Assessing Differences in Attitudes toward Occupational Safety and Health Measures for Infection Control between Office and Assembly Line Employees during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Baseline Data from a Repeated Employee Survey

Jana Soeder (), Anna T. Neunhöffer, Anke Wagner, Christine Preiser, Benjamin Rebholz, Diego Montano, Norbert Schmitz, Johanna Kauderer, Falko Papenfuss, Antje Klink, Karina Alsyte, Monika A. Rieger and Esther Rind
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Jana Soeder: Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Services Research, University Hospital Tübingen, University Tübingen, Wilhelmstraße 27, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
Anna T. Neunhöffer: Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Services Research, University Hospital Tübingen, University Tübingen, Wilhelmstraße 27, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
Anke Wagner: Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Services Research, University Hospital Tübingen, University Tübingen, Wilhelmstraße 27, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
Christine Preiser: Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Services Research, University Hospital Tübingen, University Tübingen, Wilhelmstraße 27, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
Benjamin Rebholz: Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Services Research, University Hospital Tübingen, University Tübingen, Wilhelmstraße 27, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
Diego Montano: Department of Population-Based Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, University Hospital Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Straße 9, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
Norbert Schmitz: Department of Population-Based Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, University Hospital Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Straße 9, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
Johanna Kauderer: Medical Services, Robert Bosch GmbH, P.O. Box 10 60 50, 70049 Stuttgart, Germany
Falko Papenfuss: Medical Services, Robert Bosch GmbH, P.O. Box 10 60 50, 70049 Stuttgart, Germany
Antje Klink: Medical Services, Robert Bosch GmbH, P.O. Box 10 60 50, 70049 Stuttgart, Germany
Karina Alsyte: Medical Services, Robert Bosch GmbH, P.O. Box 10 60 50, 70049 Stuttgart, Germany
Monika A. Rieger: Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Services Research, University Hospital Tübingen, University Tübingen, Wilhelmstraße 27, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
Esther Rind: Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine and Health Services Research, University Hospital Tübingen, University Tübingen, Wilhelmstraße 27, 72074 Tübingen, Germany

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 20, issue 1, 1-18

Abstract: In our study, we investigated possible differences across occupational groups regarding employees’ perceived work-related risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2, attitudes toward technical, organisational, and personal occupational safety and health (OSH) measures for infection control, and factors associated with this attitude. We analysed baseline data (10 August to 25 October 2020) from a repeated standardised online survey distributed at a worldwide leading global supplier of technology and services in Germany. 2144 employees (32.4% women; age (mean ± SD): 44 ± 11 years) who worked predominantly remotely ( n = 358), at an on-site office ( n = 1451), and assembly line/manufacturing ( n = 335) were included. The work-related SARS-CoV-2 risk of infection differed between office employees working remotely and on-site (mean ± SD = 2.9 ± 1.5 vs. 3.2 ± 1.5; Mann-Whitney-U-Test: W = 283,346; p < 0.002; ε 2 = 0.01) and between on-site office and assembly line/manufacturing employees (3.8 ± 1.7; W = 289,174; p < 0.001; ε 2 = 0.02). Attitude scores toward technical OSH-measures differed between remote and on-site office (4.3 ± 0.5 vs. 4.1 ± 0.6; W = 216,787; p < 0.001; ε 2 = 0.01), and between on-site office and assembly line/manufacturing employees (3.6 ± 0.9; W = 149,881; p < 0.001; ε 2 = 0.07). Findings were similar for organisational and personal measures. Affective risk perception, COVID-19-specific resilience, and information about COVID-19-related risks were associated with the employees’ attitudes. To promote positive attitudes, it seems to be important to consider occupational-group-specific context factors when implementing OSH-measures for infection control.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; workforce; occupational safety and health; workplace health; infection control measures; occupational SARS-CoV-2 risk of infection; baseline data; working conditions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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