Educational Need Assessment of Occupational Health Inspectors in Tehran province

Abstract

Introduction: Today, improvement of a labor inspectorate is an indicator of a country's economic and social growth development. So, inspectors need to perform a level of competence, professional knowledge, and skills. Training should meet these particular needs.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the educational priorities over 80 occupational health inspectors in Tehran province. The study tools included an attitude questionnaire and a knowledge test in occupational health based on the instructions provided by Ministry of Health inspection. The reliability and validity of these tools were evaluated and confirmed by quantitative and qualitative (Delphi) methods by experts in each field.

Results: The attitude of inspectors was in the desirable range (total score of 4.669). Knowledge status was low in all fields (in the 70% threshold) and very low in some cases. Regarding the educational priorities, chemical agents with an average of 4.121 and the lowest percentage of correct response were placed at the first priority of education. The sound and vibration with an average of 1.325 were laced at the seventh priority of education. Moreover, ergonomics, thermal stress, biological, and radiation were placed from the second to sixth levels of priority.

Conclusion:

Due to the low knowledge level of the studied participants and their abilities, these workers should be trained as inspectors in the realm of sound. To this end, continuous educational planning is required based on needs assessment studies.