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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Susan M. Moir, MSc, University of Massachusetts Lowell, One University Ave., Lowell, MA 01854, 978-934-3258, Susan_Moir@uml.edu
Worker health and safety training is the most prevalent intervention in the work environment. Intervention means changing existing conditions and, to be effective as intervention, training must go beyond information delivery and "right-to-know" approaches and involve workers in taking action to reduce their exposure to hazards. This goal is contradictory at best and illegal under present US labor law where it conflicts with management's rights to control the workplace. A network of labor and academic health and safety educators have confronted the contradiction between training for action and management rights in dozens of popular education-based ergonomics training programs over the past decade. One program designed for construction and delivered in over 100 sessions to over 1500 construction workers used popular education methods and trained workers to recognize musculoskeletal disorders, conduct on-site ergonomic job analysis and strategize their "best arguments" for getting their job redesigns implemented. Results of analysis of qualitative data from these trainings will be presented and participants will discuss recommendations for increasing the effectiveness of training to empower workers to use what they learn to reduce hazards and organize for better working conditions.
Learning Objectives: During this session, participants will
Keywords: Training, Participatory Research
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.