Current Research on Occupational Safety and Health

A special issue of Merits (ISSN 2673-8104).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 March 2025 | Viewed by 6403

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational & Environmental Health, University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, USA
Interests: workplace meetings; organizational community engagement; occupational safety and health

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational & Environmental Health, University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, UT 84111, USA
Interests: overlap between a person’s job and their health
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to submit manuscripts showing your current research on occupational safety and health. Occupational safety and health is a growing interdisciplinary field focused on protecting and maintaining the health and wellbeing of workers in the workplace through a variety of interventions (i.e., hazard prevention, education, behavior change, etc.) (World Health Organization, 2023). Disciplines involved in occupational safety and health include public health, psychology, healthcare, ergonomics, industrial hygiene, law, and technology, to name a few. The workplace has shifted substantially in the past few years with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, a shift to remote work, and then with the adjustment into the post-pandemic era. New concerns in the workplace have emerged such as changing polices, procedures, and practices, which have impacted most industries (Almohassen et al., 2023). Additionally, the discussion around mental health and wellbeing has never been more prevalent in the workplace (Santana et al., 2023; Alroomi & Mohamed, 2021). Further, as the workforce changes, we see a need for DEI-related occupational health and safety research (Uezato et al., 2023; Creary et al., 2021), as well as a look into how new technologies impact the health and wellbeing of the workforce (Namkoong et al., 2023; Antwi-Afari et al., 2019).

This Special Issue aims to enable academics, organizations, and decision makers to broaden their understanding of the latest trends and challenges in occupational safety and health. With the near-constant changes to organizations and industries, learning about the progress in occupational safety and health allows research to translate into practice and encourages the development of new ideas for further research.

This call for papers is open to researchers in any subject areas related to occupational safety and health; both original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Work-life balance;
  • Exposures in the workplace;
  • Industry-specific topics;
  • Mental wellbeing in the workplace;
  • Organizational climate;
  • Safety climate;
  • Human factors and design;
  • Technologies’ impact on health and wellbeing in the workplace;
  • Risky behaviors in the workplace;
  • Built workplace environment;
  • Injury prevention;
  • Interventions in the workplace;
  • Measurement tools.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Joseph A. Allen
Dr. Matthew S. Thiese
Guest Editors

References:

  • Almohassen, A. S., Alkhaldi, M. S., & Shaawat, M. E. (2023). The effects of COVID-19 on safety practices in construction projects. Ain Shams Engineering Journal, 14(1), 101834.
  • Alroomi, A. S., & Mohamed, S. (2021). Predictors of mental health and fatigue among isolated oil and gas workers. In Safety and Reliability Taylor & Francis. Vol. 40, No. 2, pp. 80-98.
  • Antwi-Afari, M. F., Li, H., Wong, J. K. W., Oladinrin, O. T., Ge, J. X., Seo, J., & Wong, A. Y. L. (2019). Sensing and warning-based technology applications to improve occupational health and safety in the construction industry: A literature review. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management.
  • Creary, S. J., Rothbard, N., & Scruggs, J. (2021). Improving workplace culture through evidence-based diversity, equity and inclusion practices.
  • Namkoong, K., Chen, J., Leach, J., Song, Y., Vincent, S., Byrd, A. P., & Mazur, J. (2023). Virtual reality for public health: a study on a VR intervention to enhance occupational injury prevention. Journal of Public Health, 45(1), 136-144.
  • Santana, G. L., Baptista, M. C., de Matos, G. A. G., Ogata, A. J. N., Malik, A. M., & Andrade, L. H. (2023). The Well-Being of Brazilian Industry Workers on Returning to the Physical Workplace during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 10-1097.
  • Uezato, A., Sakamoto, K., Miura, M., & Futami, A. (2023). Workplace culture and mental health of ethnic minority workers in Japan. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 65(1), e28-e29.
  • World Health Organization [WHO]. (2023). Occupational health. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/health-topics/occupational-health

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Merits is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 414 KiB  
Article
Burnout and Turnover Intention Among Community and Hospital Pharmacists in Metro Manila, Philippines
by Rogie Royce Carandang, Forter Puguon Jr., Mary Louisse Santos, Elizabeth Ilagan, Kellie Gwyneth Gamboa and Jose Gerardo Aquino
Merits 2024, 4(4), 463-474; https://doi.org/10.3390/merits4040033 - 10 Dec 2024
Viewed by 513
Abstract
Burnout among pharmacists is an increasingly urgent concern, with previous studies emphasizing its physical, psychological, and occupational consequences. However, limited research has explored specific burnout experiences and their impact on turnover intentions among Filipino pharmacists. This study examined the association between burnout, its [...] Read more.
Burnout among pharmacists is an increasingly urgent concern, with previous studies emphasizing its physical, psychological, and occupational consequences. However, limited research has explored specific burnout experiences and their impact on turnover intentions among Filipino pharmacists. This study examined the association between burnout, its symptoms, and turnover intentions among pharmacists in Metro Manila, Philippines. We used the Burnout Assessment Tool and Turnover Intention Scale to conduct a cross-sectional study among 300 community and hospital pharmacists. A multiple logistic regression analysis examined the association between burnout and turnover intentions among pharmacists. Of the 300 pharmacists, 73.0% were at risk of or experiencing severe burnout, and 75.7% reported a turnover intention. Pharmacists at risk of or experiencing severe burnout showed a higher likelihood of leaving their jobs (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 7.59; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 3.68, 15.64), especially if they felt exhausted (AOR = 2.49, 95% CI = 1.27, 4.89) or mentally distant (AOR = 3.92, 95% CI = 1.95, 7.86) from their work. Furthermore, dissatisfaction with salary, lack of incentives and promotions, and insufficient staffing emerged as other factors associated with the desire to leave. Addressing pharmacists’ physical and mental well-being, alongside workplace improvements, is crucial for reducing turnover intentions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research on Occupational Safety and Health)
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12 pages, 684 KiB  
Article
Occupational Safety from an Individual Perspective: The Influence of Extraversion on Compliance with Safety Standards for Emergency Employees and Nurses
by Jazael Albalá-Genol, Pedro A. Díaz-Fúnez, Francisco G. Martín-Martín and Miguel A. Mañas-Rodríguez
Merits 2024, 4(3), 251-262; https://doi.org/10.3390/merits4030018 - 1 Aug 2024
Viewed by 819
Abstract
When analyzing occupational safety factors, a human factor is associated with 80–90% of incidents and accidents that occur. Controlling this factor is essential when it comes to creating healthy and safe organizations. Personality traits have shown great relevance when understanding the behavior of [...] Read more.
When analyzing occupational safety factors, a human factor is associated with 80–90% of incidents and accidents that occur. Controlling this factor is essential when it comes to creating healthy and safe organizations. Personality traits have shown great relevance when understanding the behavior of safety or self-protection in the workplace, affecting the motivation of subjects and, therefore, their behavior. The objective of this study is to analyze the influence of the extraversion trait on compliance with safety rules and behaviors, while evaluating the mediating effect of motivation for safety in health professionals. The sample is composed of 183 nurses and wardens of a hospital in Spain. The obtained results confirm the hypotheses raised, validating the negative influences of extraversion on motivation for security and compliance with norms, behaviors, and security, while verifying the effect of the total mediation of motivation for security in the influence of extraversion on security compliance. This confirms the effect of this personality trait on employees’ safety behaviors, and the possibility of reducing this influence by controlling personal motivations with interventions from the organization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research on Occupational Safety and Health)
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13 pages, 252 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Relationship between Physical Activity and Depression in Lawyers and Law Professionals: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Chapman Cox, Matthew S. Thiese and Joseph A. Allen
Merits 2024, 4(3), 238-250; https://doi.org/10.3390/merits4030017 - 17 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 929
Abstract
Background: Law professionals are understudied, and little is known about their mental health. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the relationship between the amount of physical activity and depressive symptoms. Methods: A sample of 681 law professionals completed a survey that assessed mental [...] Read more.
Background: Law professionals are understudied, and little is known about their mental health. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the relationship between the amount of physical activity and depressive symptoms. Methods: A sample of 681 law professionals completed a survey that assessed mental health conditions and activities to promote well-being. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated for the relationship between the number of days of an hour or more of physical activity and two levels of depression from the patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Results: Law professionals were found to have significantly more depressive symptoms, mild or worse and moderate or worse, when reporting 0 days of physical activity when compared to 7 days, with OR of 6.07 (95% CI 2.55–14.48) and 8.64 (95% CI 1.97–37.82) and adjusted ORs of 3.91 (95% CI 1.58–9.68) and 6.32 (95% CI 1.4–28.33), respectively. A dose response was also noted. Conclusions: There was a statistically significant relationship found between amounts of physical activity and depressive symptoms in law professionals. We recommend future research be conducted to better understand this relationship. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research on Occupational Safety and Health)
13 pages, 385 KiB  
Article
Knowledge of Infection Prevention and Control and Practice Behaviors among Career and Volunteer Firefighters in Rural Communities
by Edrisa Sanyang, Ashley Adams, Ritchie Taylor, Vernell McDonald, Gretchen Macy and Jacqueline Basham
Merits 2024, 4(2), 146-158; https://doi.org/10.3390/merits4020011 - 10 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1153
Abstract
Due to the emerging threat conditions in the work environment, firefighters are at a high risk of exposure to not only toxic substances but also biological agents in the dayroom and during emergency runs. The aim of this study is to evaluate firefighter [...] Read more.
Due to the emerging threat conditions in the work environment, firefighters are at a high risk of exposure to not only toxic substances but also biological agents in the dayroom and during emergency runs. The aim of this study is to evaluate firefighter (career and volunteer) knowledge and practice behaviors on infection control. This study surveyed 444 firefighters (210 career, 234 volunteer) in rural Northwestern Kentucky. The self-reported survey focused on individual characteristics, knowledge on exposure incident control, precautionary actions, and personal protections. We evaluated the descriptive characteristics of knowledge and practice scores stratified by firefighter groups (career and volunteers). The associations between infection control training received (yes/no) and firefighter knowledge and practice scores were also examined. Firefighters who were trained on infection control prevention had significantly higher knowledge scores (M = 63.7, SD = 13.4 vs. M = 59.7, SD = 15.9; p = 0.012). Volunteer firefighters exhibited better infection control practice behaviors than career firefighters (M = 70.6, SD = 13.0 vs. M = 67.4, SD = 11.1; p = 0.05). Firefighters who followed infection control guidelines (M = 69.5, SD = 11.9 vs. M = 58.1, SD = 9.9; p = 0.012) and expressed need for a comprehensive training on personal protective equipment (PPE) selection (β = 3.41, SE = 1.54, aOR = 30.22, 95% CI: 1.47–620.87; p = 0.028) had significantly higher practice scores compared to those who did not. The study results have policy implications for infection prevention and control (IPC) in rural fire departments, both career and volunteer. A review of infection control policies is needed, especially as it relates to training and practice behaviors during emergency calls and in the dayroom. Results also suggest the need to develop strategies to improve the culture of PPE use and training on the selection of PPEs appropriate to the emergency response type. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research on Occupational Safety and Health)
18 pages, 666 KiB  
Article
Workloads of Emergency Call Types in Active-Duty Firefighters
by Rudi A. Marciniak, David J. Cornell, Barbara B. Meyer, Razia Azen, Michael D. Laiosa and Kyle T. Ebersole
Merits 2024, 4(1), 1-18; https://doi.org/10.3390/merits4010001 - 30 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1696
Abstract
Firefighting is an occupation with high injury risks, particularly when conducting fireground operations. The fire service generally quantifies the job demands of firefighting through tracking emergency call volume across 24 h shifts; however, volume alone does not account for the specific work completed [...] Read more.
Firefighting is an occupation with high injury risks, particularly when conducting fireground operations. The fire service generally quantifies the job demands of firefighting through tracking emergency call volume across 24 h shifts; however, volume alone does not account for the specific work completed in response to different call types. Utilization of external (i.e., objective work) and internal (i.e., intrinsic responses to work) training load measures have the potential to quantify the multifaceted workload demands of responses to medical and fire emergencies and inform injury prevention strategies. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to utilize training load measures to quantify the workloads across emergency call types. For medical emergencies and fire emergencies, the external load and the physiological, perceived, and cumulative internal loads were quantified. The results indicate that the magnitude of objective work required for fire emergency responses that include fire suppression and/or auto-extrication is approximately three times greater than that of medical and other fire emergency (i.e., no suppression or extrication) responses. Further, in response to the objective work for fire suppression and/or auto-extrication calls, the intrinsic workloads are six times more physiologically and perceptually demanding than—as well as double, cumulatively—those of medical and other fire emergency responses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research on Occupational Safety and Health)
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Review

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15 pages, 1055 KiB  
Review
Occupational Health Risks and HIV Prevention Programming for Informal Extractive Miners in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Narrative Review of Interventions, Challenges, and Lessons Learned
by Tafadzwa Dzinamarira, Enos Moyo, Diego F. Cuadros, Helena Herrera, Oscar Mano, Ferris T. Munyonho, Malizgani Mhango and Godfrey Musuka
Merits 2024, 4(4), 475-489; https://doi.org/10.3390/merits4040034 - 11 Dec 2024
Viewed by 306
Abstract
Introduction: The objective of this narrative review is to examine the health risks associated with informal mining in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), with a particular focus on HIV prevention. It aims to review existing interventions targeting this population and identify challenges and opportunities for [...] Read more.
Introduction: The objective of this narrative review is to examine the health risks associated with informal mining in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), with a particular focus on HIV prevention. It aims to review existing interventions targeting this population and identify challenges and opportunities for improvement. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library. Studies and reports published between 2000 and 2023 that focused on occupational health risks and HIV prevention interventions in the informal mining sector of SSA were included in the analysis. Results: Informal mining in SSA presents significant health risks to workers, including exposure to hazardous substances, poor working conditions, and limited access to healthcare. These factors, combined with the high prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the region, make informal miners particularly vulnerable to infection. The review identified several key themes related to occupational health risks, such as poor environmental and sanitation conditions, increased vulnerability due to factors like poverty and lack of education, and limited access to healthcare services. A variety of interventions have been implemented to address HIV prevention among informal miners in SSA. These include behavioral strategies like peer education and social marketing campaigns, as well as biomedical interventions such as counseling, testing, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). However, challenges persist in delivering effective HIV prevention services to this population. These challenges include restricted access to healthcare, the high mobility of miners, limited resources, and stigma associated with HIV. Conclusions: The findings of this review highlight the urgent need for integrated health services and tailored interventions that address the specific issues faced by informal miners in SSA. Community-based and culturally sensitive programs, developed in collaboration with mining communities, are essential for effective HIV prevention. Future research should evaluate the long-term impact of interventions and explore their scalability. To improve intervention effectiveness and sustainability, stakeholders should focus on community engagement, strengthening health systems, and addressing structural barriers. A multi-sectoral approach is necessary to tackle the broader determinants of health in mining communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research on Occupational Safety and Health)
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