Thu, Aug 6, 2026
[Archive]
.png)
Faculty of Health Sciences, University Center of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil; Institute of Psychology, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
Abstract: (558 Views)
Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are highly prevalent among outsourced electrical line workers, who are exposed to intense physical demands, organizational pressures, and persistent psychosocial stressors. This study examined whether psychosocial risk factors and perceived safety climate are associated with the prevalence and functional impact of musculoskeletal symptoms in this population.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between February and April 2024 with 689 outsourced electrical line workers recruited from distribution companies across Brazil. Standardized instruments were used to assessed musculoskeletal symptoms, psychosocial stressors, and perceptions of safety climate. Data were analyzed using R software through descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling.
Results: More than half of the workers reported at least one musculoskeletal symptom in the previous 12 months, most commonly affecting the shoulders and neck. Higher exposure to psychosocial stressors was associated with increased frequency and impact of complaints, whereas a more favorable safety climate was linked to lower symptom prevalence, fewer impairments, and reduced need for medical care.
Conclusion: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among outsourced electrical line workers reflect the combined influence of physical workload, organizational conditions, and psychosocial stressors. Prevention should integrate ergonomic measures with organizational strategies that reduce psychosocial risks and strengthen safety climate, particularly in outsourced and other high-risk occupational contexts.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between February and April 2024 with 689 outsourced electrical line workers recruited from distribution companies across Brazil. Standardized instruments were used to assessed musculoskeletal symptoms, psychosocial stressors, and perceptions of safety climate. Data were analyzed using R software through descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling.
Results: More than half of the workers reported at least one musculoskeletal symptom in the previous 12 months, most commonly affecting the shoulders and neck. Higher exposure to psychosocial stressors was associated with increased frequency and impact of complaints, whereas a more favorable safety climate was linked to lower symptom prevalence, fewer impairments, and reduced need for medical care.
Conclusion: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among outsourced electrical line workers reflect the combined influence of physical workload, organizational conditions, and psychosocial stressors. Prevention should integrate ergonomic measures with organizational strategies that reduce psychosocial risks and strengthen safety climate, particularly in outsourced and other high-risk occupational contexts.
Type of Study: Original Article |
Subject:
Occupational and Industrial Health
Received: 2026/01/18 | Accepted: 2026/03/14
Received: 2026/01/18 | Accepted: 2026/03/14
References
1. Afsharian, A., Dollard, M. F., Glozier, N., Morris, R. W., Bailey, T. S., Nguyen, H., & Crispin, C. (2023). Work-related psychosocial and physical paths to future musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Safety Science, 164, 106177. [Crossref]
2. Arooj, A., Majid, M., Alam, A., & Bilal, M. F. (2022). Assessment of workplace safety climate among power sector employees: A comparative study of cross-culture employer in Pakistan. PLOS One, 17(8), e0272976. [Crossref]
3. Asivandzadeh, E., Azami, K., & Jamalizadeh, Z. (2018). Work-related musculoskeletal disorders, occupational stress, and their associations with general health in working populations in various industries. Journal of Human Environment and Health Promotion, 4(4), 169-174. [Crossref]
4. Baby, T., Madhu, G., & Renjith, V. R. (2021). Occupational electrical accidents: Assessing the role of personal and safety climate factors. Safety Science, 139, 105229. [Crossref]
5. Beus, J. M., McCord, M. A., & Zohar, D. (2016). Workplace safety: A review and research synthesis. Organizational Psychology Review, 6(4), 352-381. [Crossref]
6. Bevan, S. (2015). Economic impact of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) on work in Europe. Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology, 29(3), 356-373. [Crossref]
7. Björklund, E. (2024). Shaping electricians. Discursive formations of electricians in discussions about musculoskeletal disorders. Journal of Vocational Education & Training, 76(5), 1104-1123. [Crossref]
8. Bosak, J., Coetsee, W. J., & Cullinane, S. J. (2013). Safety climate dimensions as predictors for risk behavior. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 55, 256-264. [Crossref]
9. Brewin, C. R., Cloitre, M., Chow, A. Y. M., & Maercker, A. (2024). Disorders specifically associated with stress. In G. M. Reed, P. L. J. Ritchie, A. Maercker, & T. J. Rebello, A psychological approach to diagnosis: Using the ICD-11 as a framework. (pp. 175-192). American Psychological Association. [Crossref]
10. Bronkhorst, B. (2015). Behaving safely under pressure: The effects of job demands, resources, and safety climate on employee physical and psychosocial safety behavior. Journal of Safety Research, 55, 63-72. [Crossref]
11. Bronkhorst, B., & Vermeeren, B. (2016). Safety climate, worker health and organizational health performance: Testing a physical, psychosocial and combined pathway. International Journal of Workplace Health Management, 9(3), 270-289. [Crossref]
12. Brown, T. A. (2015). Confirmatory factor analysis for applied research. The Guilford Press.
13. Chen, H. K., Chou, H. W., Su, J. W., & Wen, F. H. (2019). Structural interrelationships of safety climate, stress, inattention and aberrant driving behavior for bus drivers in Taiwan. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 130, 118-133. [Crossref]
14. Cool, J., & Zappetti, D. (2019). The physiology of stress. In D. Zappetti & J. D. Avery, Medical student well-being (pp. 1-15). Springer International Publishing. [Crossref]
15. Eddy, P., Heckenberg, R., Wertheim, E. H., Kent, S., & Wright, B. J. (2016). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effort-reward imbalance model of workplace stress with indicators of immune function. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 91, 1-8. [Crossref]
16. Ferreira, M. C., Milfont, T. L., Silva, A. P. C. E., Fernandes, H. A., Almeida, S. P., & Mendonça, H. (2015). Escala para avaliação de estressores psicossociais no contexto laboral: Construção e evidências de validade. Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica, 28(2), 340-349. [Crossref]
17. Griffin, M. A., & Curcuruto, M. (2016). Safety climate in organizations. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 3(1), 191-212. [Crossref]
18. Huang, Y. H., Zohar, D., Robertson, M. M., Garabet, A., Murphy, L. A., & Lee, J. (2013). Development and validation of safety climate scales for mobile remote workers using utility/electrical workers as exemplar. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 59, 76-86. [Crossref]
19. Huth, K. B. S., & Chung-Yan, G. A. (2023). Quantifying the evidence for the absence of the job demands and job control interaction on workers’ well-being: A Bayesian meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 108(6), 1060-1072. [Crossref]
20. Kiani, M., Asgari, M., Abbas Gohari, F., & Rezvani, Z. (2022). Safety climate assessment: A survey in an electric power distribution company. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, 28(2), 709-715. [Crossref]
21. Killingmo, R. M., Tveter, A. T., Pripp, A. H., Tingulstad, A., Maas, E., Rysstad, T., & Grotle, M. (2024). Modifiable prognostic factors of high societal costs among people on sick leave due to musculoskeletal disorders: Findings from an occupational cohort study. BMJ Open, 14(3), e080567. [Crossref]
22. Koranyi, I., Jonsson, J., Rönnblad, T., Stockfelt, L., & Bodin, T. (2018). Precarious employment and occupational accidents and injuries-a systematic review. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health, 44(4), 341-350. [Crossref]
23. Kortum, E., Leka, S., & Cox, T. (2010). Psychosocial risks and work-related stress in developing countries: Health impact, priorities, barriers and solutions. International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, 23(3), 225-238. [Crossref]
24. Lamooki, S. R., Hajifar, S., Hannan, J., Sun, H., Megahed, F., & Cavuoto, L. (2022). Classifying tasks performed by electrical line workers using a wrist-worn sensor: A data analytic approach. PLOS One, 17(12), e0261765. [Crossref]
25. Lang, J. W. B., Van Hoeck, S., & Runge, J. M. (2022). Methodological and conceptual issues in studying effort-reward fit. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 37(5), 498-512. [Crossref]
26. Leka, S., Jain, A., Cox, T., & Kortum, E. (2011). The development of the European framework for psychosocial risk management: PRIMA‐EF. Journal of Occupational Health, 53(2), 137-143. [Crossref]
27. Lima, M. E. A., & Oliveira, R. C. (2021). Precarious work and occupational accidents: Risks associated with outsourcing in the electric power sector. Revista Brasileira de Saúde Ocupacional, 46, e6. [Crossref]
28. Martinez, M. C., & Fischer, F. M. (2009). Stress at work among electric utility workers. Industrial Health, 47(1), 55-63. [Crossref]
29. Martins, L. F., Nascimento, A. C. M., Santos, S. V. M., & Silva, L. A. D. (2024). Diagnosis of the risk of occupational disease among outsourced workers. Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Trabalho, 22(02), 01-09. [Crossref]
30. Mattos, C. N. B., & Pattussi, M. P. (2025). Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire: Assessment of the factor structure in a population of Brazilian adults. Brazilian Journal of Pain, 8, e20250019. [Crossref]
31. McNeish, D., An, J., & Hancock, G. R. (2018). The thorny relation between measurement quality and fit index cutoffs in latent variable models. Journal of Personality Assessment, 100(1), 43-52. [Crossref]
32. Moradi, B., & Barakat, S. (2020). The association of manual load lifting tasks with the ergonomic risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders. Journal of Human Environment and Health Promotion, 6(4), 183-187.
33. Onafadeji, A. O., Ajayi, M. O., Olowokere, E. N., & Alarape, B. A. (2023). Nexus between risk in outsourced activities and operational performance of electricity distribution company in Nigeria. Journal of Business Management and Economic Research, 7(2), 25‐38. [Crossref]
34. Pinheiro, F. A., Tróccoli, B. T., & Carvalho, C. V. D. (2002). Validação do questionário nórdico de sintomas osteomusculares como medida de morbidade. Revista de Saúde Pública, 36(3), 307-312. [Crossref]
35. Puntillo, F., Giglio, M., Paladini, A., Perchiazzi, G., Viswanath, O., Urits, I., . . . & Brienza, N. (2021). Pathophysiology of musculoskeletal pain: A narrative review. Therapeutic Advances in Musculoskeletal Disease, 13, 1759720X21995067. [Crossref]
36. Ramos, T. S., Ohjama, E., & Santos, R. R. D. (2022). Immunosuppression caused by emotional stress: From etiology to pathogenesis. Environmental Smoke, 5(2), 1-9. [Crossref]
37. Rodrigues, C. M. L., Dantas, G. T., Rodrigues, M. S., Bandeira, D. M. U., & Faiad, C. (2019). Adaptação para o contexto brasileiro das escalas de clima de segurança para trabalhadores remotos. In IBAP, 9° Congresso brasileiro de avaliação psicológica (p. 175-176). IBAP.
38. Rodrigues, C. M. L., Faiad, C., & Facas, E. P. (2020). Fatores de risco e riscos psicossociais no trabalho: Definição e implicações. Psicologia: Teoria e Pesquisa, 36(spe), e36nspe19. [Crossref]
39. Rogerson, S., Climstein, M., Meir, R., Crowley‐McHattan, Z., & Chapman, N. (2024). Prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction in electrical utility workers: Practical considerations for prevention and rehabilitation in the workplace. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 71(4), 499-512. [Crossref]
40. Samadi, H., Rostami, M., Bakhshi, E., Garosi, E., & Kalantari, R. (2018). Can educational intervention be useful in improvement of body posture and work-related musculoskeletal symptoms? Journal of Human Environment and Health Promotion, 4(2), 81-86. [Crossref]
41. Swami, S., & Wagle, S. (2024). Weak institutions and dangerous working conditions: Coping by the wiremen of public electricity distribution utility in India. In R. Peeters, G. Lotta, & F. Nieto-Morales, Street-level bureaucracy in weak state institutions (pp. 79-103). Policy Press. [Crossref]
42. Theorell, T. (2020). The demand control support towards work stress. In T. Theorell, Handbook of socioeconomic determinants of occupational health (pp. 1-15). Springer International Publishing. [Crossref]
43. Vives, A., Amable, M., Ferrer, M., Moncada, S., Llorens, C., Muntaner, C., . . . & Benach, J. (2013). Employment precariousness and poor mental health: Evidence from Spain on a new social determinant of health. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2013, 1-10. [Crossref]
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
© 2024 The Author(s)
