Interventions externes en santé et en sécurité du travail Influence du contexte de l’établissement sur l’implantation de mesures préventives External Interventions in Occupational Health and Safety The Influence of the Workplace Context on the Implementation of Preventive Measures Intervenciones externas en salud y seguridad ocupacional Influencia del contexto de establecimiento en la implantación de medidas preventivas

Résumé

Un modèle d’analyse a été construit pour rendre compte de l’influence du contexte de l’établissement sur l’issue d’interventions de prévention en santé et en sécurité du travail. Il a été constitué à partir d’une étude de cas en profondeur de sept interventions réalisées par des conseillers externes. L’étude examine l’influence du degré de développement des activités en prévention avant l’intervention, qui apparaît lui-même fortement lié aux caractéristiques structurelles des établissements. Une typologie des modes de régulation sociale de la santé et de la sécurité observés au sein des milieux de travail est présentée ; ces régulations jouent également un rôle dans la mise en oeuvre des mesures préventives. L’étude met en évidence l’apport des interventions externes à la prévention en santé et en sécurité du travail, et de leur collaboration soutenue avec les milieux de travail, au cours d’interventions successives.

Summary

Various studies have shown that worker health and safety are related, among other things, to the characteristics of the organization to which workers belong, and the social interactions taking place within the organization. Our study centres on understanding what influence the context has on creating positive change, in terms of occupational health and safety prevention, resulting from external interventions.

Our theoretical framework is based on three complementary sources: the work of Dawson et al. (1988) for whom the organization’s “capacity” and “willingness” play a role in explaining the scope and limits of a regime based on the principle of self-regulation; the theory of labour market segmentation, where the influence of the structural characteristics of organizations is examined, and the research undertaken by Reynaud (1988, 1991, 1997) which focuses on the relationships between the actors in the workplace.

Seven case studies were carried out during the same number of interventions by joint occupational health and safety sector-based association advisors, in six workplaces. These workplaces varied greatly in terms of size, worker qualification levels, gender and ethnic origin, wage levels and staff turnover. The first case study began in September 1999, and the last ended in the spring of 2000. The data consisted of (non participatory) observations carried out during visits the advisors made at the workplaces (43), semi-structured interviews (50) and telephone conversations (8) with the advisors’ contacts and with those actors in a position to influence the intervention and the outcome of the proposed changes. Twenty-six interviews and 41 telephone conversations with the advisors were also analyzed, as were ten other interviews and height telephone conversations for validation purposes. In total, 186 data sources were thus analyzed. Each proposed change was recorded and its outcome documented (accepted or not, implemented or not).

Observations support the hypothesis that the structural characteristics of the workplace influence the degree to which prevention activities had been developed at the outset of the intervention, these activities being more developed in cases where the structural characteristics of the workplace match the characteristics of the primary segment of the labour market. However, in the cases studied, this relation does not seem to be determinative. Furthermore, similarity with the characteristics of the primary segment does not necessarily “guarantee” a high level of organization in prevention. Sustained cooperation between the workplace and the sector-based associations, in setting up an Occupational Health and Safety Joint Committee and establishing a structured set of prevention activities, also helped to further develop these activities. This external support appears to have a moderating effect on the trend defined by the structural characteristics. Observations suggest that prevention activities can be classified in accordance with three large structural stages of prevention. Moving from one level to the next involves a significant qualitative leap in prevention. The outcome of the change proposals was partly contingent on the magnitude of the gap between the activities already in place (and the assets available to sustain them), on the one hand, and the capacities required to put the new activities in place, on the other. The spontaneous structuring of prevention does not follow a logic based on the preventive efficiency of each measure taken, but rather that of the assets that are required. This stresses the relevance of external advice and statutory provisions aiming to organize prevention and ensure worker representation. In order to understand the context in which the interventions take place, our study also examines how, within the framework in the context defined by the structural characteristics of the workplace, the actors regulate the risks associated with the workplace, through their own actions and interactions. Social regulations observed around OHS matters in the different workplaces can be compared with each other and situated in a continuum where, at one end, they can be qualified as being “unorganized” (due to the “exit” associated with high employee turnover), and at the other end, “organized” with workers forming a collective body allowing for an expression of their “voice” in discussions with their employer on the subject of occupational health and safety. This can either be informal, between employees and supervisors, or formal, through a joint health and safety committee, negotiations between a trade union and an employer, etc. This interaction, however, does not guarantee action in the field of prevention, although the formation of a collective body by workers does seem to be an essential step. Results point to the contribution of external advice in structuring the prevention measures. Government intervention is also seen as necessary in order to ensure the organization of prevention and workers representation.

Resumen

Se ha construido un modelo de análisis para ilustrar la influencia del contexto de establecimiento en el resultado de las intervenciones de prevención en salud seguridad ocupacional. Se basa en un estudio de caso en profundidad de siete experiencias de intervención realizadas por consejeros externos. El estudio examina la influencia del nivel de desarrollo de las actividades de prevención previas a la intervención, el cual se encuentra, a su vez, fuertemente ligado a las características estructurales de los establecimientos. Se presenta una tipología de los modelos de regulación social de la salud y seguridad ocupacional observados en los medios de trabajo. Estas regulaciones juegan un rol en la implantación de las medidas preventivas. El estudio pone en evidencia la contribución de las intervenciones externas en la prevención en salud y seguridad ocupacional así como su colaboración sostenida con los respectivos medios de trabajo a lo largo de intervenciones sucesivas.