Relations between work accidents and psychosocial risks in a steel factory in Manisa

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of occupational accidents and the effects of sociodemographic characteristics and psychosocial risks on occupational accidents in a steel factory in Manisa. Material and Method: The population of the cross-sectional study conducted in Manisa consisted of 560 blue-collar employees of a steel factory. The study was conducted between 9.07.2021 and 28.12.2021. It was aimed to reach all employees and 509 people were reached. 43 of the questionnaires were excluded because the questionnaire was empty or unsafe. Women were also excluded since female gender is considered a risk for psychosocial risks and no comparison could be made due to the small number (n=3). With 463 data, the participation rate is 82.7%. Dependent variables are the status of the employee's occupational accident in the last year and the status of occupational accident at this workplace. Independent variables are sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle behaviors, work characteristics, and psychosocial risks of the work environment. Psychosocial risks were assessed using the Copenhagen Psychosocial Risk Assessment Questionnaire (COPSOQ), which measures psychosocial risks in 25 dimensions. The mean score for each dimension was calculated and divided by the median to determine the risk/non-risk groups. Descriptive statistics, chi-square analysis, logistic regression analysis were used in data analysis and type 1 error was set at 0.05. Results: The mean age of the employees was 34.4±7.3 years. 84.0% of the study group lived in urban areas, 79.5% were married, and 71.3% had children. 4.8% of the employees were primary school graduates, 22.0% were middle school graduates, 57.7% were high school graduates; 34.8% of the spouses were high school graduates and 18.2% were college/university graduates. 70.4% of the employees are the only one working in the family, 45.1% of them have an income less than their expenses. 54.9% of the employees are active smokers. The average duration of employment in their departments was 6.6±6.2 years. The mean scores of the employees for psychosocial risks were the highest, especially in the dimensions of lack of freedom at work (72.1±23.2), cognitive demands burden (70.3±20.9) and burnout (66.1±24.3). The frequency of having an occupational accident in their entire life was found to be 63.3% and the frequency of having an occupational accident at this workplace was found to be 49.0%. The frequency of occupational accidents in the last year was 22.0%. Of the occupational accidents in the last year, 41.2% occurred during the night shift, and compression and crashing occurred frequently (36.3%) after the accident. The incidence of occupational accidents in the last year was higher among young people, those with lower educational status, smokers, those with longer weekly working hours, those who had worked in their department for less than ten years, shift workers and those who lacked social support from superiors. The risk of occupational accidents in the last year increased 2.8 (%GA: 1.2-6.5) times for those with high school education and 3.8 (%GA: 1.5-9.3) times for those with primary/secondary education compared to those with university/college education. Smokers were 1.7 (%GA: 1.1-2.8) times more likely to have an occupational accident in the last year. In addition, the risk of occupational accidents in the last year decreases with increasing age. The risk of having an occupational accident at this workplace is higher in those who are older, have lower educational attainment, are married, do not have children and have a coworker who has had an occupational accident. Those with cognitive demands, emotional demands, lack of recognition, work-home conflict, lack of trust, lack of justice and respect, and burnout risks were found to have a higher risk of having an occupational accident at this workplace. According to further analyses, the independent variables that have the most effect on having an occupational accident at this workplace are the education level of the employees, the duration of working in the same department and the accident status of the coworker. According to this analysis, the risk of occupational accidents at this workplace increased 2.3 (%GA: 1.2-4.5) times for those with primary/secondary school education compared to those with university/college education. The risk of occupational accidents at this workplace increased 4.2 (%GA: 2.5-7.2) times for those whose coworkers had occupational accidents compared to those who did not. Conclusion-Recommendations: Approximately one fifth of the factory workers had an occupational accident in the last year. It is recommended to evaluate especially night shifts in terms of occupational health and safety. It was found that occupational accidents occurred more frequently in the last year in young people with low education and smokers. Adaptation training can be given to those with low education and young people. Employees should be encouraged to quit smoking. In this workplace, occupational accidents were found to occur more frequently in those with lower education levels and in those whose coworkers had experienced occupational accidents. It should be ensured that necessary arrangements are made at the workplace after the work accident occurs. Among psychosocial risks, lack of social support from superiors was the only variable associated with having an occupational accident in the last year. Among the psychosocial risks most frequently mentioned by employees, cognitive demands should be reduced, measures should be taken for lack of freedom at work and burnout, and the demand for social support from superiors should be met in relation to work accidents in the last year.