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Copyright of Zentralblatt fuer Arbeitsmedizin, Arbeitsschutz und Ergonomie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: COVID-19 has changed work conditions and instilled fear. However, research overlooked the contributing factors to fear of COVID-19 and its impact on well-being. We addressed this research gap and focused on the es-sential workforce of child care. Methods: Three samples of early childhood professionals (ECPs) (NT1 = 423, NT2 = 142, NT3 = 584) were gathered in Germany between June 2020 and May 2021. We tested via path analysis whether (1) fear of COVID-19 relates to well-being. (2) COVID-19-related work stressors relate to fear of COVID-19, and (3) fear of COVID-19 mediates the relationship of work stressors and well-being. Results: Findings of NT1 and NT3 lent support, while results of NT2 differed. Conclusions: This study under-lines the importance of adapting the work conditions during pandemics to re-duce the fear of infection and thus preserve ECPs' well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nurses frequently face situations in their daily practice that are ethically difficult to handle and can lead to moral distress. Objective: This study aimed to explore the phenomenon of moral distress and describe its work-related predictors and individual consequences for home-care nurses in Germany. Research design: A cross-sectional design was employed. The moral distress scale and the COPSOQ III-questionnaire were used within the framework of an online survey conducted among home-care nurses in Germany. Frequency analyses, multiple linear and logistic regressions, and Rasch analyses were performed. Participants and research context: The invitation to participate was sent to every German home-care service (n = 16,608). Ethical considerations: The study was approved by the Data Protection Office and Ethics Committee of the German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Results: A total of 976 home-care nurses participated in this study. Job characteristics, such as high emotional demands, frequent work-life-conflicts, low influence at work, and low social support, were associated with higher disturbance caused by moral distress in home-care nurses. Organizational characteristics of home-care services, such as time margin with patients, predicted moral distress. High disturbance levels due to moral distress predicted higher burnout, worse state of health, and the intention to leave the job and the profession, but did not predict sickness absence. Conclusions: To prevent home-care nurses from experiencing severe consequences of moral distress, adequate interventions should be developed. Home-care services ought to consider family friendly shifts, provide social support, such as opportunities for exchange within the team, and facilitate coping with emotional demands. Sufficient time for patient care must be scheduled and short-term takeover of unknown tours should be prevented. There is a need to develop and evaluate additional interventions aimed at reducing moral distress, specifically in the home-care nursing sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Journal of Social Work is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Zentralblatt fuer Arbeitsmedizin, Arbeitsschutz und Ergonomie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Zentralblatt fuer Arbeitsmedizin, Arbeitsschutz und Ergonomie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective. The suitability of self-ratings and observer ratings within organisational management approaches is controversial. The aim of this study was to compare the degree of agreement between self-rated and observer-rated occupational psychosocial demands. The comparison took place within a work-activity and not worker-centred assessment, according to official policies for psychosocial risk assessment. Through simultaneous application of two versions of the same instrument, we aimed to reduce the rating bias to a minimum demonstrating the suitability of self-ratings and observer ratings in companies of all kinds. Methods. A multimethod online assessment of 22 different work activities was conducted in Germany from October 2016 to October 2017. Workers (self-ratings) and occupational safety and health (OSH) committees (observer ratings) rated the occupational psychosocial risks of each activity with the same instrument (N = 669). The instrument measured psychosocial risk conditions at work. Reliability and agreement indices were computed. Results. The within-group agreement (WGA; rwg,mean =  .42) of the workers' self-ratings was good for each psychosocial risk and the interrater reliability (IRR) was excellent on average (ICC 2 =  .77) with a medium effect size of ICC 1 =  .15. The interrater agreement (IRA) between the two groups varied across the activities depending on rating group and activity composition (from ICCunjust,mean =  .39 to ICCunjust,mean =  .86) but was good to excellent on average (ICCunjust,mean =  .71). Conclusion. The reasonable agreement and excellent reliability in workers' self-ratings justify aggregation of item means at the group level. Furthermore, if the work activities are homogenous and the committee consists of members from different OSH specialties, observer ratings and self-ratings provide comparable results. According to this study's results, both methods are reliable assessment strategies in the context of psychosocial risk assessment. The observer rating approach is especially suitable for small-to-medium enterprises that do not have access to a large anonymous survey assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the Evaluation of the Tier 1 Exposure Assessment Models (ETEAM), a validation project for chemical substances in the European Union. Topics discussed include the undertaking of chemical safety assessment (CSA) to complete a chemical safety report (CSR), the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), and the risk management measures (RMMs) for controlling exposure to chemical substances at workplace.

Copyright of Zentralblatt fuer Arbeitsmedizin, Arbeitsschutz und Ergonomie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The German Society of Hospital Hygiene develops guidelines, recommendations and standard operation procedures on a voluntary basis, published on the DGKH-website (https://www.krankenhaushygiene.de/). The original German version of this recommendation was published in April 2022 and has now been made available to the international professional public in English. Evaluating the current data on the efficacy of virucidal gargle/mouthwash solutions and nasal sprays against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro and in clinical trials, conducted with preventive or therapeutic objectives, recommendations are given for the prevention of COVID-19. The following areas are considered: Protection of the community when regional clusters or high incidences of infection become known Protection of the community at low risk of infection Pre-exposure prophylaxis for the protection of healthcare workers Post-exposure prophylaxis [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chances and risks of nanomaterials is a most fascinating challenge of future technologies. This new technology and their related materials are beneficial, for example, for energy reduction, lower emissions to the environment, and safe resources. However, there are concerns about health effects related to the very small dimensions of such materials. Because of our commitment to the principles of "Sustainable Chemistry" and "Responsible Care®," the chemical industry actively cooperates with all relevant stakeholders to assure a safe handling and use of nanomaterials. In this manner, the German chemical industry is committed to establish and disseminate best practices for a responsible production and use of nanomaterials. Protection of human life and the environment is a fundamental principle for our industry. Even though in the European Union the existing legal framework for risk assessment for chemical substances applies for nanomaterials, specific properties of nanomaterials may require amendments. The German Chemical Industry Association (Verband der Chemischen Industrie, VCI) has, therefore, issued guidance documents and recommendation papers to support companies in the sustainable and responsible development of nanotechnology-based applications. One of these guidance documents focused on ensuring the workplace safety of our employees. Background for this document was a joint survey on occupational health and safety in the handling and use of nanomaterials, which was conducted in spring 2006 from the German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin, BAuA) and VCI. The purpose of the survey was to obtain an overview of occupational health and safety methods currently applied in the chemical industry in activities involving nanomaterials. The questionnaire survey was evaluated by BAuA; the "Guidance for Handling and Use of Nanomaterials at the Workplace" was elaborated predominantly by VCI. This Guidance provides some orientation regarding measures in the production and use of nanomaterials at the workplace. The recommendations given there reflect the current state of science and technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Autopsies are indispensable in the management of the COVID 19 pandemic. • Many essential scientific findings can only be obtained on the basis of autopsies. • The risk of infection from autopsies of SARS-CoV-2 positive patients is manageable. • More autopsies should be performed worldwide. Autopsies are an essential tool for understanding new diseases. Against this background, it is incomprehensible why there is great reluctance worldwide to perform autopsies on COVID-19 deceased patients. The article provides an overview of the status of the autopsy series published worldwide and shows the path taken by the city of Hamburg in Germany, where autopsies are ordered by the health authorities in the interests of disease control. The risk of infection posed by SARS-CoV-2-positive deceased persons may be overestimated. The scientific benefit that can be drawn from experience with autopsies and further examination of tissue samples is immeasurable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2013 RheinMain University launched its bachelor's degree program Health Care Economics requiring each student to participate in a mandatory two-month nursing internship. A preliminary risk assessment revealed serious risks for both students and patients and had to be addressed by appropriate measures such as mandatory systematic safety training for each student. Methods: A short-term educational intervention named "Survival-Day" was designed to minimize risks related to nursing internships of students. This intervention consists of six 45-min-units with theoretical input (2 units) and hands-on training (4 units) imparting basic knowledge and skills in CPR, hand hygiene and handling of masks and protective gowns, prevention of needle stick injuries, fire protection and firefighting. Performance of CPR was assessed using computerized manikins. Acceptance, necessity and usability were assessed anonymously by standardized written questionnaires after completion of nursing internships. Results: 462 students have completed the Survival-Day until January 2019. CPR performance showed acceptable adherence rates to guideline recommendations (mean 78.8%, SD ±22.6%). The majority of students performed aseptic health care activities (66%), treated patients with multi-resistant pathogens (62%) and disposed sharp instruments such as blood-contaminated needles (76%). According to students' self-reports about these hazardous activities, less than 50% of these students received adequate safety training at nursing facilities. However, no sentinel events such as needle stick injuries or students becoming second victim have been reported. Conclusion: Our study reveals severe discrepancies between legal obligation of nursing facilities to ensure safety instructions for nursing interns and initial training as perceived by this group. Mandatory initial training before conduction of hazardous tasks was mainly covered by our short-term educational intervention (Survival-Day). Regarding responsibility for their students a preliminary safety instruction program like the Survival-Day should be considered for all educational institutions sending students to nursing internships unless mandatory and sufficient safety trainings for nursing interns can be guaranteed by nursing facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]