The aftermath of occupational accidents : the lived experience of Maltese employees

Abstract

Background: According to the European Statistics on Accidents at Work (ESAW, 2019), accidents in the workplace are defined as an event during a typical day at work, which leads to physical or mental harm of the worker. Accidents at work occur on a daily basis, and in 2017 across the twenty-eight European Union states there were over 3.3 million non-fatal accidents which led to an increase of around 4,574 non-fatal accidents from the previous year. Following an occupational injury, employees may fully recover and return to normality whilst others may suffer more serious injuries and their recovery may take years or never fully recover (Wei-Shan, 2018). The lengthy process to recovery from impairment also impacts the psychological aspect of the person and research has shown that injured workers have displayed higher depression symptoms and post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) which had an impact on the return to work, family, at times even leading to suicides (Lin et al., 2013). Aim: This study focused on the aftermath of occupational accidents – the lived experience of Maltese employees. The main purpose was to bring forward the experiences and perspectives of persons, who had an occupational accident, and how their lives were affected. This study also aimed to give a glimpse of the local reality and learn from the actual life of those who have experienced an occupational accident. The findings will lead to the recommendations for policy and practice, which will be presented with the scope of increasing awareness and knowledge on the topic. Method: A qualitative study was carried out through the use of semi-structured interviews. An interview guide was drawn and used as a baseline during the interviews that were carried out with eight participants. All interviews were then transcribed, and the generated data was analysed through thematic analysis. The data analysis was dominated by five main overarching themes namely, Disability, Health and Safety, The Aftermath, Family Dynamics and Return to Work, which were further subdivided into subthemes accordingly. Results: The aftermath of the accidents varied depending on the participants’ disability percentage. Although all had been affected in many ways, participants acknowledged their new ‘normal’ and adapted to the situation. It was found that the Maltese infrastructure and environment does not always aid those who have a permanent impairment although various guidelines have been published. The accident also brought changes to the work that used to be performed prior to the accident in that participants had been re-instated in different jobs requiring lesser movements and a reduced workload at the same workplace. Others were still trying to get back to work either due to the disability or because they were still undergoing operations and therapy. The results also showed that, notwithstanding the accidents, not all employers had taken the necessary safety measures immediately. Findings also indicated that most of the employees have learnt from the negative experience and are bringing to attention those who are still practicing unsafe working methods. Recommendations: From this research, a number of recommendations have emerged, such as the importance of observing Occupational Health and Safety legislation, and the guidelines for the proper planning of infrastructure. More awareness is required regarding Health and Safety and this topic should be introduced more in schools so that it becomes ingrained in the new generation of workers. Return to work policies are to be implemented, for example, to introduce phased entrance to work. Psychological assistance is recommended not only for the victim but also for the close family members, who would all require adapting to the new ‘normal’.