Falling outside the system : Occupational safety and health inspectors’ experiences of micro-enterprises in Sweden

• In this study, 11 Swedish occupational safety and health (OSH) inspectors were interviewed about their views of and experiences interacting with micro-enterprises (1-9 employees). The qualitative content analysis found one theme, “Falling outside the system”, and three subthemes, “The inspector—shaped by specific standards”, “The bureaucrat and the micro-entrepreneur—two separate worlds”, and “System faults and system changes”. According to the inspectors, the Swedish OSH regulatory system, with inspectors on the front line, neglects the specific needs, circumstances and characteristics of micro-enterprises. Therefore, we suggest revising the OSH regulatory system and following inspection methods and enforcement styles to better address the needs of micro-enterprises.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Inspection methods

Labour inspection

Micro-enterprises

OSH inspectors

Regulatory system

Inspection

Content analysis

Occupational safety and health

Occupational safety and healths (OSH)

Regulatory systems

System faults

Occupational risks

article

employee

human

inspector

neglect

occupational safety

Sweden

Psychology

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)