Worker
Stress
Disaster workers
who choose to be involved in this type of work gain great reward and satisfaction,
but can also become secondary victims of stress and other psychological
sequelae. This can adversely affect their functioning during and after
an event. It can also adversely impact their personal well-being as well
as their family and work relationships.
Signs of
Stress in Workers
Some common signs of stress in workers include the following:
Physiological
signs of stress such as:
- Fatigue, even after
rest
- Nausea
- Fine motor tremors
- Tics
- Paresthesias
- Dizziness
- GI upset
- Heart palpitations
- Choking or smothering
sensations
Emotional
signs of stress such as:
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Unrealistic anticipation
of harm to self or others
Cognitive
signs of stress such as:
- Memory loss
- Decision-making
difficulties
- Anomia (the inability
to name common objects or familiar people)
- Concentration problems
or distractibility
- Reduced attention
span
- Calculation difficulties
Behavioral
signs
of stress such as:
- Insomnia
- Hypervigilance
- Crying easily
- Inappropriate humor
- Ritualistic behavior
Managing Worker Stress
On-Site
- Limited exposure
to traumatic stimuli
- Reasonable hours
- Adequate rest/sleep
- Reasonable diet
- Regular exercise
program
- Private time
- Talking to somebody
who understands
- Monitoring signs
of stress
- Identifiable endpoint
for involvement
Fatigue contributes
greatly to worker stress.
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