Showing 24 results for Management
T. Rahimi Pordanjani, A. Mohammadzade Ebrahimi,
Volume 4, Issue 4 (1-2015)
Abstract
Introduction: The present study aimed to test a model of the relationship between management commitment to safety and consciousness with unsafe performance,considering the mediating role of safety self-efficacy.
.
Material and Method: Research design was the correlation throughStructural Equation Modeling (SEM) and the sampleconsisted of 265 employees of an industrialcompany who were selected by stratifiedrandom sampling method. Participants of this study completedsafety climatescale, short form of NEO personality questionnaire,safety self-efficacy scale, and unsafe performance questionnaire.Reliability and validity of the questionnaires were reported as acceptable. Evaluation of the proposed model was done by SEM through AMOS-21and SPSS-19 software packages. In addition, Preacher and Hayes’ SPSS Macro program was used for testing the mediating role.
.
Result: The results showed that the proposedmodel fit the data properly.Management commitment to safety and consciousness had direct effect on unsafe performance and safety self-efficacy.Moreover, the mediating effect of safety self-efficacy in the relationship between management commitment to safety and consciousness with unsafe performancewas confirmed.
.
Conclusion: Overall, organizations canreduce unsafe performance and consequently occupational accidentsby increasing the management commitment to safety and employees’ consciousness and also training of employees and supervisors to reinforce their safety self-efficacy.
F. Golbabaei, L. Heidari, S. Ghazi, K. Jabari,
Volume 4, Issue 4 (1-2015)
Abstract
Introduction: Prevention of accidents and work related diseases, are not allowed regardless of the safety of employees, customers, contractors and other persons. Assessment of individual safety management activities could reduce many losses. Present study aimed to evaluate the safety management of a household appliance manufacturing company.
.
Material and Method: This study has done in a household appliance manufacturing company in Damavand city. Two questionnaires were firstly designed based on the weighted scores. The questionnaire 1 consisted of 4 indicators: Safety of machinery, Electrical safety, Risk assessment and Fire safety. Questionnaire 2 consisted of 11 sub indicators. Both questionnaires were completed by 30 HSE experts and supervisors. Reliability of questionnaires was based on cronbachs alpha coefficient. the safety status of each unit was determined and scored using information acquired by the questionnaires. Lastly, the safety of the entire company was determined.
.
Result: Results showed that in safety management: the pressing and store house were in a good range of 66.66 and 60.12 points. Powder painting, enameling, laboratory were in a average range of 56.25, 55.92 and 54.15 points. Assembling and door storage were in a week range of 46.06 points.
.
Conclusion: The findings showed that the safety status in the studied appliances company is in average range with 55.45 points. Therefore, it is recommended that the safety indicators should be improved for the betterment of the safety management in the company.
M. Arassi, I. Mohammadfam, G. Shirali, A. Moghimbeigi,
Volume 4, Issue 4 (1-2015)
Abstract
Introduction: Resilience engineering is a new approach in safety science. Its goal is to maintain organizational capacity in an acceptable level to help system in managing the crisis. Indeed, resilience engineering rely on systems abilities instead of weaknesses, and try to find indicators that help the system durability.
.
Material and Method: In this study,first, 6 resilience engineering factors were chosen and sent toexperts in the form of paired comparison sheets. On the other hand, a valid standard questionnaire distributed among drilling rigs operational workers for measuring the NIDC resilience level. Finally,the priority of corrective actionswas determinedaccording to the score of the two analyzedquestionnaires.
.
Results: The results of resilience engineering factors weighting showed that the management commitment has the highest value andthe second place belonged to the correct culture. The indicators’scores,based on the distributed questionnaires among workers, showed that all of the six factors had similar scoreswhich can be evaluated as fairly good. Finally, the results of prioritization of indicators ofresilience engineering, basedon the combination ofthe questionnaire and experts opinions showed that management commitment is the most effective resilience factor in the organization. .
.
Conclusion: Management commitment and the current culture are the most importantcontributing factorsin company resilience level. Experienced workforce was the best strengthof the company and the effect of financial issues on resilience and safety was the biggest problem ahead.
Mohammad Hajaghazadeh, Hossein Marvimilan, Fatemeh Farrokhi, Samira Orujlu,
Volume 6, Issue 2 (6-2016)
Abstract
Introduction: Safety climate is the perception of personnel about the priority of safety in an organization. The objective of this study was to evaluate safety climate using Nordic questionnaire in a hospital.
Material and Method: In this cross-sectional study, 92 nurses working in different wards of a hospital in uromia city, Iran, filled out the NOSACQ-50 questionnaire. The responses of nurses were recorded with a 4-point Likert scale. The results were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics.
Results: Seventy-two percent of nurses were female and the remainders (28%) were men. The mean score of safety climate dimensions was different. “Management safety priority, commitment, and competence” and “Safety communication, learning, and trust in co-workers safety competence” dimensions obtained the lowest and the highest scores by nurses, respectively. The mean score of safety climate ranged 2.49 to 2.67 in different wards of the hospital. What is more, the mean safety climate was not statistically differed among nurses of various age and work experience categories (P-value> 0.05).
Conclusion: According to the results, it can be noted that the level of safety climate in the hospital was fairly good from the nurses’ viewpoint. However, attempts should be made to improve it, especially in the safety management related dimensions. Corrective control measures should be implemented in all wards of the hospital for all personnel with any age and work experience.
Mohammad Hasan Ehrampoush, Mohsen Hesami Arani, Mohammad Taghi Ghaneian, Asghar Ebrahimi, Masoud Shafiee,
Volume 6, Issue 2 (6-2016)
Abstract
Introduction: Requiring industries for implementing industrial waste management programs and planning for proper waste disposal is essential in order to achieve sustainable development. Therefore, industrial waste management program was done in Kavir Steel Complex, in Aran va Bidgol region to identify and classify industrial waste and also to present solutions for improving waste management. In this complex, production process is hot rolling steel and the product is rebar.
Material and Method: The preset study was conducted in Kavir Steel Complex. Following survey of production process and sources of waste, the type and volume of produced waste were identified and measured during 3 months. Then, the classification of wastes was done according to the Bazel Convention and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and finally new industrial & health solid waste management program was presented.
Result: Considering the volume, industrial waste of production process in Kavir Steel Complex was between 130 to 180 grams per each ton of rebar. Main industrial waste included oxide of steel billet, industrial sludge, used oil and lubricant which were classified according to the RCRA: 8 materials with T code, 1 with C code, 5 with I code and 3 materials with C code.
Conclusion: The results revealed that the most amount of industrial waste in Kavir Steel Complex is the waste of steel billet and industrial sludge, and more than 90% of Kavir steel industrial waste were reused and recycled inside or outside of this complex. It is recommended that used oil to be transport and maintain in the safe containers.
Asma Zare, Saeid Yazdani Rad, Fateme Dehghani, Fariborz Omidi, Iraj Mohammadfam,
Volume 7, Issue 3 (9-2017)
Abstract
Introduction: Despite the ongoing efforts to reduce human errors in various systems, errors and unsafe behavior are the main cause of accidents in the workplace. Many studies have been conducted to identify and improve human error in recent years. The number of studies about the human error with the variety of topics has made it an overall overview difficult for researchers. Therefore, a systematic review of previous studies can be the best way to share useful findings and make a trend for the future research in the field of human error.
Material and Method: After a systematic search of valid databases, the analysis was focused on the title, publication year, journal title / Congress, city/region, the level of organization, job search, type of organization and the methods used. And articles were evaluated based encryption.
Result: Three groups of human error studies were identified. The first group studies in safety management, safety assessment, and safety planning have investigated the human error. The second group has examined the influence of individual characteristics such as behavior, cognition, and education on human error. The third group has focused on data arise from the previous accident to improve behavior and reduce human error. To make a better orientation for next studies two essential aspects included chronological analysis and thematic analysis was considered.
Conclusion: This study made an attempt to identify the gaps in the studies related to human error and afford some appropriate strategies.
Mehran Amiri, Abdollah Ardeshir, Ali Abbasi,
Volume 8, Issue 4 (12-2018)
Abstract
Introduction: Safety at workplaces is an important issue, and lack of effective and efficient safety management methods based on scientific studies could cost the construction industry. An effective accident investigation and root causes analysis could prevent the occurrence of incidents at minimum cost and time.
Material and Method: First, major accidents in road construction projects were identified by interview and literature reviewing techniques. Then, fault tree was drawn for each main risks. In the next step, in order to calculate occurrence probability and severity of each accident type, a questionnaire was designed and distributed among the participants. Fuzzy logic was employed in calculations, due to the existence of uncertainty in linguistic variables. Fuzzy Fault Tree Analysis (FFTA) was used for calculating the occurrence probability, and importance of each criterion was determined using Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchical Process (FAHP) to calculate the severity of each accident. Finally, risk factors for each accident type was calculated and the risks were ranked accordingly.
Result: Accidents related to crusher and asphalt plant, traffic accidents, heat exhaustion and lack of hygiene and hit by machinery were identified as the most important risks among the eleven investigated accident types.
Conclusion: The findings in this research and also implementing effective safety management techniques, could be helpful on reduction of the probability of accidents root causes and to mitigate related risks.
Mojtaba Zokaee, Mohsen Falahati, Hadi Asady, Masoud Rafee, Mohammad Najafi, Azam Biabani,
Volume 9, Issue 2 (6-2019)
Abstract
Introduction: Throughout the world, many efforts have been made to provide suitable tools for achieving sustainable urban development and the achievement of a sustainable city. Establishing a Health, Safety and Environment Management System (HSE-MS) is one of the tools for achieving sustainable urban development. Measuring the performance of an organization in the HSE area is a precondition for continuous improvement, which is the spirit of the new HSE management systems. Therefore, the main purpose of this research was to provide a practical model for quantitative ranking of different areas of Tehran municipality in terms of HSE performance with using of multi-criteria decision-making method.
Material and Methods: In this descriptive-applied study, after determining functional axis and performance evaluation indicators related to each of them (29 functional axis and 154 performance evaluation indicators), through designing a questionnaire and based on the views of the expert group, weight of functional axis and performance indicators were determined using a hierarchical process analysis technique.
Results: In this study, the weighted value for functional axis of the process based HSE in comparison to the result based HSE were higher. “Commitment and Leadership” and “HSE Certificate of Occupations” for the process based HSE, “Safety” and “Health” for the result based HSE, and “Economic Sustainability” and “Architecture and Urbanism” for urban management had the higher and lowest weighted values.
Conclusion: The results of assessment and validation of selected indicators and functional axis showed that in designing and determining the HSE performance assessment model of municipalities, in addition to the axises and indicators of the HSE domain, factors affecting urban management can have a significant impact on the performance of municipalities in the field of HSE.
Shahram Vosoughi, Mohammad Hossein Chalak, Sajjad Rostamzadeh, Manouchehr Jahanpanah, Hossein Ebrahimi,
Volume 10, Issue 2 (5-2020)
Abstract
Introduction: Fall from height is one of the main causes of death in the construction workers. Therefore, this study aimed to identify and prioritize the factors affecting falls from height accidents in construction industry.
Material and method: A descriptive-analytical study was conducted on five constructional projects in Pars Jonoobi industrial region, Iran. All of the reported events from 2011 to 2015 were investigated and 74 out of 377 occupational accidents were considered as falls from height accidents. The identified factors and sub-factors were divided into 3 main factors including individual, organizational and environmental factors and 14 sub-factors based on the experts’ opinion. Then, AHP method was used to determine and prioritize of the factors and sub-factors.
Results: The results of hierarchical analysis of fall from height accidents causes showed that environmental, individual, and organizational factors with weights of 0.359, 0.351, and 0.290 were in the first, second, third priorities, respectively. Meanwhile, among all examined sub-factors, work platform elevation, mental/ occupational stresses and safety culture had the highest priority.
Conclusion: Paying attention to the strategies that enhance the safety culture of employees and reduce their occupational stress levels in the workplace can be very effective in preventing of fall from height accidents.
Davood Panahi, Mohsen Sadeghi-Yarandi, Noradin Gharari, Zahra Aghajani Aliabadi, Ahmad Soltanzadeh,
Volume 11, Issue 2 (6-2021)
Abstract
Introduction: Considering the importance of implementing occupational safety and health management systems for the prevention of various diseases in the workplace, as well as determining the notability and role of induction and implementation of occupational health management systems in controlling and reducing COVID-19 outbreak in work environments, as one of the most sensitive and important of society sectors, this study aimed to compare the prevalence of Covid-19 disease in two groups of industries with and without occupational health management systems and related management risk factors in several industries, in Iran.
Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in May 2020 during the outbreak of coronavirus in some industries under Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences’ supervision. During the present study, 70 industries included 24 industries active in chemical products, 6 industries of automotive parts manufacturing, 14 industries of home appliance manufacturing, 16 industries of health and cosmetics products, 4 industries of metal products, and six service companies were studied. The studied population included two industries with an occupational health management system (33 industries) and industries without an occupational health management system (37 industries). In this study, a checklist was designed to collect study data based on the requirements and parameters of occupational health management systems, as well as information related to infectious diseases such as COVID-19, which included information on COVID-19 disease in two groups of studied industry, occupational medicine, biological hazards risk management, occupational health information management system, training, and employee participation, as well as the management parameters of COVID-19 outbreak. Statistical analysis of the study data was performed using the Chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test by SPSS. 23 software.
Results: The number of workers working in the two groups of industries with and without occupational health management systems was 673 and 708, respectively. Among 33 industries with occupational health management systems, 12.1% industries had health, safety, and environment management system (HSE-MS), 66.7% industries had OHSAS 18001:2007 standard, and 21.2% industries also had ISO 45001:2018 certification. It was found that the prevalence of Covid-19 disease in those industries without occupational health management systems was significantly higher (p <0.05). It has been found that Covid-19 outbreak in industries without occupational health management systems was significantly higher (p<0.05). The findings also showed that there was a significant difference between the parameters of occupational medicine, risk management of biological hazards, occupational health information management system, training and employee participation, as well as the management parameters of COVID-19 disease in the two groups of studied industries (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The findings of the present study indicated that there was a significant relationship between the scores of occupational medicine parameters and occupational health information management system, risk management of biological hazards, training and employee participation, management of COVID-19 and finally the prevalence of the disease among industries with or without occupational health management system. So, implementation and establishment of occupational health management systems can be an effective step in reducing the prevalence of viral and infectious diseases such as COVID-19.
Vida Zaroushani, Farahnaz Khajehnasiri,
Volume 12, Issue 2 (6-2022)
Abstract
Leila Keikavoosi-Arani, Asghar Ghahri, Elham Ehsani-Chimeh,
Volume 13, Issue 1 (3-2023)
Abstract
Introduction: Drowning is one of the most prevalent accidents in aquatic environments. Although drowning has been noticed by healthcare policymakers in the world today, the issue of drowning has been neglected in the safety management of students. This research was conducted with the aim of investigating the predictors of adopting preventive behaviors from drowning trauma among students in the west of Tehran city with the approach of safety management.
Material and Methods: This study was descriptive-analytical (cross-sectional). The statistical population of this research included all parents of students who were studying in the first grade of the selected public schools in West of Tehran city in the academic year of 2021-2022 (N=3000). The random convenience sampling was used and 340 parents participated in this study. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire with a new approach to safety management (preventing accidents by doing preventive behaviors) based on a protection motivation model (preventive behavior model), of which reliability and validity were checked. Data analysis was done using SPSS 26 software and Pearson correlation test and linear regression.
Results: The constructs of the protection motivation model explained 67% of the variance of the behavioral intention of protection motivation and 69.7% students had no history of taking swimming classes. The highest correlation was between behavior and perceived costs (r=-0.579 and P<0.01) and 237 students (69.7%) had never exhibited preventive behaviors of learning swimming techniques or gaining swimming abilities from professional swimming coaches.
Conclusion: A significant relationship between the most constructs of the protection motivation model by performing drowning prevention behaviors, as well as the strongest correlation between preventive behaviors and perceived cost structure, emphasizes the design of free educational programs to increase students’ knowledge and motivation in the field of drowning prevention behaviors.
Ali Naseri, Vajihe Hoshyar,
Volume 13, Issue 3 (9-2023)
Abstract
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic caused many businesses to face problems and created job insecurity, leaving many workers and employees stressed about losing their jobs. Therefore, the current research aimed to analyze the impact of workplace safety management measures on the behavior of organizational citizens concerning the role of job insecurity and the perceived risk of COVID-19 among the employees of Mashhad Social Security Organization.
Material and Methods: The current applied research is a descriptive survey. The research population is all 560 employees of the social security organization of Mashhad city. The sample size was estimated based on Morgan’s table using a convenience sampling method, with a total number of 225. The data collection instrument was Wu et al.’s (2022) standard questionnaire, used to check construct validity and confirmatory factor analysis. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and composite reliability were used to measure reliability, and the results showed that the questionnaire was adequately valid and reliable. The data analysis also involved structural equation modeling conducted in Smart PLS.
Results: The results showed that workplace safety management measures have an impact on organizational citizenship behavior and the perceived risk of COVID-19. Also, the perceived risk of COVID-19 has a positive effect on perceived job insecurity. Yet, the perceived risk of COVID-19 does not influence organizational citizenship behavior and does not mediate the relationship between workplace safety management measures and organizational citizenship behavior. Workplace safety management measures have an impact on perceived job insecurity, and job insecurity has an impact on organizational citizenship behavior.
Conclusion: In light of the present findings, it can be concluded that workplace safety management measures are among the most important programs and strategies of organizations to increase citizenship behaviors, support employees, and provide safe conditions in an organization.
Reza Barzegar, Omid Kalatpour, Maryam Farhadian, Rashid Heidarimoghadam,
Volume 13, Issue 4 (12-2023)
Abstract
Introduction: Industrial firefighting (IFF) constitutes a high-risk occupation within the domain of process industries. Firefighting teams serve as the operational component of the incident command team. This study aims to assess the alignment of physical fitness assessments conducted in selected Iranian process industrial firefighting settings and to scrutinize the extent of compliance with The U.S. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) requirements by analyzing the resultant percentages of similarity in test outcomes.
Material and Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was undertaken across 14 Iranian process companies, encompassing two refinery companies and 12 petrochemical companies, employing a census sampling approach. The study’s benchmark was NFPA1582-2018. Data analysis was performed utilizing SPSS 27 software. This investigation focused on assessing the percentage of essential parallels within five distinct groups, along with their corresponding sub-components, in alignment with the tests and elements stipulated in the NFPA standard.
Results: Most of the selected companies (58%) lacked a cohesive program or established standard to assess the fitness of their firefighting personnel. Among the subset of companies (42%) that did employ an evaluation standard, in the majority of instances, a minimal proportion (less than 20%) underwent individualized assessments in line with the components outlined in NFPA 1582-2018 for physical fitness evaluation tests.
Conclusion: Given that 58% of the surveyed process companies in this study lacked a cohesive fitness assessment program and 42% demonstrated limited compliance with NFPA 1582-2018 in the assessed components, this issue underscores the critical need to evaluate the components quality and conduct a technical needs assessment. Developing adaptable and suitable components aligned with the work conditions prevalent in the process industry becomes imperative. Additionally, there must be existed a legal mandate for the pertinent ministry to implement an integrated framework. This scenario necessitates that process companies reevaluate their approaches concerning the selection and oversight of their firefighting personnel.
Seyed Husein Naziri, Mostafa Pouyakian, Sedigheh Sadegh Hassani, Somayeh Farhang Dehghan,
Volume 14, Issue 1 (3-2024)
Abstract
Introduction: Due to uncertainties regarding the risks of engineered nanomaterials for human health and the environment, different organizations and researchers have developed various management frameworks and assessment tools to mitigate hazards during the procedures and applications of engineered nanomaterials. However, most of these techniques do not meet all the individual requirements. This study provides a review and introduction to the techniques developed for the management of safety, health, and environmental risks associated with engineered nanomaterials.
Material and Methods: In order to find pertinent documents on the safe handling of engineered nanomaterials, a search was conducted using the following keywords: “Engineered nanomaterials”, “Framework”, “Tool”, “Risk management”, “Occupational exposure”, “Environment”, “Risk assessment”, and “Nanotechnology”. The search was conducted on various databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, NIOSH, ECHA, and ISO. Among the search results, tools and frameworks that specifically focus on the safety, health, and environmental risk management or assessment of engineered nanomaterials were selected.
Results: Among the search results, 17 frameworks and 11 developments in the field of managing occupational, environmental, and toxicological risks associated with engineered nanomaterials were discussed. Various frameworks and tools for identifying, evaluating, and managing the potential risks of engineered nanomaterials vary in terms of their scope, goals, risk assessment approaches, and output, offering diverse applications.
Conclusion: Various tools and frameworks, each with unique properties, applications, and limitations, can assist organizations in achieving their goals related to safety, health, and environmental issues in the field of nanotechnology. Currently, there is no consensus on the optimal approach for assessing the risks of nanomaterials, underscoring the necessity for additional research, development, and collaboration in this field.
Elahe Chubineh, Saber Azami Aghdash, Ali Esmaili, Seyed Shamseddin Alizadeh,
Volume 14, Issue 2 (6-2024)
Abstract
Introduction: For years, chemical process industries have reported the unexpected release of highly hazardous liquids and gases. A disaster could not be avoided when these materials were not adequately controlled. The issue of Process Safety Management (PSM) is still being discussed in developing and developed countries. PSM was established to manage the risks of a company’s personnel, properties, products, environment, and credit risks. This study aimed to review the challenges and achievements of PSM implementation and provide recommendations for improvement.
Material and Methods: A collection of scholarly articles published from 2000 to 2023, such as Science Direct, WOS, PubMed, and Scopus, was chosen through a systematic, meticulous review. After thoroughly examining these abstracts, titles, and complete contexts, 49 articles were finally selected for inclusion in the study and classified based on different criteria, such as publication year, authors, achievements, and challenges.
Results: PSM in the United States has been chiefly studied due to the high number of chemical process industries and its presence in the form of OSHA legislation in this country. The areas of operations, audits, and resources have the most challenges in implementing PSM. On the other hand, reducing the severity of incidents in chemical processes and increasing productivity are considered the most significant achievements of PSM implementation.
Conclusion: PSM as an interdisciplinary field has improved and become more effective over the years.. However, incidents still exist, and the number can increase, considering the growth of industries’ chemical processes. Therefore, a deep look at the issues of risk-based regulations, competency, operational excellence, and learning from incidents is necessary to achieve excellence in PSM.
Ali Mohammadi, Mahmood Samadiyan, Ali Behroozy,
Volume 15, Issue 1 (3-2025)
Abstract
Introduction: The Total Quality Safety Management (TQSM) model is a tool used to assess the performance of occupational health and safety (OHS) management. This study evaluated the OHS management performance in two edible oil production factories using the TQSM model.
Material and Methods: A total of 78 OHS-related evaluation criteria across four main areas of the TQSM model were assessed at the Saboos Mazand (Factory 1) and Mino Caspian (Factory 2) factories, located in Mazandaran Province, Iran. The four areas included Total Quality Management (TQM), the ISO 9001 Quality Management System guidelines, the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), and Process Safety Management (PSM). The study population consisted of 20 individuals from each factory, including managers, supervisors, and members of the OHS Committee, all with at least one year of experience in their respective roles. Participants were selected using a convenience sampling method.
Both factories had established active management systems for quality management (ISO 9001), customer satisfaction management (ISO 10002), and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) at the time of the study, reflecting the nature of the industry.
Results: The total scores achieved by Factory 1 and Factory 2 across the four main areas were as follows: 52.11 and 51.8 in the TQM area, 43.94 and 45.5 in the QMS-ISO 9001 area, 45.23 and 46.45 in the VPP area, and 30.22 and 30.06 in the PSM area. The overall scores obtained in the TQSM model were 171.51 for Factory 1 and 173.81 for Factory 2, corresponding to 54.97% and 55.7% of the maximum achievable score, respectively. No significant difference was observed between the mean scores across the four areas of the TQSM model for the two factories (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Both factories exhibited an overall average performance level in OHS management. The evaluation criteria across the four areas of the TQSM model indicated weak to moderate conditions in the assessed subareas. Effectively using this model highlighted the organizational and operational areas requiring increased effort and focus to enhance OHS management performance in both factories.
Mohammad Ali Fadaei, Hossein Mansoori, Tayebeh Abbasnejad,
Volume 15, Issue 2 (7-2025)
Abstract
Introduction: Demographic changes are an inevitable phenomenon in today’s organizations. By acknowledging the aging of the workforce as a significant organizational challenge, the purpose of this research is to design a structural model of elderly-oriented human resource management measures in public organizations.
Material and Methods: This study is categorized as applied in terms of objective, descriptive-survey in terms of approach, and a mixed-method design (qualitative-quantitative) in terms of data collection. The information gathering tools used to review the research literature were library research methods, while a questionnaire was employed for collecting field data. Initially, the Delphi method was utilized to extract and identify elderly-oriented human resource management practices. In the second phase, a quantitative method was used to validate the model of elderly-oriented practices in public organizations and assess the current status of these practices.
Results: The results obtained from the model’s goodness-of-fit in SmartPls 3 software and confirmatory factor analysis indicated high validity of the elderly-oriented human resource management practice model.
Conclusion: Additionally, the findings revealed that, from the perspective of the study’s employees, the status of elderly-oriented human resource management practices in terms of implementation was not in a desirable state and did not meet employees’ expectations.
Rasoul Ahmadpour-Geshlagi, Hadi Ahmadi Vafa, Ramin Abbasi, Parisa Moshashaei, Mahdi Firouzi, Mostafa Javanmardi, Seyed Shamseddin Alizadeh,
Volume 15, Issue 4 (12-2025)
Abstract
Introduction: Occupational diseases and workplace accidents have significant financial impacts on industries, communities, and nations each year. Risk assessment is considered an effective tool for managing these issues; however, many organizations fail to implement it successfully. This study explores this challenge from the perspective of Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) officers.
Material and Methods: In this study, 30 Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with HSE officers. Inductive content analysis was used for analyzing interviews. After analyzing the interviews, the codes in the interviews were categorized. To ensure credibility and transferability, participant checking and consultations with experts in the field of risk assessment were conducted.
Results: After analyzing the interviews, seven main categories were identified, each comprising several sub-categories. The main categories included: Resources, Technical Knowledge, Legal and Regulatory Barriers, Cultural Issues, Absence of Risk-Based Thinking in the Organization, Individual Issues, and Lack of Interaction and Communication.
Conclusion: This study revealed that seven major barriers hinder the implementation of risk management systems and the execution of risk assessments in the industries of East Azerbaijan Province. These obstacles can directly affect the identification, analysis, and control of risks, ultimately reducing the effectiveness of occupational health and safety processes. Therefore, to conduct effective risk assessments and enhance safety levels in industrial environments, it is essential for policymakers, industry managers, and regulatory bodies to accurately identify and analyze these barriers and develop appropriate solutions to address them. Moreover, designing and implementing educational programs, restructuring management systems, and strengthening interactions between regulatory organizations and industries can contribute to improving risk assessment processes and safety management in this sector.
Ozra Dargahi-Gharehbagh, Mousa Jabbari, Ghazaleh Monazami Tehrani,
Volume 15, Issue 4 (12-2025)
Abstract
Introduction: Hospitals represent a critical fire safety challenge. The presence of patients with limited mobility, specialized staff, and invaluable infrastructure makes them seriously vulnerable. Further, toxic smoke inhalation, as a primary product of fire, is a leading cause of mortality. To address this concern, our study intended to conduct a comprehensive fire safety assessment of a teaching hospital in Tehran (2023-2024) by integrating risk assessment with numerical modeling.
Material and Methods: This study was conducted in a teaching hospital following three consecutive steps: risk assessment, fire scenario design, and fire and smoke modeling. First, vulnerable zones were identified using the FRAME method. Next, fire scenarios and control strategies were designed based on the identified risk factors and a review of the relevant literature. Ultimately, fire and smoke transport was modeled using the CFAST software to ascertain the performance of the proposed strategies.
Results: The risk assessment pinpointed two wards with unacceptably high occupant risk levels: the inpatient ward on the 10th floor, owing to a cluster of unsafe behaviors, and the basement warehouse, owing to improper storage and inadequate emergency exit access. Fire and smoke modeling was performed for these two zones, comparing the “current situation” against a proposed “risk control strategy.” The modeling results revealed that the control strategy positively affected key life safety indicators, significantly ameliorating the Fractional Effective Dose (FED) and Heat Release Rate (HRR).
Conclusion: According to this study, a fire risk assessment provides a clear and detailed perspective on a hospital building’s fire safety. Integrating the results of the FRAME assessment with CFAST simulations results in a comprehensive understanding of the facility’s safety status. These data can be utilized to design effective emergency plans and calculate the Required Safe Egress Time (RSET), thereby preventing life-threatening harm to occupants against toxic gases.
