Occupational Medicine 1982;32:180-184
© 1982 Society of Occupational Medicine
Effects on Health of Monotonous, Forced-Pace Work in Slaughterhouses
Institute of Community Health, Department of Social Medicine, University of Odense Odense, Denmark
The aim of the current investigation by questionnaire was to study the occupationally dependent effects on health of monotony and forced rate of working on slaughterhouse operatives.
The population investigated comprised 320 slaughterhouse operatives working in the County of Funen (Fyn), aged between 20 and 59 years. The response amounted to 89 per cent. That portion of the respondents who considered that the pace of their daily work was too high and at the same time regarded the work as monotonous were defined as the ‘monotonous, forced-pace work’ group.
The monotonous, forced pace of work was associated with the conditions of pay and employment.
Among both male and female employees, there was a significant over-representation of monotonous, forcedpace work amongst those on piece-rates when compared with those on hourly wage rates.
Rate of occurrence of sickness was compared with the work rhythm. After adjustment for age and sex, there was a significant excess frequency of occurrence of a series of locomotory system complaints in the group employed on monotonous, forced-pace work.
The results suggest that manual labour, in association with a high working pace and monotony, is a contributory factor in a wide range of complaints of the locomotory system.
Accepted 1 March 1982
Dr Niels Sten Hansen, Institute of Community Health, Department of Social Medicine, University of Odense, J. B. Winslöwsvej 17, DK-5000 Odense, Denmark