Psychosocial workplace risk assessment

Transcription

1 Psychosocial workplace risk assessment Participatory experience in a Chilean copper mine José Ignacio Méndez, MD, MPH, MSc Santiago de Chile, November 8 th 2017

2 The mining industry in Chile Aug. 5 th 2010: Copiapó Mine Accident: 33 miners trapped during 69 days

3 The mining industry in Chile at a glance Chile: a world leader in metal production (2017) (1) : N 1 Copper (28% production; 29% reserves) N 2 Molybdenum (23% production, 11% reserves) N 4 Silver (6% production, 14% reserves) N 14 Gold (1% production, 7% reserves) Mining accounts for 10% of Chilean gross national product (2). Near 9% of jobs (3% direct + 6% indirect) (3). One of the most hazardous occupations high concern in order to improve working conditions. Sources: 1. Consejo Minero de Chile ( 2. Ministerio de Economía ( 3. Ministerio del Trabajo y Previsión Social (

4 CODELCO - Corporación del Cobre World s largest copper mining Company Chilean state owned Near employees Gabriela Mistral msnm Salvador msnm Ventanas A nivel del mar Casa Matriz 543 msnm VP Variable Radomiro Tomic msnm Chuquicamata msnm Ministro Hales msnm Andina msnm El Teniente msnm Copyrights 2016 Codelco Chile. Todos los Derechos Reservados. Copyrights 2016 by Codelco Chile All Rights Reserved.

5 División Andina Corporación del Cobre (CODELCO)

6 División Andina Corporación del Cobre (CODELCO) N workers: 1705 (5.4% women) Shift system: SPECIAL (4 days work x 4 days off) 2 day-shifts (08:00-20:00) 2 night-shifts (20:00-08:00) 4 days off Self-administration of Social Insurance for Work-related Accidents and Occupational Diseases (Law N ) 3 labor Unions N sub-contractors: (>100 companies)

7 Occupational hazards assessment in Chilean mining By year 2013, many occupational hazards already had surveillance regulations by Health Ministry Type of hazard Assessment Protocols Chemical Dust (silica), asbestos, gases Physical Noise, vibrations, electrical Biological HIV, hepatitis A-B (healthcare) Ergonomic Manual handling, upper limb Psychosocial No regulation until 2013 What are psychosocial risks and how are they assessed?

8 2013: Psychosocial workplace risk assessment, a new challenge for Chilean companies Ministry of Health Psychosocial Workplace Risk Assessment Protocol Main features: Obligation for every company to assess psychosocial risk at workplace SUSESO-ISTAS 21 (COPSOQ Chilean version) is the only valid surveillance questionnaire 5 dimensions (3 levels of risk for each) 5 global risk levels Every level or risk determines a specific term ( months) to implement interventions and re-assesss Only high risk levels had to be communicated to OSH companies and health authorities

9 2013: Psychosocial workplace risk assessment, a new challenge for Chilean companies Main weaknesses: Ineffective communication strategy Lack of trained professionals in Chile No prior experience or training required to assess psychosocial risks done by risk prevention professionals Almost no responsabilities for OSH companies Erratic and confusing audits and inspections from health authorities

10 Our experience from 2013 to 2015 First challenge was to achieve a continuous commitment from: Managers Unions Workers Education Awareness TRUST A Psychosocial Risk Committee was created, with the participation of: OSH and Humans Resources managers Delegates from Unions (3) Occupational Health professionals: o Occupational Physician o Occupational Psychologist o Social Worker

11 First application process (CODELCO workers) Set a Psychosocial roadmap with priority Units (operative and shift workers first) Define Analysis Units (even though it was not required at first), which were set as follows: A.U. 1 DEPARTMENT Intendency or Direction Shift Group A.U. 2 A.U. 3 A.U. 5 A.U. 4

12 First application process ( ) 1. Application was on working site 2. Awareness 5-minute intervention ( not just another survey ) 3. Brief version of questionnaire (20 items) was answered (100% response rate) 4. Commitment to give feedback in focus groups within 1-2 months

13 First application process ( ) 193 quest. 367 quest. 72 quest. Year 2015 Year quest. 42 quest. 26 quest. Total 726 Staff areas 36 quest. Copyrights 2016 Codelco Chile. Todos los Derechos Reservados. Copyrights 2016 by Codelco Chile All Rights Reserved.

14 ISTAS-21 questionnaire (short version 20q)

15 Example Risk level in each Dimension + Global Psychosocial Risk >50% workers HIGH RISK LEVEL 2

16 Psychosocial Risk management according to Risk Level

17 Results from the 1 st application process Example: Open Pit Mine (great variability among Analyses Units) 1st Questionn. Management % workers N N application Next version for Other section that were workers quest. (monthyear) No risk Medium risk evaluation High risk evaluation next actions surveyed Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Open Pit Mine Group % jul-14 X 12 months Brief Intervention Analyses Units Group % jul-14 X 6 months Complete Intervention & Authorities Group % jul-14 X 12 months Brief Intervention Group % jul-14 X 2 years Brief Promotion Group 5x % jul-14 X 12 months Brief Intervention TOTAL % Workplace psychosocial risk level

18 Psychosocial Risk Traffic Lights Open Pit Mine 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Group 2: HIGH RISK LEVEL 3 69% 26% 5% 50% 52% 55% 29% 21% 40% 43% 7% 2% 24% 40% 36% 45% of workers had NO absenteeism 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 33% 43% 24% Group 4: NO RISK 19% 40% 40% 29% 38% 33% 40% 43% 17% Same size, same working conditions, same tasks, same salary. Different ways of leadership, communicating and facing conflicts 24% 33% 43% 75% of workers had NO absenteeism

19 How to explain these results? What specific interventions were needed? 1. Analyzing dimensions and sub-dimensions of questionnaires 2. Qualitative assessment ( psychosocial conversation groups ): Give feedback of surveillance process Participative discussion of results Proposing interventions Adquisition of individual commitment and engagement ( ) 43 groups 462 participants

20 Psychosocial Conversation Groups (Focus Groups) In our setting, higher risks are usually related to low social support (from supervisors) and low quality of leadership. Some other recurrent situations* were claimed: Violence at work Harrassment at work Gender-related psychosocial risk conditions (women working in mining) Mining culture related situations: hierarchies, relation with subcontractors, superstitions and many others * These situations would probably not have been detected if only questionnaire was applied qualitative assessment is extremely valuable and helpful to design interventions

21 Psychosocial Interventions Psychosocial intervention plan for each Department/Analysis Unit: Written report to managers + work meeting Unions support and advice Psychosocial plan champions, actions and deadlines Re-assessment Communication strategy Continuous support from Occupational Health Dpt. professionals Correlation of results with other data (work-related accidents, absenteeism)

22 Re-assessment process after interventions (complete version of ISTAS-21 questionnaire if high risk was detected) Example: Open Pit Mine (Lower risk level 1st Questionn. Management % workers N N application Next version for Other section that were workers quest. (monthyear) No risk Medium risk evaluation High risk evaluation next actions surveyed Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Open Pit Mine Group % jul-14 X 12 months Brief Intervention Analyses Units Group % oct-16 X 12 months Brief Intervention Group % jun-17 X 12 months Brief Intervention Group % jul-14 X 2 years Brief Promotion Group 5x % jul-14 X 12 months Brief Intervention TOTAL % Workplace psychosocial risk level

23 Our experience from 2016 until today Manual del Método del Cuestionario SUSESO/ISTAS 21 Regulation of methodological aspects of Psychosocial Workplace Risk assessment Participatory Application Committees in every working place Technical requirements for Psychosocial professionals Education and training in Psychosocial risks is mandatory Continuous support from OSH specialists to their companies Copyrights 2016 Codelco Chile. Todos los Derechos Reservados. Copyrights 2016 by Codelco Chile All Rights Reserved.

24 SUSESO-ISTAS 21 Participative Method (7 steps)

25 Conclusions Psychosocial risk assessment requires commitment of managers, workers and their leaders based on trust Continuous education and training is needed: OSH and Human Resources professionals, managers, unions & workers Strenghten workers participation unions & OSH committees Move along from participatory assessment to participatory intervention Scientific research evidence-based local psychosocial interventions for specific settings

26 Muchas gracias José Ignacio Méndez, MD