Safety culture and safety consciousness - 267 entries found

Your search criteria are

• Safety culture and safety consciousness

2007

CIS 08-1137 O'Regan S., Tyers C., Hill D., Gordon-Dseagu V., Rick J.
Health and Safety Executive
Taking risks with asbestos: What influences the behaviour of maintenance workers?
Workers most at risk of contracting an asbestos-related disease are those in construction-related trades who conduct maintenance work on buildings constructed in the 50's, 60's and 70's. This report presents the results of 60 interviews with maintenance workers (including electricians, carpenters, plumbers, heating engineers and painters), who discuss their knowledge and attitudes with respect to asbestos. It was found that there are a range of issues affecting safe working methods in the presence of asbestos, including: the complexity of the messages about asbestos risks, attitudes towards risk and personal hygiene, prevailing worksite culture, economic pressures and whether individuals feel able to exert control over their work environment.
HSE Books, P.O. Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA, United Kingdom, 2007. x, 84p.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr558.pdf [in English]

CIS 08-1064 Wallaart J., Winder C.
A survey of New Zealand farmers' knowledge about the risks and prevention of occupational respiratory disease
About 10% of the working population of New Zealand is employed in agriculture. Some types of farming appear to have a higher level of occupational respiratory disease than among the general population. In this study, farmers' knowledge about the risks and prevention of occupational respiratory disease was assessed by means of a questionnaire survey. The findings suggest that the level of knowledge is low, despite numerous attempts by government and other agencies to raise awareness in this community. Implications are discussed.
Journal of Occupational Health and Safety - Australia and New Zealand, Oct. 2007, Vol.23, No.5, p.469-479. Illus. 27 ref.

CIS 08-1197 Marlow P., Dickety N.
Health and Safety Executive
Knowledge of workplace transport hazards amongst British businesses
This study was carried out to gather baseline data on the current level of understanding regarding workplace transport hazards by businesses in the United Kingdom, through consultations with their safety managers. A telephone questionnaire survey was conducted across a stratified sample of businesses from five major sectors of activity, seeking information on a range of issues known to be associated with workplace transport risk, as well as subsidiary questions on other inter-related workplace transport issues. The main finding is that vehicle safety was rated more important than site safety or driver safety.
HSE Books, P.O. Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA, United Kingdom, 2007. vi, 29p. Illus. 6 ref.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr523.pdf [in English]

CIS 08-486 Kouabenan D.R.
Uncertainties, beliefs and safety management
Incertitudes, croyances et management de la sécurité [in French]
Risky situations are situations mostly characterized by uncertainty. This review article starts with a description of the link between the notions of risk and uncertainty by stressing the fact that uncertainty is an important component of risk appraisal, and shows that what is called risk is in fact a social construct. It then shows that risk appraisal and accident explanation are opportunities particularly favourable to the expression of beliefs and causal inferences. The role of such beliefs and inferences is to fill the gap in scientific knowledge regarding risky situations. In face of this gap, people tend to use heuristics in order to reduce the uncertainty and to facilitate risk assessment. But many factors (cognitive, motivational, affective) lead to distortions in risk perception and accident explanation. They are either linked to the characteristics of the risk itself or to the characteristics proper to the perceiver or the explainer. These factors create illusions and false certainties in risk perception and accident explanation, which may lead to unsafe behaviours. Investigating these beliefs could be useful to design preventive messages and to influence more efficiently individual behaviours in favour of safety.
Travail humain, Apr. 2007, Vol.70, No.3, p.271-287. Illus. 32 ref.

CIS 08-277 Gozzo J., Luzeaux N.
Less noise please
Moins fort le bruit [in French]
The purpose of this leaflet aimed at employees is to raise their level of consciousness with respect to the problem of noise at the place of work. Topics addressed: noise and its hazards (tinnitus, stress, risk of accidents); how to react when exposed to noise (report the problem, use protective equipment); main French regulations.
Institut national de recherche et de sécurité, 30 rue Olivier-Noyer, 75680 Paris Cedex 14, France, June 2007. 6p. Illus. Price: EUR 1.50. Downloadable version free of charge.
http://www.inrs.fr/INRS-PUB/inrs01.nsf/inrs01_catalog_view_view/3E93EB760D01E1F4C125730D004DD991/$FILE/ed6020.pdf [in French]

CIS 08-33 Teixidó Campás P.
Occupational safety and health culture as an organic tissue
La cultura prevencionista como tejido orgánico [in Spanish]
Not only should occupational safety and health (OSH) initiatives be implemented within enterprises, but OSH should also naturally constitute an intrinsic part of their structure and of society as a whole. This article analyzes the potential for improvements and standardization offered by the Spanish OSH Strategy and the amendments to the Spanish OSH Regulations. It is argued that the mutual occupational accident insurance institutions are particularly well positioned to act as change agents.
Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo, Apr. 2007, No.42, p.26-34. Illus. 6 ref.

CIS 08-233 Muchemedzi S.
Behaviour observation systems in occupational safety and health (OSH)
A safety and health behaviour observation system (BOS) is an important facet of a successful occupational accident prevention programme. This article explains why companies need a BOS, together with the steps involved in its implementation, namely: assessing cultural maturity or readiness for BOS; gaining support and ownership; behaviour safety training; specifying safety behaviours; establishing a baseline; observation and feedback process.
On Guard, June 2007, Vol.14, No.2, p.3-9. Illus.

CIS 08-232 Romera Romero J.
Causality of human error in occupational accidents ("Swiss cheese" psychological model)
Causalidad del error humano en los accidentes laborales (Modelo psicológico "Queso suizo") [in Spanish]
Various psychological theories have been developed to try to explain the causes of occupational accidents. This article describes the "Swiss cheese" model. It is based on an analysis of the various types of human error that could occur in a given system, followed by the development of protective obstacles for each of them, thereby ensuring safety.
Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo, July 2007, No.43, p.10-18. Illus. 10 ref.

CIS 08-17 Rodríguez C.A.
Safety and health culture
La cultura de la prevención [in Spanish]
Topics addressed in this literature survey on safety culture: organizational culture; origins of the safety culture concept; definitions; characteristics of safety culture; basic aspects of various models of safety culture; evaluation of various methods aimed at improving occupational safety and health; possibility of measuring safety culture and its cost efficiency with respect to occupational safety and health.
Estudios de la Seguridad Social, 2007, No.99, p.9-79. 74 ref.

CIS 07-1348 Wu T.C., Liu C.W., Lu M.C.
Safety climate in university and college laboratories: Impact of organizational and individual factors
Various earlier studies have suggested that safety climate surveys may be useful for measuring the effectiveness and improvement direction of safety programs. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of organizational and individual factors on safety climate in university laboratories. Employees exposed to laboratory work (faculty staff, laboratory assistants, janitors) at 100 universities in Taiwan were mailed a self-administered questionnaire. Multivariate analysis revealed that the type of university (public or private), presence or otherwise of a safety manager and safety committee, gender, age, title, accident experience and safety training significantly affected the perception of safety climate.
Journal of Safety Research, 2007, Vol.38, No.1, p.91-102. Illus. 44 ref.

2006

CIS 12-0101 Behavioural safety - Kicking bad habits
It is estimated that employees' behaviour, in the form of acts or omissions, is a contributing factor in up to 80 per cent of work-related accidents. There are many reasons why employees engage in risky behaviour at work. These include cutting corners to save time, ergonomic factors, accepted practice, misunderstanding of risky behaviour and instinctive risk-taking behaviour. This guide outlines key considerations in setting up a behaviour-based safety programme. It includes the example of a behaviour-based programme implemented among ground handling staff of an airline at a major airport.
Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, The Grange, Highfield Drive, Wigston, Leicestershire, LE18 1NN, United Kingdom, Apr. 2006. 11p. Illus. 20 ref.
Behavioural_safety_[INTERNET_FREE_ACCESS] [in English]

CIS 12-0217 Getting off to a good start - How you can help young people Wiseup2work
In the United Kingdom, an average of five under-19s is killed and 1500 suffer serious injuries at work every year. Across Europe, young adults have 50 per cent more accidents than older workers. This information sheet presents a web-based resource entitled "Wiseup2work" aimed at getting teenagers to think about safety and health, and invites safety and health professionals to support the campaign within their enterprises.
Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, The Grange, Highfield Drive, Wigston, Leicestershire, LE18 1NN, United Kingdom, Aug. 2006. 3p. Illus. 4 ref.
Getting_off_to_a_good_start_[INTERNET_FREE_ACCESS] [in English]

CIS 10-0620 Anderson G.M., Lorber R.L.
Safety 24/7 - Building an incident-free safety culture
According to the ILO, more than two million lives are lost each year in job-related accidents and illnesses, and another 268 million lost-time accidents occur globally. Aimed at managers who wish to build a strong culture of safety throughout their organization and supervisors who need to motivate teams to work safely, this manual presents a step-by-step approach to reduce incidents and injuries by building a behaviour-based safety culture where individuals take personal responsibility for safety. It is presented in the form of a fictional story of a manager in an organization plagued with fatalities and injuries who is given 120 days to create a culture of safety. A promotional CD-ROM presenting the consultancy services of the publishing group is included. Arabic, French, Russian and Spanish translations are available under ISN 108460.
Results in Learning, 201 Energy Pkwy., Suite 240, Lafayette, LA 90508, USA, 2006. 126p. Illus.

CIS 10-0480 Workplace Safety and Health Act 2006 [Singapore]
This framework Act, effective 1 March 2006, addresses requirements for safety and health in the following workplaces in Singapore: factories (which include "any premises where building operations or any work of engineering construction are carried on"), transportation premises (including loading/unloading premises in harbours), premises where steam boiler, steam receivers or air receivers are used, testing laboratories, hotels, restaurants, health-care establishments (including veterinary services), landscaping and gardening, water supply, waste and sewage disposal, metal and non-metal waste disposal. It replaces the Factories Act (see CIS 91-703). The Act provides for the appointment of a Commissioner for Workplace Safety and Health and other officers (including Inspectors). Main contents: general OSH-related duties of persons present in workplaces; investigations, inquiries and reporting of accidents, dangerous occurrences and occupational diseases; safety and health management arrangements; establishment of workplace safety and health councils; inspection and other enforcement matters; offences, penalties and proceedings. In schedules: list of workplaces subject to the Act; dangerous occurrences; list of occupational diseases; works of engineering construction; machinery, equipment and dangerous substances.
Republic of Singapore - Government Gazette (Acts Supplement), 3 March 2006, No. 8, pp. 235-307.
Workplace_Safety_and_Health_Act_2006.pdf [in English]

CIS 08-789 Anderson G.M., Lorber R.L.
Safety 24/7 - Building an incident-free culture
Safety 24/7 - Construyendo una cultura sin incidentes [in Spanish]
Bezopasnost' 2477 - Sozdanie kul'tury bez incidentov [in Russian]
Safety 24/7 - Construire une culture zéro incident [in French]
According to the ILO, more than two million lives are lost each year in job- related accidents and illnesses, and another 268 million lost-time accidents occur globally. Aimed at managers who wish to build a strong culture of safety throughout their organization and supervisors who need to motivate teams to work safely, this manual presents a step-by-step approach to reduce incidents and injuries by building a behavior-based safety culture where individuals take personal responsibility for safety. It is presented in the form of a fictional story of a manager in an organization plagued with fatalities and injuries who is given 120 days to create a culture of safety. The English translation is available under ISN 111080.
Results in Learning, 201 Energy Parkway, Suite 240, Lafayette, LA 90508, USA, 2006. 134p. Illus. Price: USD 14.95.

CIS 08-281 Torres K.
Making a safety committee work for you
Recognizing the value of safety committees is a step many managers are taking to inject safety awareness into their company culture. The trick is to know how to make one run effectively. This article comments the approaches with respect to safety committees adopted by a wood and paper products company, a window blinds manufacturer and a label printing company, and proposes the main tips for safety committee effectiveness.
Occupational Hazards, Oct. 2006, 3p. Illus.
http://www.occupationalhazards.com/Issue/Article/39324/Making_a_Safety_Committee_Work_for_You.aspx [in English]

CIS 08-239 Wills A.R., Watson B., Biggs H.C.
Comparing safety climate factors as predictors of work-related driving behavior
This study explores the relationship between safety climate (SC) and work-related driving. The SC factors measured were "communication and procedures," "work pressures," "relationships," "safety rules," "driver training," and "management commitment." The aspects of self-reported occupational driving measured were traffic violations, driver error, driving while distracted and pre-trip vehicle maintenance. Regression analyses revealed that the SC factors accounted for significant variance in all four aspects of work-related driving, even after controlling for age, sex and work-related driving exposure. Certain SC factors (safety rules, communication and management commitment) were more strongly related to specific aspects of work-related driving behavior than others. Implications for occupational safety, particularly for the management of work-related drivers, are discussed.
Journal of Safety Research, 2006, Vol.37, No.4, p.375-383. 42 ref.

CIS 08-145 Saito H., Mori I., Ogawa Y., Hirata M.
Relationship between blood lead level and work related factors using the NIIH questionnaire system
A study on the management and improvement of the work environment was conducted from 1990 to 2000 at 259 lead-handling factories in Japan. Data were obtained by means of questionnaires addressed to employers. Various factors affecting blood lead levels (PbBs), including gender, age, employment duration, factory size, work environment control and job categories were analyzed. The PbB of men was found to be higher than that of women, and may be due to the differences in job distribution. PbB increased along with increasing age and employment duration. PbB declined as the factory size increased. The odds ratio (OR) of PbB higher than 20µg/dL according to factory size was significantly high even after adjusting for work environment control class. This demonstrates that not only the working environment but also safety management was poorer among small-scale factories than among large-scale factories. Smelting or refining lead had the highest risk for lead exposure while painting had the lowest risk. Other findings are discussed.
Industrial Health, Oct. 2006, Vol.44, No.4, p.619-628. 30 ref.
http://www.jniosh.go.jp/old/niih/en/indu_hel/2006/pdf/indhealth_44_4_619.pdf [in English]

CIS 08-20 Hopkins A.
Studying organisational cultures and their effects on safety
The understanding of how organisational cultures influence safety requires a strategy for investigating organizational culture. By far the most widely used research strategy is the perception survey. An alternative for researchers is to immerse themselves in one or more organizations, making detailed observations about activities and drawing inferences about the nature of the organization's culture (the ethnographic method). A third technique makes use of the wealth of material that is assembled by inquiries into major accidents. This article describes how this material can be used to provide insights into organizational cultures. It draws on specific examples from previous work as well as the cultural analysis carried out by the Columbia Accident Investigation Board. It concludes with some additional suggestions for carrying out research on safety-relevant aspects of organizational culture.
Safety Science, Dec. 2006, Vol.44, No.10, p.875-889. Illus. 28 ref.

CIS 08-111 Murray M., Tilley N.
Promoting safety awareness in fishing communities through community arts: An action research project
Commercial fishing is a very dangerous industry. Traditionally safety education has focused on making fishermen aware of safety regulations and procedures. An alternative approach is to raise community awareness of safety issues and to consider both individual and collective strategies for improving safety in the industry. This article discusses of the use of drama, music and associated arts-based activities designed to promote safety awareness in three fishing communities in Newfoundland. Local residents planned and performed all of the activities. Discussions were subsequently conducted with key community leaders to clarify the process of implementing safety measures identified. The participants were very enthusiastic about the projects and keen to develop other similar activities in their communities.
Safety Science, Nov. 2006, Vol.44, No.9, p.797-808. Illus. 26 ref.

CIS 07-1313 Beseler C.L., Stallones L.
Structural equation modeling of the relationships between pesticide poisoning, depressive symptoms and safety behaviors among Colorado farm residents
The objective of this study was to use structural equation modelling (SEM) to test the theory that a past pesticide poisoning may act as a mediator in the relationship between depression and safety practices. A cross-sectional survey of farmers and their spouses was conducted in eight counties in north-eastern Colorado. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. SEM showed that poor health, financial difficulties and a history of pesticide poisoning significantly explained the depressive symptoms. Specific depressive symptoms appeared to be significantly associated with animal handling and farm machinery.
Journal of Agromedicine, 2006, Vol.11, No.3/4, p.35-46. Illus. 24 ref.

CIS 07-1466 Carruth A.K., Skarke L., Gilmore K., Brown E.R.
Potential exposure to hazardous work activities: Tractor usage among farmwomen
This study examined the involvement and work patterns of 665 women in Texas and 657 women in Louisiana who were 18 years old and older and whose family participated in farming operations. Surveys were used to gather specific data regarding tractor work patterns, tractor knowledge, sources of information about tractors and demographic information. Among the women, 577 (43.6%) reported driving tractors at least one day a year. This subset was used to describe characteristics of tractors and tractor-related activities. Findings indicate that women learn to drive tractors in their 20s, use husbands as the primary source of their information about tractors, engage in a wide variety of farm activities and acknowledge having limited knowing about driving tractors. Other findings are discussed. It is concluded that interventions that target women to become more knowledgeable regarding the injury risks associated with driving tractors need to be designed.
Journal of Agromedicine, 2006, Vol.11, No.3/4, p.25-34. 31 ref.

CIS 07-1023 Marais K., Saleh J.H., Leveson N.G.
Archetypes for organizational safety
This article proposes an initial set of six system safety archetypes that model dynamic organizational behaviours that often lead to accidents. The archetypes help clarify why safety-related decisions do not always result in the desired behaviour, and how independent decisions in different parts of the organization can combine to have a negative, and often unforeseen, impact on safety. Examples from the NASA manned space program and general industry are used to illustrate the archetypes. As accident analysis and investigation tools, the archetypes can be used to develop dynamic models that describe the systemic and organizational factors contributing to accidents. As risk analysis tools, the archetypes can be used to improve understanding of the ways that risk can arise in complex socio-technical systems.
Safety Science, Aug. 2006, Vol.44, No.7, p.565-582. Illus. 27 ref.

CIS 07-1020 Guarnieri F.
Human error and organizational failures: Findings from the implementation of the Tripod Delta method
Erreurs humaines et défaillances organisationnelles: résultats de la mise en œuvre de la méthode Tripod Delta [in French]
This article presents an analytical method for assessing latent organizational failures likely to impact on safety and health at the workplace. Failures are represented in the form of eleven organizational factors. By means of individual questionnaires, the method enables the assessment of the degree of command and control of each of the factors. It is based on the employees' perception of enterprise safety and health practices. The practical implementation of the method at the production site of a French tyre manufacturer is described.
Revue Technique Apave, 4th quarter 2006, No.316, p.32-34. Illus. 5 ref.

CIS 07-1019 Parker D., Lawrie M., Hudson P.
A framework for understanding the development of organisational safety culture
A framework for the development and maturation of organizational safety culture is described. The content of the framework was informed by 26 semi-structured interviews with experienced oil and gas company executives. The form of the framework is based on earlier studies of the typology of organizational cultures. The result is a set of short descriptions of each of a number of aspects of organizational safety at each of five levels of safety culture advancement. The framework was assessed for validity. Theoretical implications and possible applications of the framework are discussed.
Safety Science, July 2006, Vol.44, No.6, p.551-562. 32 ref.

CIS 07-760 Op De Beeck R., Dufrasne D.
Comment on occupational accidents and safety culture
Des accidents du travail et de la culture de sécurité [in French]
An in-depth analysis of the causes of accidents attributed to human error reveals that they are mostly due to faulty technical design or to organizational weaknesses. This article discusses the importance of work organization and safety culture in avoiding accidents attributable to human error.
Prevent Focus, Nov. 2006,, No.9 p.14-17. Illus. 2 ref.

CIS 07-767 Suplido-Westergaard M.L.
Recognizing national culture as a determinant of safety subculture
Safety culture includes the sum of beliefs, attitudes, competencies and behaviours shared by a group, affecting its safety and health. Current discourse on safety culture highlights interactions between persons, jobs and organizational factors. This article discusses the role of national culture in shaping safety culture, taking the example of Filipino migrant workers in Asia.
Asian-Pacific Newsletter on Occupational Health and Safety, Mar. 2006, Vol.13, No.1, p.19-23. Illus. 13 ref.
http://www.ttl.fi/NR/rdonlyres/40A4C040-6BE7-4DFC-858C-6D16C799DA53/0/Aasian_Pacific_Newsletter_12006.pdf [in English]

CIS 07-766 Kawakami T., Ujita Y.
National occupational safety and health programmes that can support safety and health culture at the workplace
The ILO Global Strategy on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) adopted in 2003 (see CIS 05-54) highlights the building and maintenance of a national preventive safety and health culture as a major objective. A number of programmes were promoted in response, aimed at strengthening national OSH legislation, enforcement and information dissemination. This article describes several such programmes in Asia, involving small enterprises in Mongolia, small coal mines in China, construction sites in Cambodia and work improvement through neighbourhood development (WIND) in the agricultural sector in Vietnam (see CIS 07-818).
Asian-Pacific Newsletter on Occupational Health and Safety, Mar. 2006, Vol.13, No.1, p.4-7. Illus. 2 ref.
http://www.ttl.fi/NR/rdonlyres/40A4C040-6BE7-4DFC-858C-6D16C799DA53/0/Aasian_Pacific_Newsletter_12006.pdf [in English]

CIS 07-270 Smith G.S., Huang Y.H., Ho M., Chen P.Y.
The relationship between safety climate and injury rates across industries: The need to adjust for injury hazards
Based on data from 33 companies, this study assessed the association between safety climate and injury rates using three injury measures (claims per 100 employees, claims per 100,000h worked and claims per USD one million payroll) derived from workers' compensation injury claims. Linear regression models were used to test the predictability of safety climate on injury rates. Results were then controlled for differences in hazard across industries based on national industry-specific injury rates. In the unadjusted model, company level safety climate was negatively and significantly associated with injury rate. However, this association was no longer apparent when controlling for the hazardousness of the specific industry. These findings may be due to overadjustment of hazard risk, or the overwhelming effects of industry specific hazards relative to safety climate effects that could not be differentiated with the statistical power in the study.
Accident Analysis and Prevention, May 2006, Vol.38, No.3, p.556-562. Illus. 48 ref.

CIS 07-269 Huang Y.H., Ho M., Smith G.S., Chen P.Y.
Safety climate and self-reported injury: Assessing the mediating role of employee safety control
This article proposes a model to link safety climate with self-reported injury using employees' perceived control on safety. Data were collected by means of questionnaires mailed to over 4000 employees from 18 companies across the USA. Results indicate that management commitment to safety, return-to-work policies, post-injury administration and safety training are important dimensions of safety climate. In addition, the data support the suggestion that safety climate is a critical factor in predicting the occurrence of a self-reported occupational injury, and that employee safety control mediates the relationship between safety climate and occupational injury. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating organizational factors and workers' characteristics in efforts to improve organizational safety performance.
Accident Analysis and Prevention, May 2006, Vol.38, No.3, p.425-433. Illus. 58 ref.

CIS 07-264 Gyekye S.A.
Workers' perceptions of workplace safety: An African perspective
This study investigated workers' perceptions of workplace safety in Ghanaian work places. Workers' safety perceptions were examined with the Hayes Work Safety Scale. Comparative analyses were made between high and low accident groups. Relative to their colleagues in the low accident category, workers in the high accident category exhibited negative perceptions regarding work safety, safety programmes, supervisors and co-workers. Besides, they expressed less job satisfaction and were less committed to safety management policies. Perceptions regarding management's attitude towards safety between the two groups were not of statistical significance. Implications of these findings for safety management are discussed.
International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, 1st quarter 2006, Vol.12, No.1, p.31-42. 60 ref.

CIS 07-426 Olive C., O'Connor T.M., Mannan M.S.
Relationship of safety culture and process safety
This review article discusses safety culture and its relationship with process safety. It explains how organizations, including corporations, have developed their own unique cultures derived from the diversity of their organizational interests and the background of the employees. Safety culture, a subset of organizational culture, has been a major focus in recent years. This is especially true in the chemical industry due to a series of preventable, safety related disasters that occurred in the late seventies and eighties. Some of the most notable disasters during this time period occurred at Bhopal, Flixborough and Seveso. However, current events, like the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks and the disintegration of the Columbia shuttle, have caused an assessment of safety culture in a variety of other organizations.
Journal of Hazardous Materials, Mar. 2006, Vol.130, No.1-2, p.133-140. Illus. 13 ref.

CIS 06-1374 Beyond common sense: A report on the barriers to adoption of safety in the agriculture industry
Report of a study into improving occupational health and safety (OHS) outcomes for Australia's agriculture sector. The study is based on interviews with a small group of farmers and with safety practitioners. Findings indicate that farmers' attitudes towards safety on the farm represent a significant barrier to improvements: there is a general view that injuries are a normal part of farming life and farmers accept a high level of risk. The implications for OHS initiatives are discussed.
Australian Safety and Compensation Council, info@ascc.gov.au, 2006. 27p. Illus. 11 ref.
http://www.ascc.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/79D9FB20-F40A-43D3-986F-07F7CDCB5929/0/BeyondCommonSenseResearchReport.pdf [in English]

CIS 06-1412 Nixon R., Roberts H., Frowen K., Sim M.
Knowledge of skin hazards and the use of gloves by Australian hairdressing students and practising hairdressers
This study of occupational contact dermatitis among hairdressers involved 193 trainee hairdressers and 184 practising hairdressers, who completed a questionnaire detailing their knowledge of skin hazards, the skills they practised and the frequency of glove use. Knowledge of skin hazards was poor in both groups. While up to 70% of participants correctly identified hairdressing chemicals as potential skin hazards, less than 15% correctly identified the role of wet work. Only a small proportion recognized that hairdressing chemicals could cause allergy. Less-experienced hairdressers often handled chemicals, particularly hair dyes containing p-phenylene diamine. The use of gloves was inadequate, particularly when performing work at the basin, which both junior and senior hairdressers did on a regular basis. Recommended strategies for the prevention of hand dermatitis among hairdressers include improved student education, appropriate glove use and the application of after-work moisturizing creams.
Contact Dermatitis, Feb. 2006, Vol.54, No.2, p.112-116. 19 ref.

2005

CIS 07-1273
Health and Safety Executive
A review of safety culture and safety climate literature for the development of the safety culture inspection toolkit
Following the recommendations made from inquiries into several major railway accidents in the United Kingdom, the Railway Inspectorate requested that a safety culture inspection toolkit be developed. The toolkit was required to provide a pragmatic approach for the measurement of safety culture in rail organizations. The Inspectorate requested that the approach should focus on a limited number of indicators that are known to influence safety culture. The first phase of the project described in this report consisted of a literature review, in which the five indicators found to be the most relevant were leadership, two-way communications, employee involvement, learning culture and attitude towards blame.
HSE Books, P.O. Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA, United Kingdom, 2005. viii, 42p. Illus. 66 ref. Price: GBP 10.00. Downloadable version free of charge.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr367.pdf [in English]

CIS 07-1271 Fairman R., Yapp C.
Health and Safety Executive
Making an impact on SME compliance behaviour: An evaluation of the effect of interventions upon compliance with health and safety legislation in small and medium sized enterprises
The project described in this report evaluated how external interventions affect SME compliance behaviour. It examined the impact of intervention on standards of compliance, the processes by which compliance occurred and how external intervention impacted on these processes. The study was conducted in small hairdressing shops in six regions of the United Kingdom. Formal compliance with COSHH (see CIS 03-1023), electrical safety and risk assessment requirements were assessed by examining the case notes of the local authorities and by interviewing managers or owners of the hairdressing shops. All the hairdressing shops believed they complied fully even though formal compliance levels ranged from 19.5% to 61%. Furthermore, compliance was not found to be part of a rational decision-making process. Other findings are discussed.
HSE Books, P.O. Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA, United Kingdom, 2005. vi, 104p. Illus. 124 ref. Price: GBP 25.00. Downloadable version free of charge.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr366.pdf [in English]

CIS 06-1445 Kouassi Y.M., Wognin S.B., N'gbesso R., Yeboue-Kouame Y.B., Tchicaya A.F., Alla D., Bonny J.S.
Study of the compliance with radiation protection rules in hospitals in Abidjan
Etude de l'observance des règles de radioprotection en milieu hospitalier à Abidjan [in French]
This cross-sectional study on the degree of compliance with radiation protection rules was carried out in six health care facilities in the city of Abidjan equipped with X-ray tubes. Overall compliance was poor. 50% of the facilities were not registered with the ionizing radiation protection administration and 83.3% had no competent staff trained in radiation protection. Most workers (97.5%) wore lead aprons and 59.8% wore dosimeters. Other findings are discussed. It is suggested that the lack of compliance with radiation protection principles can be explained by the imprecise and incomplete wording of the Côte d'Ivoire regulations and by the material and logistical problems faced by the staff of the ionizing radiation protection administration when carrying out inspection missions.
Archives des maladies professionnelles, Sep. 2005, Vol.66, No.4, p.369-374. 6 ref.

CIS 06-1492 Gyekye S. A.
Workers' perceptions of workplace safety and job satisfaction
This study investigated the impact of job satisfaction on safety climate. It also examined the relationships between job satisfaction and workers' compliance with safety management policies and accident frequency. A positive correlation was found between job satisfaction and safety climate. The workers who manifested more satisfaction at their posts had positive perceptions of safety climate. Correspondingly, they were more committed to safety management policies and consequently registered a lower rate of accident involvement. The results were thus consistent with the notion that workers' positive perceptions of organizational climate influence their perceptions of safety at their workplace.
International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, 2005, Vol.11, No.3, p.291-302. 62 ref.

CIS 06-1495 Jégaden D., Lucas D., Loddé B., Dewitte J.D.
Psychological barriers to safety in deep-sea fishing
Résistances psychologiques à la sécurité dans la pêche maritime [in French]
During 2003 in France, there were 2100 accidents among 21,532 fishermen, which corresponds to a rate of 97 accidents per thousand workers, while the corresponding rate is 40 per thousand for on-land occupations. The ILO estimates that there are approximately 80 fatalities annually for each 100,000 sailors. These fatality rates appear stable and do not seem to be improving. This article discusses risk factors of occupational accidents in deep-sea fishing that are related to human behaviour, and in particular the psychological mechanisms that are behind often irrational risk-taking.
Société française de Médecine Maritime, Faculté de médecine de Brest, CS 93837, 29238 Brest cedex 3, France, Nov. 2005. 6p. 5 ref.

CIS 06-1363 Larpent G.
Survey - Occupational safety and health is becoming established within enterprises
Enquête - La prévention s'installe dans les entreprises [in French]
This article summarizes the findings of a survey on the level of safety consciousness of French building and construction enterprises. It involved a representative sample of 505 enterprises. A majority of enterprises were aware of the need to integrate occupational safety and health aspects. They considered that the most important occupational safety and health measure consisted in investing in technical means of prevention and that training constituted the starting point of a true occupational safety and health policy.
Prévention BTP, Nov. 2005, No.79, p.4-7. Illus.

CIS 06-841 Håvold J.I.
Safety-culture in a Norwegian shipping company
Although there has been considerable interest in safety culture and safety climate in many industries, little attention has been given to safety culture in shipping. Using both original items and items from published research on safety culture, safety climate, and quality and management style, a 40-item safety culture questionnaire was developed and distributed to sailors onboard 20 vessels and to officers attending a safety seminar. A total of 349 questionnaires were collected (total response rate, 60%). Analysis of results confirmed previous research, showing differences in the perception of safety issues across nationalities, occupations and vessels.
Journal of Safety Research, 2005, Vol.36, No.5, p.441-458. Illus. 73 ref.

CIS 06-860 Bryden R., Hudson P.
Because we want to
Many enterprises that have attempted to develop a sound safety culture admit that the biggest hurdle consists of changing workers' behaviour. This article describes how a major oil company translated human behaviour research into practice through its 'Hearts and Minds' programme. The goal was to develop a programme in which the entire workforce would become intrinsically motivated for managing health, safety and the environment as an integral part of their business. Tools and techniques designed as part of the programme are described and have been made available on the website of the Institute of Energy at www.energyinst.org.uk/heartsandminds.
Safety and Health Practitioner, July 2005, Vol.23, No.7, p.51-54. Illus. 9 ref.

CIS 06-767 Budworth N., Cox S.
Trusting tools
This article explains how safety audits can contribute towards the development of a safety culture within an enterprise. It discusses the attitudes of company senior management to audits, the use of computerized audit systems, the various audit standards such as HSG65 and OHSAS 18000, the selection of an audit tool that is adapted to the conditions of the enterprise and the importance of the resulting action plan.
Safety and Health Practitioner, July 2005, Vol.23, No.7, p.46-48. Illus. 3 ref.

CIS 06-271 Wilson-Donnelly K.A., Priest H.A., Salas E., Burke C.S.
The impact of organizational practices on safety in manufacturing: A review and reappraisal
Research suggests that human error contributes to two thirds of the incidents and accidents that occur in manufacturing industries. Many organizations take a micro-level approach to addressing workplace safety, by focusing on individual workers. However, it has been argued that organizations should take a broader macro-level approach to improving workplace safety. Despite the suggested benefits of macro-level approaches such as a positive safety culture, it is found that their implementation is lacking in many organizations. This article presents guidelines to assist in the development of a safety culture that encourages safe practices at all levels of the organization.
Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing, Spring 2005, Vol.15, No.2, p.135-176. Illus. 160 ref.

CIS 06-270 Williams W., Purdy S., Storey L.
Assessing the workplace safety climate
When carrying out an occupational safety and health survey, questionnaires or interviews should be restricted in length because of restrictions of space, employees' time and, in particular, the attention span of the respondents. This article describes the attempt to reduce the size of a large safety climate questionnaire while retaining its reliability and validity. The result was a six-item questionnaire which nonetheless had excellent reliability and validity compared with the original, larger questionnaire. The questionnaire may be used for the examination of an organization's safety culture without the need for a larger research tool.
Journal of Occupational Health and Safety - Australia and New Zealand, Feb. 2005, Vol.21, No.1, p.61-66. Illus. 20 ref.

CIS 06-333 Oughton N.
Film and television production: A risky business
This study investigated levels of compliance with occupational safety and health (OSH) legislation in the film and television industry in the Australian state of Queensland. A questionnaire was distributed to workers in production companies and to freelance operators. Findings based on 100 responses reveal that many practitioners lack an understanding of OSH practices, fail to implement OSH programs, rarely conduct risk assessments, only sporadically provide OSH information and training and demonstrate low OSH morale. It is suggested that partnerships between industry, unions and educational institutions may provide the best method for improving the poor OSH culture in the industry.
Journal of Occupational Health and Safety - Australia and New Zealand, Feb. 2005, Vol.21, No.1, p.23-31. Illus. 8 ref.

CIS 06-286 Młodzka-Stybel A.
The role of information in shaping safety at work in an information society
Rola informacji w kształtowaniu bezpieczeństwa pracy w warunkach społeczeństwa informacyjnego [in Polish]
The problems of shaping safe and healthy conditions of work in the context of the development of the information society are examined. Changes in the work environment and new strategies in safety improvement are described and the influence of information policy and information dissemination on safety awareness and safety culture are described. Conclusions for the planning and realization of information promotion activities in the field of OSH are set out.
Centralny Instytut Ochrony Pracy - Państwowy Instytut Badawczy, ul. Czerniakowska 16, 00-701 Warszawa, Poland, 96p. 130 ref. Illus.

CIS 06-464 Johnson S.E., Hall A.
The prediction of safe lifting behavior: An application of the theory of planned behavior
This study used a survey to apply the theory of planned behaviour to safe-lifting among 136 warehouse workers. Results revealed that perceived behavioural control and intention were the strongest predictors of safe-lifting behaviour. Attitudes did not surface as effective direct predictors of safe lifting, but did affect behaviour and intent via mediating factors (subjective norms and perceived behavioural control). Finally, the theory of planned behaviour was supported as an effective model explaining safe-lifting behaviour.
Journal of Safety Research, 2005, Vol.36, No.1, p.63-73. Illus. 32 ref.

CIS 06-431 Laurence D.
Safety rules and regulations on mine sites - The problem and a solution
A survey of safety attitudes was conducted at 33 mine sites in Australia and other countries, involving almost 500 mineworkers. The questionnaire survey investigated the opinions of the mining workforce on safety rules and regulations generally and in relation to their specific jobs on the mine site. The insights provided by the mineworkers enabled a set of principles to be developed to guide mine management and regulators in the development of more effective rules and regulations. In particular, it was noted that management should not continue to produce more and more rules and regulations to cover every aspect of mining, since detailed prescriptive regulations, safe work procedures, and voluminous safety management plans will not "connect" with a miner.
Journal of Safety Research, 2005, Vol.36, No.1, p.39-50. Illus. 14 ref.

CIS 06-267 Baird D.
The implementation of a health and safety management system and its interaction with organisational/safety culture: An industrial case study
This article describes a study of the effectiveness of an occupational safety and health management system within an organization. It discusses the core influences on the management system at the study site and describes the development and testing of an analytical model founded on previous quality management research. The study demonstrates the high degree of mutual interaction and interdependence between organisational/safety culture and a safety and health management intervention.
Policy and Practice in Health and Safety, 2005, Vol.3, No.1, p.17-39. Illus. 53 ref.

CIS 06-324 Farrington-Darby T., Pickup L., Wilson J.R.
Safety culture in railway maintenance
This paper discusses the practical problems of understanding and addressing unsafe behaviour and negative safety culture in rail maintenance. Analysis of interviews with staff enabled identification of 40 main factors that influence safe behaviour and safe culture. These factors ranged in proximity of their connection to the unsafe event from those that could be found at trackside and which directly influence the behaviour of the track workers on the day (e.g. the weather), to more medium term and distanced factors (e.g. the supervisors' style of management), to those at considerable distance in terms of where they emanate and can be changed, such as contradictory rules. As a result of this structured qualitative enquiry, the maintenance company most concerned disseminated findings throughout the organization and established a strategy to improve both safety systems and behaviour.
Safety Science, Jan. 2005, Vol.43, No.1, p.39-60. Illus. 39 ref.

< previous | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 | next >