Definition - What does Environmental Nuisance Factor mean?
An environmental nuisance factor is any one of a combination of bothersome elements that can originate from ergonomic defects, harsh lighting, excess noise levels, handling vibrating equipment/tools, or temperature variations. All workplaces contain nuisances ranging from mild to severe based on industrial conditions. For instance, labor-intensive exertion and/or sedentary positions on a consistent basis. Company productivity can be impacted on a negative or positive scale depending on relative environmental nuisance factors exposure.
SureHire explains Environmental Nuisance Factor
For employers and employees, environmental nuisance factors can induce biological, physiological, and psychological disturbances due to overexposure. Industries that entail the use of heavy machinery, manufacture of chemical products, and inputting documents into a database, can present distinct hazards that compromise health. Noise (decibel) ranges above a certain frequency can hinder communication between employees leading to deafness while, conversely, inhalation of toxic fumes, mists, smoke, and vapors can cause fatal diseases/illnesses.
Ergonomic awareness contributes to the magnitude of health and safety standards that a company upholds for employers and employees respectively. This means a poor ergonomic system lacking necessary conditions such as decent lighting, noise control, proper ventilation units, and temperature adjustments can disrupt human functionality on the job. These environmental nuisance factors can increase stress, lower morale, and undercut productivity. For instance, individuals required to sit for an extensive period of time are susceptible to developing musculoskeletal diseases due to awkward body postures from incompatible workstations.
Employers containing a staff of five workers or more are obligated to regulate health and safety policy standards that control environmental nuisance factors in the workplace.
