Abstract
Background: Cemeteries workers are deserving of attention because they are exposed to various psychosocial risks: these workers are subject to painful contacts and daily exposed to a work content linked to death experiences and the emotions associated with them. Secondary trauma develops from this continuous contact with others’ suffering; operators working with this type of traumatic content and dynamic could suffer from emotional disorders (Figley, 1995). Therefore, the secondary traumatic stress (STS) is seen as an occupational risk factor (Bride et al., 2004) and cemetery workers are subject to this risk. Studies on this topic have focused on the operators of emergencies, social, and health sectors; little attention has been given to cemetery workers.Aim: The present study considers the relations between the dimensions composing the STS and the psychological and physical symptoms, the perception of exhaustion, and the positive and negative emotions at work in a group of cemetery workers. Moreover, differences among occupational tasks are explored considering the different possibilities of contact with clients and trauma contagion.Methods: The study included a qualitative phase (interviews and focus groups) and subsequently a quantitative phase (self-report questionnaire) and involved 114 participants in a cemetery organization in northern Italy, divided into technicians employees (TE), technicians and specialists of decoration and garden (TS), gravediggers (GR) administrative and front office employees (AFO). Levels of secondary trauma and psychophysical symptoms were assessed, and correlations were calculated in the total sample and for the different job categories of employees.Results: AFO and TS showed the highest levels of STS and psychophysical symptoms, in particular for symptoms related to anxiety, sadness, insomnia, and gastric and musculoskeletal disorders.Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of considering the STS among also this category of workers, since they are exposed daily not only with death, but also with suffering people; grief and emotional skills are important to cope with these job characteristics cemetery workers are not trained on this. It is important to monitor symptomatic levels not only to avoid chronicity, but also to provide employees with psychological support and training about secondary trauma and its consequences.
Highlights
The Italian legislation (Legislative Decree no. 81/08) has highlighted the psychosocial and organizational risk factors in relation to the safety in the workplace and to the physical and psychological workers’ wellbeing
Psychosocial risks are defined by the International Labour Organization (ILO) (International Labour Organization [ILO], 1986) as the outcome of multiple factors woven together: the content of the work, the management and organization of work, the conditions of the work environment, the skills, and the needs of workers
Cox and Griffiths (1995) identified psychosocial risk factors connected with social and relational aspects, such as the support of superiors and colleagues, or the organizational climate more generally, that can potentially affect the quality of working life and the perception of safety in the workplace
Summary
The Italian legislation (Legislative Decree no. 81/08) has highlighted the psychosocial and organizational risk factors in relation to the safety in the workplace and to the physical and psychological workers’ wellbeing. Many studies have focused on psychosocial risks in different types of professions, whereas little is known about the specific case of funeral industry operators, and in particular the cemetery service. Cemeteries workers are deserving of attention because they are exposed to various psychosocial risks: these workers are subject to painful contacts and daily exposed to a work content linked to death experiences and the emotions associated with them. The secondary traumatic stress (STS) is seen as an occupational risk factor (Bride et al, 2004) and cemetery workers are subject to this risk. Studies on this topic have focused on the operators of emergencies, social, and health sectors; little attention has been given to cemetery workers
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