Physical work environment in an activity-based flex office: a longitudinal case study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate and explore Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management, office ergonomics, and musculoskeletal symptoms in a group of office workers relocating from cell offices to activity-based flex offices (AFOs). METHODS: The analysis was based on qualitative interview data with 77 employees and longitudinal questionnaire data from 152 employees. RESULTS: Results indicate that there was a need to clarify roles and processes related to the management of OHS. Self-rated sit comfort, working posture, and availability of daylight deteriorated and symptoms in neck and shoulders increased after the relocation and seemed to be influenced by many factors, such as difficulties adjusting the workstations, the availability of suitable workplaces, and age, sex, and individual needs. CONCLUSION: Research on the long-term effects of physical work environments and management of (OHS) issues after implementing activity-based flex offices is sparse. This study demonstrates the importance of planning and organising OHS issue management when implementing an AFO, and to carefully implement office ergonomics among office workers.

How does the distribution of work tasks among home care personnel relate to workload and health-related quality of life?

BACKGROUND: The work for Swedish home care workers is challenging with a variety of support and healthcare tasks for home care recipients. The aim of our study is to investigate how these tasks relate to workload and health-related quality of life among home care workers in Sweden. We also explore staff preferences concerning work distribution. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 16 municipalities in Northern Sweden. Questionnaires with validated instruments to measure workload (QPSNordic) and health-related quality of life (EQ-5D), were responded by 1154 (~ 58%) of approximately 2000 invited home care workers. EQ-5D responses were translated to a Quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) score. For 15 different work task areas, personnel provided their present and preferred allocation. Absolute risk differences were calculated with propensity score weighting. RESULTS: Statistically significantly more or fewer problems differences were observed for: higher workloads were higher among those whose daily work included responding to personal alarms (8.4%), running errands outside the home (14%), rehabilitation (13%) and help with bathing (11%). Apart from rehabilitation, there were statistically significantly more (8-10%) problems with anxiety/depression for these tasks. QALY scores were lower among those whose daily work included food distribution (0.034) and higher for daily meal preparation (0.031), both explained by pain/discomfort dimension. Personnel preferred to, amongst other, spend less time responding to personal alarms, and more time providing social support. CONCLUSION: The redistribution of work tasks is likely to reduce workload and improve the health of personnel. Our study provides an understanding of how such redistribution could be undertaken.

The burden of high workload on the health-related quality of life among home care workers in Northern Sweden.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have shown that high workload affects health negatively. However, studies are lacking among home care workers. The aim of this study is to examine the burden of perceived workload on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among home care workers and to determine whether psychosocial factors modify such a relationship. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in which 1162 (58% response rate) home care workers participated. The psychosocial factors were measured by QPSnordic. HRQoL was measured by EuroQol 5 dimensions, from which responses were translated into quality-adjusted life year scores (QALY). Propensity scores were used with absolute risk differences (RD). Stratified analysis was used to test the buffer hypothesis of the demand-control-support model. RESULTS: Personnel with a high workload had a statistically significant 0.035 lower QALY than personnel with a normal workload. This difference was also statistically significant for the Visual Analogue Scale (RD 5.0) and the mobility (RD 0.033) and anxiety/depression scales (RD 0.20) dimensions of EQ-5D. For QALY, the effect of a high workload compared to a normal workload was higher, with low (RD 0.045, significant) compared with high (RD 0.015, non-significant) social support; while it was similar, and non-significant results, for low and high control. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that lowered work burden would be beneficial for home care personnel. Furthermore, our results suggest that interventions aimed at increasing social support could reduce work-related illness.

Productivity, Satisfaction, Work Environment and Health after Relocation to an Activity-Based Flex Office-The Active Office Design Study.

Implementation of activity-based flex offices (AFOs) are becoming increasingly common. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an AFO on perceived productivity, satisfaction, work environment and health. Questionnaire data from the longitudinal, quasi-experimental Active Office Design Study was used. The study evaluates a public organization relocating staff to either an AFO or to cell offices. Measures from baseline, 6 and 18 months after relocation, were analyzed. Employees in the AFO experienced a decreased productivity and satisfaction with the office design. Lack of privacy as well as increased noise disturbance, less satisfaction with sit comfort and work posture were reported. Employees in the AFO with work tasks requiring a high degree of concentration experienced lower productivity while those with a high proportion of teamwork rated productivity to be continually high. No significant group differences were found between the two office types in general health, cognitive stress, salutogenic health indicators or pain in the neck, shoulder or back. The study highlights the importance of taking work characteristics into account in the planning and implementation process of an AFO. Flexible and interactive tasks seem more appropriate in an AFO, whereas individual tasks demanding concentration seem less fit.

Workers' mental models of chemical exposure in the workplace.

The objective of this study was to examine workers' mental interpretation models developed in response to occupational chemical exposure. The study was performed in six companies within the reinforced plastics industry in northern Sweden, in which styrene was used; 32 workers participated in the study. Each worker performed between four and seven exposure measurements. Before receiving each result of the second to seventh measurements, the workers were asked to predict the level of their next exposure measurement. Their predictions were evaluated with respect to two judgmental principles: coherence (that the predictions are based on logical decision rules, that is, the mean value of the prior exposure levels); and correspondence (the predictions have high empirical accuracy) by calculating the mean absolute percent forcast error (MAPE). The coherence principle was tested by comparing each of the workers' predictions with the mean, median, and last exposure level (last value) of the prior measurements. The correspondence principle was tested by comparing the worker's prediction with the outcome of the measurement. The coherence principle was found to be the best descriptor of the workers' predictions and the median model had the best fit. The mean model had a similar but significantly poorer fit (MAPE values of 29 and 31, respectively). The correspondence model had a poor fit with a MAPE of 54. The workers' predictions were generally lower than their average exposures. We conclude that the workers' interpretation model can be best described by a coherence model rather than by a correspondence model.

Workers' interpretation of self-assessment of exposure.

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to investigate how workers interpret and act upon results from self-assessment of exposure (SAE). METHODS: Workers in four sawmills in Sweden were supplied with diffusive samplers for measurement of terpenes. Workers received both oral and written instructions about terpenes, their medical effects and how to handle the samplers. Responsibility for sampling was left to the individual worker; written feedback about terpene levels was provided after each measurement. The number of measurements was registered. The workers and supervisors were interviewed about their attitudes, perceived control of their work environment, need for preventive actions and future surveillance of the workplace. RESULTS: In total, 28 workers performed 100 terpene measurements. At one sawmill, there was a significant association between exposure levels and the number of measurements performed by each worker (rho = 0.79, P = 0.03). Contrary to instructions, supervisors played an important role in spontaneous organization of the measurements at each mill. Four measurements revealed terpene concentrations that exceeded the occupational exposure limits, and one preventive action was taken as a consequence of high levels. Seventy percent of the workers could not identify any reason for more measurements. Only 15% considered the measurements as their 'own' project, and the rest stated that they participated in order to satisfy the researchers. CONCLUSIONS: Previous studies have shown that workers can perform valid measurements, both select a day and technically perform measurements. This study indicates that this ability is not sufficient to ensure that measurements will be done or that implementing measurements will result in preventive actions. Workers need additional support to take preventive actions and use SAE for ongoing surveillance.

When and why do experts perform exposure measurements? An exploratory study of safety engineers, work environment inspectors, and occupational hygienists.

The aim of this study was to describe experts' decision processes leading to measurements of occupational chemical exposure. Safety engineers, clinical occupational hygienists, and work environment inspectors (four from each group) were interviewed according to a semistructured scheme. We analyzed: (i) perceived triggers for measurements, (ii) the experts' decision criteria for performing measurements when there was a trigger, and (iii) sampling strategy. Regarding triggers, all safety engineers reported a "request" from, for example, an employer; all work environment inspectors reported "legal demands;" and all clinical occupational hygienists reported "symptoms among workers." As a decision criterion, all the interviewees reported that they measured only if they expected sufficiently high levels. The results of the present study highlight factors that trigger measurements and are of importance in determining whether measurements will be performed. These factors appear to be related to the expert's professional role and may bias the assessment of exposure. Thus, when using data from routine measurements done by experts, the possibility of a bias needs to be considered.

Passive sampling in combination with thermal desorption and gas chromatography as a tool for self-assessment of chemical exposure.

Diffusive samplers for monitoring of air quality are user-friendly devices that can normally be operated by the user himself. Hence these samplers are suitable for self-assessment. Practical and work organisational aspects of self-assessment of chemical exposure were studied in different occupational settings. It was found that the diffusive sampler used in these studies, the Perkin-Elmer tube in combination with thermal desorption, worked well for the purpose and could be correctly handled by the individuals using it. The results from self-assessments agreed well with expert measurements carried out by an occupational hygienist. However, in order to obtain a sustainable system of self-assessment strong organizational support is needed.