This initiative will ease workplace communication between employees without taking into consideration their hearing and language ability
CETEM, the Technological Research Centre of Furniture in the Region of Murcia, hosted the second meeting for the transnational consortium of the European project SSaW (Signed Safety at Work), included in the framework of the Strategic Partnerships of the Erasmus+ Program. The meeting took place at CETEM facilities last April where partners faced the challenges and opportunities ahead.
SSaW aims to produce a sign language-based vocabulary of around 200 essential Health and Safety words and phrases to facilitate workplace communication between all employees, whatever their hearing and language ability. Deaf or hearing-impaired workers and migrant workers are the main target groups who will particularly benefit from improved workplace communication.
The main goal is the improvement of employment opportunities and social inclusion in the labour market with a special focus on construction and manufacturing sectors. According to the Health and Safety Executive, these industries have the highest rates of industrial deafness cases. SSaW will help employers to ensure health and safety in the workplace and makes employees feel comfortable and safe in any environment, particularly if they are hearing impaired.
As reported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than 5% of global population suffer from hearing losses. It is exposure to excessive highest levels of noise in noisy work environment with machines that is one of the main reasons; such as in construction and manufacturing sectors.
For these reasons, the project will led to the following outcomes: Sign vocabulary for Health and Safety of words and phrases commonly used in manufacturing and construction, an online glossary available on an APP, an e-learning resource composed by a combination of question-based E-learning and scenario-based simulation; and guidelines for diversity in Health and Safety to make Sign Language more accessible.
During the meeting, partners displayed the work done in Intellectual Output 1 – Sign Vocabulary for Health and Safety and started to plan their next steps on the project. The next project meeting will be hosted in Rome by Instituto Statale Sordi di Roma in September.
SSaW is composed by seven partners from UK, Italy, Austria, Spain and Czech Republic: University of Woverhampton (UoW), Occupational Safety Research Institute (VUBP), University of Klagenfurt (UNI-KLU), Searchlighter Services Ltd (SSL), Technological Research Centre of Furniture (CETEM), Instituto Statale Sordi di Roma (ISSR) and Bellyfeel Media Limited (BFM). The project has a total duration of 30 months and a total budget of € 374.736.