What pupils in vocational schools learn about risk at work

• Negative health effects because of poor work environment is more common among young workers compared to older. One explanation might be that younger ones have a low awareness of risk, a lack of safety training, and inadequate introductions to the work. A study has been made focusing on the pupils in vocational schools knowledge and experiences about potential work environment risks in their future work. Questionnaires were distributed to 239 pupils in ten Swedish upper secondary schools’ graduating classes in four vocational programs focusing on basic knowledge about health risks at work as well as the work environment legislation. The programs were the Industrial Technology Program, the Restaurant Management and Food Program, the Transport Program, and the Handicraft Program (in which students specialize in wood). The results from the questionnaires were followed up with focus group discussions. The results showed that the pupils in general had limited knowledge that employers must, by law, conduct risk analyses and prevent risks. It was common that they mentioned themselves as the main responsible to work safe and was not clear about the employers’ duty to arrange for safe work. Pupils in all programs mentioned acute risk as the biggest risk at work. It was concluded that a systematic approach to pupils’ training in work environment is lacking. The results indicates a clear gap between what knowledge the pupils are offered and what’s intended by laws as well as state-of-the-art in occupational health risk research.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap -- Arbetslivsstudier (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences -- Work Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Ungas introduktion i arbetslivet. Betydelsen av arbetsmiljöutbildning och arbetsmiljöintroduktion för goda arbetsförhållanden och säkert arbete.

Ungas introduktion i arbetslivet. Betydelsen av arbetsmiljöutbildning och arbetsmiljöintroduktion för goda arbetsförhållanden och säkert arbete.

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

kon (subject category)