, and the meaning and the role of companion animals in long-term condition management.

Interaction of threat and verbal working memory in adolescents.

PubMed

Patel, Nilam; Vytal, Katherine; Pavletic, Nevia; Stoodley, Catherine; Pine, Daniel S; Grillon, Christian; Ernst, Monique

2016-04-01

Threat induces a state of sustained anxiety that can disrupt cognitive processing, and, reciprocally, cognitive processing can modulate an anxiety response to threat. These effects depend on the level of cognitive engagement, which itself varies as a function of task difficulty. In adults, we recently showed that induced anxiety impaired working memory accuracy at low and medium but not high load. Conversely, increasing the task load reduced the physiological correlates of anxiety (anxiety-potentiated startle). The present work examines such threat-cognition interactions as a function of age. We expected threat to more strongly impact working memory in younger individuals by virtue of putatively restricted cognitive resources and weaker emotion regulation. This was tested by examining the influence of age on the interaction of anxiety and working memory in 25 adolescents (10 to 17 years) and 25 adults (22 to 46 years). Working memory load was manipulated using a verbal n-back task. Anxiety was induced using the threat of an aversive loud scream and measured via eyeblink startle. Findings revealed that, in both age groups, accuracy was lower during threat than safe conditions at low and medium but not high load, and reaction times were faster during threat than safe conditions at high load but did not differ at other loads. Additionally, anxiety-potentiated startle was greater during low and medium than high load. Thus, the interactions of anxiety with working memory appear similar in adolescents and adults. Whether these similarities reflect common neural mechanisms would need to be assessed using functional neuroimaging. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Relationships among employees' working conditions, mental health, and intention to leave in nursing homes.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuan; Punnett, Laura; Gore, Rebecca

2014-02-01

Employee turnover is a large and expensive problem in the long-term care environment. Stated intention to leave is a reliable indicator of likely turnover, but actual predictors, especially for nursing assistants, have been incompletely investigated. This quantitative study identifies the relationships among employees' working conditions, mental health, and intention to leave. Self-administered questionnaires were collected with 1,589 employees in 18 for-profit nursing homes. A working condition index for the number of beneficial job features was constructed. Poisson regression modeling found that employees who reported four positive features were 77% less likely to state strong intention to leave (PR = 0.23, p < .001). The strength of relationship between working conditions and intention to leave was slightly mediated by employee mental health. Effective workplace intervention programs must address work organization features to reduce employee intention to leave. Healthy workplaces should build better interpersonal relationships, show respect for employee work, and involve employees in decision-making processes.

The association between chronic conditions and non-agricultural work productivity loss among the middle-aged Chinese population.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Sun, Huiying; Li, Xin

2018-05-03

To measure the association between different chronic conditions and non-agricultural work productivity loss among the middle-aged Chinese population. We used 2011, 2013 and 2015 data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. The study focused on middle-aged respondents who had the potential to work in the non-agricultural sector. Work productivity loss was measured by non-agricultural work participation and number of absent workdays among those conducting non-agricultural work. Seven different chronic conditions were considered. Heart diseases had the strongest association with lower work participation for men and women. Stomach/digestive disease and arthritis/rheumatism were conditions with the largest incremental absent workdays for men and women, respectively. The associations with non-agricultural work productivity loss varied by chronic conditions, outcomes, and sex. The findings will help motivate chronic condition prevention/management programs and set priorities.

An ergonomic approach to improve work conditions of older employees in social housing.

PubMed

Biquand, Sylvain; Heddad, Nadia

2012-01-01

French companies are legally required to develop action plans to improve employment and work conditions for older workers ("plans seniors"). These plans contain measures oriented towards recruiting, career evolution, skills developme1nt, knowledge transmission and improvement of work conditions. A tool for assessing work situations experienced by council buildings caretakers ("gardiens") was used in such a plan on behalf of the main agency of council housing in Paris, and we developed. This assessment tool was developed after ergonomic work analysis on a sample of 36 older caretakers (age > 57 y.o). The technical inspectors in charge of technical interventions on buildings and managing caretakers were trained to use the assessment tool and apply it to all caretakers aged 50 and over.

Study of CFB Simulation Model with Coincidence at Multi-Working Condition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Z.; He, F.; Yang, Z. W.; Li, Z.; Ni, W. D.

A circulating fluidized bed (CFB) two-stage simulation model was developed. To realize the model results coincident with the design value or real operation value at specified multi-working conditions and with capability of real-time calculation, only the main key processes were taken into account and the dominant factors were further abstracted out of these key processes. The simulation results showed a sound accordance at multi-working conditions, and confirmed the advantage of the two-stage model over the original single-stage simulation model. The combustion-support effect of secondary air was investigated using the two-stage model. This model provides a solid platform for investigating the pant-leg structured CFB furnace, which is now under design for a supercritical power plant.

Arkansas People Participating in Lead Education (APPLE): results of a lead-safe training program.

PubMed

Ferguson, Alesia; Bursac, Zoran; Kern, David F

2011-06-01

Lead is still seen as one of the most harmful environmental toxins for young children, with the predominant source being deteriorating lead-based paint. Those at continued risk include those living in homes built before 1978, renovators and remodelers, and especially those with limited access to proper healthcare and diets. Proper training on lead-safe work practices focused on preventing and reducing the spread of lead dust can help reduce lead exposure. Presented in this paper are experiences in delivering lead-safe work practices training in six Arkansas cities, and results from pre- and post- surveys delivered before and immediately after the training. Pre- and post-surveys assess strong and weak areas of training. Participants demonstrated positive shifts in attitude and behavior towards lead-safe work practices following training. However, our research found that more emphasis should be focused on clarifying current lead exposure sources and routes for children.

Saving our backs: safe patient handling and mobility for home care.

PubMed

Beauvais, Audrey; Frost, Lenore

2014-01-01

Predicted work-related injuries for nurses and home healthcare workers are on the rise given the many risk factors in the home environment and the escalating demands for home healthcare workers in the United States. Fortunately, safe patient handling and mobility programs can dramatically decrease injuries. Despite strides being made to promote safe patient handling and mobility programs in acute care, more can be done to establish such initiatives in the home care setting.

Self-Reconfiguration Planning of Robot Embodiment for Inherent Safe Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchida, Masafumi; Nozawa, Akio; Asano, Hirotoshi; Onogaki, Hitoshi; Mizuno, Tota; Park, Young-Il; Ide, Hideto; Yokoyama, Shuichi

In the situation in which a robot and a human work together by collaborating with each other, a robot and a human share one working environment, and each interferes in each other. In other ward, it is impossible to avoid the physical contact and the interaction of force between a robot and a human. The boundary of each complex dynamic occupation area changes in the connection movement which is the component of collaborative works at this time. The main restraint condition which relates to the robustness of that connection movement is each physical charactristics, that is, the embodiment. A robot body is variability though the embodiment of a human is almost fixed. Therefore, the safe and the robust connection movement is brought when a robot has the robot body which is well suitable for the embodiment of a human. A purpose for this research is that the colaboration works between the self-reconfiguration robot and a human is realized. To achieve this purpose, a self-reconfiguration algorithm based on some indexes to evaluate a robot body in the macroscopic point of view was examined on a modular robot system of the 2-D lattice structure. In this paper, it investigated effect specially that the object of learning of each individual was limited to the cooperative behavior between the adjoining modules toward the macroscopic evaluation index.

Safe Schools/Safe Communities: A Directory of Resources for Pennsylvania.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pennsylvania State Dept. of Education, Harrisburg.

This document contains a directory of resources available in Pennsylvania to help achieve the goal of safe schools. Following a copy of the Safe Schools Act of 1993, nine sections list agencies that provide services and products under the headings of: conflict resolution/mediation, gangs, suicide, crisis response, family violence, diversity,…

Lessons Learned from Safe Kids/Safe Streets. Juvenile Justice Bulletin

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cronin, Roberta; Gragg, Frances; Schultz, Dana; Eisen, Karla

2006-01-01

This bulletin reports results from an evaluation of six sites of the Safe Kids/Safe Streets (SK/SS) program, which applies a comprehensive, collaborative approach to the child maltreatment field. The bulletin provides insights into collaboration building, systems reform, service options, and other strategies. Among the findings were that the SK/SS…

Predicting the safe load on backpacker's arm using Lagrange multipliers method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdalla, Faisal Saleh; Rambely, Azmin Sham

2014-09-01

In this study, a technique has been suggested to reduce a backpack load by transmitting determined loads to the children arm. The purpose of this paper is to estimate school children arm muscles while load carriage as well as to determine the safe load can be carried at wrist while walking with backpack. A mathematical model, as three DOFs model, was investigated in the sagittal plane and Lagrange multipliers method (LMM) was utilized to minimize a quadratic objective function of muscle forces. The muscle forces were minimized with three different load conditions which are termed as 0-L=0 N, 1-L=21.95 N, and 2-L=43.9 N. The investigated muscles were estimated and compared to their maximum forces throughout the load conditions. Flexor and extensor muscles were estimated and the results showed that flexor muscles were active while extensor muscles showed inactivity. The estimated muscle forces were didn't exceed their maximum forces with 0-L and 1-L conditions whereas biceps and FCR muscles exceeded their maximum forces with 2-L condition. Consequently, 1-L condition is quiet safe to be carried by hand whereas 2-L condition is not. Thus to reduce the load in the backpack the transmitted load shouldn't exceed 1-L condition.

Physical working conditions in young cattle production in Sweden.

PubMed

Bostad, E; Swensson, C; Pinzke, S

2013-01-01

This study investigated physical work environment conditions and sought to identify risk factors in terms of main potential hazards, exposure to physical strain, and the 12-month prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) through two postal surveys of Swedish farmers rearing red veal calves (8 to 11 months slaughter age) during April-June 2008 and young bulls (12 to 24 months slaughter age) during March-May 2009. Among 155 red veal producers, the response rate was 45% (n = 59), while among 241 young bull producers finishing 100 or more bulls per year the response rate was 42% (n = 101). A questionnaire was used to obtain general facts about the farm, work time, and frequency of predefined daily and non-daily work tasks. Perceived physical exertion in relation to each work task was assessed by the farmers using the Borg CR-10 scale and further analyzed according to duration and repetitiveness in a physical work strain (PWS) index. The average physical work strain during the predefined work tasks in red veal and young bull finishing was estimated at 3 (moderate strain) on the CR-10 scale. Up to 42% of the surveyed farmers experienced stress and worry about beef production and high levels of potential hazards. High daily work pace and an uncomfortable work climate were other problematic factors. Highly repetitive tasks and physically demanding animal handling were risk factors that increased PWS significantly The 12-month prevalence of MSD was 51% among red veal producers and 65% among young bull producers. Work-related injuries were reported by 20% and 39% of respondents on red veal and young bull farms, respectively, of which 96% and 89% of the cases were related to working with animals.

Effect of economic recession on psychosocial working conditions by workers' nationality.

PubMed

Torá, Isabel; Martínez, José Miguel; Benavides, Fernando G; Leveque, Katia; Ronda, Elena

2015-01-01

Several publications have documented the effects of economic recessions on health. However, little is known about how economic recessions influence working conditions, especially among vulnerable workers. To explore the effects of 2008 economic crisis on the prevalence of adverse psychosocial working conditions among Spanish and foreign national workers. Data come from the 2007 and 2011 Spanish Working Conditions Surveys. Survey year, sociodemographic, and occupational information were independent variables and psychosocial factors exposures were dependent variables. Analyses were stratified by nationality (Spanish versus foreign). Prevalence and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) of psychological job demands, job control, job social support, physical demands and perceived job insecurity were estimated using Poisson regression. The Spanish population had higher risk of psychological and physical job demand (aPR = 1.07, 95% CI = [1.04-1.10] and aPR = 1.05, 95% CI = [1.01-1.09], respectively) in 2011 compared to 2007. Among both Spanish and foreign national workers, greater aPR were found for job loss in 2011 compared to 2007 (aPR = 2.47, 95% CI = [2.34-2.60]; aPR = 2.44, 95% CI = [2.15-2.77], respectively). The 2008 economic crisis was associated with a significant increase in physical demands in Spanish workers and increased job insecurity for both Spanish and foreign workers.

76 FR 12719 - Safe Schools/Healthy Students Program; Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools; Safe Schools/Healthy...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-08

... official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Safe Schools/Healthy Students Program; Office of Safe and Drug- Free... telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339...

[The National Survey on Working Conditions: data for reflection].

PubMed

Zimmermann Verdejo, M; Maqueda Blasco, J; Almodóvar Molina, A; de la Orden Rivera, M V

1996-01-01

This work presents some data of relevance from the National Survey on Working Conditions, carried out in Spain in 1993. A cross-section survey was undertaken on a representative sample of the industry and services sectors (3,148 workers), both through an individual interview which took place at their places of work, and a questionnaire. The study revealed that preventive activities are few and far between. Only 11.8% of the companies carried out surveys into the risk of occupational accidents and/or illnesses. This datum contrasts with the high incidence among workers of exposure to the risk of accidents (59%), noise (33%) or the inhaling of chemical substances (32%). Furthermore, approximately 50% of workers spend at least a quarter of their work time in a static posture or making repetitive hand-arm movements. It is estimated that 60% are exposed to high work rates or repetitive tasks of short duration. Where the question of morbidity is concerned, 60% of workers suffer from posture problems associated with their work. In this study, a comparison is made between these findings per activity sector, together with a detailed analysis of morbidity. Finally, it should be borne in mind, that the subjectivity in the responses and answers, which is inherent to any qualitative survey, should not be regarded as a negative aspect. The way in which the worker perceives and experiences his or her work environment, provides essential information for the preventionists.

Safe syringe disposal is related to safe syringe access among HIV-positive injection drug users.

PubMed

Coffin, Phillip O; Latka, Mary H; Latkin, Carl; Wu, Yingfeng; Purcell, David W; Metsch, Lisa; Gomez, Cynthia; Gourevitch, Marc N

2007-09-01

We evaluated the effect of syringe acquisition on syringe disposal among HIV-positive injection drug users (IDUs) in Baltimore, New York City, and San Francisco (N = 680; mean age 42 years, 62% male, 59% African-American, 21% Hispanic, 12% White). Independent predictors of safe disposal were acquiring syringes through a safe source and ever visiting a syringe exchange program. Weaker predictors included living in San Francisco, living in the area longer, less frequent binge drinking, injecting with an HIV+ partner, peer norms supporting safe injection, and self-empowerment. Independent predictors of safe "handling"-both acquiring and disposing of syringes safely-also included being from New York and being older. HIV-positive IDUs who obtain syringes from a safe source are more likely to safely dispose; peer norms contribute to both acquisition and disposal. Interventions to improve disposal should include expanding sites of safe syringe acquisition while enhancing disposal messages, alternatives, and convenience.

The assessment of chronic health conditions on work performance, absence, and total economic impact for employers.

PubMed

Collins, James J; Baase, Catherine M; Sharda, Claire E; Ozminkowski, Ronald J; Nicholson, Sean; Billotti, Gary M; Turpin, Robin S; Olson, Michael; Berger, Marc L

2005-06-01

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and estimate total costs for chronic health conditions in the U.S. workforce for the Dow Chemical Company (Dow). Using the Stanford Presenteeism Scale, information was collected from workers at five locations on work impairment and absenteeism based on self-reported "primary" chronic health conditions. Survey data were merged with employee demographics, medical and pharmaceutical claims, smoking status, biometric health risk factors, payroll records, and job type. Almost 65% of respondents reported having one or more of the surveyed chronic conditions. The most common were allergies, arthritis/joint pain or stiffness, and back or neck disorders. The associated absenteeism by chronic condition ranged from 0.9 to 5.9 hours in a 4-week period, and on-the-job work impairment ranged from a 17.8% to 36.4% decrement in ability to function at work. The presence of a chronic condition was the most important determinant of the reported levels of work impairment and absence after adjusting for other factors (P < 0.000). The total cost of chronic conditions was estimated to be 10.7% of the total labor costs for Dow in the United States; 6.8% was attributable to work impairment alone. For all chronic conditions studied, the cost associated with performance based work loss or "presenteeism" greatly exceeded the combined costs of absenteeism and medical treatment combined.

Associations of psychosocial working conditions with self-rated general health and mental health among municipal employees.

PubMed

Laaksonen, Mikko; Rahkonen, Ossi; Martikainen, Pekka; Lahelma, Eero

2006-03-01

To examine associations of job demands and job control, procedural and relational organizational fairness, and physical work load with self-rated general health and mental health. In addition, the effect of occupational class on these associations is examined. The data were derived from the Helsinki Health Study baseline surveys in 2001-2002. Respondents to cross-sectional postal surveys were middle-aged employees of the City of Helsinki (n=5.829, response rate 67%). Associations of job demands and job control, organizational fairness and physical work load with less than good self-rated health and poor GHQ-12 mental health were examined. Those with the poorest working conditions two to three times more, often reported poor general and mental health than those with the best working conditions. Adjustment for occupational class weakened the associations of low job control and physical work load with general health by one fifth, but even more strengthened that of high job demands. Adjustment for occupational class clearly strengthened the associations of job control and physical work load with mental health in men. Mutual adjustment for all working conditions notably weakened their associations with both health measures, except those of job control in men. All working conditions except relational organizational fairness remained independently associated with general and mental health. All studied working conditions were strongly associated with both general and mental health but the associations weakened after mutual adjustments. Of the two organizational fairness measures, procedural fairness remained independently associated with both health outcomes. Adjustment for occupational class had essentially different effects on the associations of different working conditions and different health outcomes.

The effects of extended work under sleep deprivation conditions on team-based performance.

PubMed

Pilcher, June J; Vander Wood, Melissa A; O'Connell, Kristina L

2011-07-01

Teamwork is becoming increasingly common in today's workplaces; however, little research has examined how well teams perform under sleep deprivation conditions. The purpose of the current study was to examine the effect of extended work under sleep deprivation conditions on team performance. A total of 24 participants were sleep deprived for 30 h and completed 16 h of sustained operations during the last portion of the sleep deprivation period. The participants completed the Wombat, a complex task including vigilance and cognitive components, with a partner in four 24-min testing sessions during the sustained operations period. The results indicated that team performance increased during the work period while, within each testing session, team performance on vigilance tasks remained stable and overall performance decreased. The current results suggest that performance on two-person teams results in improved performance but does not fully counteract the decreases in performance within each work period. Performance in two-person teams increased across an extended work shift under sleep deprivation conditions. However, vigilance performance remained stable while overall performance decreased when examining performance in 8-min segments. These results suggest that averaging team-based performance over a longer testing period may mask the negative effects of sleep deprivation. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: Performance in two-person teams increased across an extended work shift under sleep deprivation conditions. However, vigilance performance remained stable while overall performance decreased when examining performance in 8-min segments. These results suggest that averaging team-based performance over a longer testing period may mask the negative effects of sleep deprivation.

The Views of New Teachers at Private Teaching Institutions about Working Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yilmaz, Kursad; Altinkurt, Yahya

2011-01-01

The main purpose of the research was to determine the views of teachers about working conditions working at private teaching institutions for 5 years or less. The research was designed as a phenomenology model. The data were collected by focus group interview technique of qualitative research method. 10 teachers from private teaching institutions…

Working conditions, psychosocial environmental factors, and depressive symptoms among wage workers in South Korea.

PubMed

Sohn, Minsung; Choi, Mankyu; Jung, Minsoo

2016-07-01

In South Korea, the number of workers suffering from mental illnesses, such as depression, has rapidly increased. There is growing concern about depressive symptoms being associated with both working conditions and psychosocial environmental factors. To investigate potential psychosocial environmental moderators in the relationship between working conditions and occupational depressive symptoms among wage workers. Data were obtained from the wage worker respondents (n = 4,095) of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 2009. First, chi-square tests confirmed the differences in working conditions and psychosocial characteristics between depressive and non-depressive groups. Second, multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the moderating effects of the psychosocial environmental factors between working conditions and depressive symptoms. After adjusting for potential covariates, the likelihood of depressive symptomatology was high among respondents who had dangerous jobs and flexible work hours compared to those who had standard jobs and fixed daytime work hours (OR = 1.66 and 1.59, respectively). Regarding psychosocial factors, respondents with high job demands, low job control, and low social support were more likely to have depressive symptoms (OR = 1.26, 1.58 and 1.61, respectively). There is a need to develop non-occupational intervention programs, which provide workers with training about workplace depression and improve social support, and the programs should provide time for employees to have active communication. Additionally, companies should provide employees with support to access mental healthcare thereby decreasing the occurrence of workplace depression.

Training, Research, and Working Conditions for Urology Residents in Germany: A Contemporary Survey.

PubMed

Borgmann, Hendrik; Arnold, Hannah K; Meyer, Christian P; Bründl, Johannes; König, Justus; Nestler, Tim; Ruf, Christian; Struck, Julian; Salem, Johannes

2016-12-16

Excellent uniform training of urology residents is crucial to secure both high-quality patient care and the future of our specialty. Residency training has come under scrutiny following the demands of subspecialized care, economical aspects, and working hour regulations. To comprehensively assess the surgical training, research opportunities, and working conditions among urology residents in Germany. We sent a 29-item online survey via email to 721 members of the German Society of Residents in Urology. Descriptive analyses were conducted to describe the surveys' four domains: (1) baseline characteristics, (2) surgical training (cumulative completed case volume for all minor-, medium-, and major-complexity surgeries), (3) research opportunities, and (4) working conditions. Four hundred and seventy-two residents completed the online survey (response rate 65%). Surgical training: the median number of cumulative completed cases for postgraduate yr (PGY)-5 residents was 113 (interquartile range: 76-178). Minor surgeries comprised 57% of all surgeries and were performed by residents in all PGYs. Medium-complexity surgeries comprised 39% of all surgeries and were mostly performed by residents in PGYs 2-5. Major surgeries comprised 4% of all surgeries and were occasionally performed by residents in PGYs 3-5. Research opportunities: some 44% have attained a medical thesis (Dr. med.), and 39% are currently pursuing research. Working conditions: psychosocial work-related stress was high and for 82% of residents their effort exceeded their rewards. Some 44% were satisfied, 32% were undecided, and 24% were dissatisfied with their current working situation. Limitations include self-reported survey answers and a lack of validated assessment tools. Surgical exposure among German urology residents is low and comprises minor and medium-complex surgeries. Psychosocial work-related stress is high for the vast majority of residents indicating the need for structural improvements in

Effectiveness of a Driving Intervention on Safe Community Mobility for Returning Combat Veterans

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-01

Simulator drive  development  underway.  Key personnel appointed  and  meet regularly to advance study aims.  Effectiveness of a Driving Intervention on  Safe ...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0032 TITLE: Effectiveness of a Driving Intervention on Safe Community Mobility for Returning Combat Veterans...is a follow-on to prior DOD funded work “Efficacy of a Driving Intervention Program on Safe Community Mobility for Combat Veterans”. Funding for the

Statement on the Status and Working Conditions of Contingent Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmquist, Mike; Doe, Sue; McDonald, James; Newman, Beatrice Mendez; Samuels, Robert; Schell, Eileen

2011-01-01

In this paper, the authors call for an approach that, in recognizing the economic realities facing most institutions, attempts to put aside objections that funding is simply not available to support an expansion of the current tenure system. In calling for the changes in faculty working conditions, the authors recognize that change will…

[Checklist Development for Women-Doctor-Friendly Working Conditions in a Hospital Setting].

PubMed

Horie, Saki; Takeuchi, Masumi; Yamaoka, Kazue; Nohara, Michiko; Hasunuma, Naoko; Okinaga, Hiroko; Nomura, Kyoko

2015-01-01

This study aims to develop a scale of "women-doctor-friendly working conditions in a hospital setting". A task team consisting of relevant people including a medical doctor and a hospital personnel identified 36 items related to women-doctor-friendly working conditions. From December in 2012 to January in 2013, we sent a self-administered questionnaire to 807 full-time employees including faculty members and medical doctors who worked for a university-affiliated hospital. We asked them to score the extent to which they think it is necessary for women doctors to balance between work and gender role responsibilities on the basis of the Likert scale. We carried out a factor analysis and computed Cronbach's alpha to develop a scale and investigated its construct validity and reliability. Of the 807 employees, 291 returned the questionnaires (response rate, 36.1%). The item-total correlation (between an individual item score and the total score) coefficient was in the range from 0.44 to 0.68. In factor analysis, we deleted six items, and five factors were extracted on the basis of the least likelihood method with the oblique Promax rotation. The factors were termed "gender equality action in an organization", "the compliance of care leave in both sexes and parental leave in men", "balance between life events and work", "childcare support at the workplace", and "flexible employment status". The Cronbach's alpha values of all the factors and the total items were 0.82-0.89 and 0.93, respectively, suggesting that the scale we developed has high reliability. The result indicated that the scale of women-doctor-friendly working conditions consisting of five factors with 30 items is highly validated and reliable.

The associations between psychosocial working conditions and changes in common mental disorders: a follow-up study.

PubMed

Laine, Hanna; Saastamoinen, Peppiina; Lahti, Jouni; Rahkonen, Ossi; Lahelma, Eero

2014-06-11

Common mental disorders (CMD) are prevalent in working populations and have adverse consequences for employee well-being and work ability, even leading to early retirement. Several studies report associations between psychosocial working conditions and CMD. However, there is a lack of longitudinal research within a broad framework of psychosocial working conditions and improvement in CMD. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between several psychosocial working conditions and deteriorating and improving CMD among ageing employees over a five-to-six-year follow-up period. The study is based on the Helsinki Health Study baseline survey in 2001-2002 and a follow-up in 2007 (N = 4340, response rate 83%) conducted among 40-60-year-old female and male employees. The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was used to measure common mental disorders. Psychosocial working conditions were measured in terms of job strain, organisational justice, work-family interface, social support and workplace bullying. The covariates included sociodemographic and health factors. Following adjustment for all the covariates, family-to-work (OR 1.41, 95% Cl 1.04-1.91) and work-to-family conflicts (OR 1.99, 95% Cl 1.42-2.78) and workplace bullying (OR 1.40, 95% Cl 1.09-1.79) were associated with deterioration, and family-to-work conflicts (OR 1.65, 95% Cl 1.66-2.34) and social support (OR 1.47, 95% Cl 1.07-2.00) with improvement in CMD. Adverse psychosocial working conditions contribute to poor mental health among employees. Preventing workplace bullying, promoting social support and achieving a better balance between work and family may help employees to maintain their mental health.

Pedagogical Staff in Children's Day Care Centres in Germany--Links between Working Conditions, Job Satisfaction, Commitment and Work-Related Stress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schreyer, Inge; Krause, Martin

2016-01-01

This article investigates links between staff working conditions in children's day care centres ("Kindertageseinrichtungen"--known as "Kitas" in Germany), job satisfaction, commitment and perceived stress at work. Data are based on the nationwide, representative questionnaire survey AQUA ("Arbeitsplatz und Qualität in…

[The standard of position of physician-stomatologist-therapeutist in the conditions of working together with assistant-stomatological].

PubMed

Kalininskaya, A A; Mescheryakov, D G; Ildarov, R B

2013-01-01

The article presents scope of work, algorithms of labor operations, standardization of work of stomatologist-therapeutist in the conditions of working together with assistant-stomatological in four hands. The calculations are given concerning the standard numbers of positions of stomatologist in new conditions of work.

Working in a hot environment; perspiration loss; a drink for persons working under hot conditions, part 2