Mining Publication: The Effects of Disaster on Workers: A Study of Burnout in Investigators of Serious Accidents and Fatalities in the U.S. Mining Industry

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Original creation date: May 2000

Authors: KM Kowalski, A Podlesny

Conference Paper - May 2000

NIOSHTIC2 Number: 20020979

Contingencies, emergency, crisis, and disaster management: emergency management in the third millennium--Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of The International Emergency Management Society, Orlando, FL, May 16-19, 2000. Alachua County, FL: The International Emergency Management Society (TIEMS),2000 May; :68-80

The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was administered and scored for 154 Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), U.S. Department of Labor, employees who serve as accident investigators for serious accidents and fatalities as part of their job duties. The subjects responded anonymously during a workshop on stress. The subjects consisted of randomly selected individuals, representative of locations across the country and representative of all mining commodities: coal, metal, nonmetal, stone, and sand and gravel. The Maslach Burnout Inventory assesses three aspects of experienced burnout: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishments. The average results of the scores for each of the three subscales fell in the moderate range for the study group of MSHA accident investigators. The scores within the moderate range show that the subject population was at the lower end of the range for emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, tending toward a lower burnout risk, while the group evidenced a lower sense of personal accomplishment in their jobs, indicating a higher risk for burnout. It is concluded that overall this group is at moderate risk for burnout, and the authors recommend follow-up with this population.

Image of publication The Effects of Disaster on Workers: A Study of Burnout in Investigators of Serious Accidents and Fatalities in the U.S. Mining Industry
Conference Paper - May 2000

NIOSHTIC2 Number: 20020979

Contingencies, emergency, crisis, and disaster management: emergency management in the third millennium--Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Conference of The International Emergency Management Society, Orlando, FL, May 16-19, 2000. Alachua County, FL: The International Emergency Management Society (TIEMS),2000 May; :68-80


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Page last updated: September 21, 2012