Occupational Safety Climate in the Swedish Equine Sector

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Handling and working with horses is a hazardous activity, as horses are large, powerful and unpredictable animals, and the equine sector is reported to have a relatively high occupational injury rate. The safety climate in a workplace is a good indicator of safety performance because it captures employees’ attitudes and perceptions of safety at a specific point in time. The safety climate in the equine sector is a relatively unexplored area, though research could be a fruitful approach to improving occupational safety. In this study, the safety climates at six Swedish riding schools and six trotting stables were assessed using a questionnaire on the safety climates at these workplaces and complementary interviews. The riding schools and trotting stables all had favourable safety climates and employees were well-aware of the injury risks in their work environment. The main aspect of the workplace safety climate identified as needing improvement was the workers’ prioritisation and non-acceptance of risk, and their propensity to take calculated risks. Minor injuries were considered part of the job, indicating a need to communicate the importance of such injuries. This aspect of the equine safety climate should be targeted to improve future safety. The management should promote a culture of safety awareness at all levels of the organisation, making safety an integral part of daily work. Accident investigations should be performed systematically to learn from negative events, identify factors contributing to injuries and develop strategies for injury prevention. ABSTRACT: The Swedish equine sector is considered a high-risk work environment, with relatively high injury rates and high severity of injuries. General safety research has identified a correlation between the safety performance and safety culture, but little is known about the intricacies of the safety culture in the Swedish equine sector, especially concerning managers’ and employees’ perceptions of their work environment. The safety climate assessment is recognised as an effective tool for identifying potential problems in the workplace, thus enhancing safety behaviour and decreasing the frequency and severity of injuries. The aim was to evaluate the safety climate at riding schools and trotting stables through the Nordic Safety Climate Questionnaire (NOSACQ-50) diagnostic tool, and to get a better understanding of the workers’ perceptions regarding safety and safety management at their workplace through complementary interviews. The results showed that the safety climate was generally positive and that employees were aware of the risks relating to their work. Riding schools commonly had routines in place for risk assessment and work environment management, but such routines were often lacking at trotting stables, indicating inadequate prioritisation of safety by the management. The main area that should be targeted to improve safety in the sector is employees’ prioritisation and non-acceptance of risks. Proactive instead of reactive safety management should be promoted, where safety is an integral part of daily work and all employees are encouraged to identify factors contributing to occupational injuries and develop strategies for injury prevention.