Researcher: Fernande Lamonde (U. Laval)

This publication describes the approach implemented to integrate occupational health and safety and ergonomics into a plant design project. The approach was developed by examining the activity of two prevention specialists and the ergonomist involved in this project. The analysis identified five intervention strategies used to achieve the integration. As a result of these strategies, which were explained in the document, the three specialists were able to influence the design of work situations, eliminate the many sources of risk and develop the prevention program before the plant was started up. The authors identified the characteristics of the project and the plant management that were conducive or not conducive to the action of the prevention specialists and the ergonomist. Based on this analysis, they put forward guiding principles that can be applied to other organizations and projects other than plant design. These principles relate to the approaches to be favoured in carrying out a project, the linkage to be made between designing and correcting the design and lastly, finding the right balance between the interventions carried out by ergonomic or health and safety specialists and the emergency interventions entrusted to actors in the organization who are initiated in these disciplines.

Research report

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