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Safety
Special Issues
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS): Emerging Trends and Future Directions
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Occupational Health and Safety (OHS): Emerging Trends and Future Directions

A special issue of Safety (ISSN 2313-576X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2025 | Viewed by 19211

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mario Fargnoli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Industrial Engineering Courses, Universitas Mercatorum, Piazza Mattei 10, 00186 Rome, Italy
Interests: occupational health and safety (OHS); product service systems (PSS); ecodesign; quality function deployment (QFD); human factors and ergonomics (HFE)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Leonardo Vita

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), Via Fontana Candida, 1, Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy
Interests: agricultural and construction machinery; occupational health and safety (OHS); standardization; finite element analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Davide Gattamelata

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority (INAIL), Monte Porzio Catone, 00078 Rome, Italy
Interests: occupational health and safety (OHS); agricultural machinery; safety; standardization; agricultural engineering: finite elements and dynamic analyses
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Workplace safety and occupational health are still of major concern in most countries, although safety standards and regulations have become stricter and stricter in recent years. Actually, even though there is growing attention to the Zero Accident Vision, which is based on the assumption that all accidents and work-related diseases can be preventable, when it comes to practice, accident statistics and reports on professional diseases highlight that companies still fail in achieving such goals.

From the engineering perspective, recent studies have proposed novel approaches to occupational safety that involve advanced risk management theories (e.g., the shift from Safety I to Safety II), specific attention to human factors and ergonomics, the use of smart technologies (e.g., Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Information Communication Technology (ICT)-driven tools), and novel approaches for risk assessment to reduce the occurrence of accidents and diseases.

The goal of this Special Issue is to draw up an overview of emerging trends, methods, and tools in safety engineering, which can allow researchers and practitioners to exchange information and ideas on occupational health and safety, providing both an analysis of the status quo as well as future perspectives and directions.

Accordingly, original research articles and reviews dealing with different industrial contexts, such as manufacturing, construction, agriculture, transportation, etc., are welcome in this Special Issue. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following topics affecting OHS (in alphabetical order):

  • Design for safety/prevention through design;
  • Digitalization and smart technologies;
  • Education and training;
  • Ergonomics and human factors;
  • Human–machinery interaction;
  • Innovative safety devices;
  • Knowledge management;
  • Multi criteria decision-making (MCDM) tools;
  • Policy and organizational issues;
  • Resilience engineering;
  • Risk management;
  • Risk perception;
  • Smart technologies;
  • Safety management systems;
  • Virtual/augmented reality and simulation.

Research focusing on mixed-method approaches is especially welcome.

Dr. Mario Fargnoli
Guest Editor

Dr. Vita Leonardo
Dr. Davide Gattamelata
Guest Editor Assistants

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. Safety 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 1800 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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  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 1541 KiB  
Article
Heart Rate Variability Monitoring in Special Emergency Response Team Anaerobic-Based Tasks and Training
by Colin Tomes, Ben Schram, Elisa F. D. Canetti and Robin Orr
Safety 2024, 10(4), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/safety10040084 - 25 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1147
Abstract
The Law enforcement profession is known to impart high stress. Members of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams are allocated particularly demanding law enforcement operations and may therefore attain high fitness levels but may accumulate excessive stress. Heart rate variability (HRV), an assessment [...] Read more.
The Law enforcement profession is known to impart high stress. Members of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams are allocated particularly demanding law enforcement operations and may therefore attain high fitness levels but may accumulate excessive stress. Heart rate variability (HRV), an assessment of time differences between heartbeats, likely indicates holistic load in field settings. To date, though, little research measuring HRV has been conducted involving SWAT units. The purpose of this study was to explore HRV measurements following (1) annual firearms qualification and (2) potential stress exposure with respect to completion time on an anaerobically taxing obstacle course. Officers with greater obstacle course performance were hypothesized to also exhibit greater HRV. HRV was also expected to stratify personnel more effectively than heart rate. Prospective 3-lead ECGs were obtained from a cohort of male SWAT operators (n = 15) with 5.2 ± 4.3 years of experience at three time points throughout one training day. HRV was assessed by time, frequency, and non-linear domains. Differences between baseline and post-training values were significant as assessed by the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test for heart rate, SDRR, LF, HF, and SD2. An enter-method linear regression model predicted post-training HF HRV by obstacle course time; r2 = 0.617, F (1,6) = 9.652, p = 0.021. Anaerobic performance may be highly valuable in SWAT units. HRV analysis may also be beneficial in measuring the psychophysiological impact of SWAT activities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health and Safety (OHS): Emerging Trends and Future Directions)
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15 pages, 3585 KiB  
Article
Upper-Limb and Low-Back Load Analysis in Workers Performing an Actual Industrial Use-Case with and without a Dual-Arm Collaborative Robot
by Alessio Silvetti, Tiwana Varrecchia, Giorgia Chini, Sonny Tarbouriech, Benjamin Navarro, Andrea Cherubini, Francesco Draicchio and Alberto Ranavolo
Safety 2024, 10(3), 78; https://doi.org/10.3390/safety10030078 - 11 Sep 2024
Viewed by 742
Abstract
In the Industry 4.0 scenario, human–robot collaboration (HRC) plays a key role in factories to reduce costs, increase production, and help aged and/or sick workers maintain their job. The approaches of the ISO 11228 series commonly used for biomechanical risk assessments cannot be [...] Read more.
In the Industry 4.0 scenario, human–robot collaboration (HRC) plays a key role in factories to reduce costs, increase production, and help aged and/or sick workers maintain their job. The approaches of the ISO 11228 series commonly used for biomechanical risk assessments cannot be applied in Industry 4.0, as they do not involve interactions between workers and HRC technologies. The use of wearable sensor networks and software for biomechanical risk assessments could help us develop a more reliable idea about the effectiveness of collaborative robots (coBots) in reducing the biomechanical load for workers. The aim of the present study was to investigate some biomechanical parameters with the 3D Static Strength Prediction Program (3DSSPP) software v.7.1.3, on workers executing a practical manual material-handling task, by comparing a dual-arm coBot-assisted scenario with a no-coBot scenario. In this study, we calculated the mean and the standard deviation (SD) values from eleven participants for some 3DSSPP parameters. We considered the following parameters: the percentage of maximum voluntary contraction (%MVC), the maximum allowed static exertion time (MaxST), the low-back spine compression forces at the L4/L5 level (L4Ort), and the strength percent capable value (SPC). The advantages of introducing the coBot, according to our statistics, concerned trunk flexion (SPC from 85.8% without coBot to 95.2%; %MVC from 63.5% without coBot to 43.4%; MaxST from 33.9 s without coBot to 86.2 s), left shoulder abdo-adduction (%MVC from 46.1% without coBot to 32.6%; MaxST from 32.7 s without coBot to 65 s), and right shoulder abdo-adduction (%MVC from 43.9% without coBot to 30.0%; MaxST from 37.2 s without coBot to 70.7 s) in Phase 1, and right shoulder humeral rotation (%MVC from 68.4% without coBot to 7.4%; MaxST from 873.0 s without coBot to 125.2 s), right shoulder abdo-adduction (%MVC from 31.0% without coBot to 18.3%; MaxST from 60.3 s without coBot to 183.6 s), and right wrist flexion/extension rotation (%MVC from 50.2% without coBot to 3.0%; MaxST from 58.8 s without coBot to 1200.0 s) in Phase 2. Moreover, Phase 3, which consisted of another manual handling task, would be removed by using a coBot. In summary, using a coBot in this industrial scenario would reduce the biomechanical risk for workers, particularly for the trunk, both shoulders, and the right wrist. Finally, the 3DSSPP software could be an easy, fast, and costless tool for biomechanical risk assessments in an Industry 4.0 scenario where ISO 11228 series cannot be applied; it could be used by occupational medicine physicians and health and safety technicians, and could also help employers to justify a long-term investment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health and Safety (OHS): Emerging Trends and Future Directions)
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12 pages, 445 KiB  
Article
Nurses’ Perceptions of the Clinical Decision Support System Effect on Patient Safety
by Reem N. AL-Dossary
Safety 2023, 9(4), 86; https://doi.org/10.3390/safety9040086 - 5 Dec 2023
Viewed by 3199
Abstract
Study purpose: This study aims to investigate the impact of CDSS on patient safety through the experiences of nursing staff. Methods: As the study intends to arrive at specific conclusions on the perceptions of nurses on the impact of CDSS on patients’ safety, [...] Read more.
Study purpose: This study aims to investigate the impact of CDSS on patient safety through the experiences of nursing staff. Methods: As the study intends to arrive at specific conclusions on the perceptions of nurses on the impact of CDSS on patients’ safety, a cross-sectional quantitative survey design is adopted in this study. The Hospital Survey of Patients’ Safety Culture (HSOPSC) was used in this study to assess the influence of CDSS on various factors of patient safety. A total of 473 nurses from eight hospitals in Saudi Arabia participated in this study. Results: The PRR of ‘team work within units’ was identified to be the highest (65.9%), followed by ‘hands-off and transitions’ (64.7%), ‘overall patents safety’ (64.1%), and ‘frequency of reports’ that were corrected (61.1%). Communication openness (27.9%) achieved the lowest PRR; while team work across units (2.82) achieved the lowest mean score. Conclusion: The CDSS needs to be integrated with other interventions that promote communication and develop a supportive and cooperative culture among the nurses for ensuring a positive patient safety culture in Saudi Arabian hospitals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health and Safety (OHS): Emerging Trends and Future Directions)
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11 pages, 683 KiB  
Article
There Is Hope in Safety Promotion! How Can Resources and Demands Impact Workers’ Safety Participation?
by Simona Margheritti, Alessia Negrini and Sílvia Agostinho da Silva
Safety 2023, 9(4), 79; https://doi.org/10.3390/safety9040079 - 15 Nov 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2472
Abstract
Promoting workplace safety is crucial in occupational health and safety (OHS). However, existing studies have primarily concentrated on accident prevention, overlooking the role of resources in encouraging safety. This research investigates the impact of a personal resource, namely hope, on safety participation, considering [...] Read more.
Promoting workplace safety is crucial in occupational health and safety (OHS). However, existing studies have primarily concentrated on accident prevention, overlooking the role of resources in encouraging safety. This research investigates the impact of a personal resource, namely hope, on safety participation, considering its interaction with job resources and job demands using the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model in the context of safety. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a large company managing European shopping centers (N = 262). Of the sample, 52.3% of participants were female. Data were collected through an online questionnaire and analyzed using model 92 of Andrew F. Hayes’ Process Macro to test the hypothesized moderate serial mediation model. Our results highlighted that (1) hope directly correlates with safety participation, (2) hope and job dedication mediate the relationship between autonomy and safety participation, and (3) high job demands can undermine the beneficial effects of resources (i.e., autonomy, hope, and job dedication) on safety participation. These results suggest that workers with personal resources like hope are more likely to engage in safety practices, displaying increased dedication and focus on safety. However, excessive job demands can challenge the effectiveness of these resources in promoting safety participation. This study offers a novel perspective by integrating safety participation into the JD-R model framework. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health and Safety (OHS): Emerging Trends and Future Directions)
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10 pages, 867 KiB  
Article
Application of Near-Miss Management Systems: An Exploratory Field Analysis in the Italian Industrial Sector
by Giulio Paolo Agnusdei, Maria Grazia Gnoni, Fabiana Tornese, Diego De Merich, Armando Guglielmi and Mauro Pellicci
Safety 2023, 9(3), 47; https://doi.org/10.3390/safety9030047 - 18 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2052
Abstract
Near-miss events are usually identified as adverse events that could have turned into incidents/injuries but, due to an intervention of a safety system or by chance, developed into harmless situations instead. Past and present studies have also outlined the importance of collecting and [...] Read more.
Near-miss events are usually identified as adverse events that could have turned into incidents/injuries but, due to an intervention of a safety system or by chance, developed into harmless situations instead. Past and present studies have also outlined the importance of collecting and analyzing near-miss events, as they have same causes of more serious events, thereby allowing for more effective preventative measures at the workplace. Although their importance has been outlined for several years, standard models for designing near-miss management systems (NMMSs) are still lacking and cannot yet support companies in their full-scale application. Despite this condition, NMMSs are applied in several industrial sectors, such as in the construction, mining, chemical, and nuclear industries. The aim of this study is to analyze how companies are developing their own NMMSs. An exploratory analysis was developed through survey analysis; it was provided to a sample of Italian companies in order to evaluate the adoption level of NMMSs as well as current practices applied by companies. The sample included companies of different sizes in the industrial sector. The results extracted from the field analysis outline interesting issues that point out current procedures adopted for the identification, collection, and analysis of near-miss events as well as real benefits and criticalities related to the application of NMMSs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health and Safety (OHS): Emerging Trends and Future Directions)
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Review

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18 pages, 873 KiB  
Review
Noise Exposure, Prevention, and Control in Agriculture and Forestry: A Scoping Review
by Massimo Cecchini, Leonardo Assettati, Pierluigi Rossi, Danilo Monarca and Simone Riccioni
Safety 2024, 10(1), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/safety10010015 - 1 Feb 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3310
Abstract
Noise is a major physical hazard in agricultural activities, and numerous research activities have managed to detect its effects, resulting in surveys and measurements which help to define exposure limits, prevention methods, and control strategies. This review aims to collect and analyse the [...] Read more.
Noise is a major physical hazard in agricultural activities, and numerous research activities have managed to detect its effects, resulting in surveys and measurements which help to define exposure limits, prevention methods, and control strategies. This review aims to collect and analyse the data from research studies and to provide a comprehensive overview on the subject. Thus, a set of 81 papers, gathered from the Scopus and PubMed scientific databases, has been analysed to provide information regarding the evolution of noise exposure levels over time, to highlight findings on noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL), and to list strategies for noise prevention and control in agriculture. Bibliographic research showed that noise measurements between 1991 and 2022, included in scientific research on farming, forestry, and animal husbandry, mainly reported values beyond the threshold of 85 dB(A); furthermore, several research activities on NIHL showed that farmers’ family members and children are often exposed to high levels of noise. Lastly, an analysis of the prevention and control strategies over time is provided, focusing on prevention programmes, screening, and the use of hearing protection devices (HPD). The identified literature suggests that additional efforts are required in regards to machinery design relating to the socio-technical aspects of agricultural activities and that side-effects of NIHL, as well as the negative impact of noise on other risks, might deserve further investigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health and Safety (OHS): Emerging Trends and Future Directions)
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14 pages, 445 KiB  
Review
Effective Components of Behavioural Interventions Aiming to Reduce Injury within the Workplace: A Systematic Review
by Mairi Bowdler, Wouter Martinus Petrus Steijn and Dolf van der Beek
Safety 2023, 9(3), 46; https://doi.org/10.3390/safety9030046 - 8 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4185
Abstract
For years, the connection between safety behaviours and injury and illness in high-risk industries has been recognised, but the effectiveness of this link has been somewhat overlooked. Since there is still a significant amount of injury within high-risk workplaces, this systematic review aims [...] Read more.
For years, the connection between safety behaviours and injury and illness in high-risk industries has been recognised, but the effectiveness of this link has been somewhat overlooked. Since there is still a significant amount of injury within high-risk workplaces, this systematic review aims to examine the effectiveness of behavioural interventions to decrease fatal and non-fatal injuries within high-risk industries. Scopus and Google Scholar were used to find relevant systematic reviews and meta-analyses on this topic. In total, 19 articles met the inclusion criteria. Of these articles, 11 suggested that their reviewed interventions revealed some evidence of being effective in reducing injury/accident rates. Additionally, seven of the papers found that the interventions affected certain determinants, such as safety knowledge, health and safety behaviours, attitudes, efficacy, and beliefs. One of the papers found no effect at all. It must be noted that a significant amount of the articles (n = 10) reported methodological quality or quantity issues, implying that the results should be approached with caution. Nonetheless, it was found that certain components, such as multi-faceted interventions tailored to the target group, contribute to either reducing injury/accident rates or improving the specific aforementioned determinants. There is a need for additional safety interventions in high-risk industries that are based on methodologically sound structural elements and theoretical frameworks. Existing approaches, such as Intervention Mapping, can assist safety professionals in achieving this goal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health and Safety (OHS): Emerging Trends and Future Directions)
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