Dahlberg Raymond, Bildt Carina, Karlqvist Lena
National Institute for Working Life, Stockholm, Sweden.
Women Health. 2003;37(2):31-53. doi: 10.1300/J013v37n02_03.
The present case-study, which is rather small in number of subjects but has a broad perspective, is part of a larger investigation designed to initiate development processes in working life in one specific region in Sweden. This study may serve as an example of ergonomic fieldwork with a gender perspective.
The overall aim was to examine the physical and psychosocial working conditions among a group of female hot food distributors, and to relate these conditions to other traditionally heavy work within the same working unit, as well as to suggest improvements.
The study group consisted of ten female municipal employees in a provincial town. Structured interviews about the psychosocial working conditions, measurements of heart rate, ratings of self-reported perceived exertion and observations of one working day were performed.
The overall impression from the study was that the food distributors in several aspects had a very difficult working situation that ought to be improved. The food distributors reported high psychological demands and low decision latitude, time pressure and dissatisfaction with not being able to live up to the pensioners' and the employer's expectations. They also had a high heart rate increase during work, which may be a risk factor for impaired health. Several short-term and long-term solutions were suggested to reduce and redistribute the total workload.
The employer has attended to some suggested short-term solutions and the follow-up study showed that the working conditions had been improved. A reduction of cardiovascular load, as well as self-rated physical exertion, was noted and the work was perceived as substantially less stressful.
本案例研究的受试者数量较少，但视角广泛，是瑞典一个特定地区旨在启动工作生活发展进程的一项更大规模调查的一部分。这项研究可作为从性别视角进行人体工程学实地调查的一个范例。
总体目标是调查一组女性热食配送员的身体和心理社会工作条件，并将这些条件与同一工作单位内其他传统重体力工作相关联，同时提出改进建议。
研究组由一个省城的十名女性市政雇员组成。进行了关于心理社会工作条件的结构化访谈、心率测量、自我报告的感知用力程度评级以及对一个工作日的观察。
该研究的总体印象是，热食配送员在几个方面的工作处境非常艰难，应该加以改善。热食配送员报告称心理需求高、决策自由度低、时间压力大，并且因无法满足养老金领取者和雇主的期望而感到不满。他们在工作期间心率也有大幅上升，这可能是健康受损的一个风险因素。提出了一些短期和长期解决方案，以减少和重新分配总工作量。
雇主已着手实施一些建议的短期解决方案，后续研究表明工作条件得到了改善。心血管负荷以及自我评定的体力消耗有所降低，并且工作压力明显减轻。
