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

Wildfires are a significant threat to human lives and the environment, particularly in the wildland-urban interface (WUI). Ways to reduce fire hazard in the WUI are context specific, depending on the type and quantity of vegetation, the susceptibility of the structures to fire, and cultural aspects of the society. In the west coast of Norway, the WUI consists of human constructions, mostly intermingled with a nature type characterised as untreated (during the last 70 years) coastal heathland. This doctoral study ‘Innovative and Sustainable Solutions for Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Risk Management in Costal Norway’ focuses on suggesting evidence based and applicable solutions for managing fire risks in this particular type of WUI, i.e., settlements surrounded by fire-prone areas, specifically unmanaged coastal heathlands. By collaborating with local stakeholders, and through excessive field work, the research identified the underlying drivers of WUI fire disasters and proposes innovative tools, practices, and systems for WUI fire adaptation. The PhD researcher is conducted under the European University of Cyprus (EUC). This doctoral study is part of the research project 'Reducing fire disaster risk through dynamic risk assessment and management' (DYNAMIC) facilitated by the support of Gjensidige Stiftelsen, Western Norway University of Applied Science (HVL), and the Research Council of Norway (RCN) as part of the 'Store Brannløftet' initiative. The principal objective underpinning this initiative is to significantly mitigate the risk associated with fire disasters, by minimizing the possibility of undesirable fire incidents in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) and densely wooden settlement along Norway's west coast. Thereby enhancing the safety quotient within the Norwegian societal context. The study aims to answer two research questions: (RQ1) What can be learned from previous WUI fire incidents on the west coast of Norway to inform fire preventive approaches? Moreover, (RQ2) what innovative tools, practices, and systems may be locally applicable and useful for coexisting with fire in the WUI on the west coast of Norway, and how can they be implemented or upscaled? The research emphasizes the importance of proactive risk management in fire-prone environments. Moreover, social innovation is utilized to develop practical and context-related solutions for WUI fire safety. Prescribed burning in the coastal heathland (a fire adapted ecosystem, where the prevailing plant, Calluna Vulgaris (L.) Hull (hereafter Calluna), regenerates through regular burning cycles) is suggested as a risk mitigation tool. Grazing with Nofense (virtual fencing technology) restriction of the animals to reduce biomass in the WUI has also been investigated with positive results. The study was conducted together with local stakeholders in co-creative processes to identify innovative tools, practices, and systems that can be implemented or upscaled for coexisting with fire in the WUI on the west coast of Norway. Through this approach, the study seeks to provide novel and sustainable solutions for WUI fire disaster prevention. The study uses various social science research methods, such as document studies, semi-structured interviews, case studies, living lab, and action research, to provide practical solutions for WUI fire disaster prevention. This research provides significant contributions to the academic field of WUI fire management, particularly in living with fire approaches and integrating fire as part of landscape management in fire-prone environments. Furthermore, the study offers context-specific solutions for WUI fire safety by providing insights to risk perceptions and management of WUI fire disasters in coastal Norway. Overall, this PhD research highlights the importance of creating sustainable socio-ecological systems that foster the well-being of society and the natural environment, thus naturally facilitating fire safe conditions. By providing innovative research methods and practical solutions, this PhD thesis offers valuable insights into coexisting with fire in the wildland-urban interface and creating sustainable solutions for preventing disasters caused by WUI fires. The results have been made readily available in four published academic journal articles. The study has the potential to impact and benefit both local communities and wider society.

Background: Despite the repeated evidence that point out the strong link between occupational risks, work-related stress, and emotional exhaustion, to this date, the research on occupational risks and their consequences to the general wellbeing of Public Health Inspectors is very limited, although the nature of the work presents a range of threats to physical and psychological health. The aim of this study was to report the job risks of Public Health Inspectors in Greece and investigate possible relationships with burnout, job satisfaction and training needs. Methods: This is a quantitative, cross-sectional, nationwide study in Greece, conducted in two phases: 1) pilot study in the first quarter of 2021 and 2) main study the second and third quarters of 2021. For data collection, an online survey was created, and the web link was distributed to respondents by email. A total number of 684 Public Health Inspectors were contacted and 231 responses were collected (response rate 33.77%). The pilot phase of the study (N=46) successfully validated the reliability of the data collection instrument. The main study was then conducted in a sample of N=185 Public Health Inspectors. Job risks were measured with a novel risk assessment instrument developed by the researcher also developed instrument for measured training needs and quality, while burnout was measured with Maslach Burnout Inventory and job satisfaction with Paul Spector’ s Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS) as adopted in the Greek language. Results: The findings of this study indicated that 87% of participants gave high ratings to psychosocial risks and ergonomic risks, followed by 78% for organizational risks and 74% for biological risks. Physical risks and chemical risks are less prevalent (55% and 56%, respectively). Burnout has proven to be an issue, since 42.7% of participants report above average burnout scores. Most participants (59.46%) reported medium job satisfaction scores, while a significant proportion of 32.97% reported dissatisfaction. Psychosocial risks were significant predictors of emotional exhaustion (β=0.500, p<0.001) and burnout (β=0.455, p<0.001), while organizational risks (β=-0.282, p=0.001), emotional exhaustion (β=-0.477, p=0.000) and perceived training quality (β= 0.195, p=0.002) were linked to job satisfaction. Most participants (65.41%) reported high training needs while no direct relationship was found with job risks (p>0.05). Employees in rural areas presented a higher perception of biological risks (χ2= 14.826, p<0.01) and burnout (χ2= 16.017, p <0.01). Higher training needs were reported by employees in urban areas (χ2= 24.895, p <0.01). Conclusions: Public Health Inspectors in Greece face a variety of job risks, mainly psychosocial, ergonomic, organizational, biological, chemical and physical risks, the severity of which contribute to emotional exhaustion and burnout, while linked to lower levels of job satisfaction. These findings were among the first to address Occupational Health and Safety of Public Health Inspectors in Greece and worldwide, incorporating already established but also new evidence of organizational, ergonomic and psychosocial risks that are increasing in current working conditions worldwide. A new proposed classification of job risks for Public Health Inspectors was developed and was verified scientifically, while a checklist was proposed for risk assessment in Public Health Organizations. This study contributes to the limited evidence supporting the link between job risks, burnout and job satisfaction adding new information to occupational health and safety for the field of Public Health Inspection, which could be exploited to advance the quality of Public Health Services provision. Also reported high training needs, especially in the fields of health and safety at work, stress management, personal protective equipment, protection against biological agents and protection from chemical agents. Especially, protection against biological agents such as coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).

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.

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

Can societal risk perceptions find their way into decision-making and risk management, in the Republic of Cyprus? If yes, how? These are questions posed by this report. There is also an in-depth study on how to optimize risk decisions using societal risk perceptions as a starting point. For this reason, there are two distinct parts in this report, basically a quantitative one measuring risk perceptions on the island and a qualitative one probing into how politicians and experts/professionals perceive risk in general and risk management in particular. The survey used the psychometric paradigm of Paul Slovic and his associates as a conceptual basis, from its development, in the 80s, until today. The quantitative part of the study (measurement of risk perceptions and other risk parameters in the Republic of Cyprus) was conducted by distributing questionnaires, through the internet. A number of printed questionnaires were also distributed, in order to stratify the replies as to the number of men and women and also the population of the different districts of the Republic of Cyprus. A total of 784 citizens, 18 of age and above, reported, a number deemed as satisfactory as the target was approximately 400, in order to have a confidence interval of 95%. The results were analysed using SPSS 23 (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). A number of analyses were carried out, including frequencies, factor analysis for lessening parameters to analyse, regression analysis, correlation analysis and sample comparison of means. The analyses described in the previous paragraph led to certain conclusions, basically in line with similar analyses in other parts of the world. A more or less universal conclusion is that generally females have greater risk perceptions and fear that males when it comes to the assessment of risks. Another conclusion of more or less wide acceptance is the fact that senior citizens have lower risk perceptions and fear than the rest of the population. A positive strong correlation was found between risk perceptions and fear while a positive strong correlation was also found between risk perceptions and trust in competent authorities. The quantitative part also exhibits that risk perception and fear of different catastrophes, on the island, are very high compared to other parts of the world, where such studies have been conducted. At the same time, self-efficacy is spectacularly low, again compared with the rest of the world. Based on these results, politicians and professionals were called upon to provide solutions and develop methods on how to overcome these societal perceptions. The semi-structured interviews with fifteen active politicians in total, covered their views on the quantitative part of the research, the subject of public participation in risk related matters, the strengthening of societal resilience and prioritization of funding and other resources for coping with different disasters, either low probability-high consequence or high probability-low consequence. The final text was submitted to the interviewees for review. The focus-group discussion with 6 professionals touched upon matters relative to the quantitative survey, the conclusions from the interviews with politicians and finished with some insight into the risk management processes. After thorough coding and analytical memo writing, the following subjects emerged from the discussion: Risk management and policy frameworks, knowledge and comprehension of disaster risk and risk communication. All these are tangent to both risk perceptions and risk management in general. The final text was submitted to the focus-group professonals for review. The present is an all-inclusive study, starting from risk perceptions and ending in risk management governance, probing into contemporary ways of tackling risk problems, mainly based on the European (European Union) paradigm of doing things in the risk industry. It belongs to the family of applied research in the sense that it strives to tackle societal and policy issues. More specifically, Cyprus did not watch the progress made in the risk business during the last twenty or thirty years and, for this reason, the stakeholders in this business can be given a boost to bring Cyprus into the nucleus of the EU risk management processes.