“Don't ask, don't tell” could be the motto for employees in paint manufacturing and related industries, when it comes to seeking safety information and voicing concerns, a new study in Risk Analysis reports.
The report, “Workers Perception of Chemical Risks: A Focus Group Study” notes paint workers are resigned to silence regarding the daily chemical risks they face; due to the fact managers ignore their input when developing safety programs. (WCxKit)
Just as bad, workers rarely ask managers for safety information because they fear—sometimes correctly—being punished or looking incompetent.
“Workers perceptions with respect to health and safety at work are rarely taken into account when considering the development of prevention programs,” report the authors, a group of Belgian public health researchers.
Although workers “are concerned about the long-term health consequences” of their jobs and “perceive the threat of chemical risks as high,” the researchers report, “they are resigned to accepting the risks.”
The study, conducted with Belgium’s External Occupational Health Services, is based on detailed questioning of seven focus groups of blue-collar workers. The participants face daily chemical exposure risks in their work for large and medium-sized paint production plants, as well as plants that make cleaning agents and surfactants.
The findings raise several red flags regarding safety.
Millions of workers in coatings and related industries are exposed to chemicals daily and thus play critical roles in safety decisions and practices, the study says. Yet, “[workers’] perceptions of chemical risks at work are rarely taken into account while considering the development of workplace prevention programs.”
In many workplaces, when workers do not use personal protective equipment or take other appropriate safety measures, “the management is prone to interpret this as a lack of discipline and to rely on sanctions to change the behavior of individuals.”
This leads to distrust of managers and unwillingness to ask questions or raise issues, the authors said.
They recommend that management address safety by first understanding “why people behave the way they do.” For example, are workers noncompliant because they do not know the rules, do not have the proper equipment, do not understand the risks, or another reason?
“After all,” they note, “understanding how workers perceive risks may have important implications—not only for their health and safety, but also for the development of strategies for health protection and safety at the workplace.” (WCxKit)
The researchers state a number of repeated themes among workers, including misperceptions of hazards, lack of information, acceptance of risks, and distrust of safety and management personnel. These themes have been confirmed a number of times in other studies of workplace safety, they add.
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risks Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers Compensation costs, including airlines, healthcare, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. See www.LowerWC.com for more information. Contact:[email protected] or 860-553-6604.
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