Dataset Information

Workplace health promotion for employees working in offshore wind parks in the German exclusive economic zone: a mixed-methods study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To investigate the awareness and use of health promotion offers among offshore wind workers and to study associations with demographic and workplace characteristics. To examine employees' reasons for (non-)participation and their wishes for health promotion activities offshore.

Design

Mixed-methods study presenting the results from semistructured telephone interviews and a web-based cross-sectional survey.

Setting

Offshore wind parks in the German exclusive economic zone in the North and Baltic Seas.

Participants

21 offshore workers in the qualitative study (19 male/2 female; all German). 303 offshore workers in the quantitative study (287 male/13 female; 275 German/24 other nationalities).

Outcome measures

Awareness and use of workplace health promotion offers and associations with demographic and workplace characteristics (age, work schedule and wind park phase); reasons for (non-)participation; needs and wishes for health promotion offers.

Results

Few workers indicated being aware of health promotion programmes at their workplace. Single offers were reported, with fitness facilities being the most common offer employees recognised and had used (n=168, 55.6%). Employees with a regular work schedule were more likely to have used fitness facilities offshore (adjusted OR (AOR)=3.22, 95%?CI 1.53 to 6.80). Workers in the construction phase were more likely to have used massages (AOR=8.19, 95%?CI 2.82 to 23.77). Younger workers were less likely to belong to the group of those who were aware of fitness facilities but had not used them (AOR=0.43, 95%?CI 0.19 to 0.98). Employees expressed various needs and wishes for behavioural and environmental preventive measures offshore.

Conclusions

The results demonstrate a perceived need among the workers for the development of health promotion programmes offshore. Since the awareness and use of offers may partly depend on personal and organisational characteristics, this should be taken into account in the planning of health promotion activities.

SUBMITTER: Mette J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6078244 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Workplace health promotion for employees working in offshore wind parks in the German exclusive economic zone: a mixed-methods study.

Mette Janika J Velasco Garrido Marcial M Preisser Alexandra Marita AM Harth Volker V Mache Stefanie S

BMJ open 20180805 8

<h4>Objectives</h4>To investigate the awareness and use of health promotion offers among offshore wind workers and to study associations with demographic and workplace characteristics. To examine employees' reasons for (non-)participation and their wishes for health promotion activities offshore.<h4>Design</h4>Mixed-methods study presenting the results from semistructured telephone interviews and a web-based cross-sectional survey.<h4>Setting</h4>Offshore wind parks in the German exclusive econo ...[more]

PMID: 30082344

Similar Datasets

Project description:OBJECTIVES:To assess the physical strains of employees in the German offshore wind industry, according to job type and phase of the wind farm (under construction or operation). DESIGN:Web-based cross-sectional survey. SETTING:Offshore wind farm companies operating within the German exclusive economic zone. PARTICIPANTS:Male workers with regular offshore commitments and at least 28 days spent offshore in the past year (n=268). OUTCOME MEASURES:Physical strains (eg, climbing, noise, working overhead, with twisted upper body or in confined spaces, vibration, heavy lifting, humidity, odours). RESULTS:The most frequently mentioned physical strain was 'climbing' with 63.8% of the respondents reporting to be always or frequently confronted with climbing and ascending stairs during offshore work. Work as a technician was associated with a greater exposition to noise, vibrations, humidity, cold, heat, chemical substances, lifting/carrying heavy loads, transport of equipment, working in non-ergonomic positions and in cramped spaces, as well as climbing.Indeed, statistical analyses showed that, after adjusting for phase of the wind farm, age, nationality, offshore experience, work schedule and type of shift, compared with non-technicians, working as a technician was associated with more frequently lifting/carrying of heavy loads (OR 2.58, 95%?CI 1.58 to 4.23), transport of equipment (OR 2.06 95%?CI 1.27 to 3.33), working with a twisted upper body (OR 2.85 95%?CI 1.74 to 4.69), working overhead (OR 2.77 95%?CI 1.67 to 4.58) and climbing (OR 2.30 95%?CI 1.40 to 3.77). Working in wind farms under construction was strongly associated with increased and decreased exposure to humidity (OR 2.32 95%?CI 1.38 to 3.92) and poor air quality (OR 0.58 95%?CI 0.35 to 0.95), respectively. CONCLUSIONS:Workers on offshore wind farms constitute a heterogeneous group, including a wide variety of occupations. The degree of exposure to detrimental physical strains varies depending on the type of job. Technicians are more exposed to ergonomic challenges than other offshore workers.

Dataset Information

Workplace health promotion for employees working in offshore wind parks in the German exclusive economic zone: a mixed-methods study.

Objectives

Design

Setting

Participants

Outcome measures

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Workplace health promotion for employees working in offshore wind parks in the German exclusive economic zone: a mixed-methods study.

Similar Datasets

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