PTOTSystematic ReviewJournal of occupational rehabilitation2026

Barriers and Facilitators of Implementing Workplace Interventions Supporting Young Workers' Safety, Work Environment and Health: A Scoping Review of Qualitative and Mixed-Method Studies.

Emil Sundstrup, Johnny Dyreborg, Anders Dreyer Frost and 3 others

PMID 40848230

WHAT IT FOUND

Implementing workplace safety interventions for young workers (ages 15-29) succeeds when the program fits the specific job context and has strong management support.

It fails when staff face high workloads, time pressure, or irregular shift hours that prevent participation.

Key findings

01Interventions must be tailored to the specific work tasks and perceived as relevant by young workers; generic programs were a significant barrier.

02Support from top and middle management is essential, while low support or high turnover among managers impedes implementation.

03High workload, time pressure, and irregular shift hours are the primary barriers to young workers participating in interventions.

STILL TO COME

How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs

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What it does not show

Only 11 studies were included, and none specifically aimed to investigate implementation barriers/facilitators for young workers, meaning the data is secondary. The majority of studies focused on health-related professions (medical trainees, nurses), so findings may not generalize well to other industries. No quality assessment of the included studies was performed, so the reliability of the reported themes is unknown. The review is limited to English and Scandinavian languages, potentially missing relevant evidence. Geographical imbalance exists, with studies from only seven countries, limiting global generalizability.

Declared interests

The study was funded by the Danish Working Environment Research Fund (Arbejdsmiljøforskningsfonden).

The easy way to misread this

Do not assume these barriers and facilitators are unique to young workers. The review notes that these factors are similar to those for the general workforce, though their intensity may differ. Also, do not interpret the lack of specific studies as evidence that no barriers exist, but rather as a gap in research.

Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →