Risk Perceptions and Safety Cultures in the Handling of Nanomaterials in Academia and Industry.
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| Title: | Risk Perceptions and Safety Cultures in the Handling of Nanomaterials in Academia and Industry. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Kirkegaard, Marie Louise1,2, Kines, Pete1 pki@nfa.dk, Jeschke, Katharina Christiane1,3, Jensen, Keld Alstrup1 |
| Source: | Annals of Work Exposures & Health. Jun2020, Vol. 64 Issue 5, p479-489. 11p. 3 Charts. |
| Subjects: | Attitude (Psychology), Communication, Corporate culture, Executives, Industrial safety, Industries, Interprofessional relations, Interviewing, Linguistics, Research methodology, Nanostructures, Cultural pluralism, Waste management, Risk assessment, Access to information |
| Abstract: | Objectives Work and research with nanomaterials (NMs) has primarily focused on innovation, toxicity, governance, safety management tools, and public perceptions. The aim of this study was to identify academia and industry occupational safety and health (OSH) managers' perceptions and handling of NMs, in relation to safety culture. Methods Semistructured interviews were carried out with OSH managers at six academic institutions and six industrial companies. The interview statements were coded into five topics regarding NMs: risk comprehension, information gathering, actions, communication, and compliance. The statements were then coded according to a five-step safety culture maturity model reflecting increasing occupational safety maturity from passive, to reactive, active, proactive, and exemplary occupational safety. Results The safety culture maturity of the academic institutions were primarily active and proactive , whereas the industry group were primarily active and reactive. None of the statements were rated as exemplary , with the majority reflecting an active safety culture. The topics varied from a passive approach of having no focus on NMs and regarding risks as a part of the job, to applying proactive measures in the design, production, application, and waste management phases. Communication and introduction to OSH issues regarding NMs as well as compliance provided challenges in both academia and industry, given the increasing cultural and linguistic diversity of students/staff and employees. Workplace leaders played a crucial role in establishing a legitimate approach to working safely with NMs, however, the currently available OSH information for NMs were described as insufficient, impractical, and inaccessible. There was an embedded problem in solely relying on safety data sheets, which were often not nanospecific, as this may have led to underprotection. Conclusions There is a need for more structured, up-to-date, easily accessible, and user-friendly tools and information regarding toxicity and threshold limit values, relevant OSH promotion information, legislation, and other rules. The study underscores the need for politicians and engineers to collaborate with communication experts and both natural and social scientists in effectively framing information on NMs. Such a collaboration should allow for flexible deployment of multilevel and integrated safety culture initiatives to support sustainable nanotechnology and operational excellence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Annals of Work Exposures & Health is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
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| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 144383010 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Risk Perceptions and Safety Cultures in the Handling of Nanomaterials in Academia and Industry. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kirkegaard%2C+Marie+Louise%22">Kirkegaard, Marie Louise</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kines%2C+Pete%22">Kines, Pete</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><i> pki@nfa.dk</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jeschke%2C+Katharina+Christiane%22">Jeschke, Katharina Christiane</searchLink><relatesTo>1,3</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jensen%2C+Keld+Alstrup%22">Jensen, Keld Alstrup</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Annals+of+Work+Exposures+%26+Health%22">Annals of Work Exposures & Health</searchLink>. Jun2020, Vol. 64 Issue 5, p479-489. 11p. 3 Charts. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attitude+%28Psychology%29%22">Attitude (Psychology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Communication%22">Communication</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Corporate+culture%22">Corporate culture</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Executives%22">Executives</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Industrial+safety%22">Industrial safety</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Industries%22">Industries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interprofessional+relations%22">Interprofessional relations</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interviewing%22">Interviewing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Linguistics%22">Linguistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+methodology%22">Research methodology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Nanostructures%22">Nanostructures</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cultural+pluralism%22">Cultural pluralism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Waste+management%22">Waste management</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Risk+assessment%22">Risk assessment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Access+to+information%22">Access to information</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Objectives Work and research with nanomaterials (NMs) has primarily focused on innovation, toxicity, governance, safety management tools, and public perceptions. The aim of this study was to identify academia and industry occupational safety and health (OSH) managers' perceptions and handling of NMs, in relation to safety culture. Methods Semistructured interviews were carried out with OSH managers at six academic institutions and six industrial companies. The interview statements were coded into five topics regarding NMs: risk comprehension, information gathering, actions, communication, and compliance. The statements were then coded according to a five-step safety culture maturity model reflecting increasing occupational safety maturity from passive, to reactive, active, proactive, and exemplary occupational safety. Results The safety culture maturity of the academic institutions were primarily active and proactive , whereas the industry group were primarily active and reactive. None of the statements were rated as exemplary , with the majority reflecting an active safety culture. The topics varied from a passive approach of having no focus on NMs and regarding risks as a part of the job, to applying proactive measures in the design, production, application, and waste management phases. Communication and introduction to OSH issues regarding NMs as well as compliance provided challenges in both academia and industry, given the increasing cultural and linguistic diversity of students/staff and employees. Workplace leaders played a crucial role in establishing a legitimate approach to working safely with NMs, however, the currently available OSH information for NMs were described as insufficient, impractical, and inaccessible. There was an embedded problem in solely relying on safety data sheets, which were often not nanospecific, as this may have led to underprotection. Conclusions There is a need for more structured, up-to-date, easily accessible, and user-friendly tools and information regarding toxicity and threshold limit values, relevant OSH promotion information, legislation, and other rules. The study underscores the need for politicians and engineers to collaborate with communication experts and both natural and social scientists in effectively framing information on NMs. Such a collaboration should allow for flexible deployment of multilevel and integrated safety culture initiatives to support sustainable nanotechnology and operational excellence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Annals of Work Exposures & Health is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1093/annweh/wxaa022 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 11 StartPage: 479 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Attitude (Psychology) Type: general – SubjectFull: Communication Type: general – SubjectFull: Corporate culture Type: general – SubjectFull: Executives Type: general – SubjectFull: Industrial safety Type: general – SubjectFull: Industries Type: general – SubjectFull: Interprofessional relations Type: general – SubjectFull: Interviewing Type: general – SubjectFull: Linguistics Type: general – SubjectFull: Research methodology Type: general – SubjectFull: Nanostructures Type: general – SubjectFull: Cultural pluralism Type: general – SubjectFull: Waste management Type: general – SubjectFull: Risk assessment Type: general – SubjectFull: Access to information Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Risk Perceptions and Safety Cultures in the Handling of Nanomaterials in Academia and Industry. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Kirkegaard, Marie Louise – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Kines, Pete – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Jeschke, Katharina Christiane – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Jensen, Keld Alstrup IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 06 Text: Jun2020 Type: published Y: 2020 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 23987308 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 64 – Type: issue Value: 5 Titles: – TitleFull: Annals of Work Exposures & Health Type: main |
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