Description:
This sector includes both wholesale and retail trade. Both wholesale and retail trade are comprised of establishments engaged in the sale of merchandise, generally without transformation, and rendering services incidental to the sale of merchandise.?
Some of the emerging issues include the following: (1) long work hours, (2) shift work, and (3) work stress from serving the public, either in direct or telemarketing sales. Health and retirement benefits are disappearing, which can cause work-related stress in managing illnesses. Just in time shipping and order filling is increasing causing time pressure and lack of work control. Psychosocial problems are increasing that can fuel workplace violence. Musculoskeletal disorders continue to be a burden to workers, but the stress loads are shifting from the low back and legs to the upper extremities and shoulders/neck. This is occurring as a consequence of materials handling equipment reducing the lifting burdens but increasing the need to use keyboards and monitoring systems. Researcher will need to be sensitive to low force and high speed repetitive activities and static postures. It is expected that as the research agenda for the Wholesale and Retail Trade sector is developed, more emerging issues will be identified that will require continuing research.?
A. Identify an emerging issue or an existing issue and develop technology to measure or predict exposure or to measure intervention effectiveness of wholesale and retail trade workers present in their workplaces.
B. Determine the effectiveness and/or develop improved approaches for training used to protect wholesale and retail trade workers.?
C. Develop information tools to facilitate hazard recognition.
