Assessing the effectiveness of an ergonomics intervention program with a participatory approach: ergonomics settlement in an Iranian steel industry.

PURPOSE: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are common occupational problems affecting the health and productivity of workers worldwide. Ergonomic intervention programs (EIPs) can play an effective role in preventing these disorders in the workplace. Assessing the effectiveness of an EIP is a challenge faced by both industries and researchers. This study was aimed at assessing the effectiveness of an EIP on human resources productivity (HRP), musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), general health and occupational fatigue in a steel industry. METHODS: This study was conducted in a steel industry in Isfahan, Iran, between 2018 and 2021. To assess the effectiveness of the EIP with a participatory approach, training and redesign of workstations, the criteria of HRP, MSDs, general health and occupational fatigue were investigated before and after the intervention, using HRP Questionnaire, Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire (NMQ), 28-item General Health Questionnaire (28-GHQ), Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory (SOFI-20) and Occupational Fatigue/Exhaustion Recovery (OFER-15) Questionnaire, as data collection tools, respectively. RESULTS: The implementation of EIP in the studied industry significantly led to an increase in HRP (p < 0.05). The prevalence of MSDs decreased significantly in most regions of the body after the interventions (p < 0.001). In addition, the program significantly improved general health (p < 0.001) and reduced occupational fatigue among employees (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of EIP was significantly effective in working conditions improvement. Therefore, implementing EIP with participatory approach, workforce training, as well as redesigning of workstations are recommended in industries.

Cognitive and skill performance of individuals at sitting versus standing workstations: a quasi-experimental study.

Objectives. This study aimed to assess cognitive and skill performance at sitting and standing workstations among students from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Methods. Forty students (20 females and 20 males) participated in this quasi-experimental study. Tests were performed among randomly selected participants over two consecutive days: day 1, the Beck depression inventory and Beck anxiety inventory were used to assess the severity of depression and anxiety in the study participants, respectively, and Raven's general intelligence test was used to measure intelligence quotient; day 2, five performance assessment tests (cognitive performance assessment tests 'n-back', 'Stroop' and 'advanced reaction time'; skill performance assessment tests 'two-arm coordination' and 'Purdue pegboard') were randomly selected and presented to individuals at each workstation (sitting and standing workstations). At the end of each sitting and standing position, the comfort of the workstation was measured using a visual analog scale. Results. No statistically significant difference was shown between sitting and standing positions in terms of 'n-back', 'Stroop', 'advanced reaction time', 'two-arm coordination' and 'Purdue pegboard'. Participants were more comfortable in sitting positions and more easily distracted in standing positions. Conclusions. Sitting and standing positions had no significant effects on participants' cognitive and skill performance.

Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, ergonomics risk assessment and implementation of participatory ergonomics program for pistachio farm workers.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pistachio farmers are exposed to a variety of risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). However, no study has been conducted to investigate MSDs in pistachio workers. Therefore, in the present study, besides investigating the prevalence of MSDs and their ergonomic risk factors, the participatory ergonomics (PE) method is used to provide an intervention program to reduce MSDs in this population in harvesting and processing pistachio. METHODS: The present study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase 138 workers participated. The prevalence of MSDs was assessed with Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and the ergonomic risk factors was identified with ManTRA method. In the second phase PE was used to perform ergonomic interventions for reducing MSDs and the effect of the intervention was investigated. Sixty-four workers participated in the second phase (32 in the case group and 32 in the control group). RESULTS: The highest prevalence of MSDs was in shoulders (63.7%), followed by the lower back (63%) and wrists/hands (52.1%). The comparison showed that after implementing the PE intervention program, the prevalence of MSDs in the intervention group was not significantly different from that in the control group. However, in the reassessment by the ManTRA method for five tasks that were identified as high risk in the first phase, a decrease in ManTRA final score was observed for all the five tasks. CONCLUSIONS: MSDs were prevalent in all body regions of workers. After implementing PE interventions exposure to ergonomic risk factors decreased.

The Relationship Between Helmet Weight, Cognitive Performance, and Mental Workload.

Introduction: This study sought to examine the effects of helmet weight on cognitive performance and mental workload. Twenty participants were studied in 3 one-hour sessions. Methods: The study participants were requested to read and work with computers under the following 3 conditions: wearing no helmets, wearing a helmet that weighed 800 g (A), and a helmet weighing 1500 g (B). "N-back" task and Continuous Performance Test (CPT) were employed to assess cognitive performance. At the same time, NASA-TLX and Thermal Comfort and Fatigue Perception Scale were used to evaluate mental workload and comfort. At the end of the intervention sessions, perceived mental workload, thermal comfort, and fatigue in the head were measured. Moreover, the research participants' cognitive performance was gauged before and after the sessions. Results: The present study findings revealed that helmet weight significantly impacted cognitive performance (P<0.001). However, no significant difference was detected in the participants' mental workload before and after the intervention. Conclusion: Helmet weight could affect cognitive performance. Therefore, in designing helmets, the helmet's weight should be considered an essential factor. Highlights: Helmet weight significantly impacted cognitive performance.The results showed that the perceived mental workload was not influenced by helmet weight.Designing helmets, the helmet's weight should be considered an essential factor. Plain Language Summary: This study examined the effect of helmet weight on brain performance. The results showed that the perceived mental workload was not influenced by helmet weight. However, brain performance declined as a result of wearing heavier helmets. Furthermore, the perceived local fatigue in the shoulders and neck increased after wearing heavier helmets. Thus, manufacturers should consider helmet weight while designing helmets and developing the relevant standards.