Company Representatives’ Experiences of Occupational Health Surveillance for Workers Exposed to Hand-Intensive Work: A Qualitative Study

Kristina Eliasson, Gunilla Dahlgren, Therese Hellman, Charlotte Lewis, Peter Palm, Magnus Svartengren and Teresia Nyman
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Kristina Eliasson: Department of Medical Sciences, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala University Hospital, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
Gunilla Dahlgren: Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Section of Sustainable Health, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
Therese Hellman: Department of Medical Sciences, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala University Hospital, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
Charlotte Lewis: Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Section of Sustainable Health, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
Peter Palm: Department of Medical Sciences, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala University Hospital, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
Magnus Svartengren: Department of Medical Sciences, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala University Hospital, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
Teresia Nyman: Department of Medical Sciences, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Uppsala University, Uppsala University Hospital, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 4, 1-18

Abstract: Exposure assessment seldom precedes the medical health checks in occupational health surveillance. In order to emphasize the interconnection between exposure assessment and medical health checks, a process model was developed. The process model aimed to guide employers and Occupational Health Service providers through the execution of occupational health surveillance. The objective of this qualitative study is to explore company representatives’ experiences of the process model, in terms of feasibility and values, and to identify factors that facilitate or impede the process. Thirty-three company representatives from ten companies were interviewed. Interviews were analyzed using content analysis. The company representatives experienced that the model contributed to increased risk awareness and understanding of the exposure effects on workers’ health. They valued the exposure assessments performed by an ergonomics expert, which led to the discovery of previously unidentified risks. The feasibility was facilitated by: a joint start-up meeting in which the process was planned, clear communication between the involved parties, and clarity regarding the process ownership. The findings reveal that a guiding process model is valuable for the execution of occupational health surveillance. However, the model should not only define the components included; a practical guide concerning how the process can be executed is also needed.

Keywords: ergonomics; legislation; musculoskeletal disorders; medical health checks; qualitative research; risk assessment; work environment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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