Strain of Employees in the Manufacturing Industry in Finland

Abstract

In order to investigate the strain, of workers in different occupations of the Finnish manufacturing industry, energy expenditure and heart rate of 190 men and 47 women employees were measured during their normal course of work. Work was most strenuous in occupations in the early stages of production and in unskilled jobs. The relative strain of semiskilled workers was highest in the oldest age groups, over 45 y. It is concluded that when systems for grading the strain of industrial work are constructed, the long-term effects of work and workers characteristics such as age, sex, weight and physical fitness should be taken into consideration.