Work environment investments: outcomes from three cases

Abstract

Work environment investments are important in order to create a healthy and safe workplace. This article presents findings from a seven-step interventions process aimed at examining and following-up work environment investments in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a particular focus on air contaminants. Three different cases were analyzed and included in the study: (a) an educational center for welding; (b) a paint station in furniture manufacturing; (c) a joinery in furniture manufacturing. The results show that the work environment investments were highly appreciated by the employees and managers, but at the same time the investment could be optimized through markedly decreased exposure levels for the worker. Factors such as follow-ups of the investment, education and training in how to use the equipment, worker involvement in the process and leadership engagement are important in order to optimize work environment investments.

Work environment investments: Critical elements for success in optimizing occupational health and safety effects

“…Studies have found that work environment investment can be highly optimized in terms of OHS effects [2]. This study confirms these results, but also highlights the importance of focusing on the whole investment process, which, in this study, emerged in seven critical elements.…”

“…The uniqueness of the present developed work environment investment model (critical elements) is the focus on the entire investment process for optimizing the effects, in terms of creating a safer work environment. As Rydell and Andersson [2] have shown, by following up three work environment investment cases, investments can be highly optimized through further decreasing hazards for workers. For optimizing the effects of the investments, Rydell and Andersson found that employee involvement, safety training, leadership engagement and follow-ups of the investment are important.…”

“…The managers and the employees often perceived an improvement resulting from the investment, which satisfied them, and, therefore, they did not conduct a formal evaluation. However, employees and managers subjectively perceived that improvements shown have not been enough [2], and to create a safer work environment actions need to be taken based on the results of a formal evaluation [4].…”

“…Hand/arm vibration was monitored on the handle of the tools, and noise was measured with a microphone installed in the studied room. Thereafter, the equipment, system, or work process was adjusted, in order to remeasure air containments or other physical hazards, thus enabling the researchers to evaluate changes in exposure levels between the two work practices and provide the basis for risk communication [2, 27]. The PIMEX method was shown to be an effective method for illustrating risks and for changing the behavior of employees, enabling them to work more safely [28].…”

“…The fact that these investments are well-motivated, both from the perspective of the employee, as well as company owners and society at large, is widely agreed upon. Nonetheless, recent studies have shown that great potential exists in further optimizing work environment investments in terms of decreasing hazards and improving safety outcomes in the workplace [2].…”