Teleworking: Occupational Health and Safety Management in Colombia

Abstract

To analyze occupational health and safety (OHS) management practices used by companies that allow teleworking and propose modifications to the OHS management system. The unit of study were companies in the services sector of Bogotá and their teleworkers. To identify company practices, , we conducted a survey of teleworkers and key informant interviews with those responsible for OHSh. Recommendations for adapting the elements of the teleworking management system were made based on the analysis and integration of the theoretical and conceptual framework with the practices of companies with teleworkers. Overall, we observed that companies continue with usual strategies for workplace health and safety, without considering the different nature of the work. The synthesis that resulted from combining the theoretical and conceptual framework with the risk management analysis in companies identified that the system components could be modified for telework, specifically in the organization and planning, application and evaluation components of the OHS management system. Usual OHS risk management practices of companies with teleworkers should be improved by adjusting some of the components of the management system. These adjustments include managing information and technological innovations by applying them to the organization and planning, application and evaluation components of the system.