6. ELEMENTS OF ADULT PEDAGOGY
Adult pedagogy and Risk management
If we talk about adult pedagogy, we must introduce the term “andragogy”. This concept was popularized by Malcom Knowles, meaning “the art and science of helping adults learn”, and contesting with pedagogy (“the art and science of teaching children”).
According to this theory of pedagogy, an adult learner:
Moves from dependency to the direction of their own learning
Draws on their accumulated experiences to help learning
Is ready to learn when they assume new social or life roles
Is problem-centred
Is motivated to learn by internal factors
Because of this, adult educators should:
Set a cooperative climate for learning in the classroom
Develop learning objectives based on the learner’s needs, interests and skill levels
Design sequential activities to achieve the objectives
Work collaboratively with the learner to select methods, materials and resources for instruction
Evaluate the quality of the learning experience and make the adjustments needed
Very close to this matter is the learning of risks, together with the appropriate methods of prevention or protection. This is a very important aspect to take into account within the workplace, and every worker must receive training on this, adequate to their job circumstances and environment.
What is occupational risk prevention?
“The term “occupational risk” refers to likelihood that an injury or illness will occur as a result of exposure to workplace hazards. The idea of occupational risk exists upon two axes: The first is the probability that a given injury or illness will occur, and the second is that injury or illness’ potential severity. Thus, two injuries that are equally likely but not equally severe would pose different levels of workplace risk.
In modern OHS contexts, when evaluating the level of risk within a given workplace, both actual instances of an injury occurring and “near misses” in which it almost occurred are used to evaluate the level of risk in a workplace.”
Prevention means “the set of activities or measures adopted or foreseen for all the stages of a company’s work processes in order to avoid or decrease work-related risks.”
Diseases, pathologies or injuries sustained because of work or while working are considered work-related injuries.
Right to protection from occupational risks
“Article 153 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union gives the EU the authority to adopt directives in the field of safety and health at work. The Framework Directive, with its wide scope of application, and further directives focusing on specific aspects of safety and health at work are the fundamentals of European safety and health legislation. Member States are free to adopt stricter rules for the protection of workers when transposing EU directives into national law. Therefore, legislative requirements in the field of safety and health at work can vary across EU Member States.”
As an example, in Spain there is a framework standard of reference: Law 31/1995 of 8 November 1995 on Occupational Risk Prevention (LPRL). This law, “expressly establishes the right of workers to effective occupational health and safety protection, which means that employers have a corresponding duty to protect their workers from occupational risks. The rights of information, consultation and participation, training on prevention, cease of business activity in the event of a serious and imminent risk, and worker health monitoring are all part of workers’ rights to effective protection as regards occupational health and safety.”
Principles of preventive action
The following list makes reference to the principles that need to be taken in to account while applying measures of prevention:
Avoiding risks
Assessing risks that cannot be avoided
Combatting risks at their source
Adapting work to the individual
Taking into account technical advancements
Replacing the dangerous by the non-dangerous or the less dangerous
Developing a prevention policy
Giving collective protective measures priority over individual protective measures
Giving appropriate instructions to workers
Management of occupational risk prevention at a company
“Occupational risk prevention must be integrated in the general management system of a company, both in its work as a whole and at all hierarchical levels of the company, by implementing and applying an occupational risk prevention plan.
This occupational risk prevention plan must include the organisational structure, responsibilities, functions, practices, procedures, processes and resources that are necessary for taking preventive actions at a company, under the terms set forth in the rules and regulations. The essential instruments for applying a risk prevention plan are the occupational risk assessment and planning of the preventive activity.”
What is a risk assessment?
“An occupational risk assessment is a process designed to estimate the magnitude of risks that could not be avoided, thereby obtaining the necessary information so that an employer is able to make the appropriate decision about the need to adopt preventive measures and, in such a case, about the type of measures that must be adopted.”
An employer’s responsibilities
Employers have the duty to protect their workers from occupational risks, “ensuring their health and safety in all work-related aspects, by integrating preventive activities at their company and adopting all the necessary measures.” This is important to remark because some measures may need to be readapted according to the situation, the risk features or even the worker’s characteristics (especially if there is any worker belonging to a group which may need especial protection as are people who suffer from some disability or condition, pregnant women or who have recently given birth or people under the age of 18.
Organisation of resources for preventive activities
Depending on the number of workers who are exposed and the characteristics of the risks, an employer needs to organize the necessary resources for developing preventive activities using any of the following arrangements:
The employer personally takes on the preventive activity.
Designating one or several workers to do it.
Setting up an in-house prevention service.
Setting up a joint prevention service.
Resorting to an external prevention service.
Rights of workers
The following lists complies the different rights workers are entitled to with regard to risk management:
To be informed directly.
To receive sufficient and suitable theoretical and practical training.
To interrupt their activity and, if necessary, leave the workplace due to a serious and imminent risk to their life or health.
To periodic monitoring of their state of health according to the risks inherent in the job.
To have specific preventive measures available.
To be consulted and to participate in all matters that might affect occupational health and safety.
Obligations of workers
The following lists complies the different obligations workers have with regard to risk management:
To use machines, tools, dangerous substances, equipment and any work tool appropriately.
To use the protective means and equipment provided by the employer correctly and according to the instructions given.
To use safety devices correctly.
To report immediately any situation that, in the worker’s opinion, might involve a risk to worker health and safety.
To contribute to compliance with the obligations established by the competent authority.
To cooperate with the employer so that the employer can guarantee working conditions that are safe and do not put workers at health and safety risks.
This information is important to take into account within the workplace. However, as we have previously mentioned, legislation for risk prevention may change across the different countries in the European Union, but most of the existent legislations share some common points. Risk management is essential for a safe environment and healthy space within the job.