Psychological and physical job demands, decision latitude, and work-related social support among Iranian waste collectors

The job demand-control-support model and work-related musculoskeletal complaints in daytime and nighttime janitors: The mediating effect of burnout

Janitors' jobs require repetitive work with low control (skill discretion, decision authority) and social support. Previous studies have found this constellation of work conditions leads to high stress levels. This study investigated the relationships among job demand-control-support, burnout, and musculoskeletal symptoms for commercial janitors in Washington State. Structural equation modeling was performed using data from 208 participants with analyses comparing models of daytime and nighttime janitors. Burnout fully mediated the relationship between job demands and musculoskeletal complaints among daytime janitors. Among nighttime janitors, burnout mediated between job demands, job control, and social support, and musculoskeletal complaints. The nighttime janitors' model was more fully supported compared to the daytime model. This study is one of a small number that examine and bring attention to the importance of janitors' burnout. Recommendations to improve the psychosocial work environment toward mitigating burnout and reducing musculoskeletal complaints are provided.

Comparison of physical workload and physical work capacity among municipality cleaners in Shiraz to determine number of workers needed to counterbalance physical workload

Background

Assessing physical workload is the most important step in deciding whether a workload is high and adopting appropriate control strategies to reduce physical workload. This study aimed to compare physical workload and Physical Work Capacity (PWC) among municipality cleaners in Shiraz to determine the number of workers needed to counterbalance physical workload.

Methods

The present cross-sectional study was performed on 97 municipality cleaners in Shiraz. In the first step, the participants' maximum aerobic capacity (VO₂-max) was estimated in the laboratory using an ergometer bicycle and the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) protocol, based on which the PWC was estimated. Secondly, energy expenditure and heart rate during work were measured using a POLAR400 device in an eight-hour shift. At the end of the work shift, the workers’ perceived physical exertion was assessed using a Rating of Perceived Exertion 6–20 (RPE 6–20) Borg scale. In the final stage, the physical workload was assessed based on the results of the two steps.

Results

The mean VO₂-max of the cleaners and PWC were estimated to be 2.6 ± 0.66 l min⁻¹ and 4.3 ± 1.088 kcal min⁻¹, respectively. The average energy consumed during work was 4.122 ± 1.016 kcal min⁻¹. The overall results of this study showed that physical workload was greater than PWC in 46% of the municipality cleaners. In addition, it was found that 12.45% workforce was required to be added to the street cleaners of Shiraz municipality to reduce the physiological workload on the employed workforce.

Conclusions

With respect to the high level of physical activity in a significant proportion of the cleaners, measures such as increasing the workforce are suggested.

Private sector involvement in waste management of metropolises: Insights from Dhaka city

Privatization of municipal solid waste management has been widely studied for both developing and developed countries, producing evidence both for and against privatization. This research reiterates the importance of one of the largest megacities in the world - Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh - as a case study on this topic, and further nuances the debate about the role of privatization in municipal waste management. The focus is on one of its municipalities, the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), where we provide comparative analysis of municipal solid waste collection and transportation between a total of 36 privatized and non-privatized administrative units. Landfill weigh-bridge data on monthly net weight of waste, number of sweepers, secondary transfer stations and vehicle data was collected from the DNCC for 36 consecutive months from 2017 January to 2019 December, and analyses were run using 30 months' data till June. Fixed effects and "hybrid" random-effects regressions were run on the panel dataset to estimate both within-cluster and between-cluster effects. The results indicate that administrative units with privatized waste management have significantly higher waste collection on average, which can be explained by a higher number of high capacity dump trucks, though wider economic and demographic factors may be partly driving the difference. In-depth interviews with city corporation officials and contractors also provided valuable information on employment conditions. It is found that wages and benefits of sweepers under private contract are much lower. Moreover, since most sweepers are female, a gendered effect of privatization is evident.

Dor nas extremidades inferiores, demandas físicas e psicológicas em trabalhadores da limpeza urbana: estudo transversal

Resumo Objetivo: descrever as características do trabalho e investigar a prevalência e os fatores associados à dor em membros inferiores em trabalhadores da limpeza urbana. Métodos: estudo de corte transversal, realizado na Bahia. Dados coletados entre 2009 e 2010. A dor foi avaliada por meio do Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, enquanto as demandas psicossociais no trabalho foram medidas pelo Job Content Questionnaire. Também foram avaliadas as demandas físicas, incluindo posturas gerais e manuseio de carga. A análise de regressão logística múltipla foi utilizada para identificar fatores associados à dor em membros inferiores. Resultados: 624 trabalhadores participaram da pesquisa. Constatou-se alta prevalência de dor em membros inferiores nos últimos sete dias (23,7%) e nos últimos doze meses (42,1%), sendo maior entre agentes de limpeza e coletores. A dor em membros inferiores foi associada a: mais de três anos de trabalho na empresa (OR = 1,34); alta exposição ao manuseio de cargas (OR = 1,35); demanda psicológica no trabalho (OR = 1,87); e condicionamento físico insuficiente (OR = 1,67). O trabalho na limpeza urbana envolveu grande sobrecarga física, com pressão de tempo para sua execução. Conclusão: evidenciou-se a necessidade de medidas para redução do manuseio de cargas e de mudanças na organização do trabalho, incluindo pausas durante a jornada e adequação das tarefas ao tempo disponível, a fim de evitar sobrecargas física e psicológica dos trabalhadores.

Health concerns among waste collectors during pandemic crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected the economic, social, and psychological aspects globally. COVID-19 can possibly spread through municipal solid waste (MSW) if it is collected, bagged, transported, and disposed inappropriately. Such situation has posed significant challenges to MSW management (MSWM), which has led waste personnel under massive pressure. This study aims to examine the health-protective behavior of sanitation workers/MSW collectors (MSWCs) during the COVID-19 crisis. Quantitative data were collected by using a self-administered survey from 418 MSWCs working in Mainland China. The study extended the traditional health-belief model and proposed education and training as a facet of the behavioral model. Result showed that education and training were a significant predictor of health-protective behavior. Moreover, the moderating incremental influence of regulative assistance significantly affected the behavioral mapping of MSWCs. This study contributes to the literature by mapping the concerns, risks, and challenges experienced by MSWCs in times of a health crisis. Policymakers should specially consider the safety and hygiene concerns of frontline workforce in the whole chain of waste management (including the outsourced operations of MSWM). Lastly, the adoption of smart communication with the frontline workforce (i.e., MSWCs) is in dire need to maintain trust and avoid rumors and misconceptions during the time of a pandemic situation.

Physical and psychosocial demand at work: inequities related to race/skin color

This cross-sectional study investigated the association between self-reported race/skin color and two outcomes - psychosocial demand and physical demand at work - in 1,032 workers in an urban cleaning services company and two footwear manufacturers, located in the State of Bahia, Brazil. Psychosocial demand was measured through the Job Content Questionnaire and physical demand was measured through questions about postures and cargo handling. A Cox regression analysis provided prevalence ratios (PR) adjusted by age, gender, and educational level. Among blacks, there is a higher proportion of garbage collectors and a lower proportion of supervisory positions. Black workers are more subject to high psychological demand and low job control and, consequently, to high strain (PR=1.65). Also, they are more exposed to work with arms above shoulder level (PR=1.93), and material handling (PR=1.62), compared to white workers. Brown workers are more exposed to low job control (PR=1.36), work with arms above shoulder level (PR=1.48), and material handling (PR=1.25), also compared with whites. Social support is lower among blacks and brown. The study demonstrated inequities in psychosocial and physical exposures at work that are in line with the structural conception of racism. This evidence can contribute to the adoption of practices that increase equity in the world of work.

Evaluation of a passive low-back support exoskeleton (Ergo-Vest) for manual waste collection

The purpose of study was to determine the biomechanical, physiological, and subjective effect of a Passive Exoskeleton device (called Ergo-Vest) among 20 waste collectors in the working environment. Compression force and moment on L4/L5 related to 400 critical postures of the participants were estimated using the 3DSSPP software. The heart rate and energy expenditure are measured as the physiological strain using the Polar RS400 Heart Rate Monitor. Borg scale perceived exertion, system usability scale, and ergonomic design indicators of the device were collected as the subjective parameters. Compression force and moment on L4/L5 disc were decreased when the Ergo-Vest was utilised. There was no significant difference in energy expenditure and heart rate with and without the device. The workers' perceived physical exertion was decreased while using the Ergo-Vest. From the perspective of end users, the usability and ergonomic design features of the Ergo-Vest was acceptable. Practitioner summary: The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders is high among the Iranian waste collectors. To mitigate this occupational problem, the effect of a passive exoskeleton for lower-back support (Ergo-Vest) was investigated on the workers' spine loading, physiological parameters, and perceived physical exertion. The result shows spine force reduction and lower subjective responses.

Psychological stress and associated factors among municipal solid waste collectors in Hanoi, Vietnam: A cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION

In low and middle-income countries, the manually operated municipal waste collection system prominently depended on the performance of waste collectors (WC). Most of the literature has focused on the impact of waste collection tasks on WCs' physical health, while little was known about the psychological effects of work-related stress. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of psychological stress and related factors among waste collectors in Hanoi, Vietnam.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 802 WCs in 2017. The questionnaire included the 7-item Stress component of the 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, and questions on demographics and work conditions. Descriptive and multivariate logistics regression analyses were conducted to examine the factors related to psychological stress among WCs.

RESULTS

Results showed that 13.4% of WCs reported stress symptoms; among them, 3.3% of WCs experienced severe stress. Factors related to lower odds of self-reported psychological stress included self-perceived frequent exposure to high and low temperatures in the working environment (OR = 0.51 and 0.52, respectively). Factors associated with the increased likelihood of symptoms included frequent exposure to hot/flammable objects (OR = 2.41), working a night shift in the last three months (OR = 1.82), education lever lower than high school (OR = 1.82), and having an insufficient monthly income (OR = 1.99).

CONCLUSION

The high percentage of workers with severe stress implies the need for mental health prevention and treatment for WCs who participated in this study.