Musculoskeletal pain and disorders (MSDs) belong to the main health problems for occupationally active persons. Risk factors for these disorders include many working environment factors, such as: biomechanical (body posture, repetitive movements, load handling), physical (vibration, ambient temperature), organizational (working time, work-home balance) or psychosocial (work requirements, job insecurity, scope of control, feeling of support) factors.

The study aims to determine associations between psychosocial factors in the working environment and pain and MSDs.

To assess the psychosocial aspect of work (work demands, job control and social support), the Karasek questionnaire was used. Prevalence and intensity of musculoskeletal pains was assessed using NMQ and VAS. Diagnosis of MSDs was based on physical examination schedule and criteria developed by Sluiter JK. (2001). Associations of psychosocial factors in the working environment, organizations of work and demographic data with pains and MSDs were explored by logistic regression using the SPSS program.

A one-year prospective study was conducted among 725 occupationally active persons aged 20–67. Logistic analysis, taking into account interactions between demographic data (gender, age), work organization factors (daily working hours, shifts organization, type of work) and psychosocial factors (work demands, job control, social support, job insecurity) indicated that low job control, low social support and high job insecurity are the main risk factors for both pain and MSDs.

The results of the study show the necessity to implement activities that improve psychosocial working conditions into prevention programmes in order to reduce the prevalence of pain and MSDs.