Safety at work has been a field of strong interest for many decades, and the quality of training has increased, both in terms of content & delivery. However, there is a need to ensure access to training for vulnerable groups and to ensure that training is transferred to the work setting and thus effective in improving safety behaviours. Objectives. As a result of this scenario, this project aims to: a) review and identify the barriers and facilitators that may be effective in VET training particular groups of vulnerable workers, i.e. low-skilled & migrant workers in construction; b) develop and test a Safety Training Programme (STP; O3), an innovative training model (including an Interactive Platform, O2) for the development and delivery of safety training among these groups of workers; c) develop and test a Safety Training Evaluation Device (STED; O4) that captures training transfer, i.e. that safety skills learned are transferred into daily work activities and thus results in improved safety climate and behaviours. Number and profile of participants. During the project, we expect to train at least 140 people, namely employees (120 construction workers, focusing on migrants and those with low skills), and safety trainers and supervisors with safety responsibilities (20 people to become trainers themselves). Furthermore, 120 people will participate in the focus groups (10 people in 9 focus groups; 3 per country) and interviews (10 people per country). Moreover, the total number of people expected to attend the Multiplier events is 300 (50 per Event). The total number of visits expected to the Interactive Platform is 1,500. We also expect 20 requests for registration and 600 downloads of documents in the Tools and Methodology area of the Interactive Platform, as well as at least 15 practices uploaded from the platform. Description of the activities. The ESTEEM project consists of three main phases: 1) preparing the background for the development of STP and STED, via the compilation of the Safety Knowledge Base (O1); 2) developing and implementing STP (O3) and developing and testing STED (O4); and 3) following learning from these tests, developing a Certificate System (O5) that allows for the cross-national recognition of STP, Guidelines (O6) for effective training and training transfer, and the publication of training tools and materials. All will be made freely available on the Interactive Platform (O2) and partners' websites. Methodology used to carry out the project. The ESTEEM project will be developed applying the design cycle methodology, which is composed of 6 steps: i) “Definition” of the goals and the functions of the project by studying the target groups’ views and needs; ii) “Analysis” with the aim to develop the Knowledge Base; iii) "Synthesis”, which represents the definition of the Knowledge Base that will represent a milestone, necessary to effectively develop the STP and STED; iv) “Simulation”, in which STP and STED will be concurrently implemented and tested; v) “Evaluation”, of STP and STED will be conducted by the stakeholders; vi) “Decision making”, to finally disseminate the STP, STED, Guidelines, and the Safety Training Certificate System. Results and impact envisaged. The project is designed to develop deliverable outputs that could be used by a wide range of organisations across Europe. Specifically, those outputs concern the definition of Safety Training Guidelines, which could be especially useful for Health and Safety Practitioners to plan safety training in their organisations and improve organisational policies concerning safety training. Furthermore, an effective and tested Safety Training Package (STP), also including ICT instruments and a Safety Training Evaluation Device (STED), will be developed and disseminated for free, aiming to enhance safety skills and consequently enhance low-skilled migrant workers' safety behaviours. All material will be made freely available on the project's website and through social media we will raise awareness of the project and its outcomes. Moreover, a Safety Training Certificate System, helpful in acknowledging the safety skills acquired across European boarders, will be implemented. Potential longer term benefits. The long-term benefits of this project are relevant. First of all we expect a medium-term decrease in the number of injuries and accidents which in turn means healthier workers and lower costs for EU countries. Furthermore, we expect that if the Safety Training Certificate System will be implemented, this could facilitate the mobility of workers in companies all across Europe. The activities will also have an impact in terms of increasing Lifelong Learning in Safety trainers and trainees’ competences. In fact, the project aims to develop and update safety training systems among Lifelong Learning practitioners.
Safety at work has been a field of strong interest for many decades. Despite this, each year there are 374 million nonfatal work-related accidents/illnesses and over 2.78 million workplace fatalities (ILO, 2018). The construction sector is particularly at risk. 1 in 5 (20.9%) fatal accidents at work in the EU-28 in 2015 took place within this sector (Eurostat, 2018). In 2014, the European Commission developed a new strategic framework on safety and health at work to address workplace safety (EC, 2014). The construction industry relies heavily on migrant workers, defined as persons who are engaged or have been engaged in remunerated activity in a State of which they are not national (UN, 1990). During their first year in a new country, male migrants are predominantly employed in the construction sector, and are 1.4 times more likely to work in construction than native-born men (Eurostat, 2011). A recent report from the UK’s Office for National Statistics estimates around 10% of all construction workers in the UK between 2014 and 2016 were non-nationals (ONS, 2018). Migrant workers, with low levels of skill, are particularly vulnerable, with higher reported rates of accidents and fatalities compared with native workers (e.g., Dong et al., 2013). To address these issues, the project a) reviewed and identified barriers and facilitators effective VET training in a vulnerable group; low-skilled & migrant workers in construction, b) developed and evaluated migrant safety training, c) developed a certification system to facilitate mobility and d) developed guidelines to support safety in construction. Key activities of the project were undertaken in 3 main phases: 1 Preparing the background for the development of the Safety Training Package (STP) and the Safety Training Evaluation Device (STED) by compiling the Safety Knowledge Base (O1) 2 developing and piloting the STP, a mix of face-to-face and online teaching (O3) and developing and testing STED, a mixed methods evaluation framework (O4) 3 following learning from O3 and O4, we developed a Certificate System (O5) that allowed for the cross-national recognition of STP. We also developed Guidelines (O6) for effective training and training transfer, and the publication of training tools and materials (all freely available on the Interactive Platform (O2) and partners' websites). Methodology. The project applied the design cycle methodology, composed of 6 steps: 1) “Definition” of the goals and functions of the project by studying the target groups’ views and needs; 2) “Analysis” with the aim to develop the Knowledge Base; 3) "Synthesis”, which represented the definition of the Knowledge Base necessary to develop the STP and STED; 4) “Simulation”, in which STP and STED were concurrently implemented and tested; 5) “Evaluation”, of STP and STED where usefulness was evaluated by the stakeholders; 6) “Decision making”, to disseminate the STP, STED, Guidelines, and the Certificate System. Participants. During the project we trained 22 trainers and 119 low-skilled workers in construction (of which 45 migrant workers). 107 completed the training. Before and after evaluation revealed significant increases in learning technical skills, but not safety outcomes. Interviews revealed changes in safety compliance, assertiveness and safety climate. In addition, 18 supervisors of trained workers were interviewed. Furthermore, 19, 22, and 28 people participated in focus groups, and 10, 10 and 27 in interviews (in Spain, Italy and the UK, respectively). Moreover, the total number of participants in the Multiplier events were 297. Results and impact: The number of visits to the ESTEEM website was 20593 and 463 supplementary documents were uploaded to the website. The evaluation of the training confirmed that trained workers benefited from pilot training. They increased their knowledge about safety and transferred this knowledge into construction site, resulting in technical and non-technical safety behaviours and a good safety climate. Supervisors and trained workers reported that supervisors supported training transfer. Longer-term benefits: Medium-term: decrease in the number of injuries and accidents which in turn means healthier workers and lower costs for EU countries. Further, we have developed a certificate acknowledging the completion of the training that may facilitate mobility across different EU countries, however, it should not be seen as a formal qualification. Long-term: Valora Prevencion in the first 3 months of 2021 will train all occupational practitioners (N~200) in the ESTEEM methodology and integrate the STP into their training portfolio. In Italy, Formedil, the national joint association for training in the construction sector suspended face-to-face training due to the pandemic and IIPLE has made the training materials on our platform available to them. All partners will continue to disseminate the ESTEEM methodology and results in practitioner and academic fora.