Factors Influencing the Use of Control Measures to Reduce Occupational Exposure to Welding Fume in Australia: A Qualitative Study
Background: Exposure to welding fume is associated with adverse effects on worker health. The use of various control measures can reduce levels of exposure and the resulting health effects. However, little is known about the factors that may influence workers' use of control measures in the wor...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Safety and Health at Work |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2093791123000495 |
| _version_ | 1827395899430535168 |
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| author | Renee N. Carey Lin Fritschi Ha Nguyen Kamil Abdallah Timothy R. Driscoll |
| author_facet | Renee N. Carey Lin Fritschi Ha Nguyen Kamil Abdallah Timothy R. Driscoll |
| author_sort | Renee N. Carey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Exposure to welding fume is associated with adverse effects on worker health. The use of various control measures can reduce levels of exposure and the resulting health effects. However, little is known about the factors that may influence workers' use of control measures in the workplace and their perceived intervention needs. This study aimed to investigate workers' and other stakeholders' views on ways to improve the use of welding fume control measures in Australian workplaces. Methods: We conducted a series of online focus group discussions and individual interviews with participants who have some occupational involvement in welding, whether as workers, employers or industry representatives, union representatives, or regulators. A semi-structured question guide was used, and all discussions and interviews were recorded and transcribed for analysis. Results: Five focus group discussions and five individual interviews were conducted with a total of 21 participants. Three major themes emerged. The first addressed the current awareness of welding fume harms and concern about exposure; the second focussed on the current use of control measures, and barriers and facilitators to their use; and the last centred around intervention needs and the contents of a potential effective intervention. Conclusion: Improving the use of control measures to prevent exposure to welding fume requires knowledge around the barriers and facilitators of control, use, and the intervention needs of stakeholders. This study has provided such knowledge, which will facilitate the design and implementation of an intervention to reduce welding fume exposure and ultimately protect the health of workers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T18:42:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1a222f4d9fe04072ac41ec9970d0f84a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2093-7911 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T18:42:37Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Safety and Health at Work |
| spelling | doaj.art-1a222f4d9fe04072ac41ec9970d0f84a2023-12-29T04:45:08ZengElsevierSafety and Health at Work2093-79112023-12-01144384389Factors Influencing the Use of Control Measures to Reduce Occupational Exposure to Welding Fume in Australia: A Qualitative StudyRenee N. Carey0Lin Fritschi1Ha Nguyen2Kamil Abdallah3Timothy R. Driscoll4School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia; Corresponding author. School of Population Health, Curtin University Kent Street Bentley, Western Australia, 6102, Australia.School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, AustraliaCentre for Work Health and Safety, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaSydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaSydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaBackground: Exposure to welding fume is associated with adverse effects on worker health. The use of various control measures can reduce levels of exposure and the resulting health effects. However, little is known about the factors that may influence workers' use of control measures in the workplace and their perceived intervention needs. This study aimed to investigate workers' and other stakeholders' views on ways to improve the use of welding fume control measures in Australian workplaces. Methods: We conducted a series of online focus group discussions and individual interviews with participants who have some occupational involvement in welding, whether as workers, employers or industry representatives, union representatives, or regulators. A semi-structured question guide was used, and all discussions and interviews were recorded and transcribed for analysis. Results: Five focus group discussions and five individual interviews were conducted with a total of 21 participants. Three major themes emerged. The first addressed the current awareness of welding fume harms and concern about exposure; the second focussed on the current use of control measures, and barriers and facilitators to their use; and the last centred around intervention needs and the contents of a potential effective intervention. Conclusion: Improving the use of control measures to prevent exposure to welding fume requires knowledge around the barriers and facilitators of control, use, and the intervention needs of stakeholders. This study has provided such knowledge, which will facilitate the design and implementation of an intervention to reduce welding fume exposure and ultimately protect the health of workers.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2093791123000495Focus groupOccupational exposureOccupational healthQualitative researchWelding |
| spellingShingle | Renee N. Carey Lin Fritschi Ha Nguyen Kamil Abdallah Timothy R. Driscoll Factors Influencing the Use of Control Measures to Reduce Occupational Exposure to Welding Fume in Australia: A Qualitative Study Safety and Health at Work Focus group Occupational exposure Occupational health Qualitative research Welding |
| title | Factors Influencing the Use of Control Measures to Reduce Occupational Exposure to Welding Fume in Australia: A Qualitative Study |
| title_full | Factors Influencing the Use of Control Measures to Reduce Occupational Exposure to Welding Fume in Australia: A Qualitative Study |
| title_fullStr | Factors Influencing the Use of Control Measures to Reduce Occupational Exposure to Welding Fume in Australia: A Qualitative Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Factors Influencing the Use of Control Measures to Reduce Occupational Exposure to Welding Fume in Australia: A Qualitative Study |
| title_short | Factors Influencing the Use of Control Measures to Reduce Occupational Exposure to Welding Fume in Australia: A Qualitative Study |
| title_sort | factors influencing the use of control measures to reduce occupational exposure to welding fume in australia a qualitative study |
| topic | Focus group Occupational exposure Occupational health Qualitative research Welding |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2093791123000495 |
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