4.21 Research on workers’ health needs to be further strengthened; in particular by framing special research agendas, giving it priority in national research programmes and grant schemes, and fostering practical and participatory research.
Priority Area
Priority 4.2: Further develop the global research agenda for workers’ health
Purpose of facilitating project
To collate and summarise current strategies for occupational health and safety research from CC members within the WHO network and establish potential gaps and opportunities for further research.
GPA Managers
Jo Harris-Roberts, Ed Robinson
CC Initiative Leaders and contact information
Jo Harris-Roberts (jo.harris-roberts@hsl.gov.uk)
Ed Robinson (edward.robinson@hsl.gov.uk)
(HSL, UK)
WHO responsible person
Ivan Ivanov
Collaborating centre partners with separate contributing PROJECTS (List CC, project title, project number, project leader, and email)
Currently, there are no specific Contributing projects that have the aims of addressing this priority in their own right,
However, under the scope of this facilitating project, all CC members currently within all the GPA objective areas will potentially “contribute” to this work by sharing basic strategic information to help populate a research matrix.
This current facilitating project is led by the Health and Safety Laboratory, UK
WHO Regional offices actively involved in this project (name and email)
EURO
Summary of the facilitating project (max 100 words)
In order to assist the further development of the global research agenda into workers’ health, a clear understanding must first be obtained of the current (and historical) research topics that countries are(or have been) involved with.
HSL will make best use of the WHO CC network to establish current topics of OHS research. This will lead to the development of a ‘matrix’ that summarizes the work to date in order to identify current gaps in research activities.
This information will in turn be disseminated to the wider community to assist the future strategic direction of OSH research allowing for greater focus on topics that will have a greater, measurable impact on the workers health in both developed and developing countries.
Anticipated deliverables by 2012 from contributing projects
Other outcomes may arise from new contributing projects that may also provide valuable input into this theme.
Critical Gaps to be filled by 2012 in order to fulfil GPA priorities (these lead to deliverables desired by 2012)
Clear understanding of the current research themes undertaken by relevant establishments in the field of occupational safety and health.
Examples of deliverables desired by 2012 to adequately assist developing countries. It is these deliverables for which we will seek projects from CCs
An overview of current research strategies and topics will also help to identify areas of work that are not currently supported or that don’t address the needs of the wider community.
This will allow the research gaps to be identified which in turn will offer future direction to the decisions and strategies of occupational health and safety research agendas both in the developed and developing world.
Barriers to success that must be addressed
Gaining the support of potential contributors to offer and share their research strategies in order to populate a research matrix.
-Faculty of Medicine of Tunis(Department Epidemiology), autonomous departments of Occupational Health, Razi Hospital of Psychiatry in Tunis
Funding
-ISST-Ministry of higher education, scientific research and technology
Objective of the project
-to evaluate the prevalent individual factors of cardiovascular risk: tobacco, alcohol, obesity etc...
-to evaluate the psychosocial factors at work responsible for genesis of cardiovascular pathologies
-to identify professional exposure presenting a cardiovascular risk - to seek the link as regards the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and socio-professional factors
-to direct the actions of prevention according to various categories of population
Project outcome(s) and deadline(s) for completion of the project
-To supervise and try to control the principal factors at individual and professional levels
-To put in place a suitable programme of prevention according to each professional category.
-Date limit for the study: December 2009.
Target group and/or beneficiaries
-workers exerting in various companies belonging to various branches of industry
Summary of the project
-ISST proposed to carry out a survey to study the mental health of the Tunisian workers and to evaluate risk factors of cardiovascular diseases at individual and professional levels. The purpose of this study is to set up a suitable program of prevention. Thus a transverse research relating to approximately 1000 workmen, exposed to various occupational hazards (sedentariness, Shift work.) will be continued by an exploratory study to determine the incidence of cardiovascular pathologies according to psychosocial factors' in a group of workmen not presenting cardiovascular diseases the Stages of the study are as follows above: a questionnaire, a clinical examination and a biological evaluation. The transverse study will be realised over 2 years and the workmen not presenting cardiovascular diseases, Will be observed over 4 to 5 year period
Dissemination
-specialized Wards
-Ministry for public health
- occupational health departments .
Impact (global or regional)
-National
Progress on Project (max 100 words)
-Practical investigation was implemented, concerning a manpower of approximately 250 workers.
List of major outcomes already achieved by this project
List of additional major outcomes expected from this project by 2012
2009-2012 Work Plan Number
GPA4.20b
Formerly AA2:NP2
GPA Objective
Objective 4: To provide and communicate evidence for action and practice
CC or NGO Name
National Institute for Occupational Health (NIOH), SA
Project title
Occupational disease surveillance and other indicators of occupational health practice
Keywords
Occupational disease, surveillance, occupational health indicators
Project leader
e-mail address
Dr. Danuta Kielkowski
danuta.kielkowski@nioh.nhls.ac.za
Partners (of the CC network)
Andrew Curran (HSL)
Other CCs to be identified
Other partners
Government Departments of Labour including the Compensation Commissioner
To develop occupational disease surveillance and to review indicators of occupational health practice
Project outcomes(s) and deadline(s) for the completion of the project
To develop guidelines and reporting form for the compensable and non-compensable occupational disease (2006)
Pilot the form among medical practitioners (2007)
Review of occupational health Indicators for South Africa and the development of new indicators (2008)
Establish and share the model of a surveillance system for developing countries
Target group and /or beneficiaries
Occupational health practitioners and occupational health clinicians, managers within occupational health activities and settings
Summary of the project
Development of the surveillance scheme which is inclusive of all types of diseases which are work related, whether compensable or not. Establishing a network of reporting practitioners and testing the surveillance format guidelines.
Presentation of the study results to the Labour Department for the implementation of the National Surveillance System.
A forum of occupational practitioners will be convened to review and propose new indicators of occupational health practice in South Africa.
Dissemination
Reports on surveillance of occupational diseases and indicators of occupational practice to government and other practitioners in the field of occupational health, in the SADC Region.
Impact (global or regional)
Regional - in particular to share experiences with SADC countries on surveillance and indicators for developing countries.
Progress on Project
The surveillance guide materials were distributed among 200 occupational practitioners in April 2006. However a new strategy using electronic reporting scheme is being developed on the NIOH website
A dedicated Surveillance system for reporting of occupational disease and injury for health care and laboratory workers has been developed with the University of British Columbia. This system will be piloted at the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS).
A review of current 16 occupational health indicators will commence in 2007/2008
List of major outcomes already achieved by this project
As above
List of additional major outcomes expected from this project by 2012
2009-2012 Work Plan Number
GPA4.20c
AA2:NP6
GPA Objective
Objective 4: To provide and communicate evidence for action and practice
CC or NGO Name
Central American Institute for Studies on Toxic Substances (IRET), Costa Rica
Project Title
Regional, national and local profiles and indicators
Keywords
Central America, Profiles, Indicators, Exposures, Surveillance
Project leader
Email Address
Dr. Catharina Wesseling (ineke_wesseling@yahoo.com), Dr. Timo Partanen (timo_partanen@yahoo.com), Dr Patricia Monge (pmonge@una.ac.cr
With subproject coordinators
Partners (of the CC Network)
National Institute of Public Health (Sweden); Central American Universities and Institutes for Social Security; Central American Integration System (SICA); Central American and Caribbean Universities, Instituto Tecnologicio de Costa Rica (ITCR); ILO
Funding
Sida and collaborating institutions
Objective of the project
To provide evidence based policy making in occupational and environmental health in Central America
Project outcome(s) and deadline(s) for completion of the project
Continuous. A detailed proposal for Central American national and regional indicators for occupational health and safety expected by November 2007.
Target group and/or beneficiaries
Regional, national and local authorities; international agencies; employers; workers; trade unions; NGOs; mass media; and general public.
Summary of the project
Continuous activity. Indicator systems are being coordinated at IRET, ITCR and other collaborating Central American universities for occupational and environmental exposures and their determinants. These include (i) A Central American data bank of amounts, imports and human and environmental toxicity of pesticides; (ii) an estimation system of the extent of occupational carcinogenic and pesticide exposures (CAREX); (iii) an ad hoc study and feasibility for surveillance of fatal accidents in 7 countries, (iv) a feasibility assessment for a data base of hygiene measurements and improvement of surveillance on occupational accidents and occupational diseases in 2 countries in CA, and (v) seven national and one Central American OSH profile with a detailed proposal for national and regional Central American indicator system for occupational health.
Dissemination
Technical and public reports. Mass media. Public lectures and discussion. Negotiations at Ministries
Impact (global or regional)
Regional
Progress on Project
Development of OHS profiles: The first national profiles are prepared and edited for each of the seven countries of the Central American region.
Databank on Pesticide use: Developed capacity building in each of the 7 Central American countries. Sustainable methods have been established to aid surveillance. National databases integrated in a regional database.
Estimation system for carcinogen and pesticide exposure (CAREX):
System developed previously in Costa Rica. Has now been implemented across Nicaragua, HONDURAS and Panama.
Registration of occupational health fatalities: Study of fatalities and feasibility report for surveillance in Central America.
Registration of occupational health accidents: A feasibility study for improvement of registration of occupational accidents has been proposed.
Registration of occupational health diseases: Currently integrating existing data into a unified system. A pilot study for national surveillance is under discussion.
List of major outcomes already achieved by this project
As above
List of additional major outcomes expected from this project by 2012
2009-2012 Work Plan Number
GPA4.20d
Formerly AA2:NP7
GPA Objective
Objective 4: To provide and communicate evidence for action and practice
CC or NGO Name
SESI- Industrial Social Service National Department, Brasilia
Project Title
Information System in Occupational Health and Safety
Institut de recherche Robert-Sauve en sante et en securite du travail – IRRST, OPAS/Brasil, Instituto de Saude Coletiva - UFBa
Funding
SESI (Industrial Social Service), CIDA/Canada, IRRST
Objective of the project
To create an information system in SST, with external data from the Ministry of Social Security and Social Assistance, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE); and also with the data internally produced in SESI system, originated in the SST actions developed in industrial companies.
Project outcome(s) and deadline(s) for completion of the project
a) Information System concluded. b) Staff of professionals prepared to deal with the data and to produce information that contributes to decision-making, priorization and production of new services. c) information in SST about labour accidents, diseases, absenteeism, costs, and others.
Target group and/or beneficiaries
CNI system (National Confederation of Industry), Industry Federations, Industrial companies of all sizes, workers, human resources and SST professionals, governmental institutions, labour unions.
Summary of the project
The current project starts by mapping the data available on the Internet, internal and external to the SESI system, in order to analyze its quality.
It also intends to periodically identify the data which is not available on the Internet, requesting the information to the areas in charge.
To identify the figures to be considered, to build internal capacity to analyze the data and to produce studies, reports, research that will contribute to a better knowledge of the social and demographic situation of the Manufacture and Civil Construction industry workers, their work environment and their health.
Dissemination
Through SST webpage (www.sesi.org.br/portalsst), SESI and OPAS’s journals, and brochures to employers and employees.
Impact (global or regional)
At first there is a national and regional impact, which can become an international impact, especially in Portugese and Spanish speaking countries.
Progress on Project
Relevant external information resources have been identified and variables considered. This data has now been published (Identification of Databases and Information Systems in Occupational Health and Safety Available in Brazil, and, Identification of Variables and Indicators of SESI’s OHS Model).
23 SESI System’s professionals have been trained to collect and analyze data, the website is active (www.sesi.org.br/pro-sst), and additional training has taken place in Canada on “OHS Services Delivery”.
Next steps will include: further development of the IOHS systems using an external firm to access further databases. Dissemination of educational material to workers and entrepreneurs, to inform the OHS status in their respective industry, and supply of new services, virtual consultancy and e-learning courses on OHS to entrepreneurs and workers.
List of major outcomes already achieved by this project
As above
List of additional major outcomes expected from this project by 2012
