Browsing by Author "Ramos, Delfina"
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- Employees' views about the impact of the economic crisis on occupational safety and quality of life: a pilot study in the North of PortugalPublication . Vale, Cláudia; Rodrigues, Matilde; Azevedo, Rui; Ramos, Delfina; Loureiro, IsabelThe European Union faced an economic crisis with a significant expression in Portugal. The financial unsustainability of this country led to austerity measures with negative impacts on organizations and families. The paper aims to analyse the views of the employed population about the influence of crisis on occupational safety, and workers' quality of life. A self-completed questionnaire named External Environment Questionnaire (EEQ) was applied in 2013. A total of 510 questionnaires were filled by Portuguese employees of eight cities from the North of Portugal. The results indicate that the crisis has an important impact in the financial conditions of the workers and an important effect in the job security. Moreover, companies were seen by workers to compromise their safety performance in a crisis period. A strategy to manage safety issues in a crisis context as well as improve the quality of life of workers is needed.
- 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.
- Integrated management systems as a key facilitator of occupational health and safety risk management: a case study in a medium sized waste management firmPublication . Ramos, Delfina; Afonso, Paulo; Rodrigues, MatildeThe positive impact of introducing Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) standards at the organization level is recognized by governments, employers and workers. Nevertheless, the knowledge on its effective use in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises is still limited. This case study aims to provide a better understanding of how the implementation of Integrated Management Systems (IMSs) influences the improvement of OH&S risk management process in medium-sized business.
- Preventive behaviors among higher education students in response to COVID-19: The role of risk perceptionPublication . Peralta, Catarina; Vieira da Silva, Manuela; Dores, Artemisa Rocha; Silva, Marina Almeida; Pinto, Marta Vasconcelos; Ramos, Delfina; Rodrigues, MatildeIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education institutions adopted a set of measures to ensure safe face-to-face teaching and to control potential outbreaks. However, the effectiveness of the implemented measures is dependent on the behavior of students, who are generally young, often displaced, living with other colleagues, and constantly seeking physical contact, which makes their behavior outside the institution also of particular relevance to controlling the pandemic. An online questionnaire was developed and applied to characterize the behaviors adopted by students inside and outside the higher education institution, as well as risk perception based on the health belief model (HBM) and unrealistic optimism, with the participation of 620 students from three Portuguese higher education institutions. The adoption of safe behaviors is related to a greater perception of the benefits and of the severity of COVID-19. Unrealistic optimism also has a negative impact on preventive behaviors. The behaviors least adopted by students concerning potential exposure to COVID-19 were disinfecting hands and equipment after use, as well as physical distancing from colleagues. With regard to behaviors adopted outside the institution, it was found that students did not avoid physical contact with colleagues and family members. These findings contribute to our understanding of student behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic, help institutions understand if the applied strategies were effective or not, and denote the need to reinforce or improve the implemented strategies.
- Psychosocial risks in teachers from Portugal and England on the Way to Society 5.0Publication . Pimenta, Ana; Ramos, Delfina; Santos, Gilberto; Rodrigues, Matilde; Doiro, ManuelBeing a teacher is one of the most demanding jobs, as a result of this responsibility, these workers face many psychosocial risks. This study aims to characterize and compare psychosocial factors in Portuguese and British teachers and discuss how new developments in technology, namely digital technology can improve education and, in particular, contribute to fewer issues related to mental health. The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire Medium Version (COPSOQ II) was applied to the teachers of six Portuguese schools (three public schools and three private schools), three British public schools and three private schools with an international British curriculum (Switzerland, Spain and Portugal). The results showed that cognitive, emotional, and quantitative demands, as well as work rhythm and work/family conflict, are the key psychosocial factors among these teachers. Differences were found between the teachers of both countries. Some models are proposed, through the proposals of Society 5.0, for their minimization and/or removal. Society 5.0 is the vision of a new human-centered society in the fifth stage launched by Japan in April 2016, and it is cited in our study with the hope that it will contribute to solving many problems of today’s society.
- Quality and safety continuous improvement through lean toolsPublication . Santos, Gilberto; Sá, José Carlos; Oliveira, J.; Ramos, Delfina; Ferreira, C.The purpose of this chapter is to suggest the use of several lean tools that can be used, indicating the improvements that can be obtained with each of the recommended tools. The main objective is to be a contribution to the organizations, showing how they can detect the wastes in the productive flow through VSM, and at the same time to improve the quality of products through lean tools. The method presented was a case study. The various lean tools were also collected and described. This chapter intends to show several lean tools that can be applied in different situations, as well as, the wastes that each can eliminate and the benefits that are obtained from each one. Throughout the production process, with the support of Value Stream Mapping (VSM), it was possible to detect several wastes. A case study is presented as results from a work carried out in a company that is dedicated to the production of mechanical equipment. This work can be a guide to support organizations that wish to start their lean road. Smart value creation remains today dependent on the maturity of how lean management tools are applied. Lean, innovative technologies, critical knowledge, talent and big data need other dimensions to be sustainable. Quality and safety continuous improvement through lean tools, as well as, Industry 4.0 assumes a critical pillar for the new journey toward the future of our organizations.