Employmentweb_low

EmploymEnT, woRk, and hEalTh inEqualiTiEs - a global perspective
the istas21 method as a reference for the assessment of psychosocial hazards in the region of catalonia. a technical note
of prevention (ntp, a technical reference bookmark in spain) was also issued by the national institute of occupational
Health and safety.
6. communicate and share the experience with workers’ representatives. a strategy to “socialise” the experience
to workers’ representatives was settled using a “cascade” design. the first phase was “learning by doing”. thus, working
together with safety reps, trade union heads and trade union occupational health consultants, experiences at the firm level
were used to develop trade union guidelines and tools that are helpful for workplace action. after these guidelines, istas
developed materials for the training of trade union occupational health consultants (who later provided technical support to
workers’ reps at the firm level) and training of safety representatives. this strategy helped to socialise and multiply these
experiences.
7. gain trust among occupational health experts and researchers and oH professionals. previous steps (particularly
steps two through five), allowed for substantial increases in the general awareness and technical legitimacy of the istas21.
the catalan society of occupational safety and Medicine, for example, awarded this method as the best research project in
occupational health (Moncada et al., 2005). public funding from the spanish national plan of research and development was
obtained further on and the methodology is currently being used by most important spanish preventive services.
8. evaluate and learn from experience. Workshops were made to analyse the feasibility of what has been learned
through interventions and analytical research in an on-going dynamic learning process with university researchers, health
and safety professionals from private firms and administration, trade unionists, workers’ representatives and trade union
occupational health consultants. in october 2007, for example, the 5th istas meeting on occupational Health gathered
around 300 persons, including union leaders, workers’ health and safety representatives, occupational health professionals
and managers to discuss preventive actions to be taken (istas, 2007). a total of 42 intervention experiences were presented
and conclusions were issued (Moncada & llorens, 2007).
istas’s work could be seen as a form of knowledge activism as defined by Hall in the sense that what istas does is to
work in both technical (scientific and social) trade union arenas in order to strategically collect and use technical, scientific
and legal knowledge to empower worker health and safety representatives at the company level.
references
benach, J., amable, M., Muntaner, c., artazcoz, l., cortès, i., Menéndez, M., et al. (2007). spain. in i. lundberg, t. Hemmingsson,
& c. Hogstedt (eds.), Work and social inequalities in Health in Europe (pp. 295-332). bruxelles: p.i.e. peter lang, saltsa.
garcía, a.M., lópez-Jacob, M.J., dudzinski, i., gadea, r., & rodrigo, F. (2007). Factors associated with the activities of safety
representatives in spanish workplaces. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 61, 784-790.
Hall, a., Forrest, a., sears, a., & carlan, n. (2006). Making a difference: Knowledge activism and worker representation in
joint oHs committees. Relations Industrielles, 61(3), 408-434.
instituto sindical de trabajo ambiente y salud. retrieved from http://www.istas.net
instituto sindical de trabajo ambiente y salud. (2007). V Foro ISTAS de Salud Laboral: Organización del trabajo y riesgos
psicosociales. retrieved from http://www.istas.net/web/index.aspidpagina=3238
Kristensen, t.s., Hannerz, H., Høgh, a., & borg, v. (2005). the copenhagen psychosocial Questionnaire—a tool for the
assessment and improvement of the psychosocial work environment. Scandinavian Journal of Work and Environmental
Health, 31(6), 438-449.
Menéndez, M., benach, J., & vogel, l. (2008). el impacto de los delegados de prevención en la salud laboral: el proyecto
epsare. Archivos de Prevención de Riesgos Laborales, 11, 5-7.
Menéndez, M., benach, J., vogel, l. (eds.). (2009). The impact of safety representatives on occupational health: A European
perspective (The EPSARE project). brussels: european trade Union institute for research, education, Health and safety
(etUi-reHs).
Moncada, s., & llorens, c. (eds). (2007). Organización del trabajo, factores psicosociales y salud. Experiencias de prevención.
Madrid: instituto sindical de trabajo ambiente y salud. retrieved February 25, 2009, from
http://www.istas.net/web/abreenlace.aspidenlace=5865
Moncada, s., llorens, c., Font, a., galtés, a., & navarro, a. (2008). exposición a riesgos psicosociales entre la población
asalariada en españa (2004-05): valores de referencia de las 21 dimensiones del cuestionario copsoQ istas21. Revista
Española de Salud Pública, 82(6):667-676.
Moncada, s., llorens, c., gimeno, X., & Font, a. (2007). exposición laboral a riesgos psicosociales en la población asalariada
española. in s. Moncada & c. llorens (eds.), Organización del trabajo, factores psicosociales y salud. Experiencias de
prevención. Madrid: instituto sindical de trabajo ambiente y salud.
Moncada, s., llorens, c., navarro, a., & Kristensen, t. s. (2005). istas21 copsoQ: versión en lengua castellana del
cuestionario psicosocial de copenhague. Archivos de Prevención de Riesgos Laborales, 8(1):18-29.
350