Analysis of the return on preventive measures in musculoskeletal disorders through the benefitecost ratio: A case study in a hospital

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are among the most costly health problems that society is facing today. Prevention involves investments and it is important for organizations to make a cost ebenefit analysis of ergonomic projects. Return on prevention is a recent concern in the domain of occupational safety and health (OSH). There are many studies concerning the return on the prevention of WMSDs, in terms of the benefits for the organization in which the preventive measures are implemented. However, it is also important to perform an analysis of the impact of each measure on society (externalities). A model to perform a financial and economic costebenefit analysis related to OSH projects was developed and it was applied in the case of the prevention of WMSDs in a Portuguese hospital. An analysis of the accidents and corresponding costs has been made in six of the services of the hospital. Financial and an economic costebenefit analysis have been made and the benefitecost ratio (B/C) has been calculated. While the B/C financial ratio, considering only the benefits to the hospital, is around 2, the economic B/C ratio, taking into account all the external benefits that have been quantified, is higher than 14. Relevance to industry: Both the economic and the financial B/C ratio are important support tools for decision makers in public and private organizations, helping them to define which preventive measures should be implemented, taking into account the costs involved and the resulting quantified benefits, for the organization, for the workers and for the society.

Prevalência de lesões músculo-esqueléticas ligadas ao trabalho (LMELT) em higienistas orais: contributo para a saúde e segurança no local de trabalho

Mestrado em Intervenção Sócio-Organizacional na Saúde - Área de especialização: Qualidade e Tecnologias da Saúde.

Contributo para a validação de uma estratégia de diagnóstico do risco de LMELT: empresas de triagem de resíduos orgânicos

Mestrado em Segurança e Higiene no Trabalho.

Lesões Músculo-Esqueléticas Ligadas ao Trabalho (LMELT) nos operários das fábricas de queijo da Ilha de São Jorge

O presente artigo tem por objectivo conhecer a existência de LMELT (Lesões Músculo-Esqueléticas Ligadas ao Trabalho), através da avaliação de sintomas, movimentos e posições auto-referidos pelos operários das Fábricas de Queijo da Ilha de São Jorge, através da aplicação de dois Questionários. A amostra foi constituída por 61 operários das três Fábricas. Através dos resultados obtidos pode-se afirmar que estes operários apresentam LMELT, manifestando-se por dores nas diferentes zonas corporais, devido a realização de tarefas repetidas, levantamento e transporte de cargas, a temperaturas extremas e ainda pelo facto dos locais de trabalho não estarem adaptados ergonomicamente.

Acompanhamento de uma empreitada de remodelação e reconversão de um edifício em Lisboa

Este Trabalho Final de Mestrado consiste num estágio que se encontra reportado neste relatório e que traduz o acompanhamento por parte do discente de uma empreitada de remodelação e reconversão de um edifício em Lisboa. O estágio com duração de seis meses desenvolveu-se entre Fevereiro e Julho de 2012 na empresa Arlindo Correia e Filhos, SA. Consistiu no acompanhamento da obra das futuras instalações da ASAE (Autoridade de Segurança Alimentar e Económica) na freguesia de São Mamede, concelho de Lisboa, sendo o orientador do estágio por parte da empresa, o Eng.º Vítor Soares, Director de Produção em causa. Os objectivos do estágio curricular visam a consolidação das matérias e temas abordados na vertente académica, assim como o contacto com a realidade do mundo laboral. A integração na empresa Arlindo Correia e Filhos SA e o acompanhamento regular das frentes de trabalho e de questões relacionadas com a obra, contribuíram de forma decisiva para cumprir com sucesso esta missão.

Stresse, burnout e estratégias de coping nos guardas prisionais da Região Autónoma dos Açores

Mestrado, Psicologia da Educação (Contextos Educativos), 18 de Junho de 2014, Universidade dos Açores.

Manutenção ferroviária

Relatório de Estágio para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Civil

Mammography equipment design: impact on radiographers’ practice

Objectives - Identify radiographers’ postures during frequent mammography procedures related to the mammography equipment and patient characteristics. Methods - A postural task analysis was performed using images acquired during the simulation of mammography positioning procedures. Simulations included craniocaudal/(CC) and mediolateral-oblique/(MLO) positioning in three different settings: radiographers and patients with similar statures, radiographers smaller than the patients and radiographers taller than the patients. Measurements of postural angles were performed by two raters using adequate software and classified according to the European Standard EN1005-4:2005 + A1:2008. Results - The simulations revealed that the most awkward posture in mammography is during the positioning of MLO projection in short-stature patients. Postures identified as causing work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WRMSD) risk were neck extension, arms elevated and the back stooped, presenting angles of 87.2, 118.6 and 63.6, respectively. If radiographers were taller than patients, then the trunk and arm postures were not acceptable. Conclusions - Working in a mammography room leads to awkward postures that can have an impact on radiographers’ health, namely WRMSDs. The results in this study showed that there are non-acceptable postures associated with frequent working procedures in mammography. MLO is the most demanding procedure for radiographer postures and may be related to WRMSDs. Mammography devices should be redesigned considering adjustability for radiographers. Main Messages: • Mammography constraints for radiographers in mammography procedures have not been well studied. • Performing mammography leads to awkward postures that can impact radiographers’ health. • MLO, the most demanding procedure for radiographers, is possibly related to WRMSDs.

Sleep, stress and compensatory behaviors in Australian nurses and midwives

OBJECTIVE: To describe sleep, stress and compensatory behaviors in nurses and midwives. METHODS: The study included 41 midwives and 21 nurses working in Australian hospitals between 2005 and 2009. Participation was voluntary. All participants recorded on a daily basis their work and sleep hours, levels of stress and exhaustion, caffeine intake and use of sleep aids for a month (1,736 days, 1,002 work shifts). RESULTS: Participants reported moderate to high levels of stress and exhaustion on 20-40% of work days; experienced sleep disruption on more than 50% of work days; struggled to remain awake on 27% of work days; and suffered extreme drowsiness or experienced a near accident while travelling home on 9% of workdays. Age, perceived sleep duration and work hours were significant predictors of caffeine intake. About 60% of participants reported using sleep aids (about 20% reported taking prescription medications and 44% of nurses and 9% of midwives reported alcohol use as a sleep aid at least once during the study). Stress and workdays were significant predictors of sedative use. Overall, 22% reported being indifferent or mildly dissatisfied with their job. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep problems, high levels of stress and exhaustion and low job satisfaction are prevalent among nurses and midwives. The use of alcohol and sleeping pills as sleep aids, and the use of caffeine to help maintain alertness is also common. Nurses and midwives may use caffeine to compensate for reduced sleep, especially on workdays, and sleeping pills to cope with their daily work-related stress.

Organização e tratamento de dados recolhidos nas rotinas das crianças na sala dos quatro anos

Dissertação apresentada à escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa para obtenção de grau de mestre em Educação Matemática na Educação Pré-Escolar e nos 1º e 2º Ciclos do Ensino Básico

Sinistralidade laboral no setor da indústria extrativa no triângulo do mármore

Mestrado em Segurança e Higiene no Trabalho

Cartografia geológica do Mesozóico na AML e aspectos relativos à normalização

Cartografia Geológica Aplicada a Áreas Urbanas

Relatório de estágio de Qualificação Profissional

Mestrado em Educação Pré-Escolar

Efeito de filtros ópticos na função visual de espeleologistas

Speleologist’s perform their activity in demanding visual conditions of very low luminance - many visual tasks involve resolution of detail under conditions of low contrast. Work related conditions in a cave as exposure to heat, chemicals, dust and poor lighting conditions could influence the integrity of the visual system and predispose the eye to diseases that eventually affect vision. Poor lighting conditions cause a variety of symptoms of visual discomfort and may increase the risk of accidents. Good visual acuity is crucial for several and has an important role for safety purposes. The aim of this study was to evaluate lighting conditions and optical filters effects on visual performance in speleologists exposed to cave environments.

Alterations in psychosocial health of people affected by asbestos poisoning

OBJECTIVE To analyze the state of psychosocial and mental health of professionals affected by asbestos.METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted with 110 professionals working in the Ferrolterra region of Spain, who were affected by asbestos poisoning. This group was compared with a group of 70 shipyard workers with no manifestation of work-related diseases. All the participants were male with a mean age of 67 years. This study was conducted in 2013, between January and June, and used the SCL-90 questionnaire by Derogatis as its primary measure for research. This questionnaire consists of 9 variables that measure psychosomatic symptoms. In addition, an overall index of psychosomatic gravity was calculated. The participants were also asked two questions concerning their overall perception of feeling good. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and logistic regression.RESULTS Participants affected by asbestos poisoning showed high occurrence rates of psychological health variables such as somatization, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, psychoticism, and global severity index.CONCLUSIONS Social interaction as a differentiating factor between workers affected by work-related chronic syndromes as compared to healthy participants will possibly aid in the development of intervention programs by improving the social network of affected individuals.