Occupational Safety and Health (PhD) / Επαγγελματική Ασφάλεια και Υγεία (PhD)

Understanding of weak signals and being able to manage them through the development of certain mechanisms, would potentially facilitate organizations to attain acceptable and sustainable OSH maturity level. The systematic and on time identification of weak signals, provides the potential for early intervention and consequently, the abolishment of unwanted consequences and impending major disasters, leading to safer and healthier workplaces. The purpose of this research was to provide a theoretical contribution towards a better understanding of the current knowledge, the nature and the impact of weak signals and to provide potential directions regarding the introduction of weak signals management within established Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSMS), based on a proactive approach. In this thesis, a thorough review of the existing OSH literature, supplemented by a technical examination of selected major industrial disasters (Bhopal, Chernobyl, Piper Alpha and Deepwater Horizon), is enhanced by a mixed research method that included Delphi method, documentary analysis and establishment of results by an online experts’ focus group discussion. Delphi method was utilized to explore experts’ opinion, regarding weak signals management in OSH, while the selected group of experts was asked to participate in two rounds of questions both close and open ended, aiming to determine consensus amongst them, with regard to weak signals management. Documentary analysis of three occupational accidents attained by the Department of Labour Inspection in Cyprus, acted as complimentary data to the preceded Delphi method, whereas an online experts’ focus group discussion attained to establish research findings. The findings of this research, revealed the existence of a considerable number of weak signals, operational and organizational, prior occupational accidents and disasters and the importance of their on-time management for incidents’ prevention. Furthermore, the outcomes of this research enhanced the development of a clearer definition of weak signals in the OSH domain, the development of a comprehensive weak signals management framework, and concurrently provide directions for the introduction of weak signals management into existing traditional OHSMS. At an organizational level, if weak signals management becomes part of the existing OHSMS, would potentially have an impact on the OSH maturity level of the organization, whereas at a broader level a comprehensive weak signals framework might support strategic choices and policies, as well as OSH legislation amendments, towards the reduction of occupational accidents, diseases, dangerous occurrences and other unwanted incidents at workplaces. Furthermore, this research exposes the necessity of the introduction of weak signals into the training of OSH professionals

Our well-being depends in a way on how well we perform or how well we adapt in our changing personal lives and in our changing work environment. Both factors are important and need to be examined since they are dealing with physiological and psychosocial factors that affecting workers. Nowadays emerging risks such as ageing, feminization, migration, globalization, technical innovation with their multiple dimension, bring changes to the workplace. Thus, in the context of Occupational Health & Safety (OHS), employers are enforced to search for new kinds of preventive measures to protect their workers and business. This PhD thesis is examining one of these emerging risks; ageing. The ageing of the population caused the ageing of the workforce. Ageing is a process rather than a state and individuals might experience it in a different way. Chronological age is not a determinant factor for an individual to understand his/ her health status. Therefore, this heterogenous process is examined, presenting the changes that might occur in psychosocial and physiological way and in regard to OHS. A nationwide study was conducted in Cyprus as a case study of this thesis, aiming to identify factors that affect the performance of the worker, finding that health status is the most important factor and age by itself cannot determine the performance of the worker. Furthermore, the use of Work Individual Performance (WIP) tool and Occupational Health, Safety & Ageing Management System (OHSAMS) are suggested to be used by organisations in order to manage OHS in the context of ageing, aiming to give recommendation measures to employers and work-life balance to employees.

Workplace risks, hazards, and accidents remain a significant concern for workers in the oil and gas industry. Workers are continuously exposed to different occupational risks, threats, and recurrence of several accidents in the industry globally. Because of the various activities that occur during the exploration and production phase, the oil and gas industry is thought to be one of the most dangerous workplaces. Tackling the challenges, the industry is facing is very important to workers in the industry and operational environment. The study aims to identify ways to reduce the danger, threat, and accident associated with the Nigerian oil and gas industry using secondary and primary data information. A total of 1000 questionnaires were distributed to various departments within the study industry and who may have been affected by a health problem or have encountered some threat that could jeopardize their health or even result in death at work in 27 oil and gas stations, of which 19 separate companies operated and 327 were returned to the research team. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS V.20.0 IBM) was used to analyze data for the study to convert both items and sub-items into variables that were important to the study. The participant's various responses "answers" were coded using value labels, and the variables were entered for analysis. Categorical data such as age, gender, general working knowledge, and awareness of health and safety procedures and protocols, descriptive statistics, such as percentages, frequencies, means, ranges, and standard deviations, corrections of variables were measured. The Generalized Linear Model (GLM) was fitted using the Poisson distribution because the number of responses to each question is counted. Chi-square statistical test was utilized to compare the differences in the number of the levels of the answers (strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree and neutral) to each question in the questionnaire concerning the various factors that influence the safety and health of workers in the study industry. Factor analysis was used to classify the latent constructs when many of the variables were understudied. Principal component factoring and orthogonal Varimax rotation were subjected to test. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the factor that has a more predictive influence on significant accidents and risks that may affect workers health in the oil and gas industry. The study's findings and recommendations will aid the oil and gas industry to improve worker safety and health in their operational environment on a local and worldwide scale. It will also assist the industry in detecting a safety deficiency and reducing the number of threats, hazards, and injuries in the industry.