IRSST - Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail

Preserving and disseminating intervention knowledge and know-how in health, safety and ergonomics: The design of an aluminium smelter

Abstract

This publication presents the process implemented for integrating occupational health and safety and ergonomics into a plant design project. The process was reconstituted by analyzing the activity of the two preventionists and the ergonomist involved in the project. The analysis identified five intervention strategies used for achieving the best success in this integration. With these strategies, explained in the document, the three professionals were able to have an impact on work situation design, to reduce a large number of risks at source, and to develop the prevention program before the plant was commissioned. The authors identified the project’s and company management characteristics that helped and hindered the activities of the preventionists and ergonomist. From there, they identified guiding principles that could be generalized to other companies and to types of projects other than plant design. These principles are related to the project steps to be favoured, to the relationship to be developed between design and corrective actions, and finally, to the optimal division between interventions of ergonomics or occupational health and safety specialists and the “first aid” interventions given to company players initiated in these fields.

Additional Information

Type: Project
Number: 0099-1400
Status: Completed
Year of completion: 2002
Team:
  • Fernande Lamonde (Université Laval)
  • Philippe Beaufort (Imago ergonomie)
  • Jean-Guy Richard (IRSST)