Background: Agriculture plays a vital role in the economy of any industrially developing country, including South Africa. In the Eastern Cape of South Africa citrus farming is a significant contributor to the local economy (Johnson et al., 2005). The harvesting phase of citrus farming is performed manually and exposes workers to physical risks, which can lead to the development of musculoskeletal disorders. In particular, the standard harvesting bag comprises of a single shoulder strap and promotes asymmetrical load carriage which results in shoulder and lower back pain complaints. The current study compared the physiological (EMG), perceptual (RPE), usability (PUEU) and productivity effects of two new harvesting bag designs (a hip belt and a backpack bag design) to the standard harvesting bag design. This was performed in a laboratory as well as a field setting. Methods (Laboratory phase): 36 participants (12 males and 24 females) were assigned to one worker group. The “tall ladder worker” group was comprised of only males and the “step ladder worker” and “ground worker” group of females. Each participant was required to simulate a citrus harvesting task while utilizing each of the bag designs on different days. On each day/test session, participants performed three harvesting cycles. Muscle activity was measured throughout the entire testing session and RPE were recorded at the end of each cycle. Results (Laboratory phase): The EMG and RPE results indicate that the backpack design was the most ideal design to reduce asymmetry, while the standard harvesting bag design was the worst. Although not significant, there was greater muscle asymmetry (p=0.109) and a significantly higher perceived exertion when using the standard bag (p=0.0004), in comparison to using the backpack. Methods (Field phase): 17 Xhosa-speaking citrus harvesters (6 females and 11 males) participated in this study. Each harvester worked with one of the three bag designs on a different day. Productivity of each worker was assessed every hour by recording the number of bags filled with fruit and at the end of the shift. A Perceived Usefulness & Ease of Use questionnaire was presented to each participant to obtain feedback on worker acceptance to the new bag designs. Results (Field phase): A general trend in support of the hip belt bag design over the other two bag designs were found, even within the different worker demographic groups (age, sex and worker experience). The workers perceived less exertion (7.98 ± 1.86) and were more productive (9.90 ± 2.11 bags/hour) when using the hip belt design; they also found this bag the most useful (1.02 ± 0.09) and easy to use (1.07 ± 0.25). In contrast, the backpack bag design had significantly poorer responses when compared to the other two bag designs and this was evident in all the dependent variables assessed (RPE, productivity and PUEU). Conclusion: The results from the laboratory phase supported the expectation that the backpack bag design reduces asymmetry and hence, is more suitable than the standard harvesting bag. However, results from the field show that the hip belt bag design was the most preferred and the backpack was the least preferred. Bao & Shahnavaz (1989) highlight the need for ergonomics researcher to convey laboratory findings into the field context. However, as shown by the current study, there are numerous challenges associated with field work, making it difficult for laboratory findings to be successfully conveyed to the field. Limitations and Recommendations: For the laboratory phase of the project, no biomechanical and cardiovascular responses were assessed. However, for a holistic approach, these variables should be considered in future studies. Due to high variability from one harvesting cycle to another, more than three harvesting cycles should also be performed to accurately replicate the harvesting process as done in the field over extended durations of time. For the field phase, data should be collected from more than one citrus farm and thus a larger sample size could be obtained. This would improve the validity of the study. In addition to this, data should be collected for a full working day, especially if environmental conditions are not a hindrance, as well as for a whole season, since workloads vary, depending on the time of the harvesting season. / Name on Graduation Programme: Bassey-Duke, Elizabeth Missan

Les effets délétères sur la santé de certaines expositions professionnelles, prises indépendamment, ont été observés dans un large nombre d’études. Pourtant, la prévalence et l'impact de multi-exposition ou co-exposition à des diverses nuisances ont plus rarement été explorée, malgré le caractère ubiquitaire de nombreuses nuisances. Par conséquent, l’étude de multi-exposition/co-exposition dans le cadre professionnel est considérée comme un enjeu majeur de la recherche épidémiologique en santé au travail. Une revue systématique de la littérature concernant le secteur de l’agriculture a été réalisé en s'appuyant sur le titre, le résumé, et le texte intégral des 36.404 articles originaux grâce à 5 bases de données reconnues et 2 sources de données nord-américaines complémentaires. Les résultats des 15 articles inclus suggèrent que l’exposition aux multiples chimiques est significativement associée au risque de maladies respiratoires, de cancers, de dommages sur l’ADN et les cytogénétiques. L’exposition aux multiples physiques a été associée à une augmentation du risque de perte d'audition, tandis que la co-exposition aux facteurs physiques et biomécaniques a été associée à un risque accru de troubles musculo-squelettiques. Aucune étude n'a exploré la co-exposition professionnelle à des facteurs chimiques et physiques, ainsi qu'à la co-exposition professionnelle à des facteurs chimiques et biomécaniques. Les résultats de cette revue de la littérature indiquent la nécessité l’évaluer la prévalence de l’exposition professionnel à des multiples nuisances en France. Les multiple/co-expositions aux agents neurotoxiques chimiques(ANCs) et aux contraintes physiques intenses (CPIs) ont ainsi été analysées chez 5587 hommes ouvriers français des secteurs de l'agriculture, de l’industrie manufacturière, et de la construction à partir de l’enquête nationale transversale SUMER 2010. Environ 6% des ouvriers étaient co-exposés aux ANCs et CPIs dans les trois secteurs étudiés (p = 0,29). La multi-exposition aux CPIs était plus nettement plus fréquente (35%, p <0,001) que la multi-exposition aux ANCs (2%, p <0,001) chez les hommes de trois secteurs. Ces recherches mettent en évidence la nécessité de conduire davantage d’études liées à multi-exposition/coexposition professionnelle. Elles seront essentielles pour améliorer la sécurité au travail et permettre la surveillance et la prévention risques et des maladies professionnelles. / A wide range of studies has demonstrated the relationships between diverse types of occupational exposures,taken independently, and adverse health outcomes. Yet, the prevalence and impact of multiple occupational exposures or co-exposures have rarely been explored despite the ubiquity of numerous hazards. Therefore, multiple occupational exposures/co-exposures and their impact on health are considered as a major challenge of epidemiologic research inthe occupational health and safety area. A systematic review concerning the agriculture sector was carried out based on the titles, abstracts and fulltexts screening of 36,404 initial articles from 5 well-known databases and 2 North American complementary sources. The findings from the 15 papers finally included suggested that multiple chemical exposures were significantly associated with an increased risk of respiratory diseases, cancers, DNA and cytogenetic damages. Multiple physical exposures were shown to increase the risk of hearing loss while co-exposures to physical and biomechanical hazardswere associated with an increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders. However, no studies included in the systematic review explored either occupational co-exposures to both physical and chemical factors or occupational co-exposures to biomechanical and chemical factors.The results described in the systematic review raised the necessity to conduct further studies multipleoccupational exposures and co-exposures among workers. Therefore, multiple occupational exposures and coexposures’ prevalences to chemical neurotoxic agents (CNAs) and intense physical constraints (IPCs) were examined among 5,587 French male blue-collar workers (BCWs) in the agriculture, manufacturing, and construction sectors based on the cross-sectional and national SUMER 2010 survey. About 6% of male BCWs were co-exposed to IPCs andCNAs in these three sectors (p=0.29). Multiple exposures to IPCs was predominantly observed (35%, p <0.001), while multiple exposures to CNAs was much lower (2%, p <0.001) among male BCWs in three sectors.The findings highlight the necessity to carry out further studies on multiple occupational exposures/coexposures to diverse hazards and their impact on workers’ health. These further researches are required to improve occupational safety and the efficiency of health care surveillance and occupational disease prevention.

Over the last decade the focus has shifted to ensure a holistic view of employee well-being in organisations by focusing on both physical and psychological well-being. Previous research suggests that work characteristics and psychological work-related well-being influence both the individual (i.e. health) and organisational outcomes (i.e. commitment, safety, productivity, etc.). Moreover, the increasing importance of focusing on work-related psychological well-being of employees is evident in legislation from around the world. In South Africa the Occupational Health and Safety legislation, spesifically the Construction Regulations, also recognises the importance of the psychological well-being of employees and refers to it as ?psychological fitness?. However, no clear definition or instrument for psychological fitness exists. Similarly, no instrument exist to measure work characteristics of blue-collar workers. The objectives of this research were 1) to propose a defintion for psychological fitness of blue-collar employees 2) to propose a theoretical framework to better our understanding of psychological fitness 3) to develop a psychological fitness instrument for blue-collar employees that is suitable for the South African context 4) to test the psychometric properties of the newly developed psychological fitness instrument 5) to develop a work characteristics questionnaire for blue-collar mine workers to gain insight into their work experiences, and 6) to evaluate the psychometric properties of the newly developed job demands-resources scale for blue-collar mine workers. The empirical study consisted of two phases. During the first phase, following an extensive literature review, a definition and theoretical framework for psychological fitness was proposed. Thereafter, a new instrument for measuring psychological fitness was developed and tested. An instrument for measuring the work characteristics of blue-collar mine workers has also been developed to further the understanding of their work experiences. During the second phase, the psychometric properties of the newly developed psychological fitness instrument were tested (i.e. factorial validity, factorial invariance, reliability and external validity; N = 2769). Furthermore, the psychometric properties of the newly developed job demands-resources scale for blue collar workers were also investigated (i.e. factorial validity, reliability and the relationship with theoretically relevant external variables; N = 361). During the conceptualisation process, the definition of psychological fitness has been proposed based on previous work-related well-being literature. The work-related well-being concepts, distress and eustress were proposed as indicators of psychological fitness. Therefore, psychological fitness was defined as a state in which an employee display high levels of emotional and mental energy and high levels of psychological motivation to be able to work and act safely. The dimensions of burnout and engagement were proposed as possible indicators of psychological fitness and included exhaustion, mental distance, cognitive weariness, vitality and work devotion. Furthermore, the underlying work-related well-being theories and models were identified as the theoretic framework to enable the development of a questionnaire for psychological fitness. In order to ensure that the low literacy employees understand the meaning of each questionnaire close attention has been paid during the development of items. Firstly, the psychological fitness instrument (SAPFI) for blue-collar employees has been translated into all the official languages of South Africa following a multistage translation process. Secondly, the job demands-resources scale for blue collar mine workers (JDRSM) has been translated into the three most commonly spoken languages (Sesotho, isiXhosa and Setswana) by employees working in this specific mine. During this phase various problematic items were identified and eliminated from both questionnaires using the Rasch measurement model. The final phase included the validation study where the psychometric properties of both the new instruments were investigated. The SAPFI results provided evidence for factorial validity, factorial invariance, reliability and significant relations with external variables of the distress scale. Although evidence was provided for the factorial validity, reliability and external validity of the eustress scale, factorial invariance could not be confirmed. Furthermore, the JDRSM results provided evidence for the factorial validity, reliability (except for the workload scale) and external validity. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Over the last decade the focus has shifted to ensure a holistic view of employee well-being in organisations by focusing on both physical and psychological well-being. Previous research suggests that work characteristics and psychological work-related well-being influence both the individual (i.e. health) and organisational outcomes (i.e. commitment, safety, productivity, etc.). Moreover, the increasing importance of focusing on work-related psychological well-being of employees is evident in legislation from around the world. In South Africa the Occupational Health and Safety legislation, spesifically the Construction Regulations, also recognises the importance of the psychological well-being of employees and refers to it as ?psychological fitness?. However, no clear definition or instrument for psychological fitness exists. Similarly, no instrument exist to measure work characteristics of blue-collar workers. The objectives of this research were 1) to propose a defintion for psychological fitness of blue-collar employees 2) to propose a theoretical framework to better our understanding of psychological fitness 3) to develop a psychological fitness instrument for blue-collar employees that is suitable for the South African context 4) to test the psychometric properties of the newly developed psychological fitness instrument 5) to develop a work characteristics questionnaire for blue-collar mine workers to gain insight into their work experiences, and 6) to evaluate the psychometric properties of the newly developed job demands-resources scale for blue-collar mine workers. The empirical study consisted of two phases. During the first phase, following an extensive literature review, a definition and theoretical framework for psychological fitness was proposed. Thereafter, a new instrument for measuring psychological fitness was developed and tested. An instrument for measuring the work characteristics of blue-collar mine workers has also been developed to further the understanding of their work experiences. During the second phase, the psychometric properties of the newly developed psychological fitness instrument were tested (i.e. factorial validity, factorial invariance, reliability and external validity; N = 2769). Furthermore, the psychometric properties of the newly developed job demands-resources scale for blue collar workers were also investigated (i.e. factorial validity, reliability and the relationship with theoretically relevant external variables; N = 361). During the conceptualisation process, the definition of psychological fitness has been proposed based on previous work-related well-being literature. The work-related well-being concepts, distress and eustress were proposed as indicators of psychological fitness. Therefore, psychological fitness was defined as a state in which an employee display high levels of emotional and mental energy and high levels of psychological motivation to be able to work and act safely. The dimensions of burnout and engagement were proposed as possible indicators of psychological fitness and included exhaustion, mental distance, cognitive weariness, vitality and work devotion. Furthermore, the underlying work-related well-being theories and models were identified as the theoretic framework to enable the development of a questionnaire for psychological fitness. In order to ensure that the low literacy employees understand the meaning of each questionnaire close attention has been paid during the development of items. Firstly, the psychological fitness instrument (SAPFI) for blue-collar employees has been translated into all the official languages of South Africa following a multistage translation process. Secondly, the job demands-resources scale for blue collar mine workers (JDRSM) has been translated into the three most commonly spoken languages (Sesotho, isiXhosa and Setswana) by employees working in this specific mine. During this phase various problematic items were identified and eliminated from both questionnaires using the Rasch measurement model. The final phase included the validation study where the psychometric properties of both the new instruments were investigated. The SAPFI results provided evidence for factorial validity, factorial invariance, reliability and significant relations with external variables of the distress scale. Although evidence was provided for the factorial validity, reliability and external validity of the eustress scale, factorial invariance could not be confirmed. Furthermore, the JDRSM results provided evidence for the factorial validity, reliability (except for the workload scale) and external validity. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The presented dissertation thesis analyzes one of the largest protests of the Czechoslovak Stalinism-era - the Plze revolt against the currency reform in June 1953. From a conceptual perspective, the work draws on the theory of the so-called new social movements. Therefore it sets the well-known Plze incident into the context of previous protest actions that occurred in the Plze region in the course of the years 1948-1953. This method enables the author to chart the development of several varied protest cultures which had been employed in particular parts of society in Western Bohemia on a long term basis and which inspired the inception and the course of the Plze revolt in the year 1953. This way the work offers not only a considerably more precise critical description of the June protests but also their cultural genealogy. By the means of this genealogy the author reveals the structure of the main social movements that took part in the revolt and an associated complex of social conflicts that caused the protests. There were in particular the following three: a socially-motivated strike movement of industrial blue-collars, a pro-western movement of both student and blue-collar youth and a latent tension within the communist party which was becoming evident through a passive resistance of its rank...

Dissertation thesis discusses the consumption of cocoa, coffee, tea and chocolate in the interwar period in the Czechoslovakia. On the basis of statistical data and examination of archival sources comes with the definition of the middle classes of the population, which those commodities consumed. The thesis shows the distribution of consumption of commodities based on the survey in blue-collar and white-collar families. Furthermore provides insight into the lives of families, distribution of their spending and the size of income. It refers to the representation of cocoa, coffee, tea and chocolate in the consumer basket and shows the elasticity of the mentioned commodities. For the central part of the research of the dissertation thesis chose the Czech territory only, because here were without difficulty accessible data sources. The Dissertation thesis clarifies the causes of consuming cocoa, coffee, tea and chocolate and concludes that each was consumed from another purpose, which resulted status of these commodities. Tea consumption has been designed especially for the higher classes of the population, chocolate bought mostly white-collar family, but over twenties speared consumption of chocolate products also among the middle and lower classes into the population. The chocolate products were subject to early 20s of the luxury tax. Cocoa was used in connection with cooking and baking, but families didnt use this product frequently. Coffee drank all layers of the population, but consumption was based on the social status of the consumer. Very frequently families consume rye coffee and chicory coffee. Dissertation thesis also highlights the regional differences between the classes, which were further intensified. Thesis examines in detail the amount of the duties of the commodity, which in the interwar period varied widely, and concludes that the duty to disproportionately increase the price of products and made it impossible for consumers to buy more of cocoa, coffee, tea and chocolate.

<p>This research was a pilot study in a larger project that focused on how to retrieve knowledge from retiring long-term employees of a small university utility plant, incorporate that material into their existing training program, and during the process reduce the training time for current and future employees. Wade utility plant faced the retirement of eight employees with nearly 200 years of corporate knowledge within three years, but their current training program required seven to nine years to complete. The study utilized interviews, first-hand observation and partnership with current employees to explore how best to obtain the corporate knowledge that would be lost when the proletarian workers retired. The study revealed that the training program needed to be updated, and communication, trust and training evaluation continuity needed to be addressed. Due to these issues, trust was built through transparency by the researcher, and suggestions were made to management for moving forward. This study adds to the body of knowledge by utilizing knowledge capture techniques in a utility plant, highlighting effective knowledge capture techniques for proletarian workers, the importance of corporate planning for the effect of group retirements, and how incorporating proletarian workers into training creation can make a positive impact on company relationships.</p>

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