Pol��ticas integradas de protec����o e promo����o da sa��de e seguran��a do trabalho nas empresas portuguesas

RESUMO - Foi constru��da uma tipologia com cinco grupos principais de pol��ticas, programas e actividades: A (Higiene & Seguran��a no Trabalho/Melhoria do ambiente f��sico de trabalho); B (Avalia����o de sa��de/Vigil��ncia m��dica/Presta����o de cuidados de sa��de); C (Preven����o de comportamentos de risco/ Promo����o de estilos de vida saud��veis); D (Interven����es a n��vel organizacional/Melhoria do ambiente psicossocial de trabalho); E (Actividades e programas sociais e de bem-estar). Foi concebido e desenhado, para ser autoadministrado, um question��rio sobre Pol��tica de Sa��de no Local de Trabalho. Foram efectuados dois mailings, e um follow-up telef��nico. O trabalho de campo decorreu entre a Primavera de 1997 e o Ver��o de 1998. A amostra (n = 259) �� considerada representativa das duas mil maiores empresas do pa��s. Uma em cada quatro era uma multinacional. A taxa de sindicaliza����o rondava os 30% da popula����o trabalhadora, mas apenas 16% dos respondentes assinalou a exist��ncia de representantes dos trabalhadores eleitos para a S&ST (abreviadamente, Sa��de & Seguran��a do Trabalho). �� o sistema de gest��o integrado de S&ST, e n��o o tamanho da empresa ou outra caracter��stica sociodemogr��fica ou t��cnicoorganizacional, que permite predizer a exist��ncia de empresas, mais activas e inovadoras no dom��nio da protec����o e promo����o da sa��de no trabalho.

Integrated management systems as complex adaptive systems

It is a difficult task to avoid the ���smart systems��� topic when discussing smart prevention and, similarly, it is a difficult task to address smart systems without focusing their ability to learn. Following the same line of thought, in the current reality, it seems a Herculean task (or an irreparable omission) to approach the topic of certified occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMS) without discussing the integrated management systems (IMSs). The available data suggest that seldom are the OHSMS operating as the single management system (MS) in a company so, any statement concerning OHSMS should mainly be interpreted from an integrated perspective. A major distinction between generic systems can be drawn between those that learn, i.e., those systems that have ���memory��� and those that have not. These former systems are often depicted as adaptive since they take into account past events to deal with novel, similar and future events modifying their structure to enable success in its environment. Often, these systems, present a nonlinear behavior and a huge uncertainty related to the forecasting of some events. This paper seeks to portray, for the first time as we were able to find out, the IMSs as complex adaptive systems (CASs) by listing their properties and dissecting the features that enable them to evolve and self-organize in order to, holistically, fulfil the requirements from different stakeholders and thus thrive by assuring the successful sustainability of a company. Based on the revision of literature carried out, this is the first time that IMSs are pointed out as CASs which may develop fruitful synergies both for the MSs and for CASs communities. By performing a thorough revision of literature and based on some concepts embedded in the ���DNA��� of the subsystems implementation standards it is intended, specifically, to identify, determine and discuss the properties of a generic IMS that should be considered to classify it as a CAS.

Qualitative risk assessment during polymer mortar test specimens preparation - methods comparison

Polymer binder modification with inorganic nanomaterials (NM) could be a potential and efficient solution to control matrix flammability of polymer concrete (PC) materials without sacrificing other important properties. Occupational exposures can occur all along the life cycle of a NM and ���nanoproducts��� from research through scale-up, product development, manufacturing, and end of life. The main objective of the present study is to analyse and compare different qualitative risk assessment methods during the production of polymer mortars (PM) with NM. The laboratory scale production process was divided in 3 main phases (pre-production, production and post-production), which allow testing the assessment methods in different situations. The risk assessment involved in the manufacturing process of PM was made by using the qualitative analyses based on: French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety method (ANSES); Control Banding Nanotool (CB Nanotool); Ecole Polytechnique F��d��rale de Lausanne method (EPFL); Guidance working safely with nanomaterials and nanoproducts (GWSNN); Istituto Superiore per la Prevenzione e la Sicurezza del Lavoro, Italy method (ISPESL); Precautionary Matrix for Synthetic Nanomaterials (PMSN); and Stoffenmanager Nano. It was verified that the different methods applied also produce different final results. In phases 1 and 3 the risk assessment tends to be classified as medium-high risk, while for phase 2 the more common result is medium level. It is necessary to improve the use of qualitative methods by defining narrow criteria for the methods selection for each assessed situation, bearing in mind that the uncertainties are also a relevant factor when dealing with the risk related to nanotechnologies field.

Companies' OHS internal structures: Types and theoretical foundations

An organization manages to regulate, standardize and optimize its operations in a way that places health and safety first by considering Health, Safety, Environment and Ergonomics (HSEE). In order to provide a theoretical foundation for Companies��� Occupational Health and Safety Internal Structures (COHSIS) allowing the focus on safety, COHSIS and its fundamentals were reviewed and described based on a brief literature review, which have included both papers published in journals, as well as works made available by selected organizations with mature safety culture. Three COHSIS were defined for description of its fundamentals, enabling improve the usability of its terminologies and provide the mentioned theoretical foundation.

A comunica����o do compromisso para com o desenvolvimento sustent��vel, das organiza����es portuguesas certificadas em qualidade, ambiente e seguran��a

Disserta����o de mestrado em Engenharia Industrial (��rea de especializa����o em Qualidade, Seguran��a e Manuten����o)

Hypertension in a female nursing staff-pattern of occurrence, diagnosis, and treatment

OBJECTIVE: To report the pattern of occurrence, diagnosis, and treatment of hypertension in a female nursing staff of an emergency hospital. METHODS: We carried out a cross-sectional study that included interviews and blood pressure measurements of 494 nursing professionals at an emergency hospital in the city of Salvador, in the state of Bahia, Brazil. We considered hypertensive all individual with blood pressure > or = 140/90 mmHg or normal pressure if on regular treatment. RESULTS: We found a prevalence of hypertension of 36.4%. Only 18.3% of the individuals ignored their hypertensive condition, and 64.2% admitted not being having regular treatment. Of those individuals who were having treatment, 69.4% had elevated blood pressure on examination. The major reasons for not being on treatment was the occasional elevation of blood pressure (22.2%) and medical counseling (20.0%). CONCLUSION: The results point to the need to introduce hypertension control measures in this occupational group, because of the magnitude of the disease and the potential impact on diffusion of knowledge and measures to control hypertension.

Potencial das atividades desenvolvidas por docentes de m��sica para a perda auditiva induzida por ru��do

A perda auditiva por exposi����o ao ru��do �� um problema de sa��de ocupacional, n��o reconhecido nas escolas de m��sica. Em Portugal, a legisla����o relativa a ru��do ocupacional n��o possui indica����es espec��ficas para m��sicos, existindo apenas um c��digo de conduta europeu, proveniente da Diretiva 2003/10/CE que estabelece as orienta����es gerais relativas a como devem ser protegidos do ru��do m��sicos e trabalhadores de setores de entretenimento. Avaliou-se o n��vel sonoro cont��nuo equivalente (LAeq), individualmente no decorrer das atividades letivas, o que permitiu determinar o n��vel exposi����o pessoal di��ria ao ru��do (Lex,8h) de 20 docentes de m��sica. Paralelamente, os docentes preencheram um question��rio relativo a fatores intr��nsecos e individuais e todos efetuaram audiogramas tonais simples. Os dados recolhidos foram estatisticamente tratados atrav��s do programa Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) vers��o 21. Existem atividades letivas que implicam n��veis de exposi����o pessoal di��ria ao ru��do superiores ao n��vel de a����o inferior (25%), pelo que se devem adotar medidas para sensibilizar e alertar os docentes para a ado����o de medidas de prote����o. A atividade dos docentes expostos a n��veis de exposi����o pessoal di��ria mais elevados correspondeu a aulas de grupo e a aulas individuais, com utiliza����o de instrumentos musicais direcionais. A manifesta����o de sintomatologia relevante relativa a perda auditiva (audi����o de zumbidos, dificuldades de perce����o do di��logo e dificuldade em adormecer) e a evolu����o da surdez profissional, n��o parecem estar diretamente relacionadas com os n��veis de exposi����o pessoal di��ria ao ru��do nem atividades com exposi����o ao ru��do desenvolvidas nos tempos livres.

Development and implementation of an integrated technical management system

Quality Management, Integrated Technical Management Systems, ITMS, Technical Elements, Environment, Occupational Health and safety, OH&S, Standards, ISO, General Regulations, Integration, Management Functions, Computer Centre, Suc-cess Concepts, Documentation, PCT, QMS, EMS, OH&S-MS, Portioning, Evaluation, Technical Cycle, Technical Compliance, Framework