Union Approach to Health and Safety: - United Steelworkers

Literacy level:
How will you make certain that the literacy level of the questions in your
survey will match the literacy level of those you will be surveying?
“Closed” or “open” questions:
The difference between a closed question and an open question is
basically the same as the difference between a multiple choice question
and an essay question. Closed questions are questions to which only a
limited number of answers are possible. Open questions are questions to
which you could end up with many different answers.
Example of closed question: Are you provided with non-powdered, nonlatex
gloves on your job – yes or no?
Example of open question: Are you provided with any gloves on your
job? If yes, please describe them.
Another example of “closed” vs. “open” questions:
Closed question:
Which health and safety issue is of most concern to you? Check one:
___ poor indoor air quality
___repetitive and heavy lifting
___work overload (too much work, too few people to do it)
___mandatory overtime
Open question:
What health and safety issue is most important to you?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
______________________________
The advantage of the closed question above is that the answers are easier
to tabulate. If the open question is asked to 200 different people, it is
possible to get 200 different answers.
The disadvantage of the closed question is that the union would only
know which of those four issues – indoor air quality, lifting, work
overload or mandatory overtime – is of most concern to the worker. If