Psychosocial Work Factors and Ergonomic Risk Factors are important elements
in the function of a manufacturing environment. The Psychosocial Work Factors are the
cognitive aspects of a job that relate directly to certain stressors in the workplace. These
factors are psychological in nature and are seldom addressed in a manufacturing
production setting. Ergonomic Risk Factors are known risks that have been directly
related to work related musculoskeletal discomforts. These factors attribute to the
physical aspects of performing certain tasks that place stress on the body.
This research study examines the interaction and dynamics o f Psychosocial Work
Factors and Ergonomic Risk Factors in relationship to worker stress. A number of
studies have introduced stress into the workplace. There are still unknowns and
difficulties exist in the determination of the causation o f stress, because of the physical
differences in individuals within a manufacturing population. This study makes an effort
to take the research one step further by examining the relationship between worker stress
and musculoskeletal discomforts.
The research population consists of females performing a highly repetitive
assembly-manufacturing function. A questionnaire, which included factors of
Psychosocial, Stress, Upper Body Discomforts, and Ergonomics, was used to obtain
information over a set period of time. These results have been analyzed to arrive at
conclusions presented.
Reproduced