Work environment investments: outcomes from three cases

Abstract

Work environment investments are important in order to create a healthy and safe workplace. This article presents findings from a seven-step interventions process aimed at examining and following-up work environment investments in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with a particular focus on air contaminants. Three different cases were analyzed and included in the study: (a) an educational center for welding; (b) a paint station in furniture manufacturing; (c) a joinery in furniture manufacturing. The results show that the work environment investments were highly appreciated by the employees and managers, but at the same time the investment could be optimized through markedly decreased exposure levels for the worker. Factors such as follow-ups of the investment, education and training in how to use the equipment, worker involvement in the process and leadership engagement are important in order to optimize work environment investments.

Keywords:

• efficiency
• follow-up
• intervention
• occupational safety and health
• occupational hygiene

Acknowledgements

The authors of this study would like to acknowledge Professor Gunnar Rosén for idea generation and participation, and Carl-Olof Bernsand for collaborating in the empirical field work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Alexis Rydell http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9476-1561

Ing-Marie Andersson http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5953-2165

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by AFA Insurance [grant number 1402031].