Occupational health and safety in initial vocational training: Reflection on the issues of prescription and integration in teaching and learning activities

Abstract

Vocational training (VT) is an important lever for organisations and workers. Training efforts are made at various levels to integrate occupational safety and health (OSH) into VT. OSH training often focuses on basic knowledge and compliance with rules to be applied or enforced. However, activities in schools, internships and jobs involve complex OSH issues, which imply real skills to be integrated into the activity, in a real context. Without taking into account knowledge and activity in context, training content and approaches may have a limited scope and affect the transfer of learning to the work situation. Behavioural modelling to control attitudes to risk, through strict procedures, may be necessary, but other learning needs to take place. Training in safety rules is only one of the levers to be activated to prevent risks and develop a culture of prevention.This article presents a critical review of the issues of OSH education in VT for students and teachers. The introduction will set the context, the issues and the scientific approach. A theoretical framework will position the issues of prescription from the point of view of an ergonomic approach. This will be followed by a review of initiatives to integrate OSH into training. In particular, two approaches to integrating OSH into teacher training in Quebec, in which the author has participated, will be presented. In conclusion, a summary of the key points will open up perspectives for the development of OSH management in VT, which could be useful in contexts other than Quebec.