Environmental Risk Factors
Physical, chemical, and biological risk factors can influence employees' comfort and performance within the work environment and contribute to work-related stress.
Physical, chemical, and biological risk factors can influence employees' comfort and performance.
Examples include:
- Noise: A worker using a jackhammer is exposed to constant loud noise, making concentration difficult and increasing fatigue.
- Temperature and humidity: Employees working in a hot, humid warehouse struggle to stay comfortable, which lowers energy and morale.
- Lighting: An office worker experiences eye strain and headaches due to dim or flickering lights.
- Vibration: A heavy equipment operator feels physical strain and discomfort from continuous vibration while using machinery.
- Air quality: Poor ventilation in a factory leads to stuffy air and discomfort, which reduces productivity and increases stress.
- Unguarded plant and machinery: A machine operator feels unsafe working near equipment without proper guards, adding stress and distraction.
Individual Risk Factors
People respond to work-related stress differently. A worker’s past experiences, coping style, personality, social support, and health conditions all affect how stress impacts them. These differences do not reduce an employer’s duty to minimize exposure to work-related stress.
Examples include:
- Previous experiences: An employee who has experienced layoffs in the past may feel heightened anxiety during organizational changes.
- Coping styles: A worker who struggles to manage pressure may feel overwhelmed by deadlines more quickly than others.
- Personality style: An introverted employee may find team presentations more stressful than a naturally outgoing coworker.
- Available support: A worker without family or peer support may find it harder to recover from stressful workdays.
- Physiological factors: An employee with an existing health condition, like high blood pressure, may feel stronger negative effects of workplace stress.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-5. Environmental sources of work-related stress include which of the following?
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