Occupational Health and Safety Education at Inclusive Vocational Schools in Turkey

Abstract

The occupational health and safety education program (OHS) is an important intervention strategy to prevent injuries among young workers. This study aims to emphasize the importance of inclusive and integrated occupational safety education in an Inclusive Vocational School for students at 10th grade. In this study, we investigated the success levels and the awareness of the students before and after the education on occupational safety. The purpose of the study is to investigate the effects of 12-hour basic OHS education on the students’ levels of awareness and knowledge and the retention of these effects. A questionnaire comprising 10 questions and an open-ended exam comprising 20 questions that measure their knowledge level on OHS were applied to the students who had just met with the workshop environment before and after the education. As a result, OHS education delivered to students has improved the students’ awareness of OHS positively. It was observed that the knowledge levels before receiving OHS education increased according to their knowledge level after regular OHS education.