New jobs, new risks. Chile and psychosocial risk factors in the workplace

Abstract

Psychosocial risk factors at the workplace (PSRW) have become an increasing worldwide concern since they are related to a variety of diseases, from cardiovascular disease to mental illness.

This growing interest derives not only from international health agencies' actual current concern, but due to a changes in work structure itself. This article analyzes some historical and current statistics related to work in Chile, where the passage from a productive to a service and trade economic structure that brings new demands to workers, greater participation of women, job insecurity and interference between work and private life, are evident. This change is the basis for rising new hazards in the workplace. Workers are now required to have cognitive and emotional skills and complete personal flexibility for adapting to job demands, which appears to be evidenced by the prevalence of mental illness and musculoskeletal occupational diseases. In Chile, there is a growing scientific interest in evaluating this new stage, as well as incipient regulatory efforts by the State. Further development will only be possible with increased awareness of the change in work and associated hazards that arise