Effectiveness Of Ergonomic Interventions Research Articles

Effects of Ergonomic Interventions on Health Indicators in a Rubber Industry

Background: This study aimed to determine the impact of engineering, organizational, and individual ergonomic interventions on the percentage of workers complaining Musculoskeletal disorders, inappropriate work environment, exposure to manual handling, and the rate of sick-leave in workers of rubber industry.
 Methods: This was a descriptive-analytical and retrospective study conducted in the production department of a rubber manufacturing industry. Ergonomic interventions, which have been fully implemented and have been stable in the industry, were included in the study. Health indicators were determined by reviewing completed Nordic questionnaires, insurance documents, and the documents about different methods of ergonomic risk assessment before and after each intervention. Before and after comparing the indicators, paired t and Wilcoxon tests were done. Results: Ergonomic interventions included 114 engineering, 20 organizational, and 7 individual interventions. Engineering interventions had a significant effect on all the indicators such as reducing total MSDs) 66%). Organizational interventions led to the improvement of the index of MSDs (60%), inappropriate posture (55%) and pain intensity (30%). Individual interventions had a significant effect on MSDs (85.71%) and sick-leaves (100%) (P<0.05).
 Conclusion: All the types of ergonomic interventions in the production sector of the rubber industry have been effective in reducing MSDs. Engineering interventions have had a significant impact on all the health indicators considered in this study; they are highly effective in the rubber industry, and it is better to implement them together with organizational or individual interventions for better results.

Effects of ergonomics intervention on work accidents in the construction sector and their effect on productivity

Construction services are one of the most important and strategic sectors supporting the achievement of development in Indonesia. Through this sector, Indonesia can experience stable economic growth. In 2020, accidents in the construction sector were the highest cases compared to other sectors, with a death rate of more than 60,000 cases annually. The role of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Management and the application of its requirements when working at heights is crucial to protect against the dangers of work accidents due to high risk. This study aims to determine the relationship between the factors that affect work accidents in the construction sector and their effect on Productivity moderated by ergonomics. This research was conducted by analyzing surveys from work-at-height workers in the construction sector, with 107 respondents from projects in Jakarta. The data analysis method used is Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) based on non-covariance, namely Partial Least Square (PLS). Data analysis using Smart PLS 3.0 software. The results show that Ergonomics has no direct effect on Productivity, with p-value 0.313. Work Accidents do not directly affect Productivity with p-value 0.333. OHS Management does not directly affect Work Accidents with p-value 0.013. OHS Management has a direct effect on Productivity with p-value 0.000. Application of OHS Requirements has a direct effect on Work Accidents with p-value 0.527. Application of OHS Requirements has a direct effect on Productivity with p-value 0.001 and Application of OHS Requirements through Ergonomics has no direct effect on Productivity with p-value 0.000.

Investigating the Effect of Ergonomic Interventions on the Reduction of Musculoskeletal Disorders in Qeshm Zinc Smelting Complex

Introduction: With the advancement of science and technology in third world and developing countries, more and more harmful factors in the working environment endanger the employees’ lives. One of these detrimental factors is the incompatibility of work with people’s characteristics, which causes musculoskeletal disorders. In developing countries this happens at the cost of musculoskeletal disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of ergonomic interventions on reducing the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, and finally, use the results obtained to prevent musculoskeletal disorders and improve the working environment among the staff of Qeshm Zinc Smelting company, in 1399.
 Methods: In this study, staff were randomly evaluated as a case control by the Nordic questionnaire, using QEC method and body map. Ergonomic interventions were then performed on the case group. After one month and four months, re-evaluation was performed by QEC and body map methods.
 Results: Findings indicated that 84.21% of the participants had musculoskeletal disorders in the past year before the study. Ergonomic interventions for musculoskeletal disorders in the lower back, shoulders, neck, knees and hands were significantly reduced.
 Conclusion: Therefore, by doing ergonomic interventions, including teaching ergonomic principles, using automatic equipment, etc., musculoskeletal disorders in the back, shoulders, neck and knees were created and musculoskeletal disorders were reduced to 13.58%.

Community-based interventions for chronic musculoskeletal health conditions in rural and remote populations: A systematic review.

Chronic musculoskeletal health conditions are highly prevalent in rural and remote areas, globally. It is unknown, however, whether interventions shown to be effective for urban populations are also effective for rural and remote populations. The purpose of the review was to evaluate the effectiveness of community-based interventions for management of chronic musculoskeletal health conditions in rural and remote populations. A systematic review was undertaken of the major databases: Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Rural and Remote Health, Embase and PEDro to April 2020 with no restrictions on language or publication date. Odds Ratios were calculated to report differences between intervention and control groups. Risk of bias was assessed using the PEDro scale. Meta-analysis was not conducted, given the high heterogeneity among studies. From a total of 3,219 articles identified from the title search, five studies were eligible, with a total of 2,831 participants. Interventions evaluated included education alone, exercise with education and ergonomic modifications. Community-based education and exercise led to significantly reduced chronic musculoskeletal pain [OR=1.85 (95% CI 1.22, 2.82)] compared with controls. Ergonomic stove installation significantly reduced average prevalence of back pain (0.25% reduction in pain prevalence; p<.05); however, no significant effect [OR=1.02 (0.63, 1.65)] was found when transformed to Odds Ratio. There were divergent findings for education programmes alone: one study reported a positive effect [OR=1.78 (1.27, 2.49)], while another reported no significant effect [delivered either in home [OR: 1.21 (0.78, 1.86)] or in small groups [OR=0.95 (0.60, 1.51)]. A significant improvement in knowledge was found with community-based education delivered in participants' homes [SMD: 1.27 (1.01, 1.54)], in small groups [SMD: 0.79 (0.53, 1.06)], using traditional puppetry [SMD: 4.79 (4.51, 5.06)], and with education and exercise [SMD: 0.29 (0.06, 0.52)]. There is low quality evidence that education and/or exercise improves knowledge of arthritis, and the effectiveness of ergonomic interventions on pain was unclear.

A new scoring system for the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) based on fuzzy sets and Bayesian networks

Traditional methods for assessing the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) have a low sensitivity to changes in input variables. Using them, it is possible to obtain the same risk score for totally different postures, and in some cases, the effectiveness of ergonomic interventions cannot be demonstrated. This study aimed to develop a new scoring system for REBA, FBnREBA, using fuzzy sets and the Bayesian network (BN) approach to cover the drawbacks of the traditional REBA. First, the risk factors of WMSDs were defined in terms of fuzzy membership sets. Next, a BN model was developed based on REBA. Fourteen different postures were assessed using FBnREBA, and the results were compared with those of the original REBA. Lastly, a case study was performed to demonstrate how the new scoring system can be used to rank various interventions based on their effectiveness. FBnREBA is a BN model with 26 nodes and is based completely on REBA, but its results differ from those of REBA for identical postures. A comparison of the results of FBnREBA with those of REBA indicated that FBnREBA is more sensitive to changes in WMSDs risk factors than REBA. A case study was conducted using FBnREBA, and the effectiveness of modifying each body segment was determined and ranked. FBnREBA is more sensitive to changes in input variables so that it is unlikely to obtain the same risk score for different body postures. The introduced methodology can be used to modify the scoring systems of other similar methods.

Evaluation of Musculoskeletal Disorders and the Effect of Ergonomic Interventions on Pain Alleviation and Work Satisfaction among Food Factory Workers

Evaluation of Musculoskeletal Disorders and the Effect of Ergonomic Interventions on Pain Alleviation and Work Satisfaction among Food Factory Workers

Effects of Workplace-Based Intervention for Shoulder Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

The main objective of this study is to update the evidence related to the effectiveness of exercise and ergonomic interventions in the perception of shoulder pain intensity in workers considering the shoulder pain intensity and the minimum clinically important change in the analysis. The bibliographic search was conducted in seven databases (Cochrane, EMBASE, SciELO, PubMed, PEDro, Web of Science and Scopus) from March to April 2019. The study selection included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving workers with shoulder pain who underwent physical exercises, ergonomics, and combined interventions. To analyze the RCTs, the intensity of pain was divided into two subgroups < 3 and ≥ 3 (0-10 points scale). A total of 27 RCTs were included in the qualitative synthesis considering the perception scales of shoulder pain intensity and the PEDro scale score of assessment of RCTs quality and risk of bias. Within these, seven RCTs were included in the quantitative synthesis. The overall effectiveness of interventions was calculated using a meta-analysis method, and the associated measurement used as a mean difference. The meta-analysis revealed that exercise interventions in workers with shoulder pain > 3 presented a minimally clincially important difference (MCID), but with no difference in workers with pain < 3. The interventions with exercise in workers with pain ≥ 3 at baseline reported a beneficial effect in reducing shoulder pain intensity, and a MCID. However, there was no significant difference for workers with pain < 3 and the effects of ergonomic interventions are still uncertain to reduce shoulder pain in workers.

Identification of gender differences in the factors influencing shoulders, neck and upper limb MSD by means of multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS)

In the present research, models based on multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) are proposed to study the influence of gender in the factors affecting the development of shoulders, neck and upper limb MSD. Two different MARS models, corresponding to men and women, are constructed to identify variables with the strongest effect on the target MSD. Both models are capable to predict successfully the occurrence of the studied disorders. Men seem to be more vulnerable to physical risk factors and some other working conditions, whereas women appear to be more affected by psychosocial risk factors and activities carried out outside their working hours. According to the results, gender needs to be considered to ensure the success and effectiveness of ergonomic interventions on the whole working population.

Investigation of the Effect of Ergonomic Intervention on Medical Emergency Announce Time of Dispatch in Alborz

Investigation of the Effect of Ergonomic Intervention on Medical Emergency Announce Time of Dispatch in Alborz

Are ergonomic interventions effective in reducing pain and dysfunction in sonography?

Introduction Two potentially career ending injuries were reported in sonographers from work practices in the Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) in 2015. A subsequent Health and Safety investigation revealed that 95% of sonographers had musculoskeletal pain they attributed to work and 85% reported upper limb pain, data which was comparable to global trends. According to the literature, one in five sonographers will suffer from a career ending injury and around 80-90% of sonographers scan in pain. The most commonly reported area of pain is the right shoulder. There appears to be a paucity of high quality studies investigating potential solutions despite multiple surveys detailing the health problem. Methods A systematic review, registered with PROSPERO1, was conducted as part of higher research degree. Results Initial literature searches identified very few studies involving sonography populations. To gain further data, the review authors decided to include studies from other health professional occupations with similar postural upper limb workloads that show comparable upper limb musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction data. The comprehensive literature search yielded 26 full paper publications from 1526 potential articles after abstract and full text screening. Included studies researched the effect of an ergonomic intervention on upper limb pain in sonographers, or other health professional occupations with related postural upper limb workloads such as dentists or surgeons. Environmental ergonomic interventions were the most commonly studied for their effect on reducing upper limb pain. Currently, data on the impact of administrative and individual ergonomic interventions in the relevant populations is lacking. No meta -analysis was performed due to the heterogeneity of the studies. Conclusion Only 2 of 26 articles featured sonographers as a population, highlighting the urgent need for more robust clinical trials in this high risk occupation. 1. ‘The effectiveness of ergonomic interventions in reducing upper limb work- related musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction in sonographers and other health professions with related postural upper limb workloads. A systematic review.'

The effects of ergonomic interventions in manual activities to reduce musculoskeletal disorders in manual activities by ManTRA

The effects of ergonomic interventions in manual activities to reduce musculoskeletal disorders in manual activities by ManTRA

Work related musculoskeletal risks associated with the care, treatment and transportation of bariatric patients: A review

The physical involvement required to care for a bariatric (severely obese) patient is a complex and dangerous order for a health care worker. Obesity rates have significantly increased in the United States, but there has been a lack of bariatric research on the effectiveness of ergonomic intervention for handling a patient of extreme weight and size, as well as on the utilization of equipment. As the number of bariatric healthcare patients rises, so does the risk for those who manually handle these patients – specifically an increased risk in work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). A literature review study was conducted to better understand what contributes to effectiveness of ergonomic intervention in the interaction between the bariatric patient and the healthcare worker regarding musculoskeletal risks associated with the care, treatment, and transportation of bariatric patients. Four hazard/risk areas were identified included: bariatric patient handling equipment, work environment, rules and procedures, and education and training. The literature supports the use of equipment to aid the healthcare worker in lifting and transferring bariatric patients. However, there are significant barriers that need to be addressed in order to reduce musculoskeletal injuries in healthcare workers handling bariatric patients.

The effect of ergonomic intervention in reducing musculoskeletal disorders by Snook table method in a steel industry

The most frequent and expensive cause category of compensable loss is manual material handling (MMH). Casting workers who handle oxygen (O 2) cylinders manually are at risk for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). The aim of this study was to assess manual handling of O 2 cylinders by casting workers and to implement ergonomic intervention to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This interventional study was conducted on 30 male workers of casting unit in a steel industry. Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to determine the prevalence of MSDs in workers. Snook tables and its software were used to assess manual handling risk of O 2 cylinders. Manual handling of O 2 cylinders was totally excluded using the box with 16 cylinders that can be moved by crane. The most common MSDs in 1 year prior to the study were low back pain (43%), shoulders (33%), and hand/wrist and knee disorders (16%), respectively. The Snook tables’ results indicated that 86% of lifting/lowering, 100% of carrying, and 50% of pulling tasks were appropriate for <10% of casting workers. About 94% of O 2 cylinders pushing were appropriate for 17% casting workers. With the implementation of ergonomic intervention, the risk of WMSDs and explosion of cylinders was decreased, and safety of workers was improved.

Reduction of spinal loads through adjustable interventions at the origin and destination of palletizing tasks.

This article evaluates the effectiveness of two interventions: a self-leveling pallet carousel designed to position the loads vertically and horizontally at origin, and an adjustable cart designed to raise loads vertically at destination to reduce spine loads. Low back disorders among workers in manual material handling industries are very prevalent and have been linked to manual palletizing operations. Evidence into the effectiveness of ergonomic interventions is limited, with no research that investigates interventions with adjustable load location. Thirteen males experienced in manual material handling participated in simulated order selecting tasks where spine loads were quantified for each intervention condition: carousel to traditional cart, pallet to traditional cart, pallet to adjustable cart, and carousel to adjustable cart. The results showed that combining both devices results in reduction in spine compression (61%), anterior-posterior shear (72%), and lateral shear (63%) compared to traditional palletizing conditions. Individually, the carousel was responsible for the greatest reductions, but the lowest values were typically achieved by combining the adjustable cart and carousel. The combination of the interventions (self-leveling carousel and adjustable cart) was most effective in reducing the spine loads when compared to the traditional pallet-cart condition. The individual interventions also reduced the loads compared to the traditional condition. With de-palletizing/palletizing tasks being a major source of low back injuries, the combination of self-leveling carousel and adjustable cart has been found to be effective in reducing the peak spine loading as compared to traditional pallet on floor and nonadjustable flat cart conditions.

Total Ergonomics and Its Impact in Musculoskeletal Disorders and Quality of Work Life and Productivity

Studies have indicated the application of ergonomics in improving the quality of work life, reducing musculoskeletal disorders and increasing productivity. On the other hand, there are large differences between developing and developed countries in applying ergonomics knowledge, the need of applying the science of culture, especially in developing countries and the third world is vital, but the culture implementation and pay evaluation of total ergonomics (micro and macro) is low. Therefore, this study has tried using the studies of society and culture dominated by manufacturing service, a comprehensive and integrated model for ergonomics interventions to be developed and used in an educational establishment and the effects of ergonomic interventions in a field study in comparison with conditions before the intervention using questionnaire “body mapping” and “quality of work life” to evaluate. Study results showed increased productivity, improved work life quality and reduced musculoskeletal disorders. So a comparison of performance than the base year indicated lower costs and increased revenue and expanded with less manpower in data analysis questionnaire “quality of work life” and “body mapping” which showed that significant difference in confidence interval between the sample and control population is ninety-nine percent and there is reduction of musculoskeletal disorders and increase in quality of work life. Those indices indicated the positive effect of interventions ergonomics.

Validity of estimates of spinal compression forces obtained from worksite measurements

Estimates of peak spinal compression in manual materials handling were compared between a state-of-the-art laboratory technique and a method applicable at the worksite. Nine experienced masons performed seven simulated tasks in a mock-up in the laboratory and nine matched masons were studied during actual performance of the same tasks at the worksite. From kinematic and kinetic data obtained in the laboratory, compression forces on the L5S1 joint were calculated. In addition, compression forces were estimated from the horizontal and vertical position of the blocks handled relative to the subject measured at the worksite. Comparison of group-averaged values showed that the worksite method underestimated peak compression by about 20%. Rank ordering of tasks for back load was, however, consistent between methods, supporting validity of the worksite method to compare different tasks or to determine the effects of ergonomic interventions with regard to mechanical back load. Statement of Relevance:This study validated a method that can be used by ergonomists to determine the effects of (characteristics of) manual materials handling tasks on back load at the worksite.

Effectiveness of an ergonomic intervention on work-related posture and low back pain in video display terminal operators: A 3 year cross-over trial

This study investigated the effectiveness of a workstation ergonomic intervention for work-related posture and low back pain (LBP) in Video Display Terminal (VDT) workers. 100 VDT workers were selected to receive the ergonomic intervention, whereas 100 were assigned to a control group. The two groups were then crossed-over after 30 months from baseline. Follow-ups were repeated at 5, 12, and 30 months from baseline and then at 6 months following crossover. Outcomes: Work-related posture and LBP point-prevalence using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment method and a Pain Drawing, respectively. The ergonomic intervention at the workstation improved work-related posture and was effective in reducing LBP point-prevalence both in the first study period and after crossover, and these effects persisted for at least 30 months. In conclusion, our findings contribute to the evidence that individualized ergonomic interventions may be able to improve work-related posture and reduce LBP for VDT workers.

An EMG-based ergonomic evaluation of manual bar bending

Manual material handling is usually performed in a poor ergonomic environment resulting in high physical stress and making the workers vulnerable to musculoskeletal disorders. An evaluation of the physiological effects of the work environment can help reduce the stress involved in material handling and thus enhance worker safety and performance. An electromyogram-(EMG) based study was conducted on bar benders at a construction worksite while bending 8-, 12- and 16-mm diameter bars to evaluate the effect of ergonomic interventions. Optimal worktable height and grip arm distance were found, which correlated with the pain perception of the workers. Designing ergonomically optimal workplace in manual construction can increase worker safety and enhance their output.

Am J Ind Med 48: 338–347, 2005. The effect of ergonomic interventions in healthcare facilities on musculoskeletal disorders

Am J Ind Med 48: 338–347, 2005. The effect of ergonomic interventions in healthcare facilities on musculoskeletal disorders

The effect of ergonomic interventions in healthcare facilities on musculoskeletal disorders

The high incidence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among healthcare workers suggests that the introduction of ergonomic interventions could be beneficial. While laboratory studies have clearly documented the efficacy of ergonomic devices, few studies have examined their effectiveness in the healthcare workplace. This study evaluated a statewide program that provided ergonomic consultation and financial support for purchasing ergonomic devices, which aid in patient handling and lifting. Changes in MSD rates between baseline (1 year pre-intervention) and post-intervention (up to 2 years) periods were examined in 100 work units in 86 healthcare facilities. The median MSD rate decreased from 12.32 to 6.64 per 200,000 employee-hours, a decrease greater than the secular trend for the study period (1999-2003). This study suggests that ergonomic consultation and financial support for purchasing ergonomic equipment can be an effective intervention to reduce MSDs among healthcare workers.