The impact of lean production on workers has been extensively debated. The authors have pioneered quality of life benchmarking methodology to investigate this issue. Our data base now includes over 10,000 workers. Plants in Canada, the United States, Britain and Mexico participated in the original study. The authors are currently conducting a second wave of data collection in the Canadian plants. They are working with researchers from the Institute for Work and Health in Toronto, Peter Schnall and Paul Landsbergis and a number of occupational health and safety activists. This second wave of research is employing the Job Strain model and the hypertension work of Schnall and Landsbergis. The project has two phases. In phase one we will survey 4,000 workers in 20 plants and collect casual blood pressure readings at two points during the work day. In phase two we collect ambulatory blood pressure readings from sample of 400 workers. We will investigate links between hypertension and musculoskeletal injuries. In this paper, we will review our existing international data on the quality of life in automobile plants. We will will present preliminary results from the current study.
Learning Objectives: Participants will learn about the special challenges of measuring decision latitude at a workplace where job cycles range from 30 to 60 seconds. Participants will also learn special techniques for measuring line workers' blood pressure. Particpants will learn about a unique model of research linking unions and universities in joint projects
Keywords: Workplace Stressors, Hypertension
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.