Occupational safety and health professionals' training in Italy

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the evaluation of a training course on chemicals for occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals. The study aims were to assess the effectiveness of the course; to find out what type of training met these workers' needs best, as their role is vital in the management of safety at work; and to test a qualitative assessment method using T‐LAB software for content analysis. Design/methodology/approach Together with traditional methods for assessing reactions and learning, a qualitative method based on interviews was used, whose content was then analyzed with software for content and text analysis (T‐LAB). The interviews were designed to bring to light critical points, training needs and the participants' expectations of this course. Findings The questionnaires on appreciation and learning indicated that on the whole the course was appreciated and the information provided had been learned and remembered adequately. However, qualitative evaluation brought to light some specific problems: participants' main difficulty was the practical application of what they had learned. They therefore asked primarily for technical and regulatory information, particularly guidelines and procedures, but also for training in the more complex managerial and organizational skills. Originality/value Qualitative methods and tools can show up better and in more detail training needs, critical points and problems that can easily be overlooked if not specifically sought. The method proposed for qualitative assessment using content analysis software gives effective, methodologically valid feedback even on small samples; it serves for assessing aspects such as the transferability and applicability of what has been learned, and its impact on work and behavior and on organization.

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