Dockworkers’ health and safety. A cross-sectional study of self-perceived safety and psychosocial work environment amongst Danish dockworkers
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to determine the characteristics and association between self-perceived safety and psychosocial work environment amongst dockworkers in Denmark.
Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among dockworkers in three harbours in Denmark, using a triangulation strategy approach, with a questionnaire survey and telephone interviews. Both collection methods included questions on workplace safety, accidents, work environment, colleagues and management. The majority felt confident about the safety at the work place (88.8%) and agreed that good collaboration and teamwork among colleagues (95.4%) was the reason they felt safe. The majority were very satisfied with their job (76.1%). Moreover, the majority stated that they were thriving well in the changeable working hours (85.1%) and did not find it stressful to be a part-time worker with no guarantee of work (80.2%). 46.1% had never felt stressed, and only 7.9% had felt stressed often the last 2 weeks. The main source of feeling stressed was the combination of work and personal life (39.3%). The study population was 88 and the response rate of the questionnaire was 41%.
Results and Conclusions: Due to the small study population and the distribution of answers, it was not possible to measure an association between self-perceived safety and psychosocial work environment; however, it was found that dockworkers were greatly satisfied with the working conditions, primarily because of good colleagues, flexible working hours and a satisfying pay cheque.
Keywords: dockworkersself-perceived safetypsychosocial work environmentDenmark
References
- Chastang J, Vermeylen G. Exposure to psychosocial work factors in 31 European countries. 2012;(March):196–202.
- Hjerteforeningen. Fakta om hjerte-kar-sygdom i Danmark [Internet]. Hjerteforeningen. 2019. https://hjerteforeningen.dk/alt-om-dit-hjerte/noegletal/.
- Lund T, Labriola M, Christensen KB, et al. Physical work environment risk factors for long term sickness absence: prospective findings among a cohort of 5357 employees in Denmark. BMJ. 2006; 332(7539): 449–452.
- Stressforeningen. Stress og statistik [Internet]. Stressforeningen. 2019. http://www.stressforeningen.dk/stress-og-statistik/.
- Hansen LA, Slyngborg M. Havnen som arbejdslads. "man skal ikke være lavet af glas" - arbejdskulturer på havnen. Kursen. 2018: 93–112.
- Hyllested H. Arbejdsmiljø På Havne. 201. http://www.bartransportogengros.dk/Files/Billeder/BAR Transport/Arbejdsmiljoe-havne-2012.pdf.
- Cezar-vaz MR, Capa M, Almeida V. Casual Dock Work : Profile of Diseases and Injuries and Perception of Influence. on Health. 2014: 2077–2091.
- Risk E, Report O. Expert forecast on emerging psychosocial risks. 2007.
- Wang Y, Zhan S, Liu Y, et al. Occupational hazards to health of port workers. Int J Occup Saf Ergon. 2017; 23(4): 584–588.
- Thisted J. Den kvantitative forskningsmetode 1. In: Forskningsmetode i raksis - rojektorienteret videnskabsteori og forskningsmetodik. 2nd ed 2018: 127–68.
- Madsen M, Strandberg-Larsen K. Den eidemiologiske forskningsmetode. In: Forskningsmetoder i folkesundhedsvidenskab. 4th ed. 2011: 243–282.
- Szklo M, Nieto FJ. Basic study designs in analytical epidemiology. In:. Eidemiology - beyond the basics, 3rd ed. 2014: 1–38.
- Christensen U, Nielsen A, Schmidt L. Det kvalitative forskningsinterview. In:. Forskningsmetoder i folkesundhedsvidenskab, 4th ed 2011: 61–89.
- Robson C, McCartan K. Desk-based research. In: Real World Research. 4th ed. Wiley 2017: 82–100.
- Robson C, McCartan K. Flexible designs. In: Real World Research. 4th ed. Wiley 2017: 145–173.
- Robson C, McCartan K. Ethical and political considerations. In: Real World Research. Wiley 2017: 205–240.
- Kokholm T. Danmarks største havne [Internet]. Nyhedsmagasinet Danske Kommuner. 2014. http://www.danskekommuner.dk/Artikelarkiv/2014/Magasin-22/Danmarks-storste-havne/.
- DH Danske Havne. Havnepolitisk redegørelse 2018 [Internet]. DH danske havne. 2018. https://www.danskehavne.dk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Havnepolitisk-Redegørelse-2018.pdf.
- Thomas SJ. Pilot testing the questionnaire. In: Using Web and Paper Questionnaires for Data-Based Decision Making. 2004.
- Robson C, McCartan K. Surveys and questionnaires. In: Real World Research. 4th ed. Wiley 2011: 243–283.
- Robson C, McCartan K. Interviews and focus grous. In: Real World Research. 4th ed. 2017: 284–306.
- Kvale S, Brinkmann S. Udførelse af interview In: Interview 3rd ed. 2014: 177–98.
- Kvale S, Brinkmann S. Interviewvariationer In: Interview. 2014: 197–218.
- Kvale S, Brinkmann S. Interviewkvalitet In: Interview 3rd ed. 2014: 219–234.
- Health JIWC on O. Psychosocial factors at work : recognition and control [Internet]. Safety And Health. 1984. 81. http://www.who.int/occupational_health/publications/ILO_WHO_1984_report_of_the_joint_committee.pdf.
- International Labour Organization. Hazardous work. International Labour Organization. 2019.
- Karasek R. Job Demands, Job Decision Latitude, and Mental Strain: Implications for Job Redesign. Administrative Science Quarterly. 1979; 24(2): 285.
- Karasek R, Theorell T. Healthy Work: Stress, Productivity, and the Reconstruction Of Working Life. Basic books 1992.
- Häusser J, Mojzisch A, Niesel M, et al. Ten years on: A review of recent research on the Job Demand–Control (-Support) model and psychological well-being. Work & Stress. 2017; 24(1): 1–35.
- Cezar-Vaz MR, Bonow CA, Almeida MC, et al. Workload and associated factors: a study in maritime port in Brazil. Rev Lat Am Enfermagem. 2016; 24: e2837.
- Porta MA. dictionary of eidemiology. In: A dictionary of epidemiology. 2014.
- Thisted J. Den kvalitative forskningsmetode 1. In: Forskningsmetode i raksis - rojektorienteret videnskabsteori og forskningsmetodik. 2nd ed. 2018: 195–246.
- Robson C, McCartan K. Fixed designs. In: Real World Research. 4th ed 2017: 101–144.
