International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics最新文献

Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of work-related musculoskeletal system disorders (WRMSDs) in health personnel working in the operating room, the factors affecting WRMSDs, and the relationship between work-related sleep disturbance and musculoskeletal system problems. Methods. The study included 315 health personnel working in the operating room for at least 1 year. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) were investigated with the Cornell musculoskeletal discomfort questionnaire (CMDQ), and sleep disorders were assessed with the Jenkins sleep scale. Results. In total, 57.5% of the operating room personnel had chronic MSDs. CMDQ scores were statistically significantly higher in women than in men (p < 0.01). CMDQ scores were statistically significantly higher in employees with sleep problems (p < 0.01). No statistically significant correlation was found between CMDQ scores and smoking, shift working periods and regular exercise (p = 0.63, p = 0.29 and p = 0.543, respectively). Jenkins sleep scale and Visual analog scale values were statistically positively correlated with CMDQ values (p < 0.01). Conclusion. Women and people with sleep disorders were potentially more at risk for WMRSDs in this study. More comprehensive studies with large populations are needed to determine the risk factors for WMRSDs in operating room personnel and to develop preventive methods to prevent WMRSDs.

Companies provide employees with occupational health and safety (OHS) training through videos on YouTube. In this study, the reliability of 118 YouTube videos related to OHS was evaluated by two experts using Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and global quality score (GQS) scales. Six video variables - video duration, number of subscribers, likes, views, publication time and comments - were evaluated based on video source (five groups) and type (seven groups). The correlation analysis found a positive significant relationship between all variables except publication time-number of comments. Scores according to video source and type were 1.9 out of 4 on the JAMA scale and 2.3 out of 5 on the GQS scale. These scores show that the videos are inadequate and of poor quality. There was a statistically significant difference between video durations according to video type. Moreover, video sources differ depending on the number of subscribers and comments.

Objectives. Events have been an important research topic in the field of organizations, especially as the outbreak of COVID-19 has brought challenges to employees and organizations, affecting employee behaviour in the workplace. Based on the cognitive activation theory of stress, this study explored the mechanisms of the impact of COVID-19 event strength on employee safety performance in high reliability organizations. Methods. A quantitative research design was adopted with data collected from 759 urban rail transit organizational employees in China. Structural equation modelling analysis using Mplus version 7.4 was employed to test the hypotheses. Results. COVID-19 event strength can positively affect the safety performance of employees in high reliability organizations through a chain-mediating effect of work meaningfulness and engagement. Perceived trust positively moderates the chain-mediating effect and the relationship between COVID-19 event strength and work meaningfulness for high reliability organization employees. Conclusion. Based on the cognitive activation theory of stress, this study explored the mechanisms of the impact of COVID-19 event strength on employee safety performance in high reliability organizations, enhancing the literature on organizational events and safety performance, and expanding application of the cognitive activation theory of stress in high-reliability organizations.

The study highlights the aspect of ergonomic control panel design for devices, taking into account the additional dimensions resulting from the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during their operation. Analysis of theoretical and experimental research on existing control panels highlights the need for design guidelines based on dimensional allowances, particularly from protective gloves. The research and its findings align with preventive measures aimed at improving safety, ergonomics, and workplace hygiene. Appropriately arranging buttons and defining their minimum dimensions and spacing between them, utilizing information about dimensional allowances, sets an ergonomic goal - to prevent the selection of buttons or sequences of them due to reduced movement precision when wearing protective gloves. The results and conclusions from the research have a significant impact on improving human-machine interaction, reducing the potential occurrence of events that could be hazardous accidents, and enhancing the efficiency of the equipment operator's work.

Objectives. Occupational reaching tasks performed with faulty postures may contribute to inefficient movement patterns that could lead to injury. Understanding relationships between posture and muscle activation during reaching tasks may elucidate movement patterns that increase occupational injury risk in workers. This study assessed whether postural factors and muscle activation predict forward reaching movement performance and accuracy. Methods. Predictor variables of forward shoulder posture (FSP), pectoral length, upper (UT), middle (MT) and lower trapezius (LT) and pectoralis major (PM) muscle activation, and UT:PM, MT:PM, and LT:PM co-activation during forward reaching were analysed for 56 individuals. Sequential linear regression equations assessed reaching variance. Results. For females, FSP, UT activation, and UT:PM co-activation explained 36% of reaction time (RT) variance, and MT:PM co-activation explained 14% of endpoint accuracy variance. For males, MT:PM co-activation explained 17% of movement time (MvT) variance, and FSP, MT:PM co-activation and MT explained 23% of accuracy variance. Conclusion. Increased co-activation was a predictor of movement performance; however, performance outcome variables differed between males (MvT) and females (RT). Muscle co-activation coupled with FSP and posterior shoulder muscle activation resulted in differences in predicting reaching performance variance. Practitioners might consider evaluating these muscle activation and postural factors in occupational reaching tasks.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04944745.

Objectives. Hazard identification is a crucial step in the risk management process. It emphasizes hazard recognition and highlights the critical importance of potential hazard identification in professional settings. Proper site hazard recognition leads to a more accurate risk assessment, enabling effective workplace control. Several site hazard tools have been developed; most of them rely on the five human senses for site hazard recognition. However, the incorrect use of these senses can pose risks to individuals' lives and health. Methods. A novel workplace hazard recognition methodology was developed, based on the OODA loop, to improve front-line workers' ability to observe site hazards using their five senses. The fishbone technique was applied to categorize observed hazards into family groups, and severity was assessed within each group, guided by potential energy sources. This methodology was implemented with a group of front-line workers who received specific training. Pre-training and post-training assessments were conducted to evaluate its effectiveness. Results. Analysis of the pre-training and post-training assessments revealed significant improvements in hazard recognition and classification. Workers showed increased interest and enhanced ability to observe, categorize and assess hazards effectively. Conclusion. This practical approach assists professionals in recognizing, classifying and controlling workplace-related hazards, contributing to improved safety.

Objectives. This study proposes an effective design method for truck drivers' occupational clothing during public health emergencies, reducing development time and costs, optimizing design resource allocation and enhancing truck drivers' occupational safety and mobility experience. Methods. User journey mapping and questionnaires were employed to obtain design requirements for truck drivers' occupational clothing during public health emergencies. The Kano model was utilized to classify user needs and assign importance weights, while a design system was constructed based on the quality function deployment (QFD) method. A prototype of truck drivers' occupational clothing for public health emergencies was developed, and the effectiveness of the design method was validated using fuzzy comprehensive evaluation. Results. The truck drivers' occupational clothing designed based on the proposed system received a satisfactory rating in the fuzzy comprehensive comparative evaluation, scoring 3.491. This rating surpassed two control group driver uniforms, with overall scores of 28.16 and 30.99% higher, respectively. Conclusion. This study presents an effective design method that provides a theoretical reference for the design and iteration of truck drivers' clothing during public health emergencies.

This study developed the driver aggressive behavior video questionnaire (DABVQ) to assess drivers' aggressive tendencies in contextualized scenarios. In Study 1, the DABVQ was designed with 16 items encompassing three dimensions: traffic obstruction, discourtesy and slow driving. A total of 180 drivers participated, and the results demonstrated strong reliability and validity, establishing a solid theoretical framework and reliable measurement base. In Study 2, the DABVQ was administered to 100 drivers. The results indicated that non-professional drivers scored higher on the DABVQ than professional drivers, suggesting a greater propensity for aggressive behavior. Furthermore, the analysis confirmed contextual differences in aggressive behavior tendencies among drivers. This research contributes by providing a robust, contextualized tool for assessing drivers' aggressive tendencies and differentiating effectively between professional and non-professional drivers. The findings offer theoretical insights and empirical evidence to inform the design of personalized driver training programs.

Objectives. A headscarf is a piece of fabric designed to cover the head while also wrapping around the neck. Styling of the headscarf in different ways can affect posture or balance control and a rise in forward head posture (FHP). This research aimed to examine the impact of wearing a headscarf on FHP and dynamic balance (DB) in young collegiate females. Methods. The sample size of 100 participants was categorized into two groups (wearing a headscarf and not wearing a headscarf). Measurements of FHP (craniovertebral angle, sagittal head tilt) by the photographic method and DB by the Y-balance method were performed. Results. The findings reveal that the group wearing a headscarf exhibits significant differences in both FHP and DB compared to those not wearing a headscarf, suggesting that headscarf usage may lead to abnormal head repositioning and increased tension in the posterior neck, and affect DB in females. Conclusions. The practice of wearing a headscarf contributes to abnormal head positioning and altered DB, providing valuable insights into the potential musculoskeletal effects. Implementing a comprehensive approach, encompassing education, ergonomic guidance, stretching and strengthening exercises, can enhance posture, DB and musculoskeletal health while wearing a headscarf.

Objectives. In sub-Saharan Africa, mining employment continues to expose workers to a dangerous physical and psychosocial occupational environment. This study explored the prevalence of chronic musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and their risk factors among artisanal and small-scale miners. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in eastern Rwanda in November 2022. Self-reported MSDs were assessed using the modified Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire. The study used χ² or t tests and multivariate analysis with backward stepwise selection for logistic regression to determine independent risk factors for chronic MSDs (lasting >3 months). Results. The prevalence of self-reported MSDs in the past week and chronic MSDs were 78.83% (n = 808 out of 1025) and 64.10% (n = 657), respectively. Higher odds of chronic MSD was significantly associated with employment length longer than 5 years, working in a high or very high intensity vibration and rock-drilling tasks. Rock-blasting tasks were associated with 38% lower odds for chronic MSDs. Discussion. Nearly 8 out of 10 artisanal and small-scale miners experienced MSDs. High-risk occupational characteristics increased the odds of chronic MSDs. Adoption of proper health and safety management systems, high standard mechanization, ergonomic training and better health-seeking behaviors may mitigate risks for MSDs in Rwanda and sub-Saharan Africa.