Research Information System
5th International Turkish World Educational Sciences and Social SciencesCongress, Antalya, Turkey, 21 - 24 November 2024, pp.152-161
The coming together and
interaction of societies over time have led to an increase in the needs that
require attention in this direction. The most prominent example of this
development began with the transition from a nomadic to a settled lifestyle.
This process, which started with agriculture and mining, has continued with the
emergence of new technological initiatives and inventions of the era. With the
acceleration of the transition to the information age, work stress and workload
have increased, leading to heightened stress on employees and causing negative
impacts in terms of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS).
Psychosocial risks, which are a
significant component of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS), refer to the
likelihood of hazards that affect employees' mental health, job satisfaction,
and interpersonal relationships, and that cause stress (Dollard et al., 2007;
ISO, 2021; ILO, 2020). Particularly when considering the health issues caused
by work-related stress, psychosocial risk factors are recognized as phenomena
that negatively impact employee productivity. Work-related stress can lead to
increased use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs, resulting in psychosocial risk
factors affecting not only the employee's professional life but also their
family and social life. The
field of occupational health and safety is not only the least known and
discussed area, but it is also the area with the least clarity in terms of
definition and solution. The loss of productivity, absenteeism, increased
healthcare expenses, theft, and sabotage caused by psychosocial risks impose a
significant financial burden on workplaces due to the resulting injuries and
early retirement payments.
Identifying the problems
encountered by field workers using checklists and risk assessment methods, as
well as utilizing psychosocial risk assessment tools, is extremely important
for organizations to fulfill their responsibilities in the field of
Occupational Health and Safety.