A critical study of occupational health and safety content in textbooks for metalworking training occupations

Abstract

Background: A predictor of safety compliance among employees is occupational safety knowledge. Young employees are disproportionately affected by occupational accidents. Within the framework of vocational training, the imparting of occupational safety knowledge and corresponding competencies is an important goal. Objective: The aim of study was to investigate for which occupational health and safety related competencies suitable contents can be identified in textbooks for metal engineering professions. The question was thus to what extent the curricular task of conveying the occupational health and safety aspects relevant to the workplace within the framework of training is also implemented in practice. Material and methods: The textbooks (N = 6) used in the basic vocational training for industrial metalworking occupations were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed based on a theory-based developed category system. Results and discussion: The textbook analysis has shown that in the selected textbooks the included occupational health and safety-related subject areas are limited, as contents concerning the selection of protective measures are almost exclusively discussed. In addition, almost all textbooks only consider activities involving hazardous substances and electrical equipment more comprehensively from an occupational health and safety perspective. The protective measures contained in the textbooks are rarely related to the other areas of occupational health and safety competence and also often have a low level of complexity. Based on the textbook contents, there is hardly any potential to develop the thinking required for understanding occupational health and safety.