How to engage small retail businesses in workplace violence prevention: Perspectives from small businesses and influential organizations

Bruening, Rebecca; Strazza, Karen; Nocera, Maryalice; Peek‐Asa, Corinne; Casteel, Carri

doi:10.1002/ajim.22436

Cited by 5 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…The use of intermediaries has been proposed as a potentially effective way of reinforcing messages and reaching small business employers, and doing so through a trusted or at least a potentially acceptable source that a small businesses recipient might listen to. In previous work, we, and others, have described models for using intermediaries to reach SMEs (Hasle and Limborg, 2006; Hasle et al, 2011; Sinclair et al, 2013; Bruening et al, 2015; Cunningham and Sinclair 2015; Okun et al, 2017) (Fig. 2).…”

Section: Communication Channel Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Components of an Occupational Safety and Health Communication Research Strategy for Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Schulte

Cunningham

Guerin

et al. 2018

Annals of Work Exposures and Health

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The majority of the global labor force works in firms with fewer than 50 employees; firms with fewer than 250 employees make up 99% of workplaces. Even so, the lack of extensive or comprehensive research has failed to focus on occupational safety and health communication to these small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Given that the magnitude of all occupational safety and health (OSH) morbidity, mortality, and injury disproportionately occurs in businesses with fewer than 250 employees, efforts to communicate with employers to engage in preventative occupational safety and health efforts merit attention. This article provides an overview of important components that should be considered in developing an occupational safety and health (OSH) communication research strategy targeting SMEs. Such a strategy should raise awareness about the diversity and complexity of SMEs and the challenges of targeting OSH communication toward this diverse group. Companies of differing sizes (e.g. 5, 50, 500 employees) likely require differing communication approaches. Communication strategies will benefit from deconstructing the term 'small business' into smaller, more homogenous categories that might require approaches. Theory-based research assessing barriers, message content, channels, reach, reception, motivation, and intention to act serve as the foundation for developing a comprehensive research framework. Attention to this type of research by investigators is warranted and should be encouraged and supported. There would also be value in developing national and international strategies for research on communication with small businesses.

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Section: Communication Channel Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Components of an Occupational Safety and Health Communication Research Strategy for Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Schulte

Cunningham

Guerin

et al. 2018

Annals of Work Exposures and Health

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“…Insurance providers, equipment suppliers, trade associations, professional and technical associations, and government agencies were all reported as sources of safety information by more than one third of smaller business respondents. The need to channel OSH assistance diffusion efforts through intermediary organizations (organizations that are already well-connected to small business networks) has been well-documented in the OSH literature as a promising approach to improving OSH among small firms [Hasle et al, 2009; Olsen et al, 2012; Sinclair et al, 2013; Cunningham and Sinclair, 2015; Bruening et al, 2015]. As suggested by the survey data reported here certain organizational membership organizations (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Differences in safety training among smaller and larger construction firms with non-native workers: Evidence of overlapping vulnerabilities

et al. 2018

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Collaborative efforts between the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) led to a report focusing on overlapping occupational vulnerabilities, specifically small construction businesses employing young, non-native workers. Following the report, an online survey was conducted by ASSE with construction business representatives focusing on training experiences of non-native workers. Results were grouped by business size (50 or fewer employees or more than 50 employees). Smaller businesses were less likely to employ a supervisor who speaks the same language as immigrant workers (p < .001). Non-native workers in small businesses received fewer hours of both initial safety training (p = .005) and monthly ongoing safety training (p = .042). Immigrant workers in smaller businesses were less likely to receive every type of safety training identified in the survey (including pre-work safety orientation [p < .001], job-specific training [p < .001], OSHA 10-hour training [p = .001], and federal/state required training [p < .001]). The results highlight some of the challenges a vulnerable worker population faces in a small business, and can be used to better focus intervention efforts. Among businesses represented in this sample, there are deflcits in the amount, frequency, and format of workplace safety and health training provided to non-native workers in smaller construction businesses compared to those in larger businesses. The types of training conducted for non-native workers in small business were less likely to take into account the language and literacy issues faced by these workers. The findings suggest the need for a targeted approach in providing occupational safety and health training to non-native workers employed by smaller construction businesses.

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“…The difference in results between the website visits and interviews suggests that there are other significant barriers aside from awareness of the availability of information that prevent small business owners from actively seeking OSH information. Although the specific barriers for the recipients of the postcards are currently unknown, literature on OSH in small businesses suggests that factors such as lack of resources and production pressures are often encountered in small businesses (Bruening et al, 2015; Olsen et al, 2012; Brosseau and Li, 2005; Parker et al, 2012; Masi and Cagno, 2015). Additional barriers may be that small businesses would prefer receiving safety information in a method other than an online source, or simply would prefer an easier way to reach online safety information, such as a barcode which could be scanned by a mobile device.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Given that outreach to small businesses is difficult, especially when they are not members of a trade association or larger organization, it has been suggested that partnerships with influential individuals or groups can aid diffusion of OSH information (Bruening et al, 2015; Hasle and Limborg, 2006; Sinclair et al, 2013). Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) developed a diffusion model for small businesses in which an initiating organization (often a governmental public health/safety organization) works with an intermediary organization to transmit OSH information to small businesses (Sinclair et al, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Firefighters as distributors of workplace safety and health information to small businesses

Keller

Cunningham

2016

Safety Science

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Background Small businesses bear a large burden of injury and death, and are difficult to reach with occupational safety and health (OSH) information. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) developed a pilot study testing the feasibility of fire departments disseminating OSH information to small businesses during fire inspections. Methods Two sets of postcards were developed with unique, trackable URLs for the NIOSH Small Business Resource Guide. One set was distributed by firefighters, the other was mailed to small businesses. Participating inspectors were met with to discuss their experience. Results Neither distribution method resulted in a substantial number of site visits. Inspectors believed distributing postcards was an easy addition to their duties, and saw value in safety information. Conclusions There are barriers beyond awareness of availability that prevent small business owners from seeking OSH information. Research should focus on identifying barriers and developing better OSH information diffusion mechanisms.

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How to engage small retail businesses in workplace violence prevention: Perspectives from small businesses and influential organizations

Abstract: Dissemination of WVPPs to small businesses may require models inclusive of influential individuals (e.g., respected business owners) as intermediaries to reach small businesses with few formal connections.

Cited by 5 publications

References 18 publications

Components of an Occupational Safety and Health Communication Research Strategy for Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Components of an Occupational Safety and Health Communication Research Strategy for Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises

Differences in safety training among smaller and larger construction firms with non-native workers: Evidence of overlapping vulnerabilities

Firefighters as distributors of workplace safety and health information to small businesses

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