How can research methods and evidence inform and

support OHS decision-making? Intervention, evaluation

and safety performance measurement

March 2014 Pauline Zardo, ISCRR Research Translation Manager, former WorkSafe Prevention Project

Officer, PhD Candidate Monash University Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine.

Outline

• Research-based interventions and how they have driven real-world practice change

• Research evidence and methods that are supporting measurement and evaluation of OHS interventions and programs

• Accessing research: Pro’s Con’s Tip’s for Regulators and Safety Professionals

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How can research support

OHS Professionals and Regulators?

• Help quantify extent and nature of OHS risks to help

targeting of prevention efforts

– Can provide a non-claims based understanding of risk and

program/intervention/control effectiveness

• Help determine how OHS programs, interventions, activities

and controls are working and how effective they have been

• Help identify areas of emerging OHS risks

• Support and/or test experience and practice based issue

and risk identification and insights on larger scale

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How has research helped OHS Regulators?

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Noise Induced Hearing Loss:

a significant OHS issue

5 Sources: SWA, Occupational NIHL in Australia, 2010; Simm, ISCRR Project Report 2010; SWA Work-Related NIHL in Australia 2006.

NIHL What was the research project? • Provide evidence to facilitate a response by WorkSafe to rapidly rising NIHL

claims and costs • Recommendations for changes based on medical and health research and

compensation practice in other jurisdictions What were the findings? • Claims four-fold higher in 2008-09 vs 1998-99, increase mainly in ages 56+ • No increase in proportion of claims rejected; no increase in ‘vexatious’ claims • Greater awareness of hearing tests and/or publicity on claims and

entitlements • Noise control programs had been ineffective and compliance inadequate • NIHL tests being used were the best available Recommendations • Align with Australian standards on calibration of the audiometer • Testing be conducted in a sound proof room • Maintain use of current NIHL tests

6 Lead Researcher, Prof. Malcom Sim, Centre for Occupational and

Environmental Health, Dept. Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University

NIHL

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How was the research used?

• Highlighted the urgency and priority of the issue

• Use in ministerial briefing document for testing of NIHL

• Informed decisions regarding compensation for different NIHL conditions

What was the impact of the use of the research?

• $1.5 million actuarial release

• Allowed WorkSafe to focus its strategic response to growing hearing loss costs

– E.g. They avoided spending time reviewing and revising these tests – without the research they may have been delayed by up to 2 years

Quad Bikes: a significant OHS issue

Work-related Quad Bike fatalities: • 2014 – 4 fatalities at 20 February

• 2013 – 21 fatalities

• 2012 – 19 fatalities

• 2011 – 20 fatalities

Source: Safe Work Australia, 2014; Wordley, ISCRR Report, 2010

Quad Bikes

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What was the research project? A review of evidence on the effectiveness of Crush Protection Devices (CPDs) for Quad Bikes What were the findings? • Issues with simulation methods used and incidents tested to predict effect of CPDs. • CPDs found to be effective in some instances • Reasons for rejecting CPDs and the quad bar in particular, ‘cannot be supported

given the major problems with the research methodologies identified by the Review’ Recommendations • Guidance for future research regarding the effectiveness of CPDs • Preliminary standard for design and specification of Quad bike CPDs • ‘…in the meantime, regulatory bodies should consider the use of the Quad Bar Crush

Protection Device (or an equivalent device) for riders who use Quad bikes at low speeds in the workplace or for recreational use’

Lead Researcher: Dr. Scott Wordley, Faculty of Engineering at Monash University

Quad Bikes

How was the research used?

• Citation of research findings by many media outlets in Australia

• Reference to research in academic/industry consensus statement on quad bike safety

What was the impact of the use of the research?

• Re-ignited debate around important OHS issue

• Contributed to a 'case for change' in safety standards

• Contributed to increased community awareness

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How can research help the monitoring and

evaluation of OHS projects and performance?

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WorkHealth

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What is the research project?

An evaluation of the WorkHealth checks (WHCs) and workplace health

promotion activities implemented as part of the WorkHealth program.

How did this assist monitoring and evaluation of OHS outcomes?

• Identified higher-risk subgroups for type 2 diabetes and CVD risks and related

lifestyle factors. Informed future targeting of the program

• Enabled and evidence-based approach to communications and marketing

• Supported and informed cross-government and cross-jurisdictional planning,

investments and programs

• Assisted improvement of the readability and subsequent effectiveness of WH

program materials

• Helped identify future areas for investigation and investment

Lead Researcher, Prof. Malcom Sim, Centre for Occupational and

Environmental Health, Dept. Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University

OHS Lead Indicators

What is the research project?

The main focus of the project is the development of a tool to measure the risk potential of an organisation/workplace.

How will this assist monitoring and evaluation of OHS outcomes?

• Provide the basis for employers to monitor safety action/behaviour

• Improve understanding of the effectiveness of specific safety interventions

• Contribute to VWA’s constructive compliance approach by working with industry and stakeholders to understand leading indicators of effective OHS

• Develop a tool to assess lead indicators, which will be an early diagnostic to identify areas that can be targeted for interventions

• Enhance employer interaction with the VWA inspectorate; and

• Support effective prioritisation and evaluation of WorkSafe prevention activities

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Lead Researcher: Prof. Helen DeCieri, Dept. Management in Faculty of Business

and Economics, Monash University

How can research help OHS professionals

and Regulators?

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How can research support

OHS Professionals and Regulators?

• Helps quantify extent and nature of OHS risks to help targeting of prevention efforts

– Can provide a non-claims based understanding of risk and program/intervention/control effectiveness

• Helps determine how different OHS program, interventions activities and controls are working and how effective they have been

• Helps identify areas of emerging OHS risks

• Can support and/or test experience and practice based issue and risk identification and insights on larger scale

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Accessing Research Individually

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OHS Specific Sources of Evidence ICSRR Newsletter: http://www.iscrr.com.au/news.html WorkSafe Victoria: http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au Safe Work Australia: http://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au UK Health & Safety Executive: http://www.hse.gov.uk US National Institute of Safety & Health: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh NZ Accident Compensation Commission: http://www.acc.co.nz Access to evidence for a fee: OHS Alert: www.ohsalert.com.au News headlines and other information available free; registration fee for full article viewing. Health, Public Health and Other Sources of Evidence AIHW: http://www.aihw.gov.au ABS: http://www.abs.gov.au Cochrane Collaboration: http://www.cochrane.org Canadian Health Services Research Foundation: http://www.chsrf.ca Australian Policy Online: http://www.apo.org.au Google Scholar: http://scholar.google.com.au State Services Authority: http://www.ssa.vic.gov.au State Library of Victoria: http://www.slv.vic.gov.au Open Access Journals Implementation Science: http://www.implementationscience.com PloS Medicine: http://www.plosmedicine.org Health Research Policy and Systems: http://www.health-policy-systems.com

Pro’s • Can access yourself from internet • Use to inform and support

arguments for change • Stay up to date on research OHS

topics of interest/relevance

Con’s • Not all research is freely accessible

– so don’t always get whole picture • Can be tricky to determine quality

of the evidence, even peer-reviewed!

Tips • Use sources to help assess quality

• http://www.bmj.com/about-bmj/resources-readers/publications/how-read-paper

• ‘Using Research to Inform Practice’, HaSPA The Core Body of Knowledge

• State Library may have access to full text you cant get on line

How/where?

Working with Researchers

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• Contact University researchers directly

• Uni website staff profile • Author contact details on

papers of interest • Contact research agencies or

safety institutes for advice • ISCRR • IWH – Canada • SIA/HaSPA

• Identify and attend academic conferences related to OHS and return to work; or more broadly public health/ epidemiology

• Google search • Uni Newsletter Mailing

Lists • Consultants

Pro’s • Best available evidence – whether

evidence review or new evidence • Inform intervention/practice

program design & implementation • Test/evaluate practice/programs

Con’s • May not be able meet regulator or

professional timeframes • May communicate actionable

statements from findings • Consultants – may not be thorough

Tips

• Work closely with researchers throughout

• Think about question/aims carefully –workshop with researchers

• Identify type of outputs you want

How/where?

Questions?

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