Introducing a new design of digital tool to increase vibration risk assessments: challenges with education-based interventions

Purpose. The aim of the study was to investigate if introducing a digital-tool risk assessments tool, the Swedish National Vibration Database, would increase the number of risk assessments on Hand-arm and Whole body vibration. Employer and safety representatives from companies, where vibration exposure is common, were invited. Method. Of the 2953 invited companies, 1916 were selected for educational intervention and the remaining 1037 companies served as a control group with no intervention. For the educational intervention, participating companies were further divided into two groups (A; n 26, B; n 47), which both received information regarding risk assessment but Group B was also informed about the digital-tool. Both groups answered a questionnaire on risk assessment before the intervention and at the follow-up, six months later, the control group received the same questionnaire but no education (C; n 22). Results. Of the invited companies, only 2% chose to participate and 7‰ at follow-up. 78% of the participants had made some kind of risk assessments of vibration at and follow-up. Conclusion. Due to the low participation rate among invited companies, this study is not able to draw any conclusions on whether the digital-tool can be used to increase the number of risk assessments