Search Results (50)

This study develops a comprehensive decision-making approach to sustainable product selection for chemical industry supply chains under uncertainty. Five product categories -enamel, ceramics, pigments, non-stick coatings, and glass- were evaluated through fifteen criteria along environmental, economic, and social sustainability dimensions. The hybrid methodology combines Fuzzy SWARA, which weights criteria based on expert opinion, with Fuzzy ARAS, which ranks the alternatives accordingly. The study found that occupational health and safety, consumer safety and health, and water usage are the most important criteria, reflecting a human-centered approach to sustainability decision-making. Ceramics had the best performance score, followed by enamel and non-stick coating. Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of these rankings across various weighting scenarios. The findings indicate that decision-makers in the chemical industry prioritize worker and consumer protection alongside environmental resource stewardship. This framework provides practitioners with a structured method for integrating sustainability considerations into supply chain product portfolio decisions, balancing environmental impact, economic performance, and social responsibility. Full article

The agricultural sector remains one of the most hazardous working environments, with viticulture posing particularly high risks due to repetitive manual tasks, pesticide exposure, and machinery operation. This study explores the potential of vision-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems to enhance occupational health and safety by evaluating their coherence with human expert assessments. A dataset of 203 annotated images, collected from 50 vineyards in Northern Italy, was analyzed across three domains: manual work activities, workplace environments, and agricultural machinery. Each image was independently assessed by safety professionals and an AI pipeline integrating convolutional neural networks, regulatory contextualization, and risk matrix evaluation. Agreement between AI and experts was quantified using weighted Cohen’s Kappa, achieving values of 0.94–0.96, with overall classification error rates below 14%. Errors were primarily false negatives in machinery images, reflecting visual complexity and operational variability. Statistical analyses, including McNemar and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, revealed no significant differences between AI and expert classifications. These findings suggest that AI can provide reliable, standardized risk detection while highlighting limitations such as reduced sensitivity in complex scenarios and the need for explainable models. Overall, integrating AI with complementary sensors and regulatory frameworks offers a credible path toward proactive, transparent, and preventive safety management in viticulture and potentially other high-risk agricultural sectors. Furthermore, vision-based AI systems inherently act as optical sensors capable of capturing and interpreting occupational risk conditions. Their integration with complementary sensor technologies—such as inertial, environmental, and proximity sensors—can enhance the precision and contextual awareness of automated safety assessments in viticulture. 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

Sustainability is a key focus for the machinery manufacturing industry, aiming to align innovation with environmental and economic goals. This research proposes an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)-based framework to evaluate and rank sustainability-focused innovation criteria. The model was validated using 54,054 projects from CORDIS and TÜBİTAK and a survey of 46 experts from academia, industry, and the public sector. According to AHP results, Economic Criteria ranked highest (46%), followed by Product-Related Environmental (18%), Market (16%), Process-Related Environmental (13%), and Social Criteria (7%). Product Cost (45%), Elimination of Hazardous Substances (30%), and Occupational Health and Safety (29%) ranked highest among sub-criteria, reflecting the dominance of financial and regulatory priorities. Social and process-related criteria were less prioritized unless linked to regulatory compliance. The framework provides a practical tool for innovation leaders and policymakers aiming to embed sustainability in strategic planning. It aligns with global initiatives like the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal, contributing to both theory and practice in industrial sustainability. Full article

The optimum choice of safety measures (SMs) within constraints is necessary for effective risk management in occupational health and safety (OHS). The stochastic nature of safety interventions is frequently overlooked by traditional approaches such as deterministic models and risk matrices. This study presents a novel stochastic knapsack model that maximizes the overall expected benefit during a risk assessment period considering budgetary constraints and the interdependencies between risks and safety measures. Two models are developed as follows: a one-to-one relationship model assuming independent risks and a multiple-relationship model accounting for interdependent safety measures. The suggested model’s real-world implementation is illustrated through a case study in the retail industry. The results demonstrate the model’s ability to efficiently prioritize SMs, showing an 18% reduction in objective function value and an average risk reduction of 29.5 per monetary unit invested, compared to 26.2 for the deterministic model. A more realistic and flexible framework for safety investment planning is offered by the analysis, which emphasizes the benefits of including stochastic components and interdependencies in decision-making. By addressing the significant drawbacks of deterministic models and providing a flexible, data-driven framework for safety optimization, this study adds to the body of literature. The suggested model is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDGs 3, 8, 9, and 12. Its adaptability contributes to achieving SDG 13, emphasizing possible uses in risk management for climate change. This study shows how decision-making that is structured and aware of uncertainty can support safer, more sustainable industrial processes. Full article

Small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) mining firms contribute to Chile’s economy. However, more support is needed to improve decision-making, mainly in a context where it is necessary for mining to operate sustainably. Loading and transportation are essential unit operations in mining. Solution-focused supplier companies are joining the market, making selection more difficult. This study suggests a hierarchical analytical process-based multi-criteria analysis. Among what stands out are its simplicity and clarity. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), used in several fields, is a flexible multi-criteria analysis system for complex decision-making. Its development used Expert Choice^® software. The results show that the most crucial criterion for selecting loading and transportation equipment suppliers is related to occupational safety and health. The most relevant components are the mortality, accident frequency, and severity rates. Operational indicators are the second most relevant criterion, enabling companies to be more productive and efficient in achieving their objectives. Sensitivity analysis demonstrates that, even with variations in the criterion preferences, the fatality rate remains at the top of the hierarchy, showing the robustness of the model used. Contrary to what might be expected, criteria such as the supplier profile do not stand out among the critical factors for the sector. Full article

The study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on occupational safety and health (OSH) experts in Latvia, focusing on their work demands, evolving responsibilities, and the broader implications for sustainable workforce management. Through focus group discussions with 17 OSH experts in 2022, findings reveal that pandemic-induced responsibilities, such as implementing new health protocols and adapting to remote work, increased OSH experts’ workloads and the complexity of their roles. This shift raised concerns over potential burnout and reduced capacity to address traditional workplace hazards, which are essential for a safe and resilient work environment. The study underscores the critical role of OSH in promoting sustainable workplaces by safeguarding worker health and supporting adaptable, equitable labor practices that align with socio-economic sustainability goals. Recommendations include strengthening team-based approaches and enhancing mental health resources within OSH systems to foster sustainable development in occupational health. These insights are vital for developing policies and practices that not only respond to current OSH challenges but also contribute to the long-term sustainability of workforce health and safety systems and prepare these systems for possible future critical conditions. Full article

There are a large number of chemicals commercially available, but relatively few have legislated occupational exposure limits. Assessing the hazard and risk posed by most chemicals used in the workplace is therefore challenging, especially for small workplaces. This paper describes the development of an easy-to-use MS Excel spreadsheet-based tool (called CHAP-Risk) designed to assist small businesses to undertake a simple assessment of the health and safety risks posed by the chemicals they use. We developed the CHAP-Risk tool through engaging an expert review panel and undertaking a detailed review of existing tools, and by validating a trial version which was piloted by six workplaces and 59 workers. We received multiple rounds of feedback from key experts and end-users, and in response, through 58 versions, refined CHAP-Risk to produce the final free public-release version of the tool. Workplace participants thought that the CHAP-Risk tool would be useful in improving worker and employers’ understanding of workplace chemical risks. However, because this tool required users to have more in-depth knowledge of workplaces’ processes, there was mixed feedback on its usability: those with OHS training were very positive, while others thought it would be too difficult for shop-floor workers to use. Full article

Ergonomic risks critically impact workers’ occupational health, safety, and productivity, and thereby the sustainability of a workforce. In the construction industry, the physical demands and dynamic environment exposes workers to various ergonomic hazards. While previous research has mainly focused on postural risks, there is a need to broaden the scope to include more relevant factors and assess them systematically. This study introduces a multi-criteria decision framework integrating the Spherical Fuzzy Sets (SFSs) and Alternative Queuing Method (AQM) to evaluate and prioritize ergonomic hazards. First, SFSs are employed to quantify the linguistic expressions of experts, addressing the inherent vagueness and uncertainty. Then, an entropy-based objective weighting method is adopted to determine the criteria weights. Finally, AQM is utilized to generate the risk priority. The proposed method has been implemented in a real-life construction project, where “overexertion due to unreasonable task organization”, “hypertension and heart diseases”, and “existing WMSD record” are identified as the top three ergonomic hazards. Then, a thorough discussion of intervention strategies regarding different risk categories is presented to facilitate ergonomic interventions. This proposed decision support system can promote effective ergonomic risk management, benefiting workers’ health and well-being and contributing to the sustainable workforce development of the construction industry. Full article

The popularity of prefabricated wooden buildings is increasing in North America, but choosing suitable materials for these structures can be complicated. This can lead to problems like financial losses, production delays, and lower quality. Therefore, the main goal of this study was to use the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) decision-making tool to rank the criteria for material selection for prefabricated wood buildings in Canada and the United States. The methodology involved surveys experts in the prefabricated wood construction industry from Canada and the United States. The data obtained from the questionnaires utilized for the AHP analysis were modeled using R programming language. The results revealed that for structural materials, the top five subcriteria were safety and security of building occupants (0.234), location, shape, and height of the building (0.218), comfort, satisfaction, and well-being of the building (0.155), occupant health (0.121), and availability of materials (0.098). For selecting envelope materials, the top five subcriteria were comfort, satisfaction, and well-being of the building (0.252), safety and security of building occupants (0.206), location, shape, and height of the building (0.178), occupant health (0.132), and availability of materials (0.078). Full article

The Method for the Integrated Assessment of Risks for rainforest (MIAR^forest) is a specific methodology for assessing the risk of occupational accidents associated with working in native tropical forests. MIAR^forest was validated for the results’ reproducibility and the reliability of calculated risk levels through the Delphi approach. Two rounds of questionnaires illustrating ten scenarios of activities associated with the logging process in the Eastern Amazon’s native rainforest (Brazil) were presented to forestry and occupational health and safety (OHS) experts. In the first round, the questionnaire was answered anonymously by 55 experts, and in the second, by 46. A percentage of agreement of at least 80% in each question was considered to close the process. Questions that did not meet the criterion in the first round were reassessed in the second round. The obtained results lead to the conclusion that MIAR^forest, an occupational accident risk assessment tool, has been effectively validated, demonstrating inter-rater reproducibility and reliability in determining risk values. These results highlight the objectivity and reliability of MIAR^forest. Full article

This study endeavors to prioritize occupational health and safety (OHS) accomplishments across ten forest management directorates in a specified province of Turkey, utilizing multi-criteria decision-making techniques (MCDMT). In a rigorous evaluation across four applied methodologies, the alternative P5 (amount of risk before measures) consistently exhibited superior performance. A notable emphasis of this research lies in the employment of a sophisticated OHS performance model, developed herein, to critically assess the OHS performance within these forest management directorates. In our evaluations, static variables such as land use and land cover, slope, vegetation type, soil characteristics, and distance from highways and human settlements were considered. Similarly, dynamic variables including temperature, wind speed and direction, and humidity were also factored in. Our findings corroborate the substantial ramifications, both tangible and intangible, of workplace accidents, hence underscoring the imperativeness of extensive, inter-industrial research initiatives geared towards effective accident prevention. This research is particularly focused on fortifying accident prevention measures in the arena of occupational health and safety during forest fires—an area with substantial economic and social implications, and of escalating importance in light of the expanding prominence of clean energy sources. Specifics pertaining to the forest fire rate within the studied directorates, as well as the criteria bearing the most and least impact as determined by this study, will be explicated in the full text, accompanied by their corresponding percentage values. Through the employment of Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (F-AHP), and the Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluations (PROMETHEE) method, this study demonstrates the efficacy of MCDMTs in assessing and categorizing OHS performance, hence contributing valuable insights to managers, OHS experts, and future research undertakings. In conclusion, this research concentrates on the formulation of employee-centric occupational health and safety systems, with a specific emphasis on forest fires. The proposed OHS performance index model represents a tool of exceptional potential in the evaluation of performance measurement, while addressing uncertainties across diverse sectors. This underscores the urgency of addressing health and sustainability issues within economic, social, and ecological domains through the rigorous examination and implementation of effective OHS practices. Full article

Leaders that focus on preventing risks and promoting safe and healthy behaviors are essential to reducing workplace accidents and illnesses, particularly in a changing environment where technology and the complex interconnection of systems create emerging risks with unpredictable consequences for employee wellbeing and organizational productivity. In that sense, this multiple focus group study with 32 experts in occupational safety and health (OSH) aims at providing valuable insight into the most effective strategies for promoting health and productivity in a changing context. Results indicate that a safety and prevention culture is crucial for successful risk prevention and management, with commitment required from both top management and workers. Moreover, transformational leadership is identified as a key to achieving a safety and prevention culture. In addition, training is considered a pivotal mechanism to introduce appropriate safety practices into daily work routines. This requires an interdisciplinary, integrated, and collaborative perspective. Finally, integrating risk prevention into higher education prepares professionals to face current labor market challenges. These results can guide decision making for both training OSH professionals and introducing effective OSH practices in organizations. Full article

At present, climate change is considered a considerable future threat due to its possible catastrophic impacts on humans, their properties, and also the environment. Therefore, most people and organizations have paid attention to this area. Thus, special consideration should be given to building operations, as buildings and building operations are capable of being impacted by various negative consequences of climate change. As façade-maintenance workers experience considerable climate change impacts as they perform their work for prolonged hours, at height, on the exterior of buildings, this study focuses on identifying the impacts of climate change on façade-access methods and façade-maintenance workers. Thus, in this study, a qualitative research approach was undertaken with an interview research design. A comprehensive literature review was conducted along with 12 semi-structured expert interviews selected through judgmental sampling. Software-aided thematic content analysis was carried out to analyze the collected data. The findings indicated that climate change could have significant impacts on building operations, as the attention paid to climate change adaptation by building operations is negligible in various countries, especially in developing countries. A significant impact was identified on façade-maintenance workers and façade-access methods caused by climate change, creating various risk factors for their occupational health and safety. Furthermore, the research methods that have been applied in this study are also capable of expanding to address various other probable operations. Accordingly, this research is exploring a new field of study that should be given more consideration by researchers due to its significant importance in scenarios that are experienced worldwide. Full article

Recently, various parts of the world are being affected by different climate change incidents causing hindrances to day-to-day activities. The concept of constructing sustainable buildings has gained traction as climate change and other risks increase, allowing them to endure future natural or artificial disasters while maintaining functionality. As facade building materials are impacted considerably by climate change due to exposure to various such conditions, the focus of this study is to identify the climate change impacts on facade building materials. A qualitative research method with an interview research design was used for the study. Twelve semi-structured expert interviews by selecting the experts through the judgmental sampling method were undertaken along with a detailed analysis of the literature. The gathered data were evaluated using software-assisted thematic content analysis. According to the results, climate change has a substantial impact on facade building materials, despite the fact that few governments, particularly those in developing nations, have given considerable attention. Moreover, these identified impacts on facade building materials from climate change have the potential to cause catastrophic occupational health and safety risks for facade maintenance workers which also should be gained more consideration in the world as per the findings of this study in order to create a safer working environment for the workers to carry out their activities. Additionally, the research techniques used in this study can be expanded to cover a variety of other potential building materials and operations. As a result, this research is focused on a new subject matter that must be given more concern by researchers, because of its significance in the current global settings. Full article