Occupational Health and Safety Hazards Experienced by Healthcare Workers at Two Hospitals in Suyani, Bono Region, Ghana

INTRODUCTION Occupational safety and health (OSH) is generally the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of hazards arising in or from the workplace. The study sought to assess and evaluate occupational health and safety hazards experienced among health workers in the Bono region of Ghana. METHODOLOGY The study was descriptive cross-sectional quantitative study. Data was from two hundred (200) health workers and was analyzed using the binary logistic regression analysis. RESULTS The findings from the study show that risk factors associated with biological hazards were clinical staff [OR = 2.487 (1.146 - 5.397), p = 0.021], poor maintenance of hospital items [OR = 0.446 (0.240 - 0.831), p = 0.011], assault (verbal) abuse [OR = 2.581 (1.317 - 5.059), p = 0.006] and extreme pressure from work [OR = 2.975 (1.519 - 5.829), p = 0.001]. Non-biological hazards were associated with being single [OR = 0.499 (0.263 - 0.947), p = 0.034], being verbally assaulted [OR = 3.581 (1.865 - 6.876), p CONCLUSION Risk factors related with biological hazards include poor maintenance of hospital items and extreme pressure from work whereas non-biological hazards were associated with being single, being verbally assaulted. Clinical healthcare providers are more vulnerable to occupational health and safety hazards. The study recommends the provision of strategic policies to promote and protect the workers’ health based on the development of the epidemiological profile of health, needs to be readjusted and strengthened.

Overview of the South African mine health and safety standardization and regulation systems

Outlined the South African mine health and safety regulatory framework,in- cluding the roles of government,tripartite council,service agencies,mine enterprises, rescue stations and workers unions,analyzed the institutional structures of South African mine health and safety standardization,including the South African standard and specifi- cation systems and standard development processes,and characterized the South African mine health and safety standardization and regulation systems.Intended to provide some suggestions for the transformation and improvement of mine health and safety standardi- zation and regulation systems in China or in similar situations.

Roles and Responsibilities of Stakeholders towards Ensuring Health and Safety at Construction Site

Health and Safety issues in the construction industry are of much concern to stakeholders, particularly because of their impact on the industry. This paper explored the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in ensuring health and safety at the construction site. A well-structured interview guide was adopted for the qualitative study. Content analysis was adopted for the analysis of the results. The study revealed that the twelve roles identified by the stakeholders are only limited to the few laws and regulations they are aware of. Whereas the Contractors identified provision of welfare facilities, provision of health and safety policy, and health and safety plan as their key roles, the Consultants’ role was mainly limited to provision of competent site agent and provision of site layout. Abiding by the contractors’ instruction was identified by the Construction Workers as their key responsibilities. The local government officials also identified enforcement of CHS laws and regulations and reporting of incidents to the appropriate authorities, whereas the traditional authorities identified the enforcement of CHS laws and regulations including bye laws and enforcement of customs as their key roles. The findings further show that the stakeholders failed to appreciate some key roles and responsibilities enshrined in CHS laws and regulations in Ghana. The findings contribute to knowledge on stakeholders’ responsibilities in ensuring CHS, and provide valuable reference and insight to practitioners on the roles and responsibilities of the various stakeholders. It is recommended to train and educate stakeholders on all the relevant laws and regulations on CHS in order to improve health and safety at the construction site. The government should also set up a body such as Construction Authority to educate, coordinate, monitor and audit the activities of stakeholders to improve CHS at construction sites.

Application of coal mine dynamic safety management and occupational health and safety management system

A method system was put forward based on the occupational health and safety management system to develop the dynamic safety management of coal mine. It aimed at the problems in the mining safety management and was put in practice in Lingxin coal mine of Ningxia Coal Industry Group Co., Ltd.. And good effect was obtained in safety work. It developed the mining dynamic safety management based on the building of occupational health and safety management system of mining enterprise and its main contents are as follows： timely identification and dynamic control of accident risk, persistent improvement of safety management performance according to the ＂PDCA＂ circle.

Stakeholders’ Compliance with Existing Construction Health and Safety Related Laws and Regulations in Ghana

This paper explored stakeholders’ compliance with existing laws and regulations related to construction health and safety (CHS) in the Ghanaian construction industry (GCI). Qualitative research approach was adopted for the data collection, using semi-structured interview guide. An in-depth face-to-face interview based on the grounded theory approach was conducted with actors who play important roles in ensuring health and safety at the construction site as well as key officers and professionals who are the major stakeholders in the GCI. Content analysis was adopted for the analysis of the qualitative data. The findings of the study show customary laws, bye laws, Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651), Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936) and the contract document as the key existing CHS related laws and regulations that the stakeholders comply with. The stakeholders also identified the following construction health and safety related regulations in the GCI which have low compliance rate: Factories, Shops and Offices Act, 1974 (Act 323), Environmental Protection Act, 1994 (Act 490), among others. The findings of the research contribute to knowledge of stakeholders’ compliance with existing laws and regulations related to CHS, and underscore the need to ensure monitoring and enforce compliance in the GCI. The findings further identify areas for stakeholders to focus attention on ensuring good health and safety practices, and also expose critical training and education needs for stakeholders in the GCI. The findings provide valuable insights on stakeholders’ compliance with laws and regulations related to CHS in Ghana, which may be applicable to other developing countries with similar construction industry.

Perception and Uses of Stakeholders＇ Power on Health and Safety Risk Management in Construction Projects in Tanzania

Key project stakeholders such as clients, consultant teams, contractors and workers have different sources of power to implement projects. How these powers influence health and safety risk management is not well documented. This article therefore assesses the perception and uses of stakeholders＇ power on health and safety in risk management in construction projects in Tanzania, specifically focuses on sources and types of power, how stakeholders perceive their power, how they use power on health and safety risk management, and what factors hinders their use of power. A case study strategy was adopted and four large on-going construction projects in Dar es Salaam Tanzania were involved. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with clients, consultants, contractors and construction workers. Findings indicate that stakeholders have different sources of power such as technical expertise, legitimate, political position, resources information to influence health and safety risk management. Nonetheless, the use of these powers was generally limited due to low level of knowledge on health and safety risk management among stakeholders, wrong perception on their roles, insufficient health and safety regulations and weak procurement system. The research recommends that, in order to realize health and safety performance through using stakeholder＇s power, there is a need of clear definition of stakeholders＇ role and responsibilities on health and safety, wide knowledge and experiences on health and safety risk management, strong regulatory system and procurement system.

The Importance of Occupational Health and Safety(OHS)and OHS Budgeting in terms of Social Sustainability in the Construction Sector

Nowadays,sustainability is one of the most important construction sector goals,as it is in most other sectors.However,sustainability in the construction sector is dealt mostly with its environmental and economic dimensions,and its social dimension remains in the background.This situation causes the Occupational Health and Safety(OHS),which is perhaps the most important issue within the scope of social sustainability,to be addressed on its own,and its relationship with sustainability to be not introduced clearly.This study discussed the relationship between social sustainability and OHS in the construction sector.Based on the fact that in construction projects,the sustainability goal should be revealed forward to a great extent at the design stage,how to contribute to OHS by budgeting OHS activities together with project activities was explained.We intended to contribute to the provision of OHS and thus the social sustainability of construction projects by revealing how the budgeting will be done and how much OHS budget will be,by referring to the studies in the literature conducted about OHS budgeting and presented robust numerical data.The study is expected to help construction sector stakeholders to understand the relationship between social sustainability and OHS and to provide a clear picture of the role of budgeting in this respect.

Health and Safety

We all have a responsibility(责任)toward those around us and ourselves to ensure(确保)that we all remain(保持)safe in the school environment(环境).

Should Parents Be Held Criminally Liable for Health and Safety Failures Harming Their Children?

A proposal appealing for harsher punishment legislation for negligent parents and guardians has provoked a long and heated online debate in China. During the 2017 Sessions of the National People＇s Congress and the National Committee of the Chinese People＇s Political Consultative Conference （CPPCC）, Li You and 12 other members of the CPPCC National Committee proposed that parents and guardians who cause bodily harm or death to a child as a result of negligence should be punished by the Criminal Law.

The Enforcement of Occupational Safety and Health Requirements in Public and Private Sectors in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates

Research Problem: In Abu Dhabi, limited implementation of OSH Regulations contributes to the general unawareness among employees and workers about occupational hazards and safety measures, resulting in slow responsiveness toward enforcement measures and a lack of self-regulatory approaches within companies. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the implementation methods practised in Abu Dhabi with those in developed countries with established OSH regulatory bodies. Methodology: Qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed to gather primary research data. Workers from various industries in Abu Dhabi were sampled on purpose and asked to respond to questionnaires and interviews on OSH protocol awareness and implementation, and circumstances of workplace incidence. Results: The findings of this study showed that the enforcement of OSH requirements in UAE positively correlated to a reduction in the rate of work-related injury and improved business performance. The quantitative research data showed that the energy sector had the highest score (15) while the tourism sector had the lowest score (5.3) in occupational health systems and improvements in business efficiency and productivity. Implications: The outcomes of this study shed light on the importance of implementing OSH Guidelines for companies to empower their safety managers to fully enforce OSH requirements in their organisations. In conclusion, effective OSH enforcement requires cooperation between general workers and OSH managers and facilitation from business owners.

Health and safety perspectives of graphene in wearables and hybrid materials

The growing demand for smart wearables, coupled with the omnipresence of graphene due to its array of outstanding thermal, electrical, and mechanical properties, have driven the industry-led initiatives to develop lightweight, smart, and robust graphene-based wearable technologies. The substantial research and the increase in technology readiness levels (TRLs) of graphene-based technologies have led to the adoption of graphene in many industries. Graphene-based wearables are one such technology that involves closer interaction of graphene by the end-user. Despite this, understanding the toxicological risks associated with using graphene-based wearables is still in the fundamental stage. Herein, graphene-based wearables and industrial-scale fabrication techniques for the development of graphene-based wearables are reviewed. The main goal of the review is to initially evaluate the likelihood of user exposure to graphene from the wearable device and the potential health effects. The subsequent health risks based on graphene's physicochemical characteristics are also discussed. A framework to elucidate the risk is presented in terms of crucial exposure routes, possible graphene interactions, recent exposure assessments, detection removal techniques from the human body, and risk management protocols. It is hoped that this review may aid towards establishing a reasonable practice concerning the safe integration of graphene materials into wearables and facilitate their commercialization.

Floating Solar Plants and Relevant Environmental,Health,and Safety Challenges

An Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA)was conducted for 2×150 MW Floating Photovoltaic(FPV)plants,based on the World Bank’s new Environmental and Social Framework(ESF).The project was the first of its kind financed by the World Bank in Pakistan and was geared towards renewable energy development in the country.Key components of the project included the installation of high-density polyethylene floats,Photovoltaic(PV)panels,underwater transmission cables to floating or shoreline inverters and transformers,and overhead transmission lines to existing or new substations.The EIA was commissioned to identify all environmental,health,and safety challenges associated with the construction and operation of the FPV plants.A risk screening criterion based on the World Bank ESF was employed to identify these challenges,while a mitigation hierarchy and hierarchy of control were used in providing measures to address these challenges.The environmental challenges identified were pollution of surface water and degradation of aquatic habitat from bird droppings on the floating panels;changes to the thermal structure and evaporation rate of the water body as a result of decreased sunlight access;direct impacts of shading on fish and aquatic algae;impacts on migratory birds and their habitats;and impacts on fish movements due to the anchoring and cabling of the floats.Likewise,the project-specific occupational health and safety challenges identified were the risk of falling and drowning in the water during the installation and maintenance of the panels over the water.Mitigation measures were provided for the identified challenges.In conclusion,the construction and operation of FPV plants have environmental,health,and safety issues.It is therefore recommended that the mitigation measures provided should be incorporated into the earlier stages of the design and operation of future similar FPV plants around the world.

Looking ahead to significant improvements in mining safety and health through innovative research and effective diffusion into the industry

Mining safety and health improvements over the past decades are remarkable by many metrics, and yet the expectation of society, and the goal of the mining industry, is zero harm. If we examine the underlying enablers for the significant gains that have been achieved, the key role that research to help understand the causes of problems and to develop lasting solutions is clear. Many of the remaining challenges have been resistant to solutions by various approaches. Some, such as fatalities and injuries from ground control or powered haulage are prominent year after year. Different approaches are indicated and new solutions will be required if we are to achieve a goal of zero harm. These will originate with research, but into which topics, and what are some of these different approaches? This paper examines the current state of mine safety in the United States and highlights areas of significant opportunity for research that will lead to solutions. The likely direction of research that will enable realization of the ‘‘zero harm'' goal is described in terms of evolutionary and revolutionary approaches. Both are important, but the author's view is that some of the largest gains will be made with trans-disciplinary approaches that break from the past. Topical areas of research are suggested and several research questions are given to illustrate the direction of future research in mining safety and health.

Functionalized Hydrogel-Based Wearable Gas and Humidity Sensors

Breathing is an inherent human activity;however,the composition of the air we inhale and gas exhale remains unknown to us.To address this,wearable vapor sensors can help people monitor air composition in real time to avoid underlying risks,and for the early detection and treatment of diseases for home healthcare.Hydrogels with three-dimensional polymer networks and large amounts of water molecules are naturally flexible and stretchable.Functionalized hydrogels are intrinsically conductive,self-healing,self-adhesive,biocompatible,and room-temperature sensitive.Compared with traditional rigid vapor sensors,hydrogel-based gas and humidity sensors can directly fit human skin or clothing,and are more suitable for real-time monitoring of personal health and safety.In this review,current studies on hydrogel-based vapor sensors are investigated.The required properties and optimization methods of wearable hydrogel-based sensors are introduced.Subsequently,existing reports on the response mechanisms of hydrogel-based gas and humidity sensors are summarized.Related works on hydrogel-based vapor sensors for their application in personal health and safety monitoring are presented.Moreover,the potential of hydrogels in the field of vapor sensing is elucidated.Finally,the current research status,challenges,and future trends of hydrogel gas/humidity sensing are discussed.

Sustainable and responsible mining through sound mine closure

This paper provides an overview of planning requirements,including regulatory,and implementation approaches for achieving ecologically sound reclamation and restoration of mines upon closure in the USA.Mine closure includes mined-out areas,decommissioning of plants and structures,and appropriate monitoring of post-mining land,water,and air resources.Although the discussion provides general guidelines,each mine closure site presents unique challenges.The overall chemical composition of coal and associated strata with mineable coal seams,structural characteristics of the deposit,weather patterns,environmental conditions,processing and scale of mining of the deposit,and public and private infrastructure must be considered.Future land use and water resource requirements are also important considerations.The planning and closure activities must ensure that the resultant site has the appropriate post-mining land and water resources use,and the site does not pose any future environmental and health and safety risks.These requirements suggest that closure activities should be integrated with the mining activity planning process from the start.This paper discusses mine closure issues and describes several practices for a surface coal mine in the Western USA.

Ventilation and climate simulation with the Multiflux code

Multiflux, a new thermal, hydrologic, and airflow model and software was being employed to solve the flow of heat, moisture, and air in and around an underground opening. The airway domain was solved with an integrated-parameter Computational Fluid Dynamic （CFD） module, which is an embedded part of the Multiflux code. The CFD model includes convection, conduction, and radiation for heat, as well as convection and diffusion for moist-ure transport in an air-filled opening. The surrounding rockmass model may be from any analytical solution, or from a complex thermal-hydrologic numerical model such as NUFT or TOUGH2. The rockmass model is interfaced to Multiflux using a novel technique called Numerical Transport Code Functionalization （NTCF）. The purpose was to briefly describe the Multiflux model and show four example applications. The first example reports the results of Multiflux simulations for a mine drift, comparing calculations with CLIMSIM, a well known mine climate software, and with measured data. The second and third examples involve development ends in two coal mines. Another development-end ventilation model in Multiflux is also shown as the 4th example compared with field measurements from the Lucky Friday Mine in Idaho, USA for comparison.The results of the study show very good agreement between the Multiflux model and the available measured field results.

Best Practice Standards and Methodology for Crane Operator Training—A Global Perspective

Crane operators control mobile or stationary cranes to lift, move and place objects at locations such as building and construction sites, wharves and shipyards. This activity occurs all over the world and is a high risk task with many noted examples of serious incidents and accidents. There are identifiable key causes that have been noted through analysis of the well documented cases and many of these causes are preventable through effective training programs. Internationally, there are not currently consistent approaches to crane operator training program content or duration. Leading causes of crane accidents are firstly discussed and identified as areas for inclusion in training programs. A number of current training approaches from a range of countries are then considered and these are used to outline the basis of a generic competency standard for crane operation, as it was found that there are not common standards in place. The proposed competency standard can be adapted by training regulators, training providers, government agencies, industry bodies and enterprises as a benchmark for the development of effective training programs.

Environmental Monitoring of Ambient Outdoor, Indoor Air Quality Pollutants, PM 10 and PM 2.5 Conducted to Evaluate Its Impact Analysis and Quantification in Industrial Area of Dammam, KSA

The core objective of this study is to conduct precise and real-time monitoring of the industrial area Dammam located in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) which consists of a number of various chemicals, minerals and petrochemicals along with administrative blocks. The objective of this study is to monitor possible outdoor and indoor air pollutant in the industry working environment. This study shall help us to enable decision to be made on appropriate control measures as may be required to protect the health of employee and occupant who may be exposed to air contamination at workplace. Air pollution monitoring in ambient air environment finding shall be compared with national ambient air quality environmental standard while parameters monitoring in indoor air environment is compared with international standards such as occupational health and safety administration (OSHA), National institute for occupational safety and health (NIOSH) and Australian national health and medical research council (NHMRC). This environment review study for ensuring industry regulatory compliance for the facility and general authority of meteorology and environmental protection (GAMEP) previously known as presidency of meteorology environment (PME). This study shall be comprehensive in nature and cover two major types of monitoring and assessment such as ambient air quality monitoring and indoor air quality monitoring.

Management of Biohazards and Pandemics: COVID-19 and Its Implications in the Construction Sector

This paper investigates the impact of biohazards and pandemics on construction workers’ health and well-being. A proper selection of control methods for biohazards and pandemics like COVID-19 pandemic will result in improved public health conditions. Occupational risks in the construction industry are also examined, with a focus on biohazards and pandemics, their containment, and the implications for health and safety. A safer work environment in the construction industry is encouraged. In this study, some statistical methods were used to analyse the data obtained from sampled questionnaire. According to the findings, fewer people in poor developing countries get routine check-ups compared to developed countries. The construction industries studied have little or no insurance plans for staff. It also demonstrates that personal protective equipment (PPE) such as nasal masks, helmets, hand gloves, and work aprons can assist in the control of biohazards in the construction sector, such as asthma, cancer, and asbestosis. There should be safety awareness programmes, conferences, and seminars, as well as first-aid kits and HSE and qualified health workers on all building sites. In addition, the government should examine the site for the usage of PPEs and verify that records of family/personal medical history are maintained.

Investigation of the role of personal factors on work injury in underground mines using structural equation modeling

Work injuries in mines are complex and generally characterized by several factors starting from personal to technical and technical to social characteristics.In this paper,investigation was made through the application of structural equation modeling to study the nature of relationships between the influencing/associating personal factors and work injury and their sequential relationships leading towards work injury occurrences in underground coal mines.Six variables namely,rebelliousness,negative affectivity,job boredom,job dissatisfaction and work injury were considered in this study.Instruments were developed to quantify them through a questionnaire survey.Underground mine workers were randomly selected for the survey.Responses from 300 participants were used for the analysis.The structural model of LISREL was used to estimate the interrelationships amongst the variables.The case study results show that negative affectivity and job boredom induce more job dissatisfaction to the workers whereas risk taking attitude of the individual is positively influenced by job dissatisfaction as well as by rebelliousness characteristics of the individual.Finally,risk taking and job dissatisfaction are having positive significant direct relationship with work injury.The findings of this study clearly reveal that rebelliousness,negative affectivity and job boredom are the three key personal factors influencing work related injuries in mines that need to be addressed properly through effective safety programs.