Abstract
BACKGROUND: Small businesses bear a large burden of injury and death, and are difficult to reach with occupational safety and health (OSH) information. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) developed a pilot study testing the feasibility of fire departments disseminating OSH information to small businesses during fire inspections. METHODS: Two sets of postcards were developed with unique, trackable URLs for the NIOSH Small Business Resource Guide. One set was distributed by firefighters, the other was mailed to small businesses. Participating inspectors were met with to discuss their experience. RESULTS: Neither distribution method resulted in a substantial number of site visits. Inspectors believed distributing postcards was an easy addition to their duties, and saw value in safety information. CONCLUSIONS: There are barriers beyond awareness of availability that prevent small business owners from seeking OSH information. Research should focus on identifying barriers and developing better OSH information diffusion mechanisms.