The evolution of new and emerging occupational health and safety risks: A qualitative review.

BACKGROUND: Work itself and occupational health and safety (OHS) have evolved through industrial revolutions and will also continue to evolve in the future. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this qualitative literature review was to examine how the scientific discussion on new and emerging risks (NERs) related to OHS has evolved in recent decades in developed and newly industrialized countries. METHODS: A search of the Scopus database yielded 34 articles published before 2000 and from 2020 onwards. RESULTS: A review of the articles identified NERs themes related to changes in work patterns, changing workforce and growth in some sectors, climate change, new materials or increased use of materials, new technology and technological development, and viruses. In both article collection periods, possible adverse OHS effects discussed included musculoskeletal disorders, exposure to toxic agents, chemical compounds and hazardous materials, increased stress, increased likelihood of errors and accidents, psychosocial problems, mental fatigue, and increases in work-related illnesses and accidents. CONCLUSIONS: The articles published during both periods discussed similar themes. The main differences were regarding specific time-related cases, such as climate change and COVID-19. Based on the findings of this review, points to consider in OHS management and future studies are discussed.

Supporting Occupational Health and Safety Risk Assessment Skills: A Case Study of Five Companies.

Financial burden due to poor occupational safety practices remains high although occupational health and safety (OHS) have improved in recent years. Conducting risk assessment is one way to improve OHS. Workplaces may not have sufficient expertise in risk assessment. The aim of this study was to identify the needed OHS risk assessment skills, current support in the workplaces and the ways to improve risk assessment skills. This study was conducted with the Delphi survey for OHS experts (n = 13) and with interviews (n = 41) in the case companies. OHS experts agreed that the most significant skills were for employees to identify hazards and minimize risks in one's work; for supervisors to influence others with a good example; and for OHS experts to understand and manage the wholeness of safety practices and understand and manage the meaning, concepts, and criteria of risk assessment. The current main support methods were learning at work, training and written instructions. However, many of the interviewees felt that they had not received risk assessment training and that the support depended on their activity. Finally, the OHS experts determined that the most feasible ways to improve risk assessment skills were training, coaching and giving clear instructions. Likewise, the interviewees suggested various training methods. Based on these results, concrete development plans to improve risk assessment skills can be made.

The motivation for citizens' involvement in life sciences research is predicted by age and gender.

Open Science is an umbrella term encompassing multiple concepts as open access to publications, open data, open education and citizen science that aim to make science more open and transparent. Citizen science, an important facet of Open Science, actively involves non-scientists in the research process, and can potentially be beneficial for multiple actors, such as scientists, citizens, policymakers and society in general. However, the reasons that motivate different segments of the public to participate in research are still understudied. Therefore, based on data gathered from a survey conducted in Czechia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and the UK (N = 5,870), this study explores five types of incentives that can motivate individuals to become involved in life sciences research. The results demonstrate that men and younger individuals are more persuaded by extrinsic motives (external benefits or rewards), as compared with women and older people, who are driven by intrinsic motives (that originates from within an individual). This paper shows that specific strata of the population are differentially motivated to engage in research, thereby providing relevant knowledge for effectively designing public involvement activities that target various groups of the public in research projects.

Findings and views on occupational safety and health teaching at universities.

BACKGROUND: Young employees have often poorer occupational safety and health (OSH) skills and knowledge than older employees. Efforts should be made at different educational levels to strengthen young employees' OSH skills and knowledge. OBJECTIVE: To analyze OSH perceptions and attitudes among university students and to examine OSH professionals' views on OSH teaching. METHODS: This explorative study employs an iterative multi-method approach, including a paired comparison questionnaire for university students (N = 104) and OSH professionals (N = 40), an OSH questionnaire for university students (N = 130) and a Delphi survey for OSH professionals (N = 26). RESULTS: OSH perceptions and attitudes were found to vary widely among the students and some expressed somewhat stereotypical views about OSH. The results confirm the need to improve OSH education. To that end, the study reports concrete practical ideas from OSH professionals. CONCLUSIONS: The findings confirm the need to augment both the quality and quantity of OSH teaching at university level. Ideas are presented for future OSH teaching, along with recommendations for future studies.

Nurses' competencies in home healthcare: an interview study.

BACKGROUND: Nurses working in Home healthcare (HHC) are facing major challenges since more advanced care and treatment are increasingly being carried out in patients' homes. The aim of this study has been to explore how nurses experience their competencies in HHC situations. METHODS: This study has a qualitative and explorative design. Ten nurses were interviewed and data was analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: The themes "Being a capable nurse", "Being a useful nurse" and "Being a subordinate and dependent nurse" were identified. Nurses want to be capable of taking care of patients, to develop their competencies and to perform their duties in the way required. They also want their work to be useful and to provide good and safe HHC. Finally, nurses want to improve HHC care by applying their competencies. Simultaneously, they are subordinate and dependent in relation to their manager and also dependent upon their manager's interest in encouraging nurses' competence development. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses in HHC are responsible for many seriously ill patients and they want to contribute to good and safe patient care. To maintain patient safety, reduce the risk for burnout and staff turnover as well as to contribute to a sustainable development of the work, strategies for transferring competencies between nurses and efforts for competence development are needed.

Acute exercise does not induce an acute phase response (APR) in Standardbred trotters.

The purpose of the study was to investigate whether acute strenuous exercise (1600- to 2500-m race) would elicit an acute phase response (APR) in Standardbred trotters. Blood levels of several inflammatory markers [serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin, fibrinogen, white blood cell count (WBC), and iron], muscle enzymes [creatinine kinase (CK) and aspartate transaminase (AST)], and hemoglobin were assessed in 58 Standardbred trotters before and after racing. Hemoglobin levels increased and iron levels decreased 12 to 14 h after racing and haptoglobin concentrations, white blood cell counts, and iron levels were decreased 2 and/or 7 d after racing. Concentrations of CK, AST, SAA, and fibrinogen were unaltered in response to racing. Acute strenuous exercise did not elicit an acute phase reaction. The observed acute increase in hemoglobin levels and decreases in haptoglobin and iron levels may have been caused by exercise-induced hemolysis, which indicates that horses might experience a condition similar to athlete's anemia in humans. The pathogenesis and clinical implications of the hematological and blood-biochemical changes elicited by acute exercise in Standardbred trotters in the present study warrant further investigation.

L'objectif de la présente étude est d'investiguer l'effet de l'exercice intensif (1600­2500 m) sur l'apparition d'une phase inflammatoire aigué chez des trotteurs. Les taux sanguins de différents marqueurs inflammatoires [serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobine, fibrinogène, globules blanc (WBC) et fer], d'enzymes musculaires [creatinine kinase (CK) et aspartate transaminase (AST)] et d'hémoglobine ont été évalué dans 58 trotteurs avant et après la course. Respectivement une augmentation et diminution des taux d'hémoglobine et de fer furent présente 12­14 heures suivant la course. Une réduction des taux d'haptoglobine, de globules blanc et de fer était présente 2 et/ou 7 jours après la course. Aucun changement dans les concentrations de CK, AST, SAA et fibrinogène n'a pu être démontre en relation avec la course.L'exercice intense réalise lors de cette étude n'a pu induire de phase inflammatoire aigué. L'augmentation d'hémoglobine et la diminution d'haptoglobine et de fer peuvent être causées par une hémolyse induite par l'exercice, indiquant qu'une condition similaire à l'anémie de l'athlète chez l'homme existe chez le cheval. La pathogénèse et l'implication clinique des modifications hématologiques et biochimiques lié à un exercice intense chez les trotteurs dans la présente étude justifié de plus amples investigations.(Traduit par Docteur Denis Verwilghen).