130 likes | 208 Views
Preventive Factors in Finnish Workplaces. Antti Hytti, Senior Planning Officer Association for Healthy Lifestyles, Finland. The Questions. Are there workplace-related factors (social, financial etc.) that prevent emergence of problems caused by alcohol abuse?
E N D
Preventive Factors in Finnish Workplaces Antti Hytti, Senior Planning Officer Association for Healthy Lifestyles, Finland
The Questions • Are there workplace-related factors (social, financial etc.) that prevent emergence of problems caused by alcohol abuse? • According to the people who are responsible for daily occupational safety and well-being at workplaces, what are those factors? • What kinds of attitudes and knowledge are the decisions at workplaces based on?
Background: Experience of the AHL • NGO, founded in 1914 • Promotes healthy lifestyles and social well-being by preventing substance abuse • Active in workplace-based prevention since 2005 (HUUGO Programme, www.huugo.fi) • Keywords: evidence-based primary prevention, problem solving, cooperation with all parties involved (employers, trade unions, occupational health care) • Information, consulting, education
Background: Occupational Safety Personnel in Finland • Each workplace must have a Chief of Occupational Safety (COS) – usually the manager or HR chief, in bigger industries a separate post – appointed by employer • Each workplace with >10 employees must have a Occupational Safety Representative (OSR), elected by employees • Main questions related to workplace safety must be discussed and decided jointly between COS and OSR • National registry includes both COSs and OSRs
The Survey • Carried out in 2009 in the Internet • The invitation to survey was sent to 5000 randomly selected COSs and OSRs in the national registry • 2302 answered • Median answering time 33 minutes • 54% OSRs, 41% COSs • Differently-sized workplaces (<50, 50-250, >250) evenly present • 43% predominantly male workplaces, 37% predominantly female, 20% with equal numbers
Preventive Factors and Their Perceived Significance • Phase 1: Name preventive factors (open question) • Phase 2: Give them significance value (1-10)
Written Alcohol Policy? • Existence of a workplace alcohol policy significantly promotes intervention: 59% of workplaces with a policy had intervened during last year, only 25% of workplaces without a policy
Conclusions • Well-being of both a working community and an individual employee seen as significant as regards prevention – substance abuse often seen as a result of difficulties at work or in private life • There are difficulties in finding and defining concrete good practices when it comes to prevention – prevention and intervention may mix up in workplace policies need for more best practice examples • Workplace alcohol policy is an important tool
Thank You! antti.hytti(a)elamantapaliitto.fi