Working Environment Survey, 1983

In recent years the existing quantifiable knowledge of working environment conditions has, to an increasing extent, determined the tasks which the Danish Labour Inspection Service (Arbejdstilsynet) has been able to carry out. # This knowledge has, however, been rather fragmentary as it has been based on a number of surveys dealing with limited problems or a number of surveys comprising only limited groups of wage earners or it has been based on information in registers containing data on the conditions of those who are gainfully employed. And it has turned out that it is difficult as well as time-consuming to use these registers. # Thus, the existing data basis has not been sufficient, which means that the Danish Labour Inspection Service has not been able to make a screening of the working environment of the part of the employed population which is affected by the Working Environment Act. In this connection a screening is a general examination of a number of important working environment conditions. # On the basis of these considerations, among others, it was decided to carry out a questionnaire survey of employed persons who are affected by the Working Environment Act. The data collection was carried out by AIM, Institute of Opinion Polls through personal interviews with structured questionnaires. # The main emphasis has been put on physical/chemical exposure as this type of exposure is the type which the Danish Labour Inspection Service is best able to regulate. # On the basis of the survey material a screening was made regarding, among others, the following subjects: #- Exposure during the work processes #- Occupational diseases and symptoms #- Occupational chronic diseases #- Place of work (branch of trade, work processes, etc.) #- Pulmonary/respiratory diseases #- Disease behaviour #Working environment exposure is screened by means of questions which, as mentioned above, primarily deal with physical/chemical exposure, whereas the organizational conditions are examined by means of only relatively few questions. # Occupational diseases and symptoms are screened by means of questions about a number of diseases/symptoms which may be caused by the physical, the chemical, as well as the organizational conditions. In this survey the employed persons stated which diseases/symptoms they had experienced within the last year, diseases/symptoms which they thought might be caused by their work. This delimitation was chosen as the most operational way of isolating occupational diseases. # Thus, the main purpose of the survey is a screening of the working environment and health of those who are employed. A screening which comprises all persons who are employed makes it possible to compare working environment conditions of different groups of employed persons and to find out whether accumulations of working environment problems exist among particular groups of employed persons. This makes it possible for the Danish Labour Inspection Service to localize areas in which an immediate effort is required, either in the form of better documentation or in the form of various initiatives. # Furthermore, the purpose has been to carry out a survey which could be the first step of the future panel surveys which will be the result of a more consistent and systematic supervision of working environment conditions and the development of these conditions