Tailoring Safety Training Material to Migrant Farmworkers: An Ergonomic User-Centred Approach

Federica Caffaro, Giorgia Bagagiolo, Margherita Micheletti Cremasco, Lucia Vigoroso and Eugenio Cavallo
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Federica Caffaro: Department of Education, Roma Tre University, 00185 Rome, Italy
Giorgia Bagagiolo: Institute for Agricultural and Earthmoving Machines (IMAMOTER), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 10135 Torino, Italy
Margherita Micheletti Cremasco: Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, 10123 Torino, Italy
Lucia Vigoroso: Institute for Agricultural and Earthmoving Machines (IMAMOTER), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 10135 Torino, Italy
Eugenio Cavallo: Institute for Agricultural and Earthmoving Machines (IMAMOTER), National Research Council of Italy (CNR), 10135 Torino, Italy

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 6, 1-14

Abstract: Lectures are the most commonly used training method but may not be effective in communicating safety information among migrant workers because of language and cultural barriers. The comprehension of safety information is particularly urgent in highly hazardous sectors such as agriculture, which has a high migrant workforce rate. In this study, an ergonomic user-centred approach was adopted to develop and evaluate safety training material targeting migrants employed on Italian farms. Focus groups with both trainers and migrants were carried out to collect information on critical issues in traditional training material, the most and least comprehended topics and suggestions for training improvement. Based on the focus group analysis, the training material was developed considering several visual factors and more engaging interaction between trainers and migrant trainees. The usability of the developed material was then evaluated in a group of 20 migrant farmworkers through a questionnaire assessing the knowledge of safety information before (T0) and after (T1) the training (effectiveness), perceived effort in learning (efficiency) and user satisfaction after training. The results showed improved knowledge, low perceived effort and high satisfaction, pointing to the positive effects of active user involvement when designing targeted training materials.

Keywords: agriculture; ergonomics; migrant farmworker; occupational safety; training intervention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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