Transcript COMPREHENSIBILITY TESTING: FROM CONCEPT TO PRACTICE

GUIDANCE AND TRAINING MATERIAL
ON COMPREHENSIBILITY TESTING:
POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Andrea Rother
Occupational & Environmental Health Research
Unit, Dept. of Public Health
University of Cape Town, South Africa
OBJECTIVES OF PRESENTATION
To give a brief insight to the Zambian
Comprehensibility Testing (CT)
To highlight the obvious and hidden
benefits from CT
To stimulate discussion on the Way
Forward for Comprehensibility Testing and
CHC comprehensibility awareness
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CT With UCT Methodology
in Zambia
Overall positive response
Highlighting weak areas in CHC tools
(labels & SDSs) comprehension
Zambian team overcame numerous
hurdles to achieve successful testing
Highlighted areas for refining testing,
especially in developing countries
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SPIN-OFF/”HIDDEN” EFFECTS
FROM CT IN ZAMBIA
Collaboration amongst institutions, organizations
and individuals (e.g., UNZA, ECZ, AgriFlora)
Accountability and responsibility for industry to
have SDS’s easily accessible
Stimulate need for future training within
organizations/industries where CT took place
Developing of awareness and drawing attention
to the existence of hazard communication tools
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DEFINING THE PURPOSE
OF CT
Overall agreement and appreciation for the need to
access CHC comprehension, esp. in light of the GHS provides factual data on a population’s ability to
comprehend CHC tools; identifies ease in which GHS
can be adopted (low comprehensibility - easier to
change existing system)
Accessing applicability of comprehension leading to
safety behaviour?
Applying results of CT to improving existing CHC
tools?
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As
a 10
precursor
to training by identifying training needs
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July,2002
Why Continue With
Comprehensibility Testing?
• Benefits:
* country data on CHC comprehensibility in 4
sectors
* hidden benefits
• CHC comprehension stimulates safety
awareness, safety behaviour and potential
reduction of exposure to toxic chemicals.
• In GHS implementation, CT adds to holistic
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approach to successful applicability & viability
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HOLISTIC APPROACH TO GHS IMPLEMENTATION &
ACHIEVING GOAL OF PROTECTING HUMAN HEALTH
& THE ENVIRONMENT
GHS implementation
training on
implementation
Comprehensibility testing
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-
training on
comprehension &
applicability
healthy work and living environment
reduction of human & environmental
exposure to toxic chemicals
Role of Comprehensibility
Testing in Post-Pilot Phase
Comprehensibility data provides beneficial
insights.
What should be done with results? Open
CT lays foundation for targeted training
and should be continued with revisions to
existing UCT testing tool.
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Proposed Next Steps
Revision of Guidance Document for CT
Development of a Rapid Comprehensibility Testing
Modules and Tool Kit
Construction of a Training Package
Development of a Guidance Document for Developing
National CHC Awareness Raising Campaigns
Development of a Guidance Document for Primary
School Curriculum Development.
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REVISION OF GUIDANCE
DOCUMENT FOR CT
Would outline a national strategy for CT in relation
to the Rapid Comprehensibility Testing tool to be
developed, outlining:
Sample size
testing structure - core team, supervisors, enumerators
Respondents - sectors, stimulating participation
Potential problem areas
Culturally sensitive testing
Cost implications
Piloting
How to use testing modules and tool kit
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Development of a Rapid
Comprehensibility Testing Modules
& Tool Kit
Original UCT CT tool covered large range
of factors & issues affecting
comprehension
If labels & SDSs will not be revised based
on CT data, a simplified testing tool would
be beneficial for awareness & training
Rapid CT methodology would reduce cost
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2 time
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Construction of a Training
Package
Comprehensibility testing paves the road
to targeted training for GHS
comprehension
training manual
materials development (training
and awareness
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Development of a Guidance Document for
Developing National CHC Awareness
Raising Campaigns
 Run in conju nction with training program to strengthen and
broaden these initiatives & serve as a vehicle for introducing
new information/symbols from the GHS.
 Document to outline activities & structures to enhance CHC
tool comprehensibility, improve health & safety behaviour,
reduce chemical exposure. For example:
- presentations to parliament/government
- media broadcasts
- radio programs
- regular articles in community & national papers
- school poster and other competitions
- erection of billboard notices
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- mural paintings on walls & buildings
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Development of a Guidance
Document for Primary School
Curriculum Development
Guidelines for incorporating an
introduction of CHC and GHS tools in a
constructive, innovative and easily
understood fashion into primary schools
existing curricular activities and
structures.
Emphasis on placing CHC comprehension
in larger picture of chemical safety and
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exposure to toxic chemicals
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Question 10.6.1 Has this been a useful exercise?
(Zambian Railways Worker - June 13, 2002)
……”it has ignited my brain.”
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