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Finland has high coverage of Occupational health services (OHS) and the municipal primary health care units (PHC) provide over 30% of the Finnish OHS coverage. Provision of OHS for the smallest enterprises and self-employed still constitutes a challenge. This pilot study tested the feasibility of BOHS as municipal PHC OHS unit service for SMEs.
Methods
We surveyed how employees, employers and occupational health professionals
assessed the occupational hazards after implementing the BOHS method. We also evaluated the feasibility and usefulness of BOHS for employers, workers and OH professionals in workplace health surveillance.
Replies to surveys from 11 enterprises, including 11 employers, 9 employees and 2 OHS professionals. The branches included agriculture, services and industry. The occupational risks were generally assessed similarly among employees and employers. Seven types of occupational hazards were considered, and in 60% and 62% of cases, employees and employers considered that the risks were in control. More than 20% of all respondents found needs for development in accident prevention, psychological factors and physical factors. Employees were less satisfied than employers on the support from OHS for the control of risks (36% vs 71% at least moderately satisfied). Both groups experienced that OHS adequately performed the health examinations, but expected more guidance from OHS in the adjustment of work and return to work. Both employers and OHS professional considered BOHS as a useful method in the assessment of occupational risks. It facilitated carrying out the assessment in a systematic way and creating good practices.
Discussion
Occupational hazards continue to be a major issue in the occupational health of small enterprises. BOHS appears to be a suitable method to standardize and develop the risk assessment and actions for prevention. BOHS could be further developed for better guidance on return to work.