Concerns of the dry-cleaning industry: A qualitative investigation of labor and management

Background Occupational scientists agree there are hazards associated with dry-cleaning, but no dry-cleaning owners and workers concur? Knowledge of o wners' and workers' perceptions can help guide intervention efforts to redu ce worker exposure. To better understand these issues, a qualitative study was conducted using focus group methodology and constant comparative analys is. Methods Two owner and four worker focus groups were held. Results Findings suggest that overall, health and safety issues were not of great concern. Owners were primarily concerned with the economic impact of regulations. Workers did express some anxiety about solvent exposure and b urns, but most felt that these hazards were "just part of the job. "Also, o ther than the installation of air-conditioning in the shops and the provisi on of health benefits, workers could not think of ways health and safety on the job could be improved. Conclusions These findings will be used to develop comprehensive safety and health interventions (e.g., engineering plus education and training) in dr y-cleaning shops. Am. J. Ind. Med. 35:112-123, 1999. Published 1999 Wiley-L iss, Inc.dagger