One-Hour Pilot Training to Prevent Workers From Taking Home Workplace Contaminants.

Workers can accidentally transport chemical hazards from the workplace to the home, known as “take-home exposures”. Recent take-home lead-poisoning cases highlight the need for effective prevention training. A one-hour take-home prevention training was developed in partnership with a non-profit. The training was administered and evaluated during two training sessions with twenty-one trainees. The training was composed of a lecture and interactive activities. An illustrated poster was used with different prevention actions within a story line to reduce take-home exposures under three categories: facilities with formal health and safety programs, small businesses, and outdoor work. The effectiveness and acceptability of the training was measured by a survey and pre- and post-training exams. The second training exam responses showed a 14% (84% to 98%) increase in take-home prevention knowledge. Community-based prevention training could reduce the burden of chemical exposures on vulnerable workers and their families.