Evaluation of a worksite injury and illness prevention program: do the effects of the REACH OUT training program reach the employees?

In this article the authors report the findings of a 2-year study evaluating the effectiveness of REACH OUT, a train-the-trainer program developed to assist small businesses comply with California legislation, Senate Bill 198 (1989), requiring employees to implement a worksite Injury and Illness Prevention Program. Data from a case study sample of 8 companies, drawn from 151 Southern California small businesses participating in the larger study, are reported. Diagnostic walk-throughs were performed, and employee surveys collected at the case study companies approximately 2 months before the treatment group received the intervention and again 1 year later. Results indicate that greater corporate compliance led to employees' perceptions of increased health and safety meetings and training sessions, which led to greater employee health and safety knowledge and improved employee health outcomes.