Reducing Waste in Healthcare through Occupational Safety and Health Measures: A Study of Manufacturing Industries in Taiwan
Occupational accidents and diseases cause the loss of valuable workers and lead to high healthcare expenses. Because occupational accidents and diseases are ascribed to inadequate working conditions and work environments, they can be prevented through a well-established occupational safety and healt...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/11/1476 |
| _version_ | 1797510174184833024 |
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| author | Ya-huei Wang Cheng-Ming Chang Hung-Chang Liao |
| author_facet | Ya-huei Wang Cheng-Ming Chang Hung-Chang Liao |
| author_sort | Ya-huei Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Occupational accidents and diseases cause the loss of valuable workers and lead to high healthcare expenses. Because occupational accidents and diseases are ascribed to inadequate working conditions and work environments, they can be prevented through a well-established occupational safety and health management system, which can ensure workers’ health and reduce the expense of healthcare. The study investigated the shortage of work-related occupational safety and health (OSH) measures in medium-sized manufacturing industries. This study mainly focused on qualitative interviews with 15 labor inspectors and 25 business executives from OSH participating to investigate the problems of occupational safety and health in the manufacturing industries in Taiwan. The results of a qualitative study show that the most important problems with OSH management are employers’ negligence and workers’ insufficient knowledge about OSH management. The research results revealed the following eighteen significant shortcomings of OSH management: employers care mostly about production profit and do not care much for OSH; OSH data collection and OSH planning are not suitable for the workplace; many managers of OSH affairs are not qualified, in terms of their professional or academic backgrounds; and the repair of workplaces’ roofs often results in falling accidents, especially before or after a typhoon, because of workers’ failure to use safety belts and/or to follow OSH guidelines. In order to address the shortcomings and bottlenecks, the study also presented recommendations for how to implement and revise the OSH Act and how to research and enhance OSH management. The results of this study will not only supply the Ministry of Labor (Taiwan) with data to plan the strategy of OSH management but also will allow employers and workers to improve OSH management in the workplace in order to prevent the occurrence of occupational accidents. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:27:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b5fbc377bf0e480dbe5238af148864e1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:27:52Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-b5fbc377bf0e480dbe5238af148864e12023-11-22T23:31:26ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322021-10-01911147610.3390/healthcare9111476Reducing Waste in Healthcare through Occupational Safety and Health Measures: A Study of Manufacturing Industries in TaiwanYa-huei Wang0Cheng-Ming Chang1Hung-Chang Liao2Department of Applied Foreign Languages, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 402306, TaiwanInstitute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health, Ministry of Labor, New Taipei City 221004, TaiwanDepartment of Health Policy and Management, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 402306, TaiwanOccupational accidents and diseases cause the loss of valuable workers and lead to high healthcare expenses. Because occupational accidents and diseases are ascribed to inadequate working conditions and work environments, they can be prevented through a well-established occupational safety and health management system, which can ensure workers’ health and reduce the expense of healthcare. The study investigated the shortage of work-related occupational safety and health (OSH) measures in medium-sized manufacturing industries. This study mainly focused on qualitative interviews with 15 labor inspectors and 25 business executives from OSH participating to investigate the problems of occupational safety and health in the manufacturing industries in Taiwan. The results of a qualitative study show that the most important problems with OSH management are employers’ negligence and workers’ insufficient knowledge about OSH management. The research results revealed the following eighteen significant shortcomings of OSH management: employers care mostly about production profit and do not care much for OSH; OSH data collection and OSH planning are not suitable for the workplace; many managers of OSH affairs are not qualified, in terms of their professional or academic backgrounds; and the repair of workplaces’ roofs often results in falling accidents, especially before or after a typhoon, because of workers’ failure to use safety belts and/or to follow OSH guidelines. In order to address the shortcomings and bottlenecks, the study also presented recommendations for how to implement and revise the OSH Act and how to research and enhance OSH management. The results of this study will not only supply the Ministry of Labor (Taiwan) with data to plan the strategy of OSH management but also will allow employers and workers to improve OSH management in the workplace in order to prevent the occurrence of occupational accidents.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/11/1476occupational safety and health (OSH) managementeducation/trainingwork permissionhazard assessmentpersonal protective equipment |
| spellingShingle | Ya-huei Wang Cheng-Ming Chang Hung-Chang Liao Reducing Waste in Healthcare through Occupational Safety and Health Measures: A Study of Manufacturing Industries in Taiwan Healthcare occupational safety and health (OSH) management education/training work permission hazard assessment personal protective equipment |
| title | Reducing Waste in Healthcare through Occupational Safety and Health Measures: A Study of Manufacturing Industries in Taiwan |
| title_full | Reducing Waste in Healthcare through Occupational Safety and Health Measures: A Study of Manufacturing Industries in Taiwan |
| title_fullStr | Reducing Waste in Healthcare through Occupational Safety and Health Measures: A Study of Manufacturing Industries in Taiwan |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reducing Waste in Healthcare through Occupational Safety and Health Measures: A Study of Manufacturing Industries in Taiwan |
| title_short | Reducing Waste in Healthcare through Occupational Safety and Health Measures: A Study of Manufacturing Industries in Taiwan |
| title_sort | reducing waste in healthcare through occupational safety and health measures a study of manufacturing industries in taiwan |
| topic | occupational safety and health (OSH) management education/training work permission hazard assessment personal protective equipment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/11/1476 |
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