Search Results (624)

Under intensified downward economic pressures on the economy, technological innovation is playing a pivotal role in the development of Chinese enterprises. Employees’ psychological safety significantly influences their innovative behaviors, as a climate of psychological safety fosters greater willingness among staff to engage in voice behaviors. Guanxi with a team leader may decrease this effect. This study analyzed survey data from 263 employees of China’s private manufacturing enterprises to explore the moderating role of guanxi with a team leader in the relationship between psychological safety climate and voice behavior. Results showed that psychological safety climate was positively correlated with promotive and prohibitive voices, and employees with a higher psychological safety climate were more likely to develop voice behavior. Guanxi with team leaders negatively moderated the relationship between psychological safety climate and promotive and prohibitive voices, and the association between psychological safety climate and promotive and prohibitive voices was strong when guanxi with a team leader was weak. This study expands the scope of the application of guanxi, with team leaders as a moderating variable. It helps leaders focus on the psychological safety climate of employees, maintain harmonious and friendly interpersonal relationships with employees, enable employees to spontaneously contribute to the development of the organization, and enhance cohesion in the organization. Full article

The aim of this study was to verify whether comprehensive and inclusive pro-safety education contributes to building a strong safety culture in food companies. The study was conducted in 612 Polish companies, where special attention was paid to modern forms of education during pro-safety education, as well as the frequency and duration of this education. The results of the study showed that safety culture is poorly developed, even when it is consciously and formally implemented in the company. One of the identified problems was the discrepancy between the company’s declared commitment to pro-safety education and the actual behavior of employees. This indicates that formal company strategies may not be effectively embedded in the attitudes and actions of employees. The research emphasizes the importance of adapting pro-safety efforts to the organizational culture in order to ensure significant results and avoid superficial implementation. Full article

The European Union Council’s zero vision aims to eliminate workplace fatalities, while Industry 4.0 presents new challenges for occupational safety. Despite HR professionals assessing managers’ and employees’ competencies, no system currently exists to evaluate the competencies of workers’ representatives in occupational safety and health (OSH). It is crucial to establish the necessary competencies for these representatives to avoid their selection based on personal bias, ambition, or coercion. The main objective of the study is to identify the competencies and their components required for workers’ representatives in the field of occupational safety and health by following the steps of the DACUM method with the assistance of OSH professionals. First, tasks were identified through semi-structured interviews conducted with eight occupational safety experts. In the second step, a focus group consisting of 34 OSH professionals (2 invited guests and 32 volunteers) determined the competencies and their components necessary to perform those tasks. Finally, the results were validated through an online questionnaire sent to the 32 volunteer participants of the focus group, from which 11 responses (34%) were received. The research categorized the competencies into the following three groups: core competencies (occupational safety and professional knowledge) and distinguishing competencies (personal attributes). Within occupational safety knowledge, 10 components were defined; for professional expertise, 7 components; and for personal attributes, 16 components. Based on the results, it was confirmed that all participants of the tripartite system have an important role in the training and development of workers’ representatives in the field of occupational safety and health. The results indicate that although OSH representation is not yet a priority in Hungary, there is a willingness to collaborate with competent, well-prepared representatives. The study emphasizes the importance of clearly defining and assessing the required competencies. Full article

Introduction: Poorly designed safety job descriptions may have a negative impact on occupational safety and health (OSH) performance. Firstly, they limit the chances of hiring highly qualified safety professionals who are vital to the success of OSH management systems in organizations. Secondly, the relationship between the presence of qualified safety professionals and the safety culture (and performance) in an organization is reciprocal. Thirdly, the low quality of job descriptions limits exploring the proper competencies needed by safety professionals before they are hired. The safety professional is thus uncertain of what level of education or training and which skills they should attain. Objectives: The main goal of the study is to integrate the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) with importance–performance analysis (IPA) to evaluate job descriptions in multiple sectors. Results: The results of the study indicate that it is vital to clearly define job levels, the overall mission, key responsibilities, time-consuming tasks, required education/certifications, and necessary personal abilities in safety job descriptions. This clarity enhances recruitment, fairness, performance management, and succession planning. The organization can then attract and retain top talent, improve performance, foster a strong safety culture, create realistic job expectations, increase employee satisfaction and productivity, and ensure that competent individuals are hired, ultimately leading to a safer and more productive workplace. Conclusion: The outcomes of this study provide a robust framework that can and should be used as a guideline to professionalize job description development and enhance talent acquisition strategies. Full article

Background: Kidney transplantation from a living donor is considered the most beneficial form of treatment for end-stage renal failure, which, in addition to providing patients with better treatment results, significantly improves their quality of life. Understanding factors that influence the willingness to donate kidneys to strangers is critical in promoting and expanding the living donor pool. When considering the decision to become an altruistic kidney donor, individuals must evaluate multiple factors, including the identity of the recipient and their own perceived level of safety. This study aimed to assess the willingness of dialysis center employees to act as living kidney donors for a stranger. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study from February 2023 to June 2024 among dialysis specialists across Poland. The study involved 1093 people (doctors and nurses). The study used our survey questionnaire and standardized tools. Results: Nurses (vs. physicians) and those who advocated the regulation of unspecified living kidney donation in Poland, did not believe in the risk of organ trafficking, and would donate a kidney to a husband/wife or friend and accept kidney transplantation from a husband/wife were more likely to donate a kidney to a stranger. Furthermore, respondents who accepted a loved one’s decision to donate a kidney to a stranger were significantly more willing to donate a kidney to such a person themselves. Perceived self-efficacy was positively associated with the willingness to donate a kidney to a stranger. Conclusions: Less than half of healthcare professionals supported unspecific living organ donation in Poland, and nurses were more willing to donate than physicians. The factors supporting the decision generally included knowledge about organ donation and transplantation, a lack of fear of organ trafficking, and attitudes towards donation. Full article

Shift work can have an adverse impact on sleep and wellbeing, as well as negative consequences for workplace safety and productivity. SleepShifters is a co-developed sleep management programme that aims to equip shift workers and employers with the skills needed to manage sleep from the onset of employment, thus preventing sleep problems and their associated consequences from arising. This paper describes the co-development process and resulting programme protocol of SleepShifters, designed in line with the Medical Research Council’s framework for the development and evaluation of complex interventions. Programme components were co-produced in partnership with stakeholders from four organisations across the United Kingdom, following an iterative, four-stage process based on focus groups and interviews. As well as a handbook containing guidance on shift scheduling, workplace lighting, and controlled rest periods, SleepShifters consists of five key components: (1) an annual sleep awareness event; (2) a digital sleep training induction module for new starters; (3) a monthly-themed sleep awareness campaign; (4) a website, hosting a digital Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for insomnia platform and supportive video case studies from shift-working peers; (5) a sleep scheduling app for employees. Future work will implement and assess the effectiveness of delivering SleepShifters in organisational settings. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study assessed Knowledge and Practices related to Food Safety (KPFS) among nutrition services employees in hospitals across the Al-Ahsa Governorate, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The objective was to evaluate the staff’s understanding of key food safety principles, including foodborne illness prevention, food handling, personal hygiene, and food storage and preparation practices. Methods: A descriptive survey method was used, and data were collected using an electronic questionnaire, which was either self-administered by the participants or completed with the assistance of the researcher in cases involving employees who did not speak Arabic or English. This study included 302 staff members involved in the preparation, service, and supervision of food provided to hospital patients. Results: The results indicated a high level of knowledge among nutrition services employees regarding food safety principles, critical temperature control, cross-contamination prevention, and proper hygiene practices. The employees also demonstrated a strong commitment to personal hygiene behaviors, such as handwashing, wearing appropriate clothing, and avoiding unsafe practices. Additionally, a high degree of knowledge and understanding was found regarding food storage procedures and contamination prevention. The study also highlighted a very high level of awareness concerning the cleaning and sterilization of equipment, tools, and food storage surfaces, as well as maintaining a clean and healthy environment. These findings emphasize the importance of continuous training in enhancing food safety knowledge among nutrition services employees. Conclusions: It is recommended that all employees, regardless of education level, experience, or role, participate regularly in food safety training programs to sustain and improve food safety practices within hospital environments. Full article

Due to the recent significant increase in the scale of both domestic and international cargo transportation, the transport sector is becoming an important factor in the country’s economic development. This implies the need to improve all links in the cargo transportation chain. A key role in it is played by logistics centers, which in their activities must meet both state (CO₂ emissions, reduction in road load, increase in transportation safety, etc.) and commercial (cargo transportation in the shortest time and at the lowest cost) requirements. The objective of the paper is freight transportation from China to European countries, reflecting issues of CO₂ emissions, reduction in road load, and increase in transportation safety. Transport operations from the manufacturer to the logistics center are especially important in this chain, since the efficiency of transportation largely depends on the decisions made by its employees. They select the appropriate types of transport (air, sea, rail, and road transport) and routes for a specific situation. In methodology, the analyzed problem can be presented as a dynamic multi-criteria decision model. It is assumed that the decision-maker—the manager responsible for planning transportation operations—is interested in achieving three basic goals: financial goal minimizing total delivery costs from factories to the logistics center, environmental goal minimizing the negative impact of supply chain operations on the environment, and high level of customer service goal minimizing delivery times from factories to the logistics center. The proposed methodology allows one to reduce the total carbon dioxide emission by 1.1 percent and the average duration of cargo transportation by 1.47 percent. On the other hand, the total cost of their delivery increases by 1.25 percent. By combining these, it is possible to create optimal transportation options, effectively use vehicles, reduce air pollution, and increase the quality of customer service. All this would significantly contribute to the country’s socio-economic development. It is proposed to solve this complex problem based on a dynamic multi-criteria model. In this paper, the problem of constructing a schedule of transport operations from factories to a logistics center is considered. The analyzed problem can be presented as a dynamic multi-criteria decision model. Linear programming and the AHP method were used to solve it. Full article

Mining involves daily descents underground and enduring dangerous and difficult conditions. Hence, it is very important to use solutions that will reduce the risk in miners’ work and ensure the greater safety and comfort of work in accordance with the goals of sustainable development. One way is training using virtual reality. Virtual reality provides greater safety (safe training conditions, the possibility of making a mistake without health consequences, practicing emergency scenarios, etc.) and aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals—particularly SDG 3 (health), SDG 8 (decent work), SDG 9 (innovation), and SDG 12 (sustainable production). However, it is also a technology that has its weaknesses (occurrence of contraindications, side effects, etc.). Therefore, the use of VR-based training should be examined in terms of the well-being and health of training employees. Due to this, this article examines the occurrence of psychophysical complaints during VR training; the tolerance and adequacy of the duration of a 50 min training session in VR was assessed; and the average time needed to adapt to the virtual environment was determined. The VR training was developed as a result of a research project conducted by JSW Nowe Projekty S.A. (ul. Ignacego Paderewskiego 41, 40-282 Katowice, Poland), Główny Instytut Górnictwa—Państwowy Instytut Badawczy (plac Gwarków 1, 40-160 Katowice, Poland), JSW Szkolenie i Górnictwo Sp. z o.o. at Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa Capital Group (ul. Górnicza 1, 44-335 Jastrzębie-Zdrój, Poland) on the development and implementation of innovative training using VR for miners. The solution was developed in the context of mining’s striving for sustainable development in the area of improving working conditions and human safety. The first method used in the study is a survey completed by participants of training courses using virtual reality. The second method is the analysis of trainer observation sheets, which contain observations from training courses. The results revealed that for over 70% of respondents, the need to carry out activities in VR was not associated with fatigue. No average score for psychophysical symptoms assessed by respondents on a scale of 1 to 6 (including disorientation, blurred vision, dizziness, confusion, etc.) exceeded 1.4. The vast majority (85.5%) did not take off the goggles before the end of the training—the training lasted 50 min. This research contributes to the discussion on sustainable industrial transformation by demonstrating that VR training not only improves worker safety and preparedness but also supports development goals through human-centered innovation in the mining sector. Full article

Peer voice endorsement, an emerging focus in voice research, is recognized for its important role in enhancing work efficiency. This study aims to examine the impact of perceived organizational politics on peer voice endorsement. It also explores the underlying mechanisms by developing a model based on the cognitive-affective personality system theory. Study data were collected in three waves from 226 full-time employees in China. The hypotheses were examined using SPSS 25.0 and the PROCESS macro. Empirical results indicate that perceived organizational politics negatively affects both psychological safety and affective commitment. Psychological safety and affective commitment also play a facilitating role in peer voice endorsement. Moreover, these two factors serve as mediators in the relationship between perceived organizational politics and peer voice endorsement. By highlighting the pivotal role of perceived organizational politics, this study offers valuable insights into its implications for peer voice endorsement. It further underscores the significance of psychological safety and affective commitment, demonstrating their essential function in cultivating a work environment that encourages peer voice endorsement. Full article

Growing concern over food safety and adulteration has thrust milk traceability technologies to the forefront of agrifood supply chains. This qualitative study explores the technological, organisational, and environmental (TOE) determinants of traceability technology adoption in Saudi Arabia’s dairy sector. In-depth semi-structured interviews with nine senior managers from small-, medium-, and large-scale dairy farms were analysed thematically in NVivo. Thematic analysis revealed that technological cost and compatibility played crucial role, while contrary to the prior literature, respondents downplayed technological complexity, arguing that training could offset it. Organisational culture and employee resistance were the primary inhibitors within dairy firms. Saudi Vision 2030, post COVID-19 consumer pressure and competitor pressure emerged as the dominant environmental factors. The findings offer insights for managers and policymakers on how to improve supply chain transparency, operational efficiency, product quality, and consumer trust while advancing several UN SDGs. Full article

Ensuring employee safety is a top priority for every enterprise, and it is especially critical in high-risk industries like coal mining. To achieve this goal, it is essential to focus efforts on identifying existing hazards and thoroughly assessing the associated risks. Accurate identification and detailed characterization of occupational hazards play a pivotal role in the occupational risk assessment process, providing the foundation for effective safety strategies. This article presents an analysis of the process of identifying occupational hazards in hard coal mining, based on applicable legal regulations and a review of the relevant literature. The analysis reveals, on the one hand, a diversity of approaches to hazard classification, and on the other, a limited use of the characteristic features of hazards in classification processes. The findings of this review form the basis for proposing a systematic classification of occupational hazards in hard coal mining, taking into account the specific features of hazards in relation to their sources and potential consequences. The proposed classification not only categorizes hazards but also describes the specifics of hazard sources, such as environmental conditions, machinery, chemicals, and human factors, as well as the possible outcomes of these hazards, including physical injury, health impacts, and even fatalities. The aim of this article is to present a proposed classification of occupational hazards in hard coal mining and to provide a detailed characterization of these hazards based on the description of their sources and potential consequences. The proposed approach, grounded in the identification of characteristic features of hazards, facilitates the effective selection of preventive measures that can be implemented to reduce risk and improve workplace safety. Due to the presence of the full spectrum of natural hazards in Polish hard coal mining, the analysis draws on available statistical data, focusing on those hazards that contribute most significantly to fatal accidents and serious injuries. In conclusion, the article emphasizes the importance of a structured and systematic approach to identifying and assessing occupational hazards in the coal mining industry. By drawing on legal and literature-based insights, it aims to contribute to the development of more effective safety practices that protect workers and minimize the occurrence of workplace accidents and illnesses. Full article

As the global transition to carbon neutrality accelerates, hydrogen energy has emerged as a key alternative to fossil fuels due to its potential to reduce carbon emissions. Many countries, including Korea, are constructing hydrogen refueling stations; however, safety concerns persist due to accidents caused by equipment failures and human errors. While various accident analysis models exist, the application of the root cause analysis (RCA) technique to hydrogen refueling station accidents remains largely unexplored. This study develops an RCA modeling map specifically for hydrogen refueling stations to identify not only direct and indirect causes of accidents, but also root causes, and applies it to actual accident cases to provide basic data for identifying the root causes of future hydrogen refueling station accidents. The RCA modeling map developed in this study uses accident cause investigation data from accident investigation reports over the past five years, which include information on the organizational structure and operational status of hydrogen refueling stations, as well as the RCA handbook. The primary defect sources identified were equipment defect, personal defect, and other defects. The problem categories, which were the substructures of the primary defect source “equipment defect,” consisted of four categories: the equipment design problem, the equipment installation/fabrication problem, the equipment reliability program problem, and the equipment misuse problem. Additionally, the problem categories, which were the substructures of the primary defect source “personal defect,” consisted of two categories: the company employee problem and the contract employee problem. The problem categories, which were the substructures of the primary defect source “other defects,” consisted of three categories: sabotage/horseplay, natural phenomena, and other. Compared to existing accident investigation reports, which identified only three primary causes, the RCA modeling map revealed nine distinct causes, demonstrating its superior analytical capability. In conclusion, the proposed RCA modeling map provides a more systematic and comprehensive approach for investigating accident causes at hydrogen refueling stations, which could significantly improve safety practices and assist in quickly identifying root causes more efficiently in future incidents. Full article

Fatal accidents in UK’s manufacturing sector are expected to remain the same or increase in coming years. This paper has tried to combat this issue by adapting and further developing a previously defined Safety Framework for the Paint Sector, to evaluate the safety performance of a metal manufacturing facility. To achieve this, the original Safety Framework was updated to align with the current British safety legislation outlined by the British Standards Institution. The framework was based on a three-level multi-attribute value theory (MAVT). Upon reviewing BSI 45001, the Safety Framework was founded upon the concept of Deming’s Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) which is the foundation for the original framework, therefore, the first-level attributes remained consistent. The 13 attributes of the second level and 36 attributes of the third level were derived from the literature review and updated to relevant legislation. To develop the Safety Framework, the Delphi method was used. This included interviews that were conducted with employees and managers from either a Safety or Engineering background. The second part of the paper involved the improvement of the Safety Framework, based on the interview feedback. The main findings of the study revealed that the final Safety Framework has been deemed relevant for the Metal Manufacturing Sector by Industry Suitably Qualified and Experienced Personnel (SQEP). The majority of Interviewees deemed the Safety Framework to have a clear layout and easy to understand. The interviews and final Safety Framework suggested the importance of a company’s emphasis on employee welfare and health, in order to reduce accidents in the workplace. The originality of this paper lies in its application and validation of a sector-specific safety framework, contributing to the body of knowledge by offering a replicable methodology for adapting safety frameworks to other manufacturing sectors. Full article

Occupational safety and health (OSH) training plays a crucial role in preventing workplace accidents, ensuring compliance with legislation, and fostering a safety-oriented culture across all sectors. This article compares traditional OSH training methods with innovative approaches that incorporate interactive elements and virtual reality (VR) technologies, with a particular emphasis on their contributions to sustainability. The study analyzes feedback from training participants across various occupational roles and age groups, focusing on the effectiveness, engagement, and perception of each method. The results demonstrate that interactive training and VR-based training not only enhance participant engagement and improve comprehension of safety procedures but also promote sustainable training practices by reducing the need for physical materials, minimizing travel, and decreasing reliance on extensive on-site infrastructure. These advancements contribute to environmental sustainability within safety training programs. The paper further explores the benefits, challenges, and economic considerations associated with implementing sustainable, technologically enhanced training approaches. The findings suggest that integrating modern, sustainable educational technologies into OSH training leads to more effective knowledge transfer, better preparedness of employees for emergency situations, and a reduction in environmental impact, aligning safety training practices with broader sustainability goals. Full article