SafetyInsights.org

ABSTRACT

Causal agents for workers’ compensation claims and physical injury have largely been identified as physical demands. We proposed an integrated theory of physical injury (i.e. musculoskeletal disorder symptoms [MSDs]) and workers’ compensation claims, which combined psychosocial and physical mechanisms.

A random, population-based sample of 1095 Australian workers completed a telephone interview on two occasions 12 months apart.

As expected, the physical mechanism was confirmed; physical demands were related to MSDs, which in turn predicted workers’ compensation claims. Further, a novel psychosocial mechanism was confirmed. Psychosocial safety climate (PSC; perceptions about the organisation’s climate for psychological health) was a precursor to psychosocial risks (e.g. harassment, violence, bullying and work pressure). In turn, these psychosocial risks were related to emotional exhaustion, MSDs and then workers’ compensation claims. Evidence was therefore provided for psychosocial-physical processes in explaining MSDs and workers’ compensation for claims for physical injury.

Occupational health and safety legislators and policy makers should be aware that, beyond physical demands, factors usually associated with risk for mental stress claims (e.g. harassment, bullying, and violence) may additionally manifest in physical health problems and workers’ compensation injury claims. Focusing on modifying the PSC in an organisation, “the cause of the causes”, may be an effective injury prevention and intervention strategy.

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My comments from the full-text paper:

• Physical demands were expectedly related to MSDs, and these predicted workers’ compensation claims
• Psychosocial safety climate was a precursor to psychosocial risks and these risks were related to emotional exhaustion -> MSDs -> compensation claims
• Thus, they found evidence for psychosocial-physical processes for explaining MSDs

Further, quoting the paper:

• The results “agree with the magnitude of evidence that identifies physical demands as precursors to MSDs. Strong support was found for a physical mechanism, whereby high physical demands at work are associated with MSDs, and these in turn predict workers’ compensation for physical injury” (p15)
• The results also “support a psychosocial mechanism, whereby psychosocial risks, work pressure and harassment, bullying and violence were significantly related to emotional exhaustion, that in turn was related to MSDs, and then predicted workers’ compensation claims over the next 12 months. This mediated psychosocial pathway demonstrates that MSDs and worker’s compensation claims for physical injury can be explained in terms of workplace psychosocial factors and negative emotional responses” (p15)
• It’s said that job demands requiring employees to work harder and faster (e.g. intensification) and exposure to extreme forms of social stressors “like bullying, harassment and violence that have in common aggressive victimising behaviour, evoke negative emotional responses, such as emotional exhaustion … Emotional exhaustion, a form of fatigue, then impacts on development of MSDs, and in turn leads to more claims for physical injuries” (p15)
• They note that the exact psychophysiological mechanisms explaining the relationship with physical health and still unclear and need further research
• However, this data shows that: (p18)
  • “workers compensation claims can be predicted 12 months in advance; therefore, prevention and extensive cost savings are eminently possible.Specifically, the results show that MSDs can be predicted 12 months in advance by knowing about physical demands”, and
  • “Harassment, bullying and violence can be predicted 12 months in advance by knowing about PSC”
  • Consequently, they argue that “OHS legislators and policy makers should be alert to PSC and the health-harming effects of psychosocial factors (such as work pressure, violence and bullying) that pose a risk to employee health and lead to higher rates of worker’s compensation claims” (p18).

Finally, they argue that the excess focus on injury occurrence and workers compensation claims (as lag indicators) may “miss those workers currently experiencing MSDs who have not yet submitted a claim. Our research implies that prevention is possible by focusing on leading indicators” (p18).

Authors: Bailey, T. S., Dollard, M. F., McLinton, S. S., & Richards, P. A. (2015). Work & Stress, 29(2), 190-211.

Study link: https://doi.org/10.1080/02678373.2015.1031855

Link to the LinkedIn article: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:ugcPost:6942609255191457792?updateEntityUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_updateV2%3A%28urn%3Ali%3AugcPost%3A6942609255191457792%2CFEED_DETAIL%2CEMPTY%2CDEFAULT%2Cfalse%29