The project

LEONARDO DA VINCI PROJECT

Ref. NL/99/2/09131/PI/II.1.1.a/FPC

Communication of occupational

physicians with workers

on health and safety issues

The project

Communication …

The project

… of Occupational Physicians …

The project

… with workers ….

The project

… on health …

The project

… and safety issues …

Project Planning (1)

EASOM Proposal 1999:Phase 1. Duration 4 months.

Inventory of current situation of workers’ instruction about risks at work:

* available courses and materials

* demands and needs of employers, workers, professionals and schools.

Project Planning (2)

Phase 2. Duration 12 months.

Development and practical test of teaching method and materials for workers. Specific elaborations for 3 branches of industry.

Project Planning (3)

Phase 3. Duration 10 months.

Development and practical test of training for OPs.

Project Planning (4)

Phase 4. Duration 4 months.

Dissemination of products to Schools of Occupational Medicine and OHSs in the EU Member States

Project Planning (5)

Phase 5. Duration 18 months.

Project and product evaluation.

Final report.

Project Planning (6)

Total duration 18 months.

Phase 1. Months 1 thru 4.

Phase 2. Months 3 thru 14.

Phase 3. Months 5 thru 14.

Phase 4. Months 15 thru 18.

Phase 5. Months 1 thru 18.

Phase 1: the inventory: contents (1)

A. Current situation about:

1. workers’ instruction about health and safety risks at work

2. available training courses and materials within schools of occupational medicine     

Phase 1: the inventory: contents (2)

B. Demands and needs of:

Employers

Workers

Professionals

 

 

Phase 1: the inventory: respondents (1)

Sweden / NIWL, Solna

Finland / FIOH, Helsinki

Poland / NIOM, Lodz

Great Britain / Medical School, Newcastle

Belgium / Catholic University Leuven

Belgium / IDEWE Leuven

Netherlands / NSOH Amsterdam

 

Phase 1: the inventory: respondents (2)

Italy / University of Bari

Italy / University of Brescia

Italy / University of Modena

Switzerland / Institut für Hygiene und Arbeitsphysiologie, Zürich

 

1a.      Does the legislation about health, safety and well-being at work contain specific regulations about communication, instruction and information to workers?

 

Yes 10

 

 

Data about the workers’ instructions (1)

1b. Who is charged with these tasks by the law?

 The employer is responsible; in Italy the OP is responsible too.

Data about the workers’ instructions (2)

2a. Who are the providers of this instruction and information within the company?

 * the OHS 9

* the employer 6

* the hierarchical line 6

the OP 6

Data about the workers’ instructions (3)

2a. Who are the providers of this instruction and information within the company?

  * specialised service (PL, UK, I/Modena)

* Prevention and Protection Service (I/Brescia)

* employer’s prevention adviser 1 (B)

Data about the workers’ instructions (4)

2b. Who are the providers of this instruction and information outside the company?

governmental institutions 9

SF: FIOH

PL: Labor Inspection, Sanitary Inspection

UK: Government agencies (HSE, Ministries)

B: Provincial Institute of Safety (Antwerp)

Data about the workers’ instructions (5)

2b. Who are the providers of this instruction and information outside the company?trade unions 8

employers’ organisations (branches) 6

non-governmental institutions 3

professional associations 3

insurance companies 2

Data about the workers’ instructions (6)

3a. What types of health risks information are frequently given to the workers?

information on work related health risks 10

health data from clinical examinations 6

laboratory and instrumental data 4

health advice 4

Contents and types of the workers’ instructions (1)

3a. What types of health risks information are frequently given to the workers?

information and advice about work accidents and safety risks 9

general (non-work related) health information 7

Contents and types of the workers’ instructions (2)

3b. In what form this information is presented to the workers?

oral explanation 10

written forms (brochures/leaflets/posters) 10

digital / electronic forms: e-mail, websites 5

Contents and types of the workers’ instructions (3)

4. Does the OP have a formal task of providing information about health and safety risks to workers and employers?

Yes 4

No 4

No clear answer 2

Position and role of the occupational physician (1)

5. How much of his time (% or hours/month) he usually spends to this task?PL: 20 – 30 ( - 100) %

I/Brescia: 10 – 20 %

CH/Zurich: 10 – 20 %

I/Modena: 20 %

NL/Amsterdam: < 5 %

Position and role of the occupational physician (2)

Working conditions / exposure:Ergonomics/working posture/movements

Psychosocial stress

Noise

Chemicals

Shift work

Most frequent issues of workers’ risk information (1)

Specific health and safety risks:Musculo-skeletal

Mental ill health

Skin protection

Respiratory

Audiological

Long term health effects after exposition to carcinogenics and infrared radiation

Most frequent issues of workers’ risk information (2)

Improvement of health and safety behavior at work:Use of personal protective devices

First aid in workplaces

Influencing the personal risk behaviour

Rights and duties

Most frequent issues of workers’ risk information (3)

Health status and life style:Safety and health risk in general

Describing the personal risk situation

Explanation and providing a copy of clinical data

Raising the awareness of early signs and symptoms

General health surveillance

Most frequent issues of workers’ risk information (4)

6. Who is triggering the information task of the OP? 

occupational physician 7

Committee for safety and health 6

employer 5

individual worker 5

the trade unions 3

Position and role of the occupational physician (3)

7. Has the OP received aformal training for his communication task?Yes 3during his specialist training 2        during continuing education programs 0        during his in practice training within the

OHS service 2other (e.g. self learning) 0

Possible 2No 5

 

Training of the occupational physician (1)

8. Are there courses or materials available,also specifically used by OPs?

Yes 6No 2

 

 

Training of the occupational physician (2)

9a. Demands of workers* occupational risks in their job

why they have to be visitedimportance of the clinical analysisprevious health problems in their task anywhere elseimportance of protection device

and their better useimportance of the exposure for future risks

 

 

Demands for risk information & instruction (1)

9b. Demands of employers

* how to improve health prevention* the real importance of the health surveillance in their firm

* appropriateness of health surveillance* what is legally obligatory?

Demands for risk information & instruction (2)

9c. Demands of occupational physicians

* better integration between the actors* demand of more investment in tools

useful for health management * what is legally obligatory?

Demands for risk information & instruction (3)

9d. Demands of other occupational health professionals

More Power!

Demands for risk information & instruction (4)

10a. Needs of workersMore information and instruction by

employers, hierarchical line and occupational physician

Needs for risk information & instruction (1)

10b. Needs of employersOccupational health professionals (other

than OP) should be more competent 

Needs for risk information & instruction (2)

10c. Needs of occupational physicansProfessional guidelines based on

scientific evidence of the approach

Needs for risk information & instruction (3)

10d. Needs of other occupational health professionalsContinuous education

 

Needs for risk information & instruction (4)

10e. Who is making the needs assessment?

Governmental agenciesWorkers’ unionsEmployers and their unionsOccupational safety coordinators of the companiesPhysicians and OP associationsOccupational hygienistSafety engineerOrganisational psychologistAccount manager of OHS

Needs for risk information & instruction (5)

Conclusions

BACKGROUND

In all surveyed countries, there is a legalobligation to inform and instruct workers abouthealth and safety risks at work.

The employer is responsible.

Conclusions (1)

PRACTICE

In most cases, information and instruction ofworkers about health and safety risks at work isprovided by OHS professionals and companystaff.Oral instruction and printed materials are mostfrequently applied.

Conclusions (2)

TRAINING

Only 2 out of 10 respondents indicate thattraining in risk communication is a regular partof the specialist training in occupationalmedicine.

Conclusions (3)

APPRAISAL

Employers: doubts about effectiveness and competencies

Employees: risk information is perceived insufficient

Professionals: practice is not evidence-based

Conclusions (4)

ACTIONS (to be discussed)

Employers: to enable employees …

Employees: should be trained to assess and control their own health and safety risks

Professionals: to train the employees in risk assessment, evaluation & control

Conclusions (5)