[Icons for occupational risk maps: a proposal developed with workers]

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health and Safety
• Industrial Hygiene
• Human Factors Engineering

Background:

• Traditional risk mapping methods in the food industry often use generic symbols that lack clarity for workers.
• Existing risk assessment tools may group diverse hazards, failing to capture specific health impacts and exposure levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and present a set of novel risk icons designed collaboratively with food industry workers.
• To improve the accuracy and worker-comprehensibility of occupational risk maps.

Main Methods:

• A participatory approach involving 60 food industry workers in Pelotas, Brazil.
• Iterative icon design through proposal and selection of symbols representing specific risks.
• Development of a color-coded system to denote exposure intensity.

Main Results:

• A new set of risk icons was created, with each icon representing a distinct occupational risk.
• Worker input ensured icons were meaningful and accurately reflected perceived risks.
• The developed icons, when applied to risk maps, allow for clear representation of risk type and exposure intensity.

Conclusions:

• Worker-centered design significantly enhances the effectiveness of occupational risk communication tools.
• The new iconographic system offers a more precise and understandable method for mapping workplace hazards.
• This methodology can be adapted for improving risk assessment in various industrial settings.