Understanding Occupational Accidents in Tunnelling Construction Using a Natural Experiment

@#Introduction: Reducing occupational accidents is of utmost importance. This research investigated how individual and job-related risk factors affect occupational accidents in one of the largest tunnelling companies in Iran. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional natural experiment utilizing data from 760 employees who consented to participate in the study. 150 individuals had a history of occupational accidents and 610 individuals did not. Information about accidents was extracted from reports, medical records, and interviews. Results: The main causes of accidents were unsafe acts performed by workers. 71% by unsafe acts alone, and another 12% unsafe acts in unsafe conditions. The odds ratio of occupational accidents was significantly higher in workers aged under 30 years (p = 0.016), with a high school diploma or lower educational achievement (p = 0.012), low job satisfaction (p = 0.035), work experience less than 16 years (p = 0.023), as well as lack of regular exercise (p = 0.001). Within the final adjusted logistic model, low levels of education (OR= 5.81; 95% CI, 1.03-9.03) and younger age group (OR= 2.38 95% CI, 0.24 to 8.02) remained significant. Conclusion: Use of young and inexperienced staff, low education, and lack of simple and understandable safety guidelines for workers in the tunnelling industry have led to unsafe acts that can increase the rate of occupational accidents. Changes in working conditions, and unstable job security also contribute to explaining the accident rates in this 12-month period. Managers should pay special attention to these individual-organizational factors to prevent accidents and promote safety.

Trabajo decente: representaciones de trabajo y anticipaciones de futuro en jóvenes en situación de vulnerabilidad social / Decent work: representations of work and turure prospects in vulnerable young workers

El artículo presenta resultados de una investigación cualitativa que buscó comprender las valoraciones y representaciones sobre el trabajo, y las anticipaciones de futuro vinculadas con la esfera laboral, en jóvenes en situación de vulnerabilidad social. El análisis se ha realizado a la luz de las variables que caracterizan el concepto de trabajo decente. Nos preguntamos: ¿cómo significan sus trabajos?, ¿cómo impactan estos sentidos en la construcción de la subjetividad y de sus trayectorias de vida?, ¿qué representaciones de trabajo decente tienen?, ¿cómo se relacionan con sus anticipaciones de futuro? Observamos que el mercado laboral actual- reflejado en difíciles condiciones de acceso y permanencia en los trabajos y en su alta precariedad- incide en los sentidos del trabajo y en las intenciones de futuro. Consecuentemente, se advierte una naturalización - y una resignación - frente a estas condiciones. El divorcio entre trabajo e intereses personales afectan la posibilidad de proyectar futuros en los que puedan expresarse dimensiones personales vinculadas al bienestar y a una vida satisfactoria

This article presents the results of a qualitative research that aims to understand and compare the values, representations and future prospects of work in vulnerable young workers. The analysis considers the variables that characterize decent work. We ask: what does their work mean to them?, what impact do those meanings have on their subjectivity and life paths construction?, what do they understand by "decent work"?, how do their jobs and work representations relate to their future prospects? We observe that the context of the employment market, -where jobs lack continuity, are difficult to access and are highly unstable-, affects the purpose of work and people's future prospects. Consequently, it has been noted that there is an acceptance and conformity to these conditions. The divergence between work and personal interests affects the possibility of having future prospects in which personal dimensions can be linked to well-being and a satisfactory life

Role of Headmasters, Teachers, and Supervisors in Knowledge Transfer about Occupational Health and Safety to Pupils in Vocational Education

BACKGROUND: Young people are at an increased risk for illness in working life. The authorities stipulate certain goals for training in occupational health and safety (OHS) in vocational schools. A previous study concluded that pupils in vocational education had limited knowledge in the prevention of health risks at work. The aim of the current study, therefore, was to study how OHS training is organized in school and in workplace-based learning (WPL). METHODS: The study design featured a qualitative approach, which included interviews with 12 headmasters, 20 teachers, and 20 supervisors at companies in which the pupils had their WPL. The study was conducted at 10 upper secondary schools, located in Central Sweden, that were graduating pupils in four vocational programs. RESULTS: The interviews with headmasters, teachers, and supervisors indicate a staggered picture of how pupils are prepared for safe work. The headmasters generally give teachers the responsibility for how goals should be reached. Teaching is very much based on risk factors that are present in the workshops and on teachers' own experiences and knowledge. The teaching during WPL also lacks the systematic training in OHS as well as in the traditional classroom environment. CONCLUSION: Teachers and supervisors did not plan the training in OHS in accordance with the provisions of systematic work environment management. Instead, the teachers based the training on their own experiences. Most of the supervisors did not receive information from the schools as to what should be included when introducing OHS issues in WPL.

Impacting factors on the professional identity of railway young workers and the relationship with the professional identity and subjective well-being / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To investigate the impacting factors on the professional identity of railway young workers and the relationship of the professional identity and subjective well-being.Methods The sample consisting of 5 762 young workers was selected from railway enterprises by stratified and random sampling according to the proportion.Occupational professional identity Scale and Index of Well-being,Index of General Affect Scale were used.The affect of the variable,such as sex,age,working years,educational background and income on professional identity were studied.Moreover,the relationship between professional identity and subjective well-being was reported.Results (1) Professional identity ascended witb the increase of ages,and there was significance between three groups(F=6.667,P＜0.05).(2)Professional identity ascended with the increase of length of service (F=5.147,P＜0.01),but it dropped at the point of 9-12 years.(3) The professional identity of workers with bachelor degree was higher than that with junior college education background.and there was significance between three groups (F=3.538,P＜0.05).(4)The workers who had more than 3 500 RMB monthly salary was regarded on the top in professional identity,while those whose monthly salary were under 2 500 RMB was in the lowest level (F=42.275,P＜0.01).(5)The result of linear regression indicated that the degree of professional identity can forecast the degree of subjective well-being(R =0.534,P＜0.01).Conclusion The professional identity of railway young works was affected by their ages,the length of service,the educational degree and salary,The professional identity can forecast subjective well-being.

Knowledge and Experiences of Risks among Pupils in Vocational Education

BACKGROUND: Young male and female workers are over-represented in statistics concerning negative outcomes of poor work environment and risky work. Young workers often have low awareness of risk, a lack of safety training, and inadequate introduction to the work. The aim of this study was to identify the knowledge and experiences of pupils of vocational schools concerning potential work environment risks in their future work. METHODS: The study design was a dual one, and included a questionnaire and focus group interviews. The study group consisted of 239 pupils from 10 upper secondary schools, who were graduating pupils in four vocational programs: the Industrial Technology Programme, the Restaurant Management and Food Programme, the Transport Programme, and the Handicraft Programme (in which students specialize in wood products). The upper secondary schools were located in the central region of Sweden. RESULTS: The pupils had limited knowledge that employers must, by law, conduct risk analyses and prevent risks. Many felt that they themselves are mainly responsible for performing their tasks safely. Pupils in all programs mentioned acute risk as the greatest risk at work. The theoretical education about safety at work was provided in the 1st year of the 3-year vocational programs. CONCLUSION: A systematic approach to pupils' training in work environment, which is a basis for a safe and healthy workplace, is lacking. The study findings indicate that pupils are offered knowledge far from that intended by laws and by state-of-the-art occupational health risk research.

Characteristics of young workers' basic psychological needs and its relationship with index of well-being / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To explore the current situation of basic psychological needs satisfaction (BPNS) and the relationship between index of well-being and BPNS among young workers in China.Methods The samples consisting of 5972 young workers were selected by stratified and random sampling according to the proportion.The Chinese vision of the Basic Needs Satisfaction in General Scale and the Index of Well-being Scale were used.Results The overall situation of BPNS of young workers (4.36 ± 0.71) was good,satisfied state of relatedness need (SSRN,4.70 ± 1.05) was the highest,satisfied state of autonomy need (SSAN,3.96 ± 1.21) and blocked state of autonomy need (BSAN,4.08 ± 1.17) were lower,blocked state of relatedness need (BSRN,3.20 ± 1.26) was the lowest; education and income had interaction on SSRN (F0.05(6.5948) =4.068,P ＜ 0.01)while there was no difference between gender on all of the dimensions.Pearson correlation analysis showed that all the dimensions of BPNS were significantly related to the index of well-being;and linear regression analysis showed that SSAN,SSRN and BSAN could forecast the index of well-being (adjR2 =0.339),β =0.457,0.186,-0.102 respectively.Conclusion The overall situation of BPNS of young workers is good ; and adjustment of SSAN,SSRN and BSAN could improve the index of well-being of young workers.

Experiências ocupacionais no desenvolvimento de carreira de jovens trabalhadores / Occupational experiences in the career development of young workers / Experiencias ocupacionales en el desarrollo de carrera de jóvenes trabajadores

Este estudo buscou compreender o papel do trabalho na transformação do autoconceito vocacional e na realização de tarefas de exploração segundo a teoria de Donald Super. A análise de conteúdo de entrevistas com 2 moças e 4 rapazes de camadas populares entre 17 e 20 anos contemplou questões sobre interesses, características e habilidades pessoais, valores e escolhas profissionais. As tarefas vocacionais foram categorizadas por dois juízes e o índice de concordância estatística de Kappa foi de 87% (p<0,001). As experiências de trabalho favoreceram mudanças no autoconceito e o aprendizado de habilidades e atitudes. Elas contribuíram, modestamente, para o desenvolvimento vocacional deles. O valor atribuído pelos jovens à obtenção de uma ocupação e sua manutenção nela permitem compreender estes resultados.

This study aimed to investigate the role that work plays in the change of vocational self-concepts of low-class young workers and in performing exploratory tasks according to Donald Super’s theory. The content analysis of interviews conducted with 2 young women and 4 young men between 17 and 20 years old, involved issues like interests, personal characteristics and skills, values and career choices. Vocational tasks were categorized by two specialist and the Kappa index of statistical agreeableness was of 87% (p<0,001). Work experiences were seen to favor changes in self-concept as well as learning attitudes and skills. They contributed modestly, however, towards their vocational development. The importance the young workers attributed to getting and maintaining an occupation help to understand those results.

Este estudio buscó comprender el papel del trabajo en la transformación del autoconcepto vocacional y en la realización de tareas de exploración según la teoría de Donald Super. El análisis de contenido de entrevistas con 2 chicas y 4 muchachos de sectores populares de entre 17 y 20 años contempló cuestiones sobre intereses, características y habilidades personales, valores y elecciones profesionales. Las tareas vocacionales fueron categorizadas por dos jueces y el índice de concordancia estadística de Kappa fue de 87% (p<0,001). Las experiencias de trabajo favorecieron cambios en el autoconcepto y en el aprendizaje de habilidades y actitudes. Y contribuyeron, modestamente, para el desarrollo vocacional de ellos. El valor atribuido por los jóvenes a la obtención de una ocupación y su permanencia en ella permiten comprender estos resultados.