Musculoskeletal Health and Perceived Work Ability in a Manufacturing Workforce

Details

• Personal Author:
  Barnes-Farrell JL ; Cavallari JM ; Cherniack, Martin G. ; Dugan AG ; Garza JL ; Graham LA ; Laguerre RA ; Petery GA ; Warren N
• Description:
  Aging workers in manufacturing are at greater risk of workforce departure than in other sectors. Workers in manufacturing have a variety of job types. Some jobs require traditional kinds of intensive manual labor, but new technology now requires many workers to operate automated machines from computer workstations, resulting in different physical demands from traditional production jobs that can nonetheless contribute to musculoskeletal strain and decreased functional capacity. Musculoskeletal health (MSH) and perceived work ability (PWA) are relevant to departure decisions, yet studies rarely model these constructs simultaneously. We used the job demands-resources model to evaluate job/personal demands and resources as antecedents of MSH and PWA, and examine both as mediators of departure. Workers from six U.S. manufacturers completed surveys (N = 758). Most were white, male, married, and middle-aged (M = 47.2 years). Hypotheses were tested using multiple linear regression and structural equation modeling. MSH and PWA were modeled as latent variables, and all others as observed variables. MSH and PWA were impacted by different demands and resources. Job demands (computer-based) and personal resources (sleep quality, leisure-time walking) predicted MSH, and job resources (supervisor support) and personal resources (sleep surplus) predicted PWA. MSH mediated relations of computer-based job demands, sleep quality, and leisure-time walking with PWA. MSH and PWA were unrelated to departure, likely due to sampling limitations. Identifying upstream causes of MSH and PWA provides primary preventative points of intervention - such as reducing job demands and offering needed resources - that may improve the health and functioning of aging workers. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Accident Prevention Accidents Lighting Mining Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Age Groups Aging Workers Author Keywords: Musculoskeletal Health Manufacturing MSD Musculoskeletal Disorders Physical Capacity Task Performance Work Ability Workforce Departure
• ISSN:
  2367-0134
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Connecticut ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSI - Division of Science Integration
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  73-110
• Volume:
  6
• Issue:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20064363
• Citation:
  Occup Health Sci 2022 Mar; 6(1):73-110
• Contact Point Address:
  Alicia G. Dugan, Department of Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030
• Email:
  adugan@uchc.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2022
• Performing Organization:
  University of Connecticut School of Medicine/Dentristy, Farmington
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20080901
• Source Full Name:
  Occupational Health Science
• End Date:
  20200929
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:0c6c46aba21760ef01cf5c039585d67ca4e26398f3a765fc7e0b00f30ecbaafd6ca8b48688a232104df98c94b45e6374a23cef3c3fc0036994ff702e220a8ea5
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/222843/cdc_222843_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 799.12 KB ]