Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.
Faculty of Public Health, Thammasat University, Rangsit Campus, Thailand.
Ind Health. 2020 Oct 8;58(5):403-413. doi: 10.2486/indhealth.2019-0205. Epub 2020 Apr 18.
Competency is important for professionals' effective performance and career development. However, little is known about the necessary competencies and proficiency in these for Thai safety officers. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the necessary competencies for this group and to compare proficiency in each competency between senior and junior safety officers. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among 73 safety officers using a self-administered questionnaire. Twenty-five competencies were classified as necessary. Mean proficiency scores were higher for senior safety officers than for more junior safety officers for all examined competencies; however, this difference was not statistically significant for 'first aid' or for 'air sampling and analytical methods'. Regulatory compliance was assessed as the most important competency. Gaps between necessity and proficiency were observed in managing safety programs for the junior group. In both groups, proficiency was lowest in the competency of mental health. The results indicate that Thai safety officers' training needs may be particularly high for regulatory compliance, managing safety programs, and mental health. Lifelong learning is important for enabling occupational safety and health practitioners to fulfill current requirements in Thailand and elsewhere. Multiple training approaches and a specialist qualification program may encourage competency development, especially for junior practitioners.
能力对于专业人员的有效绩效和职业发展很重要。然而，对于泰国安全官员所需的能力和熟练程度知之甚少。因此，本研究旨在确定该群体所需的能力，并比较高级和初级安全官员在每项能力上的熟练程度。采用问卷调查法对 73 名安全官员进行了描述性的横断面研究。25 项能力被归类为必要能力。与初级安全官员相比，高级安全官员在所有检查的能力方面的平均熟练程度得分更高；然而，在“急救”或“空气采样和分析方法”方面，这种差异没有统计学意义。法规遵从性被评估为最重要的能力。在管理安全计划方面，初级组的需求与熟练程度之间存在差距。在这两个组中，心理健康方面的能力得分最低。结果表明，泰国安全官员的培训需求可能特别高，需要在法规遵从、管理安全计划和心理健康方面进行培训。终身学习对于使职业安全与健康从业者能够满足泰国和其他地区的当前要求很重要。多种培训方法和专业资格计划可能会鼓励能力发展，特别是对于初级从业者。
