Evaluation of worker safety and health training

Background Few studies of worker training have addressed the impact on participant's health and safety behaviors and efforts to change health and safety conditions at the workplace. The present study is an evaluation of these impacts as reported by workers and managers, Methods The UAB/CLEAR program has trained over 1,000 participants since 1992, A survey was mailed to a sample of workers and all participating managers. Results The results revealed that both groups reported increasing personal safety and health behavior both contributed to emergency preparedness, and both influenced the elimination of hazardous chemicals, Managers reported greater influence on health and safety which may be explained by their relatively more powerful position. However; an impressive percentage of workers reported influencing changes. Conclusions This pattern indicates that when the environment supports joint decision making by workers and management, initiating changes becomes easier: (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.