OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH IN VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL EDUCATION: TEACHERS’ KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v23.7122Keywords:
Occupational Safety and Health, Technical Education, Teachers of Technical Subjects, Vocational Education, Professional CompetenciesAbstract
Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is an important part of technical education, and teachers play a significant role in shaping students’ safety habits and attitudes. The aim of this study was to analyze the knowledge, attitudes, and approaches of technical subject teachers toward OSH issues and to identify factors related to the implementation of OSH in the teaching process. The research was conducted using a quantitative approach through a questionnaire survey of 86 technical subject teachers at secondary vocational schools in Slovakia. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and nonparametric statistical methods. The results showed that 82.6% of respondents consider occupational safety and health (OSH) to be an important or very important part of teaching. Teachers who completed repeated OSH training rated their knowledge significantly more favorably than teachers who completed only the initial training (p = 0.015), while the length of teaching experience did not show a statistically significant relationship with the level of knowledge. The most frequently used sources of information were professional training sessions, internal school guidelines, and online resources. At the same time, most respondents regularly incorporate safety briefings into their practical instruction. Teachers consider regular professional training sessions, methodological support, and practical workshops to be the most effective tools for developing professional competencies. The results highlight the importance of continuing education for teachers and the need for systematic methodological support in implementing occupational safety and health in technical education.
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