Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2012 Sep;3(3):181-91.
doi: 10.5491/SHAW.2012.3.3.181. Epub 2012 Aug 30.

A model for design of tailored working environment intervention programmes for small enterprises

Peter Hasle  1 , Laura V Kvorning, Charlotte Dn Rasmussen, Louise H Smith, Mari-Ann Flyvholm
Affiliations

A model for design of tailored working environment intervention programmes for small enterprises

Peter Hasle et al. Saf Health Work. 2012 Sep.

Abstract

Objectives: Small enterprises have higher exposure to occupational hazards compared to larger enterprises and further, they have fewer resources to control the risks. In order to improve the working environment, development of efficient measures is therefore a major challenge for regulators and other stakeholders. The aim of this paper is to develop a systematic model for the design of tailored intervention programmes meeting the needs of small enterprises.

Methods: An important challenge for the design process is the transfer of knowledge from one context to another. The concept of realist analysis can provide insight into mechanisms by which intervention knowledge can be transferred from one context to another. We use this theoretical approach to develop a design model.

Results: THE MODEL CONSIST OF FIVE STEPS: 1) Defining occupational health and safety challenges of the target group, 2) selecting methods to improve the working environment, 3) developing theories about mechanisms which motivate the target group, 4) analysing the specific context of the target group for small enterprise programmes including owner-management role, social relations, and the perception of the working environment, and 5) designing the intervention based on the preceding steps. We demonstrate how the design model can be applied in practice by the development of an intervention programme for small enterprises in the construction industry.

Conclusion: The model provides a useful tool for a systematic design process. The model makes it transparent for both researchers and practitioners as to how existing knowledge can be used in the design of new intervention programmes.

Keywords: Construction industry; Intervention; Programme theory; Realist analysis; Small enterprises.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
A model for the causal chain in the programme theory for working environment programmes.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Sørensen OH, Hasle P, Bach E. Working in smallenterprises - Is there a special risk? Saf Sci. 2007;45:1044–1059.
    1. Walters D. Health and safety in small enterprises: European strategies for managing improvement. Brussels (Belgium): Peter Lang; 2001. 404 pp.
    1. Hasle P, Limborg HJ, Kallehave T, Klitgaard C, Andersen TR. The working environment in small firms: responses from owner-managers. Int Small Bus J. 2012;30:622–639.
    1. Baldock R, James P, Smallbone D, Vickers I. Influences on small-firm compliance-related behaviour: the case of workplace health and safety. Environ Plann C Gov Policy. 2006;24:827–846.
    1. Vickers I, Smallbone D, James P, Baldock R. Understanding small firm responses to regulation: the case of workplace health and safety. Policy Stud. 2005;26:149–169.