Affiliations: Discipline of Public Health, School of Population
Health, University of Adelaide, SA, Australia | Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic
University, Fitzroy, VIC, Australia
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Paul Rothmore, Discipline of Public
Health, School of Population Health, Mail Drop DX650 550, Level 7, 178 North
Terrace, the University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia. Tel.: +61 8 8313 3568;
E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders are a leading cause of
work-related ill health, and a major cost burden for the individual, industry
and the community. Despite the broad range of risk factors that have been
identified, most studies have focused only on specific occupations or
categories of risk factors, meaning that there is limited understanding of the
relative contributions of individual and organisational, physical and
psychosocial factors. OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional survey of workers
in medium-to-large workplaces in South Australia sought to examine a broad
range of factors within various workplaces and industries. PARTICIPANTS: 404 workers from 29 workgroups and 23 separate companies participated in the research. METHODS: Questionnaires were administered face-to-face,
assessing demographic and job characteristics, safety climate, musculoskeletal
pain and discomfort (MSPD) and job satisfaction. Potential predictors were
grouped in terms of personal/job and organizational characteristics and
associations with MSPD examined. RESULTS: A considerable proportion of
workers (40%) had experienced MSPD in the last 7 days and 15% had
experienced severe MSPD. In a multivariate model, four variables were found to
be significantly associated with MSPD, namely being aged ⩾ 40 years
(adjusted odds ratio=1.73), overall job satisfaction (negatively
associated) (AOR=0.37), medium (vs. large) company size (AOR=1.80) and
workgroup safety climate score (negatively associated) (AOR=0.58). CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm a link between non-physical factors and
work-related musculoskeletal disorders, suggesting that these factors should
received increased attention as part of overall health and safety strategies.
Organizations should give greater consideration to both the satisfaction of
their employees and organizational factors that set the tone for safety climate.
