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Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are commonly occurring disorders nowadays. The present study was conducted with the aim of determining MSDs in dentists and to assess knowledge about ergonomics. Materials and Methods: This questionnaire study was conducted among 460 dental professionals of different age groups. Parameters such as posture of dentists, working alone or with an assistant, and number of breaks were recorded. Type of MSDs and the type and effectiveness were recorded. Results: BDS students were seventy, interns were 112, general dentists were 186, and specialists were 92. Year of practice was 20 years in 140 students. Fourteen percent of students, 18% interns, 45% general practitioners, and 32% of specialists had a prevalence of MSD. Most common MSDs in students were upper back pain seen in 6%, in interns were upper back pain seen in 8%, in general practitioners were shoulder pain seen in 21%, and in specialists were hand/wrist pain seen in 10%. Forty-five percent of students, 67% interns, 72% general dentists, and 80% of specialists had idea about ergonomics. Seventy-four percent of students, 80% of interns, 83% of general dentists, and 87% of specialists think that ergonomics may improve performance. Sitting position was preferred seen in 53% of students, 58% of interns, 65% general dentists, and 60% of specialists. Forty-five percent of students, 47% of interns, 56% of general dentists, and 52% of specialists perform physical activity during work. The difference was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05). Seventy-nine percent of students, 83% of interns, 86% of general dentists, and 88% of specialists show prolong sitting or standing. Conclusion: Authors found that all prefer to apply ergonomic in clinical practice. There is a lack of knowledge among BDS students and interns about ergonomics.

Robert J Weinstock,1 Margaret H Ainslie-Garcia,2 Nicole C Ferko,2 Rana A Qadeer,2 Leighton P Morris,3 Hang Cheng,3 Justis P Ehlers4,5 1Eye Institute of West Florida, Largo, FL, USA; 2Eversana, Burlington, ON, Canada; 3Alcon Vision LLC, Fort Worth, TX, USA; 4Tony and Leona Campane Center for Excellence in Image-Guided Surgery and Advanced Imaging Research, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA; 5Vitreoretinal Service, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland, OH, USACorrespondence: Justis P EhlersCole Eye Institute, 9500 Euclid Ave/I32, Cleveland, OH, USATel +1 216-636-0183Email ehlersj@ccf.orgPurpose: Musculoskeletal pain issues are prevalent in ophthalmic surgeons and can impact surgeon well-being and productivity. Heads-up displays (HUD) can improve upon conventional microscopes by reducing ergonomic stress. This study compared ergonomic outcomes between HUD and a conventional optical microscope in the operating room, as reported by ophthalmic surgeons in the US.Methods: An online questionnaire was distributed to a sample of surgeons who had experience operating with HUD. The questionnaire captured surgeon-specific variables, the validated Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, and custom questions to compare HUD and conventional microscope. A multivariable model was built to identify variables that were likely to predict improvement in pain-related issues.Results: Analysis was conducted on 64 surgeons (37 posterior-segment, 25 anterior-segment, and two mixed) with a mean 14.9 years of practice and 2.3 years using HUD. Most surgeons agreed or strongly agreed that HUD reduced the severity (64%) and frequency (63%) of pain and discomfort, improved posture (73%), and improved overall comfort (77%). Of respondents who experienced headaches, or pain and discomfort during operation, 12 (44%) reported their headaches improved and 45 (82%) reported feeling less pain and discomfort since they started using HUD. The multivariable model indicated the odds of reporting an improvement in pain since introducing the HUD in the operating room were 5.12-times greater for those who used HUD in > 50% of their cases (P=0.029).Conclusion: This study indicates that heads-up display may be an important tool for wellness in the operating room as it can benefit ophthalmic surgeons across several ergonomic measures.Keywords: heads-up display, microscope, ergonomic, musculoskeletal disorders, ophthalmology, surgery

Introduction. Improving well-being and overall system performance are the ultimate goals of ergonomics, which are achieved through ergonomic interventions. This systematic review aimed to answer the question of what different ergonomic interventions accomplish in the workplace. Method. The systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines. Ergonomic interventions in workplaces focusing on any ergonomics health outcomes or productivity were identified in electronic databases up to June 1, 2019. Results. The 1635 articles collected from the literature screening stage were screened for their relevance to this study by the authors independently. The full-text review identified 22 papers qualified for inclusion in this systematic review. Most of the interventions implemented in the analyzed articles were ergonomic training programs, participatory ergonomics and workstation designs. The highlight results showed that interventions such as feedback, participatory ergonomics in short-term follow-ups and job rotation along with ergonomic guidelines did not significantly affect the risk of psychosocial factors. A significant reduction of musculoskeletal disorders in the upper limbs was reported with workplace improvements. Conclusion. There was no specific study method or intervention approach found to influence ergonomic outcomes. A multicomponent intervention program can be used to improve the impact of interventions on employees' health and system productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current sports bras are typically manufactured via a cut and sew process resulting in a high volume of post-production material waste. Seams derived from this cut and sew process are known to irritate the skin during exercise. This irritant discomfort seriously affects the dynamic comfort during exercise, hindering limb movement and displacement of the female breast. It implies a need for an alternative textile manufacturing process for a seamless sportswear-sports bra to combine the surface aesthetics with biomimetics together with anthropometry and ergonomic data. Tailoring the two yarn interlocking directions (0/90°) within the compound structure of a multilayer multilevel weave architecture provides a construction process to the production, the weaving, of seamless 3D woven spherical forms. Seamlessly shaped wovens in this paper are underpinned by biomimetic anthropometry and real-time data to produce variable spherical forms that mould and support a given set of 3D geometries. Upon completion of the weave generation using specialised weave software, the production parameters are completed upon transfer to the combined weaving technology, Mageba-Staubli Unival 100 (MS-100). The 2D on-loom woven fabric converts to a 3D shape upon removal and by pulling-pushing-unfolding the woven fabric (2D-to-3D). The scope of end applications within the sportswear-sports bra sector (but not limited to) enables a framework for the generic design geometries and production principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) is a very common grievance of employees working with SMEs and large industries. The objective of this research is to examine the risk of MSD for operators in the manufacturing segment of SMEs by deploying two ergonomic approaches: self-report (SR) and observation method (OM). The project has been executed in the manufacturing SMEs in Indonesia. The SR methodology utilizes the Nordic Body Map (NBM) for assessing the comfort and grievances of the operator. Besides, the OM methodology deploys the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) as an appraisal of the worker’s work stance. A Self Report evaluation based on NBM triggered the obtained concerns in the upper body that occur on the back, neck, hips, and buttocks. OM based on RULA assessment observed that the position of the worker has a value score of 6, which requires further analysis and changes at the earliest. Based on the RULA assessment, this paper recommended the involvement of ergonomics at the place of work to decrease the MSD issues encountered by the operator and make the places of work relaxing. According to the results, the new workplace displays a value score of 3 based on RULA assessment and the final tally was noted to be a satisfactory posture. Thus, the SR method is beneficial for preliminary screening before deploying further assessment of the OM methodology. It is vital for follow-up assessment in order to offer suggestions on the basis of ergonomic risk evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the ergonomic reliability of medical equipment design during the operation process, a method for evaluating the operating procedure of a medical equipment interface according to functional resonance analysis method (FRAM)-Moran's I and cognitive reliability and error analysis method (CREAM) is proposed in this study. The novelty of this research is to analyze the ergonomic reliability of medical equipment in a more systematic manner and to minimize the impact of human subjectivity and individual differences on the evaluation results of the operation process. To solve the calculation problem of functional resonance in FRAM and to make the evaluation results more objective, Moran's I was introduced to quantify the deviation degree caused by the individual differences of the subjects. By giving weights based on Moran's I, the influence of individual differences and subjectivity on the evaluation results can be minimized, to a certain extent. Considering the importance of a special environment, which is not fully considered by the conventional CREAM, the weighting values based on Moran's I, Delphi survey, and technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) were adopted to assign weights to common performance conditions (CPCs) in CREAM. The optimal design scheme was selected more objectively than in the conventional method. The validity and practicability of this operation process evaluation method was verified by a statistical method based on ergonomic reliability experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Garbage is one of the problems facing the Indonesian society. The production of garbage resulting from various individual activities is increasing each day. University of Ahmad Dahlan (UAD) Yogyakarta as one of the colleges in Yogyakarta has the potential to produce garbage of large amounts. Under the strategic plan of environmentally insightful campus development, garbage processing will be carried out by the institutions of University of Ahmad Dahlan and academic civitas. The average garbage produced by UAD 4 campus activities is 170 kg/day with an organic waste composition of 22.57 kg and non-organic 147.43 kg. During this time the garbage was directly distributed to the Piyungan landfill without being processed first, as the campus party had not been available garbage processing devices. The purpose of the study was to design organic garbage processing tools into compost fertilizers. The study used an ergonomic approach by utilizing anthropometric data in the determination of size from the design. Anthropometric data used in this study are Tinggi Bahu Duduk (TBD) or Shoulder High Sitting, Lebar Pinggul (LP) or Hip Width, Pantat Popliteal (PP) or Popliteal Butt, Tinggi Siku Berdiri (TSB) or Standing Elbow Height, Panjang Lengan Bawah (PLB) or Lower Arm Length, Lebar Bahu Atas (LBA) or Upper Shoulder Width, and Tinggi Lutut (TL) or Knee Height. The result of the study was an ergonomic Rotary Composter tool design operated by one person manually with dimensions 115 cm long, 148 cm wide, 115 cm tall, 60 cm barrel diameter, seat rest height 58.75 cm, 41.23 cm seat width, seat base length 45.39 cm, the distance between seats, tool height 114.94 cm, with tool 37.33 cm wide, seat rest 50 cm, 13 cm, seat width, and seat height 59.08 cm.

Elevated stress has been widely associated with physical and physiological threats as well as reduced work performance. However, there is still a lack of studies that investigate whether stress influences concurrently physiological and objective work performance. The purpose of this study is to examine whether workers’ level of stress or negative emotional symptoms correlates with their physiological coherence and work performance. Eighteen female operators who reported high severity levels of stress, assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-42) were categorized as the risk group. The comparison group was formed by randomly selecting 18 of 99 female workers who had significantly lower DASS scores. Both participants attended one session of physiological measurement. Their work performance was observed by calculating their cycle time completing a product during five workdays. A significant difference in HRV between the two groups was also found in physiological and work performance measures. The results showed that workers in the risk group obtained significantly lower coherence levels and longer work cycle time than the control participants, indicating that negative emotional symptoms were parallel with physiological coherence and work performance. However, a weak correlation was found between work performance and negative emotional symptoms as well as physiological coherence. Despite the study limitations, our findings support to evidence the more complete picture of how stress affects female worker’s physiology and work performance, suggesting a need to implement effective workplace stress intervention. Further study is needed to be conducted among different group characteristics such as male and occupational settings.

Lighting is an important factor in working comfort. A comfortable workspace must meet good lighting requirements by the lighting standards of a workplace. Visual comfort at work is the result of applying ergonomic aspects to workspace lighting. The purpose of this research is to analyze ergonomically lighting in the workspace of the engineering faculty of Muria Suci University. The method used in this research is descriptive quantitative. Where the data collection of light measurement in the workspace is carried out at the hour (09.00-14.00 WIB). Then the data is processed using surfer software version 10 to determine the distribution of lighting. Testing is done by comparing the standardization table of lighting intensity levels based on SNI 03-6575-2001 standards. Risk data the visual comfort of the lighting at work is analyzed in terms of the level of lighting risk. The results of this study indicate that quantitative exposure risk, all work spaces of the Faculty of Engineering, Muria Kudus University does not eligible SNI 03-6575-2001. Meanwhile, based on the risk of qualitative lighting, administrative workspaces that have a low risk of visual comfort and industrial engineering study program workspaces have a high risk of visual comfort.

This study examined the prevalence and exposure to ergonomic risks factors among crop farmers in selected states in Nigeria. We used cross-sectional data to provide this evidence. Data were collected with the aid of a standardized questionnaire administered to farmers. A total of 480 smallholder cassava farmers selected across 24 farming communities in Kogi and Kwara states, Nigeria, were engaged in the study. Descriptive statistics and binary regression were used for analysis. About 96% of the respondents reported shoulder pain, 85% reported lower back pain, 82% reported upper back pain, 64% reported neck pain, and 53% reported elbow pain during farming operations. We found that the age of farmers (OR = 2.01) and daily duration of daily chemical spray (OR = 1.17) were risk factors, while previous training on the safe use and application of farm chemicals was found to be a protective factor (α = 0.05). The study identified affordability of farm safety measures and poor access to relevant safety information as top constraints to farmers' adoption of safe farm practices. We concluded there is a high prevalence of ergonomic risks during cassava operations among respondents. A crop-specific co-designed ergonomic intervention targeted at Nigerian farmers to reduce exposure to ergonomic risks is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to develop an automated ergonomic evaluation system, based on the OWAS method, for assessing a steel bar bending process performed at a construction company in Mexico. The system evaluates production operators' postures and movements by using Microsoft's Kinect sensor. To perform each ergonomic evaluation, the software processes information captured by the sensor, which detects movement of human body joints. The proposed methodology specifies the creation, development, and testing of the system during a repetitive operation, which is known historically for causing the highest number of injuries and work-related disabilities. The result is an automated tool capable of developing ergonomic evaluations in real time. Reliability and effectiveness is demonstrated statistically (95% confidence) by comparing the software's automated evaluation with that of an expert (traditional evaluation). It is concluded that the automated system developed here delivers ergonomic evaluations that yield reliable and safe results that can improve decisionmaking processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Outdoor fitness training has become popular as a tool for improving the health, especially middle-aged and older adults. For this purpose, outdoor fitness equipment (OFE) have been installed in public areas. However, their safety and effectiveness are still unknown. The aim of the present research was to analyze the sagittal disposition of the spine and pelvic tilt during the use of OFE, and to determine the influence of anthropometric variables on these factors in middle-aged and older adults. Methods. Seventy healthy volunteers, 56 women and 14 men (age: 63.14 ± 8.19 years) participated in the study. Sagittal spine disposition and pelvic tilt were measured using a Spinal Mouse®, in the relaxed standing position, and during the use of the OFE. In addition, kinanthropometry variables were also measured according to the guidelines of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry. Results. Regarding thoracic kyphosis, a significant decrease was found in thoracic kyphosis in the initial position (IP) in single bonny rider (SBR) (p = 0.006) and row (p = 0.046), and a significant increase in the final position (FP) in the row (p = 0.011), surfboard (p < 0.001) and air walker (p = 0.027) machines. In relation to the lumbar curvature and pelvic tilt, a significant decrease in lumbar lordosis and a decrease in pelvic anteversion were observed in the IP and FP in SBR and row; and in the bike (p < 0.001) machine. In the surfboard machine, a significant decrease in lumbar lordosis was found (p = 0.002), with no changes in pelvic tilt. According to the multiple linear regression analysis, the subjects with a higher cormic index and height were more at risk of increasing their thoracic kyphosis, decreasing lumbar lordosis and/or decreasing pelvic anteversion towards pelvic retroversion. Conclusions. Middle-aged and older adults show spinal misalignments when using the OFE with respect to the standing position, showing a decrease in the thoracic kyphosis in IP of SBR and ROW, and a significant increase in the surfboard and air walker, and in the FP of Row, in the lumbar lordosis in all the OFE in sitting and some in standing, and in the pelvic anteversion in all the OFE in sitting. The variables height and the cormic index explained most of the changes in sagittal spine disposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The main purpose of ergonomics is environment adaptation to humans, and the root cause of the barriers and problems of the older adults is the mismatch between the home environment and their limitations. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to identify and explain physical environment barriers and problems among older adults' homes in Yazd, Iran. METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted as conventional content analysis. In total, 53 participants including 36 older adults and 17 caregivers were enrolled in the study. The participants were selected using convenience and purposive sampling methods, while the data collection method was a semi-structured interview. The interviews were recorded and transcribed, and then analyzed using MAXQDA11 software. RESULTS: Following data analysis, 268 initial codes were extracted. They were classified into three major categories and 31 sub categories. The main categories are "barriers and problems associated with older adults' sensory limitations," "barriers and problems associated with older adults' motor limitations," and "barriers and problems associated with older adults' cognitive limitations." CONCLUSIONS: Although the data collected from the older adults and their caregivers are in many cases similar, caregivers can provide reasons for the barriers and problems as well as solutions better than the older adults. The data also indicate that most of the problems and barriers are related to motor limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of the workstation type on the severity of mental stress by means of measuring prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Background: Workstation type is known to influence worker's health and performance. Despite the practical implications of ergonomic workstations, limited information is available regarding their impact on brain activity and executive functions. Method: Ten healthy participants performed a Montreal imaging stress task (MIST) in ergonomic and nonergonomic workstations to investigate their effects on the severity of the induced mental stress. Results: Cortical hemodynamic changes in the PFC were observed during the MIST in both the ergonomic and nonergonomic workstations. However, the ergonomic workstation exhibited improved MIST performance, which was positively correlated with the cortical activation on the right ventrolateral and the left dorsolateral PFC, as well as a marked decrease in salivary alpha‐amylase activity compared with that of the nonergonomic workstation. Further analysis using the NASA Task Load Index revealed a higher weighted workload score in the nonergonomic workstation than that in the ergonomic workstation. Conclusion: The findings suggest that ergonomic workstations could significantly improve cognitive functioning and human capabilities at work compared to a nonergonomic workstation. Application: Such a study could provide critical information on workstation design and development of mental stress that can be overlooked during traditional workstation design and mental stress assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are many causes that leads to lower limb disabilities. Accidents, injuries, congenital defects, sprains, etc. are some of the most common reasons. The patients with such disabilities usually prefer the wheelchair as the most common augmentative option because of easy availability and user friendliness. Although there has been great advancements in the wheelchair design, (e.g. stair-climbing, standing, sports), there are certain areas in which developments has not been considered. One such area is the movement of the patient to the bed. The project aims to improve the self-sufficiency of the user to move to the bed by them. The wheelchair design involves four steps that aids in efficiently moving the user to the bed. The in depth study and work of the adjustable wheelchair will be discussed further in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice harvesting is a high ergonomic risk due to the working position, an awkward posture, and the repetition activity. Rice harvesting causes body pain in the part of low back, hand, and wrist. This study aims to (1) identify the characteristics of non-mechanical rice harvesting; (2) determine the working posture of rice harvesters using the Ovako Working Assessment System (OWAS) method, Quick Exposure Checklist (QEC), Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA), Postural Ergonomics Risk Assessment (PERA); and (3) determine the best method to assess harvesters work posture. An observation was conducted to nine of healthy workers in Bantul and Sleman districts, Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY) province. The questionnaire was set to collect respondent demographics data. Data for harvester body posture (neck, trunk, leg, wrist, lifting load, shoulder) repetition, duration and force were collected by observation in the field. A sickle was used to cut rice straw, while a manual gepyok and mobile hand thresher was used to threshing rice panicles. Four methods were applied to assess the work posture, i.e., OWAS, QEC, REBA, PERA methods. Based on observation, five workstations were identified: (1) cutting rice straw, (2) transporting rice straw, (3) threshing of panicles, (4) sorting, and (5) packaging and transporting. REBA and PERA showed a similar trend of the ergonomic risk, high to low risk took place in workstation transporting rice straw, packaging and transporting, cutting, and threshing. The assessment of work posture that is most suitable for non-mechanical harvesting methods was the REBA method with an accuracy of 92.9%.

The current study, according to ergonomic factors, aims to model the nurses’ work shift scheduling problem. Considering the urgent needs of the hospitals in providing better services to patients, it seems significant to take the preferences of nurses in scheduling shifts into account. Therefore, in this paper, a multi-objective model of nurses’ scheduling with emphasis on reducing their fatigue during the career shift is presented. To evaluate the outputs of the model, two numerical instances in small and large sizes with real data of Labbafinejad Hospital were designed in 18-person and 90-person wards. To solve a small size problem, a comprehensive standard decision method is employed, the results of which showed that nurses take their most rest during the night shift and in the middle of their working hours to reduce fatigue. Furthermore, due to the NP-Hard nature of the nurses' scheduling problem, in the problem of the 90-person ward, MOPSO and NSGA II algorithms are applied based on the design of a new chromosome. Using the TOPSIS method and entropy weighting method shows that the designed NSGA II algorithm can solve the nurses’ scheduling problem of Labbafinejad Hospital faster and better.

Furniture plays an important role in healthcare setting. It creates a welcoming atmosphere to the patients and families as they enter the building. Furniture influences the feelings of the patients and visitors both negatively and positively, therefore attention on high quality with good furnishing design is needed. A cross sectional descriptive study design conducted in Outpatient departments (OPDs) and Inpatient department (IPDs) in a tertiary care hospital, Bangalore. Using checklist and questionnaire- based survey which includes 110 OPD patients and 70 IPD patients. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics. After obtaining the result, it was identified that majority of the respondents of both OPD and IPD patients showed that aesthetic, ergonomics and cleanability features are required and expected to incorporate in these areas. The study concluded that high quality design is needed to consider while selecting hospital furniture to maximize the quality of facilities in the organization.

OBJECTIVE: Many employees have high physical exertion at work and suffer from musculoskeletal pain (MSP) leading to sickness absence with large costs. Participatory ergonomics is a potentially effective intervention for reducing physical exertion, MSP and sickness absence. The main aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a 20-week workplace participatory ergonomic intervention among childcare workers on physical exertion and MSP. METHODS: In a two-arm cluster-randomized trial, 190 workers were recruited from 16 childcare institutions and randomly assigned to either a 20-week participatory ergonomics intervention consisting of three training workshops or a control group receiving usual care. Primary outcomes were physical exertion during work, maximal pain intensity, number of pain regions, and pain-related work interference. Secondary outcomes were MSP-related sickness absence, need for recovery (NFR), employee involvement, and self-efficacy. We followed the intention-to-treat principle and adhered to the registered study protocol (ISRCTN10928313). RESULTS: After 20 weeks, half the workers noticed some positive changes in their work. However, there were no statistically discernible effects in physical exertion, maximum pain intensity, pain-related work interference, or number of pain regions. We found a significant reduction of MSP-related sickness absence in the intervention compared to the control group [-0.48 days per month (95% confidence interval (CI), -0.8– -0.1]. We found no significant effects in NRF or involvement of employees, but self-efficacy was reduced in the intervention compared to the control group [-0.2 (95% CI, -0.3– -0.0)]. CONCLUSION: This 20-week training for a participatory ergonomic intervention in childcare workers did not show effects on physical exertion and MSP, but was both feasible and effective in reducing MSP-related sickness absence.

Setiap pekerjaan memiliki potensi bahaya (hazard) dan apabila tidak dikendalikan dengan baik ada kemungkinan potensi bahaya yang ada bisa beresiko menyebabkan terjadinya kelelahan, keluhan muskuloskeletal, resiko cedera bahkan kecelakaan kerja. Tujuan Penelitian ini adalah untuk membantu UD. Barokah mengidentifikasi potensi bahaya terhadap keselamatan dan kesehatan kerja (K3) yang terjadi, sehingga dapat dilakukan pengendalian dan pencegahan terhadap bahaya yang muncul di tempat kerja. Untuk mengetahui adanya potensi bahaya dari segi ergonomi digunakan kusioner NBM dan QEC, sedangkan untuk mengidentifikasi potensi bahaya yang ada dengan menggunakan metode HAZOP. Hasil analisis potensi bahaya diketahui bahwa sumber bahaya yang dapat atau berpotensi menimbulkan kecelakaan kerja adalah sikap pekerja, kondisi lingkungan kerja fisik, lantai licin karena adanya tumpahan tepung terigu dan adonan bahan pembuatan kerupuk. Selain itu, diketahui bahwa terdapat resiko ergonomi yang dalam pekerjaan proses pembuatan kerupuk. Resiko yang dialami berupa gangguan muskuloskeletal dan kelelahan yang muncul pada bagian, pinggang, lengan, pergelangan tangan, betis dan pergelangan kaki.

This research seeks to examine the impact of workstation types on the coupling of neural and vascular activities of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The design of the workstations was found to impair the performance, physical and mental health of employees. However, the mechanism underlying cognitive activity involved during workstation design-related stress effects in the PFC has not been fully understood. We used electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to simultaneously measure electrical activity and hemoglobin concentration changes in the PFC. The multimodal signal was collected from 23 healthy adult volunteers who completed the Montreal imaging stress task in ergonomic and non-ergonomic workstations. A supervised machine learning method based on temporally embedded canonical correlation analysis (tCCA) was utilized to obtain the association between neural activity and local changes in hemoglobin concentrations to enhance localization and accuracy. The results showed deactivation in alpha power rhythms and oxygenated hemoglobin, as well as declined activation pattern of the fused data in the right PFC at the non-ergonomic workstation. Additionally, all participants at the non-ergonomic workstation experienced a substantial rise in salivary alpha-amylase activity in comparison with the ergonomic workstation, indicating the existence of high-stress levels. The proposed tCCA approach obtains excellent results in discriminating workstation types achieving accuracies of 98.8% and a significant improvement of 8.0% (p

Background: Nurses are subjected to musculoskeletal disorders for the reason of working situations and pressures, which any neglect of them causes a poor quality of hospital services provided to the patients. So, the present study was conducted to develop and evaluate the intervention based on the educational and reduction of musculoskeletal disorders among nurses of Khansar Fatemieh Hospital. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was carried out on 74 nursing staffs of Fatemieh Hospital, Khansar, Iran, who were studied completely as the whole census. Inclusion criteria were nurses who were responsible for patient transmission, with more than one year of work experience and without a case history of musculoskeletal disorders. Exclusion criteria were surgery or accident while studying as well as disinclination to continue taking part in the study. Initially, the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders was investigated by Nordic Questionnaire and Occupational Risk Factors by Rapid Body Assessment Technique (REBA). Evaluation criteria for the impact of training consisted of training such as film, pamphlets, handouts, informing in telegram channels, etc. Ultimately, after three months of training courses, the workstation was re-assessed through the above methods, and the data were analyzed through SPSS software version 16, Chi-square statistical tests, McNemar and Wilcoxon tests; then the effectiveness of the educational intervention was identified. Results: The mean age and work experience of the participants were 5.27 (32.83)and 4/55 (7.83) year respectively. The results illustrated that the highest rate of prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders was pertinent to the waist (64.90%) and knee (62.20%), wrist (50/00%) in order. The results obtained from the REBA technique indicated that 89.20% of participants were above the range of risk average. After the intervention, statistical tests exhibited a significant reduction in scores and level of risk achieved by the REBA technique (p-value0.05). No significant relationship could be seen between gender, work experience, BMI (Body Mass Index) and prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (P-value>0.05) in this study, but the statistical tests indicated that there was a significant relationship between age and pain in wrist area (P-value

Objectives The article presents the results of selected pilot studies conducted in medical ambulances. Their aim was to determine the working conditions and identify troublesome factors accompanying the performance of basic medical procedures by rescue teams. Material and Methods The study of working conditions was carried out in Mercedes-Benz ambulances, type S and P. Fifty-one paramedics of the Emergency Medical Rescue Service in Siedlce took part in the research. The questionnaire expert survey method and the direct observation method were used. Results As a result of the applied research methods, knowledge was gained on the irregularities and difficulties that occur at the workplace of a paramedic, i.e., in an ambulance, including the lack of access to essential elements of medical equipment and their different location inside the vehicle, and the diversity of solutions for the spatial structure of ambulances, which all cause difficulties at work. Research has shown that paramedics take, on average, 33 min to familiarize themselves with the location of equipment in an ambulance other than the one in which they are usually on duty. There was no correlation between the lifeguard’s length of service and the time necessary for getting acquainted with the equipment, which was studied using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. In the study, rescuers also pointed to musculoskeletal ailments, mainly spinal pains resulting from taking forced positions during medical activities in an ambulance. Conclusions The results obtained constitute the basis for the author’s methodology of complex research aimed at defining the ergonomic recommendations necessary in the modification process of the operated medical fleet. The next step will be to formulate uniform guidelines for the construction of medical compartments of ambulances, the application of which will lead to the unification of their spatial structure regardless of the vehicle brand. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2020;33(1):91–105

Background Outdoor fitness training has become popular as a tool for improving the health, especially middle-aged and older adults. For this purpose, outdoor fitness equipment (OFE) have been installed in public areas. However, their safety and effectiveness are still unknown. The aim of the present research was to analyze the sagittal disposition of the spine and pelvic tilt during the use of OFE, and to determine the influence of anthropometric variables on these factors in middle-aged and older adults. Methods Seventy healthy volunteers, 56 women and 14 men (age: 63.14 ± 8.19 years) participated in the study. Sagittal spine disposition and pelvic tilt were measured using a Spinal Mouse®, in the relaxed standing position, and during the use of the OFE. In addition, kinanthropometry variables were also measured according to the guidelines of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry. Results Regarding thoracic kyphosis, a significant decrease was found in thoracic kyphosis in the initial position (IP) in single bonny rider (SBR) (p = 0.006) and row (p = 0.046), and a significant increase in the final position (FP) in the row (p = 0.011), surfboard (p

Dental ergonomics provides an overview of dentists' work efficiency. The objective of this study was to obtain quantitative information and produce a visualization of the network of scientific publications on the topic of ergonomics and dentistry using bibliometric analysis. Data mining was conducted using the Scopus database and Boolean expressions (ergonom* AND dentist*) on 14 April 2023. Data extraction and analysis were performed using Open Refine version 3.5.2., VOSviewer version 1.6.17., VOSviewer thesaurus, Microsoft Excel, and Tableau Professional version 2020.1.2. A total of 682 documents were identified, with the United States having the largest number of documents and citations (89 documents, 1321 citations). Work , Dentistry Today , and the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health were the top three sources. Ergonomics and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are two of the very prominent keywords, with research topics covering prevalence, causes, factors related to causes, prevention, assessment, rehabilitation, evaluation, and intervention. There was no research on ergonomic interventions that collaborated with human factors and ergonomics (HFE). We conclude that the trending topic of dental ergonomics research topics around the world is centered on MSDs. The future research challenge is to apply HFE science to improve the health, safety, efficiency, and quality of dentists' work.

Occupational safety and health (OSH) aspects are key issues that organizations need to be given attention. Negligence in implementing OSH aspects will have a negative impact on workers and organizations. An increase in accidents at work, growing degrees of absenteeism, as well as higher levels of sickness and stress at work seem to indicate that even more urgent action is required. Previous studies have also indicated that ergonomics plays a significant role with respect to OSH problems, especially in the manufacturing sector. The implementation of certain initiatives based on ergonomics might well provide an avenue for solving, or at least alleviating, safety and health-related problems at work. This study will attempt to answer the question on does ergonomic work system (EWS) affects OSH performance? A total of 843 respondents from several companies and states in Malaysia were surveyed and analyzed. The results of the study show that the majority of employees are not aware of the problems related to ergonomics in the workplace. A study of the successes found the significant relationship between the dimensions of ergonomic work systems and the occupational safety and health performance in the manufacturing industry. Therefore, several initiatives should be taken by organisation to enhance workers' performance, especially in regards to implementation of ergonomics aspects as well as safety and health elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainability of the SMEs depends on how the SMEs could compete with their competitor. Utilizing technology is a way that can be used to survive in those competitions. Unfortunately, some of the SMEs in Indonesia could not afford to utilize the technology due to financial problems. Therefore, the aim of this research is to create an ergonomic working environment by utilizing the technology through the design of the press and molding machine. In its application, the concepts of Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) and Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) were used to assess the working posture. The results of this assessment show that the working environment of this SME, especially in the pressing and molding process was not ergonomic and need to be improved. The given improvement is in the form of press and molding machine design and its prototype. The designing process was done using the concept of Quality Function Deployment (QFD). On the other side, to assess the level of success for the given design and machine, the REBA and RULA assessment was carried out. The results of the REBA and RULA assessment for the new machine showed that it could decrease the previous score of both REBA and RULA. The results of this research are expecting to increase the production capacity, minimizing the occurrence of MSDs, and improving the quality of the chips. In the long-term, it will be able to increase the competitiveness of this SME. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are commonly occurring disorders nowadays. The present study was conducted with the aim of determining MSDs in dentists and to assess knowledge about ergonomics. Materials and Methods: This questionnaire study was conducted among 460 dental professionals of different age groups. Parameters such as posture of dentists, working alone or with an assistant, and number of breaks were recorded. Type of MSDs and the type and effectiveness were recorded. Results: BDS students were seventy, interns were 112, general dentists were 186, and specialists were 92. Year of practice was <5 years in 215, 5-10 years in 70, 10-20 years in 35, and >20 years in 140 students. Fourteen percent of students, 18% interns, 45% general practitioners, and 32% of specialists had a prevalence of MSD. Most common MSDs in students were upper back pain seen in 6%, in interns were upper back pain seen in 8%, in general practitioners were shoulder pain seen in 21%, and in specialists were hand/wrist pain seen in 10%. Forty-five percent of students, 67% interns, 72% general dentists, and 80% of specialists had idea about ergonomics. Seventy-four percent of students, 80% of interns, 83% of general dentists, and 87% of specialists think that ergonomics may improve performance. Sitting position was preferred seen in 53% of students, 58% of interns, 65% general dentists, and 60% of specialists. Forty-five percent of students, 47% of interns, 56% of general dentists, and 52% of specialists perform physical activity during work. The difference was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05). Seventy-nine percent of students, 83% of interns, 86% of general dentists, and 88% of specialists show prolong sitting or standing. Conclusion: Authors found that all prefer to apply ergonomic in clinical practice. There is a lack of knowledge among BDS students and interns about ergonomics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]