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La Cultura de la prevención y la seguridad y salud en el trabajo en tiempos de crisis

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Este artículo es una reflexión crítica sobre la cultura de la prevención y el papel de Seguridad y Salud en el trabajo en tiempos de crisis a nivel mundial por la presencia del virus COVID-19 en los ambientes de trabajo, los retos que enfrentan las organizaciones para preservar la salud física, mental y social de los trabajadores y acelerar la reactivación económica en tiempos coyunturales. La investigación es cualitativa mediante la revisión de los lineamientos de la Organización Mundial de la Salud para el retorno seguro al trabajo y la Organización Internacional del Trabajo y otros autores para gestionar Sistemas de Gestión de la Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo resilientes, como respuesta a esta crisis la seguridad y salud en el trabajo debe reinventarse en el contexto presente y futuro.
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https://doi.org/10.37955/cs.v5i3.145
Received January 24, 2021 / Approved May, 13 2021 Pages: 13-32
eISSN: 2600-5743
La Cultura de la prevención y la
seguridad y salud en el trabajo en
tiempos de crisis
The Culture of prevention and safety and health
at work in times of crisis
Diana Marcela Roa Baquero
Specialist in Human Resources Management and Occupational Health Management, Corporación
Universitaria Minuto de Dios, Girardot - Colombia, diana.roa-b@uniminuto.edu.co
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5740-3693
Abstract
Article is a critical reflection on the culture of prevention and the role
Occupational Safety at work in times of crisis worldwide due to the
presence of the COVID-19 virus in work environments, the challenges
that organizations face to preserve the physical, mental and social
health of the workers and accelerate the economic reactivation in
conjunctural times. The research is qualitative by reviewing the World
Health Organization guidelines for safe return to work and the
International Labor Organization and other authors to manage
resilient Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems, in
response to this crisis occupational health and safety must be
reinvented in the present and future context.
Resumen
Este artículo es una reflexión crítica sobre la cultura de la prevención
y el papel de Seguridad y Salud en el trabajo en tiempos de crisis a nivel
mundial por la presencia del virus COVID-19 en los ambientes de
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trabajo, los retos que enfrentan las organizaciones para preservar la
salud física, mental y social de los trabajadores y acelerar la
reactivación económica en tiempos coyunturales. La investigación es
cualitativa mediante la revisión de los lineamientos de la Organización
Mundial de la Salud para el retorno seguro al trabajo y la Organización
Internacional del Trabajo y otros autores para gestionar Sistemas de
Gestión de la Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo resilientes, como
respuesta a esta crisis la seguridad y salud en el trabajo debe
reinventarse en el contexto presente y futuro.
Palabras clave/ Keywords
COVID 19, occupational safety and health, wellness, pandemic
COVID 19, occupational safety and health, well-being, pandemic
Introduction
There is currently growing concern about the exponential increase of
infections caused by COVID 19 in the world, which led the WHO to
declare a pandemic state on March 11, 2020, due to the virus
originating in Wuhan - China. The result is an unprecedented health,
economic and social crisis, which has exposed and intensified the
inequality gap and increased poverty in regions such as Latin America.
It is estimated that 25 million people will be in poverty due to
increased unemployment and underemployment. This panorama
shows the dichotomy between economy and health, for which the
states declare a state of emergency. According to WHO, the world has
registered 164,622,686 confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus
infection and 3,411,089 deaths to date (17/05/2021).
Table 1. Countries with the most confirmed cases from the outbreak
and number of deaths from COVID 19.
Country
Number of
confirmed
cases
United States
33.750.602
600.609
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India
25.457.976
282.547
Brazil
15.661.106
436.862
France
5.881.137
107.812
Turkey
5.127.548
44.983
Russia
4.957.756
116.575
United Kingdom
4.452.756
127.684
Italy
4.167.025
124.497
Spain
3.615.860
79.432
Germany
3.609.912
86.943
In the face of the possible scenarios, there are containment models
such as rapid mass social confinement and subsequent adaptation of
response capabilities, which was applied in China, the model of strict
investigation of infection clusters and rapid scaling up of health system
capabilities by means of mass diagnostic tests and intelligent follow-
up, led by Korea and applied by the United States and the United
Kingdom, minimal social containment by betting on collective
immunity, and the Swedish model, unique in the world and in Europe,
where confinement has not been imposed and mass immunity is
expected. Although the models used are predictive, decisions have
been made on the basis of trial and error, and the virus has resurfaced
in spite of all the containment measures and public policies adopted.
WHO warns that South America is becoming the new epicenter of the
pandemic, Brazil being the country with the highest number of cases
and deaths due to Covid-19, the number of cases is growing rapidly,
from the analysis made by Pinheiro: "Chile is the South American
country that presented the best coping strategy for Covid-19. It is
recommended to verify whether the public policies used by Chile are
viable to the reality of other South American countries, in view of the
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appearance of new waves of new cases that have not yet been infected
due to the social isolation applied". (Pinheiro et al., 2020).
Table 2. South American countries with more COVID-19 cases and
deaths
Country
Number of
confirmed cases
Number of
deaths
Brazil
15.657.391
436.537
Argentina
3.335.965
71.027
Colombia
3.131.410
81.809
Peru
1.893.334
66.471
Chile
1.295.862
27.965
Ecuador
410.870
19.786
Bolivia
334.824
13.566
Paraguay
315.547
7.692
Uruguay
242.784
7.913
Venezuela
216.415
2.411
According to Cabezas (2020) and The Economic Commission for Latin
America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has pointed out the structural
challenges that COVID-19 has brought to the region. The economic
and social effects and its impact in the short and medium term, which
exacerbates poverty and the inequality gap, also demonstrates the
vulnerability and inefficiency of health systems to address a pandemic
of this magnitude, which taking into account the comorbidities due to
Non-Communicable Diseases (diabetes, hypertension, ischemic heart
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disease, obesity, asthma, among others). The population has a higher
risk of clinical complication and a fatal outcome.
Figure 1. Economic costs of COVID -19
Direct effects on health
systems
Measures to reduce direct
effects: isolation, quarantine
and social distancing
Indirect effects on supply
and demand
Extraordinary load on
insufficient and
fragmented systems
Accentuation of unequal
access conditions
according to income
level and place of
residence
Extraordinary load on
insufficient and
fragmented systems
Global Recession
Education
Trade
Tourism
Manufacturing
Natural
Resources
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Medium and Long
Term Effects
Short-term effects
-Company
bankruptcies
-Reduction of
private investment
Slower
economic
growth
Less integration in
value chains
Deterioration of
productive
capacities and
human capital.
Higher
unemployment
Lower salaries
and income
-Increase in
poverty and extreme
poverty
Health systems
: higher costs,
fragmentation and
inequalities of access
In Colombia there are 3,131,410 confirmed cases and 81,809 deaths
due to COVID-19, the 10 most affected regions are:
Departments of Colombia with more cases and deaths due to COVID-
19
Department
Number of
confirmed
cases
Number
of deaths
Bogotá
870.533
17.317
Antioquia
506.913
11.095
Atlantic
260.242
7.983
Cauca Valley
253.244
7.969
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Cundinamarca
143.855
3.910
Santander
118.631
4.075
Bolivar
91.904
1.783
Tolima
73.351
2.335
Caldas
66.354
1.361
Magdalena
65.728
2.502
In the country, the Chinese model was adopted, which seeks a balance
between public health and economic impact, according to the
evolution and epidemiological trends of the pandemic, smart
containment is chosen, however, the containment since March 2020,
has impacted the national economy and business dynamics, the
unemployment rate presented by the DANE for the month of March
2021, in the country is 16.8% which meant an increase of 3.5
percentage points compared to the same month last year (13.4%). In
this context, "Informality is increasing, and added to the above, the
gaps that for years had been trying to close deteriorated again, and
even this time the road to recovery seems more difficult than before"
(Urrea and Pirajan, "Informality is increasing, and added to the above,
the gaps that for years had been trying to close deteriorated again, and
even this time the road to recovery seems more difficult than before".
(Urrea and Pirajan, 2020, p. 4).
This situation is not alien to the business sector, which has had to
reinvent the operation of its businesses to continue producing goods
and/or services in the midst of the crisis. The provisions of the
National Government led by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry
of Labor allow the economic reactivation in a gradual manner in some
economic sectors (construction, health and complementary, financial
services, among others): (construction, health and complementary,
financial services, among others), this opening is possible through
compliance with security protocols. Resolution 666 of 2020. By which
the general biosecurity protocol is adopted to mitigate, control and
carry out the adequate management of the coronavirus pandemic -
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COVID 19 and the Ministry of Labor Circular 017 "Minimum
guidelines to be implemented for the promotion and prevention for the
preparation, response and care of cases of illness due to coronavirus -
COVID 19", response and care of cases of COVID-19
(Coronavirus) disease" and Circular 018 of 2020 of the Ministry of
Health "Actions of containment before the covid-19 and prevention of
diseases associated with the first epidemiological peak of respiratory
diseases" and others that have arisen with the evolution and spread of
the virus in the National territory. Where the employer or contractor
must ensure occupational health and safety in the work environment.
This situation is more acute in micro, small and medium enterprises
(MSMEs), due to the scarcity of resources for the implementation of
measures for the prevention and control of the pandemic. According
to ANDI, 70% of the country's companies are at risk of bankruptcy and
insolvency.
Under this premise, the country, society and companies have a
challenge to face and Occupational Safety and Health play a
fundamental role in the economic reactivation and productivity of the
country.
In the framework of an international conference of the ILO. (2009) on
"Implementation of occupational safety and health standards
worldwide". In situations of instability and crisis, workers feel fear and
stress of losing their jobs. In the absence or decrease of income due to
economic stagnation, resources allocated to health and safety may
decrease. Relevant agencies and authorities may also have to operate
with limited resources. The consequence could be a significant
increase in accidents, injuries and fatalities at work. The ILO's
message is that prevention is also good business. In the long term,
investments in the physical and mental health of staff are profitable If
companies cut back on occupational health and safety spending now,
they will pay the price in the not too distant future. "The crisis is not
an excuse but a new opportunity to continue investing in Occupational
Health and Safety." (Corral, 2011 p. 45).
International labor standards on Occupational Safety and Health
(OSH) are a point of reference to review the rights and duties of social
actors in the face of the crisis caused by COVID-19, in particular:
Article 16 of the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No.
155) provides that: "Employers shall be required, so far as is
reasonable and practicable, to ensure that workplaces under their
control are safe and free from accidents and occupational diseases, and
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to ensure that the workplaces under their control are safe and free
from accidents and occupational diseases. 155) provides that:
"Employers shall be required, so far as is reasonable and practicable,
to ensure that workplaces [...] under their control are safe and without
risk to the safety and health of workers". Convention No. 161 on
Occupational Health Services and Convention No. 187 Promotional
Framework for Occupational Safety and Health. However, only
Convention 161 has been ratified by Colombia.
The current management of occupational risk prevention must adapt
to the exceptional situation and make a transition to an unknown
normality, reorganize work methods and establish protective
measures derived from emerging risks due to technological,
demographic, environmental and social changes.
A weakness that is evident is the lack of planning in occupational safety
and health in companies to face this contingency, due to insufficient
resources to meet the challenges that the pandemic represents and
workers who may not be adequately trained to perform their work
activities under these circumstances, situations that if not controlled
can generate risks to individual and collective health, when there is a
generalized spread. (Department of Labor United States of America,
2020).
If workplaces have a comprehensive emergency preparedness plan to
deal with health crises and pandemics, they are better prepared to
formulate a rapid, coordinated and effective response. (ILO, 2020, p
34).
In this sense, continuous monitoring of working conditions and
environment, and risk assessment, transmission routes, exposure
level, will allow organizations to establish control measures to
minimize the risk of contagion. Monitoring is necessary to evaluate
whether other risks such as psychosocial, physical and ergonomic risks
are derived or increased. One recommendation is to be especially
careful with the underestimation of occupational risks, a situation that
often occurs when workers are involved due to the low perception of
risk in their daily work activities. Honkasalo (2000).
The ECLAC / ILO report Labor Situation in Latin America and the
Caribbean Labor in times of pandemic: challenges in the face of the
coronavirus disease (COVID-19) highlights the importance of
occupational health policy as an essential pillar of employment policy
"In this regard, it is proposed that, in the context of the crisis caused
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by the COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary to prioritize occupational
safety and health policies so that the reactivation of production and
employment is safe and healthy. In addition, it is also emphasized that,
through an adequate and participatory management of the
occupational risk of exposure to the coronavirus, it will be possible to
facilitate the recovery process that the economy needs, without
neglecting people's health". (ECLAC, 2020).
In the analysis of the Colombian case, a critical reflection is given in
order to "perform work efficiently, it is necessary to be calm, healthy
and safe in the labor exercise that helps the integral development of
the person in his personal and labor aspirations, in his longings and in
the guarantees of protection and social integration. However, the work
developed in conditions of risks of occupational accidents and
occupational diseases increases anguish and damage in the life of the
worker due to the absence of adequate, safe and healthy working
conditions" (Hernandez et al, 2017, p. 49).
To counteract this situation it is necessary to implement and manage
change, according to Kotter from his administrative approach, culture
is a fundamental aspect to produce a change and this has a human
component and the change will not occur outside this plane, also
within these processes a phenomenon known as resistance to change
may occur. (Kotter, 1997, p.52).
The crisis will be a unique opportunity to revalue the importance of
occupational safety and health as one of the fundamental conditions
for decent work, as pointed out in the ILO Tripartite Declaration of the
Centenary for the Future of Work (2019). After overcoming the health
crisis, it will be a key aspect to consider in the productive activation
and economic recovery, in order to avoid new outbreaks and
contagions both for workers at home and those returning to their
activities.
A lesson from this crisis is to plan and learn for the future, a
management system is not static and the involvement of workers and
their representatives in the management of occupational health and
safety is key to success, a legal obligation is to communicate and
consult on planned changes and how temporary processes will be
implemented, including workers in risk assessment and the
development of solutions is an important part of good health and
safety practice and that these are effectively implemented. We live in
an era of fast-moving events, with a high level of uncertainty and
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anxiety among workers and the general population.
Finally, Cooper (2000) defines safety culture as "the product of
multiple interrelationships between different interests that exist in an
organization: between people (psychological), work (behavior) and the
organization (situational). The resilience capacity of organizations and
workers to face this crisis, it is necessary to strengthen the culture of
self-care and prevention in organizations, to make it experiential and
put it into practice.
Taking as a reference Parker's (2006) safety and health management
pathway, as a model that allows evaluating the preventive culture in
organizations that presents five levels of maturity of the Safety Culture.
Figure 2. Safety Culture.
The management of prevention in an integrated manner goes beyond
taking care of those technical aspects in safety and management, it also
refers to the way in which the organizational culture of a company
Pathological: Does not
give importance to safety
Reactive: Safety is only
considered when accidents
occur.
Calculate: adopt certain
risk prevention measures
Proactive: In continuous
improvement to prevent
accidents
Generative: Higher Safety
Standards. Safety as a way of
working
INCREASING TRUST AND
ACCOUNTABILITY
MORE AND MORE INFORMED
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addresses aspects of occupational safety and health. (Arevalo, 2018).
The author also states for all the above the preventive culture cannot
be dismembered or segregated from the organizational culture of the
company, strictly speaking these living concepts, are generated
through the interactions between the different members of the
company. In times of crisis the reaction can be proactive or reactive.
Figure 3. Pyramid of measures to prevent contagion in the workplace
The crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic impacts the planning and
management of the Occupational Health and Safety Management
System in organizations whose responsibility lies with the employer or
contractor, who must provide the necessary resources derived from
change management, identifying the hazards and evaluating the risks
derived from the virus and others that may arise due to changes in the
work and social dynamics (physical, ergonomic, psychosocial),
adopting appropriate prevention and control measures to mitigate the
risk of contagion, to maintain adequate hygiene conditions. Cleaning
and disinfection of facilities and workstations, as well as training
workers in the promotion and prevention of occupational hazards.
Materials and Methods
The methodological approach is qualitative, according to Jiménez,
quoted by Salgado, "based on the basic assumption that the social
Eliminacion del reisgo (Teletrabajo)
Medidas de ingenieria: barreras de separacion y
ventilacion
Medidas organizativas (redistribucion de las
disposiciones de lugar del trabajo, entrada y
salida escalonada)
Medidas administrativas (limpieza y
desinfeccion, higiene personal y capacitacion)
Medidas de proteccion personal (mascarillas y
guantes)
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world is constructed of meanings and symbols" (Salgado, 2007, p. 30).
The research is based on the literature review, which, according to
Rodríguez & Valldeoriola "constitutes one of the main pillars on which
the research is based", since it is a process that allows to verify the state
of the question and, therefore, that the researcher does not repeat the
theories of authors, but builds in a critical and reflective manner, his
own conception about a given object of study Barros y Turpo, (2018)
(Rodríguez Gómez & Valldeoriola Roquet, 2006).
Since this article is of a reflexive type, subjectivity is allowed, the latter
being conceived as the differentiating element, where the perception
and experiences that the author generates through a process of
reflection and self-criticism to formulate judgments on the problem,
object of research or perspective adopted take precedence. This study
provides a critical and reflective position on the culture of prevention
and occupational health and safety in times of crisis, a situation
derived from the COVID-19 health emergency from a human,
economic and social context, at international and national level, and
what has been the impact of this pandemic on work environments.
The study is divided into three parts: the first part is a review of the
bibliography related to epidemiological data on active cases of COVID-
19 according to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO),
the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the National
Health Institute (INS) in Colombia. In the second part, a review of the
conventions of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the
recommendations and guidelines of the World Health Organization
(WHO) for the safe return to the workplace and the gradual
reactivation of the economy and the role of occupational safety and
health in this process is made.
The third part describes the challenges that the discipline of
Occupational Safety and Health has in times of crisis and how through
the guidelines of the ILO and WHO and even the Ministry of Health
and Labor contributes to the welfare, health and safety of workers and
the economic and productive reactivation of the country. This analysis
seeks to highlight the importance of occupational health and safety
management systems and their planning in times of economic and
social crisis pandemics, as well as plans for business continuity.
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Results
The changes derived from the pandemic will allow a historical
evolution of occupational safety and health, promoting innovation,
new models and methods in the field of occupational risk prevention.
A review of the literature reveals deficiencies in mechanistic models
that ignore the fact that the world of work has changed and that risk
prevention is not limited to engineering controls. The ILO in the
framework of the conventions and guidelines for the safety and health
of workers in the world, has allowed nations to advance in the
prevention of occupational hazards, Convention No. 155 and its
recommendation offer prevention and protection measures to mitigate
the negative effects on safety and health in the world of work of
pandemics such as COVID-19. In the case of Colombia, it has issued
legislation with a preventive tendency such as the Sole Regulatory
Decree of the Labor Sector 1072 of 2015 book 2, part 2, title and
chapter 6 and Resolution 0312 of 2019 of the Ministry of Labor that
establishes the Minimum Standards in Occupational Safety and
Health for employers and contractors in the country according to the
economic activity, number of workers and risk level of the companies
providing special attention to agricultural production units and
MSMEs in the country, and recently the Decree 500 of 2020 issued by
the Presidency of the Republic by which measures of labor order are
adopted, related to the allocation of resources of the contributions of
the Labor Risks Administrator of public character in the framework of
the State of Economic, Social and Ecological Emergency, resources are
allocated for the purchase of personal protection elements for workers
directly or indirectly related to the health sector and education,
promotion and prevention campaigns for companies to comply with
the basic level of the annual plan of safety and health at work.
The results of the research allow us to deduce that the pandemic has
accelerated the process or interest in installing the Culture of Risk
Prevention in the workplace and in Society as a whole. In the country,
this need is made visible in the National Plan for Safety and Health at
Work (2013-2021), which seeks the transversality of safety and health
at work in all public policies, the strengthening of institutions, the
promotion of safety and health of workers, the prevention of
occupational hazards and the optimization and recognition of benefits
to workers in the General System of Occupational Risks.
Rethink safety as a competitive advantage in organizations and include
sciences such as Economics and Administration, which will support
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occupational health and safety management, favoring the application
of the cycle (P,H,V,A) in any context, aligning the strategic objectives
of the organization to the needs in prevention, thus occupational
health and safety contributes to the sustainability of the business and
the welfare of workers, One of the deficiencies detected in the
Management Systems is the Management of Health in Workers is the
absence of health promotion and prevention programs and
epidemiological surveillance systems, with the current situation these
will play a vital role to maintain and improve the health conditions of
the working population, promotion of healthy lifestyles to address the
increase of non-communicable diseases and prevention of diseases of
occupational origin.
The study allows through a critique and reflection of the situation to
glimpse the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the
implications and transformation of occupational health and safety in
organizations. However, this is still an unknown normality for all
social actors who require emergency and containment measures for
the return to economic, labor and social activities.
Due to the magnitude and scope of the crisis, the exposure and the
economic and social impact of workers in the informal economy, the
statistics of diagnosed diseases of occupational origin related to the
virus in health personnel, the statistics of common origin and the
occupations that report more cases of contagion, the evaluation of the
effectiveness of the control measures implemented at the source,
environment and worker and the result of good practices in
occupational safety and health are unknown. Academic and personal
interest will arise to investigate these issues in depth and create
prevention models aimed at the working population.
The adoption of new measures and forms of work organization have
generated new habits and lifestyles in the working population, the role
of women in the home has increased their workload and even domestic
violence, social distancing and the excessive use of ICTs has generated
mental health problems worldwide and has even increased the report
of musculoskeletal symptomatology.
The above shows that occupational safety and health has ceased to be
a discipline influenced by the positivist current focused on hygiene and
prevention, to give way to a systemic approach such as the contingency
theory that contemplates the internal and external factors that impact
its management and open the way for new approaches such as
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endosafety, a new way of prevention, the competencies of
professionals and personnel in training for the prevention of
occupational hazards must be rethought from the academy to ensure
the competencies (knowledge, skills and attitudes) required in the
productive sector and labor field, training that goes beyond technical
knowledge.
Conclusions
The International Labor Organization maintains a system of
international labor standards aimed at promoting decent, safe and
productive work, and are a useful framework for reference in the
context of the response to the crisis caused by the outbreak of COVID-
19, while the World Health Organization establishes guidelines for
adapting workplaces and protecting workers. Social dialogue is
necessary for joint action to ensure safe and healthy work
environments. International collaboration is important, in particular
WHO and ILO provide guidance aimed at disease prevention and
containment for the sustainable well-being of nations, communities
and workers. The pandemic demonstrates the role that occupational
safety and health plays for a decent and safe work, from the effective
management of the occupational safety and health management
system and the establishment of measures for the prevention and
control of occupational risks, it will be possible to give continuity to
the economy and promote employment. Social, economic,
technological and demographic changes resulting from global trends
and the health, human and economic crisis have posed challenges for
occupational safety and health, management with a gender focus,
demographic changes and migration, technological advances and
information and communication technologies, atypical forms of
employment and labor flexibility, climate change and the green
economy. These changes also increase psychosocial hazards, mental
health and techno-stress, ergonomic risks, physical risks, harmful
chemical substances and changes in work methods and reengineering
of prevention and control measures.
References
Arévalo, C. and Jaen, A.(2018). Technical manual on preventive
culture in the company: evaluation and improvement methods.
[online]. Madrid: Agustín de Betancourt Foundation; Regional
Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, 2018. 144 p.
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Article
Integration of occupational health and safety matters into environmental management systems can bring many benefits to industrial companies. They can avoid duplicated measures and find optimal solutions, because the principles of prevention are similar in environmental protection and safety management. However, the methods currently used in environmental management and engineering such as life-cycle assessments, best available technology reports, and the models of industrial production can hinder this integration, because they take into account occupational risks only to a limited extent. People can also consider occupational safety risks more easily than environmental risks as a natural part of their work. This can lead to the situation where occupational risks are underestimated.
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