Holistic sustainable development: Floor-layers and micro-enterprises

• Needs to give more attention to microbusinesses as a specific entity.
• How OHS is inextricably linked with the survival and development of the trade.
• The active solutions sought with floor layers broaden current views on SD.
• The import of approaching MiEs as a complex system rather than individual elements.
• Need for developing strategies combining both material and structural solutions.

Attracting and retaining workers is important to ensuring the sustainability of floor laying businesses, which are for the most part micro-enterprises (MiE). The aim of this paper is to shed light on the challenges MiE face in OHS implementation in the context of sustainable development. Participative ergonomics and user-centred design approaches were used. The material collected was reviewed to better understand the floor layers' viewpoints on sustainability. The solutions that were retained and the challenges encountered to make material handling and physical work easier and to develop training and a website are presented. The importance of OHS as a sustainability factor, its structuring effect, what distinguishes MiE from small businesses and possible strategies for workings with them are also discussed.