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Risk-Reduction Research in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Occupational Safety and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2022) | Viewed by 38272

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Roger Jensen

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Guest Editor

Department of Safety, Health, and Industrial Hygiene, Montana Technological University, Butte, MT 59701, USA
Interests: occupational safety; risk assessment; system safety; ergonomic; human factors; fall protection; warnings; training

Dr. David P. Gilkey

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Safety, Health, and Industrial Hygiene, Montana Technological University, Butte, MT 59701, USA
Interests: safety climate; safety culture; off-road vehicle safety; manual materials handling; WRMSDs

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

One of the five pillars of public health is occupational health and safety. The magnitude of occupational illnesses, injuries, and fatalities has been well documented through retrospective analyses of existing record systems. This Special Issue seeks research papers addressing risk-reduction methods for occupational fatalities, traumatic injuries, and work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

The scope of occupational risk reduction includes eliminating hazards, using engineering methods, implementing administrative programs and practices, and effectively responding to harmful incidents. Many administrative practices focus on helping people perform safely by providing well-designed hazard warning signs, audible warnings, safety training, and providing equipment and tools designed using human factors principles. The Special Issue welcomes review articles, brief communications, and research papers related to occupational risk reduction. Some topic areas are listed below.

Example topics related to occupational fatalities and injuries include work-related transportation, workplace violence, falls, explosions, hazard warnings, and safety training.

Example topics related to occupational ergonomics and human factors include assessment methods for repetitive work, posture assessment methods, heavy manual labor, applied biomechanics, and worker interactions with equipment and tools.

Example topics related to the management of workplaces include risk-assessment methods, incident investigation and analysis techniques, OHS management systems, and theoretical foundations for reducing risks of occupational hazards.

Please consider submitting your scholarly paper for inclusion in this Special Issue on ‘’Risk-Reduction Research in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics’’.

Prof. Dr. Roger Jensen
Dr. David P. Gilkey
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Occupational hazards
Occupational safety
Fall prevention and protection
Human factors
Ergonomics
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders
Risk assessment
Risk management
Management systems

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

4 pages, 432 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Risk-Reduction Research in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics: An Editorial

by Roger Jensen and David P. Gilkey

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(6), 5212; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20065212 - 16 Mar 2023

Viewed by 2350

Abstract

Occupational health and safety is one of the pillars of public health [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk-Reduction Research in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics)

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Research

Jump to: Editorial

11 pages, 355 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Polish Adaptation of the Alarm Fatigue Assessment Questionnaire as an Element of Improving Patient Safety

by Łukasz Rypicz, Anna Rozensztrauch, Olga Fedorowicz, Aleksander Włodarczyk, Katarzyna Zatońska, Raúl Juárez-Vela and Izabela Witczak

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 1734; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031734 - 18 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1579

Abstract

Medical personnel, working in medical intensive care units, are exposed to fatigue associated with alarms emitted by numerous medical devices used for diagnosing, treating, and monitoring patients. Alarm fatigue is a safety and quality problem in patient care and actions should be taken to reduce this by, among other measures, building an effective safety culture. In the present study, an adaptation of a questionnaire to assess alarm fatigue was carried out. The study obtained good reliability of the questionnaire at Cronbach’s alpha level of 0.88. The Polish research team has successfully adapted the Alarm Fatigue Assessment Questionnaire so that it can be used in healthcare settings as a tool to improve patient safety. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk-Reduction Research in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics)

15 pages, 2876 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparisons of Trunk Motions and Low Back Injury Risk between Alternative Hotel Room Cleaning Methods

by W. Gary Allread and Pamela Vossenas

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 14907; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192214907 - 12 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1609

Abstract

Hotel room cleaners frequently report job-related pain, with high rates of work-related musculoskeletal disorder injuries established for this group of workers. Surprisingly, there is limited published research documenting the impact of interventions to reduce ergonomic-related injury risks specific to hotel room cleaners’ job tasks. In this study focused on hotel bathroom-cleaning and furniture-dusting tasks, twelve experienced hotel room cleaners used their standard method and a risk-reduction method—a tool with a handle that could extend, to perform these tasks. The female study participants’ average age was 45.3 (SD 8.7) years with an average of 10 years of work experience as cleaners (range: 0.8–26.0 years). Trunk kinematics and a low back injury risk assessment were measured using the Lumbar Motion Monitor. All study metrics were significantly reduced when cleaning tasks involved use of adjustable, long-handled tools (p < 0.05). This study demonstrated that commonly available cleaning and dusting tools with extendable handles can significantly reduce low back injury risk among hotel room cleaners and potentially reduce injury risk to other body parts known to be the site of musculoskeletal disorders in this workforce. The study findings suggest that cleaning or housekeeping jobs in other industries where these same tasks are performed could benefit from use of extended-handle tools like those investigated here. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk-Reduction Research in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics)

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8 pages, 287 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Workplace Violence in the Emergency Department: Case Study on Staff and Law Enforcement Disagreement on Reportable Crimes

by Sarayna S. McGuire, Aidan F. Mullan and Casey M. Clements

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(11), 6818; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19116818 - 02 Jun 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1871

Abstract

Violence in the emergency department (ED) remains underreported. Patient factors are often cited as a source of confusion in determining the culpability of perpetrators and whether to proceed with incident reporting. This study’s objective was to determine how ED staff at one academic medical center perceive certain clinical scenarios and how this compares to local law enforcement officers (LEO). An anonymous survey with 4 scenarios was sent to multidisciplinary ED staff at our academic medical center, as well as local LEO and inquired whether respondents considered any of the scenarios to be reportable as a crime. Chi-square analysis was used for comparison. The study was deemed exempt by the Institutional Review Board. A total of 261 ED staff and 77 LEO completed the survey. Both groups were equally likely to believe that a reportable crime occurred in Scenario 1, where a patient with dementia punches a nurse (LEO: 26.0% vs. ED: 31.4%, p = 0.44), and in Scenario 2, where an intoxicated patient spits at a phlebotomist (LEO: 97.4% vs. ED: 95.0%, p = 0.56). However, the two groups differed in Scenario 3, in which a patient with delirium makes verbal threats to a doctor (LEO: 20.8% vs. ED: 42.9%, p < 0.001), and Scenario 4, in which a patient’s parent throws a chair at a medical student (LEO: 66.2% vs. ED: 81.2%, p = 0.009). As health systems seek to improve workplace safety, it is important to consider the barriers to reporting violent incidents, including staff’s understanding of what acts may constitute reportable violence, as well as LEO understanding of the unique ED environment and patient responsibilities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk-Reduction Research in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics)

23 pages, 2607 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Risk Assessment Matrices for Workplace Hazards: Design for Usability

by Roger C. Jensen, Royce L. Bird and Blake W. Nichols

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(5), 2763; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19052763 - 27 Feb 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5771

Abstract

In occupational safety and health (OSH), the process of assessing risks of identified hazards considers both the (i) foreseeable events and exposures that can cause harm and (ii) the likelihood or probability of occurrence. To account for both, a table format known as a risk assessment matrix uses rows and columns for ordered categories of the foreseeable severity of harm and likelihood/probability of that occurrence. The cells within the table indicate level of risk. Each category has a text description separate from the matrix as well as a word or phrase heading each row and column. Ideally, these header terms will help the risk assessment team distinguish among the categories. A previous project provided recommended sets of header terms for common matrices based on findings from a survey of undergraduate OSH students. This paper provides background on risk assessment matrices, discusses usability issues, and presents findings from a survey of people with OSH-related experience. The aim of the survey was to confirm or improve the prior recommended sets of terms. The prior recommendations for severity, likelihood, and extent of exposure were confirmed with minor modifications. Improvements in the probability terms were recommended. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk-Reduction Research in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics)

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15 pages, 1484 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Trunk Posture during Manual Materials Handling of Beer Kegs

by Colleen Brents, Molly Hischke, Raoul Reiser and John Rosecrance

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(14), 7380; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147380 - 10 Jul 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2736

Abstract

Craft brewing is a rapidly growing industry in the U.S. Most craft breweries are small businesses with few resources for robotic or other mechanical-assisted equipment, requiring work to be performed manually by employees. Craft brewery workers frequently handle stainless steel half-barrel kegs, which weigh between 13.5 kg (29.7 lbs.) empty and 72.8 kg (161.5 lbs.) full. Moving kegs may be associated with low back pain and even injury. In the present study, researchers performed a quantitative assessment of trunk postures using an inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based kinematic measurement system while workers lifted kegs at a craft brewery. Results of this field-based study indicated that during keg handling, craft brewery workers exhibited awkward and non-neutral trunk postures. Based on the results of the posture data, design recommendations were identified to reduce the hazardous exposure for musculoskeletal disorders among craft brewery workers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk-Reduction Research in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics)

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16 pages, 4800 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Correlation in Causality: A Progressive Study of Hierarchical Relations within Human and Organizational Factors in Coal Mine Accidents

by Ziwei Fa, Xinchun Li, Quanlong Liu, Zunxiang Qiu and Zhengyuan Zhai

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(9), 5020; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18095020 - 10 May 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2541

Abstract

It has been revealed in numerous investigation reports that human and organizational factors (HOFs) are the fundamental causes of coal mine accidents. However, with various kinds of accident-causing factors in coal mines, the lack of systematic analysis of causality within specific HOFs could lead to defective accident precautions. Therefore, this study centered on the data-driven concept and selected 883 coal mine accident reports from 2011 to 2020 as the original data to discover the influencing paths of specific HOFs. First, 55 manifestations with the characteristics of the coal mine accidents were extracted by text segmentation. Second, according to their own attributes, all manifestations were mapped into the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS), forming a modified HFACS-CM framework in China’s coal-mining industry with 5 categories, 19 subcategories and 42 unsafe factors. Finally, the Apriori association algorithm was applied to discover the causal association rules among external influences, organizational influences, unsafe supervision, preconditions for unsafe acts and direct unsafe acts layer by layer, exposing four clear accident-causing “trajectories” in HAFCS-CM. This study contributes to the establishment of a systematic causation model for analyzing the causes of coal mine accidents and helps form corresponding risk prevention measures directly and objectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk-Reduction Research in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics)

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17 pages, 774 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Safety Leadership, Safety Attitudes, Safety Knowledge and Motivation toward Safety-Related Behaviors in Electrical Substation Construction Projects

by Abdulrahman M. Basahel

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(8), 4196; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18084196 - 15 Apr 2021

Cited by 39 | Viewed by 4777

Abstract

Poor safety conditions and performance are consequences of individual factors as well as organizational and group factors. However, little attention has been afforded to the sequential impact of these factors on safety-related behaviors (compliance and participation) in the Saudi Arabian electrical construction industry. This study examines the causal effects of leadership and attitudes on safety compliance and participation mediated by motivation and knowledge. The research collected 636 surveys in electrical construction projects for nine large contractors between November 2018 and July 2019 in Saudi Arabia. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to determine the mechanism by which leadership and attitudes affected safety compliance and participation through motivation and knowledge. The results indicate that safety leadership and attitude factors as well as their interactions predicted safety motivation and knowledge. Additionally, these factors affected safety participation and compliance via workers’ motivation and knowledge. Safety motivation and safety knowledge positively affected workers’ participation and compliance. Management should encourage and regularly assess effective leadership and attitudes and developing motivation and knowledge among employees can improve organizations’ safety-related behavior performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk-Reduction Research in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics)

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18 pages, 2084 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Assessment of Ergonomics Climate and Its Association with Self-Reported Pain, Organizational Performance and Employee Well-Being

by Elham Faez, Seyed Abolfazl Zakerian, Kamal Azam, Kyle Hancock and John Rosecrance

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(5), 2610; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052610 - 05 Mar 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4802

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated that a positive ergonomics climate with an equal focus on improving operational performance and employee well-being is beneficial to both employee health and organizational performance. This study aimed to assess the ergonomics climate at two power plants and examine its association with self-reported pain, performance, and well-being. At two power plants in Iran, survey responses from 109 and 110 employees were obtained. The questionnaires contained data on ergonomics climate, organizational performance, employee health, and self-reported pain. Results showed that the mean ergonomics climate scores between the Besat and Rey power plants were significantly different (p < 0.001). The overall ergonomics climate score, and all subscales scores, were positively associated with organizational performance (p < 0.001). The overall ergonomics climate score, and some of its subscales, were significantly associated with employees’ general health (p < 0.001). The ergonomics climate score was significantly higher in the group of employees who reported musculoskeletal pain than those who did not report musculoskeletal pain (p < 0.05). Investigation of ergonomics climate can provide organizations with a baseline for prioritizing their values and finding areas for improving organizational performance and employee health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk-Reduction Research in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics)

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17 pages, 3569 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Selecting Appropriate Words for Naming the Rows and Columns of Risk Assessment Matrices

by Roger C. Jensen and Haley Hansen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(15), 5521; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17155521 - 30 Jul 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2693

Abstract

The risk management systems used in occupational safety and health typically assess the risk of identified hazards using a tabular format commonly called a risk assessment matrix. Typically, columns are named with words indicating severity, and rows are named with words indicating likelihood or probability. Some risk assessment matrices use words reflecting the extent of exposure to a hazard. This project was undertaken with the aim of helping the designers of risk assessment matrices select appropriate names for the rows and columns. A survey of undergraduate students studying engineering or occupational safety and health obtained ratings of 16 English language words and phrases for each of the three factors. Analyses of 84 completed surveys included comparing average ratings on a 100-point scale. Using the averages, appropriately spaced sets of words and phrases were identified for naming the row and column categories. Based on results, the authors recommend word sets of three, four, and five for severity; three, four, five, and six for likelihood; and two and three for extent of exposure. The study methodology may be useful for future research, and the resulting word sets and numerical ratings may be helpful when creating a new, or reassessing an established, risk assessment matrix. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk-Reduction Research in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics)

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10 pages, 477 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Musculoskeletal Symptoms among Stone, Sand and Gravel Mine Workers and Associations with Sociodemographic and Job-Related Factors

by Abdulrazak O. Balogun and Todd D. Smith

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(10), 3512; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17103512 - 18 May 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2752

Abstract

Stone, sand and gravel mining (SSGM) constitutes the vast majority of mining operations in the United States. Despite musculoskeletal disorders being one of the most common occupational health problems across several industries, limited research has examined the extent of reported musculoskeletal symptoms or disorders among actively employed SSGM workers. To address this knowledge gap, cross sectional data were collected from 459 SSGM workers in the Midwestern United States to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms. Sociodemographic and job-related factors were examined to identify possible risk factors in SSGM. Musculoskeletal symptoms of the low back (57%), neck (38%), shoulder (38%) and knee (39%) were highly prevalent among SSGM employees. The results, among other findings, showed that working more than 60 h a week increased the likelihood of musculoskeletal symptoms at the low back (OR: 4.7 95% CI: 1.9–11.5), neck (OR: 5.1, 95% CI: 2.2–11.8) and knee (OR: 4.5, 95% CI: 2.0–10.3). Working as a mechanic/maintenance worker increased the likelihood of low back (OR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.1–4.2) and knee (OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.1–4.6) musculoskeletal symptoms. Intervention measures aimed at improving ergonomic hazard identification for various job tasks as well as administrative controls limiting hours worked may help reduce the burden of musculoskeletal problems in the SSGM industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk-Reduction Research in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics)

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10 pages, 1090 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of Personal Protective Clothing for Reducing Exposure to Insecticides in Pesticide Applicators

by Manoch Naksata, Anucha Watcharapasorn, Surat Hongsibsong and Ratana Sapbamrer

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(9), 3303; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17093303 - 09 May 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2988

Abstract

Wearing appropriate personal protective equipment during the application of pesticides is one method of reducing dermal exposure to pesticides. Thus, the aim of this research is to develop personal protective clothing (PPC) coated with gum rosin and investigate the efficiency of its level of protection against chlorpyrifos and cypermethrin. Comparison of the protection efficiency of each PPC with Tychem^® C coveralls was also investigated. Five commercially available cotton fabrics were chosen for tailoring the PPC, and then, the PPC was coated with a gum rosin finish to provide water repellence. The efficiency of the level of protection of the gum rosin-coated PPC against insecticides was tested in a laboratory (closed chamber). The remarkable findings were that the % protection efficiencies for all the PPC, with the exception of one, were not significantly different to those for Tychem^® C coveralls. The protection efficiencies ranged from 99.85% to 99.97% against chlorpyrifos and 99.11% to 99.89% against cypermethrin. Therefore, our results suggest that gum rosin-coated clothing provided satisfactory levels of protection against insecticides and could be considered as suitable protective clothing for pesticide applicators. Choice of an appropriate fabric for coating with gum rosin also needs to be considered. A further study in field conditions is warranted to confirm the protection efficiency in a working environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk-Reduction Research in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics)

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