Migrant Workers and Indian Labor Legislation: A Review

This article highlights the relevance of the two important Indian labor legislations in relation to migrant workers. A few observed gaps in these legislations are discussed. The article addresses the research questions and objectives through an understanding of both the laws. ISMA and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions code (2020) (OSH). The identified gaps in these legislations could be a reason for their ineffectiveness at critical situations like the crisis caused by the Covid 19 lockdown. The study takes a timely review to bring some suggestions to enhance the applicability and effectiveness of the upcoming Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code 2020.

The Evolution of the Normative Regulation in Hospital Safety and Security

The aim of the law is to ensure personal, material and organisational conditions for safe work without endangering human health, to prevent work accidents and occupational diseases by defining the rights and obligations of the state, employers and employees. Since 2003, the concept of occupational safety and health commissioning has been included in the law, which plays a prominent role in the commissioning of dangerous technology or work equipment in health care. [...]of the epidemic, not only the so-called back office area, but also in patient care, the concept of remote work appeared in the field of telemedicine, and some other areas, such as in the case of finding analysis. According to the legislation, the employer must register and Investigate all accidents at work. [...]of this, a wave of insourcing started and in several health institutions they started to employ their own doormen again, wh ich raises further problems.

The Other Side of the Balance Sheet: Work as a Fundamental Determinant of Health

The article discusses a study from Gaffney and colleagues, published within the issue which provides evidence for the fundamental role that workplace transmission played in differences in the risk of COVID-19 infection. Topics include the impact of occupational transmission of COVID-19;reasons for the denial on the role of work in the risk of disease, injury and death;and means by which work as a fundamental determinant of health can be targeted.

Seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in high-risk occupational and low-risk groups in southwestern Iran

Background: Monitoring the spread of SARS-CoV-2 has been considered by the World Health Organization (WHO). We examined the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin antibodies in southwestern Iran in spring 2020. The circulation of SARS-CoV-2 is high in the general population, especially among health care workers (HCWs) who are in close contact with patients. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antigen in high-risk occupational and low-risk groups to investigate risk factors for serum positivity in Shiraz, southwestern Iran. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was performed on 366 participants (204 from high-risk and 162 from low-risk subjects). IgG and IgM antibodies were detected using Pishtaz Teb COVID-19 ELISA Kits to evaluate SARS-CoV-2-antigen in serum samples. After enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), serum prevalence, as well as IgG/IgM positive factors, was determined using logistic regression. Results: From July to September 2020 (a few months after reporting the first case of COVID-19 cases in Iran), out of 366 survived people, 72 (40.9%) were IgG positive, and 50 (27.5%) were IgM positive. The frequency of positive serology for IgG and IgM antibodies in individuals aged < 30 years was higher in the low-risk group than in the high-risk group. Multivariate logistic regression showed that headache (OR 0.312 [95% CI: 0.136 - 0.717]) and cough (OR 0.427 [95% CI: 0.182 - 1.004]) factors were associated with IgG or IgM positive serology. Conclusions: Between July and September 2020, the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antigen was high in Shiraz. The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG/IgM antibodies in the high-risk group and their family as low risk was shown to increase viral infection due to close contact with COVID 19 patients than in the general population. Several factors were found to be related to the prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antigen that needs to be considered by policymakers to determine what to do about the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Impact of nasal photodisinfection on SARS-CoV-2 infection in an industrial workplace.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate a quality improvement initiative designed to control SARS-CoV-2 (COVID) using the large-scale deployment of antimicrobial photodisinfection therapy (aPDT) for nasal decolonization in a Canadian industrial workplace (a food processing plant). Study design: Using a retrospective chart review of treatment questionnaires, linked to COVID laboratory testing results, a quality improvement assessment was analyzed to determine treatment effectiveness and safety. Methods: This voluntary aPDT intervention involved the administration of a light-sensitive liquid to the nose followed by nonthermal red-light irradiation on a weekly basis. Employees in food processing industries are at increased risk for COVID infection due to the nature of their work environments. In an effort to mitigate the transmission and consequences of the disease among such workers and the community at large, aPDT was added to a well-established bundle of pre-existing pandemic safety measures (e.g., mask-wearing, testing, contact tracing, workplace-engineered barriers, increased paid sick leave). Results: From December 2020 to May 2021, we found high interest in and compliance with aPDT treatment, along with a statistically significant lower PCR test positivity rate in the study population in comparison to the case rates for the local Canadian province. Treatment safety monitoring and outcomes of the aPDT program demonstrated no serious adverse events. Conclusions: This study suggests nasal photodisinfection provides safe and effective COVID viral suppression when deployed across the majority of workers in an industrial workplace setting.

WE CAN IMPACT WORKER WELL-BEING

Since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, the term "well-being" has been cited in many media reports as well as in our conversations at work, at home and within our communities. To help us better understand this idea, RAND Corp. and NIOSH published an article in 2018, "Expanding the Paradigm of Occupational Safety and Health: A New Framework for Worker Well-Being" (https://bit.ly/41A6I36), that highlights five domains that are critical in this context and on which we have differing levels of influence: 1. workplace physical environment and safety climate 2. workplace policies and culture 3. health status 4. work evaluation and experience 5. home, community and society The research was also the foundation for NIOSH's WellBQ questionnaire (https://bit.ly/NIOSH-WellBQ). Similar to the NIOSH framework, leaders should review program elements such as workplace culture, work-life balance and wellness programs. *Step 3.

COVID-19 exposure setting, social and gender determinants in a Mediterranean region

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of social and gender determinants, which influence the places where people are exposed to COVID-19, may be relevant in the development of preventive and control strategies. The aim of this paper was to determine the context in which COVID-19 cases were infected (household, work/labor, health, social-health, and social-leisure settings) according to country of origin, occupational social class and gender, which is essential in order to designing public health strategies. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of an epidemiological registry of 56,628 COVID-19 incident cases was made, whose exposure/ contagion setting was studied according to the previous variables from June 15 to December 23, 2020, in the Region of Murcia (Spain). An exact Fisher test was used to study the distribution of COVID-19 cases based on the above variables. RESULTS: The cumulative incidence was higher in people from Africa (5,133.5 cases/100,000 inhabitants) and Latin America (11,351.1) than in non-immigrants (3,145.7). It was also higher in women (3,885.6) than in men (3,572.6). It is noteworthy, that 53.3% of the cases with employment were workers in industry or construction, artisans, agricultural workers, or elementary occupations. In contrast, during the second semester of 2020, 41.3% of the employed population in the Region of Murcia performed such jobs. The household was the main exposure setting (56.5% of cases with a known setting), followed by social-leisure (20.7%) and work/labor (18.2%). The labor settings were more important in immigrants from Africa (28.4%) and Latin America (35.7%) than in non-immigrants (12%), inversely to social-leisure settings. Labor context was more important in women (19.6%) than in men (16.5%) and in manual workers (44.1%) than in non-manual workers (26.6%). CONCLUSIONS: The context in which COVID-19 cases were infected is different according to social inequalities related to country of origin, gender and occupational social class.

WORKER WELL-BEING: Transforming From a Traditional to a More Holistic OSH Program

[...]in 1996, with campus president support, an umbrella safety council was created that includes representation of both OSH and non-OSH activities. Over time, the non-OSH representation has expanded, incorporating representatives from areas such as human resources, building facilities management, employee assistance and wellness, mental health, environmental waste management, campus security and disaster preparedness. With the safety councils support, the wellness and employee assistance programs conducted focus group discussions and determined a major cause of the observed stress was rooted in personal financial management challenges. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the safety council members became concerned about the overall well-being of the university community and, as such, assisted in the conduct of two waves of a campus-wide survey measuring aspects such as mental health, well-being concerns about COVID-19, personal finance worries and accessing reliable sources of information.

Basic needs of the first batch of medical staff in the fever clinic of Peking union medical college hospital during Coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak: A qualitative study.

Objective The objective of this study was to investigate the basic needs of medical staff during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in a fever clinic, so as to provide a reference for the global epidemic medical teams. Methods A semi-structured qualitative interview outline was designed, including: (1) work level: Working hours, working intensity, and safety guarantee in a fever clinic;(2)life level: Diet, sleep, and physical comfort;(3)psychological level: Emotion, pressure, coping style, and interpersonal resources. The basic needs of the first batch of the fever clinic in Peking Union Medical College Hospital was studied by open telephone interviews. Results A total of 37 medical staff were interviewed, including 8 males (21.6%) and 29 females (78.4%). Among them, there were 16 doctors (43.2%), 19 nurses (51.4%), and 2 medical technicians (5.4%). In terms of work settings, the ideal continuous working time was 4-6 hours per shift. There should be pro re nata positions during extremely high workload, and sufficient personal protective equipment was the key to safety. In terms of living conditions, providing meals according to different shifts was important for dietary needs, and sleeping pills were temporarily needed for sleep. In terms of psychological reactions, nervousness and worrying were relatively common. Family and colleagues were important resources of support. Sport could help relieve physical and psychological stress, and psychological support from psychologists was helpful in reducing their negative emotions. Conclusions The basic needs of medical staff should be respected so as to keep the efficacy of their work. We suggest that medical staff can rest after each 4-6 h working shift. Personal protective equipment should be sufficient. Psychological support should be noted in all of them and provided when necessary.Copyright © 2021, Peking Union Medical College Hospital. All rights reserved.

Beliefs and care practices around COVID-19 in railway personnel in Argentina

Objective: to characterize the situation of railway workers regarding their beliefs and practices of occupational health care in the context of COVID-19. The "ASPO", decreed on 03/20/2020 in Argentina, recognizes public passenger transport as an essential service. Public transport systems are high-risk contexts since they transport large numbers of people in a confined space, with limited ventilation, many common contact surfaces and few possibilities of identifying people infected with coronavirus. Methodology: exploratory-descriptive, quantitative and observational design, with a standardized questionnaire of questions and specific indicators for data collection. The sampling by quotas that was made up of 459 participants from different railway lines. Results 81.4% consider that it is very possible/quite possible to become infected in their workplace, while the home is perceived as the place with the lowest risk of contagion (65.68%). The perception of the feeling of sustained tiredness/listlessness increased by 44%;that of bad mood/irritability/nervousness 46.8%;constant alertness 55.7%;fear of getting sick/dying 39.7%;appetite 40.1%;difficulty sleeping 35.9%;and sexual desire 16.6% while it decreased by 14.4%. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) (Spanish) Objetivo: caracterizar la situacion de los trabajadores ferroviarios respecto de sus creencias y practicas de cuidado de la salud laboral en el contexto de la COVID-19. El Aislamiento Social Preventivo Obligatorio, decretado el 20/03/2020 en Argentina, reconoce al transporte publico de pasajeros como servicio esencial. Los sistemas de transporte publico son contextos de alto riesgo ya que transportan un gran numero de personas en un espacio confinado, con ventilacion limitada, gran cantidad de superficies comunes de contacto y escasas posibilidades de identificar personas contagiadas de coronavirus. Metodologia: diseno exploratorio-descriptivo, cuantitativo y observacional, con un cuestionario estandarizado de preguntas e indicadores especificos para la recoleccion de datos. El muestreo por cuotas quedo conformado por 459 participantes de diferentes lineas del ferrocarril. Resultados: el 81,4% considera que es muy posible/bastante posible contagiarse en su lugar de trabajo, mientras el hogar se percibe como el lugar de menor riego de contagio (65,68%). La percepcion sobre la sensacion de cansancio sostenido/desgano aumento un 44%;la de mal humor/irritabilidad/nerviosismo 46,8%;el estado de alerta constante 55,7%;el miedo a enfermar/morir 39,7%;el apetito 40,1%;la dificultad para dormir 35,9%;y el deseo sexual 16,6% mientras que disminuyo en el 14.4%. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Ambulatory visits, active component, U.S. Armed Forces, 2021

The aggregate numbers and rates of ambulatory care visits by active component service members in 2021 were the highest of the previous ten years. Most disease and injury categories experienced slight increases in both rates and numbers. From 19% of ambulatory care visits in 2020 to less than 15% in 2021, telehealth contacts were used less frequently. The statistics for 2021 demonstrate a return to pre-pandemic levels, notwithstanding the possibility that the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 was related with declines in the incidence of disease and injury diagnoses in the community of service members seeking ambulatory care. Additionally, the proportions of telehealth-delivered medical encounters have similarly decreased to the lower levels seen before the pandemic. Lessons learned may direct future actions to lower the frequency of disease and harm in the post-pandemic era. This study details the ambulatory health care visits made by active component members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps in 2020 in terms of frequency, rates, trends, and other factors. U.S. service members' ambulatory visits to fixed military and nonmilitary medical treatment facilities (reimbursed through the Military Health System [MHS]) are recorded in standardized, computerized records. The Defense Medical Surveillance System (DMSS), the data source for this report, routinely archives these records for health surveillance purposes. This research excludes ambulatory visits that are not frequently and fully recorded using standardized electronic records (for example, during deployments, field training exercises, or at sea). As in previous MSMR reports, the primary (first-listed) diagnostic position of the visit records was used to categorize all records of ambulatory visits of active component service members according to the first four characters of the ICD-10 codes. In this research, a specific query of the DMSS records was carried out to identify ambulatory visits that were completed via "telehealth" encounters rather than in-person meetings (e.g., via telephone or video conferencing). Most data summaries included both types of encounters and did not make a distinction between them, however due to the rise in telehealth encounter usage during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, changes in the proportions of telehealth encounters were examined.

New Ways to Perform: Employees' Perspective on Remote Work and Psychological Security in the Post-Pandemic Era

With the increasing prevalence of remote work, understanding how it impacts employee perception, psychological safety, and job performance is critical for organisations. This study aims to investigate the relationships among these variables using a cross-sectional quantitative design and a questionnaire consisting of three scales: the Worktango employee sentiment around remote work survey, the Worktango psychological health and safety survey, and Goodman and Svyantek's performance scale. Our sample included 857 participants, both managers and non-managers, from a large insurance company. Our first two hypotheses were confirmed using non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis tests: employee sentiment around remote work as part of hybrid work is more favourable in non-sales fields and among employees who actually work remotely more often. Moreover, we found that psychological safety moderates the relationship between employee sentiment around remote work and work performance. Specifically, we observed that the positive relationship between employee sentiment around remote work and work performance is stronger when psychological safety is high. Overall, our findings contribute to the understanding of how remote work is perceived by employees and its relationship and impact on their psychological safety and job performance. These insights can help organisations develop effective policies and practices for remote work that support their employees' well-being and performance.

Influence of COVID-19 on the work environment of health workers in Ecuador

Introduction: the quality of medical care is directly related to the appropriate work environment and the satisfaction of the health staff. With the appearance of COVID-19, the work environment in health institutions has worsened. Background: to identify the factors that influence the work environment of the public and private health institutions of Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas, Ecuador, during the period June-August 2021. Method: implementation of a study with a quantitative approach of correlational scope and transectional design in 349 health workers, to whom a 25-questions questionnaire was applied, that measured factors such as: contagion risk, working hours, medical resources and job stability. The results of the study were statistically analyzed through SPPS 20 and AMOS 24, with the previous development of Cronbach's alpha. Results: 94% of the participants considered the work environment of their institutions as inappropriate, while 6% said they did not. Females, and ages ranging between 22-35 years predominated. All the variables of the hypothesized model exceeded 0.70 and the total Cronbach's alpha reached 0.728;the hypothesized model met the convergent and discriminant validity of the variables. The risk of contagion yielded a value of beta=0.148, while the working day resulted with beta=0.010, medical resources beta=0.006 and job stability beta=0.007. Conclusions: the findings determined that the risk of contagion is the most influential factor in the work environment of the institutions under study during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ssessment of post-vaccination collective immunity against new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) among servicemen of the armed forces of the Russian Federation

The recent vaccination campaign targeting the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) carried out in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, on the background of the current unstable global pandemic situation, makes it necessary to study post-vaccination population immunity to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and thus identify key features of immunity in organized military collectives. In the future, this will make it possible to objectively assess the risks of a worsening pandemic situation, effectively adjust the ongoing sanitary and anti-epidemic measures aimed at preserving and strengthening the health of military personnel, as one of the main conditions for maintaining the combat readiness of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. During a study conducted on epidemic indications, it was found that vaccination with Gam-Covid-Vac contributes to the formation of collective immunity with 95% effectiveness. A gender-based analysis of the immune response showed that the proportion of persons who lack class G immunoglobulins to SARS-CoV-2 among females is twice than that among men (9.3% and 4.7%, respectively). Seroprevalence indicators, classified by blood group, range from 94.4% (AB (IV) Rh-) to 97.4% (A (II) Rh-). There were no significant differences in seroprevalence between groups of people with different blood groups;however, the highest value of seroprevalence was seen among military personnel with blood group A (II) Rh-. In this context, it is advisable to continue monitoring the formation of immunity in individuals with various blood groups. The results obtained made it possible to form a primary medical and social "portrait" of a serviceman with the most adequate immune response to the introduction of the Gam-Covid-Vac vaccine (a man under the age of 20 with blood type A (II) Rh-) and to draw a conclusion about the high effectiveness of vaccination in military units (formations) staffed by conscripts and military educational organizations.

A study of rural domestic helpers knowledge, attitude, and practice of COVID-19 in Mizoram, India

Background: In times of an epidemic such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the public's knowledge and attitude toward the disease affects the ability to abide to different preventive measures. Aims and Objectives: (1) to assess the knowledge and awareness of the domestic helpers in a tribal population, (2) whether the domestic helpers practice appropriate preventative measures that are recommended by WHO. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was designed and carried out using questionnaire among rural domestic workers in Mizoram, above 14 years of age belonging to both Mizo and Non-Mizo ethnicity. Data were collected from 105 participants and analyzed through t-test, one-way analysis of variance and Pearson correlation analysis. Results: Majority of the respondents had higher secondary level of education (78.1%) and 95.2% could identify COVID-19 as a communicable disease. Almost all the participants (97.1%) were afraid of infection and the majority (92.4%) had fear of dying with the disease. Three-fourth of the participants were working during the pandemic of which 44.8% had volunteered. Media (68.6%) was the most common source of information about the disease. The education level was significantly associated with knowledge and attitude scores whereas there were no significant differences with respect to the practice (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Our findings indicate an overall good KAP of the rural domestic workers. Since these workers move from house to house and also take care of the vulnerable, and that they themselves and the families, they work for may be at an increased risk of infection with COVID-19, these findings are important from a health campaign perspective.

Epidemiological survey of an epidemic of COVID-19 due to occupational exposure in Qinghai, 2021

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of an epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by occupational exposure in Xining, Qinghai province, from October 17 to November 2, 2021 and provide evidence for the prevention and control of COVID-19 epidemic. Methods: In accordance with the requirements of the COVID-19 prevention and control protocol (eighth edition), epidemiological survey and field response were conducted and throat swabs were collected from the confirmed cases and close contacts. Real time-PCR(RT-PCR) was used to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) nucleic acid. Gene sequencing was performed for the throat swabs of partial confirmed cases by high throughput sequencing. Results: A total of 11 COVID-19 cases were reported in this epidemic, including 3 cases in a family and 8 cases in medical staff. Nine cases were women, 2 cases were men. The cases in epidemic had 3 generations. The average incubation period was 3.18 day. The infection was mainly occurred in working place. The risk factors included sharing telephone, computer and other office equipment. The initial symptoms were cough (10 cases, 90.97%). Unstandardized taking off protective suit in field epidemiological survey and inappropriate design of waterproof boot cover were the main risk factors for the occupational exposure. The SARS-CoV-2 detected belonged to VOC/Delta variant. Conclusion: This epidemic was caused by occupational exposure. It is suggested to strengthen the field supervision and guide of the wearing of protective suits, improve the design of waterproof boot cover and reduce the contacts of field workers with others.

Public Opinion Mining on Construction Health and Safety: Latent Dirichlet Allocation Approach

The construction industry has been experiencing many occupational accidents as working on construction sites is dangerous. To reduce the likelihood of accidents, construction companies share the latest construction health and safety news and information on social media. While research studies in recent years have explored the perceptions towards these companies' social media pages, there are no big data analytic studies conducted on Instagram about construction health and safety. This study aims to consolidate public perceptions of construction health and safety by analyzing Instagram posts. The study adopted a big data analytics approach involving visual, content, user, and sentiment analyses of Instagram posts (n = 17,835). The study adopted the Latent Dirichlet Allocation, a kind of machine learning approach for generative probabilistic topic extraction, and the five most mentioned topics were: (a) training service, (b) team management, (c) training organization, (d) workers' work and family, and (e) users' action. Besides, the Jaccard coefficient co-occurrence cluster analysis revealed: (a) the most mentioned collocations were ‘construction safety week', ‘safety first', and ‘construction team', (b) the largest clusters were ‘safety training', ‘occupational health and safety administration', and ‘health and safety environment', (c) the most active users were ‘Parallel Consultancy Ltd.', ‘Pike Consulting Group', and ‘Global Training Canada', and (d) positive sentiment accounted for an overwhelming figure of 85%. The findings inform the industry on public perceptions that help create awareness and develop preventative measures for increased health and safety and decreased incidents.