G. Zwetsloot

Improving cleaner production by integration into the management of quality, environment and working conditions

Cleaner Production Programs are in themselves no guarantee of continuity in environmental progress. Cleaner Production should therefore be integrated into systemic environmental management or an integral management approach. Lessons learned from quality management and the management of working conditions can be valuable for environmental management and vice versa. Research carried out in front runner firms shows that this offers opportunities for win-win situations (there are three types of synergies). It can increase effectiveness and acceptance of environmental management, while reducing costs. As a consequence, several front runner firms develop integral approaches of environmental management and the management of quality and working conditions. It is very important to manage relevant organizational learning processes in order to facilitate continuous improvement; this has the character of ‘learning to learn’. Nevertheless these organizational learning processes can be managed systematically. Like Cleaner Production Programs, standardization of management systems (environment, quality, safety and health) should have the aim of continuous improvement as their starting point. Standards should also favour synergy between the three management systems (quality, environment and working conditions) and learning processes necessary for proactive approaches. Recent developments in standardization are discussed in this respect.

Critical Steps in Learning From Incidents: Using Learning Potential in the Process From Reporting an Incident to Accident Prevention

Many incidents have occurred because organisations have failed to learn from lessons of the past. This means that there is room for improvement in the way organisations analyse incidents, generate measures to remedy identified weaknesses and prevent reoccurrence: the learning from incidents process. To improve that process, it is necessary to gain insight into the steps of this process and to identify factors that hinder learning (bottlenecks). This paper presents a model that enables organisations to analyse the steps in a learning from incidents process and to identify the bottlenecks. The study describes how this model is used in a survey and in 3 exploratory case studies in The Netherlands. The results show that there is limited use of learning potential, especially in the evaluation stage. To improve learning, an approach that considers all steps is necessary.

Exploring teacher and school resilience as a new perspective to solve persistent problems in the educational sector

In this paper, we will explore the relevance, meaning and perspectives of teacher, team and school resilience. The central research questions are: does the concept of teacher, team and school resilience offer new and promising perspectives on persistent problems in the educational sector? And secondly; how can resilience at individual, team and school level potentially be strengthened? After an insight into the context of the educational system in the Netherlands, we describe the current challenges in the educational system and sector both internationally and for the Netherlands based on a dialogue with stakeholders, scientific literature and data from the Netherlands Working Conditions Survey 2010. We propose that the educational field would benefit from a proactive approach that includes interrelated levels of actors (i.e. individual, team and school). We elaborate on this argument by making use of four resilience-related theories developed in a variety of areas: Resilience Engineering (focusing on four abilities for resilience), organizational mindfulness (focusing on signalling early warnings threatening resilience), the human resource management perspective on resilience (focusing on constraint vs. commitment of employees) and resilience as a social system (focusing on resilience as an interpersonal asset). Each of these theories points out that multilevel approaches for developing resilience are useful. Thereafter, four abilities (anticipation, monitoring, responding and learning) that seem vital for the process of developing resilience are described and discussed at individual, team and school level making use of practical examples based on stakeholders’ experiences. We discuss that the resilience perspective is promising and deserves (co-created) experimentation in the educational sector. Due to the theoretical nature of this paper, the findings could be useful to set agendas, but they need carefully evaluated pilot projects for future confirmation.

Vision zero: from accident prevention to the promotion of health, safety and well-being at work

Abstract There is growing attention in industry for the Vision Zero strategy, which in terms of work-related health and safety is often labelled as Zero Accident Vision or Zero Harm. The consequences of a genuine commitment to Vision Zero for addressing health, safety and well-being and their synergies are discussed. The Vision Zero for work-related health, safety and well-being is based on the assumption that all accidents, harm and work-related diseases are preventable. Vision Zero for health, safety and well-being is then the ambition and commitment to create and ensure safe and healthy work and to prevent all accidents, harm and work-related diseases in order to achieve excellence in health, safety and well-being. Implementation of Vision Zero is a process – rather than a target, and healthy organizations make use of a wide range of options to facilitate this process. There is sufficient evidence that fatigue, stress and work organization factors are important determinants of safety behaviour and safety performance. Even with a focus on preventing accidents these additional factors should also be addressed. A relevant challenge is the integration of the Vision Zero into broader business policy and practice. There is a continued need for more empirical research in this area. Graphical Abstract

Inducing a health-promoting change process within an organization: the effectiveness of a large-scale intervention on social capital, openness, and autonomous motivation toward health.

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of an organizational large-scale intervention applied to induce a health-promoting organizational change process. Design and Methods: A quasi-experimental, “as-treated” design was used. Regression analyses on data of employees of a Dutch dairy company (n = 324) were used to examine the effects on bonding social capital, openness, and autonomous motivation toward health and on employees’ lifestyle, health, vitality, and sustainable employability. Also, the sensitivity of the intervention components was examined. Results: Intervention effects were found for bonding social capital, openness toward health, smoking, healthy eating, and sustainable employability. The effects were primarily attributable to the interventions dialogue component. Conclusions: The change process initiated by the large-scale intervention contributed to a social climate in the workplace that promoted health and ownership toward health. The study confirms the relevance of collective change processes for health promotion.

Workplace Innovation and Wellbeing at Work: A Review of Evidence and Future Research Agenda

Researchers have focused efforts for many years on understanding the determinants of wellbeing at work. Recently focus has been placed on the promotion of workplace innovation as such a determinant. In this chapter, we briefly examine definitions of workplace innovation and wellbeing at work and discuss key the determinants of wellbeing at work. In doing so we present findings from studies based on relevant theoretical models in work and organizational psychology like the Job Demand Control (Support) Model, and the Job Demand Resources Model and work organization and psychosocial factors as key concepts in theoretical knowledge as well as applied practice in relation to wellbeing at work and overlaps with workplace innovation. The chapter then proceeds to discuss commonalities in good practice interventions at the organizational level, specifically focusing on Vision Zero and PRIMA-EF. At the company level and policy level, ‘Vision Zero’ (zero accidents, zero harm, etc.) is an example where innovative solutions for the promotion of wellbeing and health and safety are encouraged. In the PRIMA-EF model, focus is placed on achieving optimal conditions that can enhance a range of outcomes. The chapter also reiterates the compelling arguments on why interventions at the policy and organizational levels should aim to promote factors that represent common key determinants and how these can present important opportunities. Finally, we conclude by arguing that workplace innovation and wellbeing are not only linked but also dependent on one another. Considering the current evidence base, recommendations for future research and practice are made while also referring to the relevance of policy level interventions to promote them in the workplace.

Future challenges of occupational safety and health policy-making in the UK

Abstract Understanding the changing landscape of occupational safety and health (OSH) regulation and standards and its implications are of central importance for ensuring that OSH outcomes are not compromised and the needs of different types of organizations are met. It is also important for developing appropriate strategies to anticipate and deal with future challenges for OSH policy-making. This paper draws on findings from two qualitative studies with key OSH stakeholders in the UK that were conducted as part of a research programme funded the Institution of Occupational Safety & Health. The aim of the first study was to elicit the views of key stakeholders on changes in the current OSH landscape so as to understand the nature and implications of these changes. The second study explored stakeholder perspectives on how to secure the optimal OSH landscape in the UK by addressing key future challenges for OSH policy-making.

Work, Health, Safety and Well-Being: Current State of the Art

This introductory chapter will present a review of the current state of the art in relation to employee health, safety and well-being (HSW). The work environment and the nature of work itself are both important influences on HSW. A substantial part of the general morbidity of the population is related to work. It is estimated that workers suffer 270 million occupational accidents and 160 million occupational diseases each year. The chapter will first define HSW. It will then review the current state of the art by outlining key HSW issues in the contemporary world of work, identifying key needs. It will then discuss the evolution of key theoretical perspectives in this area by linking theory to practice and highlighting the need for aligning perspectives and integrating approaches to managing HSW in the workplace.

Mainstreaming Health, Safety and Well-Being

This chapter is about mainstreaming, i.e. embedding and integrating health, safety and well-being (HSW) into the strategies, activities and practices of organizations, i.e. into their business processes, systems, and culture as well as into the mind-set of managers and workers. This is important for successful HSW policies and management, especially over time. It requires the active involvement of key stakeholders, and may require adaptations in communication and mind-sets of HSW experts. There are, however, many different organizational contexts and mainstreaming therefore needs to be ‘tailor made’: it is always influenced by the context.

The Economic, Business and Value Case for Health, Safety and Well-Being

This chapter explores the economic, business and value case for the promotion of health, safety and well-being (HSW) which are recognized as key priorities in the current literature. There is a wealth of data demonstrating that in the long term, the most successful and competitive companies are those that have the best health and safety records, and the most physically and mentally healthy and satisfied workers. In spite of the evidence, companies are not always willing to implement initiatives for the promotion of HSW largely due to lack of awareness of the strong business case and benefits of promoting HSW initiatives. In this chapter, we first explain the link between employment, work and HSW outcomes which impact the vitality of society, organizations and workers. We then illustrate the ‘materiality’ of HSW by reviewing the literature and evidence base on the business case for HSW management. While the business argument has often looked at the hard and cold facts of economics and money, the chapter concludes by highlighting the importance of taking a holistic view of the business case which considers not only the economic case but the value case for protecting and promoting HSW.