1 Stress at work Riga

2 What is stress at work? difference: workload – stress at work high / low workload – other factors can force stress positive stress when the worksituation is considered as a challenge stress at work is the reaction of the worker to a threatening worksituation negative stress: disturbed balance between workload and what the person can handle

3 What is stress at work? (2) “disturbed balance” can be caused by “underburden” (e.g. too less or to long repeated work,…) “overburden” (e.g. too less time to do the work, too difficult work, constantly too much concentration,…) in both situations this disturbed balance can lead to stress and in the long run to different physical and mental complaints

4 What is stress at work? (3) personal experience of the worker plays an important role: high time pressure doesn’t cause necessarily “overburden” too low working demands don’t lead necessarily to “underburden” only when the worker experiences that the “stressors” (= objective factors, such as high working tempo) act in a negative way, results in negative consequences, stress-reactions, health problems.

5 What is stress at work? (4) the precise boundary depends from one person to another, because every one experiences reality in a different way social support from partner, children,… can diminish the negative impact on the physical and mental functions of the worker in the opposite case, stressors in the home-situation can cause a negative impact on the workstressors.

6 What is stress at work? (5) So it’s possible that one person experiences stress situations when doing his job, while another doesn’t experience stress at all when doing the same job.  is it an individual problem? NO! high workload and stress at work are symptoms of an organizational problem and not of individual weakness  emphasis not on individual stressed worker but on possible causes in the work itself.

7 Problem in the construction sector? construction sector (n=608)Flemish reference (n=11099) problematic (%) highly problematic (%) problematic (%) highly problematic (%) high workpressure 34,615,93112,8 demanding working conditions 3314,512,14,5 psychical fatigue by work 3111,928,910,2 independance 27,27,320,87,3 training possibilities 20,54,722,58,4 (survey of SERV, Flemish Socio-economic Council), 2004)

8 Results of the survey (1) results of the survey: psychical fatigue by work: 31% problematic independance: 27,2% problematic demanding working conditions: 33% problematic The European Survey on Working Conditions (2000) indicated that construction workers get fewer time to do their job. So the working tempo increases steadily. the working tempo is forced up by external demand (clients), other companies, more severe supervision from their manager.

9 Results of the survey (2) workers suffer from daily work interruptions (due to the nature of the work, but also changing demands of clients, colleagues, chef, bad planning) 67% of the workers indicate they do repetitive movements of hands and arms (47% most of the time or always)

10 Results of the survey (3) too much stress involves higher psychic and physical burdening stressed workers think more often of work related problems they don’t enjoy their work any more and in the longer run motivation decreases this may cause health problems (heart and vascular diseases, stomach and intestines complaints, headaches, insomnia, disturbed concentration, depression, burn-out, failing memory, emotional tensions,…) less concentration leads to higher risk of accidents at work, mistakes,…

11 Belgian law (1) Law on well-being at work ( ) Collective agreement nr. 72 to prevent stress at work (Moniteur ) Definition of stress: the by a group of workers negative experienced situation that is attended by complaints or disfunctions in physical, psychological and/or social way and that is the consequence of the fact that it is not possible for the workers to fulfill all needs and expectations from the work-situation.

12 Belgian law (2) Legal obligation for the employer to develop a policy to prevent stress at work. He has to prove that he has sufficient attention to psychological aspects of work and can take concrete measures Psychosocial burden is one of the topics in the Law on well-being at work The employer has to do a risk-analysis to look for the risks (that can cause stress at work), analyse them, take preventive measures, evaluate the measures that have been taken and correct them.

13 Belgian law (3) The employer has to ask for advice and collaboration of his Internal and External Service for Prevention & Protection at Work The employer is obliged to give information to the Committee for Prevention & Protection (in companies > 50 workers) and ask for advice on the different phases of the policy he wants to carry out. When there is no Committee, he has to ask the advice of the trade union representation (in companies > 30 workers)

14 Belgian law (4) The employer has to give information to the workers on the nature of the activities, the organization of work, the risks and measures to prevent or diminish the risks.

15 Causes of stress at work Model of Karasek working demands arrangements social support

16 Practical approach (proposed by NAVB- CNAC) step 1: create a “canvas” step 2: detect bottle-necks and make a diagnosis step 3: draw up an inventory of the risks and think about possible solutions step 4: carry out the measures step 5: evaluate and take corrective actions integrate the whole in the global risk- management-system

17 CNAC-dossier “Prévention du stress dans la construction” n° 108a: brochure for employers n° 108b: brochure for workers “publications”  “CNAC-dossiers”

18 For your information… XXIXth International Symposium of ISSA Construction Section on Occupational Safety and Health in the Construction Industry November 2009 in Brussels Main subjects: ageing and globalisation in construction

19 Contact BOUWUNIE Spastraat 8 B-1000 Brussel Tel Fax