Ergonomie, formation et transformation des milieux de travail : introduction. Un article de la revue Relations industrielles / Industrial Relations (Ergonomie, formation et transformation des milieux de travail) diffusée par la plateforme Érudit.
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, this relation is not linear or 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. The observed OHS regulatory modes 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 a encounter between employer and employees on the subject of occupational health and safety. This encounter 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.
This article aims to analyse the integration of sex and gender (s/g) by ergonomics students during their internship at the master's degree level, following training sessions on s/g issues in the workplace. This exploratory research used a descriptive mixed-methods design, encompassing evaluation of students' intention to use the content from the training (n = 13 students), and a multiple case study (n = 5 ergonomics interventions). The results show that while students found the training relevant, they only minimally integrated s/g in their interventions and when they did, it was primarily from an anthropometric and physiological perspective. In addition to discussing the training format limitations, the article discusses barriers to this integration: combining learning about s/g issues with learning about activity analysis is challenging; employers' and workers' organisations may be reluctant to approach s/g issues; and it is difficult for an ergonomist to integrate these issues when the employer's request does not specify it.Practitioner summary: This article aims to analyse the integration of s/g by ergonomics students during their internships. Findings show that they only minimally considered s/g. The discussion examines s/g training, organisational obstacles to inclusion of s/g during interventions, and how ergonomists can consider s/g in their practice.
In this paper, we use a project management approach as a basis for describing the process of implementing changes as part of a musculo-skeletal disorder (MSD) prevention program in two primary aluminium processing plants. In this participatory program, seven Ergo groups produced nine diagnoses, leading to 40 change implementation projects, 23 of which were subsequently carried out over a period of 18 months. A qualitative analysis based on several data sources, including the personal logs of four ergonomists responsible for monitoring the Ergo groups, led to the identification of the following variables: scope, sector, project ownership and project management It also showed how these variables influenced project outcomes. A number of elements are proposed for consideration when preparing and implementing this type of program.
Cet article traite d'interventions d'ergonomie participative réalisées par trois chercheurs dans différents milieux. En introduction, l'article situe l'approche développée par rapport à la littérature dans le domaine. Un bilan est ensuite présenté des principales composantes de notre démarche. Les grandes caractéristiques de l'approche sont d'abord décrites puis les structures de participation, comme les groupes Ergo, sont ensuite expliquées. La place faite aux travailleurs de l'entreprise est discutée et les éléments de la formation donnée sont présentés. Les actions réalisées sur les situations de travail sont détaillées ; celles-ci vont du choix des postes à risque jusqu'à l'implantation et le suivi des solutions. Un tableau présente les caractéristiques des milieux étudiés et trace le bilan des interventions réalisées sur 38 situations de travail. On constate que les transformations touchent souvent l'aménagement du poste, les équipements et outils et, plus rarement, l'organisation du travail. La discussion vise à partager des réflexions inspirées par notre pratique et à ouvrir des avenues de recherche. Cinq thèmes sont abordés : l'influence du contexte organisationnel et social sur la démarche participative ; les processus en jeu au sein des groupes Ergo ; la qualité des analyses réalisées par les participants ; la place des facteurs organisationnels et psychosociaux dans la démarche participative ; et finalement, les questions liées à l'évaluation de cette démarche. En guise de conclusion nous rappelons les points forts et les limites de l'approche et proposons des pistes de recherche.
This paper presents the results of an implementation evaluation for a participatory ergonomics project, in two plants run by a company involved in primary aluminium processing. The logbooks kept by the ergonomists, together with observations of project meetings and post-intervention interviews with Ergo group members, were the basic materials used in analyzing the implementation. The analysis includes a comparison between the projected and actual outcomes of the project, examines the contextual factors that explain the gaps observed, and questions the principles underlying the intervention. The results point to the need for ergonomists to have a dynamic vision of implementation evaluations, which will allow them to adjust and refine their intervention theory.
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