Workplace health and safety concerns in service organizations in the inner city

There is little known about occupational health and safety concerns or programs in workplaces in the inner city. This work was part of a needs assessment for development of occupational health and safety programs for workplaces in the inner city. Its key objective was to identify inner-city worker concerns regarding specific hazards. The work involved two phases. The first sampled workers in an inner-city hospital and church, and the second involved both paid and volunteer workers in inner-city community outreach programs. The key concerns raised by inner-city workers were infectious disease and personal safety and violence. Occupational health and safety programs need to address infectious disease and personal safety issues in this environment. Further research is needed regarding workplace health and safety in inner-city workplaces, both regarding hazards particular to the inner city and occupational health programs for the workers, both paid and volunteer, who work there.