Physical working conditions and risk of injury and illness.

 The type of work and the tasks involved influence a worker’s risk of physical injury and illness.

·         Workers in particular sectors of the work force are at increased risk of work-related injuries and illness.  Eight sectors—air transportation, nursing facilities, work with motorized vehicles and equipment, trucking services, hospitals, grocery and department stores, and food services—account for nearly 30 percent of nonfatal occupational injuries.

·         Certain jobs are also associated with higher risks.  For example, operators, fabricators and laborers suffered nearly 40 percent of all reported occupational illnesses and injuries in 2001, while representing only 15 percent of workers.Physically demanding daily tasks and uncomfortable working positions can lead to physical strain and injury, increasing the risk of long-term absence.

·         Jobs requiring repetitive movements and those with high physical workload including lifting, pushing or pulling heavy loads put workers at higher risk for musculoskeletal injuries and disorders, overextension and repetitive strain injuries.

·         Carpal tunnel syndrome, caused by repetitive motion, accounted for the highest median days (25 days) away from work among all occupational illness or injuries in 2001. The ergonomics of equipment and work space are important contributors to occupational health.  For example, poorly designed tools, keyboards and chairs have been linked with arm, back and shoulder pain, as well as other musculoskeletal disorders.

·         Sedentary jobs allow few opportunities for movement or exercise, and physical inactivity contributes to risk of obesity and chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

Hazardous exposures in the workplace. 

In addition to workplace conditions like inadequate ventilation or temperature control that can aggravate allergies or asthma, the physical environment of a workplace can expose workers to a variety of potentially hazardous chemicals. Lead, pesticides, aerosols, ammonia and other cleaning products, and asbestos are just a few of the many workplace-related chemicals for which long-term exposure have been related to poisoning and serious illnesses. Hearing loss from noisy work environments is one of the most common occupational injuries worldwide, and workplace noise also creates a higher risk of accidents.

The psychosocial aspects of work and how work is organized also can affect health. The experience of work itself—how time is organized, and the social and psychological aspects of working conditions—affect both physical and mental health.  Differences in the degree of control that workers feel they have over their working conditions are thought to be a major factor accounting for steep social gradients in health among employed civil servants in the United Kingdom. For many Americans, work is a major source of opportunities for personal development and building stable social networks.  These opportunities are shaped by many characteristics of the work environment, including workplace culture, job demands and latitude in making decisions about one’s work.