ABSTRACT
In his monograph on human work and stress Fraser (1983) points out that the concept of work as an entity, independent of the needs of day-to-day living, is one that is perhaps unique to post-industrial Revolution societies. Primitive man was concerned with survival-hunting, fishing, fundamental agriculture and the social and religious rituals that accompanied these aspects of his life. Even in the pre-industrial age, except for the few who could afford leisure, work on the land or among the crafts and trades was still for most a dawn-to-dusk way of life.With the advent of industrialization, and specifically with the Industrial Revolution, came the realization that work could in fact be distinguished from other aspects of living, although the distinction is not always clear cut. One man s work can be another man’s play. The athlete on the football field or the advertising agent entertaining stars of the stage and screen may get very well paid for work which is the envy of others engaged in more mundane activities. In fact, the situation in which the distinction between work and leisure is the least clear-cut is commonly that in which the greatest enjoyment is found by the worker. There are of course exceptions, and one can soon get tired of entertaining celebrities. Most of what is regarded as work, in fact, tends to have connotations of compulsion, either self-induced or applied from the exterior, and involves expenditure of time and effort on activities other than those of one’s personal desire. In its simplest form, then, work is what one gets paid for, in currency or other consideration. Definition To place matters in a more scientific perspective, however, it is necessary to consider some more rigorous definitions. The following are modified from the International Standard ISO/DIS 6385 developed by the International Standards Organization, Geneva, and are intended as basic
guidelines for the design of work systems. They apply to the design of optimal working conditions with regard to human well-being, safety, and health, taking into account technological and economic efficiency and are presented as follows:
Work systemThe work system comprises a combination of persons and equipment, acting together in a work process to achieve a particular outcome, in the work place, and in the work environment, under the conditions imposed by the work task. Work taskThe intended outcome of the work system. Work equipmentTools, machines, devices, installations, and/or other components or items used in the work system. Work processThe sequence in time and space of the interaction of persons, work equipment, materials, energy, and information within a work system. Work placeThe area allocated to persons in the work system. Work environmentThe physical, chemical, biological, social, and cultural factors surrounding a person in his/her work place. Work stressThe sum of those conditions and requirements in the work system which act together to disturb a worker’s homeostasis. Work strainThe effect of work stress on a person in relation to his/her individual characteristics and abilities. The consequences may be physiological and/or psychological.
