Occupational Safety Climate in the Swedish Equine Sector

Animals

Cecilia Lindahl¹  Åsa Bergman Bruhn²  Ing-Marie Andersson² 

[1] Department of Agriculture and Food, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, P.O. Box 7033, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden;Work Sciences, Dalarna University, SE-79188 Falun, Sweden;

关键词: equestrian sport;    horse industry;    NOSACQ-50;    riding school;    safety climate assessment;    safety culture;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ani12040438

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The Swedish equine sector is considered a high-risk work environment, with relatively high injury rates and high severity of injuries. General safety research has identified a correlation between the safety performance and safety culture, but little is known about the intricacies of the safety culture in the Swedish equine sector, especially concerning managers’ and employees’ perceptions of their work environment. The safety climate assessment is recognised as an effective tool for identifying potential problems in the workplace, thus enhancing safety behaviour and decreasing the frequency and severity of injuries. The aim was to evaluate the safety climate at riding schools and trotting stables through the Nordic Safety Climate Questionnaire (NOSACQ-50) diagnostic tool, and to get a better understanding of the workers’ perceptions regarding safety and safety management at their workplace through complementary interviews. The results showed that the safety climate was generally positive and that employees were aware of the risks relating to their work. Riding schools commonly had routines in place for risk assessment and work environment management, but such routines were often lacking at trotting stables, indicating inadequate prioritisation of safety by the management. The main area that should be targeted to improve safety in the sector is employees’ prioritisation and non-acceptance of risks. Proactive instead of reactive safety management should be promoted, where safety is an integral part of daily work and all employees are encouraged to identify factors contributing to occupational injuries and develop strategies for injury prevention.

【 授权许可】

Unknown