Exposure to mental or physical health risks at work
Published: 16 July 2008
A survey entitled ‘Accidents at work and work-related health problems’ (/Sănătatea şi siguranţa la locul de muncă/) was conducted in Romania in the second quarter of 2007 as an addition to the ‘Household Labour Force Survey’ (/Ancheta forţei de muncă în gospodării/, AMIGO). The National Institute of Statistics (Institutul Naţional de Statistică, INS [1]) has now published the results, which mainly focus on the effects of working conditions [2] on workers’ health.[1] http://www.insse.ro/[2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/industrial-relations-dictionary/working-conditions
The National Institute of Statistics has published, for the first time in Romania, a survey on health and safety at the workplace, as an annex to the Household Labour Force Survey. The results show that 47.6% of the total employed population were exposed to at least one factor that might affect mental or physical health. The survey also revealed that exposure varies considerably according to sex, environment, company ownership and occupational status.
Overview
A survey entitled ‘Accidents at work and work-related health problems’ (Sănătatea şi siguranţa la locul de muncă) was conducted in Romania in the second quarter of 2007 as an addition to the ‘Household Labour Force Survey’ (Ancheta forţei de muncă în gospodării, AMIGO). The National Institute of Statistics (Institutul Naţional de Statistică, INS) has now published the results, which mainly focus on the effects of working conditions on workers’ health.
The survey explored information on occupational accidents, health hazards caused or worsened by occupation, and workplace factors that may impair physical and mental health. It found that a significant proportion of the working population are exposed to at least one factor that may affect their health. Of the total workforce of 9.4 million persons, some 47.6% were exposed to at least one job factor that was detrimental to health. More specifically, 5.5% were exposed to factors that affected their mental health, 29.9% were exposed to factors that affected their physical health and 12.2% were exposed to both types of factors.
The data reveal differences according to sex, residential location, company ownership and occupational status.
Gender effects on risk exposure
Overall, exposure to health risks among male workers is 10 percentage points higher than the level among female workers (52.3% compared with 42%). The same differential exists with respect to factors detrimental to physical health (34.5% compared with 24.3%). Conversely, women are more sensitive to working conditions that may affect mental health (6.7% among female workers, compared with 4.6% among male workers). For further details, see Table 1 below.
| Total employment (000s) | Exposed to a minimum of one health-impairing factor (% of total employment) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Only mentally-impairing factors | Only physically-impairing factors | Both factors | ||
| Total | 9,442.8 | 47.6 | 5.5 | 29.9 | 12.2 |
| Men | 5,149.9 | 52.3 | 4.6 | 34.5 | 13.1 |
| Women | 4,292.9 | 42.0 | 6.7 | 24.3 | 11.1 |
Note: Data from second quarter of 2007.
Source: INS, Accidents at work and work-related health problems, 2008
Impact of workplace characteristics
Risk exposure is higher for rural than for urban workers, with a preponderance of physical risk factors. The same finding is true for the different levels of exposure generated by occupational status (Table 2).
| Total employment (000s) | Exposed to a minimum of one health-impairing factor (% of total employment) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | Only mentally-impairing factors | Only physically-impairing factors | Both factors | ||
| Location | |||||
| Urban | 5,156.7 | 45.7 | 8.2 | 23.3 | 14.2 |
| Rural | 4,286.0 | 50.0 | 2.4 | 37.8 | 9.8 |
| Occupational status | |||||
| Employee | 6,210.1 | 47.2 | 7.8 | 24.6 | 14.8 |
| Employer | 143.0 | 30.0 | 11.7 | 9.3 | 9.0 |
| Self-employed | 1,855.0 | 49.6 | 0.7 | 40.8 | 8.1 |
| Unpaid family worker | 1,231.6 | 48.6 | 0.4 | 42.4 | 5.8 |
| Company ownership | |||||
| Public | 1,723.6 | 38.1 | 11.7 | 16.2 | 10.2 |
| Private | 7,538.9 | 49.8 | 4.1 | 39.1 | 12.6 |
| Combined | 180.2 | 46.7 | 5.6 | 25.8 | 15.6 |
Source: INS, 2008
Self-employed persons and unpaid family workers, both of which groups are predominant in rural areas – particularly in the economic sector of agriculture – are most exposed to physical hazards (40.8% and 42.4% respectively).
The category sustaining the lowest exposure to physically-impairing factors is that of employers, although this category has the highest risk of exposure to mental health factors (11.7%).
The private sector experiences a high degree of overall risk exposure (49.8%), particularly to physical hazards (39.1%). These proportions compare with 38.1% and 16.2% respectively in the public sector. Nevertheless, exposure to mentally-impairing factors is reported to be much higher in the latter environment (11.7% compared with 4.1% in the private sector).
Most common factors of exposure
The greatest jeopardy to mental health is, for 85.6% of all individuals exposed, work pressure and work overload. Next comes physical violence or the threat of violence (reported by 7.4% of the total exposed to mental health risks), and psychological harassment or bullying (7%).
Among the physical factors, uncomfortable posture, excessive walking or standing, and handling heavy loads can affect 58% of those exposed to such factors. Some 22% of those surveyed report the risk of occupational accidents.
Commentary
The data regarding the cause and effect relationship between occupational hazards and health are the result of self-assessments carried out by the respondents themselves. Although the data seem to indicate a rather high level of exposure to factors that may affect mental or physical health (47.6% of total employment), the actual occurrence of illness or disease caused or exacerbated at the workplace is much lower: only 5% of all workers stated that they suffered from at least one affliction inflicted or aggravated at the workplace.
The survey results are available in Romanian and English, in print format.
Luminiţa Chivu, Institute of National Economy, Romanian Academy
Eurofound recommends citing this publication in the following way.
Eurofound (2008), Exposure to mental or physical health risks at work, article.
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