First-aid preparedness in small workplaces with special reference to occupational health services.

First-aid preparedness was surveyed in 163 small firms employing 2,400 persons. Although 11% of the employees had received first-aid training, half of the firms lacked first-aiders. Only one-fourth of the first-aid kits were equipped according to instructions. Checking and maintenance of the equipment, as well as information about first aid at the place of work, were generally inadequate. Instructions were commonly lacking for the safe use of chemical substances. Only 9% of the firms fully complied with the requirements for optimum first-aid preparedness. Employers at small firms seem not to be sufficiently aware of their liabilities with regard to first aid. Yet, most of the faults and defects could be corrected by means of arrangements within the firms once the instructions were better known. During their visits to places of work occupational health personnel should inspect the first-aid preparedness and advise the employer on first-aid requirements. In addition the expertise of the insurance company, the local Red Cross or the regional institute of occupational health may be utilized.

Personnel facilities in small workplaces with special reference to occupational health services.

The personnel facilities of small workplaces generally complied with the requirements. Yet, defects were detected in 20% of the 163 firms surveyed. Most of the faults were insignificant from the point of view of health. The failures were due to the fact that the facilities had not originally been planned for their present purpose. The need for the inspection of sanitary installations such as toilets and washrooms and facilities for storing and drying clothes was noted in dirty jobs and in places of work with toxicologic hazards. The management of small firms rarely needs medical advice on sanitary, catering and welfare amenities.

Need for job-related health counseling in small workplaces.

Health counseling aimed at maintaining health and safety on the job is required in most small workplaces. From a labor protection point of view, the most important advice deals with environmental hazards such as protection against physical and chemical factors, ergonomic problems, and safety risks. Information provided by the employers was considered insufficient in three-fourths of the 163 firms surveyed in this study. The staff providing local occupational health services could perform two broad types of counseling. First, they could educate management as to its responsibilities for the health and safety of employees; health personnel can instruct management during their workplace visits. Second, during health examinations and other personal contacts, the worker can be advised about ways to improve or maintain his health. Moreover, such occasions also provide an opportunity for more extensive health counseling about personal, social emotional, and other problems although, in municipal health centers, these subjects belong within the scope of public health rather than occupational health.

Need for protective clothing and equipment in small workplaces.

Some kind of protective clothing and personal safety items was needed in 90% of the 163 workplaces surveyed. Protective clothing was used in 31%, ear protectors in 28%, eye protectors in 22%, respiratory tract protectors in 18% and other safety items in 1% of the firms. Gloves were the most commonly used type of protective clothing. Protection against risks was proper in one-fourth of the firms, satisfactory in half, and poor or lacking in the rest. Ninety-five percent of the protectors available were appropriate, but only in a few companies were they properly cared for. Seven (12%) industrial firms, 15 (20%) service establishments and 1 (7%) other firm lacked proper protective clothing or safety items. Faults were generally attributed to insufficient knowledge or negligence of responsibilities on the part of the employers. Management should provide more appropriate instruction for workers in the use and, particularly, the maintenance of personal protectors. To be effective, the inspection of the appropriateness of the protectors requires suitable training. This training should also be received by the staff providing occupational health services. Visits to workplaces, as well as health examinations, provide an opportunity to discuss protection and to advise employers and employees on protection. The problems of protection against harmful exposures is closely connected with health counseling. Yet, the provision of proper protectors and the supervision of their use is still the responsibility of the employer.