Risk Factors Inherent in the Environment
Environmental risk factors refer to the physical and psychosocial climate in the workplace. These include:
Cold weather increases the likelihood of ergonomic injuries.
- Illumination: Inadequate light can increase the number of attempts in completing a task.
- Sound: Sound can be an irritant, causing increased stress.
- Humidity: Humidity has an impact on worker endurance which affects the duration with which work can be conducted safely.
- Temperature: Excessive heat or cold, in combination with any one of the above risk factors may increase the probability of developing MSDs.
- Psychosocial: Psychosocial work demands in terms of job control, psychological demands, social support, and job dissatisfaction all can influence the rate at which employees are injured. If your employer forces employees to work fast, not safe, the likelihood of MSDs increases.
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1-6. How can the psychosocial environment influence ergonomic hazards?
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