As nanotecnologias são um conjunto multidisciplinar de técnicas que manipulam a matéria em escala nanométrica, mais precisamente partículas abaixo de 100 nanômetros, cujas características por conta do tamanho diminuto são essencialmente diferentes daquelas encontradas no material em sua forma macro. Em função destas novas propriedades dos materiais, existem lacunas de conhecimento relativas aos efeitos destas partículas sobre o organismo humano e sobre o meio ambiente. Embora ainda sejam consideradas tecnologias emergentes, seu crescimento é cada vez mais acelerado e o número de produtos que fazem uso de nanotecnologia em alguma fase de sua produção continua crescendo, bem como o número de pesquisadores envolvidos com o tema. Considerando este cenário e a literatura pertinente, este trabalho objetivou desenvolver uma sistemática de ações de segurança e saúde no trabalho (SST) para laboratórios de pesquisa com atividades de nanotecnologia. Esta sistemática é fundamentada na estrutura das diretrizes para um sistema de gestão de segurança e saúde no trabalho proposto pela Organização Internacional do Trabalho (OIT). A esta base foram agregadas diversas recomendações nanoespecíficas, sendo desta maneira consolidada a Sistemática de SST para Laboratórios com Nanotecnologia (S-SST/LabNano). Além da comparação desta sistemática com outras apresentadas por outros autores, uma pesquisa survey foi realizada, com o propósito de obter um retrato da SST em laboratórios com atividades de nanotecnologia no Brasil. De forma complementar, objetivando a adequação prática, a S-SST/LabNano foi avaliada em relação a realidade de SST encontrada em laboratório. O resultado final da tese, além da sistemática em si (S-SST/LabNano), almeja oferecer elementos de reflexão que possam auxiliar a gestão e o controle de riscos ocupacionais associados às nanotecnologias. / Nanotechnology is a multidisciplinary set of techniques that manipulates material at nanoscale, precisely particles below 100 nanometers whose characteristics, due to the small size, are essentially different from those found in material while in macro format. In the light of these new properties of materials, there are knowledge gaps regarding the effects of these particles on the human body and the environment. Although still considered emerging technologies, their growth is increasingly accelerated and the number of products that use nanotechnology in some stage of its production continues to grow, as well as the number of researchers involved with the topic. Given this scenario and its relevant literature, this study aimed to develop a proposed methodology of actions in occupational safety and health (OSH) to research laboratories with nanotechnology activities. This methodology is based on the structure of the International Labour Organization (ILO) guidelines for a management system in safety and health at work. Several specific recommendations were added, named Participatory Nano Safety Lab (PNSL). Besides the confrontation of this proposal with other authors, a research survey was conducted with the purpose to obtain a general picture of the OSH in laboratories with nanotechnology activities in Brazil. In a complementary way, aiming a practical suitability, the PNSL was confronted with the reality of OSH found in laboratory. The final result of this thesis, besides the methodology itself (PNSL), aims to provide elements of reflection that may assist management and occupational risk control associated to nanotechnology.

As nanotecnologias são um conjunto multidisciplinar de técnicas que manipulam a matéria em escala nanométrica, mais precisamente partículas abaixo de 100 nanômetros, cujas características por conta do tamanho diminuto são essencialmente diferentes daquelas encontradas no material em sua forma macro. Em função destas novas propriedades dos materiais, existem lacunas de conhecimento relativas aos efeitos destas partículas sobre o organismo humano e sobre o meio ambiente. Embora ainda sejam consideradas tecnologias emergentes, seu crescimento é cada vez mais acelerado e o número de produtos que fazem uso de nanotecnologia em alguma fase de sua produção continua crescendo, bem como o número de pesquisadores envolvidos com o tema. Considerando este cenário e a literatura pertinente, este trabalho objetivou desenvolver uma sistemática de ações de segurança e saúde no trabalho (SST) para laboratórios de pesquisa com atividades de nanotecnologia. Esta sistemática é fundamentada na estrutura das diretrizes para um sistema de gestão de segurança e saúde no trabalho proposto pela Organização Internacional do Trabalho (OIT). A esta base foram agregadas diversas recomendações nanoespecíficas, sendo desta maneira consolidada a Sistemática de SST para Laboratórios com Nanotecnologia (S-SST/LabNano). Além da comparação desta sistemática com outras apresentadas por outros autores, uma pesquisa survey foi realizada, com o propósito de obter um retrato da SST em laboratórios com atividades de nanotecnologia no Brasil. De forma complementar, objetivando a adequação prática, a S-SST/LabNano foi avaliada em relação a realidade de SST encontrada em laboratório. O resultado final da tese, além da sistemática em si (S-SST/LabNano), almeja oferecer elementos de reflexão que possam auxiliar a gestão e o controle de riscos ocupacionais associados às nanotecnologias. / Nanotechnology is a multidisciplinary set of techniques that manipulates material at nanoscale, precisely particles below 100 nanometers whose characteristics, due to the small size, are essentially different from those found in material while in macro format. In the light of these new properties of materials, there are knowledge gaps regarding the effects of these particles on the human body and the environment. Although still considered emerging technologies, their growth is increasingly accelerated and the number of products that use nanotechnology in some stage of its production continues to grow, as well as the number of researchers involved with the topic. Given this scenario and its relevant literature, this study aimed to develop a proposed methodology of actions in occupational safety and health (OSH) to research laboratories with nanotechnology activities. This methodology is based on the structure of the International Labour Organization (ILO) guidelines for a management system in safety and health at work. Several specific recommendations were added, named Participatory Nano Safety Lab (PNSL). Besides the confrontation of this proposal with other authors, a research survey was conducted with the purpose to obtain a general picture of the OSH in laboratories with nanotechnology activities in Brazil. In a complementary way, aiming a practical suitability, the PNSL was confronted with the reality of OSH found in laboratory. The final result of this thesis, besides the methodology itself (PNSL), aims to provide elements of reflection that may assist management and occupational risk control associated to nanotechnology.

As nanotecnologias são um conjunto multidisciplinar de técnicas que manipulam a matéria em escala nanométrica, mais precisamente partículas abaixo de 100 nanômetros, cujas características por conta do tamanho diminuto são essencialmente diferentes daquelas encontradas no material em sua forma macro. Em função destas novas propriedades dos materiais, existem lacunas de conhecimento relativas aos efeitos destas partículas sobre o organismo humano e sobre o meio ambiente. Embora ainda sejam consideradas tecnologias emergentes, seu crescimento é cada vez mais acelerado e o número de produtos que fazem uso de nanotecnologia em alguma fase de sua produção continua crescendo, bem como o número de pesquisadores envolvidos com o tema. Considerando este cenário e a literatura pertinente, este trabalho objetivou desenvolver uma sistemática de ações de segurança e saúde no trabalho (SST) para laboratórios de pesquisa com atividades de nanotecnologia. Esta sistemática é fundamentada na estrutura das diretrizes para um sistema de gestão de segurança e saúde no trabalho proposto pela Organização Internacional do Trabalho (OIT). A esta base foram agregadas diversas recomendações nanoespecíficas, sendo desta maneira consolidada a Sistemática de SST para Laboratórios com Nanotecnologia (S-SST/LabNano). Além da comparação desta sistemática com outras apresentadas por outros autores, uma pesquisa survey foi realizada, com o propósito de obter um retrato da SST em laboratórios com atividades de nanotecnologia no Brasil. De forma complementar, objetivando a adequação prática, a S-SST/LabNano foi avaliada em relação a realidade de SST encontrada em laboratório. O resultado final da tese, além da sistemática em si (S-SST/LabNano), almeja oferecer elementos de reflexão que possam auxiliar a gestão e o controle de riscos ocupacionais associados às nanotecnologias. / Nanotechnology is a multidisciplinary set of techniques that manipulates material at nanoscale, precisely particles below 100 nanometers whose characteristics, due to the small size, are essentially different from those found in material while in macro format. In the light of these new properties of materials, there are knowledge gaps regarding the effects of these particles on the human body and the environment. Although still considered emerging technologies, their growth is increasingly accelerated and the number of products that use nanotechnology in some stage of its production continues to grow, as well as the number of researchers involved with the topic. Given this scenario and its relevant literature, this study aimed to develop a proposed methodology of actions in occupational safety and health (OSH) to research laboratories with nanotechnology activities. This methodology is based on the structure of the International Labour Organization (ILO) guidelines for a management system in safety and health at work. Several specific recommendations were added, named Participatory Nano Safety Lab (PNSL). Besides the confrontation of this proposal with other authors, a research survey was conducted with the purpose to obtain a general picture of the OSH in laboratories with nanotechnology activities in Brazil. In a complementary way, aiming a practical suitability, the PNSL was confronted with the reality of OSH found in laboratory. The final result of this thesis, besides the methodology itself (PNSL), aims to provide elements of reflection that may assist management and occupational risk control associated to nanotechnology.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Injuries to people living and working on farms in New South Wales continue to be a significant burden on the health system, Workers’ Compensation system, agricultural industries and farming families. Strategies to reduce the number and severity of injuries suffered by farmers and people working on farms rely on accurate information. Unfortunately there is no one dataset available to describe the circumstances surrounding farm injuries and the size of this burden in Australia. Hence, a number of different data sources are required to provide a picture of farm injuries. To date, there has been very little critical examination of what value each of these datasets provides to describing farm injuries. This Thesis aimed to: • Undertake surveillance of injuries occurring to people on farms or during agricultural production in NSW using data from an Emergency Department, NSW Hospital Separations information, NSW Workers’ Compensation Claims, and ABS Deaths data. • Critically examine the utility of Emergency Department, Hospital, Workers’ Compensation, and ABS Deaths Data for the surveillance of farm injuries in NSW. • Critically examine data classification systems used in Emergency Department, Hospital, Workers’ Compensation, and ABS Deaths data collections to describe the breadth of farm injuries in NSW. • Define the priority areas for farm injury prevention initiatives in NSW based on the information obtained from the examination of the data from Emergency Department, Hospital, Workers’ Compensation, and ABS Deaths. • Evaluate the effectiveness of the NSW Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS) rebate scheme and examine the utility of the data currently available in NSW to measure the performance of the program. Four datasets, Tamworth Emergency Department, Hospital Separations, Workers’ Compensation and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Deaths data were used to provide information on the surveillance of farm injuries, describe the breadth of classifications used to describe farm injuries, and define priorities for the prevention of farm injuries. There were 384 farm-related injuries which presented to the Emergency Department at the Tamworth Base Hospital between 1 September 1997 and 31 August 1998. Emergency Department data collected in this study used the Farm Injury Optimal Dataset (FIOD) for classification, which allowed for a comprehensive picture of the circumstances surrounding the injury event. The three most common external causes of injury were related to horses, motorcycles, and animals. Commonly people were working at the time of injury. Children represented 21% of the people injured. The average number of injuries per 100 farms per annum was 34.7. An examination of hospital discharge data for NSW was undertaken for the period 1 July 1992 to 30 June 2000 where the location of the injury was a farm. Classification of cases in this dataset conformed to the International Classification of Disease (ICD) versions 9 and 10. There were 14,490 people who were injured on a farm during the study period. The three most common external causes of injury were motorcycles, animals being ridden and agricultural machinery. Children represented 17% of all farm injury cases. The rate per 1,000 farms ranged from 19 to 42 per annum. An examination of Workers’ Compensation claims for agricultural industries in NSW between 1 July 1992 and 30 June 2001 was undertaken. The ‘Type of Occurrence’ classification system was used to code the claims. There were 24,332 claims of which the majority were males (82%). The incidence of injury / disease in agriculture per annum varied from 37 per 1,000 workers to 73 per 1,000 workers. The rate per 1,000 agricultural establishments varied from 54 to 76. The average cost of a claim was $10,880 and the average time lost per claims was 9.2 weeks. There were 81 deaths and 3,158 permanent disabilities. The three most common agents were sheep / goats (5%), ferrous and non-ferrous metals (5%), crates / cartons / boxes / etc (5%). Using ABS deaths data to examine the deaths of people working and living on farms was limited to males whose occupation was recorded as ‘farmer and farm manager’ and ‘agricultural labourer and related worker’. There were 952 deaths over the period 1 January 1991 and 31 December 2000. The information provided a consistent series of cases over time. Areas where prevention should be directed included motor vehicle accidents; falls; agricultural machinery; other machinery; firearms; poisoning; and drowning. Using any one of the datasets alone to examine people injured on farms not only underestimates the number of people injured, but also misses particular types of agents involved in farm injuries. Each of the datasets used in this Thesis provides a different perspective of farm injury in NSW. By examining the information together, there are a number of areas which are consistently represented in each dataset such as falls and agricultural machinery. While no one dataset provided all the information that would be useful for the prevention of injuries, the available information does provide direction for the development of prevention strategies. The overall weakness of the information provided is that it misses a number of risk factors that contribute to farm injuries such as fatigue and training. The lack of appropriate denominator information also makes it difficult to directly compare the datasets and estimate the size of the problem. There are a number of additional coding categories that could be included in each dataset that would provide a better understanding of the different groups at risk of sustaining an injury on a farm or during agricultural work. These coding categories include activity at time of injury, admission to hospital, and occupation. An example of the use of data to determine the effectiveness of a farm injury prevention program is the ‘NSW Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS) Rebate Scheme’ evaluation. Tractor rollover deaths have been identified as an issue for prevention by Farmsafe Australia; however, such deaths were not identified in any of the datasets used in this Thesis due to coding limitations in the ABS data. In this Thesis information about the evaluation of the ‘NSW ROPS Rebate Scheme’ is presented. The scheme was successful in fitting 10,449 ROPS to tractors and the following lessons were learnt: when providing a rebate, the administration (i.e. sending the cheque) needs to be done well; advertising is important and should be co-ordinated, increase the awareness of the risk(s) the intervention is aiming to prevent and effectiveness of subsequent solution (s); the program should ensure there is an increased awareness of the outcome the intervention is aiming to prevent; if regulation is part of the program, enforcement needs to undertaken; and should address any barriers to uptake. The information provided in this Thesis highlights the substantial burden that farm injury places on the agricultural and rural sector of NSW. While there is no one data source that can describe the circumstances and the burden of farm injuries, the currently available datasets do provide an insight into the circumstances of farm injuries and the burden these injuries place on health, Workers’ Compensation, agricultural industries and farming families.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Injuries to people living and working on farms in New South Wales continue to be a significant burden on the health system, Workers’ Compensation system, agricultural industries and farming families. Strategies to reduce the number and severity of injuries suffered by farmers and people working on farms rely on accurate information. Unfortunately there is no one dataset available to describe the circumstances surrounding farm injuries and the size of this burden in Australia. Hence, a number of different data sources are required to provide a picture of farm injuries. To date, there has been very little critical examination of what value each of these datasets provides to describing farm injuries. This Thesis aimed to: • Undertake surveillance of injuries occurring to people on farms or during agricultural production in NSW using data from an Emergency Department, NSW Hospital Separations information, NSW Workers’ Compensation Claims, and ABS Deaths data. • Critically examine the utility of Emergency Department, Hospital, Workers’ Compensation, and ABS Deaths Data for the surveillance of farm injuries in NSW. • Critically examine data classification systems used in Emergency Department, Hospital, Workers’ Compensation, and ABS Deaths data collections to describe the breadth of farm injuries in NSW. • Define the priority areas for farm injury prevention initiatives in NSW based on the information obtained from the examination of the data from Emergency Department, Hospital, Workers’ Compensation, and ABS Deaths. • Evaluate the effectiveness of the NSW Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS) rebate scheme and examine the utility of the data currently available in NSW to measure the performance of the program. Four datasets, Tamworth Emergency Department, Hospital Separations, Workers’ Compensation and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Deaths data were used to provide information on the surveillance of farm injuries, describe the breadth of classifications used to describe farm injuries, and define priorities for the prevention of farm injuries. There were 384 farm-related injuries which presented to the Emergency Department at the Tamworth Base Hospital between 1 September 1997 and 31 August 1998. Emergency Department data collected in this study used the Farm Injury Optimal Dataset (FIOD) for classification, which allowed for a comprehensive picture of the circumstances surrounding the injury event. The three most common external causes of injury were related to horses, motorcycles, and animals. Commonly people were working at the time of injury. Children represented 21% of the people injured. The average number of injuries per 100 farms per annum was 34.7. An examination of hospital discharge data for NSW was undertaken for the period 1 July 1992 to 30 June 2000 where the location of the injury was a farm. Classification of cases in this dataset conformed to the International Classification of Disease (ICD) versions 9 and 10. There were 14,490 people who were injured on a farm during the study period. The three most common external causes of injury were motorcycles, animals being ridden and agricultural machinery. Children represented 17% of all farm injury cases. The rate per 1,000 farms ranged from 19 to 42 per annum. An examination of Workers’ Compensation claims for agricultural industries in NSW between 1 July 1992 and 30 June 2001 was undertaken. The ‘Type of Occurrence’ classification system was used to code the claims. There were 24,332 claims of which the majority were males (82%). The incidence of injury / disease in agriculture per annum varied from 37 per 1,000 workers to 73 per 1,000 workers. The rate per 1,000 agricultural establishments varied from 54 to 76. The average cost of a claim was $10,880 and the average time lost per claims was 9.2 weeks. There were 81 deaths and 3,158 permanent disabilities. The three most common agents were sheep / goats (5%), ferrous and non-ferrous metals (5%), crates / cartons / boxes / etc (5%). Using ABS deaths data to examine the deaths of people working and living on farms was limited to males whose occupation was recorded as ‘farmer and farm manager’ and ‘agricultural labourer and related worker’. There were 952 deaths over the period 1 January 1991 and 31 December 2000. The information provided a consistent series of cases over time. Areas where prevention should be directed included motor vehicle accidents; falls; agricultural machinery; other machinery; firearms; poisoning; and drowning. Using any one of the datasets alone to examine people injured on farms not only underestimates the number of people injured, but also misses particular types of agents involved in farm injuries. Each of the datasets used in this Thesis provides a different perspective of farm injury in NSW. By examining the information together, there are a number of areas which are consistently represented in each dataset such as falls and agricultural machinery. While no one dataset provided all the information that would be useful for the prevention of injuries, the available information does provide direction for the development of prevention strategies. The overall weakness of the information provided is that it misses a number of risk factors that contribute to farm injuries such as fatigue and training. The lack of appropriate denominator information also makes it difficult to directly compare the datasets and estimate the size of the problem. There are a number of additional coding categories that could be included in each dataset that would provide a better understanding of the different groups at risk of sustaining an injury on a farm or during agricultural work. These coding categories include activity at time of injury, admission to hospital, and occupation. An example of the use of data to determine the effectiveness of a farm injury prevention program is the ‘NSW Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS) Rebate Scheme’ evaluation. Tractor rollover deaths have been identified as an issue for prevention by Farmsafe Australia; however, such deaths were not identified in any of the datasets used in this Thesis due to coding limitations in the ABS data. In this Thesis information about the evaluation of the ‘NSW ROPS Rebate Scheme’ is presented. The scheme was successful in fitting 10,449 ROPS to tractors and the following lessons were learnt: when providing a rebate, the administration (i.e. sending the cheque) needs to be done well; advertising is important and should be co-ordinated, increase the awareness of the risk(s) the intervention is aiming to prevent and effectiveness of subsequent solution (s); the program should ensure there is an increased awareness of the outcome the intervention is aiming to prevent; if regulation is part of the program, enforcement needs to undertaken; and should address any barriers to uptake. The information provided in this Thesis highlights the substantial burden that farm injury places on the agricultural and rural sector of NSW. While there is no one data source that can describe the circumstances and the burden of farm injuries, the currently available datasets do provide an insight into the circumstances of farm injuries and the burden these injuries place on health, Workers’ Compensation, agricultural industries and farming families.

Esta tese contempla a avaliação de maturidade, a metodologia Seis Sigma e a gestão da Segurança e Saúde no Trabalho (SST). Teve-se como objetivo geral propor e desenvolver um modelo para a avaliação e ações de melhoria na gestão da SST, sustentando-se nos conceitos provenientes essencialmente da avaliação de maturidade e da metodologia Seis Sigma. Este objetivo foi alcançado por meio de atividades de levantamento, análise e classificação do referencial bibliográfico pertinente; aplicação de um survey; construção de um modelo tendo em conta os resultados do survey e a base teórica analisada; entrevistas complementadas pela decorrente análise de conteúdo. Como resultados do levantamento bibliográfico, verificou-se uma predominância de técnicas com foco em ações pontuais quando se pretende buscar melhorias na área. Em termos de avaliação de maturidade, identificou-se que predomina ainda a concepção de modelos com cinco níveis de maturidade, que os modelos são normalmente estruturados por meio de grades de maturidade, e ainda, que são pouco freqüentes as aplicações para fins de avaliação na área de SST. Mostrou-se relevante o uso de características organizacionais como, por exemplo, a existência de serviços internos de SST e de certificações na área, setor de atividade econômica ou quantidade de subcontratados, para diferenciar cada unidade organizacional quanto a sua dificuldade em mudar o nível de desempenho na gestão da SST. Isso auxilia na avaliação e tratamento diferenciado dos problemas ou oportunidades, principalmente no que tange às práticas de gestão. Também, comprovou-se junto aos responsáveis pela gestão da SST em empresas de referência, que o modelo proposto e disponibilizável por meio da internet, é exeqüível e de fácil aceitabilidade. Além disso, ele poder ser utilizado remotamente, apresenta simplicidade de uso, interface amigável e a possibilidade de comparar empresas semelhantes, sem fornecer dados de acidentes ou doenças ocupacionais, ou ainda informações que identifiquem claramente a unidade organizacional. / This thesis addresses the Maturity Evaluation, the Six Sigma methodology and the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Management system. The main goal of this thesis was to develop a model for the assessment of the OHS management system and corresponding improvement actions, sustained by concepts derived mainly from the Maturity Evaluation process and Six Sigma methodology. This goal was achieved through the review, analysis and classification of the relevant bibliographic references on the specific topics, the implementation of a survey and the construction of a model in view of the results of the survey, of the reviewed theoretical framework and of the interviews complemented by the corresponding content analysis. As a result of the literature review, it was possible to verify that there is a predominance of techniques focused on specific and isolated actions, aiming to implement some improvements in the area. In what concerns the Maturity Evaluation, it was identified that there is a predominance of models based on five maturity levels, that these models are typically structured by maturity grids, as well as that OHS maturity evaluation models are scarce. Some organizational characteristics, such as the existence of OHS internal services, existent management systems certifications, the activity sector or the quantity of subcontracted employees, have come to play a relevant role in distinguishing the organisational unit and the corresponding effort needed to change their performance level regarding the OSH management system. The identification of this organisational profile will aid in the differential evaluation and treatment of the problems or opportunities regarding management practices in particular. Taking into consideration the opinion of OHS managers from some reference companies, it was also demonstrated that the proposed model, which is available online, is feasible and easily acceptable. Furthermore, the model, which can be used at a distance, is easy to use, has a user-friendly interface and allows for the comparison of similar companies without needing to provide details regarding company records on accidents, professional diseases or other information that clearly identifies the organisational unit.

Esta tese contempla a avaliação de maturidade, a metodologia Seis Sigma e a gestão da Segurança e Saúde no Trabalho (SST). Teve-se como objetivo geral propor e desenvolver um modelo para a avaliação e ações de melhoria na gestão da SST, sustentando-se nos conceitos provenientes essencialmente da avaliação de maturidade e da metodologia Seis Sigma. Este objetivo foi alcançado por meio de atividades de levantamento, análise e classificação do referencial bibliográfico pertinente; aplicação de um survey; construção de um modelo tendo em conta os resultados do survey e a base teórica analisada; entrevistas complementadas pela decorrente análise de conteúdo. Como resultados do levantamento bibliográfico, verificou-se uma predominância de técnicas com foco em ações pontuais quando se pretende buscar melhorias na área. Em termos de avaliação de maturidade, identificou-se que predomina ainda a concepção de modelos com cinco níveis de maturidade, que os modelos são normalmente estruturados por meio de grades de maturidade, e ainda, que são pouco freqüentes as aplicações para fins de avaliação na área de SST. Mostrou-se relevante o uso de características organizacionais como, por exemplo, a existência de serviços internos de SST e de certificações na área, setor de atividade econômica ou quantidade de subcontratados, para diferenciar cada unidade organizacional quanto a sua dificuldade em mudar o nível de desempenho na gestão da SST. Isso auxilia na avaliação e tratamento diferenciado dos problemas ou oportunidades, principalmente no que tange às práticas de gestão. Também, comprovou-se junto aos responsáveis pela gestão da SST em empresas de referência, que o modelo proposto e disponibilizável por meio da internet, é exeqüível e de fácil aceitabilidade. Além disso, ele poder ser utilizado remotamente, apresenta simplicidade de uso, interface amigável e a possibilidade de comparar empresas semelhantes, sem fornecer dados de acidentes ou doenças ocupacionais, ou ainda informações que identifiquem claramente a unidade organizacional. / This thesis addresses the Maturity Evaluation, the Six Sigma methodology and the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Management system. The main goal of this thesis was to develop a model for the assessment of the OHS management system and corresponding improvement actions, sustained by concepts derived mainly from the Maturity Evaluation process and Six Sigma methodology. This goal was achieved through the review, analysis and classification of the relevant bibliographic references on the specific topics, the implementation of a survey and the construction of a model in view of the results of the survey, of the reviewed theoretical framework and of the interviews complemented by the corresponding content analysis. As a result of the literature review, it was possible to verify that there is a predominance of techniques focused on specific and isolated actions, aiming to implement some improvements in the area. In what concerns the Maturity Evaluation, it was identified that there is a predominance of models based on five maturity levels, that these models are typically structured by maturity grids, as well as that OHS maturity evaluation models are scarce. Some organizational characteristics, such as the existence of OHS internal services, existent management systems certifications, the activity sector or the quantity of subcontracted employees, have come to play a relevant role in distinguishing the organisational unit and the corresponding effort needed to change their performance level regarding the OSH management system. The identification of this organisational profile will aid in the differential evaluation and treatment of the problems or opportunities regarding management practices in particular. Taking into consideration the opinion of OHS managers from some reference companies, it was also demonstrated that the proposed model, which is available online, is feasible and easily acceptable. Furthermore, the model, which can be used at a distance, is easy to use, has a user-friendly interface and allows for the comparison of similar companies without needing to provide details regarding company records on accidents, professional diseases or other information that clearly identifies the organisational unit.

Esta tese contempla a avaliação de maturidade, a metodologia Seis Sigma e a gestão da Segurança e Saúde no Trabalho (SST). Teve-se como objetivo geral propor e desenvolver um modelo para a avaliação e ações de melhoria na gestão da SST, sustentando-se nos conceitos provenientes essencialmente da avaliação de maturidade e da metodologia Seis Sigma. Este objetivo foi alcançado por meio de atividades de levantamento, análise e classificação do referencial bibliográfico pertinente; aplicação de um survey; construção de um modelo tendo em conta os resultados do survey e a base teórica analisada; entrevistas complementadas pela decorrente análise de conteúdo. Como resultados do levantamento bibliográfico, verificou-se uma predominância de técnicas com foco em ações pontuais quando se pretende buscar melhorias na área. Em termos de avaliação de maturidade, identificou-se que predomina ainda a concepção de modelos com cinco níveis de maturidade, que os modelos são normalmente estruturados por meio de grades de maturidade, e ainda, que são pouco freqüentes as aplicações para fins de avaliação na área de SST. Mostrou-se relevante o uso de características organizacionais como, por exemplo, a existência de serviços internos de SST e de certificações na área, setor de atividade econômica ou quantidade de subcontratados, para diferenciar cada unidade organizacional quanto a sua dificuldade em mudar o nível de desempenho na gestão da SST. Isso auxilia na avaliação e tratamento diferenciado dos problemas ou oportunidades, principalmente no que tange às práticas de gestão. Também, comprovou-se junto aos responsáveis pela gestão da SST em empresas de referência, que o modelo proposto e disponibilizável por meio da internet, é exeqüível e de fácil aceitabilidade. Além disso, ele poder ser utilizado remotamente, apresenta simplicidade de uso, interface amigável e a possibilidade de comparar empresas semelhantes, sem fornecer dados de acidentes ou doenças ocupacionais, ou ainda informações que identifiquem claramente a unidade organizacional. / This thesis addresses the Maturity Evaluation, the Six Sigma methodology and the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Management system. The main goal of this thesis was to develop a model for the assessment of the OHS management system and corresponding improvement actions, sustained by concepts derived mainly from the Maturity Evaluation process and Six Sigma methodology. This goal was achieved through the review, analysis and classification of the relevant bibliographic references on the specific topics, the implementation of a survey and the construction of a model in view of the results of the survey, of the reviewed theoretical framework and of the interviews complemented by the corresponding content analysis. As a result of the literature review, it was possible to verify that there is a predominance of techniques focused on specific and isolated actions, aiming to implement some improvements in the area. In what concerns the Maturity Evaluation, it was identified that there is a predominance of models based on five maturity levels, that these models are typically structured by maturity grids, as well as that OHS maturity evaluation models are scarce. Some organizational characteristics, such as the existence of OHS internal services, existent management systems certifications, the activity sector or the quantity of subcontracted employees, have come to play a relevant role in distinguishing the organisational unit and the corresponding effort needed to change their performance level regarding the OSH management system. The identification of this organisational profile will aid in the differential evaluation and treatment of the problems or opportunities regarding management practices in particular. Taking into consideration the opinion of OHS managers from some reference companies, it was also demonstrated that the proposed model, which is available online, is feasible and easily acceptable. Furthermore, the model, which can be used at a distance, is easy to use, has a user-friendly interface and allows for the comparison of similar companies without needing to provide details regarding company records on accidents, professional diseases or other information that clearly identifies the organisational unit.

Les grands groupes de l'industrie de la construction souhaitent intégrer le concept de prévention au sein de leurs organisations en recherchant des améliorations techniques et organisationnelles et en déployant des méthodes tantôt coercitives, tantôt participatives visant une maîtrise du facteur humain. L'objectif de cette industrie est de contrôler les risques inhérents aux chantiers dont il est possible de déterminer plusieurs classifications. Le point commun de ces dernières est leur finalité, c'est-à-dire établir une liste exhaustive d'un ensemble infini selon des critères variables. Après avoir analysé les différents facteurs influençant sur la genèse des risques dans un environnement aussi particulier qu'est celui des chantiers de bâtiment, nous proposons un modèle dynamique d'appréhension des risques et d'aide à la décision reposant sur la mobilisation de la TNI et de la théorie des représentations sociales. Plus spécifiquement, en considérant les propriétés des risques « émergents » actuels, nous nous interrogeons sur la pertinence des moyens mis en œuvre par l'organisation pour permettre leur intégration. / The major companies of the construction industry wish to integrate the concept of prevention within their organizations by seeking technical and organizational improvements and by implementing coercive or participatory methods whose goal is to deal with the human factor. This industry aims at controlling the risks inherent to the construction sites of which several classifications can be determined. Those classifications have in common their purpose, which is to draw up an exhaustive list from an infinite set according to variable criteria. After analyzing the different factors that influence the genesis of the risks in such a specific environment as the building sites, we propose a dynamic model for risk understanding and decision-making, based on the mobilization of the TNI and the Theory of social representations More specifically, considering the characteristics of the current emerging risks, we wonder about the relevance of the means implemented by the organization towards their integration.

Hybridarbete har medfört fördelar och utmaningar som arbetsgivare behöver uppmärksamma för att främja ett hälsosamt arbete. En hybrid arbetsform kan bidra med det bästa från två världar, distans- och kontorsarbete, förutsatt att arbetsgivare och arbetstagare samverkar för att utveckla nya färdigheter för att anpassa sig till det nya arbetssättet. Denna studie syftar till att skapa en djupare förståelse för den organisatoriska och sociala arbetsmiljön vid hybridarbete. Studien är genomförd med en kvalitativ ansats och materialet har samlats in med hjälp av tio semistrukturerade intervjuer med både medarbetare och chefer inom en svensk offentlig organisation. Studiens metodval är inspirerad av empirisk fenomenologi med ett hermeneutiskt förhållningssätt som syftar till att skapa förståelse. Empirin har tematiserats och analyserats med hjälp av tematisk analys. Studiens resultat visar att den främsta fördelen med hybridarbete är flexibiliteten till att påverka balansen mellan arbete och fritid. Till följd av den hybrida arbetsformen visar resultatet utmaningar i egenskap av minskade fysiska interaktioner med kollegor, digital trötthet, uteblivna pauser samt svårigheter med gränsdragningen mellan arbete och fritid. Resultatet visar att tydliga riktlinjer för hybridarbete får betydelse för hur individen upplever den organisatoriska och sociala arbetsmiljön. Studien konstaterar att tillgång till socialt stöd, delaktighet, dialog, autonomi samt explicita riktlinjer och rutiner som kan anpassas efter individuella behov främjar en god arbetsmiljö. Avslutningsvis presenteras en modell som kan användas av praktikersamhället för att bidra med kunskap om hur känslan av sammanhang (KASAM) främjas i den hybrida arbetsmodellen. / Hybrid work has brought benefits and challenges that employers must observe to promote healthy work among employees. Hybrid working can create the best of both worlds, remote and office work, if employers and workers work together to develop new skills to adapt to the new way of working. This study aims to create a deeper understanding of the organizational and social work environment in hybrid work. The study is conducted with a qualitative approach and the material has been collected using ten semi-structured interviews with employees and managers within a Swedish public organization. The study's choice of method is inspired by empirical phenomenology with a subjective hermeneutic approach that aims to create understanding. The empiricism has been thematized and analyzed using thematic analysis.The results of the study show that the main advantage of hybrid work is increased flexibility regarding the ability to influence the balance between work and leisure. The results also show some possible disadvantages of the hybrid working form, such as reduced physical interactions with colleagues, digital fatigue, missed breaks and difficulties with drawing the line between working time and free time. The results shows that clear guidelines for hybrid work are important for how the individual experiences the organizational and social work environment. The study states that access to social support, participation, dialogue, autonomy and explicit guidelines and routines that can be adapted to individual needs promote a good work environment. Finally, a model is presented that can be used by the practitioner community to contribute knowledge about how the sense of coherence (SOC) is promoted in the hybrid work model.