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This is a summary of the results of a research work, born from a collaboration between multiple Italian bodies and published by the Italian Workers' Compensation Authority (Inail) in March 2024: Second report on maritime workers. Activities and risk factors of sea workers.To disseminate the contents, the work offers a global overview of safety and health in the sector: with an analysis of accidents in the sector (which also involves some remarks on the event reporting form), workers' risk perception is examined and occupational diseases monitored through the MalProf system, managed by the Inail Research Sector and the local health authorities. Finally, an in-depth study is dedicated to exposure to asbestos on ships.

Motivation: Augmented reality head-up display (AR-HUD) interface design takes on critical significance in enhancing driving safety and user experience among professional drivers. However, optimizing the above-mentioned interfaces poses challenges, innovative methods are urgently required to enhance performance and reduce cognitive load., Description: A novel method was proposed, combining the IVPM method with a GA to optimize AR-HUD interfaces. Leveraging machine learning, the IVPM-GA method was adopted to predict cognitive load and iteratively optimize the interface design., Results: Experimental results confirmed the superiority of IVPM-GA over the conventional BP-GA method. Optimized AR-HUD interfaces using IVPM-GA significantly enhanced the driving performance, and user experience was enhanced since 80% of participants rated the IVPM-GA interface as visually comfortable and less distracting., Conclusion: In this study, an innovative method was presented to optimize AR-HUD interfaces by integrating IVPM with a GA. IVPM-GA effectively reduced cognitive load, enhanced driving performance, and improved user experience for professional drivers. The above-described findings stress the significance of using machine learning and optimization techniques in AR-HUD interface design, with the aim of enhancing driver safety and occupational health. The study confirmed the practical implications of machine learning optimization algorithms for designing AR-HUD interfaces with reduced cognitive load and improved occupational safety and health (OSH) for professional drivers., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Teng, Wan, Kong and Kim.)

Background: The reoccurrence of occupational accidents in Sudan is evidence of a lack of effective Occupational Health and Safety (OSH) governance in Sudan., Methods: This scope review research articles on OSH governance in Sudan from different sources, including international websites, official government websites, original research articles in journals, and various reports. The five stages of the scoping review followed in this study are: identifying the research question; identifying relevant studies; study selection; charting the data; collating, summarizing, and reporting the results., Results: There is numerous legislation in place; however, there is no evidence of their enforcement, and no formal bodies at the national level are identified as being responsible for their enforcement., Conclusion: Having multiple authorities with overlapping responsibilities hinders OSH governance. An integrated governance model is proposed to eliminate overlapping duties and to facilitate the participation of all stakeholders in the governance process., Competing Interests: The authors have no affiliation with any organization with a direct or indirect financial interest in the subject matter discussed in the manuscript., (© 2023 Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute.)

OSH plays a significant role in construction project success. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the influence of total quality management (TQM) application in improving occupational safety and health (OSH) within the context of Saudi construction companies. Factors were identified from structured literature reviews of previous relevant empirical studies. Then, these factors were theoretically framed into the concept of a triple bottom line (TBL), which includes three main dimensions: social, environmental, and economic. Thus, a semistructured interview survey was used to investigate these factors to address the performance of OSH in construction companies that implement TQM. A grounded theory was used to analyze and determine these factors. Accordingly, fourteen effective factors are identified. The survey findings indicate that the most influenced factors are the control of occupational accidents/injuries, the enhancement of workforce safety, the improvement of management pledges toward OSH, and the development of work culture toward OSH. These findings are vital in exploring the influence of TQM application in Saudi construction companies for the management of improving the performance of OSH, thereby helping to reduce the level of work injuries in the construction field and boosting the safety and health of workers for construction projects.

The purpose of this article is to develop a theoretical disaster risk reduction model, creating a virtuous cycle of knowledge and action across the festival and events industry, based on occupational safety and health (OSH) strategic objectives, as informed by a systematic literature review. The main constructs of this conceptual article are explored through a systematic literature review. Sources include publications of key stakeholders in the festival and event industry, applicable global directives, strategic documents of relevant governmental and non-governmental organisations and academic publications. From the data gathered in the systematic literature review it can be surmised that sustainable development goals (SDGs) related research in tourism, festivals, events and OSH is lacking in quantity and there is room for these aspects to be addressed in future research to ensure that these fields of study make a more substantial contribution to disaster risk reduction in festival and event management. This article is limited to secondary data collected through a systematic literature review, supported by additional literature to inform a theoretical framework incorporating SDGs, disaster risk reduction and OSH strategic objectives for festivals and events. Sustainable development goals are aimed at achieving a sustainable future for all. The detrimental effect of OSH incidents can be counterproductive to achieving such goals and should therefore be closely monitored and managed. Festival and event managers should thus take cognisance of the importance of OSH through a plan of action, benchmarked against best practice, to allow for enhanced disaster risk management. This article investigates the concepts of sustainability, disaster risk reduction, OSH, events and festival management and combines the concepts in a unique manner., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article., (© 2022. The Authors.)

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world of work. But global trade is still recognized as an essential area of business, and maritime transport, being an engine of globalization, cannot be paused. Since the onset of the pandemic, few governments have allowed seafarers - who transport more than 90 per cent of global commodities - to leave their ships and return home. The travel restrictions related to COVID-19 have led to a crisis of occupational safety and health (OSH) at sea. Drawing on 29 interviews, this article explores the OSH challenges faced by international seafarers during the pandemic., (© The author 2022 Journal compilation © International Labour Organization 2022.)

Background: Digital platforms have found their way into all our lives: they are discussed in political, economic, scientific and public fields worldwide. Platform-based work is also on the rise in the German labour market, not only in institutionalised work, but also in start-ups and spin-offs., Objectives: The article describes the results of an analysis aimed at identifying perceptions of new and already known major success factors on market entry and market penetration regarding occupational safety and health (OSH) and work design., Methods: A total of 31 semi-standardised interviews were conducted with 39 people. First, perceived success factors in general were examined with the comparative analysis. Surprisingly, OSH/work design factors did not emerge as perceived success factors. For this reason, a in-depth analysis was performed in a secondary analysis with the structured content analysis., Results: Identified perceived success factors were user orientation, scalability, network effects, niche occupation. The in-depth secondary analysis with focus on OSH/work design showed that the interviewees are aware of the topic of OSH/work design, but did not consider it to be important to economic success., Conclusions: The identified success factors may not seem surprising. What is surprising, however, is the role played by OSH/work design. Solutions must be developed that sensitize working persons in the platform sector to the topic of OSH/work design. A two-step process may be useful: First, uniform regulations and laws must be anchored in the platform architecture. Second, various measures and training courses can be designed to inform and raise awareness.

Due to safety issues in the construction industry, interest in research on occupational safety and health (OSH) regulations remains high. Previous studies indicated that OSH regulations not only affect performance in and of themselves, but also indirectly by increasing awareness of such regulations. Studies also demonstrated that OSH regulation can affect innovation and corporate safety. However, the effect of OSH regulation on innovation remains unclear, as the relationship between the perception of OSH regulation and innovation is not fully understood. This study measures the innovation efficiency of companies in the Korean construction industry using data envelopment analysis (DEA), and investigates the relationship between innovation efficiency and companies' perceptions of OSH regulations. Results indicate that companies that positively recognize OSH regulations tend to be more innovative than those that do not. This study also validates differences in innovation efficiency depending on the perception of OSH regulations by bootstrap DEA. The results of this study suggest appropriate strategies to promote innovation in the construction industry from the perspectives of both government and practitioners in firms.

OSBP-homologous proteins (ORPs, Oshp) are lipid binding/transfer proteins. Several ORP/Oshp localize to membrane contacts between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the plasma membrane, where they mediate lipid transfer or regulate lipid-modifying enzymes. A common way in which they target contacts is by binding to the ER proteins, VAP/Scs2p, while the second membrane is targeted by other interactions with lipids or proteins.We have studied the cross-talk of secretory SNARE proteins and their regulators with ORP/Oshp and VAPA/Scs2p at ER-plasma membrane contact sites in yeast and murine primary neurons. We show that Oshp-Scs2p interactions depend on intact secretory SNARE proteins, especially Sec9p. SNAP-25/Sec9p directly interact with ORP/Osh proteins and their disruption destabilized the ORP/Osh proteins, associated with dysfunction of VAPA/Scs2p. Deleting OSH1-3 in yeast or knocking down ORP2 in primary neurons reduced the oligomerization of VAPA/Scs2p and affected their multiple interactions with SNAREs. These observations reveal a novel cross-talk between the machineries of ER-plasma membrane contact sites and those driving exocytosis.

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONSThis study demonstrates the applicability of multicriteria tools to solve occupational health and safety (OSH) problems related to cost management in the healthcare sector. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work in which linear programming and established methods for risk assessment of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (i.e., the Key Item Method) have been combined with the knowledge and experience of the corresponding safety engineer (or OSH auditor or consultant). The ease of implementation of the whole process facilitates its future utilization in working practice without adding an undue burden on existing OSH practices.

The purpose of the present study was to validate the short version of The Psychosocial Safety Climate questionnaire (PSC-4, Dollard, 2019) and to establish benchmarks indicating risk levels for use in Sweden. Cross-sectional data from (1) a random sample of employees in Sweden aged 25-65 years ( n = 2847) and (2) a convenience sample of non-managerial employees from 94 workplaces ( n = 3066) were analyzed. Benchmarks for three PSC risk levels were developed using organizational compliance with Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) regulations as criterion. The results support the validity and usefulness of the Swedish PSC-4 as an instrument to indicate good, fair, and poor OSH practices. The recommended benchmark for indicating good OSH practices is an average score of >12.0, while the proposed cutoff for poor OSH practices is a score of ≤8.0 on the PSC-4. Scores between these benchmarks indicate fair OSH practices. Furthermore, aggregated data on PSC-4 supported its reliability as a workplace level construct and its association with quantitative demands, quality of leadership, commitment to the workplace, work engagement, job satisfaction, as well as stress and burnout. Thus, the Swedish version of PSC-4 can be regarded as a valid and reliable measure for both research and practical use for risk assessment at workplaces.

Introduction . Global trends such as digitalization, globalization and demographic change are changing workplaces, and accordingly occupational safety and health (OSH) needs. To better prepare for the future and to foster proactive prevention, the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) established an OSH risk observatory (RO OSH). Methods . The RO OSH relies on an online survey and calls upon the expertise of labour inspectors. In total, 398 labour inspectors participated in the first RO OSH enquiry. They rated developments with regard to their sector-specific relevance for OSH in the near future. The RO OSH also provides ideas for preventive measures that can be implemented by the German Social Accident Insurance Institutions. Results . Work intensity, demographic aspects and digitalization play a major role for most or all sectors. However, familiar OSH issues such as musculoskeletal strain and noise also continue to be of major importance and require further consideration and specific solutions in prevention. Outlook . For the DGUV, training and consulting have great potential for proactive prevention in these priority areas, e.g., by fostering a prevention culture and supporting companies in (psychosocial) risk assessment (also for mobile work). For instance, concepts for increasing physical activity at sedentary workplaces and data security require continued research.

Introduction: Employees performing work underground in coal mines are exposed to the effect of many hazardous factors in their work environment which negatively affect their health., Objective: The objective of the study was to recognize the opinions of employes working underground in one of the coal mines concerning the occurrence of factors hazardous for health in their work environment., Material and Methods: The study was conducted in a group of 700 persons working underground in the 'Bogdanka' coal mine in Łęczna (Eastern Poland). The study was carried out using a questionnaire. The results were statistically analyzed using software STATISTICA v. 7.1., Results: The vast majority of respondents (approximately 80%) reported that noise and dustiness at their workplace create risk for their health. More than a half of them mentioned that the microclimate in the mine threatens their health (high humidity and high temperature), and a half of respondents indicated vibration and poor lighting. The greatest differences of opinions concerning the effect of hazardous factors on health of persons employed in the mine were observed in the sub-groups distinguished according to the work position. Health risk at a workplace was most often identified by those employed as miners., Conclusions: Among actions reducing the negative effect of the work environment on health is the introduction of new, safer technologies of coal mining. Also, the human factor is very important for work safety in mining, including the proper preparation of employees who undertake work in a mine. It is recommended that new, more effective educational programmes are implemented in the area of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) at workplaces.

Purpose: Occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals are often the point of contact for health and safety policies derived in the workplace, and the handling of incidents in their aftermath. As chronic pain affects 20% of people, many pain-awareness campaigns and educational activities target healthcare professionals. However, initiatives directed toward OSH professionals are also important to aid in prevention and rehabilitation efforts. The objective of this study was to describe knowledge and attitudes of OSH students with regard to chronic pain. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted amongst a convenience sample of 88 students enrolled in the distance learning OSH undergraduate certificate program at the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (Quebec, Canada). Results: Although 30% of students were already employed within OSH or human resources and 40% reported intervening in cases involving chronic pain in their line of work, 56% of respondents had received no training on chronic pain and its treatment in the past five years. Only 14% chose to take the optional 45 hr course dedicated to pain within the program. OSH students also exhibited poorer knowledge and more negative attitudes toward people suffering from chronic pain when compared to other groups assessed in the province of Quebec, including healthcare professionals, chronic pain patients, and people not suffering from chronic pain ( p ≤0.0002). Half of the respondents (51.9%) were not aware that chronic pain affects 1 in 5 adults. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates a need for pain education within OSH training programs and through continuing education., Competing Interests: This study was supported by the Fondation de l’Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (FUQAT). The authors report no further conflicts of interest in this work.

Many Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) interventions have proven to be effective only under controlled conditions; during the implementation in practice, the interventions may not work as expected, especially in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). SMEs are affected by different contextual factors than larger enterprises and these factors can influence the outcome of the OSH programs. Three different phases of an OSH intervention (design, implementation, and control) have been considered. The aim of this research is to understand what are the mechanisms by which an OSH intervention works or does not work as expected, together with barriers and drivers, and the related contextual factors. The research was designed following multiple case study research, which enables an in depth understanding of the intervention process and the identification of the most relevant factors for OSH. Data were collected through interviews with owner-managers or OSH managers of SMEs. Finally, the data were analysed through an analytical research framework that enabled the identification of the main mechanisms and contextual factors for the interventions that had an expected outcome and for those which had an unexpected outcome., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Objectives: This study, developed within the frame of the Partnership for European Research on Occupational Safety and Health joint research activities and based on the frame designed by the 2013 European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) study, is the first example of using the points of view of European occupational safety and health (OSH) researchers.The objective is to identify priorities for OSH research that may contribute to the achievement of present and future sustainable growth objectives set by the European strategies., Methods: The study was carried out using a modified Delphi method with a two-round survey. Each round involved a panel of about 110 researchers representing the network member institutes was selected according to specific criteria, including the ownership of research expertise in at least one of the four macroareas identified by the reference report developed by EU-OSHA in 2013., Results: The study identified some innovative research topics (for example, 'Emerging technological devices' and 'OSH consequences of markets integration') and research priorities (ie, crowdsourcing, e-work, zero-hours contract s ) that are not reflected in previous studies of this nature.The absence of any reference to violence and harassment at work among the researchers' proposals is a major difference from previous similar studies, while topics related to gender issues and electromagnetic fields show a lower importance., Conclusions: The innovative design of a research priorities identification process, which takes advantage of a large, representative and qualified panel of European researchers allowed the definition of a number of research priorities able to support the inclusion of innovative OSH research issues in the scope of the next European research agenda., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)