Enabling Effective Implementation of Occupational Safety and Health Interventions.

Area of Science:

• Occupational Safety and Health
• Intervention Science
• Management Systems

Background:

• Historically, OSH interventions often neglected design and evaluation, prioritizing implementation.
• Contemporary approaches emphasize the interdependence of design, implementation, and evaluation for intervention success.
• This work focuses on a national OSH project introducing a near-miss management system (NMS) in Italy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a comprehensive procedure for implementing OSH interventions.
• To ensure both short-term effectiveness and long-term sustainability of interventions through continuous monitoring.
• To introduce a near-miss management system (NMS) within a national OSH project in Italy.

Main Methods:

• Conducted initial meetings with project partners and interviewed diverse stakeholders.
• Developed tailored questionnaires for various stakeholder groups (promoters, managers, employees).
• Initiated three case studies in Italian regions to assess structured implementation.

Main Results:

• Developed practical tools, including three questionnaires, for a human-centered implementation strategy.
• The questionnaires facilitate ongoing process monitoring and instrument enhancement for NMS integration.
• Case studies assessed the structured implementation of the NMS in real-world settings.

Conclusions:

• The study provides a foundation for successful NMS implementation in Italy.
• The outlined procedure offers insights applicable to enhancing intervention effectiveness and sustainability in diverse contexts.
• Emphasizes the critical role of planning, stakeholder engagement, and continuous evaluation in OSH interventions.