Teaching practice in safety education: qualitative evidence

The role of high schools in introductory occupational safety education – Teacher perspectives on effectiveness

“…It has been suggested, here and elsewhere (Linker et al, 2005;Shearn, 2006) , that high-quality, readyto-use lesson plans, rather than the more general guidance and expectations outlined in curriculum documents, are likely to be well received by time-poor teachers.…”

“…However, many other teachers supported a more contextual approach as a better way to engage students and prepare them for future work situations. It has also been argued that simply imparting safety knowledge is unlikely to lead to behavior change; changing beliefs and attitudes is crucial (Blair et al, 2004;Shearn, 2006). In addition, Chin et al (2010) highlighted a need to promote selfadvocacy skills, to put safety knowledge into practice.…”

“…Teachers who used video material were more than three times as likely ( Table 2) to report that students gained significant knowledge, suggesting that this mode of delivery may be appropriate for delivering the ''information'' component. In a UK study, teachers identified a number of benefits of using videos, including their potential to raise awareness, to act as a catalyst for group discussion, and to provide graphic illustration, while highlighting a need for the presentation to be ageappropriate and culturally up-to-date in order to gain students' acceptance (Shearn, 2006). In the questionnaire survey, almost one-third of teachers indicated that students respond negatively to occupational safety education, the most common descriptions attributed to students being ''boring'', ''dull'' or ''dry''.…”

“…While providing an opportunity for participation and engagement among students with work experience, this teaching method would also allow students who are not yet in the workforce to learn from others' experiences. Furthermore, Shearn (2006) suggests that group discussion about safety issues can contribute to the development of skills such as weighing up evidence, recognizing available choices, appraising alternatives and making decisions and communication.…”

The Prospects for Greater Enforcement of Teen Employment Laws in Alberta, Canada. “Politically, how do you make it relevant? […] Kill more young people!”

“…There is weak but conflicting evidence that education reduces workplace injuries (D'Arcy et al, 2011;Tullar et al, 2010;Waehrer and Miller, 2009;Bell and Grushecky, 2006;Burke et al, 2005;Dong et al, 2004;Kinn et al, 2000). Large numbers of new and young workers do not receive health and safety training (Smith and Mustard, 2007;Breslin et al, 2003) and the training they do receive focuses on imparting knowledge rather than developing self-advocacy skills (Chin et al, 2010;Shearn, 2006;Blair et al, 2004). Laberge et al (2014) note that OHS training for young workers often ignores how the context in which the OHS instruction takes place differs from the context in which work occurs, including the conflict between work demands and safety rules.…”