The impact of emotional contagion on workplace safety: Investigating the roles of sleep, health, and production pressure.

Using emotional contagion theory and the Job Demands-Resources model as a theoretical foundation, we tested the proposition that higher levels of contagion of anger (i.e., a demand) vs. higher levels of contagion of joy (i.e., a resource) will be associated respectively with more vs. fewer sleep disturbances and health problems, which in turn are related to more workplace accidents and injuries. Moreover, we examined the moderating impact of production pressure (i.e., a contextual demand) on the relationship between emotional contagion and employee poor sleep and health. Data from 1000 employees in Italy showed that the conditional indirect effects of contagion of anger, but not of joy, on accidents and injuries via sleep and health problems were intensified as levels of production pressure increased. Furthermore, contagion of anger was positively associated with both sleep disturbances and health problems whereas contagion of joy was negatively related to only sleep disturbances. These findings suggest that the effect of anger that employees absorb during social interactions at work likely persists when coming at home and represents an emotional demand that impairs the physiological functions that regulate restorative sleep and energies recharging; and, this effect is even stronger among employees who perceived higher levels of organizational production pressure.

Power Distance Belief and Workplace Communication: The Mediating Role of Fear of Authority.

Power distance is the degree of acceptance of unequal distribution of power in societies. In a high power distance context, the acceptance of inequality conflicts with the operation of modern organizations, which causes obstacles to workplace communication or even triggers workplace accidents due to ineffective communication. We conducted four studies (N = 1063) to explore the relations between and mechanisms of power distance belief and workplace communication. In Study 1, the participants with high power distance belief had ineffective workplace communication-specifically ineffective communication with superiors-but no difference in communication with subordinates and colleagues. We further focused on the mechanism underlying the relationship between power distance belief and communication with superiors. A questionnaire study (Study 2) was conducted in three stages over a three-month period, and an experimental study (Study 3) indicated that fear of authority mediated the negative effect of high power distance on communication with superiors. A cross-culture study (Study 4) re-tested the hypotheses among Chinese and U.S. participants. This research provides insight into the mechanisms that explain the relationship between power distance belief and workplace communication, indicating that fear of authority is significant. Organizations should pay attention to power distance belief and fear of authority, as they may lead to workplace accidents due to communication disasters.

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Workplace Accidents in Korea.

(1) Background: Although the number of people infected with COVID-19 has increased over time, its effects on workplace accidents are still poorly understood. On the one hand, COVID-19 can reduce workplace accidents through contracted economic activities or changes in work methods. On the other hand, it can increase workplace accidents by spreading in the workplace. The main purpose of this paper is to examine how COVID-19 affected workplace accidents in Korea during the early part of the pandemic. (2) Methods: This paper utilizes the administrative data on workplace accidents in Korea collected by Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency. In particular, we use monthly data from February 2016 to August 2020. This period was chosen to rule out the effect from the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome outbreak in 2015 and to include COVID-19 effects in 2020, given the available data. To examine the impact of COVID-19 on workplace injury and illness, we estimate fixed effects regression models, allowing us to control for group and time effects. (3) Results: COVID-19 was generally found to reduce workplace accidents in Korea, particularly through a reduction in occupational diseases. However, we also found that COVID-19 increased occupational injuries for males and workers in the transportation industry. We provide some evidence that these workers experienced an increase in workload and were unable to change work methods including working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. (4) Conclusions: Our results indicate that to reduce workplace accidents, government interventions should be directed at workers who are unable to change work methods and who are likely to suffer an increase in work burden due to COVID-19.

Sleep problems are related to commuting accidents rather than to workplace accidents.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to verify the relationships between sleep problems and both commuting and workplace accidents in workers of both sexes. METHODS: The study was carried out with a sample of workers (n = 2993; 50.2% female) from the Chilean Quality of Life Survey (ENCAVI) 2015-2016, while the rates of both workplace and commuting accidents were extracted from the statistics of the Superintendence of Social Security (SUSESO 2015; 180,036 and 52,629 lost-time accidents, respectively). RESULTS: Chilean workers sleep less than the rest of the people in the country (MW = 7.14 vs. MO = 7.33; t (6789) = - 5.19; p < .001), while the Chilean people as a whole sleep less compared to those of other countries (7.24 h per day). Likewise, it was found that sleep problems are more strongly related to commuting than to workplace accidents. In this vein, sleep quantity can explain 24% of the variance in commuting accidents' rates (Stepwise Method; R2 = .30, F (1.14) = 5.49, p < .05; ß = -.55, p < .05), by using aggregated data with all types of commuting roles (driver of a vehicle, a passenger of public or private transport, or as a pedestrian). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that sleep quantity has a more robust relationship with commuting than workplace accidents, a neglected issue so far. Future prevention programs should emphasize sleep hygiene and focus on commuting to and from work.

Associations Between Adverse Underwater Events and ADHD Diagnosis Among Military Divers.

Objective: Adult ADHD (A-ADHD) has been associated with an increased risk of accidents and workplace injuries. ADHD within professional diving may have major potential occupational health and safety implications, as accidents underwater may have severe consequences. The study investigated any association of increased risk for adverse underwater incidents with an ADHD diagnosis. Method: This analysis used retrospective records from 156 navy divers and computed an odds ratio using cases of ADHD and cases of underwater accidents. Results: Although the odds ratio was increased, it failed to reach significance. Conclusion: We do not yet have statistical evidence suggesting that the risk for adverse underwater events is significantly increased among the ADHD group in this sample of navy divers. Sufficiently powered studies are required to further address the potential risk of A-ADHD in working divers.

Factors associated with unsafe work behaviours in an Iranian petrochemical company: perspectives of workers, supervisors, and safety managers.

BACKGROUND: The petrochemical industry is hazardous, in part because of the inherently dangerous nature of the work conducted, and incidents frequently result in significant financial and social losses. The most common immediate cause of incidents and injuries in this industry is unsafe worker behaviour. Identifying the factors encouraging unsafe work behaviours is the first step in taking action to discourage them. The aim of this study was to (a) explore workers', supervisors' and safety managers' attitudes and perceptions of safety in a petrochemical company in Iran, and (b) identify the factors that discourage safe work behaviours. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted by applying the steps described by Graneheim and Lundman (2004). Twenty participants were recruited from an Iranian petrochemical company using a multi-stage approach, with initial purposive sampling followed by snowball sampling to enhance recruitment. Individual face-to-face and semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain an in-depth understanding of factors acting as barriers to safe behaviour. The interviews were recorded and transcribed in Persian and then translated into English. Conventional content analysis was performed. RESULTS: The main themes emerging from the interviews were: (i) poor direct safety management and supervision; (ii) unsafe workplace conditions; (iii) workers' perceptions, skills and training; and (iv) broader organisational factors. CONCLUSIONS: The findings give insights into practical organisational measures that can be implemented by management to promote workers' commitment to safety and engage in safe behaviours in their workplace. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials: IRCT20170515033981N2 . Retrospectively registered 19 June 2018.

Acidentes de trabalho entre profissionais da limpeza hospitalar em uma capital do Nordeste, Brasil / Workplace accidents among hospital cleaning professionals at a hospital in the city of Maranhão, Brazil

Resumo O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a prevalência e os fatores associados aos acidentes de trabalho entre profissionais da limpeza hospitalar. Foram entrevistados 199 trabalhadores da limpeza de seis hospitais em São Luís, Maranhão, Brasil. Primeiramente, realizou-se análise univariada e, posteriormente, utilizaram-se as análises de regressão de Poisson com variância robusta, com modelagem hierarquizada dos dados a fim de estimar razões de prevalências (RP) entre as variáveis independentes e o desfecho (acidentes de trabalho). Houve prevalência de 13,57% de acidentes de trabalho, destes, 81,48% ocorridos com materiais perfurocortantes. Ao final da análise multivariada, identificaram-se fatores associados á ocorrência de acidentes de trabalho: idade de 18 a 30 anos, ter ensino médio incompleto, tempo de serviço de 2 a 5 anos, segregação inadequada dos resíduos de serviços de saúde (RSS), ter capacitação somente na admissão, não considerar os riscos dos resíduos à saúde e o não uso de equipamento de proteção individual (EPI). Os fatores avaliados apresentaram-se associados significativamente aos acidentes de trabalho e ressaltam a importância da educação permanente em saúde, com ênfase em capacitações periódicas e uso de EPI.

Abstract The goal of this study was to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with workplace accidents among hospital cleaning professionals. This is a cross-sectional, analytical study of a sample of 199 cleaning workers at six hospitals in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. We first ran a univariate analysis, and later the Poisson regression analyzes with robust variance were used, with hierarchized modeling of the data in order to estimate the prevalence ratios (PR) between the independent variables and the outcome (workplace accidents). The prevalence of workplace accidents is 13.57%, 81.48% of them with sharps. At the end of the multivariate analysis the following were found to be associated with workplace accidents: age between 18 and 30, not having a high-school degree, on the job for 2 to 5 years, inadequate segregation of health service waste (HSW), training only on admission, failure to consider the health hazards of hospital waste and failure to use personal protective equipment (PPE). Our findings reinforce the importance of continued health education, stressing periodic training and the use of PPE.

Cognitive failures in response to emotional contagion: Their effects on workplace accidents.

The purpose of this study was to examine contagion of positive and negative emotions among employees as an antecedent of cognitive failures and subsequent workplace accidents. Using emotional contagion theory and the neural model of emotion and cognition, we tested the proposition that higher contagion of anger (i.e., a negative emotion accompanied by dysfunctional cognition) would be associated with greater cognitive failures, whereas higher contagion of joy (i.e., a positive emotion accompanied by pleasant information processing, attention and positive cognition) would be associated with fewer cognitive failures. In turn, cognitive failures were predicted to be related to higher rates of subsequent workplace accidents. Using a two-wave lagged design, anonymous survey data collected from N = 390 working adults in the U.S. supported the hypothesized mediation model. Specifically, emotional contagion of anger positively predicted cognitive failures, whereas emotional contagion of joy negatively predicted cognitive failures. Furthermore, cognitive failures positively predicted experienced accidents and fully mediated the relationship between contagion of joy/anger and experienced accidents. These findings suggest that lapses in cognitive functioning may be prevented by positive emotions (and enhanced by negative emotions) that employees absorb during social interactions at work and represent a more proximal source of accidents in comparison to emotions. Theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed in light of the globally rising rates of workplace accidents and related costs for safety.

Digging deeper into the shared variance among safety-related climates: the need for a general safety climate measure.

We combined three independent streams of workplace climate research, safety, violence prevention, and civility, to devise a general safety climate scale that explicitly addressed a variety of risks. A confirmatory factor analysis suggested that a higher-order factor may be responsible for the similarity in relationships across these safety-related climate measures with exposure to organizational hazards and resulting employee outcomes. As a result, a concise 10-item measure was developed and validated to assess a possible general safety climate factor. Further analyses suggested that the use of a general safety climate measure did not attenuate the relationships with workplace hazards and employee outcomes. Although different safety-related climate variables may be theoretically distinct, there may not be a measurable benefit in promoting one form of climate over others. Future studies should consider employing the general safety climate measure in place of domain-specific climate measures, unless the domain-specific climate is solely of interest.

Temporary jobs and the severity of workplace accidents.

INTRODUCTION: From the point of view of workplace safety, it is important to know whether having a temporary job has an effect on the severity of workplace accidents. We present an empirical analysis on the severity of workplace accidents by type of contract. METHOD: We used microdata collected by the Italian national institute managing the mandatory insurance against work related accidents. We estimated linear models for a measure of the severity of the workplace accident. We controlled for time-invariant fixed effects at worker and firm levels to disentangle the impact of the type of contract from the spurious one induced by unobservables at worker and firm levels. RESULTS: Workers with a temporary contract, if subject to a workplace accident, were more likely to be confronted with severe injuries than permanent workers. When correcting the statistical analysis for injury under-reporting of temporary workers, we found that most of, but not all, the effect is driven by the under-reporting bias. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of temporary contracts on the injury severity survived the inclusion of worker and firm fixed effects and the correction for temporary workers' injury under-reporting. This, however, does not exclude the possibility that, within firms, the nature of the work may vary between different categories of workers. For example, temporary workers might be more likely to be assigned dangerous tasks because they might have less bargaining power. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The findings will help in designing public policy effective in increasing temporary workers' safety at work and limiting their injury under-reporting.

Unions, Health and Safety Committees, and Workplace Accidents in the Korean Manufacturing Sector.

BACKGROUND: Despite the declining trend of workplace accidents in Republic of Korea, its level is still quite high compared with that in other developed countries. Factors that are responsible for high workplace accidents have not been well documented in Republic of Korea. The main purpose of this paper is to estimate the effects of unions and health and safety committees on workplace accidents in Korean manufacturing firms. We also allow for the interactions between unions and health and safety committees in the analysis. The results obtained in this paper will not only contribute to the literature in this field, but might also be useful for employers and worker representatives who are trying to find an effective way to reduce workplace accidents. METHODS: This paper utilizes the 2012 Occupational Safety and Health Trend Survey data, which is a unique data set providing information on workplace injuries and illness as well as other characteristics of participatory firms, representative of the manufacturing industry in Republic of Korea. RESULTS: In estimating the effects of unions and health and safety committees, we build a negative binomial regression model in which the interactions between unions and health and safety committees are permissible in reducing workplace accidents. CONCLUSION: Health and safety committees were found to reduce the incidence of accidents whereas unionized establishments have higher incidence of accidents than nonunionized establishments. We also found that health and safety committees can more effectively reduce accidents in nonunionized establishments. By contrast, nonexclusive joint committees can more effectively reduce accidents in unionized establishments.

A test of safety, violence prevention, and civility climate domain-specific relationships with relevant workplace hazards.

BACKGROUND: Safety climate, violence prevention climate, and civility climate were independently developed and linked to domain-specific workplace hazards, although all three were designed to promote the physical and psychological safety of workers. PURPOSE: To test domain specificity between conceptually related workplace climates and relevant workplace hazards. METHODS: Data were collected from 368 persons employed in various industries and descriptive statistics were calculated for all study variables. Correlational and relative weights analyses were used to test for domain specificity. RESULTS: The three climate domains were similarly predictive of most workplace hazards, regardless of domain specificity. DISCUSSION: This study suggests that the three climate domains share a common higher order construct that may predict relevant workplace hazards better than any of the scales alone.

Unions, Health and Safety Committees, and Workplace Accidents in the Korean Manufacturing Sector

BACKGROUND: Despite the declining trend of workplace accidents in Republic of Korea, its level is still quite high compared with that in other developed countries. Factors that are responsible for high workplace accidents have not been well documented in Republic of Korea. The main purpose of this paper is to estimate the effects of unions and health and safety committees on workplace accidents in Korean manufacturing firms. We also allow for the interactions between unions and health and safety committees in the analysis. The results obtained in this paper will not only contribute to the literature in this field, but might also be useful for employers and worker representatives who are trying to find an effective way to reduce workplace accidents. METHODS: This paper utilizes the 2012 Occupational Safety and Health Trend Survey data, which is a unique data set providing information on workplace injuries and illness as well as other characteristics of participatory firms, representative of the manufacturing industry in Republic of Korea. RESULTS: In estimating the effects of unions and health and safety committees, we build a negative binomial regression model in which the interactions between unions and health and safety committees are permissible in reducing workplace accidents. CONCLUSION: Health and safety committees were found to reduce the incidence of accidents whereas unionized establishments have higher incidence of accidents than nonunionized establishments. We also found that health and safety committees can more effectively reduce accidents in nonunionized establishments. By contrast, nonexclusive joint committees can more effectively reduce accidents in unionized establishments.

A comparison of random and post-accident urine opiate and opioid tests.

Opioid use is associated with poor reaction time, attention, balance and memory posing a potential threat to workplace safety. The purpose of this study is to determine if there is a statistical association between opiate/opioid use and work related accidents as measured by urine drug tests by comparing the proportion of opiate/opioid laboratory positive urine specimens for postaccident verses random samples. The prevalence of laboratory positive opiate/opioid tests, the odds ratio, Fisher's exact probability test and the population attributable risk were calculated for each comparison. This study found a statistically significant difference for opiate/opioid results favoring the post-accident group.

Caracterización de la accidentalidad laboral reportada por las empresas afiladas a una Administradora de Riesgos Laborales ARL, enero - diciembre, 2011 / Characterization of occupational accidents reported by a sharp Risk Management Labour ARL companies, January - December, 2011

OBJETIVO: describir la accidentalidad laboral en 163.639 registros reportados a una Administradora de Riesgos Laborales durante el año 2011. METODOLOGIA: la exploración de los datos incluyó análisis univariado, or con su respectivo valor de significancia p (aceptado cuando fue menor a 0,05) y un modelo de regresión logística "Wald hacia adelante" con las variables que se comportaron como factores de riesgo y factores protectores. RESULTADOS: El 86,7% de los trabajadores accidentados fueron hombres, el 96,5% de los accidentes de trabajo fue clasificado como propio del trabajo, el 15,0% de los accidentes mortales se ubicó en la explotación carbonera y 469 accidentes de trabajo fueron mortales. Una de las principales dificultades en el análisis de la información se relacionó con la forma en que se consignan las variables en las bases de datos de accidentalidad. El modelo de regresión logística proporcionó información de algunas de las variables que explicaron con más fuerza el accidente de trabajo mortal: sexo masculino (OR: 6,0 IC 95%: 3,7 - 9,8); accidentarse laboralmente por tránsito (OR: 3,2 IC 95% 2,4 - 4,2); accidentarse laboralmente por violencia (OR: 6,1 IC 95%: 4,6 - 8,3) y lesión por asfixia (OR: 12,1 IC 95%: 5,5 - 26,7). CONCLUSION: van orientadas hacia el mejoramiento en el manejo de la información, para tener un panorama más completo de la accidentalidad laboral con el fin de plantear otros tipos de análisis.

OBJECTIVE:to describe 163,639 records of accidents at the workplace reported to an occupational risk management company in 2011. METHODOLOGY: the exploration of the data included univariate analysis, an or with its respective p value for significance (which was accepted when it was less than 0.05) and a "forward Wald" logistic regression model with variables which behaved as risk and protective factors. RESULTS : 86.7% of the injured workers were men, 96.5% of the accidents were classified as being particular to the job being carried out, 15.0% of the fatal accidents occurred in coal mining activities and 469 of the accidents were fatal. One of the main difficulties in the data analysis processwas related to the way in which variables are recorded intoaccident databases.The logistic regression model provided information on some of the variables that most strongly explained fatal work accidents: male gender (or: 6.0, 95% CI 3.7 to 9.8); having transportation-related work accidents (or: 3.2 95% CI 2.4 to 4.2); having violence-related work accidents (or: 6.1, 95% CI 4.6 to 8.3) and asphyxia injury (or: 12.1 95 %: 5.5 to 26.7). CONCLUSION: focus on improving information management in order to get a bigger picture on thestudied issue so that other types of analysis can be proposed.

A metodologia problematizadora na prevenção de acidentes em central de material e esterilizaçao / Problematizing methodology in accident prevention in a supply and sterile services center / La metodología problematizadora en la prevención de accidentes en central de material y esterilización

Estudo relata a experiência de educação continuada, pautada na metodologia problematizadora, tendo como cenário o Centro de Material e Esterilização; foi realizada em outubro de 2009 com 18 profissionais de enfermagem e 8 do serviço de higienização. Teve início partindo da observação da realidade laboral dos profissionais a partir da qual emergiram os pontos-chave relacionados a riscos ambientais do trabalho para a teorização, realizada por meio de roda de conversas, exposição de materiais instrucionais e outras dinâmicas de grupo. Após esta etapa, foram constituídas estratégias para suprir as necessidades oriundas da realidade concreta, por fim o conhecimentos (re)formulado foi aplicado em orientações com os pares. A partir dessa experiência, verificou-se que a aplicação da metodologia problematizadora possibilitou um novo modo de pensar, valorizar e aplicar o conhecimento pessoal no cotidiano da unidade...

This study relates an experience of continued education, based on problematizing methodology, which took place in a supplies and sterile services center. It was undertaken in October 2009 with 18 nursing professionals and eight staff from the sterilizing service. Its first stage was observation of the professionals' work reality, from which emerged the key points related to environmental risks at work. Theorization of these points was carried out through discussion groups, the showing of instructional materials, and other group dynamics. After this stage, strategies for supplying the necessities originating in concrete reality and lastly the knowledge (re)-formulated was applied in orientation of peers. As a result of this experience, it was verified that the application of problematizing methodology rendered possible a new way of thinking, valuing and applying personal knowledge in the unit's daily routines...

El estudio relata la experiencia de educación continuada, basada en la metodología problematizadora, que presentó como escenario el Centro de Material y Esterilización; fue realizada en octubre de 2009 con 18 profesionales de enfermería y 8 del servicio de higienización. Tuvo inicio por medio de la observación de la realidad laboral de los profesionales a partir de la cual surgieron los puntos clave relacionados a riesgos ambientales del trabajo para la teorización, realizada por charlas, exposición de materiales instrucionales y otras dinámicas de grupo. Después de esta etapa, fueron compuestas estrategias para suplir las necesidades que vienen de la realidad concreta; por fin los conocimientos (re)formulados fueron aplicados en orientaciones con las parejas. Con esa experiencia, se verificó que la aplicación de la metodología problematizadora posibilitó un nuevo modo de pensar, valorar y aplicar el conocimiento personal en el cotidiano de la unidad...

Trabalho e acidentes no meio rural do Oeste Catarinense - Santa Catarina, Brasil / Agricultural work-related accidents in the west of Santa Catarina, Brazil

Este estudo objetivou verificar a ocorrência de acidentes e características do trabalhador rural do Oeste de Santa Catarina, Brasil. Foram utilizados 60 questionários padronizados, com dados sociodemográficos, de trabalho e acidente laboral. Predominam os chefes de família (60%), com idade entre 41 e 60 anos e os casados (68,3%), com escolaridade média entre 4 a 8 anos, sendo 97% de famílias proprietárias, com área rural acima de 8 hectares representando 83,3%. A jornada semanal de trabalho de 80% dos trabalhadores rurais ultrapassa 40 horas semanais, com 20% de ocorrência de acidentes. Os dados revelam a diversidade de atividades e de riscos ocupacionais e alertam para a urgência na abordagem da vigilância em saúde pública, onde os acidentes de trabalho no meio rural estão a merecer atenção nas políticas sociais brasileiras, além de não participarem das estatísticas oficiais do país.

The aim of the present study was to check the characteristics of agricultural workers and the incidence of work-related accidents in the west of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Sixty patterned questionnaires were used, and data on sociodemographics, work, and workplace accidents were collected. The percentage of household heads aged between 41 and 60 years amounted to 60% and that of married ones totaled 68.3%, with average school attendance between 4 and 8 years; 97% were landowners, among whom 83.3% owned more than 8 hectares. The average weekly workload of 80% of agricultural workers exceeds 40 hours, with a 20% incidence of workplace accidents. These data show the variety of activities and occupational hazards and point out an urgent need for public health surveillance, since accidents involving agricultural workers usually do not appear in the official statistics and still have to be addressed by Brazilian social policies.