Abstract
Background: The interaction between workers and safety representatives (SRs), a factor that determines SRs' effectiveness, is an unexplored issue within occupational health research. Methods: We undertook a qualitative exploratory interpretative-descriptive study by means of semi-structured interviews with SRs from Barcelona (Spain) to analyze the SRs' perspective on the interaction with workers and its determinants Results: SRs' interaction with workers is mainly limited to information processes and to identifying occupational hazards. Prominent factors determining this interaction are associated with the way SRs understand and carry out their role, the firm sector and size, and workers' fear of dismissal, exacerbated by changes in the labor market and the current economic crisis. Conclusions: Interaction with workers is influenced by a more prevalent technical-legal view of the SRs' role and by unequal power relations between workers and management. Poor interaction with workers might lead to decreasing SRs' effectiveness.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 338-350 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | American Journal of Industrial Medicine |
| Volume | 57 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 Mar 1 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Cite this
Safety representatives' views on their interaction with workers in a context of unequal power relations : An exploratory qualitative study in Barcelona (Spain). / Ollé-Espluga, Laia; Menéndez-Fuster, María; Muntaner, Carles; Benach, Joan; Vergara-Duarte, Montse; Vázquez, María Luisa.
In: American Journal of Industrial Medicine, Vol. 57, No. 3, 01.03.2014, p. 338-350.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Safety representatives' views on their interaction with workers in a context of unequal power relations
T2 - An exploratory qualitative study in Barcelona (Spain)
AU - Ollé-Espluga, Laia
AU - Menéndez-Fuster, María
AU - Muntaner, Carles
AU - Benach, Joan
AU - Vergara-Duarte, Montse
AU - Vázquez, María Luisa
PY - 2014/3/1
Y1 - 2014/3/1
N2 - Background: The interaction between workers and safety representatives (SRs), a factor that determines SRs' effectiveness, is an unexplored issue within occupational health research. Methods: We undertook a qualitative exploratory interpretative-descriptive study by means of semi-structured interviews with SRs from Barcelona (Spain) to analyze the SRs' perspective on the interaction with workers and its determinants Results: SRs' interaction with workers is mainly limited to information processes and to identifying occupational hazards. Prominent factors determining this interaction are associated with the way SRs understand and carry out their role, the firm sector and size, and workers' fear of dismissal, exacerbated by changes in the labor market and the current economic crisis. Conclusions: Interaction with workers is influenced by a more prevalent technical-legal view of the SRs' role and by unequal power relations between workers and management. Poor interaction with workers might lead to decreasing SRs' effectiveness.
AB - Background: The interaction between workers and safety representatives (SRs), a factor that determines SRs' effectiveness, is an unexplored issue within occupational health research. Methods: We undertook a qualitative exploratory interpretative-descriptive study by means of semi-structured interviews with SRs from Barcelona (Spain) to analyze the SRs' perspective on the interaction with workers and its determinants Results: SRs' interaction with workers is mainly limited to information processes and to identifying occupational hazards. Prominent factors determining this interaction are associated with the way SRs understand and carry out their role, the firm sector and size, and workers' fear of dismissal, exacerbated by changes in the labor market and the current economic crisis. Conclusions: Interaction with workers is influenced by a more prevalent technical-legal view of the SRs' role and by unequal power relations between workers and management. Poor interaction with workers might lead to decreasing SRs' effectiveness.
KW - Interaction
KW - Occupational health
KW - Qualitative study
KW - Safety representatives
KW - Spain
KW - Unions
KW - Workers
KW - Workers' participation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84895900560&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84895900560&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/ajim.22220
DO - 10.1002/ajim.22220
M3 - Article
C2 - 23818054
AN - SCOPUS:84895900560
VL - 57
SP - 338
EP - 350
JO - American Journal of Industrial Medicine
JF - American Journal of Industrial Medicine
SN - 0271-3586
IS - 3
ER -