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The influence of shift work in the use of hearing protection devices

The use of Hearing Protection Devices (HPDs) is still, to this day, the preferred measure by the companies’ decision-makers to prevent workers’ hearing loss. Nevertheless, it is well known that the HPDs’ potential for effective protection is not fully achieved unless these devices are worn during the total amount of time they are needed, in other words, whenever workers are exposed to high levels of noise. Thus, it is of great importance to assess the HPDs’ use, or non-use, by workers. Many factors have been pointed out as being responsible for the non-use of the HPDs by workers, including: lack of motivation, poor training and discomfort. The observation of workers in their real-work context has given rise to the speculation that the use of the devices depends also on the work paradigm. This paper aims at clarifying the relationship between the work done in shifts and the use of HPDs

Ergonomic evaluation of office workplaces with Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA)

The regular use of the computer in the office contributed to the appearance of many risk factors related with work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD) such as maintaining static sitting postures for long time and awkward postures of the head, neck and upper limbs, leading to increased muscle activity in the cervical spine and shoulders. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of risk factors for WRMSD in an office using the Rapid Assessment Office Strain method (ROSA). Based on the results of this ergonomic evaluation, an occupational gym program was designed and implemented. Thirty-eight workplaces were evaluated using the observation of the tasks and pictures records in order to characterize those tasks in more detail. The ROSA tool was applied by an observer, who selected the appropriate score based on the worker's posture as well as the time spent in each posture. Scores were recorded for the sections of the method, specifically Chair, Monitor and Mouse and Keyboard and Telephone. The scores were recorded in a sheet developed for the method. The mean ROSA final score was 3.61 ± 0.64, for Chair section was 3.45 ± 0.55, to Monitor and Telephone section was 3.11 ± 0.61, and to Mouse and Keyboard section was 2.11 ± 0.31. The results led to understand that the analyzed tasks represent situations of risk of discomfort and, according to the methods guidelines, further research and modifications of the workplace may be necessary. It should be emphasized that these scores may not be related to the poor available equipment but with the need to optimize their use by the workers. It was noticed also that the interaction of workers with the tasks and the adopted sitting posture at the computer throughout the day have effects at a muscular level, essentially for the cervical area and shoulders. ROSA tool is an useful and easy method to assess several risk factors associated with WRMSD, also allowing the design of specific occupational gym programs

Aplicación del método Delphi para la inclusión de las externalidades en análisis de seguridad y de salud laboral

Organizations should regularly conduct an assessment of their occupational hazards in order to design and implement preventive measures that are necessary and sufficient to deal with the level of risk, the costs of prevention and the safety at levels considered acceptable by the organization. Furthermore, the selection of measures to be implemented in an organization should take into account both internal and external costs. Externalities are of great importance in terms of the costs of accidents at work; nevertheless, they are not often properly addressed by the organizations. In this paper we describe an application of the Delphi method to understand how externalities can be included in Occupational Safety and Health.Las organizaciones deben realizar periódicamente una evaluación de sus riesgos laborales con el fin de diseñar y poner en práctica medidas preventivas que sean necesarias y suficientes para mantener e l nivel de riesgo, los costos de la prevención y la seguridad en los niveles considerados aceptables por la organización. Por otra parte, la selección de las medidas a aplicar en una organización debe tener en cuenta tanto los costes internos como externos. Las externalidades son de gran importancia en términos de los costos de los accidentes de trabajo; sin embargo, a menudo no se tratan adecuadamente por las organizaciones. En este artículo se describe una aplicación del método Delphi para entender cómo los factores externos pueden ser incluidos en la Seguridad y Salud Laboral.The authors would like to acknowledge all the experts who have participated in the Delphi panel. The authors also acknowledge the anonymous reviewers who helped to improve the overall quality of the current manuscript. This study was financially supported by FCT-Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia of Portugal, under the project ID/CEC/00319/2013

Gestión de riesgos de exposición ocupacional a las nanopartículas en un proyecto en desarrollo: Estudio de caso

The production of nanotechnology based products is increasing, along with the conscience of the possible harmful effects of some nanomaterials. Along with technological advances, there is the need to improve knowledge of safety and health and apply that knowledge to the workplace. The “safety-by-design” approaches are attracting attention as helpful tools to develop safer products and production processes. The Systematic Design Analysis Approach could help to identify the solutions to control workplace risks by defining the emission and exposure scenarios and the possible barriers to interrupt them. When managing risks during a photocatalytic ceramic tiles development project, it was possible to identify relevant nanoparticles emission scenarios and related barriers. Possible ways to reduce them could then be defined, which would in turn, lead to an inherently safer production process.La producción de productos basados en la nanotecnología va en aumento, junto con la conciencia de los posibles efectos nocivos de algunos nanomateriales. Junto con los avances tecnológicos, existe la necesidad de mejorar el conocimiento de la seguridad y salud y aplicar ese conocimiento en los entornos laborales. La enfoques "Safety-by-design” están atrayendo la atención como herramientas útiles para desarrollar productos y procesos de producción más seguros. El enfoque de Análisis Sistemática de Diseño podría ayudar a identificar las soluciones para el control de los riesgos laborales mediante la definición de los escenarios de emisiones y de exposición y los posibles obstáculos a interrumpirlos. Cuando la gestión de riesgos durante un proyecto de desarrollo de las azulejos cerámicos fotocatalíticos, fue posible identificar escenarios de emisiones de las nanopartículas relevantes y las barreras relacionadas. Así, las posibles formas de reducirlos podrían ser definidas, lo que, a su vez, pueden dar lugar a un proceso de producción inherentemente más seguro.The research was part of the SELFCLEAN – Selfcleaning ceramic surfaces Project, funded by QREN – Technological R&D Incentives System – Co-operation projects, Project No. 21533. The authors would like to thank their project partners for their co-operation

Impact of a workplace exercise program on neck and shoulder segments in office workers

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are a common problem among office workers. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of a workplace exercise program on neck and shoulder pain and flexibility in office workers. The workstation assessment was performed using Rapid Office Strain Assessment. Workers were assessed for pain pre- and post-implementation of the workplace exercise program using the Nordic Questionnaire for Musculoskeletal Symptoms, and for flexibility. The program lasted 3 months and entailed twice weekly sessions. The sample consisted of an intervention group (n = 30) and a control group (n = 8). The results suggest improvements in pain reduction and increased flexibility. The workers had less musculoskeletal pain at the end of the evaluation. The increase in flexibility between the evaluations was significant in the intervention group, though there were slight improvements there too.Trastornos musculoesqueléticos relacionados con el trabajo son un problema común entre los trabajadores de oficina. El propósito de este estudio es evaluar el impacto de un programa de gimnasia laboral en la dolor de cuello y hombro, y la flexibilidad en los trabajadores de oficina. La evaluación del puesto de trabajo se realizó a través de Rapid Office Strain Assessment. Los trabajadores fueron evaluados para el dolor pre y post-ejecución del programa de gimnasia utilizando el Nordic Questionnaire for Musculoskeletal Symptoms, y por la flexibilidad. El programa tuvo una duración de 3 meses y supuso sesiones dos veces por semana. La muestra está formada por un grupo de intervención (n = 30) y un grupo control (n = 8). Los resultados sugieren mejoras en la reducción del dolor y aumento de la flexibilidad. Los trabajadores tuvieron menos dolor musculoesquelético al final de la evaluación. El aumento de flexibilidad entre dos puntos de tiempo de la evaluación fue significativo en el grupo de intervención, aunque hubo una ligera mejora allí también.This study received financial support from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under project ID/CEC/00319/2013

Integrated management systems: on the path to maturity and efficiency assessment

The results from an online survey focusing Portuguese integrated management system (IMS) ruled companies are presented in the present article. These are partial results from an ongoing project aiming the maturity rating and assessment of IMS and companies where implemented. Surveyed companies match partially the national Portuguese profile, namely, on geographic location and company dimension characteristics. Results suggest that motivations, benefits and obstacles related to integration are internal or mainly internal. A sequential over a step by step or “all in” integration sequence as been reported as the most common one among the surveyed companies. Integrated audits seem to be the model adopted by the majority of the companies. Systems managers found implementation sub-systems standards easy or, at least, reasonably easy, to integrate. A major dividing point between surveyed companies is related to the identification of organizational items not susceptible of being integrated. Approximately 55% of the surveyed companies identified those items while 45% did not. Systems managers’ majority did not felt that an ultimate excellence level of integration had been reached by their companies but rather a high integration level corresponding to common organizational structure plus policies and goals, management tools and documental integration. All respondents felt that the overall company performance would be lower (79%) or at least equal (21%) if running through separate management sub-systems. Almost totally agreed that IMS is an add value to the company. Related to responsibility it seem that companies option rely on traditional pyramidal model with an IMS coordinator and a QMS, an EMS and/or an OHSMS sub-systems responsible providing feedback. Finally, process, operations and management monitoring was assessed by the survey. Almost all companies agreed that monitoring was performed by key process indicators (KPI’s), operations process indicators (OPI’s) or management process indicators (MPI’s). Similar results were found when asked about integrated indicators

A model proposal for integrated management systems maturity assessment

Maturity models enabling the assessment of integrated management systems (IMS) are crucial in order to provide a comparison between IMS from different companies. This paper intends to report the efforts made and the methodologies followed to develop an IMS maturity assessment model. Additionally, the paper aims at presenting such model, illustrate its usefulness, and demonstrate how companies may implement it as an organizational guide focusing an ultimate excellence level. Two surveys have been developed. An online survey with 30 questions/statements was held focusing Portuguese companies with more than one certified management subsystem according to the following standards: ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001/NP 4397. The survey was supported on Likert type scales, with categorical and multiple option answers/statements. A pre-test was performed in three companies in order to validate the survey. A second survey was developed and submitted to the appreciation of an experts group to assess in what extent each parameter could reflect the management system integration level. The maturity model reported in this paper provides companies with a guiding path in order to achieve an ultimate excellence level. The final model version is sustained on two components, namely, a back office component, describing the statistical relationships between variables, and a front office Capability Maturity Model integrated (CMMi) based component, enabling companies to interact with the model. The back office component was developed through linear and multiple regression models and by statistical significant variables identification affecting an “IMS maturity level” latent variable. Additionally, Pearson correlation was assessed among those variables not statistically related to the latent variable. Front office component has five maturity levels and a “zero level” acting as a pre-requirement and enabling, or not, the access to the maturity assessment model. To access at higher maturity levels the IMS should comply with excellence management requirements, external factors requirements and key process agents’ (KPAs) requirements

Management systems integration: should quality be redefined?

Concepts like interfaces, synergies, fuzzy logic, organisational synapses and networking rule our days. These concepts orbit around the term “interactions”. Literally, interactions are everything. For instance, graphite and diamond are just carbon atoms “interacting” differently. Currently, customers demand a broader vision from organizations. In order to fulfil this demand organizations implemented and certified their management systems focusing different stakeholders’ requirements and according to several organisational standards, being the most reported ones ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001. Despite of the difficulties to achieve a consensual definition, if we consider concepts like quality tools, “Quality” is mainly an “action” concept. Thus, the main challenge faced by quality management systems (QMS) in an integrated environment would be philosophical: to leave the spotlights of an “action” based approach and to embrace the subtleness of the “interaction” approach. It is common sense that the system defining, promoting and stimulating interactions should not be involved in the action itself. Implications of this new role to play by quality management system are huge. Traditional organisational structures place quality transversally to production processes. It is expected that quality management system adopts a more vertical organisational orientation in order to accomplish new objectives posed by management systems integration. Human behaviour towards item production or service performance should change according new organisational placement by QMS. Each worker despite their organisational function should have a priori and a posteriori quality requirements knowledge, being critical a precise boundaries definition among elements constituting the responsibility chain. Auditing procedures should be adjusted too. Potential synergies between processes, internal and external communication flow, objectives redefinition, policies adjustment and a new vision horizon are among some check-points to be assessed by the audit team. It should be assure that top management commitment is not with a system but with an organisational philosophy. Processes indicators should be available at all time and by several persons. This requirement is not far fetch in our days due to the currently available networks and information systems. Non conformity detection, treatment and correction, under an integrated approach, should not be a middle management meeting of the affected process. In this case, quality procedures should assure that Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety representatives are involved and empowered to discuss decisions to be made. In this article we analyze the reposition of the quality management system after an integration process pointing out the practical implications of this newly perspective. It is intended to be an initial contribution to a newly task already achieved by other systems and sciences: the assessment of “interactions” in management systems

Benchmarking on behalf of management systems integration

The integration of management systems, to be effective, requires several organisational features. An integrating concept enabling a common language, a proactive approach, a holistic vision, sustainable objectives and consistence and coherence on action are among those features. All these features will be properly and efficiently achieved considering concepts linked to benchmarking, namely, teammanship, self-management, democracy in management and collaborative benchmarking. This paper is based on an ongoing research project focusing the development of a tool/methodology to assess maturity and effectiveness levels achieved by organizations that implemented an integrated management system (IMS) being its purpose to report and to enhance the potential synergies between benchmarking methodologies and management systems integration. The research, and implicit results, aims organizations that are considering an IMS implementation being the findings transferable to in field environment, being useful to practitioners willing to implement an IMS