Open archives and instruments of quality management as resources for disseminating scientific information in occupational health and safety

The objective of this study is to present the philosophy of open archives as an instrument for occupational health and safety (OHS) management. The survey method stands for the bibliography research, together with an interview session with the 23 OSH management professionals that enabled the further understanding about access level and the perception on scientific information by these professionals. Qualitative and quantitative questionnaire analysis showed the open archives initiative, through digital information repositories as an instrument for the occupational health and safety management, as well as need of developing policies on incentive to generation and sharing of intellectual capital among the community in question, encouraging the construction of an OSH digital repository, for maintaining most of all the worker's physical and mental integrity. Lack of available information in this area is still a barrier to the occupational knowledge management for promoting the safety and healthy work development in the organizations.O objetivo do estudo foi apresentar a utilização da filosofia de arquivos abertos, aliada aos instrumentos de gestão da qualidade, PDCA e 5S, como um dos pilares para a gestão da segurança e saúde no trabalho (SST). O método de pesquisa se constituiu no levantamento bibliográfico, juntamente com uma sessão de entrevistas com 23 profissionais ligados à gestão da SST, que permitiu o delineamento do grau de acesso e a percepção destes sobre a informação científica. A análise qualitativa e quantitativa dos questionários apontou a iniciativa de arquivos abertos, por meio da utilização de repositórios digitais de informações, como um instrumento de apoio à gestão da segurança e saúde no trabalho, bem como identificou a necessidade do desenvolvimento de políticas de incentivo à geração e compartilhamento do capital intelectual entre a comunidade em questão encorajando a construção de um repositório digital na área de SST, visando sobretudo à preservação da integridade física e mental do trabalhador. Constatou-se que a carência de informações disponíveis na área em questão ainda é uma barreira para a gestão do conhecimento organizacional, no sentido de promover o desenvolvimento do trabalho seguro e saudável nas organizações.Fundação Jorge Duprat Figueiredo de Segurança e Medicina do TrabalhoUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de Ciências Exatas e da TerraUNIFESP, Depto. de Ciências Exatas e da TerraSciEL

Health Impact Assessment (HIA) in Brazil and Latin America: an essential tool for projects, plans and policies

The paper presents a literature review of the application of the Health Impact Assessment (HIA) methodology, disseminated by the World Health Organization in Brazil and Latin America. This study showed that the practice and application of the HA is not common in Brazil or Latin America, as well as the analysis of health impacts is carried out in a superficial way regarding environmental licensing and public policies, indicating the need of the use of specific health impact assessment methodologies, professional training and government initiative. The adoption of HIA in Brazil could serve to avoid adverse health effects and could enhance the positive aspects, as well as to mitigate the negative aspects of projects and public policies, ensuring that people's health is not neglected.O presente artigo apresenta uma revisão de literatura e discute a aplicação da metodologia de Avaliação de Impacto à Saúde (AIS), divulgada pela Organização Mundial de Saúde (OMS), para o Brasil e América Latina. Esse estudo mostrou que a prática e a aplicação da AIS não é comum nestas regiões, e, além disso, a análise de impactos à saúde é realizada de forma superficial em licenciamentos ambientais e em políticas públicas, o que aponta para a necessidade da utilização de metodologias específicas, treinamento de profissionais e iniciativa governamental. A adoção da AIS no Brasil e América Latina evitaria a geração de efeitos adversos à saúde, potencializando os aspectos positivos, mitigando os efeitos negativos de projetos e políticas públicas, garantindo que a saúde da população não seja negligenciada.Univ Fed Sao Paulo Unifesp, Lab Econ Saude & Poluicao Ambiental, Inst Ciencias Ambientais Quim & Farmaceut, Rua Sao Nicolau 210,4 Andar, BR-09913030 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo Unifesp, Lab Econ Saude & Poluicao Ambiental, Inst Ciencias Ambientais Quim & Farmaceut, Rua Sao Nicolau 210,4 Andar, BR-09913030 Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Arquivos abertos e instrumentos de gestão da qualidade como recursos para a disseminação da informação científica em segurança e saúde no trabalho

Resumo O objetivo do estudo foi apresentar a utilização da filosofia de arquivos abertos, aliada aos instrumentos de gestão da qualidade, PDCA e 5S, como um dos pilares para a gestão da segurança e saúde no trabalho (SST). O método de pesquisa se constituiu no levantamento bibliográfico, juntamente com uma sessão de entrevistas com 23 profissionais ligados à gestão da SST, que permitiu o delineamento do grau de acesso e a percepção destes sobre a informação científica. A análise qualitativa e quantitativa dos questionários apontou a iniciativa de arquivos abertos, por meio da utilização de repositórios digitais de informações, como um instrumento de apoio à gestão da segurança e saúde no trabalho, bem como identificou a necessidade do desenvolvimento de políticas de incentivo à geração e compartilhamento do capital intelectual entre a comunidade em questão encorajando a construção de um repositório digital na área de SST, visando sobretudo à preservação da integridade física e mental do trabalhador. Constatou-se que a carência de informações disponíveis na área em questão ainda é uma barreira para a gestão do conhecimento organizacional, no sentido de promover o desenvolvimento do trabalho seguro e saudável nas organizações. Palavras-chave Informação científi ca. Arquivos abertos. Gestão da segurança e saúde no trabalho. Gestão do conhecimento. Gestão da qualidade. Open archives and instruments of quality management as resources for disseminating scientifi c information in occupational health and safety Abstract The objective of this study is to present the philosophy of open archives as an instrument for occupational health and safety (OHS) management. The survey method stands for the bibliography research, together with an interview session with the 23 OSH management professionals that enabled the further understanding about access level and the perception on scientifi c information by these professionals. Qualitative and quantitative questionnaire analysis showed the open archives initiative, through digital information repositories as an instrument for the occupational health and safety management, as well as need of developing policies on incentive to generation and sharing of intellectual capital among the community in question, encouraging the construction of an OSH digital repository, for maintaining most of all the worker’s physical and mental integrity. Lack of available information in this area is still a barrier to the occupational knowledge management for promoting the safety and healthy work development in the organizations. Keywords Scientifi c information. Open archives. Occupational health and safety management. Knowledge management. Quality management

Reforest or perish: ecosystem services provided by riparian vegetation to improve water quality in an urban reservoir (São Paulo, Brazil)

We estimated the economic value of ecosystem services provided by the legally protected vegetation in riparian zones (RPA- riparian protected areas) of watercourses of the Guarapiranga Reservoir watershed (São Paulo, Brazil), considering two scenarios: (i) the value of ecosystem services provided if the RPA recovery complies with the applicable environmental legislation; and (ii) the year 2030, maintaining the urbanization rate and the loss of vegetation cover in the watershed observed between 1986 and 2010. Accomplishing the first scenario demands reforesting 5,917.5 ha of the RPA, which may reduce the annual expenses with chemicals for water treatment and save USD 181.774 per 1000 m3 of treated water. For 2030, we estimated a loss of 6,220 ha of vegetation cover in the RPA (1986 as the initial reference). The loss of ecosystem services provided by RPA would result in an accumulated increase of about USD 318 million in water treatment costs between 2011 and 2030.Estimamos o valor econômico dos serviços ecossistêmicos providos pela vegetação ripária protegida (RPA) das margens e afluentes da Represa Guarapiranga (São Paulo, Brasil), considerando dois cenários: (i) o valor dos serviços ecossistêmicos providos se a RPA for recuperada consoante a legislação ambiental aplicável; e (ii) o ano de 2030, mantido o ritmo de urbanização e perda de cobertura vegetal na bacia observados entre 1986 e 2010. O cumprimento do primeiro cenário demanda reflorestar 5917,5 ha da zona ripária, o que deve reduzir o gasto anual com reagentes e economizar USD 181,774 por 1000 m3de água tratada. Para 2030, estima-se a perda de 6.220 ha de cobertura vegetal na zona ripária (1986 como ano inicial de referência). A perda de serviços ecossistêmicos providos pela RPA resultaria em um aumento acumulado de USD 318 milhões em custos de tratamento de água bruta entre 2011 e 2030

Achieving efficient water management at the Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil

In 2015, the water crisis affecting the São Paulo Metropolitan Region reached its peak. The Federal Government published an Ordinance stablishing good practices in the management and use of water and electricity. This work aimed to verify if the management actions performed at the Universidade Federal de São Paulo were effective for water consumption reduction. It was analyzed secondary data of the monthly water consumption at campuses and Rectory, from 2014 to 2016. Statistical analyses were carried out comparing the water consumption between the periods pre- and post-intervention, which occurred in February 2015. The results show that the intervention reduced per capita water consumption by 33% in 2015 and 35% in 2016, saving up more than 65,000 m3 of water. These management actions were effective, and helped the academic population to achieve a more efficiently use of water and financial resources, becoming more sustainable.In 2015, the water crisis affecting the São Paulo Metropolitan Region reached its peak. The Federal Government published an Ordinance establishing good practices in the management and use of water and electricity. This work aims to verify if management actions performed at the Federal University of São Paulo were effective for water consumption reduction. We assessed measures such as awareness campaigns, water reuse, water pressure regulator installation, identification of leaks, irrigation and washing of floors reduction. It was analyzed secondary data of the monthly water consumption at campuses and Rectory, from 2014 to 2016. Statistical analyses were carried out comparing the water consumption between the pre and post-intervention periods, which occurred in February 2015. The results show that the intervention reduced per capita water consumption by 33% in 2015 and 35% in 2016, saving up more than 65,000 m3 of water. These management actions proved to be effective, and the academic population achieved a more efficient use of water and financial resources, becoming more sustainable

Lean diesel technology and human health: a case study in six Brazilian metropolitan regions

OBJECTIVE: Due to their toxicity, diesel emissions have been submitted to progressively more restrictive regulations in developed countries. However, in Brazil, the implementation of the Cleaner Diesel Technologies policy (Euro IV standards for vehicles produced in 2009 and low-sulfur diesel with 50 ppm of sulfur) was postponed until 2012 without a comprehensive analysis of the effect of this delay on public health parameters. We aimed to evaluate the impact of the delay in implementing the Cleaner Diesel Technologies policy on health indicators and monetary health costs in Brazil. METHODS: The primary estimator of exposure to air pollution was the concentration of ambient fine particulate matter (particles with aerodynamic diameters <2.5 &#956;m, [PM2.5]). This parameter was measured daily in six Brazilian metropolitan areas during 2007-2008. We calculated 1) the projected reduction in the PM2.5 that would have been achieved if the Euro IV standards had been implemented in 2009 and 2) the expected reduction after implementation in 2012. The difference between these two time curves was transformed into health outcomes using previous dose-response curves. The economic valuation was performed based on the DALY (disability-adjusted life years) method. RESULTS: The delay in implementing the Cleaner Diesel Technologies policy will result in an estimated excess of 13,984 deaths up to 2040. Health expenditures are projected to be increased by nearly US$ 11.5 billion for the same period. CONCLUSIONS: The present results indicate that a significant health burden will occur because of the postponement in implementing the Cleaner Diesel Technologies policy. These results also reinforce the concept that health effects must be considered when revising fuel and emission policies