The benefits of a health and wellness strategy in a corporate environment
- Authors: Mphahlele, Adelaide Raesetje
- Date: 2016
- Subjects: Industrial hygiene , Absenteeism (Labor) , Labor productivity
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/225840 , uj:22819
- Description: M.Com. (Business Management) , Abstract: Although the concept of having health and wellness programmes in a workplace is appealing to employees, the question that must be asked is whether or not employers are seeing the benefits of those initiatives. The aim of this research was to investigate the benefits of a health and wellness strategy in a corporate environment. The researcher analysed what employees want and what they perceive as effective and beneficial to them. She also made recommendations, directed at the management of University X, about what should be done to establish and maintain an effective health and wellness strategy for employees. A qualitative, cross-sectional, time-based research design was used. The researcher developed a semi-structured, open-ended interview schedule consisting of ten questions. The intention was to collect data from a purposive sample of nine female administration employees at the Faculty of Management of University X. The nine employees who were sampled consisted of one head of faculty administration, two course co-ordinators, three senior faculty officers, two faculty officers and one faculty administration assistant. The interview questions were based on themes and concepts suggested by a review of the relevant literature on the topic of employee health and well-being and its relationship to organisational performance and productivity. The findings revealed that employees are aware of the positive relationship between health and wellness and productivity. The findings also strongly suggested that time is the biggest constraint for employees wanting to improve their health. Lastly, employees raised concerns about the necessity for rigid working hours, as this prevents them from using the health and wellness facilities that University X offers. This research draws attention to new information about the value of health and wellness in a corporate environment, the benefits of a health and wellness initiative and the possible drawbacks of health and wellness programmes in such a context.
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Survival of bacterial pathogens on vinyl chiropractic treatment beds
- Authors: Kruger, Marni
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Chiropractic , Industrial hygiene , Pathogenic bacteria
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/231481 , uj:23583
- Description: M.Tech. (Chiropractic) , Abstract: Purpose: This research study was to determine the bacterial survival of bacterial strains associated with human infections on vinyl chiropractic treatment beds, with and without disinfection. Method: Bacterial survival kinetics was used to determine the effect of natural, versus disinfection related die-off of the bacteria on vinyl chiropractic treatment beds. Procedure: The study made use of three portable, vinyl chiropractic treatment beds, that was placed in an isolated room on campus. These beds were divided into six blocks using masking tape, signifying the three interventions tested and their controls. The blocks were further divided into four blocks, for the four time intervals tested. Four bacterial strains, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were applied to the beds, one strain per day, water, alcohol and a soap based product was used to clean and disinfect three of the blocks, the others were used as a control and to monitor the natural die-off of the strains. All data were recorded by the researcher and analysed by Statkon. Results: The results indicated that there is no observable decrease in bacterial numbers over a six-hour period if no intervention is applied to the beds. The study also showed that alcohol and Distel are both equally effective disinfectants for vinyl chiropractic treatment beds. Both of them proved to cause a three-log10 reduction within five minutes, with no bacterial growth in six hours. Conclusion: Alcohol and Distel both proved to be effective disinfectants on these types of beds. Since there is no observable decrease of bacterial numbers over six hours, a cleaning and disinfection protocol for the vinyl chiropractic treatment beds is important to lower the risk of infection of...
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The role of chiropractic treatment tables as potential reservoirs and vectors for horizontal transmission of nosocomial pathogens
- Authors: Perdijk, Jana
- Date: 2017
- Subjects: Chiropractic - Equipment and supplies , Industrial hygiene , Pathogenic bacteria , Nosocomial infections - Prevention
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/268612 , uj:28516
- Description: M.Tech. (Chiropractic) , Abstract: OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of microbial pathogens (specifically bacterial and fungal pathogens) on the chiropractic treatment tables at the University of Johannesburg chiropractic-teaching clinic, as well as to assess the underlying attitudes and practices of the senior chiropractic students with respect to treatment table disinfection. METHODOLOGY Surface samples were taken using the bioMérieux Count-Tact® range and organisms were isolated and identified via the VITEK® 2 instrument. Defined portions on both the left and right hand side of the leather/vinyl components of the headrest, armrest, and thoraco-abdominal pieces from all the chiropractic treatment tables from the University of Johannesburg chiropractic-teaching clinic were sampled using Irradiated Count-Tact® 3PTM agar plates to isolate the potential pathogens. The samples were taken after the clinics’ normal hours of operation so that none of the patients, students, or clinicians were aware of the study and thus change their normal habits. Following the sample collection, all chiropractic students currently practicing in the clinic were asked to complete a short survey, with questions compiled from previous studies (Puhl et al., 2011). This survey was used to explore the attitudes and practices regarding table disinfection of these practicing students. RESULTS The overall response rate for the survey component of the study was 68% (42/62). Ninety-three percent of the students acknowledged the importance of disinfecting the treatment tables for the prevention of pathogen buildup, as it may pose a risk for nosocomial infection (95%)...
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Awareness levels amongst unskilled employees on their health and safety responsibilities
- Authors: Mudenha, Wellington Farai
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Industrial safety , Industrial hygiene , Employees - Health and hygiene , Unskilled labor - Health and hygiene
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/285690 , uj:30900
- Description: Abstract: On a daily basis, there are 7,700 fatalities globally in the workplace. In order to protect the health and safety of workers in South Africa, the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act) was passed into law in 1993. Under this Act, health and safety responsibilities for employers are outlined in section 8 and all workers too must be aware of five employee health and safety responsibilities outlined in section 14. For many organisations, employees can broadly be categorised as skilled or unskilled workers. According to Investopedia (2017), unskilled workers have limited education and perform work without the need for specialised skills or experience. The aim of this study was to evaluate awareness levels amongst unskilled employees about their health and safety responsibilities which are outlined in section 14 of the OHS Act. The research was a cross-sectional study. Cleaners employed by outsourced contract cleaning companies were selected as the study sample. Data was collected through a questionnaire that was distributed to 118 cleaners employed by five contract cleaning companies operating in Johannesburg. The study established that cleaners were unskilled workers with high literacy but low skill levels and work experience. Cleaners were predominantly women and young workers aged between 20-30 years. Although cleaners had access, read and knew about the OHS Act, their level of awareness on health and safety responsibilities was low with cleaners largely aware of only one of the five responsibilities. Over 60% of cleaners received in-house training but 85% of them still wanted more training. Chemicals were the most common hazard but 67% of cleaners had never been injured. Common injuries that were encountered among cleaners were cuts, lacerations, sprains or strains and the frequency of injuries among them was almost equal among all age groups. The study also found no statistical association between awareness of the responsibilities to training, sex or level of education. It was recommended that employers make use of interactive training methodologies to improve skill levels and awareness of the five health and safety responsibilities. Employers must monitor and measure the impact of the training, identify and control occupational hazards and look after the safety of all workers (young and elderly). , M.Tech. (Environmental Health)
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Monitoring treatment table hygiene in a chiropractic training clinic
- Authors: Kingham, Mark Chris
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Chiropractic clinics , Chiropractors - Health and hygiene , Microbial contamination , Industrial hygiene
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/399747 , uj:33331
- Description: Abstract : , M.Tech. (Chiropractic)
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Testing the use of Glogerm™ as an educational tool to illustrate the importance of chiropractic treatment table surface hygiene
- Authors: Swanepoel, Marlo
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Chiropractors - Health and hygiene , Industrial hygiene
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/476822 , uj:43061
- Description: Abstract: Healthcare-Acquired Infections (HCAI) cause a major concern for patient's safety. A study showed the potential transfer routes, relating to the five moments of contact as described by the WHO, between a Chiropractor, a patient, and the Chiropractic treatment table. Other studies discovered concerning pathogens on Chiropractic treatment tables. The aim of this study was to test if a simulation of surface microbial transfer from Chiropractic treatment tables may be an effective educational tool to teach the importance of surface hygiene... , M.Tech. (Chiropractic)
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Utilisation of UltraSnap™ surface ATP test for monitoring chiropractic bed surface cleanliness
- Authors: Sarlie, Raeesa
- Date: 2020
- Subjects: Chiropractic clinics , Chiropractors - Health and hygiene , Industrial hygiene
- Language: English
- Type: Masters (Thesis)
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/476118 , uj:42975
- Description: Abstract: Monitoring treatment surface quality in chiropractic clinics have never been more important than during the current COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the study was to test if the UltraSnap™ Surface ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) Test kits could be used to monitor surface cleanliness of the Chiropractic treatment tables within the Doornfontein Chiropractic Training Clinic at the University of Johannesburg. This included developing and proposing a monitoring protocol for infection control and prevention measures within the training clinic... , M.Tech. (Chiropractic)
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