Effects of safety and health training in metalworking small-sized enterprises

Abstract

Safety and health training is an essential tool to reduce occupational accidents and diseases. However, the method applied is critical for the effect of a training programme in Occupational Safety & Health (OSH) related outcomes. Additionally, studies about the appropriateness of OSH training methods involving small-sized enterprises are scarce. This study aims to compare the effect of two training methods when applied in metalworking small-sized enterprises: an active method, with group discussion, and an expository method, with formal exposure. The effect of these two methods was assessed at the level of risk perception (perceptions of susceptibility, severity, barriers and benefits), safety behaviour (safety compliance and safety participation) and OSH knowledge. A sample of 212 workers was divided in three groups: one experimental group and two control groups (passive and active). In order to evaluate the effect of safety and health training in the different dependent variables, a questionnaire was applied before and one month after the training sessions. The results showed that safety and health training had a positive, but limited, effect on the variables under study. Significant differences were found between both moments for perception of susceptibility and OSH knowledge. However, no significant differences between both training methods after the intervention were observed in this study.