Dissertation_Paula Aleksandrowicz_12 ... - Jacobs University

an occupational safety inspector. Besides of those services, several other health
management measures are provided, like free “regeneration meals” and hot beverages for
workers working in health-harming conditions, cures in a health resort, or free additional
health and accident insurance.
The focus in Polish firms is on the provision of health care and on the prevention of
accidents. Secondly, behavioural and relational prevention does not play a role yet (with the
exception of two firms), quite in contrast to German firms. Thus, it can be ascertained that
as sustainable health management is not taking place, which poses a barrier for the
preservation of workability on the job. Moreover, a focus on older workers was mentioned
only in Firm PL-8 – there, additional health checks-ups for persons with completed 45 th
year are conducted (early diagnosis and prevention of diabetes, prostate cancer a.o.), but
possibly that was offered also in other firms without being mentioned outright in the
interview.
Most interviewees deemed the workplace of blue-collar workers (and, in the case of
Firm PL-1, of postmen) as unsuitable for work until standard retirement age. What was
interesting, working conditions were deemed unsuitable for men till the age of 65, and for
women till 60, which matched the legislated retirement age. The interviewees brought
forward the argument of the double burden of women at home and in work, which was
exemplarily expressed by the shop steward in a transportation equipment company:
“In my opinion, that [=equalisation of retirement age] should also not take place! Women have
much, much more obligations beside work than men. Because, in our country there still is the
patriarchal model, so to say. A man, when he comes home, usually cares then for his own matters,
or picks up the newspaper, switches on the TV… That model still functions, after all. And the
woman, she has the home on top of all.” (Firm PL-17_TU)
The working conditions are reflected in institutional regulations which distinguish
between ´work under special conditions´ or ´of special character´ and regular workplaces
(see section 3.3.1.). A certain amount of workplaces in manufacturing firms in my sample
matches those criteria, e.g. laboratory assistants who have contact with chemicals.
Working conditions in Polish firms have gained considerably from privatisation and EU
accession – technological change, higher personal and production hygiene, regular
workplace inspections, better protective gear, extension of sanitary facilities, environmental
protection, and increase of health awareness of the workforce. In some cases, working
conditions have improved due to the outsourcing of especially harmful workplaces (e.g.
galvanisation). Singular other improvements were the change of flooring so that fluids are
184