A comprehensive observational audit tool for use in Australian fitness facilities
- Authors: Gray, Shannon , Sekendiz, Betul , Norton, Kevin , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science Vol. 18, no. 4 (2017), p. 306-317
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1058737
- Full Text: false
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- Description: A purposely designed observational audit tool (OAT) was developed following review of literature and international standards/guidelines for fitness facilities. The OAT was trialled to assess the physical environment of a sample of fitness facilities and determine its inter-rater reliability. Ten Victorian fitness facilities were visited to test the tool's inter-rater reliability, then 22 metropolitan and regional facilities in Victoria ranging in size and type were audited. A high degree of reliability was found (inter-rater reliability κ = 0.659 (p < 0.005); 95% CI (0.633, 0.685)); intra-class correlation = 0.985 (F474,948 = 67.226, p < 0.005, 95% CI (0.983, 0.987)). On average, facilities were colder and darker than international standards/guidelines specified. Distances around cardiovascular equipment varied between facilities. Free equipment was observed lying on floors in 66% (n = 21) of facilities. Twenty-seven facilities had signs instructing users to replace weights after use (66%). Only 19 (59%) facilities enforced towel use; however, 94% (n = 30) had disinfectant stations. The auditing of fitness facilities indicates more should be done at facilities to reduce injury risk. © 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Too much information? A document analysis of sport safety resources from key organisations
- Authors: Bekker, Sheree , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: BMJ Open Vol. 6, no. 5 (2016), p. 1-8
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1058737
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565907
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- Description: Objectives: The field of sport injury prevention has seen a marked increase in published research in recent years, with concomitant proliferation of lay sport safety resources, such as policies, fact sheets and posters. The aim of this study was to catalogue and categorise the number, type and topic focus of sport safety resources from a representative set of key organisations. Design: Cataloguing and qualitative document analysis of resources available from the websites of six stakeholder organisations in Australia. Setting: This study was part of a larger investigation, the National Guidance for Australian Football Partnerships and Safety (NoGAPS) project. Participants: The NoGAPS study provided the context for a purposive sampling of six organisations involved in the promotion of safety in Australian football. These partners are recognised as being highly representative of organisations at national and state level that reflect similarly in their goals around sport safety promotion in Australia. Results: The catalogue comprised 284 resources. More of the practical and less prescriptive types of resources, such as fact sheets, than formal policies were found. Resources for the prevention of physical injuries were the predominant sport safety issue addressed, with risk management, environmental issues and social behaviours comprising other categories. Duplication of resources for specific safety issues, within and across organisations, was found. Conclusions: People working within sport settings have access to a proliferation of resources, which creates a potential rivalry for sourcing of injury prevention information. Important issues that are likely to influence the uptake of safety advice by the general sporting public include the sheer number of resources available, and the overlap and duplication of resources addressing the same issues. The existence of a large number of resources from reputable organisations does not mean that they are necessarily evidence based, fully up to date or even effective in supporting sport safety behaviour change. © 2016, BMJ Publishing Group. All rights reserved.
Bridging the research-practice gap: Validity of a software tool designed to support systemic accident analysis by risk managers
- Authors: Goode, Natassia , Salmon, Paul , Taylor, Natalie , Lenné, Michael , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Conference proceedings
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1058737
- Full Text: false
- Description: Despite the proposed advantages of systems accident analysis (SAA) methods for understanding incident-causation, these approaches have not been widely adopted by practitioners. This represents a significant gap between research and practice in accident analysis. The Understanding and Preventing Led Outdoor Accidents Data System (UPLOADS) provides a series of tools to address this gap. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of UPLOADS by comparing analyses generated by risk managers and researchers experienced in SAA. Twenty-three risk managers used UPLOADS to collect and analyse incident data from their organization over a three month period. The reports were then analyzed by two researchers experienced in SAA, and compared to those generated by participants. Participants identified half the number of factors identified by researchers, and tended to focus on only one or two factors as the causes of each incident. The potential consequences for practitioners' understanding of incident-causation and countermeasure development are discussed, as well as ways of improving the system. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015.