Considering Occupational Safety Awareness in Elite Rugby: A Game of Near-Misses
Rugby players often experience risk exposure that has potentially very serious long-term health implications. Safety and risk awareness in rugby has thus become crucial especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to advance understanding of safety awareness within elite rugby b...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
ORDT: Organization for Research Development and Training
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of Interdisciplinary Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journalofinterdisciplinarysciences.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/1-Considering-Occupational-Safety-Awareness-in-Elite-Rugby-A-Game-of-Near-Misses.pdf |
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| Summary: | Rugby players often experience risk exposure that has potentially very serious long-term
health implications. Safety and risk awareness in rugby has thus become crucial especially
considering the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to advance understanding of safety awareness
within elite rugby by exploring relationships between players, their behaviors, and the role
stakeholders play in support and management. This study explored safety awareness in the context of
elite rugby by utilizing document analysis, and an ethnographic approach incorporating observation,
and semi-structured interviews. Participants were from rugby teams in Ireland. Observations occurred
between August 2017 and May 2018, focusing on training sessions and competitive games. Data
gathered were analyzed by thematic analysis using software NVivo. The findings identified three key
themes: first, the risk to rugby players long-term health consequences tended to be underestimated;
second, risk may be aggregated by players’ risk-taking behavior as a result of social exposure from
stakeholders; third, safety practices in rugby, such as injury reporting, need to become more proactive
rather than reactive. The dilemma that rugby players who prioritize their performance have to
compromise their health-and-wellbeing can be ameliorated by safety culture cultivation, initiating with
an encouragement of open communication on safety concerns. |
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| ISSN: | 2594-3405 |