Abstract
BackgroundAlthough various organizations working in developed countries established the standards and approaches used in occupational hygiene, occupational hygiene professional interests and needs continue to develop in a global context. There is thus an urgent need for expanded occupational hygiene models. For successful field implementation, these models should be based on several sets of criteria, including those related to international standards, various national requirements, and multidisciplinary approaches. This is particularly important for countries in which no occupational hygiene model has been developed. This study thus examined the consensus on occupational hygiene standards among stakeholders in Turkey regarding the development of a national model. A modified Delphi study was conducted among key occupational health experts in Turkey who could aid in the relevant implementation, policy-making, and educational processes for such a model. Participants were selected from various governmental institutions, non-governmental organizations, trade unions, universities, and occupational health practices.ResultsThe first-round findings were obtained from open-ended questions. The results revealed several requirements, including the adoption of an international hygiene definition, the official recognition of professional and practical areas in Turkish occupational hygiene, hygienist training methods, priorities, and competent institutions. Second-round findings indicated a consensus rate of over 80% regarding the need for implementation standards, training and education standards, requirements and priorities, and competent institutions for professionals working in the field of occupational hygiene. A third-round and SWOT analysis was also conducted among the group to confirm the consensus issues.ConclusionsThe search for solutions and developmental expectations increases when awareness of internationalization and the need for common global standards increase. This developmental process may provide the basis for an appropriate model in developing countries.
Highlights
Various organizations working in developed countries established the standards and approaches used in occupational hygiene, occupational hygiene professional interests and needs continue to develop in a global context
The first-round findings illustrated the requirements for adopting an international hygiene definition, agreeing about the definition, occupational hygiene practices in Turkey, officially recognizing the professional and practical areas of occupational hygiene, training occupational hygienists, priorities, competent institutions and corporate functions, and the steps to be taken
This study revealed a high-level consensus about the need for definition and practice standards in Turkey, for future developments between the parties in the fields of sustainability, clarification, professional background, and the mixed applications and practical issues in a transitional period regarding occupational hygiene
Summary
Various organizations working in developed countries established the standards and approaches used in occupational hygiene, occupational hygiene professional interests and needs continue to develop in a global context. These models should be based on several sets of criteria, including those related to international standards, various national requirements, and multidisciplinary approaches This is important for countries in which no occupational hygiene model has been developed. “the professional area of occupational hygiene practice should be included in the political agenda as a business model” to plan for future standards in the field [4, 10]. From this perspective, global action, multi-professional approaches, and cross-disciplinary integration are necessary to achieve the essential aim of establishing occupational hygiene as a professional practice [1]
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