NSC Releases Report on Impact of Non-physical Risk Factors in the Workplace

WASHINGTON, D.C. – While work-related physical risk factors, such as force, posture and repetition, are commonly considered in the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs, other non-physical risk factors like work organization and job stress are often overlooked when assessing the root causes of these injuries. Recognizing that non-physical risk factors should also be examined for a more holistic approach to assessing the most common workplace injury, the National Safety Council released a new white paper, Accounting for Non-Physical Risk Factors in MSD Prevention.

“As we look to the future of MSD prevention and ergonomics, an emphasis on both physical and non-physical risk factors is needed,” said Katherine Mendoza, senior director of workplace programs at NSC. “Employees who experience non-physical risk factors are at greater risk of injury, less satisfied with their work and more likely to leave their organization, which is why it’s critically important for organizations to proactively address and mitigate these issues. This report not only explores the impact of non-physical risk factors on workers, but it offers solutions for employers to implement and help improve workplace safety.” 

Published through the MSD Solutions Lab, a groundbreaking NSC initiative established in 2021 with funding from Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) to solve work-related MSDs, the research paper focuses on the importance of accounting for non-physical risk factors in MSD prevention programs. Specifically, the report references more than 150 academic publications and sources and examines how organizational, psychosocial and behavioral non-physical MSD risk factors can lead to the long-term absence of workers, higher workers’ compensation costs, poorer safety climates and lower productivity. Key findings center on:

Organizational risk factors: Organizational factors include a lack of personnel or being short-staffed, communication, job control or autonomy, feelings of job insecurity and poor work organization. Research has shown that extended work hours, irregular schedules and high-performance demands are linked to fatigue, stress, reduced performance, unhealthy behaviors, and both short-term and long-term physical health issues like an increase in lower back, elbow, wrist and ankle issues. Addressing organizational factors, such as implementing work-rest cycles, shortening the working hours for those doing physically demanding work and providing more job autonomy and security, has been shown to reduce workplace MSDs. 

Psychosocial risk factors: Common psychosocial factors include mental fatigue, high mental workload, workplace stress, job dissatisfaction, and poor support from supervisors or colleagues. Certain psychosocial stressors, especially high job demands, low decision latitude and few rest breaks, are comparable to physical risk factors in their impact on upper extremity MSDs. Further, stress may impact the healing process or influence muscle tension, while work pace can increase spinal loads by 25-65%, leading to wrist, hand, shoulder and lower back issues. Conversely, receiving adequate support from colleagues and creating an environment that encourages open communication enables employees to feel more comfortable reporting risks or injuries and can help lead to early intervention, which decreases the likelihood that discomfort or pain will progress to an MSD.

Behavioral risk factors: These are non-physical risk factors that fall outside of the workplace, like sleeping habits, tobacco use, alcohol or substance use, and diet and nutrition. For example, sleep deprivation or deficiency can lead to trouble focusing or reacting, frustration, worry, and a higher likelihood of injury or serious mistakes. Substance use, including alcohol use, can impair reaction time, reasoning, coordination and judgment, increasing the risk of injury during work. Despite the fact that these risks occur outside of work, they can be modified or impacted by the workplace, including through support for health and wellbeing initiatives, employee assistance programs, health care benefits, or other health management or promotion activities and interventions. 

In addition to examining the impact of non-physical risk factors on workers, the report also outlines potential solutions for managing and measuring these issues, including:

Risk identification: Engage in risk identification using systems that address the tasks being completed, management styles, interpersonal relationships, work roles, career concerns and environmental conditions. This approach can more broadly help workplaces consider risks outside of more typical physical risks.

Training: Provide supervisory training aimed at addressing organizational issues, such as justice, safety climate and personal treatment. Ensure safety and health training is accurate and delivered by qualified instructors and make training materials available to frontline workers should they need to refer to the content.

Integrate within existing programs: Incorporate the mitigation of non-physical risk factors into existing MSD prevention and ergonomics programs, like through audits or other assessments. 

Involve workers at all levels: Empower frontline workers to voice their safety concerns and take a participative approach by involving them in decision making about their working conditions. Supervisors play an important role in enacting safety across teams and employees, while leadership buy-in is critical. Safety professionals are encouraged to convey the importance of addressing non-physical risk factors and to champion non-physical risk management across the organization.

Measurement: Assess the presence and severity of non-physical risk factors through employee perception surveys and measurement tools.

Pioneering research is one of several initiatives supported by the MSD Solutions Lab to achieve its goal of preventing MSDs. To learn more about these efforts and the risks associated with MSDs, visit nsc.org/msd.

About the National Safety Council
The National Safety Council is America’s leading nonprofit safety advocate – and has been for 110 years. As a mission-based organization, we work to eliminate the leading causes of preventable death and injury, focusing our efforts on the workplace and roadways. We create a culture of safety to not only keep people safer at work, but also beyond the workplace so they can live their fullest lives.