Niosh Occupational Stress

OCCUPATIONAL STRESS
Safety and Health Officer

NIOSH
copyright@NIOSH 2005 1
Objective
State definition of occupational stress
Discuss the sources of stress at the

workplace
List at least 5 effects of occupational

stress
Discuss practical methods of reducing

stress at the workplace
Scope
Definition of occupational stress

Who is at risk of occupational stress
Stress reaction
Effects of stress to the organisation
Sources of stress at work
Stress reducing methods
Action plan to reduce stress
Introduction
Employee perception towards stress
“We do not have stress here”
“Stress is something that cannot be avoided in our

business. If you cannot overcome it, you will not
achieve the target”
“It’s not our fault. Employees bring their stress to the

workplace – we cannot do anything about it.
Introduction
Fact
1. Stress results in mental suffering for the worker
2. Stress is detrimental to the company
3. Stress requires money
4. Stress is related to heart attacks, gastritis and other

diseases
Introduction
Stress requires money
1. 40 million loss man days annually are stress related
(UK)
2. Stress results increased alcohol intake, absenteeism -

700 million pounds/year
3. The cost of the loss of an executive to heart attack

due to stress is equivalent to USD 600,000 (Xerox,
USA)
4. Compensation paid out for stress related cases totals

15% of all compensation cases (USA)
Definition of Stress
Stress is pressure that is felt by an individual

and his/her reaction as a result of it
Increase in stress for an individual may be

too much for him to bear
Who are at risk of occupational
stress?
Everyone is susceptible to stress

Personality type A
Those dealing with public i.e. police,
nurses etc.
Working mothers
Employees with monotonous work
Occupational Stressors
S – Support
T - Task
R - Role
E - Environment
S - Shift work
S – Security and change
O - Organisation
R – Rules and regulations
Stress Model
Short term Long term
reaction reaction
Primer
towards towards
assessment
Occupation stress stress
Secondary
physiology physiology
assessment
psychology psychology
behaviour behaviour
Internal sources External sources

•Skills to contain and handle problems * Job control
•Skills to control emotions * Social support
•Occupational skills
•Social skills
Reaction towards stress
Reaction Short term Long term
Physiology High – pulse, blood Psychosomatic

pressure, adrenalin and symptoms, high blood,
cortical levels gastritis
Psychology Mental fatigue, Depression, nervous,

frustration, anger, bluntness, dissatisfied
distracted
Behaviour Non-consistent work Increase intake of

performance, lack of nicotine, alcohol, pills,
concentration, absenteeism, change of
mistakes, work
Effects of stress towards the
organisation
Non-harmonious working relationship
Low morale
Reduced quality
Reduced productivity
Increased absenteeism, late to work

Effects of stress towards the
organisation
Increased rate of accidents
Increased rate of diseases
Increased turnover
Increased number of workers wanting to

resign
General principles to
overcome stress
1. Tackle the source, not the symptoms

2. Accept that stress is an organisational
problem and not an individual one
3. Settle ‘taboo’ problems
4. Involve everyone
5. Realistic approach, do not try too many
methods at one time
Stress intervention
approach
Organisational Individual approach
approach Eliminate the source of
Identify stress stress
Action
Action example: counseling
example:
review management style,
work rotation
AAAbc’s Stress Management
(Individual approach)
Àlter it’
Àvoid it’
Àccept it’
- Develop defense
- Change perception of stress
Intervention strategies for
individual stress
Monitoring of stress symptoms (stress journal)
Increase defense and analysing source of

stress
- Social skills, assertive training, problem solving
Intervention strategies for
individual stress
Accepting stress and changing reactions
- Cognitive behaviour technique
Lowering level of sensitivity to stress

- Healthy lifestyle, relaxation, praying, meditation
Action plan
1. Establish discussion groups
2. Evaluate current situation
Group problems
Identify source
Evaluate existing solutions
3. Establish policies and programmes
4. Implement policies and programmes
5. Monitor and evaluate policies and
programmes

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OCCUPATIONAL STRESS

Safety and Health Officer

Discuss the sources of stress at the

List at least 5 effects of occupational

Discuss practical methods of reducing

Definition of occupational stress

“We do not have stress here”

“Stress is something that cannot be avoided in our

“It’s not our fault. Employees bring their stress to the

2. Stress is detrimental to the company

3. Stress requires money

4. Stress is related to heart attacks, gastritis and other

2. Stress results increased alcohol intake, absenteeism -

3. The cost of the loss of an executive to heart attack

4. Compensation paid out for stress related cases totals

Stress is pressure that is felt by an individual

Increase in stress for an individual may be

Everyone is susceptible to stress

Internal sources External sources

Physiology High – pulse, blood Psychosomatic

Psychology Mental fatigue, Depression, nervous,

Behaviour Non-consistent work Increase intake of

Increased absenteeism, late to work

Increased rate of diseases

Increased number of workers wanting to

1. Tackle the source, not the symptoms

Action example: counseling

Increase defense and analysing source of

Lowering level of sensitivity to stress

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