Work organization and psychosocial risks in three industrial production systems: a COPSOQ III baseline assessment in Shenzhen, China

Psychosocial factors are recognized occupational hazards, yet psychosocial risk assessment is rarely stratified by how work is organized, and its integration into occupational safety and health management systems remains new in China. Using the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ III), an instrument designed for psychosocial hazard identification, we established a baseline assessment of three contrasting industrial production systems, with the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model as the interpretive framework. Cross-sectional survey of 1,619 employees of five Shenzhen enterprises, grouped by production system: electronics manufacturing (n = 892), port and logistics (n = 617) and small-scale surface treatment and printing ( n = 110). Psychosocial exposures, burnout, job satisfaction and turnover intention were measured with COPSOQ III (0–100 metric). Multi-group structural equation modelling compared Job Demands–Resources pathways across systems, with robustness analyses and benchmarking against international COPSOQ III reference values. Each production system carried a distinct signature hazard. Port and logistics, despite the shortest hours (51.0 per week), showed the highest work pace (47.6), emotional demands (38.6) and burnout (43.5)—a profile of demand intensity. Electronics manufacturing, with the most developed occupational health systems, showed the highest job insecurity (43.5, versus 42.5 in port and logistics and 32.6 in small-scale manufacturing)—insecurity generated by formal organization. Small-scale manufacturing had the highest social resources and lowest burnout (32.1) but the longest, least regulated hours (62.8 per week; 69.1% over 55 h) under the lowest autonomy—a working-time hazard. The model fitted well (CFI = 0.964; α 0.74–0.95). Job resources were associated with lower burnout where institutional (β = − 0.170; − 0.150) but not where relational (β = 0.077, ns). Against international values the workforce was resource-poor rather than demand-overloaded. Different production system required a different preventive priority, none detectable by an inventory of physical and chemical agents: demand reduction in port and logistics, management of insecurity in electronics manufacturing, and enforcement of working-time limits in small-scale manufacturing. Formalization controlled traditional hazards without reducing psychosocial ones, and favourable subjective wellbeing did not indicate protection. Excessive working hours and job insecurity are the priorities for immediate control. Psychosocial risk assessment should be integrated into occupational safety and health management systems and stratified by production system.