Workplace Health & Safety最新文献

Background: During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) that began in March 2020, nurses encountered unprecedented challenges, leading to significant physical and psychological distress. This study investigated the factors contributing to posttraumatic growth (PTG) among nurses following the pandemic, focusing on personal, social, and organizational predictors.

Methods: This cross-sectional correlational study used survey data from 307 nurses who provided direct care to COVID-19 patients. Participants completed an online survey that included items on demographic information, trauma experiences, social support from personal and work relationships, occupational factors (e.g., resource availability, job conditions, job satisfaction), and PTG. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify the significant predictors of PTG.

Findings: Coworker support was the strongest predictor of PTG, followed by job conditions, job satisfaction, and personal interactions. Resource availability, specifically that of mechanical ventilators, also significantly predicted PTG. However, supervisor support and PPE availability of personal protective equipment did not significantly influence PTG.

Conclusion: This study contributes to the literature on PTG at work by examining the effects of occupational enablers and proposing practical interventions for healthcare organizations.

Application to practice: Our findings suggest that occupational health practices should focus on enhancing peer support, improving working conditions, ensuring adequate resources, and providing comprehensive mental health support. These measures can help promote nurses' PTG and ensure their well-being following a traumatic event.

Background: Teenage workers have unique occupational injury risks, raising the need to evaluate preventive training programs. This study examines the risk of occupational injury for workers under 19 before and after the release of Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition (O[yes]) online safety awareness training in 2017.

Methods: The Employed Labor Force tool was used to estimate the annual size of the teen workforce from 2013 to 2022 in Oregon. The count and share of first-month injuries (N = 18,694) among all worker compensation claims (N = 166,594) were also examined. General linear models estimated first-month injury risk by age group, controlling for sex, occupation, and insurer.

Findings: Teenage workers' first-month injury risk per 1,000 workers was similar before (2013-2016) and after (2017-2022) the O[yes] training (7.8 vs. 7.6). However, compared with older workers, the share of first-month injuries among all claims for teen workers decreased (RR: 0.88, p < .001), with no significant change for other ages.

Conclusions: After the introduction of O[yes] training, the estimated injury risk did not change. However, the relative proportion of first-month injuries among teenage workers was lower than before. Further research is needed to evaluate training effectiveness and additional contributing factors.

Background: In February 2023, twin earthquakes struck 11 provinces in Türkiye, devastating infrastructure and healthcare services. Nurses, as both survivors and frontline responders, faced extreme physical, emotional, and organizational challenges. Their experiences offer critical insights into disaster-related occupational risks and the structural gaps in worker health and safety. This study aims to explore the experiences of nurses working in hospitals affected by the twin earthquakes in Türkiye in 2023.

Methods: A qualitative, descriptive research design was used. Study participants were selected using purposeful sampling among nurses who experienced the earthquakes and continued working in the affected areas. In-depth online interviews were conducted with 17 nurses, achieving data saturation. The data were analyzed using content analysis, and the COREQ checklist was followed for study reporting.

Results: As a result of the analysis, four themes were revealed; (1) earthquake shock, (2) working conditions, (3) living conditions, and (4) family and psychosocial situation. Nurses reported overwhelming psychological strain, unsafe working environments, lack of disaster plans, inadequate managerial support, and severe resource shortages-all of which posed significant threats to worker health and safety.Conclusions/Applications to Practice:This study highlights how nurses' dual roles as victims and caregivers during a large-scale disaster exposed critical vulnerabilities in worker health and safety. The findings underline the urgency of disaster-specific worker health and safety strategies, including trauma-informed mental health care, rapid staff support systems, and safety-oriented organizational planning to protect frontline healthcare workers in emergencies.

Background: Although physical activity is widely acknowledged as essential for health, achieving work-life balance for faculty and staff at the school of nursing, who work long hours, can be challenging, often leading to the neglect of regular exercise, a crucial element of personal health and wellness. To address this issue, a staff member initiated the "Moving for Minutes" program (M4M) in 2009, aimed at encouraging weekly physical activities such as walking, jogging, biking, and swimming among the faculty and staff.

Methods: The M4M program operates on a quarterly basis, with participants grouped into teams and asked to track their weekly physical activity minutes. At the end of each quarter, a brief celebration takes place, where healthy snacks are served, and inexpensive prizes are awarded to individuals and teams with the most logged minutes.

Findings: Since its inception 15 years ago, 128 faculty and staff members have participated, with an average of 18 participants per quarter, representing about 20% of the school of nursing workforce. Participants' mean engagement was 273 minutes of physical activity per person per week of the program.

Conclusions/application to practice: Overall, the M4M program has proven to be highly beneficial by promoting a healthy work environment, encouraging self-care, boosting morale, and fostering camaraderie among faculty and staff at the school of nursing. The M4M program provides an exemplar of successfully supporting physical activity, and promoting general health and well-being among employees.

Background: Collaboration between occupational safety (OS) and occupational health care (OHC) is essential for workplace health and safety, yet the experiences of OS actors have been less studied.

Objective: To examine OS managers' and representatives' experiences of collaboration with OHC and identify related factors.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Finland via an online survey in March-April 2025. A total of 222 OS managers and 364 OS representatives responded to a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using non-parametric methods. Group differences were examined with the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Spearman's rank correlation was used to explore associations between background variables and attitude statements related to perceived seamless collaboration.

Results: OS managers rated the collaboration as more seamless than OS representatives (mean 7.76 vs. 7.17; p < .001), and more often gave it an excellent rating (39% vs. 22%). Seamless collaboration was particularly associated with the OHC agreement's comprehensiveness, OS experience, and digital tools. The strongest associations were found for OHC participation in OS activities (r = .78) and availability of workload data (r = .77).

Conclusions: The availability of information related to workload factors and the participation of OHC in workplace OS activities are particularly important for a positive experience of collaboration. Seamless collaboration with OHC also requires clear, jointly agreed procedures.

Application to practice: OHC should strengthen its collaboration with OS by clearly identifying and communicating workload and resource factors in the work environment, in order to effectively and impactfully target development measures.

Background: Stable staff and trainers are essential to racing yards and horse welfare, yet limited research focuses on this vital workforce that the thoroughbred industry heavily relies on. This systematic narrative review synthesizes existing literature on the occupational health and well-being of stable staff and trainers in the thoroughbred horse racing industry.

Methods: A systematic narrative review was conducted across PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus using relevant keywords. Manuscripts reporting occupational or mental health data on stable staff and/or trainers and had the full-text available were synthesized narratively in line with PRISMA guidelines.

Findings: Of 2,456 studies screened, 21 met eligibility criteria. In the past year, 43% of staff experienced an injury, with 18% requiring medical attention. Mental health concerns were prevalent, with 65% of injured staff experiencing anxiety, 60% depression, and up to 80% of UK stable staff and trainers reporting stress linked to financial pressures and limited support. Poor sleep contributed to self-reported daytime dysfunction and psychological distress. Substance misuse was notable, with 34% needing treatment for alcohol and 14% for drug misuse. The staffing crisis was influenced by occupational illnesses, poor working conditions, inexperienced staff, and limited career progression.

Conclusions/application to practice: Occupational health challenges highlight the need for interventions to improve mental health support, workplace safety, and working conditions. Industry governing bodies and racing authorities should implement frameworks and standards that ensure safe, supportive, and sustainable work environments. Racing yards should prioritize career progression and educational programs to safeguard the well-being and longevity of this workforce.