Protective action in the workplace in the time of COVID-19: The role of worker representation.

BACKGROUND: This study addresses the contribution of worker representation to health and safety in the pandemic context. To do so, we examine whether the self-reported presence of representatives in workplaces is associated with the implementation of anti-COVID-19 protective action and with which type of measures their existence is most strongly associated (individual, collective or organizational). The article also explores how the presence of worker representatives and anti-COVID-19 protective measures are distributed according to workers' socio-professional characteristics and company features. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study based on an online survey conducted in Spain (n = 19,452 workers). Multiple Correspondence Analysis was used for the multivariate description while the association between worker representation and protective measures was assessed by robust Poisson regressions. RESULTS: The maps resulting from the Multiple Correspondence Analysis allow for the identification of patterns of inequalities in protection, with a clear occupational social class divide. The regression models show that protective measures are applied more frequently where worker representatives exist, this association being particularly strong in relation to organizational measures. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of worker representation is systematically associated with a greater presence of protective measures, which could have implications for the reduction of social inequalities resulting from labor-management practices.

The Role of the Unitary Prevention Delegates in the Participative Management of Occupational Risk Prevention and Its Impact on Occupational Accidents in the Spanish Working Environment.

The aim of this research was to study the impact of the unitary prevention delegates (UPDs) on the Spanish working environment. To this end, a cross-sectional study was carried out using microdata from the National Survey on Health and Safety Management in Companies (ENGE-2009) with a sample of 5147 work centres. To measure the relationship between the presence of UPD in workplaces with preventive management indicators and damage to health, individual and multiple logistic regression models were carried out, calculating the crude (cOR) and adjusted (aOR) odds ratios by sociodemographic covariates, with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Ambivalent results were obtained. On the one hand, a positive impact of the UPDs was found, in the management of prevention showing a higher probability of prevention plans being carried out (aOR = 3.97; 95% CI: 3.26-4.83), risk assessments (aOR = 5.96; 95% CI: 4.44-8.01) and preventive actions were planned (aOR = 3.01; 95% CI: 2.55-3.56), as well as 1.56 times less likely to register minor occupational accidents (aOR = 0.64; 95% CI: 0.53-0.76). On the other hand, the presence of the UPDs did not promote the activation of a participatory culture and did not reduce the probability of suffering serious and fatal accidents at work. In conclusion, UPDs need to activate workers' participation to improve results.

The Impact of the Direct Participation of Workers on the Rates of Absenteeism in the Spanish Labor Environment.

The aim of this research was to study the relationship between the different levels of direct participation of workers (passive, consultative or active-delegated) in risk prevention management with the levels of absenteeism in Spain. To this end, a transversal study was carried out using microdata from the Second European Survey of Companies on New and Emerging Risks (ESENER-2-Spain, 2014) with a master population of 3162 work centres. A multinomial logistic regression model was carried out, with the dependent variable being the levels of absenteeism and the independent variables, the participation indicators and preventive management, calculating the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) between all the independent and control variables, with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% IC). The results obtained showed how the active-delegative participation of workers in the design and adoption of psychosocial risk prevention measures reported 2.33 less probabilities of having a very high or fairly high level of absenteeism (aOR = 0.43; 95%IC:0.27-0.69). However, having documented aspects of preventive management (plan, risk assessment, planning measures) did not have any impact on absenteeism levels, which shows that we can fall into an unrealistic institutional mirage of security with active policies of co-education or co-management being necessary to reduce absenteeism.

Integración de la salud laboral con medios propios como mecanismo de participación y activación cultural / Integration of in-house occupational health as a mechanism for cultural activation and participation

El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar la relación entre los distintos sistemas de integración de la salud y seguridad laboral (SSL) y la participación los agentes sociales. Utilizando la Encuesta Nacional de Gestión de Riesgos Laborales en las Empresas de 2014 (n=3.162) se comparan los niveles de participación (pasiva, activa y prospectiva) según el sistema de integración de la SSL (medios propios, ajenos o combinados), estimando las odds ratio (OR) y los intervalos de confianza del 95% (IC95%) mediante regresiones logísticas crudas y ajustadas. Los resultados obtenidos muestran como la gestión con medios propios y combinados presenta mayor prevalencia de participación activa tanto en los debates de personal (ORa=1,78; 1,08-2,94 y 2,07; 1,21-3,53, respectivamente) como en las reuniones de SSL (2,09; 1,19-3,68 y 1,85; 1,03-3,22). Sin embargo, España es el segundo país de la Unión Europea con mayor índice de externalización, suponiendo una barrera para la activación de la cultura preventiva

We evaluated the relationship between different occupational health and safety (OHS) integration systems and the participation of social agents. Using the 2014 National Survey on Labor Risk Management in Companies (n=3.162), we compared levels of participation (passive, active and prospective) by type of OHS integration system (in-house, third-party or a combination of the two), estimating the odds ratio and the 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) using crude (OR) and adjusted (aOR) logistic regression. Results showed that inhouse and combined OHS resources were associated with a greater prevalence of active participation both in employee discussions(aOR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.08-2.94 and aOR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.21-3.53, respectively) and in OHS meetings (aOR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.19-3.68 and aOR = 1.85, 95% C( = 1.03-3.22). Nevertheless, Spain is the second country in the European Union with the highest outsourcing index, which constitutes a barrier to the promotion of a preventive culture

[Integration of in-house occupational health with own resources as a mechanism of for cultural activation and participation and cultural activation]. / Integración de la salud laboral con medios propios como mecanismo de participación y activación cultural.

We evaluated the relationship between different occupational health and safety (OHS) integration systems and the participation of social agents. Using the 2014 National Survey on Labor Risk Management in Companies (n=3.162), we compared levels of participation (passive, active and prospective) by type of OHS integration system (in-house, third-party or a combination of the two), estimating the odds ratio and the 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) using crude (OR) and adjusted (aOR) logistic regression. Results showed that inhouse and combined OHS resources were associated with a greater prevalence of active participation both in employee discussions(aOR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.08-2.94 and aOR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.21-3.53, respectively) and in OHS meetings (aOR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.19-3.68 and aOR = 1.85, 95% C( = 1.03-3.22). Nevertheless, Spain is the second country in the European Union with the highest outsourcing index, which constitutes a barrier to the promotion of a preventive culture. KEY WORDS: Participation; preventive culture; integrated management; occupational health; public policies.

El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar la relación entre los distintos sistemas de integración de la salud y seguridad laboral (SSL) y la participación los agentes sociales. Utilizando la Encuesta Nacional de Gestión de Riesgos Laborales en las Empresas de 2014 (n=3.162) se comparan los niveles de participación (pasiva, activa y prospectiva) según el sistema de integración de la SSL (medios propios, ajenos o combinados), estimando las odds ratio (OR) y los intervalos de confianza del 95% (IC95%) mediante regresiones logísticas crudas y ajustadas. Los resultados obtenidos muestran como la gestión con medios propios y combinados presenta mayor prevalencia de participación activa tanto en los debates de personal (ORa=1,78; 1,08-2,94 y 2,07; 1,21-3,53, respectivamente) como en las reuniones de SSL (2,09; 1,19-3,68 y 1,85; 1,03-3,22). Sin embargo, España es el segundo país de la Unión Europea con mayor índice de externalización, suponiendo una barrera para la activación de la cultura preventiva.