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Sustainable Employment: Occupational Environment Exposure and Its Effects on Workers' Health

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Psychology of Sustainability and Sustainable Development".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 December 2024 | Viewed by 10400

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department SAIMLAL, Occupational Medicine Research Unit, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Interests: work-related stress; noise exposure; risk assessment; mental well-being; risk factors in the workplace
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The working environment, which can be considered a crucial part of the sustainable living environment, exposes workers to health risk factors of various kinds (chemical, physical, biological, etc.) on a daily basis. Alterations to these risk factors can be potentially caused by the biological balance of the workers who are exposed to them, and by the transversal or organizational risk factors, which are a result of the company dynamics and the relationship between workers and the inconvenience that emerge due to the tasks they perform within a professional context. The role of the occupational physician fits into this context, with his main task being protecting the health of the workers through collaboration with the employer during risk and sustainability assessments, planning preventive measures and health surveillance.

In today’s context, where achieving sustainable development is deemed a global consensus, although the issues involving employees’ well-being have been highly discussed, limited research has been conducted at the intersections of organizational sustainability, employee well-being and occupational environment exposure. Additionally, many work activities have undergone transformations, which have led to different ways of implementing tasks, modifying the exposure to risk factors and determining the possible presence of new ones.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to publish new research on the risk factors present in the workplace, with particular attention to any changes in existing risk factors, and to new risk factors linked to the development of new working methods, with a focus on the activity of all the participants of the workplace for enhanced risk prevention and sustainable management.

We welcome both original research articles and reviews. Potential topics may include (but not limited to) the following:

  • Occupational environment exposure;
  • Risk factors;
  • Health of workers;
  • Sustainable employees well-being.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Simone De Sio
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • occupational environment exposure
  • risk factors
  • health of workers

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 1595 KiB  
Article
Assessing Psychosocial Work Conditions: Preliminary Validation of the Portuguese Short Version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire III
by Ana Pinto, Carla Carvalho, Lisete S. Mónico, Isabel Moio, Joel Alves and Tânia M. Lima
Sustainability 2024, 16(17), 7479; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177479 - 29 Aug 2024
Viewed by 809
Abstract
The working environment is a crucial aspect to considerfor guaranteeing a sustainable life. However, workers are exposed to various health risks daily, namely, psychological risks. These risks can be due to imbalances on the part of the workers themselves or to organisational and [...] Read more.
The working environment is a crucial aspect to considerfor guaranteeing a sustainable life. However, workers are exposed to various health risks daily, namely, psychological risks. These risks can be due to imbalances on the part of the workers themselves or to organisational and inter-functional risk factors arising from interactions within companies and the challenges of professional responsibilities. Over the past 20 years, the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) has become one of the most prominent tools for assessing psychological and social factors at work. This study aimed to present, discuss, and evaluate aspects of the cultural adaptation and preliminary psychometric validation of the short version of COPSOQ III for a Portuguese sample. For this purpose, we used data from 361 participants employed in the industrial (30.7%) and services (69.3%) sectors across various regions of Portugal. A third-order confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed using AMOS, revealing an acceptable fit. The results also demonstrate the robustness of the measurement model, confirming its reliability and validity. In light of some limitations of this preliminary study, directions for future research are proposed. Thus, a tool for assessing psychosocial risks is disseminated, making it possible to achieve more sustainable working environments where the operator’s health and well-being are prioritised. Full article
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14 pages, 1402 KiB  
Article
Different Shades of Green: An Analysis of the Occupational Health and Safety Risks Faced by Wind Farm Workers
by Liliana Cunha, Daniel Silva and Mariana Macedo
Sustainability 2024, 16(7), 3012; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16073012 - 4 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1302
Abstract
The growth of the wind power sector has been marked by environmental, economic, and political drivers. Its starring role is also visible in the emergence of the so-called “green jobs”. Notwithstanding, its evolution ought not to compromise issues related to occupational risks. This [...] Read more.
The growth of the wind power sector has been marked by environmental, economic, and political drivers. Its starring role is also visible in the emergence of the so-called “green jobs”. Notwithstanding, its evolution ought not to compromise issues related to occupational risks. This exploratory study examines psychosocial risks in the operation and maintenance of onshore wind turbines in a leading Portuguese company. We conducted interviews with main stakeholders (human resources, OHS professionals, and team leaders); developed an “activity diary” for the operation and maintenance technicians to describe their activity and perceived impacts on health, complemented with collective interviews; and applied the Work and Health Survey. The results revealed the following particular risks and health impacts: working under adverse weather conditions, working at heights and in confined spaces, spending long work hours inside of the nacelles to achieve an optimum balance between favourable wind slots to intervene and avoiding additional trips up and down the wind turbines without lifts (70–120 m), and the feeling of early ageing. At a time when these workers are striving for recognition of their profession as a “rapid wear profession”, it is a pivotal moment to discuss these results to guarantee sustainable conditions for future generations of workers. Full article
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19 pages, 2968 KiB  
Systematic Review
Teleworking and Mental Well-Being: A Systematic Review on Health Effects and Preventive Measures
by David Shaholli, Maria Vittoria Manai, Francesco Iantorno, Luca Di Giampaolo, Hector Alberto Nieto, Emilio Greco, Giuseppe La Torre and Simone De Sio
Sustainability 2024, 16(18), 8278; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188278 - 23 Sep 2024
Viewed by 4689
Abstract
Background: In the aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic and the resulting lockdown and social distancing policies, a new form of work, already existing in the past, has been further enlarged. Teleworking is “full- or part-time electronic work, on-line or off-line, performed at home [...] Read more.
Background: In the aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic and the resulting lockdown and social distancing policies, a new form of work, already existing in the past, has been further enlarged. Teleworking is “full- or part-time electronic work, on-line or off-line, performed at home by self-employed or office workers” and today represents an important lever for companies, including for sustainability, allowing employees to work flexibly, efficiently and remotely. The relationship between telework and sustainability in economic, social, and environmental aspects is also being questioned. The aim of this systematic review is to investigate the effects this has had on workers’ mental health. Methods: PRISMA guidelines were followed. The research was performed on Pubmed and Scopus without restrictions on study type and time limits. The methodological quality of the studies included was assessed using AMSTAR-2, INSA and NOS scales. A meta-analysis of the main adverse effects found in observational studies was also carried out. Results: A total of 38 articles were included in the systematic review. A large proportion of the studies examined showed a correlation between teleworking and worsening mental health. The meta-analysis showed increased levels of mental ill-health (38.8%), stress (28.4%), isolation (6.3%), anxiety (23%), depression (22.6%), work–family conflicts (19.5%), poor sleep quality (56.4%), fatigue (16.1%) and irritability (39.6%). Conclusions: Although most of the works analyzed show a deterioration in the mental health of workers, positive effects were noted in some. There is the need for more studies to optimally investigate the cause–effect relationship between teleworking and mental health deterioration. Full article
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20 pages, 296 KiB  
Protocol
A Protocol of Prevention and Protection Measures on New Occupational Risk Factors in Green Jobs in Italian Workplaces
by Ermanno Vitale, Pietro Salvago, Andrea Filippo Campanella and Luigi Cirrincione
Sustainability 2024, 16(15), 6691; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16156691 - 5 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1085
Abstract
The Green Transition aims to protect the health of our planet through changes at the economic, political, and social levels while also having a significant impact on the world of work through the creation of sustainable occupations, referred to as ‘Green Jobs’. The [...] Read more.
The Green Transition aims to protect the health of our planet through changes at the economic, political, and social levels while also having a significant impact on the world of work through the creation of sustainable occupations, referred to as ‘Green Jobs’. The aim of our research was to identify the new emerging occupational risks associated with Green Jobs and to propose a protocol to promote the adoption of more appropriate prevention and protection measures. Starting with a few keywords chosen by the authors, we conducted a narrative review of the scientific articles published in the literature. The results obtained show that the new occupational risks emerging in the activities involved in the green transition are mainly related to the introduction of new materials or new technologies and to modes of production processes. These risks may pose a danger to those exposed to them on a daily basis, causing damage to health. Our protocol proposal calls for a more careful and adequate risk assessment for Green Jobs, providing specific training on these issues for new professionals in the sector and introducing specific prevention and protection measures for the different occupational risks analysed in the workplace. By adopting these recommendations in the workplace and conducting in-depth research on these issues, it will be possible to contribute to the improvement of prevention and protection for these new emerging occupational risks, achieving a positive economic impact and better safety conditions for workers. Full article
19 pages, 817 KiB  
Systematic Review
Exposure and Early Effect Biomarkers for Risk Assessment of Occupational Exposure to Formaldehyde: A Systematic Review
by Carmela Protano, Arianna Antonucci, Andrea De Giorgi, Stefano Zanni, Elisa Mazzeo, Vincenzo Cammalleri, Leila Fabiani, Riccardo Mastrantonio, Mario Muselli, Giada Mastrangeli, Cinzia Lucia Ursini, Delia Cavallo, Diana Poli, Giorgia Di Gennaro, Giuseppe De Palma and Matteo Vitali
Sustainability 2024, 16(9), 3631; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16093631 - 26 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1524
Abstract
The aim of the present review was to identify all the biomarkers used for assessing the internal dose and the related early effects determined by the occupational exposure to formaldehyde. For this purpose, a systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting [...] Read more.
The aim of the present review was to identify all the biomarkers used for assessing the internal dose and the related early effects determined by the occupational exposure to formaldehyde. For this purpose, a systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (ID: CRD42023416960). An electronic search of Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science was performed to collect all the papers concerning the focus of the review and published from the inception of each database until 18 September 2023. Articles were considered eligible if they reported data from observational studies, semi-experimental, and experimental studies on adult workers who were occupationally exposed to formaldehyde, regardless of gender or age. The quality assessment was performed using the adapted Newcastle–Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. From 1524 articles, 52 were included. Few studies assessed the exposure to formaldehyde in occupational settings through biomarkers, especially by measuring formic acid in urine. The most common approach for evaluating the effects derived from occupational exposure to formaldehyde was the use of the cytogenetic biomarker micronucleus assay in peripheral blood lymphocytes and/or epithelial buccal cells. Full article
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