Galley, Fiona Ryan
(2021)
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Occupational Training Abilities: An Exploratory Study.
Master Essay, University of Pittsburgh.
Abstract
Training on hazard and accident prevention in the workplace is an essential part of maintaining worker health and safety. There is currently limited knowledge on the extent to which occupational safety and health training has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of this exploratory project was to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the training abilities of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Worker Education and Training Program (WETP) grantees. A mixed methods approach was utilized to collect and analyze data. A cross-sectional descriptive study consisting of an online survey and qualitative personal interviews was used to obtain data. Online surveys were distributed to gather information from training participants on how occupational safety and health training has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Survey data was analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics including measures of frequency and Kendall’s rank correlation tests. Telephone interviews were conducted to obtain in-depth qualitative data and key themes were identified from interview transcripts. Approximately 49% of survey respondents reported that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they have not received the training to safely perform their job tasks. In addition, 72.9% of participants indicated that most trainings were cancelled or postponed. Approximately 15% of participants strongly agreed to both above statements, indicating that these participants may not have received safety and health training at all during the pandemic. Almost 80% of respondents identified that trainings were moved to online platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interviews revealed that in-person, hands-on training is the preferred training format among most workers. Further, participants reported that the quality and effectiveness of health and safety training during the pandemic were at a lower level than before the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the training abilities of NIEHS WETP training partners is essential to advancing occupational health and safety. The public health significance of these findings is that they provide an initial understanding of how the COVID-19 pandemic has indirectly impacted the occupational health of workers across the country and an insight into effective public health intervention measures.
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| Item Type: |
Other Thesis, Dissertation, or Long Paper
(Master Essay)
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| Contributors: |
| Contribution | Contributors Name | Email | Pitt Username | ORCID  |
|---|
| Committee Chair | Songer, Thomas | tjs@pitt.edu | tjs | UNSPECIFIED | | Committee Member | Glynn, Nancy | epidnwg@pitt.edu | epidnwg | UNSPECIFIED | | Committee Member | Barchowsky, Aaron | aab20@pitt.edu | aab20 | UNSPECIFIED |
|
| Date: |
30 November 2021 |
| Date Type: |
Completion |
| Number of Pages: |
55 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
School of Public Health > Epidemiology |
| Degree: |
MPH - Master of Public Health |
| Thesis Type: |
Master Essay |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
Occupational health, health education, occupational safety, training, COVID-19, pandemic, crisis |
| Date Deposited: |
06 Jan 2022 14:29 |
| Last Modified: |
06 Jan 2024 06:15 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/42005 |
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