Final answer:
The most commonly encountered risk factor in a workplace is physical hazards. Industrial workers can be exposed to phosphorous through handling chemicals or in manufacturing, which can be prevented with protective measures and proper training. Employers may overlook safety due to cost-saving, unawareness, or neglect.
Step-by-step explanation:
The risk factor most likely to be encountered in a workplace depends on the nature of the job and the industry. However, physical hazards are often the most common across various types of workplaces. Physical hazards include scenarios such as working from heights, operating heavy machinery, or carrying out tasks that involve manual labor. Each workplace should identify its own risks and implement safety protocols to mitigate them.
In industrial workplaces specifically, workers might be exposed to phosphorous when handling certain chemicals or during the manufacturing process. Employers could prevent this by providing proper personal protective equipment, ensuring adequate ventilation, and training workers on dealing with hazardous materials. Employers might not have provided safer working conditions due to a lack of awareness, focus on cost-saving over safety, or negligence towards worker health and safety regulations.
Concerning human factors psychology, this field seeks to optimize the interaction between people and systems to improve safety, comfort, and performance. For example, a human factors psychologist might consider the height of a chair in an office workstation to prevent musculoskeletal disorders. Occupational stressors such as excessive paperwork and life-and-death decision making can contribute to job strain and burnout, indicating the psychological hazards at play in some jobs.