Vocational training and occupational health: An ergonomics approach to gender and disabilities for social sustainability

Abstract

The Work-Oriented Training Path (WOTP) in Quebec, Canada, is a dual vocational training program that offers students with learning difficulties supervised traineeships. Teachers play a pivotal role in managing students' occupational health and safety (OHS), yet must do so under tight time constraints, limited institutional guidance and highly diverse student profiles. Building on an activity-centered ergonomics and capabilities framework, this multiple-case study explores how gender, disabilities, and work determinants shape OHS management within the WOTP, emphasizing their implications for social sustainability. Twenty-seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 WOTP teachers; 497 narrated anecdotes, which are units of speech when teachers' talk about students, were thematically analyzed to capture everyday mechanisms that expand or restrict safe participation in traineeship. The findings highlight challenges stemming from power dynamics between teachers, parents, and employers, which influence the operational leeway available for teachers to implement OHS prevention. Their work organization, conditions and tools also expand or restrict their capability to have an equitable approach. Additionally, the analysis reveals disparities in traineeship placement opportunities and OHS prevention, particularly concerning students’ gender identity and disabilities. Key factors influencing traineeship placements and OHS practices included students' communication skills, perceived autonomy, and suitability of behavior compared to social norms. Students with disabilities are frequently assigned repetitive tasks, increasing exposure to hazards that remain under-recognized. These results underscore the critical need for inclusive OHS prevention, fostering a more socially sustainable approach within vocational training programs.