Browsing by Author "Arezes, Pedro"
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- Analysis of the mismatch between school furniture and childrenPublication . Gonçalves, Maria Antónia; Arezes, PedroThe characteristics of school furniture are strongly associated with back and neck pain, referred by school-aged children. In Portugal, about 60% of the adolescents involved in a recent study reported having felt back pain at least once in the last three months. The aim of this study was to compare furniture sizes of the 2 types indicated for primary schools, within 9 schools, with the anthropometric characteristics of Portuguese students, in order to evaluate the mismatch between them. The sample consisted of 432 volunteer students. Regarding the methodology, 5 anthropometric measures were gathered, as well as 5 dimensions from the school furniture. For the evaluation of classroom furniture, a (mis)match criterion equation was defined. Results indicated that there is a significant mismatch between furniture dimensions and the anthropometric characteristics of the students.
- Characterization of OSH hazards in the Portuguese furniture sectorPublication . Rodrigues, Matilde A.; Arezes, Pedro; Leão, Celina P.The furniture sector is one of the most important economic sectors in the north of Portugal, comprising 5 798 companies and employing more than 32 000 workers (Eurostat, 2012). However, this is a sector with several economical and organizational constraints. For example, in these companies most of the workforce is unqualified, the professionalization in terms of their management, marketing and trade policies is reduced and the occupational accidents remain high (EGP, n.d.; Eurostat, 2012). The high number of accidents in this sector is the result of several factors, namely the sector’s risk, stakeholders’ low safety concerns, lack of machine maintenance and the lower qualifications of workers in the sector. Furthermore, the current economical situation in Portugal can also contribute to the small the sector. Furthermore, the current economical situation in Portugal can also contribute to the small Occupational, Safety & Health (OSH) domain (Loureiro et al ., 2014). Considering this scenario, it is important to know and characterize the hazards in this sector in order to identify the key risks of the sector, helping the competent authorities and the companies in the definition of a strategy of intervention in this crisis period.
- Comparison between anthropometric equipment and scanners in hand measurementPublication . Filho, P. C. Anacleto; Silva, Lincoln da; Castellucci, H. I.; Rodrigues, Matilde; Pereira, Eduarda; Pombeiro, Ana; Colim, Ana; Carneiro, Paula; Arezes, PedroAnthropometric studies have influenced the design of apparel, accessories, medical prostheses, equipment, workstations, and tools. Particularly, hand anthropometry is related to safety and adequacy of hand tools and devices. Different equipment and methods can be used to obtain body measurements with different precision and reliability levels. However, precision and reliability are not the only aspects to be considered. The present study aims to evaluate the agreement of four different pieces of equipment for anthropometric measurement of the hand, namely, anthropometer, anthropometric tape, 2D scanner, and 3D scanner. These measurement methods were compared in terms of required time, precision, complexity, and cost, for the case of two-dimensional hand measurements. Data was collected on hand length and breadth from 25 workers in North Portugal. Among the main findings, we can highlight a relatively low accuracy and higher measurement times for 2D and 3D scanners due to scanning, processing, digitalization, and calibration steps. Traditional direct measurement methods were considered the most appropriate to obtain hand length and breadth measures, as they required less time and were more accurate, less costly and complex than 2D and 3D scanner methods. These results emphasize the caution required when selecting anthropometric methods.
- Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability and validity of the Portuguese version of the Brief Norwegian Safety Climate Inventory (Brief NORSCI)Publication . Monteiro, Raquel; Vieira Da Silva, Manuela; Arezes, Pedro; Rodrigues, MatildeThe aim of this study was to translate and validate the Portuguese version of the 11-item Brief Norwegian Safety Climate Inventory (Brief NORSCI) to Portuguese language and test its validity and reliability in a Portuguese LPG plant. The validity was assessed by an Exploratory Factorial Analysis (EFA). The test-retest reliability and internal consistency were determined by using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach’s Alpha, respectively. The Brief NORSCI was translated into the Portuguese language using a forward-backward translation design. The Portuguese version was then applied to a sample of 80 workers. After a 2-week period, workers were asked to fill out a second questionnaire to assess the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of Brief NORSCI. In the test-retest, the ICC for the Brief NORSCI total score was moderate (0.70) and the Cronbach’s Alpha showed an acceptable internal consistency (=0.80). In addition, from the EFA resulted three dimensions according to the theoretical assumptions. The Portuguese version of Brief NORSCI was found to be a valid and a reliable tool to assess safety climate.
- Defining risk acceptance criteria in occupational settings: A case study in the furniture industrial sectorPublication . Rodrigues, Matilde; Arezes, Pedro; Leão, Celina PintoThe use of appropriate acceptance criteria in the risk assessment process for occupational accidents is an important issue but often overlooked in the literature, particularly when new risk assessment methods are proposed and discussed. In most cases, there is no information on how or by whom they were defined, or even how companies can adapt them to their own circumstances. Bearing this in mind, this study analysed the problem of the definition of risk acceptance criteria for occupational settings, defining the quantitative acceptance criteria for the specific case study of the Portuguese furniture industrial sector. The key steps to be considered in formulating acceptance criteria were analysed in the literature review. By applying the identified steps, the acceptance criteria for the furniture industrial sector were then defined. The Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF) for the injury statistics of the industrial sector was identified as the maximum tolerable risk level. The acceptable threshold was defined by adjusting the CDF to the Occupational, Safety & Health (OSH) practitioners’ risk acceptance judgement. Adjustments of acceptance criteria to the companies’ safety cultures were exemplified by adjusting the Burr distribution parameters. An example of a risk matrix was also used to demonstrate the integration of the defined acceptance criteria into a risk metric. This work has provided substantial contributions to the issue of acceptance criteria for occupational accidents, which may be useful in overcoming the practical difficulties faced by authorities, companies and experts.
- Development of a multilevel safety climate measure for furniture industriesPublication . Rodrigues, Matilde; Leão, Celina P.; Arezes, PedroSafety climate is a relevant measure for monitoring safety conditions. However, there is still no consensus about safety climate measures. This study aims to develop and to analyse the suitability of an instrument to measure the safety climate in Portuguese furniture industries, using a multilevel structure, through a pilot survey. A questionnaire, called Safety Climate in Wood Industries, was developed. The first part comprised workers’ demographic questions. The second part included 39 items for measuring safety climate, analysing three different levels: organizational, group and individual levels. The questionnaire was tested on a sample of 29 workers of a Portuguese furniture industry. The company safety conditions were also analysed. The analysis of the questionnaire results shows significant differences on safety climate among sectors, which may be related to differences in safety conditions among sectors. The study shows that the questionnaire allows identifying different safety climates in the same enterprise.
- Frontiers in occupational health and safety managementPublication . Ramos, Delfina; Cotrim, Teresa; Arezes, Pedro; Baptista, João; Rodrigues, Matilde; Leitão, JoãoThis Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is devoted to the “Frontiers in Occupational Health and Safety Management”. This issue intends to contribute to the knowledge in the field regarding the new challenges for Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) management. This concern is stated in the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work for 2021–2027, which sets out the key actions needed to improve the health and safety of workers in the years to come. This new strategy focuses on three cross-cutting objectives, namely, anticipating and managing change in the context of green, digital, and demographic transitions; improving the prevention of work-related accidents and diseases and striving towards a Vision Zero approach to workrelated deaths; and increasing the preparedness to respond to current and future health crises [1]. This strategy is expected to have a significant impact on the management of OSH at all levels, including companies from all sectors. It is also a basis for increasing the awareness and funding support for the improvement of the health and safety of workers. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) has an important role in implementing this strategy at the European level, but also in coordination with the numerous National Agencies.
- A Fuzzy Logic Approach in the Definition of Risk Acceptance Boundaries in Occupational Safety and HealthPublication . Rodrigues, Matilde; Leão, Celina P.; Nunes, Eusébio; Sousa, Sérgio; Arezes, PedroOrganizations need to make decisions about risk acceptance, to decide about the need of risk-reducing measures. In this process, the personal judgments of occupational safety and health (OSH) practitioners have great importance. If on one hand, they have the technical knowledge about risk; on the other hand, the decisions can be dependent on their level of risk acceptance. This paper analyzes judgments of OSH practitioners about the level of risk acceptance, using the fuzzy logic approach. A questionnaire to analyze the reported level of risk acceptance was applied. The questionnaire included 79 risk scenarios, each accounting for the frequency of an accident with more lost workdays than a given magnitude. Through the two-step cluster analysis, three groups of OSH practitioners were identified: unacceptable, tolerable, and realistic groups. A further analysis of the realistic group judgments about risk was performed, using the fuzzy logic approach. The fuzzy sets of input and output variables were determined, and the relationship between the variables was mapped through fuzzy rules. After that, the min–max fuzzy inference method was used. The obtained results show that the risk level is acceptable when input variables are at the lowest value and unacceptable when the risk level is high. The obtained results allow us to better understand the modeling of OSH practitioners’ judgments about risk acceptance, noting the uncertainty related to these judgments
- Healthcare workers’ mental health in pandemic times: the predict role of psychosocial risksPublication . Barros, Carla; Baylina, Pilar; Fernandes, Rúben; Ramalho, Susana; Arezes, PedroHealthcare workers perform an emotionally exhausting daily work activity, making them prone to occupational hazards, namely psychosocial ones. This study aims to assess the impact of psy chosocial risk factors on healthcare workers’ mental health. A cross-sectional study was developed between May and June of 2021 with 479 healthcare workers from Portuguese hospitals. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale was used to assess mental health, and psychosocial risks were assessed through the Health and Work Survey e INSAT. Statistical analysis was performed to identify the psychosocial risk factors related to anxiety, depression, and stress. Subsequently, a multiple linear regression was performed to identify the models that better explained psychosocial risk factors’ relationship with anxiety, depression, and stress. Data showed a strong exposure to psychosocial risks. Work pace and intensity, work relation ships, and emotional demands stood out with higher global average percentages for yes answers to “exposure and discomfort.” The analysis of the b values and p-values from the multiple linear regression shows that some cross-sectional psychosocial risks are predictors of anxiety and stress dimensions, and other psychosocial risks differ in the two mental health dimensions. However, it is important to highlight that healthcare workers still showed great joy and pleasure in performing their work activities. Support network development in the work environment is needed to prevent healthcare workers’ emotional stress and promote their psychological well-being. Therefore, new research is essential to understand the psychosocial risks that affect healthcare workers and assess the less visible effects of workehealth relationships
- Integrated Versus Non-Integrated Perspectives of Auditors Concerning the New ISO 9001 RevisionPublication . Fonseca, Luís; Domingues, José Pedro; Arezes, Pedro; Sampaio, PauloThe process of integration of management systems is being unfolded by a great deal of companies nowadays. A crucial feature of it relates with the audit function and the integrated perceptions of the auditors. This issue is of utmost importance if one takes into account the remarkable effort developed by ISO in the last revisions (2015) of the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards aiming at the standards integration by adopting a common high level structure, identical core context, and common terms and common definitions. The available drafts of the new ISO 45001 standard suggest the same effort. This paper aims, within a global research study on ISO 9001:2015, to report the integrated versus non-integrated perspectives of auditors concerning the new ISO 9001 revision based on the results from a survey conducted among IRCA auditors. It is intended specifically to assess if the perceptions from the auditors holding several certifications are different of those from the auditors that hold solely the QMS certification. Results suggest that the auditors holding several certifications foreseen more benefits from this new revision, i.e., auditors with a wider integrated perspective rate systematically higher the different dimensions assessed in this survey.