• Project number: F 2361
• Institution: Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA)
• Status: Completed Project

Description:

This study was closely connected to BAuA's special project F 2353 'Mental Health at Work', which systematically compiled and evaluated the state-of-the-art knowledge on psychological workload and its various effects by means of 'scoping reviews'. It provided the special project with supplementary findings on the relevance of the collected scientific evidence in company practice. The aim was to explore to which extent, in which ways and for which reasons different aspects of psychological workload are being perceived, addressed and dealt with at company level. Special attention was paid to the companies' choice of solutions that are to be adopted and to the role occupational safety and health expertise plays in this context.

Research consisted of analysing available survey data and findings from thematically related BAuA-projects, as well as carrying out a qualitative empirical study in which 15 safety engineers and occupational physicians working as external OSH consultants were asked, by means of semistructured interviews, about their experiences concerning the relevance of psychological workload at company level.

Results were fed into phases 2 and 3 of BAuA's special project F 2353 in order to support the envisaged consultations with representatives of the scientific community, OSH experts and social partners on requirements and opportunities for improved preventive action in the area of psychological workload.