Occupational safety beliefs among Latino residential roofing workers

Abstract

Future research is needed to substantiate these descriptive results and to delineate factors that are associated with safety behavior and use of PPE. Interventions, based on a lay health educator model, are needed to improve safety in this population. Safety regulations need to be evaluated and their enforcement needs to be improved.

Danger zone: Men, masculinity and occupational health and safety in high risk occupations

“…These include: (i) growth in non-standard temporary or contractual work arrangements; (ii) an increased preponderance of young males working in high-risk male dominated industries (Durey and Lower, 2004;Iacuone, 2005); (iii) production pressures (Ibanez and Narocki, 2011;Arcury et al, 2014;Lawson, 2010;Durey and Lower, 2004;Collins, 2013); (iv) fear of reprisal or job loss if unsafe work is refused (Nielson, 2012); (v) changes in workers' compensation policies and practices with resulting limitations in benefits provided to workers; and (vi) the influence of insurance mechanisms such as experience rating, on the underreporting of health and safety issues and workplace incidences (Mansfield et al, 2012). Despite the prevalence of OH&S policies and the routine use of "safe work" messaging, workers continue to report ongoing gaps between the official rhetoric of collaborative safety partnerships and actual workplace practices.…”

“…Such occupations are often characterized by economic incentives such as piecework, high wages for physically demanding and dangerous work, and competitive tendering processes (Desmond, 2006;Phakathi, 2013;Power and Baqee, 2010). This focus on productivity and profit may reinforce and institutionalize "masculinized" values that discipline workers to perform at maximum physical capacity, tolerate adverse work conditions and sacrifice their bodies, their health and their safety to "get the job done " (Arcury et al, 2014;Desmond, 2006;Phakathi, 2013;Power and Baqee, 2010). Paap provides evidence that the precarious position of construction workers in the current labour market encourages competition amongst workers, compromises adherence to health and safety policies and practices, and produces situations where, to gain favour with employers, workers perform "masculinities" in ways that privilege productivity over safety (Paap, 2006).…”

“…Temporary work can produce deleterious effects due to the enhanced exposure to uncertain and precarious working arrangements and the decreased provision and monitoring of OH&S standards (Gagliarducci, 2005;Law Commission of Ontario, 2012;Lippel et al, 2011;Virtanen et al, 2005;Gallagher and Underhill, 2012). For example, temporary workers in the construction industry are at greater risk for falls due to inadequate OH&S training, lack of use of personal protective equipment, and poor workplace health and safety management systems (Arcury et al, 2014;Dong et al, 2009). Temporary workers are also often young males assigned to the least desirable and most dangerous jobs Tucker and Turner, 2013), inexperienced, less knowledgeable about the job and unable to discern risk (McCloskey, 2008).…”

“…When interpreting observations of what we may consider masculinized behaviours it is necessary for researchers to attend to contextual specificities and the influence of other intersecting variables such as the historical context (Johnston and McIvor, 2004;Baron, 2006, class (Desmond, 2006Ramirez, 2011;Barron, 2006;Theil, 2007, age (Nielson, 2012Breslin and Mustard, 2003;Granville and Evandrou, 2010), race/ ethnicity (Arcury et al, 2014;Williams, 2003;Lippel et al, 2011;Virtanen et al, 2005), geographical location (e.g. urban/rural) (Desmond, 2006;Alston and Kent, 2008;Durey and Lower, 2004;Brandth and Haugen, 2000;Coen et al, 2013;Guthrie et al, 2009;Mitchell et al, 2002) and abilities/disabilities (Roderick, 2006;Lippel et al, 2011;Granville and Evandrou, 2010), in order to understand how masculinities may play out in local contexts.…”

“…First, the gendered segregation of occupations and the gendered division of labour within specific occupations can place men at greater risk for injury and fatality (Messing et al, 2003;Courtenay, 2000;Du Plessis et al, 2013;Ibanez and Narocki, 2011). In fact, men are overrepresented in higher risk industries such as construction, mining, fire-fighting, military, farming, fishing, and protective services (Messing et al, 2003;Ibanez and Narocki, 2011;Arcury et al, 2014;Breslin and Polzer, 2007;Desmond, 2006;Lawson, 2010;Phakathi, 2013;Power and Baqee, 2010). In addition, men and women may experience different types of occupational injuries and reasons for illness absences.…”