This thesis explores the occupational health and safety risks facing labour hire employees (also known as temporary agency workers) in the Australian state of Victoria. Three questions are considered. First do labour hire employees face greater risk of injury and disease than direct hire employees? Second, if so, which characteristics of labour hire employment contribute to a higher rate of injury? Third, what characteristics of labour hire employment reduce the likelihood of injured employees returning to work and being rehabilitated? The first question is answered by an aggregate analysis of data drawn from all workers' compensation claim files in Victoria between 1994/5 and 2000/1 contrasting the frequency of injury for both temporary agency employees and direct hire employees. Second a unique sub sample of individual investigated claim files was then examined to test employment factors that could account for the higher frequency of injury amongst agency workers. A third data source involved a survey and focus groups of temporary agency workers. This provided supplementary data on the work experiences of labour hire employees. A number of conclusions are drawn. Labour hire employees are more likely to be injured at work than their direct hire counterparts. Factors explaining this include economic pressures, disorganisation at the host workplace, and regulatory failure for agency employees. Several of these factors are uniquely related to the triangular nature of labour hire arrangements. Once injured at work, labour hire employees are especially disadvantaged relative to direct hire employees through the reluctance of many labour hire employers to offer further employment. This reduces the capacity of labour hire workers to return to meaningful employment. Regulatory failure stemming from both employment and occupational health and safety legislation underpins the greater likelihood of agency workers being injured at work and then dispensed with by employers. Until the uniqueness of their triangular relationship with employers and hosts is recognised through appropriate regulatory intervention, their greater occupational health and safety risks will not be overcome.

Doctor of Philosophy(PhD) / Background: There is no on-going information on the number, rate or circumstances of work-related fatal injury in Australia. This thesis reports on a study aimed to identify and describe all work-related fatalities that occurred in Australia during the four-year period 1989 to 1992, in order to make a significant contribution to the effectiveness of activity designed to prevent work-related traumatic death. Methods: A broad definition of work was used, with particular focus on workers and bystanders. The study also included the injury-related deaths of volunteers, students, persons performing home duties and persons fatally injured on farms but not due to obvious farm work. The data were obtained primarily from coronial files. Files were found for 99.7% of the deaths of interest. Detailed results are presented on the work-related deaths of workers, bystanders and persons fatally injured while engaged in home duties. The results for workers are also compared with those from an earlier study of work-related fatalities in Australia, which covered the years 1982 to 1984 inclusive. Other aspects of work-related deaths are considered in detail, including the effect of employment arrangements; their coverage by occupational health and safety and compensation agencies; their handling by the coronial system; the role of External Cause codes in identifying and monitoring work-related injury deaths; and the reliability and validity of the definitions used to classify work-related injury deaths. Results: There were 2,413 persons fatally injured while working or commuting during the study period (1,787 working; 626 commuting), with a rate of death for working persons of 5.5 per 100,000 persons per year. This compared to the rate of 6.7 for working deaths during 1982 to 1984, with just under half of the decline probably due to changes in the industry distribution of the workforce. Another 802 persons were fatally injured as a result of someone else’s work activity, and 296 persons aged 15 years and over were fatally injured while undertaking active tasks in an unpaid and informal capacity in their own home or in someone else’s home. Thirty-four percent of working deaths were not covered by either occupational health and safety (OHS) or compensation agencies. A consideration of External Cause codes for the period 1979 to 1997 inclusive suggested there was a yearly decrease in the rate of workplace deaths of 2.6% per year, with less than half of this change due to industry changes in the workforce. Deaths occurring in a small number of particular circumstances were found to pose classification problems. Conclusion: Fatal work-related trauma remains an important problem for the Australian community. By understanding how and why these deaths occur, appropriate steps can be taken to prevent similar incidents recurring. It is expected that the results reported here, and other information that has arisen from the study, will make an important contribution to developing this understanding and preventing the occurrence of work- related traumatic death in Australia.

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.

Since Sweden joined the European labor market there has been an increase of posted workers, primarily in the construction industry. The aim of this thesis is to study how the EU has affected the Swedish health and safety regulation in the case of posted workers in the construction industry and what room for maneuver there was on the government agency level in the application of the EU-regulations, during the period of 1994–2018. Three research questions are examined: 1) How has the number of posted workers in the construction industry changed? 2) How has the work environment for the posted workers in the construction industry developed? and 3) How has the Swedish Work Environment Authority ap-plied the work environment regulation for posted workers in the construction industry? The results show that there are major gaps in the statistics and enforcement. Most alarmingly, while the posted workers’ share of employment, according to public records, at its highest is around 2 percent, in 2018, their share (together with unregistered foreign workers) of the death accidents in 2008–2017 is much higher, at 14 percent. The EU has weakened the regulation but there have also been hindrances on the national level.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Globally, Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) has become the most effective workplace programme used to assist employees in the identification and resolution of performance and behavioural related problems. Employees, irrespective of the sector of employment are seen as the most valuable assets of any organization and therefore their wellness is as important as the organization itself. Employees' personal or work related problems may adversely affect their health as well as their productivity, thereby impeding the growth of an organization. It is for this reason that the EAP has increasingly become an important tool in addressing employees’ personal and work related challenges. Midwives as employees are prone to challenges such as maternal deaths at the workplace. They are more likely to undergo stressful situations for failing to meet the general goal of their profession, which, among others, include provision of adequate care for pregnant women until they safely deliver. These stressful conditions have negative effects on midwives' health, behaviour and productivity. However, there is no literature that has looked at how midwives in the Ashanti Region of Ghana are affected by maternal deaths and their coping mechanisms employed to address the effects of maternal deaths. Literature revealed that there is hardly any known work-related assistance programme designed to support Ghanaian midwives when faced with work-related challenges likely to affect their work-output. Hence, this study developed an appropriate EAP for midwives dealing with maternal deaths in Ghana based on the exploration and description of the effects of maternal death, coping mechanisms used and their experiences with the facility-based maternal death review (MDR). In order to meet the general aim of the study, a qualitative research approach, with a combination of exploratory, descriptive and contextual designs was used. Purposive sampling was employed to select participants; ward and unit managers (supervisors) (18) and midwives who met the inclusion criteria (39). A total of 57 participants were used in the study. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews and focus group discussions, as well as field notes. Thematic Content Analysis was used to manage data through transcribing, organizing, development of category and coding of data. Final data management was done with qualitative computer data analysis package (Atlas ti version 7.1.7). The full understanding of the effects of maternal deaths on midwives and the mechanisms of coping employed to address effects afforded the development of an EAP to support midwives dealing with maternal deaths. Five main themes emerged from the analysis of collected data, namely effect of death as a unique experience, multi-dimensional effects of MD on Midwives' personal life, effects of MD on the midwives’ associated environment, mechanisms of coping employed by Midwives and Perceived MDR process (Phase 1). Phase 2 considered the development of Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for midwives dealing with maternal deaths in Ashanti Region of Ghana. The steps of developing occupational health service at the workplace by Acutt Hattingh and Bergh (2011) were applied to develop the EAP. Ethical practices pertaining to the study of human subjects as specified by the Research Ethics Committee of the University of the Western Cape and research guidelines of Ministry of Health- Ghana Health Service were observed. It is recommended that, all hospitals in Ashanti Region institute the EAP programme to assist midwives cope with challenges associated with maternal death.

Os sistemas de medição de desempenho em segurança e saúde no trabalho (SMDSST) contribuem para identificar e caracterizar os riscos de acidentes, sendo um elemento fundamental da gestão da SST em qualquer setor industrial e também uma base para a melhoria contínua. O presente trabalho propõe um conjunto de critérios para avaliar SMDSST no setor da construção civil. Os critérios desenvolvidos foram estabelecidos a partir de três tipos de requisitos: (a) consistência do SMDSST com uma filosofia de gestão da SST, denominada engenharia de resiliência; (b) conformidade dos SMDSST com requisitos gerais de sistemas de medição de desempenho, tais como o grau de definição dos indicadores, a sua incorporação na rotina organizacional e o alinhamento das medidas com as estratégias; e (c) contribuição para a identificação e monitoramento dos principais fatores causais de acidentes, classificando-os em falhas relacionadas aos subsistemas pessoal, tecnológico, organizacional e do ambiente externo. A aplicação dos critérios é ilustrada por meio de dois estudos de caso, realizados em duas construtoras. Os resultados indicaram que tais critérios contribuem para a identificação de oportunidades de melhoria nos SMDSST tradicionais no setor da construção civil, tais como o desenvolvimento de novos indicadores e adaptações naqueles já existentes. / Performance measurement systems in occupational health and safety (SMDSST) help to identify risks of accidents, and play a key role in the management of occupational health and safety in any industry, establishing a basis for continuous improvement. This research work proposes a set of criteria for assessing SMDSST in the construction industry. This set of criteria was devised by taking into account three groups of requirements: (a) consistency of the SMDSST with an occupational health and safety management philosophy, known as resilience engineering; (b) compliance of the SMDSST with general performance measurement system, such as the definition of indicators, their incorporation into the organizational routine, and alignment of measures with strategies; and (c) contribution for the identification and control the main accident causal factors, classifying them in failures related to personnel, technological, organizational and external environment subsystems. The application of criteria is illustrated in two case studies carried out in different construction companies. Results indicated that the proposed criteria help to identify opportunities for improvement in SMDSST, such as development of new indicators and improvement in the existing ones.

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.

As the 21st century proceeds, individuals are increasingly working into later years to support themselves and maintain their quality of life. This changing pattern of employment has implications for workers, employers and society alike. Although older workers have much to contribute, individuals may experience health issues or physical, sensory or psychological changes related to ageing. Health and safety statistics indicate that older workers are a vulnerable group. Employers then, have a responsibility to examine the working environment and protect those with reduced capabilities. For society to function, older workers need to be able to remain in work, otherwise this will impact on both the economy and older individuals quality of life. This thesis aimed to understand the opportunities and challenges employers encounter when trying to protect and promote the health and safety of older workers. The research used qualitative approaches, combining interviews and focus groups to provide rich data on the circumstances of older workers. Triangulation was used, collecting data over different time periods, from different sources, to help balance out any weaknesses across the studies. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. A review of the literature found that there is no consistent definition of ageing or older worker. Many researchers have used chronological age and, therefore, this thesis used 50 as a threshold. The literature highlights that older workers have a wealth of knowledge and skills to bring to the workplace. Negative perceptions, however, regarding natural ageing and adaptability exist. Other authors have argued that organisations need to provide a safe environment for older workers and implement measures to mitigate changes in abilities, whilst recognising that there is no one size fits all strategy. First, an initial scoping study was undertaken with employers, which sought to understand their perceptions concerning the ageing workforce. The study also collected information on the health and safety age management strategies that have been implemented within the organisations. Interviews with employers (senior managers who influence health and safety management strategies) (n=41) revealed that, in line with literature, there is recognition that older workers bring benefits to the workplace. However, some comments demonstrated inaccurate stereotyping. The interviews found that these employers were uncertain how to proceed with implementing actions to protect the health and safety of their older workers. Two subsequent studies, consisting of focus groups (n=10) and interviews (n=50) were then conducted, which explored older workers experiences of working into later life and their views on the issues identified by the employer interview study. The older worker interviews also examined their perceptions regarding their health and capabilities, appropriate health and safety measures in response to this and interviewees anticipated future in the workforce. Older workers explained that they do not feel supported or engaged. They are fearful of reporting capability changes that may affect their ability to perform work tasks, as they believe this may have negative consequences for their future employment. During discussions, they suggested various measures that may help them remain in the workforce for longer. The information gathered during the literature review and the findings from the first three studies, were then used to develop examples of good practice health and safety measures that organisations could implement to help protect and promote the health and safety of older workers. A final interview study with key employer representatives (n=16) was conducted, to understand whether the health and safety good practice measures might be considered beneficial and achievable. This study found that although organisations recognised the benefits of health and safety measures tailored for older workers, the feasibility of some of the suggestions was in doubt. Budgetary constraints, insufficient time and lack of necessary knowledge were seen as particular obstacles to implementation. This thesis has identified that although research evidence exists in relation to measures to support the health and safety of older workers, e.g. the benefits of health promotion, improved work scheduling, workplace assessments etc, this is rarely translated into practice. Within organisations, there is uncertainty about age management for older workers and limited understanding of the divergent needs as workers capabilities change. The default position then becomes to cater for a typical worker. A coordinated multi-disciplinary approach between health and safety, occupational health, human resources and operational management is required. This thesis argues for an integrated age management strategy, with an emphasis on proactive prevention, in the interests of protecting and promoting the health and safety of older workers.

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.

Os sistemas de medição de desempenho em segurança e saúde no trabalho (SMDSST) contribuem para identificar e caracterizar os riscos de acidentes, sendo um elemento fundamental da gestão da SST em qualquer setor industrial e também uma base para a melhoria contínua. O presente trabalho propõe um conjunto de critérios para avaliar SMDSST no setor da construção civil. Os critérios desenvolvidos foram estabelecidos a partir de três tipos de requisitos: (a) consistência do SMDSST com uma filosofia de gestão da SST, denominada engenharia de resiliência; (b) conformidade dos SMDSST com requisitos gerais de sistemas de medição de desempenho, tais como o grau de definição dos indicadores, a sua incorporação na rotina organizacional e o alinhamento das medidas com as estratégias; e (c) contribuição para a identificação e monitoramento dos principais fatores causais de acidentes, classificando-os em falhas relacionadas aos subsistemas pessoal, tecnológico, organizacional e do ambiente externo. A aplicação dos critérios é ilustrada por meio de dois estudos de caso, realizados em duas construtoras. Os resultados indicaram que tais critérios contribuem para a identificação de oportunidades de melhoria nos SMDSST tradicionais no setor da construção civil, tais como o desenvolvimento de novos indicadores e adaptações naqueles já existentes. / Performance measurement systems in occupational health and safety (SMDSST) help to identify risks of accidents, and play a key role in the management of occupational health and safety in any industry, establishing a basis for continuous improvement. This research work proposes a set of criteria for assessing SMDSST in the construction industry. This set of criteria was devised by taking into account three groups of requirements: (a) consistency of the SMDSST with an occupational health and safety management philosophy, known as resilience engineering; (b) compliance of the SMDSST with general performance measurement system, such as the definition of indicators, their incorporation into the organizational routine, and alignment of measures with strategies; and (c) contribution for the identification and control the main accident causal factors, classifying them in failures related to personnel, technological, organizational and external environment subsystems. The application of criteria is illustrated in two case studies carried out in different construction companies. Results indicated that the proposed criteria help to identify opportunities for improvement in SMDSST, such as development of new indicators and improvement in the existing ones.