Problems of the Prevention Training of Workers in the Small And Medium-Sized Companies (SMSC)

ORP 2004

The present work shows the current situation of the small and medium-sized companies (SMSC) with respect to the formation of workers in Spain. The causes that make difficult its correct development are analyzed, as well as the measures that contribute to palliate this problem in small companies, mainly. The application of the formative programs must agree with the singularities of these companies that, in most cases, manage their prevention of labour risks by hiring an Outside Preventive Service (OPS). The formative activity takes this conditioner into account, planning, in our opinion, a more adapted and effective model of formation.

Palabras Clave:

Training, SMSC, Training Model

Autor principal:

Rojas Rodríguez

Coautores:

Miranda G-Cuevas

C. V.

Rojas Moreno

Rojas Rodríguez, S., Miranda G-Cuevas, T.

Escuela de Ingenierías Industriales / Avda. Elvas s/n / 06071 Badajoz, España 34924289600 / tmiranda@unex.es

Rojas Moreno, C. V.,

INPREX, SP / Ctra. Sta Marta, 17 / 06200 Almendralejo (Badajoz),España

34924677222 / inprex@telefonica.net

ABSTRACT

Key words:

Preventive formation, SMSC, model of formation

INTRODUCCION

The formation constitutes one of the basic pillars of the preventive activity. The Law of Prevention of Labour Risks (PLR) in its article 19, indicates the obligation that, in this sense, the companies have to their workers.

Nevertheless, it is stated that the social agents have not given enough importance to this activity, reason why, in our opinion, it occupies a secondary plane in the management directed to the search of a greater security in the work.

This problem worsens in the SMSC, due to their characteristics and the difficulties that these industries find in the application of the current regulation in PLR.

Our work tries to offer a vision of the present situation, analyzing the causes that make difficult the correct development of preventive actions and proposing solutions that contribute to palliate this problem, mainly in small industries.

GENERALITIES ON THE PREVENTIVE FORMATION

The cited article 19 of the law 31/95 states the general directives on the formation that must be given to the workers:

It must have theoretical and practical contents. That is to say, the worker, through the knowledge received, must know the policy of prevention of his company, his rights and obligations provided in the norms he has to apply, as well as the way to act before risks situations in the development of his tasks.

It must be sufficient and suitable. In order for the formation to be sufficient, several factors must be taken into account, such as.

Activity Accident rate

Level of formation

Senioritywhich help, in each case, to fix the contains of the most suitable formative program. On the other hand, it seems evident that the adaptation refers to the specific risks theworker is subjected to due to the tasks he developes.

The worker must be trained for well defined situations or circumstances, particularly: when the worker is hired to develope a temporary or permanent job. No distinctionwill be made between experienced and non-experienced workers in the tasks to carryout.when changes in the tasks to develop take place. In such case the possibility of risks will be considered for those workers who have not been trained.before the incorporation of new techniques or equipment, which can lead to unknown situations for the worker.

Independently of the indispensable knowledge in preventive matter, the formation must be focused on the particular job and functions of each worker, on the concretion of the risks he is subjected to and on the suitable equipment he must adopt and use for his protection.

The formative process must be cyclical (periodical) and must consider the appearance of new risks in each stage and the evolution of the existing ones.

In addition to the formation focused on the preparation of the worker to obtain a level of security in the performance of his tasks, he will be trained to give first aid to possible victims and to reach a suitable preparation that allows him to decide accurately in emergency situations.

In certain productive sectors the basic formative program is, sometimes, insufficient, reason why people in charge of the preventive management can consider suitable the teaching of more specific courses to complete the knowledge that the workers need (handling of bridge-crane, works of boilermaking, works in height, works in tension, etc).

It is remarkable the preparation that the workers on this subject are forced to have within their company, as it happens with the prevention delegates. For them, courses are held focusing on a formation that allows a worthy development of their functions.

Finally we must refer to the three formative levels provided in chapter VI of the Royal Decree 39/1997, as a part of the facet of formation in prevention of labour risks. Nevertheless, in our opinion, this formation falls outside the reach of this work, since the SMSC usually hire an OPS, not having preventive technicians on staff.

CONTENTS, STRUCTURE, SCHEDULE AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE FORMATION

The basic pillars on which the formation in preventive matter will be based are shown in Figure 1.

CONTENTS STRUCTURE

FORMATION

DEVELOPMENT

SCHEDULE

Figure 1.

To guarantee a reliable result of the formative program, the election of the contents must agree with the characteristics of the industry and workers and with the tasks they develop, structured in a suitable way and planned according to the schedule. Besides, the formative program must allow the participation of the workers.

The current legislation does not specify anything concrete on the contents of the formation to be given to the workers, reason why the credited organizations have the possibility of elaborating the formative program according to their criterion.

This fact has the following advantages:

Adaptability to the specific characteristics of the concrete positions (greater or smaller number of specific risks and greater or smaller danger.).

Flexibility of adaptation to the conditions of the worker (greater or smaller experience in the job, previous knowledge on the subject, physical or psychic disabilities, etc.).

Adaptability to the necessities of the company (exchedule, availability of the workers, etc.).

Possibility of adjustment to changes in the conditions of the company (changes in facilities or equipment).

The main drawbacks are:

The little homogeneity of the different formative programs presented by the different credited organizations.

The nonexistence of indispensable minimum contents.

The lack of concretion on the practical and theoretical distribution of the formation. Indeterminacy in the equipment needed for the development of the formation, both inthe case of the companies and in the case of the credited organizations, in contrast with the exigency of equipment imposed by the Labour Authority to obtain the accreditation.

Following, it is detailed a planning model of the formative activity focused on the SMSC and sufficiently contrasted by its application in a high number of companies and during a sufficient period of time to justify its reliability.

Figure 2 represents the distribution of the theoretical and practical (general and specific) contents. In these last ones, the general part must concentrate on questions such as emergency evacuation, use of extinguishers, correct knowledge of the signals, etc. The specific part must focus on the correct use and handling of the tools and equipment corresponding to the job, the use of individual and collective protective equipment, etc.

Theorical40 Practical

Generales Específ icos

General Specific

Figure 2.

This formation includes both the indispensable knowledge in preventive matter and the procedures and techniques of first aid.

In Figure 3 it is shown the schedule proposed for the theoretical and practical contents corresponding to prevention and monitoring of the health.

Practical hours

Theorical hours

38%

62%

Prevention First aid

50%

Prevention First aid

Figure 2

The structure of the formative program can be divided into the following points:

1. Policy of prevention of the company and legislation: the primary target of this phase is that the worker knows how the prevention is managed in the company and acquires minimum knowledge on the most important legal dispositions.
2. General risks and main measures: it is aimed that all the workers know the risks they are subjected to, independently of the work they develop in the company, as well as all the considerations to avoid the possible dangers.
3. First aid: it is aimed the qualification of the workers to confront situations of accident or emergency.
4. Specific formation, in order for the worker to acquire an exhaustive knowledge of the own risks of his job and to know the preventive measures to adopt and the individual protective equipment to use.
5. Analysis of accident rate, with the purpose of raising worker’s awareness about the repercussions the accidents have on their physical integrity and to make them see that these accidents can be avoided or mitigated with the adoption of determined preventive measures.

The time schedule to be followed is shown in Table 1.

Table 1

First fourth month period			Second fourth month period	Third fourth month period
Policy of prevention of the company and legislation	General risks	First aid	Specific risks	Sector and Companie accident rate

APPLICATION OF FORMATIVE PROGRAMS TO SMSC

Among the particular characteristics of the SMSC the following ones can be remarked: Reduced number of workers.

Private companies, small limited or cooperative societies. Limited economical resources.

Difficulties to cover possible eventualities, such as accidents with loss or disease. Little academic formation of the people in charge and workers, etc.

These conditions determine the application in general of the preventive legislation and, in particular, the formative facet, entrusted almost in the totality of the cases to an outside service of prevention.

Thus, in the case of the SMSC the development of a preventive program is still more complex than in the case of a bigger company.

For that reason, it is necessary to design specific programs to guarantee satisfactory results.

As far as the contents are concerned, although it is not convenient to modify them, it is necessary to adapt them considering the following aspects:

Low cultural level of the workers, which makes necessary the elaboration of a more concise and simple documentation, supported with great amount of figures and schemes.

Lack of interest, in general, in the preventive subjects, reason why the motivation must be the fundamental factor when elaborating the texts and when distributing the formation.

As to the structure, it is convenient in these cases to increase the practical part in damage of the theoretical one.

As to the time schedule, although the article 19 of the law of PLR advises the teaching of the formation, whenever it is possible, within the work day (laboural hours), the characteristics before emphasized demand, in most cases, to alter this recommendation.

The best solution is that the credited organization supplies a wide variety of possibilities with respect to schedule and date.

As to the development, the following alternatives are proposed:

1) In the case of companies of 15 or more workers the following solutions are adopted:

a) Formation given in the own facilities of the company, in case it has suitable mediums.

b) Formation given in the credited organization.

2) In the case of companies of less than 15 workers the formation is carried out in the facilities of the OPS, grouping them by activity due to the following reasons:

a) Deficiency of suitable facilities in these companies.

b) Decrease of the costs of the preventive management.

c) Extension of the schedule of formative offer.

SOME CONSIDERATIONS FROM THE EXPERIENCE

The following points show the different situations that an OPS must overcome when confronting the formation task in a small company:

Difficulties, in some cases, to hold the actual formation.

Refusal of some industries to group with companies of the same sector to receive the formation.

Problems to adapt schedules. The companies prefer the formation outside the work time, while the worker is reticent to attend classes in his rest periods.

In many occasions the OPS is forced to alter the planning in which the formation is given due to: inspection, accidents, opening of new centers, incorporation of new workers, extension of facilities, etc.

Some sectors have difficulties added, as the services sector, with companies of one or two workers, in which the formative activity impedes the normal development of the business.

Other sectors, as the case of the public administrations, show much more receptive attitudes and the OPS, normally, has time during the labour day, facilities, etc., to form the workers.

Finally, among the sectors that show greater awareness and more value the necessity of the formation, must be cited: metallic construction, structures, boilermaking, transformation of the stainless steel, and others from Annexe I, reason why the workers do not put ties to the reception of the formation outside the labour schedule.