Factors associated with the activities of safety representatives in Spanish workplaces.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the activities of safety representatives in workplaces in Spain.


METHODS
A specific questionnaire was applied to a representative sample of safety representatives. Activities developed during the past year, presented in a closed ended list, were categorised into three groups: information and advising; participation in occupational health management; and pressure on or negotiation with employers. Personal phone interviews were conducted from September to December 2004. A sample of 1201 interviews was attained. Crude and multivariate analyses were carried out.


RESULTS
Spanish safety representatives were mostly men (76%), aged 26 to 45 years (62%), with fixed contracts (94%), and more than 10 years in their company (57%). On a comparable 0-10 scale, the mean (95% confidence interval (CI)) number of activities relating to information, management, and negotiation developed during the previous year were, respectively, 6.8 (6.7 to 6.9), 4.5 (4.4 to 4.7), and 4.0 (3.8 to 4.1). In multivariate analysis, workplace size (>30 workers), industrial sector, training, and support from the labour inspectorate were the factors most consistently associated with safety representatives' activity. Additionally, support from the employer was associated with participation in occupational health management (odds ratio = 2.38 (95% CI, 1.73 to 3.29)).


CONCLUSIONS
Safety representatives in Spain have a variety of activities, mostly in the category of information and advising. These are necessary but not sufficient for real participation of workers in decisions concerning their health and safety. More participation of safety representatives in occupational health management at workplaces seems to be needed, and factors associated with this participation reinforced.
García
Ana M
AM
ISTAS, Almirante, 3, 4, 46003 Valencia. Spain. anagar@uv.es
López-Jacob
Maria José
MJ
Dudzinski
Isabel
I
Gadea
Rafael
R
Rodrigo
Fernando
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003253:Consultants; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Ind Health. 2004 Apr;42(2):196-206
15128169
Occup Environ Med. 2004 Mar;61(3):239-46
14985519
J Public Health Policy. 1998;19(3):350-66
9798376
J Occup Environ Med. 2005 Feb;47(2):96-114
15706170
Occup Environ Med. 2005 Jun;62(6):406-13
15901889
Int J Occup Saf Ergon. 2005;11(3):219-31
16216138
Int J Health Serv. 2006;36(1):87-111
16524166
Ind Health. 2006 Jan;44(1):6-12
16610525
Ind Health. 2006 Jan;44(1):31-4
16610530
Ind Health. 2006 Jan;44(1):169-78
16610556
Am J Ind Med. 2000 Dec;38(6):697-706
11071691
Ind Health. 2002 Apr;40(2):69-73
12064565
J Public Health Policy. 2002;23(3):268-85
12325285
Work. 2002;19(3):281-90
12547972
Health Promot Int. 2003 Jun;18(2):115-26
12746383
Int J Health Serv. 1996;26(4):625-41
8906442