1. CHAPTER 5
STRESS AND SAFETY
MM/FS/CK/ZH - OSH 1 (PH 3083)

2. Definition of Workplace Stress
Psychological, social, occupational or environmental are the external stimuli, and
the stress is the response of the human body to this stimuli.
Workplace/job stress as the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of excessive demands, poor supervision or conflicting demands.

3. Sources of Workplace Stress
Task complexity
Control
Feeling of responsibility
Job security
Workload demands
Psychological support
Environmental safety

4. Human Reactions to Workplace Stress
Human reactions to workplace stress may be grouped into
Subjective/emotional (anxiety, aggression, guilt)
Behavioral (being prone to accidents, trembling)
Cognitive ( inability to concentrate or make decision)
Physiological (increased heart rate, blood pressure)
Organizational (absenteeism and poor productivity)

5. Human Stress Response M. Selye identified three stages Alarm
Resistance
Exhaustion

6. Measurement of Workplace Stress
3 Ways to measure:
Subjective Ratings
-Workers are asked to rate their perceived level of work-load.
Behavioral time sharing
-Technique require the simultaneous performance of two tasks.
-Task one is consider to be primary or most important
-Task two is of secondary tasks.
Psychophysiological techniques
-require to measurement of heart rate and brain waves.

7. SHIFT WORK, STRESS, AND SAFETY
-require some employees to work when the majority people are resting
-requires rotating between 2 or 3 different starting times

8. CIRCADIAN RHYTHM
Basic physiological functions are scheduled by the biological clock
Day shift-higher job satisfaction
Rotating shifts over several weeks can result in desensitization to the CR

9. Reducing the Stress Associated with Shift Work
Encourage shift workers to exercise regularly
Encourage shift workers to avoid caffeine, alcohol, or other drugs
Workers cannot sleep, take sleeping pills, side effects

10. Improving Safety By Reducing Workplace Stress
Organization Approach
Training
Job Autonomy
Work Environment → Physical stress ↓
Individual Approach
Learn to recognize its symptoms
Analyse stress-producing situation
Relaxation methods

11. Stress in Safety Managers
Overload
Ever-changing safety regulations
Communication problems with internal stackholders
Competing loyalties
Strategies to cope with stress
Prioritize activities that present most risk
Work together with legal staff
Formalize communication and hold OSH meeting regularly
Focus on possible risk