An investigation of stress in coal-face workers and the temporal variation of such stress.

A survey was carried out in six British collieries to identify the potential physical stress problems associated with coal face work. This involved the detailed observation of the work and work place of miners on the coal face, face-ends and adjacent areas, supported by informal interviews and discussions. The survey showed that dynamic physical work had been replaced, to some extent, by static and postural muscle loading, creating new demands on the work force that could not be alleviated by work-rest schedules or similar stress-reduction techniques. On the basis of the survey results, a number of measures of stress were selected from those reported in the literature, to cover the range of problems identified both in terms of their nature and the duration of any effects. These measures were examined in detail including experimental trials.