Risk communication about particulate matter in the workplace: A digital experiment

• Published in: Safety science Vol. 151; p. 105721
• Main Authors: Stege, T.A.M., Bolte, J.F.B., Claassen, L., Timmermans, D.R.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 01-07-2022; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Airborne particulates; Educational folder; Exposure; Health risks; Occupational exposure; Occupational hazards; Occupational health; Occupational safety; Particulate emissions; Particulate matter; Perception; Risk communication; Risk visualization; Work safety; Risk visualization; Work safety; Risk communication; Educational folder; Particulate matter
• ISSN: 0925-7535; 1879-1042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2022.105721

•We tested a mental models-based risk communication folder about PM (particulate matter) exposure in the workplace.•Significant positive effects of the folder with risk visualizations (including an icon array) were found on knowledge score outcomes.•The higher effect size of knowledge score outcomes among people who checked the folder during the questionnaire may be an argument for ‘just in time’ information.•No significant effects were found on threat appraisal, coping appraisal, or perceived quality among the folders that were compared.
Workers do not always showcase adequate knowledge on potential long-term health effects and other properties of particulate matter (PM), which may lead to a decreased tendency to work safely in a high-PM environment. To empower workers to work more safely in environments with high PM exposure, we developed an educational folder tethered to their information needs. In the present study, we test two versions of our folder in a digital panel experiment with 227 participants who regularly worked in environments where they are potentially highly exposed to PM. We tested one version with and one without visualizations of the exposure and health effects, as it is currently unclear whether such visualizations can improve risk understanding. We compared them with an existing folder about PM and with a control condition involving a text unrelated to the subject. The outcome variables included people’s opinions about the quality of the material; learning effects by means of knowledge questions; and perception- and behavior-related effects about PM and mitigation methods. The results revealed a significant and relevant difference on improvement of knowledge scores between our folder with extra visualizations and the control condition. No significant difference between the conditions with regards to perception and behavior effects were found.