Risk Factors Psychology Workers Sena (Center for the Petrochemical Industry) Regional Bolívar, Colombia

Introduction

Psychosocial risk factors at work refer to the conditions that are present in a work situation and are directly related to the environmental conditions (physical, chemical and biological agents), with the organization, procedures and working methods, with relationships between workers with job content and the tasks, and can affect through psychological and physiological, both worker health and the performance of its work mechanisms [1].

For the ILO WHO, report [2], the psychosocial risk factors at work include interactions between the work environment, the characteristics of working conditions, relations among workers, organization, worker characteristics, your culture, your needs and your personal situation outside of work OIT- OMS (1984).

The most representative occupational disease today is the occupational stress. Job stress has become one of the leading causes of disability in North America and Europe. The psychosocial risks such as stress, violence or harassment increasingly concerned companies, as appears from the first findings of the largest survey conducted in Europe on health and safety in the workplace. the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) has released data on June 3, 2010, at the European Conference contribution in to the evaluation of the Community Strategy for Health and Safety at Work (2007- 2012), held in Barcelona [3]. Psychosocial risks concern most European companies 4of 5 European businesses express concern about job stress, as revealed the European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks (ESENER), which puts this factor at the same level important for companies that accidents in the workplace (79%). Work stress is very acute in the field of health and social assistance (91% of companies consider cause for concern, to greater or lesser extent) and education (84%) [4].

It according to Euro found (2012) surveyed the conditions of work in 2005 to more than 200 million workers, with reference to risk factor Psychology concluded: Than 44% of working over 48 hours week percentage declared unsatisfied in this regard, 78% of Europeans working under a permanent contract or indefinite. More than 60% of workers can choose or change the order in which they perform tasks, speed or working methods, where the public sector likely to offer training to employees almost double those in the private sector ( 41% and 21% respectively) also show that the most common risks, both men and women, are the repetitive movements of hands / arms and the need to take strenuous or painful positions: more than 62% performs repetitive hand movements or arms during a quarter of the working time or more, while 46% work in tiring or painful positions [5]. Also the part-time workers and temporary workers have fewer opportunities to receive training than their colleagues full time and permanent, being 25% of part-time workers and 23% of temporary workers are trained, compared to about 30% of workers fulltime and permanent Katala, et al.

An ILO study published in its press release of October 10, 2010, on policies and programs affecting workers in Germany, the United States, Finland, Poland and the United Kingdom shows mental health that the incidence of the mental health problems is increasing, to the point that one in ten workers suffering depression, anxiety, stress or fatigue, which in some cases lead to unemployment and hospitalization, also showing that the countries of the European Union, between a 3 and 4% of GDP is spent on mental health issues. In US, the national spending associated with treatment of depression ranges between 30,000 and 44,000 million dollars a year. In many country early retirement due to mental problems, to the extent they becoming the most common for allocating disability pensions reason. In this report the alarm is also highlighted by the magnitude they are purchasing costs of these disturbing trends as those where employees suffer discouragement, fatigue, anxiety, stress, loss of income and even unemployment, aggravated in some cases, the inevitable stigma associated mental illness. For employers, the costs are felt in terms of low productivity, declining profits, high rates of staff turnover and increased costs of recruiting and training replacement staff. For governments, the costs include health care costs, insurance payments and loss of income at national level [6].

Among the main findings of the report, which warns about how costs are increasing mental incapacity, a pattern of increasing personal and psychiatric problems suffered by people of working age in all countries studied progresses [7]?.

In US, clinical depression has become one of the most common diseases, which can affect each year to one tenth of adults of working age, resulting in a loss of approximately 200 million working days per year [8].

In USA, more than 50% of workers suffer some form of stress related, such as anxiety, depressive feelings, physical pain, social exclusion and sleep disorders symptoms; 7% of Finnish workers suffer from severe burnout, leading to exhaustion, cynicism and a drastic reduction of professional capacity, and mental health disorders are the leading cause of disability pensions in Finland [9].

In China , depressive disorders account for almost 7% of premature retirement and work incapacity related to depression lasts two and half times longer than incapacity due to other illnesses, the total amount of production lost because of absenteeism related to disorders of mental health is estimated at more than 5,000 million marks annually [10] in the UK, nearly 3of 10 employees annually suffer mental health problems and numerous studies indicate that are common stress from work and diseases that cause, depression in particular is an so widespread that for any time deemed one of every 20 British working age is experiencing major depression issue date [11].

The Public health statistics in Poland indicate a growing number of people who are receiving mental health care, especially individuals suffering from depressive disorders: a trend that may be related to socioeconomic transformation of the country and the consequent increase in unemployment, job insecurity and declining living standards [12].

In Mexico there have been studies trying determine the incidence and prevalence of burnout syndrome. The study conducted in 2009 with 450 health professionals, 10% had exhaustion. Emotional, 19.6% depersonalization, and 74.9% low personal accomplishment [13].

In studies in US indicate an explosive increase levels of occupational stress and depression in the active population in Latin America, although occupational diseases are under it is recognized that 70% of the active population by exposure to ergonomic and psychosocial risks of work. As part of this complex social and occupational economic reality developed in the 90s in Argentina, the phenomenon of occupation and recovery of companies for their workers; today work mostly in Buenos Aires, about 180 cooperatives with more than 10,000 workers [14].

Interest in the study of psychosocial factors and their relationship to the health of the working population, is taking a major boom, since 1984, when the Joint Committee of the International Labor Organization and the World Organization health (ILO / WHO) systematically reviewed the progress in the study of these factors [15]. Likewise, in a report by this committee in 2010 on emerging risks in a New World of Work and Transformation, it included the Psychology risks, particularly stress related to work, such as factors that can affect health worker, While psychosocial risks appear in any production sector, there a greater chance that occur in the services sector; as these companies have become major generators of new employment, new hiring and outsourcing, which limit the hierarchy and increase the complexity of labor relations becoming market relations where the common goal is ensure quality of service to business users [16].

In Colombia this sector is one of the most demand and requirement according Ministry of Commerce of 2010. Therefore, in seeking to ensure compliance the provision of customer service all the steps in the intervention of the risks from occupationally point have focused on the mission staff and administrative staff neglected; who must cope high workload under pressure, perform multiple tasks and deal with the issue of market competition and renewal of policies [17].

According the Ombudsman’s Office of Colombia studies on mental health in the country point to depression as one of the most prevalent problems in Colombia (19.6%); other issues are prevalent sleep disorders (15%), the psychoactive substance dependence (12%), attention deficit (12%), posttraumatic stress (6%) and panic (3%). Anxiety is a cause or important component of several of these issues, this study also notes that “the disorders most frequently reported ever in life were anxiety (19.3%), followed by mood disorder (15.0%) and substance use disorders (10.6%), 4.9% of the study population has attempted suicide once in life” [18].

According to data obtained from the National Survey of Health and Working Conditions in Colombia and taking into account the perspective of workers, we can determine the 3 major risk factors present for more than half of the day:

1. Repetitive movement’s hands and arms: 51%.
2. Monotonous and repetitive work: 49%.
3. Position held: 43.4%.

Unlike the perspective taken by companies which identify the 4 major risk factors in the following order:

1. Repetitive movements of hands and arms: 84.5%.
2. Crafts the same position for all or most of the day: 80.2%.
3. Positions which can cause fatigue or pain: 72.5%.
4. Monotonous and repetitive work: 63.5% [19].

In a study of factors Psychology risk carried in the SENA Regional Tolima, according to surveys they showed the following data: 58.3% of respondents responded that sometimes have difficulty handling stressful situations in which they are immersed. 35.3% expressed difficulty in certain opportunities to manage anxiety and stressful situations at work; 76.3% of individuals stated that no work goals that allow them outdo others are imposed. Regarding the presence of Psychosocial Risk: hierarchical levels that must intervene priority are instructors, and possessing average level with 27% in the items evaluated internal working conditions and 39%; in relation to the conditions of the individual presenting this risk level is followed by professional levels and official worker. To highlight is important to progressively intervention in order to achieve coverage of the total working population [20].

Results And Discussion

The response to this work thanks to the participation of 111 workers SENA (Center for Petrochemical Industry) domiciled in the city of Cartagena and the active collaboration of consultants Occupational Health Specialization University him Cartagena. The results of data processing, analyzing and presenting these tables will be presented.

Was determined that the risk factors were found in Psychology highest percentage in Personnel Administration.

Conclusion

The analysis of the results produced by the study on the content of the task, human relations, the organization of working time and personnel management allowed us determine risk factors for workers Psychology SENA (Center for Petrochemical) Regional Bolívar Industry.

The information collected can draw the following conclusions: The average age is between 35 and 40 years, the predominant sex was male. A high percentage of the population surveyed is professional; half of the surveyed population is married. The predominant position is operational. The type of contract with highest percentage is defined term (services). The working day was more important daytime.

As for the most seniority it is between 11 and 16 years. Factors related to the content of the task does not represent risk factor for workers, but can highlight repeatedly stated that the working time available is not enough to reach perform all its tasks. Although respondents have stated that work without other people around this not a risk factor associated with human relationships. In the organization of working time it found that the working day is long and during the shift cannot do short breaks are not regulated and do not represent a risk factor.

In the area where most the highest number of risk factors was personnel management were presented, the most salient factors: no rotation of the office, insufficient to meet basic needs wages, lack of educational activities, lack clarity in the procedures manuals work, few opportunities for promotion; which makes an unfavorable working environment for workers present and could trigger some beneficial consequences for the company because quality work is not developed. Notably in the area of personnel management the perception workers about the occasional execution of related occupational health program activities, is important comply with legislation on occupational safety since workers exposed to accidents and health consequences associated with work, which would generate costs for the company’s civil and criminal liabilities and penalties by the state.

Recommendations

1. Strengthening occupational health program, in its various subprograms, with emphasis on preventive medicine organizing educational and informational activities for workers and managers, in order that they know the risk factors and management Psychology.
2. SENA directives (Center for Petrochemical Industry) Regional Bolivar should work together with the program manager for Occupational Health are aware of the risk factors affecting their workers and thus take appropriate action the case. Institutional Commitment Program Policies.
3. Perform induction and reinduction programs for all staff.
4. Organize recreational activities outside the facilities or workplaces that allow leisure time.
5. Extend the study of risk factors Psychology other regional centers SENA Bolivar, for general identification of these and assess their impact on entire population to allow intervention actions in accordance integrally with the findings.

Expand the number of members of the cooperative of workers with defined for access to housing loans, education, recreation and health services contract. Request the Ministry of Labor expand the plant workers to get a better job stability. It is recommended the administrative area provide an opportunity to train personnel in various skills order to expand its scope and not only be specialist in a particular program. It is suggested to deepen further studies to where they arrive and how these factors affect the quality of education.