Occupational safety in homecare organizations: the design and implementation of a train-the-trainer program

ABSTRACT

Homecare workers face significant occupational risks, necessitating effective safety training programs. This paper presents a comprehensive Train-the-Trainer (TTT) program developed to enhance occupational safety in homecare organizations. Through an analysis of 229 reported safety events, the frequency and type of incidents, such as injuries during handling, road crashes, slips, trips, and falls, were identified and primarily attributed to human errors and violations. Based on the results, a TTT program was designed and implemented. The TTT successfully engaged Health, Safety, and Environment managers, fostering collaborative activities, knowledge sharing, and resource discussions. The program modules address critical areas, including distractions and inattentions, fatigue, time pressure, frustration and aggressiveness, and safety behaviors. This innovative approach provides valuable insights for organizations seeking to improve homecare workers’ safety. The findings add to the broader comprehension of occupational safety in the homecare sector, proposing a pragmatic framework for future interventions.

KEYWORDS:

• Workplace safety
• homecare
• communities of Practice
• training

Acknowledgments

We thank Enzo Balatti for contributing to the internal revisions of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Institutional review Board statement

The study was conducted according to the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Ethics group of the BSAFE project (protocol code 22–022 approved on 15 February 2022).

Additional information

Funding

This project has not received any external funding.