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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Occupational Safety Climate in the Swedish Equine Sector.
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2022; 12(4); 438; doi: 10.3390/ani12040438

Occupational Safety Climate in the Swedish Equine Sector.

Abstract: The Swedish equine sector is considered a high-risk work environment, with relatively high injury rates and high severity of injuries. General safety research has identified a correlation between the safety performance and safety culture, but little is known about the intricacies of the safety culture in the Swedish equine sector, especially concerning managers' and employees' perceptions of their work environment. The safety climate assessment is recognised as an effective tool for identifying potential problems in the workplace, thus enhancing safety behaviour and decreasing the frequency and severity of injuries. The aim was to evaluate the safety climate at riding schools and trotting stables through the Nordic Safety Climate Questionnaire (NOSACQ-50) diagnostic tool, and to get a better understanding of the workers' perceptions regarding safety and safety management at their workplace through complementary interviews. The results showed that the safety climate was generally positive and that employees were aware of the risks relating to their work. Riding schools commonly had routines in place for risk assessment and work environment management, but such routines were often lacking at trotting stables, indicating inadequate prioritisation of safety by the management. The main area that should be targeted to improve safety in the sector is employees' prioritisation and non-acceptance of risks. Proactive instead of reactive safety management should be promoted, where safety is an integral part of daily work and all employees are encouraged to identify factors contributing to occupational injuries and develop strategies for injury prevention.
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Publication Date: 2022-02-11 PubMed ID: 35203148PubMed Central: PMC8868110DOI: 10.3390/ani12040438Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research explores occupational safety climates within the Swedish equine sector, assessing perceptions of employees in riding schools and trotting stables on their working conditions and safety management with a special emphasis on their awareness of work-related risks and preventive measures in place.

Objective of the Study

  • The study’s primary goal is to examine the perception of safety and safety management in the Swedish equine sector, focusing on riding schools and trotting stables. They used a diagnostic tool called the Nordic Safety Climate Questionnaire (NOSACQ-50) and complemented it with interviews to get a deeper understanding of employees’ perception of safety in their workplace.

Process and Methodology

  • The researchers used the Nordic Safety Climate Questionnaire (NOSACQ-50), which is a recognised tool for assessing safety climates in the work environment. It provides a measure of employees and managers’ view and attitudes towards safety in their workplaces.
  • They also conducted interviews to gain a deeper understanding of the participants’ perceptions and for qualitative data collection. These interviews helped provide insights into the risk awareness and safety behaviours in the riding schools and trotting stables.

Key Findings

  • The researchers found that the safety climate in the Swedish equine sector is generally positive. They reported that most employees are aware of the risks associated with their work, indicating a level of risk consciousness crucial to any high-risk work environment.
  • Riding schools tend to have established routines for risk assessment and management of the work environment. Conversely, these routines are often lacking in trotting stables, showing poor priority over safety by the management in such places.

Recommendations

  • The study proposes that the primary area to target for improved safety in this sector is the workers’ priorities and non-tolerance of risks. Rather than merely reacting to safety issues as they arise, the researchers recommend proactive safety management, which involves making safety a regular part of daily work.
  • All employees should be encouraged to identify potential sources of occupational injuries and actively participate in developing strategies for preventing these injuries. This comprehensive approach would promote a culture of safety and reduce both the number and severity of injuries.

Cite This Article

APA
Lindahl C, Bergman Bruhn Å, Andersson IM. (2022). Occupational Safety Climate in the Swedish Equine Sector. Animals (Basel), 12(4), 438. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12040438

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 12
Issue: 4
PII: 438

Researcher Affiliations

Lindahl, Cecilia
  • Department of Agriculture and Food, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, P.O. Box 7033, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden.
Bergman Bruhn, Åsa
  • Work Sciences, Dalarna University, SE-79188 Falun, Sweden.
Andersson, Ing-Marie
  • Work Sciences, Dalarna University, SE-79188 Falun, Sweden.

Grant Funding

  • 190229 / AFA Insurance (Sweden)
  • H-17-47-281 / The Swedish-Norwegian Foundation for Equine Research

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Riley CB, Padalino B, Rogers CW, Thompson KR. Human Injuries Associated with the Transport of Horses by Road.. Animals (Basel) 2023 May 10;13(10).
    doi: 10.3390/ani13101594pubmed: 37238024google scholar: lookup
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