WORK: A Journal of Prevention,Assessment & Rehabilitation

Despite offering many benefits, direct manual anthropometric measurement method can be problematic due to their vulnerability to measurement errors.

The purpose of this literature review was to determine, whether or not the currently published anthropometric studies of school children, related to ergonomics, mentioned or evaluated the variables precision, reliability or accuracy in the direct manual measurement method.

Two bibliographic databases, and the bibliographic references of all the selected papers were used for finding relevant published papers in the fields considered in this study.

Forty-six (46) studies met the criteria previously defined for this literature review. However, only ten (10) studies mentioned at least one of the analyzed variables, and none has evaluated all of them. Only reliability was assessed by three papers. Moreover, in what regards the factors that affect precision, reliability and accuracy, the reviewed papers presented large differences. This was particularly clear in the instruments used for the measurements, which were not consistent throughout the studies. Additionally, it was also clear that there was a lack of information regarding the evaluators’ training and procedures for anthropometric data collection, which are assumed to be the most important issues that affect precision, reliability and accuracy.

Based on the review of the literature, it was possible to conclude that the considered anthropometric studies had not focused their attention to the analysis of precision, reliability and accuracy of the manual measurement methods. Hence, and with the aim of avoiding measurement errors and misleading data, anthropometric studies should put more efforts and care on testing measurement error and defining the procedures used to collect anthropometric data.

Physicians working in a tertiary care injured worker clinic are faced with clinical decision-making that must balance the needs of patients and society in managing complex clinical problems that are complicated by the work-workplace context.

The purpose of this study is to describe and characterize the decision-making process of upper extremity specialized surgeons when managing injured workers within a specialized worker’s compensation clinic.

Surgeons were interviewed in a semi-structured manner. Following each interview, the surgeon was also observed in a clinic visit during a new patient assessment, allowing observation of the interactional patterns between surgeon and patient, and comparison of the process described in the interview to what actually occurred during clinic visits.

The primary central theme emerging from the surgeon interviews and the clinical observation was the focus on the importance of comprehensive assessment to make the first critical decision: an accurate diagnosis. Two subthemes were also found. The first of these involved the decision whether to proceed to management strategies or to continue with further investigation if the correct diagnosis is uncertain. Once the central theme of diagnosis was achieved, a second subtheme was highlighted; selecting appropriate management options, given the complexities of managing the injured worker, the workplace, and the compensation board.

This study illustrates that upper extremity surgeons rely on their training and experience with upper extremity conditions to follow a sequential but iterative decision-making process to provide a more definitive diagnosis and treatment plan for workers with injuries that are often complex. The surgeons are challenged by the context which takes them out of their familiar zone of typical clinical practice to deal with the interactions between the injury, worker, work, workplace and insurer.

Enriched environment at work (EEW), in terms of high mental demands at work, may be of great relevance for preventative efforts against cognitive decline and dementia as previous studies have shown. Yet, there is the concern that high EEW mental demands may accelerate stress and cause burnout.

The aim of our study was to investigate how EEW mental demands are related to stress and burnout.

A convenience sample of employees in the city area of Leipzig, Germany, was asked to fill out the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory and indicate for each EEW mental demand the level experienced, demandingness, and stressfulness.

Multivariate linear regression and structural equation modelling suggested that only some EEW mental demands were perceived as stressful when the level of the respective EEW mental demand was high. Higher stressfulness was associated with burnout symptoms – however, high levels of EEW mental demands were not significantly associated with burnout (neither directly nor indirectly).

Our findings implied that subjectively perceived stressfulness seems to be a more relevant aspect than the actual level of the demand itself. However, further studies are necessary to validate our findings.

The collective transportation system is essential to reduce the number of automobiles in the roads. Concerns exist related to quality, comfort and safety of bus driver’s workstations.

The objective of this study was to improve the driver’s workstation in the private collective transportation sector by analyzing ergonomic practices using the Ergonomic Work Analysis (EWA). The EWA was chosen because it seeks to evaluate the labor condition as it relates to the psychophysiological conditions of workers, it complies with regulatory standard 17 (NR17).

To identify driver concerns, interviews and questionnaires were administered. The workstation and worker routines were observed.

The analysis revealed that the largest number of complaints related to noise, display light and location of the passenger identifier device. Drivers reported discomfort in the knees and lower back.

Recommendations were made to improve the workstation and change the routine to minimize the discomfort and ergonomic risk factors.

Mining is a hazardous occupation with elevated rates of lost-time injury and disability.

The purpose of this study is twofold: 1) To identify the type of lost-time injuries in the mining workforce, regardless of the kind of mining and 2) To examine the antecedent factors to the occupational injury (lost-time injuries).

We identified and extracted primary papers related to lost-time injuries in the mining sector by conducting a systematic search of the electronic literature in the eight health and related databases.

We critically reviewed nine articles in the mining sector that examined lost-time injuries. Musculoskeletal injuries (hand, back, limbs, fractures, lacerations and muscle contusions), slips and falls were identified as types of lost-time injuries. The review identified the following antecedent factors related to lost-time injuries: the mining work environment (underground mining), being male, age, working with mining equipment, organizational size, falling objects, disease status, job training and lack of occupational safety management teams, recovery time, social supports, access to health services, pre-injury health status and susceptibility to injury.

The mining sector is a hazardous environment that increases workers’ susceptibility to occupational injuries. There is a need to create and implement monitoring systems of lost-time injuries to implement prevention programs.

Depression reduces individuals’ function and work ability and is associated with both frequent and long-term sickness absence.

Investigate if monitoring of depression course using a self-assessment instrument in recurrent general practitioner (GP) consultations leads to improved work ability, decreased job strain, and quality of life among primary care patients.

Primary care patients n = 183, who worked. In addition to regular treatment (control group), intervention patients received evaluation and monitoring and used the MADRS-S depression scale during GP visit at baseline and at visits 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Work ability, quality of life and job strain were outcome measures.

Depression symptoms decreased in all patients. Significantly steeper increase of WAI at 3 months in the intervention group. Social support was perceived high in a significantly higher frequency in intervention group compared to control group.

Monitoring of depression course using a self-assessment instrument in recurrent GP consultations seems to lead to improved self-assessed work ability and increased high social support, but not to reduced job strain or increased quality of life compared to TAU. Future studies concerning rehabilitative efforts that seek to influence work ability probably also should include more active interventions at the workplace.

Workplace smoking cessation programs can effectively assist employees to quit smoking. However, little is known about employees’ attitudes towards engagement in workplace smoking cessation programs.

This study aimed to address the limited understanding of the interaction between employee characteristics and their health beliefs toward engaging in a workplace smoking cessation program.

Self-report data was collected from 897 employees of a mining company operating in two remote towns in Australia. The majority of participants were male (73%), the mean age was 36.9 years (SD = 11.5). Chi square tests of independence were used to analyze relationships between employee characteristics and smoking cessation engagement attitudes. Engagement attitudes included: A desire to cease smoking; desire for assistance with the smoking cessation process; and intention to participate in a workplace smoking intervention.

The findings from this study indicated that attitudes towards engagement in smoking cessation programs varied for mining employees according to gender, age, perceived severity, perceived self-efficacy, and stage of readiness to change.

These findings provide insights that health promotion practitioners may apply to inform the design and marketing of effective workplace smoking cessation programs for similar employees.

The impact of positive social relationships on the health of municipal employees in the elder care sector in Sweden needs further examination.

To explore the association between health and relationships among elderly care employees using a salutogenic perspective.

Survey of all employees (n = 997) in special housing, home care and Disabled Support and Services in a Swedish municipality. The questionnaire, which had a salutogenic perspective, included information on self-rated health from the previously validated SHIS (Salutogenic Health Indicator Scale), psychosocial work environment and experiences, social climate, and health-promoting workplace relationships.

The response rate was 69% . Results of a multivariable linear regression model showed four significant predictors of health: general work experiences, colleague belongingness and positive relationships with managers and care recipients. In another model, colleague belongingness was significantly related to satisfaction with care recipients, work, length of employment as well as general work experiences and relationships with managers.

Strengthening of positive work relationships, not only between workmates but also with managers and care recipients, seems to be an essential area for employee health promotion. Colleague belongingness may be deepened by development of a positive work climate, including satisfactory work experiences, positive manager relationships and a stable work force.

Despite a rich literature on association between psychosocial factors, the demand-control-support (DCS) model and burnout, there are few integrated frameworks encompassing the DCS model, burnout and intention to quit, particularly in a technological context.

This manuscript examines the relationships between psychosocial risks, the demand-control-support (DCS) model, burnout syndrome and intention to quit following the introduction of new software at work.

Data was collected from agents and advisors working at a Canadian university and using new

study management software. An online questionnaire was sent via the university’s internal mail. Finally, 112 people completed the online survey for a response rate of 60.9% .

The results of structural equation modeling show that psychological demands, decision latitude and social support are associated with burnout. It is also clear that burnout, in particular depersonalization and emotional exhaustion, is positively associated with intention to quit.

The few studies that raise the negative consequences of technology on quality of life in the workplace, and particularly on health, have not succeeded in establishing a direct link between a deterioration of health and the use of technology. This is due to the fact that there are few epidemiological studies on the direct consequences of the use of ITC on health.

Enabling cancer survivors to resume employment has become a public health issue in France, but not all survivors wish to or would benefit from doing so.

This French exploratory qualitative study was designed to identify the psychological factors that influence the decision of some cancer survivors not to return to work, despite their doctor’s permission.

We conducted semi structured interviews with two women and one man. Each interview lasted around 90 minutes. Qualitative analysis of the interviews (clinical case studies) highlighted a number of similarities and differences among these three patients.

Comparisons revealed six similarities: 1. the issue of income and its importance had no part in the decision-making process; 2. patients anticipated work return problems; 3. they therefore abandoned their plans to go back; 4. work lost its meaning for them; 5. repressed affects surfaced or they reassessed their career plans; and 6. their life trajectories were disrupted, with the stages being telescoped together. There were also two differences: 1. feelings of social exclusion for two participants, and 2. gendered experiences of quitting employment.

Health professionals and job retention support services need to take this clinical reality into account and acknowledge that not all patients wish to resume work or would benefit from doing so.

Road accidents may impact victims’ physical and/or mental health and socio-occupational life, notably including return to work.

To assess whether the occupational medical consequences sustained by subjects injured in road accidents occurring in a work-related context differ from those associated with private accidents.

778 adults who were in work or occupational training at the time of their accident were included. Two groups were distinguished: 354 (45.5%) injured in road accidents occurring in a work-related context (commuting or on duty) and 424 (54.5%) injured in a private accident. The groups were compared on medical and occupational factors assessed on prospective follow-up at 6 months and 1 and 3 years. Multivariate analysis explored for factors associated at 6 months and 1 year with sick leave following the accident and duration of sick leave.

There were no significant differences between groups for demographic data apart from a slightly higher injury severity in private accidents (32.5% of private accidents with MAIS3+(Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale greater or equal to 3) vs. 23.7% for work-related accidents, p = 0.007). Victims of work-related accidents were more often on sick leave (OR = 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1–2.9). Although the length of sick leave is higher for work-related accidents that for private accidents, multivariate analysis showed that the injury severity and the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are significant factors to explain the time to return to work. There were no significant differences according to occupational impact during follow-up, notably including sick-leave duration, number of victims returning to work within 3 years and number of victims out of work due to incapacity.

In the ESPARR (follow-up study of a road-accident population in the Rhône administrative county: Etude de Suivi d’une Population d’Accidentés de la Route dans le Rhône) cohort, the fact that a road accident occurred in a work-related context did not affect the occupational consequences.

Hard hats are among the personal protective equipment (PPE) used in many industries to reduce the impact of any falling object on the skull and also to prevent head and brain injuries. However, the practice of wearing a safety helmet during working hours is still low. This is due to the physical discomfort perceived by safety helmet users.

Given the unpopularity of the current hard hat, the general perception of workers concerning its use and its measurements are the determining factors in the development of a new hard hat.

A cross-sectional study was conducted in which 132 male oil palm harvesters between 19 and 60 years of age were selected from among the employees of the same oil palm harvesting company. A set of questionnaires was developed to collect their socio-demographic information as well as their perceptions of comfort and the prevalence of head injury. In addition, a set of measuring instruments, including Martin’s anthropometry set, was used for head measurement and data collection in respect of the current hard hat. In this research, six respondents were randomly selected to attend an interview session for qualitative assessment.

Based on the questionnaires, the unpopularity in the use of the hard hat was largely influenced by factors related to poor design, in general, and, specifically, poor ventilation (64%), load (67% ), and physical discomfort (42% ). The measurements of the anthropometric parameters and the dimensions of the hard hat also showed a significant mismatch.

The unpopularity of the current hard hat among oil palm harvesters stemmed from the discomfort from wearing, which showed that the development of a new hard hat could lead to better usage and the greater likelihood of wearing a hard hat throughout the working day.

Automotive workers are engaged in occupational activities like engine tune-ups, oil changes, tire rotation, wheel balancing, replacing filters etc. These activities involve prolonged sitting, awkward postures, squatting and kneeling, which are known risk factors to cause patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS).

This paper aims to investigate the effects of selected biomechanical rehabilitative exercises (BRE) on integrated electromyography (iEMG) activity of vastus medialis oblique (VMO) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles so as to identify suitable ones to alleviate PFPS of automotive workers.

Eleven subjects, automotive workers having PFPS, performed four BRE: (1) short arc quad with neutral hip position (SAQN), (2) short arc quad with externally rotated hip position (SAQER), (3) medial tibial rotation (MTR), and (4) hip adduction (HA).

Mean iEMG activity of VMO muscle is more than that of VL muscle during all BRE. However, one way ANOVA with repeated measures indicates that mean iEMG activity of VMO muscle is significantly higher than that of VL muscle during SAQER only. VMO/VL ratio is not significantly different across the four BRE.

Results suggest a range of options for choosing appropriate BRE for treating automotive workers with PFPS. However, SAQER may directly be recommended for preferential strengthening of VMO muscle.

Work tasks in pineapple plantations in Malaysia are characterised by non-ergonomic work postures, repetitive tasks, awkward posture and manual handling of work tools that contribute to the reporting of musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS). There have been very limited studies performed among pineapple plantation workers focusing on ergonomic intervention programs to specifically reduce MSS.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of work improvement module using a Kiken Yochi participatory approach intervention in reducing MSS among male migrant pineapple farm plantation workers in Pontian, Johor.

In this interventional study, a total of 68 male migrant workers from two plantation farms were invited to become a participant in this study. In total, 45 participants that consisted of 27 workers for the intervention group and 18 workers for the control group were recruited. The background of workers and MSS were assessed using questionnaires. Ergonomic and postural risks were evaluated and the work tasks with the highest risk were used as a basis for the development of the Kiken Yochi training module. MSS education and training intervention that provided information on proper lifting techniques and education on body mechanics and ergonomics to reduce MSS were implemented to both groups of workers. Kiken Yochi Training was given to the intervention group only. MSS were reassessed after 2 months of the follow-up period. Data was entered into statistical software and were analysed according to objectives.

In terms of the postural risk assessment, almost two-third of the participants (68.5%) had working postures categorized as high risk for MSS. Ergonomic risk assessment identified cultivation, manual weeding and harvesting of pineapples as the work tasks contributing the highest health risks to workers. The most commonly reported MSS between both groups of workers were at the knees, lower back and shoulder area. Upon completion of the delivery of intervention module to both groups of workers, the MSS prevalence reported (after 2 months) were significantly lower for the ankles and feet area within the intervention group.

This study suggested that development and implementation of programs using effective participatory approach training methods are able to prevent selected musculoskeletal problems for this occupation. To enhance the effects of such trainings, modifications of work tools in this occupation are desirable.

People who work with the steam boilers in palm oil mills are vulnerable to accidents, notably to explosions, whenever failures of any kind occur during their operation.

This cross-sectional study was conducted in palm oil mills to determine the knowledge, attitude, and perception (KAP) concerning the risk management of steam boilers among workers in palm oil mills.

A total of 50 workers who were working with steam boilers and/or involved in managing the operation of steam boilers with at least three years of working experience in the palm oil industry were purposively sampled. A self-administrated questionnaire consisting of four main parts – socio-demographic and occupational information, knowledge, attitude, and perception of the risk management of steam boilers was distributed. The knowledge, attitude, and perception were calculated based on a Likert-type scale.

This study found that 56% of boiler workers had a good level of knowledge (mean score = 77.22±19.6), 72% had a good attitude toward risk (mean score = 83.17±5.85), and 64% had a good perception of risk (mean score = 79.50±11.22). The prevalence of accidents was 16%, and, for near misses, it was 24%. The cause of the reported accidents was largely attributed to carelessness, specifically at 80%. Apart from that, there was a positive association (χ² = 6.56; p = 0.010) between attitude and accidents.

This study found that the workers had good KAP levels of risk management of steam boilers in palm oil mills. However, there is a need for the employers to revise the training of workers and ensure its effectiveness in heightening the awareness of risks and accidents despite the high level of KAP.

Recommended weight limit for manual materials handlers has to be decided based on the individual characteristics of the person and age is one of the major variable affecting maximal lifting capacity. But there is limited information on pattern of change in lifting capacity with age.

To determine the influence of age on the maximum acceptable weight of lift among manual materials handlers.

Two hundred and seventeen male construction workers were grouped into four age quotas- 19–28, 29–38, 39–48 and 49–58 years. Lifting capacity was determined using progressive isoinertial lifting evaluation, adopting semi-squat technique of lifting at two levels: waist and shoulder.

A statistically significant increase in the maximum acceptable weight was observed from first to second age group followed by a gradual decline. The percentage of decline from second to third age group was 11.89% and 14.34% and from third to fourth age group was 5.60% and 19.90% for waist and shoulder level respectively.

Pattern of change in lifting capacity with age among manual materials handlers has been investigated in this study. Lifting capacity was found to be the greatest in 29–38 year age group, therefore prescribing recommended weight limit uniformly for all the workers may not be the best practice.