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The 'Sit-Stand e-Guide' e-training program, designed to promote appropriate use of sit-stand workstations (SSWs), was evaluated for usability, acceptability and impact on various outcomes among SSW users. Participants from a large municipal organisation (25% male; mean age 45 [SD = 10.6] years) completed questionnaires pre-training (T0, n = 57), immediately post-training (T1, n = 50), and four weeks (T2, n = 46: primary endpoint) and twelve months later (T3, n = 30). High usability, acceptability and usefulness scores were reported at T1. Median [IQR] knowledge (4.4/5 [0.9]) and confidence (4.6/5 [1.0]) significantly increased at T1 compared to baseline (2.8 [1.2]; 3.3 [1.4]) and maintained at T2 and T3. At T2, mean [SD] sitting time (5.3 [1.2] h/workday) and low back discomfort (2.4 [2.3]) significantly decreased compared to baseline (6.1 [1.3] h; 3.4 [2.5] discomfort), SSW usage increased (1.4 [1.4]–2.8 [1.7] transitions), with no significant changes in work performance. Some behavioural changes were sustained at T3. The Sit-Stand e-Guide was acceptable and effective; evaluation across diverse workplaces and workers is now needed. PRACTITIONER SUMMARY: This study evaluated a novel, evidence-based e-training program to support the appropriate use of sit-stand workstations. The Sit-Stand e-Guide showed high usability, acceptability and effectiveness in enhancing workers' knowledge and awareness of sedentary behaviour and the use of their sit-stand workstation. It also improved sit/stand behaviour and low back discomfort. However, for long-term benefits, yearly refresher training is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postsecondary students with disabilities (SWDs) face significant challenges to their academic and personal well-being. There is a demand for more supportive strategies to facilitate fulfilling and equitable academic experiences for SWDs. This review aimed to (1) determine the effectiveness of various interventions, programs, and accommodations for enhancing the overall well-being of postsecondary SWDs and (2) evaluate the implications of these support strategies for disability service providers at postsecondary institutions. A narrative review was conducted, examining 13 studies aimed at enhancing the well-being of postsecondary SWDs. Studies were classified using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Model. Ergonomics, assistive technology, and counselling programs had positive improvements on the academic success of SWDs. In SWDs, health status was associated with higher community participation, and physical interventions were beneficial to reducing pain over time. Coaching and mentoring opportunities were beneficial for successful goal fulfilment. However, there remains a risk of digital eye strain when using technology to support postsecondary SWDs. The findings indicate that a range of support strategies can benefit several different components of SWDs experiences. This review identifies research gaps and opportunities to examine support strategies to improve the physical and mental well-being of SWDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluation of workplace ergonomics for office workers is significant for occupational health. Since office employees' work is often mental, this evaluation should include a mental workload assessment as well as a physical assessment. The purpose of this study is to examine the physical and mental workload of office workers of an automotive supplier company. This study was carried out on 250 office workers. The musculoskeletal and physical risks were investigated using Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) and Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ), and the mental workload was analyzed with NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX). Musculoskeletal disorder risk and mental workload levels were revealed by statistical analysis and examined on the basis of departments. The correlations between risk levels obtained by different methods and the effect of gender and age factors were also investigated. ROSA final score average was 3.69 which corresponds to a moderate risk level. 62.4% of the employees for the chair section and 64.4% of them for the keyboard and mouse section were at moderate and above risk levels. According to the CMDQ results, the body regions with the most discomfort were determined as the neck, upper back, lower back and right wrist. NASA-TLX scores showed that the highest mental workload occurs in office workers in Accounting, Maintenance and Purchasing departments. NASA-TLX scores were found to be correlated with the ROSA final score, but not with the CMDQ scores. Evaluating the musculoskeletal disorder risks and mental workload of office workers together and taking the necessary precautions were beneficial in terms of protecting the health of the employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of robots as personal assistants has gained significant interest in recent years. In this research, our motivation is to employ a robot as a personal assistant to optimize the office ergonomics for students. Our personal assistant system consists of DARWIN-OP2 robot, reinforcement algorithm, ROS, communication with robot (using text to speech and speech to text capabilities), and bad posture detection. We conducted a case study on the personal assistant system. The robot receives feedback from student subjects through verbal chatting. Then, the robot executes some tasks such as performing actions or suggesting verbal advice's to improve the student's ergonomics. The study included a user evaluation of the robot's performance, which involved a group of 31 student participants using the robot for a certain period of time. The results show that the DARWIN-OP2 robot is able to effectively and correctly provide valuable health exercises that relieved users' pains. Additionally, student subjects reported high levels of satisfaction with the robot's performance and perceived the robot as a helpful personal assistant as it helped in improving their ergonomics. In particular, evaluations of the system, using the group of 31 students, show the system scores 7.7 (out of 10) in speech recognition; 9.7 in health advice's pain relief; and 9 in users' opinion on using DARWIN-OP2 as a personal assistant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the emergence of COVID-19 and the resultant reduction in direct personal contact, we were faced with a novel challenge of how to conduct studies that involved both semi-structured elicitation of detailed cognitive information and the evaluation of software interfaces and algorithms. We leveraged distributed communication technologies to support data collection across three separate human-computer interaction studies. We describe these studies in terms of specific computer-mediated communication methods and features and how we used them. We also present lessons learned, potential risks and detriments of using such approaches, (e.g., connectivity dependence, reduced ability to observe non-verbal cues, and diminished interpersonal interaction), along with how the research community can compensate for the shortcomings of distributed data collection in human-centered research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I have recently used several systems that are not usable but have been declared successes. Success means that their use is increasing, no one was fired, and the usability problems are solved by the users who either work much harder or through surrogates. After defining usability, I describe these systems and provide a list of reasons why these systems are both unusable and successes, seemingly a paradox for human factors. The article concludes by explaining this paradox, noting several ways this can happen, particularly when stakeholders' viewpoints are excluded or discounted by designers and by other types of users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study evaluated a standing armrest to provide more acceptable ergonomic guidelines that may reduce the cost of standing computer workstations. Background: Of the many advantages of standing workstations, there have been no efforts to minimize the biomechanical cost, such as larger wrist extension and greater forearm muscle activity than sitting. Method: Sixteen participants were asked to perform a typing task under a combination of the following factors: (1) desk shape (rectangular and concave); (2) desk height (0, +5, -5 cm from 90° elbow flexion); and (3) monitor height (0, −10 cm from the eyes). During the trials, the trunk kinematics, muscle activation levels, and CoP were recorded. Results: Both arms were further away from the upper body under the concave and +5 desk height than under the normal condition, but significant decreases in the extensor carpi radialis (8.6%), anterior deltoid (28.8%), and L4 paraspinals (5.5%) were observed. Similarly, the wrist extension angle decreased by 10.5° (42%) under this condition, but the posture required a 2.2° (19%) increase in wrist adduction angle. The CoP irregularity was greater under the concave workstation, indicating more complex motion. Conclusion: A higher and concave desk can provide an armrest effect while engaged in a standing workstation by reducing the wrist extension and related muscle activation level, but at the cost of a larger wrist adduction angle. Application: Providing a standing armrest (+5 cm height and concave desk) could reduce the stresses on the upper extremities, but a split keyboard should be considered to minimize wrist adduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Prolonged and sustained work posture among computer users is one of the main factors that contributes to musculoskeletal discomfort. Rest-break interventions such as task variation and microbreaks may help prevent muscle fatigue and work-related musculoskeletal disorder. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the effects of task variation and microbreaks at seated and standing workstations on forearm muscle activity, namely extensor digitorum communis, extensor carpi ulnaris, flexor digitorum superficialis, and flexor carpi ulnaris; mouse operation force (vertical compression force); mouse operation parameters; and perceived body discomfort during mouse operation. METHODS: Twelve healthy right-handed young adults were recruited (male: n = 7, 21.6±1.4 years; female: n = 5, 21.4±1.7 years). Participants performed three blocks of computer tasks (computer mouse operation and typing) in both seated and standing postures with each block lasting for 30 min. Surface electromyography (EMG) of the forearm muscles and operation force were monitored during computer mouse operation. Body discomfort rating was recorded at the end of each block. RESULTS: With simulated task variation and microbreaks, work posture and work time showed no significant difference with EMG amplitude and mouse operation force. CONCLUSION: Task variation and microbreaks could be of benefit to computer users by reducing muscle fatigue during long hours of computer work at both seated and standing workstations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: As modern occupations become more sedentary, desk-bound workers are more at risk of chronic diseases. Active workstations have gained popularity in the workplace, but there remain concerns about their impact on cognitive function. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the use of a novel under-desk leg swing device on cognitive ability in the workplace compared to sitting. METHODS: Cognitive ability was measured using a pre-employment aptitude test (CCAT), and perceived outcomes were analyzed via self-report questionnaires. Using a randomized, repeated measures crossover design, 18 undergraduate students undertook the CCAT while using the under-desk leg swing device and while sitting only (Experiment 1). 9 students returned two to three weeks later to repeat testing (Experiment 2). RESULTS: In Experiment 1, CCAT scores did not differ significantly between the under-desk leg swing device and sitting (mean difference (MD) = –1.056, standard error (SE) = 1.302,p = 0.429, d = –0.16). Effect sizes of 0.554 were observed for perceived alertness, 0.446 for attention, 0.446 for focus, and 0.564 for enjoyment, but there were no significant differences between the two conditions. CCAT scores were significantly higher in Experiment 2 than in Experiment 1 (MD = 8.444, SE = 2.410,p = 0.008, d = 1.64). CONCLUSION: Based on Experiment 1, the findings suggest that the use of the under-desk leg swing device promotes movement without detriment to neither workflow nor cognitive ability relevant to employee aptitude compared to sitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: The Workplace Safety Culture Questionnaire (WSCQ) was developed to assess the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices on Workplace Safety Culture (WSC) among public sector office workers in Nigeria. The main objective of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of the new Workplace Safety Culture Questionnaire (WSCQ) using the Information Motivation and Behavior (IMB) model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The WSCQ questionnaire was completed twice by the respondents themselves, with an interval of ten days between sessions, to assess the accuracy of the initial results with the retest. This study involved 44 participants. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha showed significant item consistency for each construct in the second pilot study. The information construct (Cronbach's a=0.929 and minimum corrected item-total correlation (CITC)=0.399). The motivation construct (Cronbach's a=0.932 and minimum corrected item-total correlation (CITC)=0.450). The behavior construct (Cronbach's a=0.812 and minimum corrected item-total correlation (CITC)= 0.401). In test-retest reliability, Cohen's kappa coefficient for construct of information for all items was almost 70% between (kappa k=0.689-1000, p<0.001). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the construct of motivation for all items is 90% between (ICC=0.810-1000, p<0.001) and (kappa k=0.944-1000, p<0.001) for the construct of behavior was 71% for all items. CONCLUSION: This study introduces the WSCQ using the IMB model among public sector office workers as the first official validation of the WSCQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the factors that explain the differences in the ways that individuals use activity-based offices (ABOs). This study aimed to investigate whether person-related and situational factors are associated with self-reported use of workspaces and the perceived person-environment (P-E) fit in ABOs, independently of the job profile. Survey data were gathered in one organisation (N = 332) 7–11 months after an office re-design. Younger age, male gender, managerial position, and better work ability were associated with more frequent use of different workspaces. Workspace switching was perceived as more time-consuming by employees who worked at the office less, had a high workload, and were dissatisfied with ergonomics. All variables except gender were associated with the P-E fit. Person-related and situational factors appear relevant to workspace use and P-E fit, independently of job contents. Contextual, cultural, and office design differences should be considered when generalising these results. Practitioner summary: This case study investigated individual differences in how activity-based offices are used. Being younger, male, a manager, or having good work ability were associated with using workspaces more actively. Person-related and situational factors appear relevant to how offices are used and perceived, in addition to job characteristics. Abbreviations: ABO: activity-based office; P-E fit: person-environment fit; RQ: research question; SD: standard deviation; IN: interactive needs; CD: cognitive demands; OR: odds ratio; M: mean; ref.: reference category; CI: confidence interval; h: hour; PO: proportional odds [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study objective was to quantify "natural" seated pelvis and lumbar spine kinematics over multiple days of work at individuals' workstations. Twenty participants completed five days of their usual office work while seated time was characterized from a thigh-worn activity monitor. Seated pelvic tilt and lumbar spine flexion-extension were measured from tri-axial accelerometers. Seated time accounted for approximately 90% of participants' workdays. Sitting was characterized by posterior pelvic tilt and lumbar flexion (43–79% of maximum flexion) with an average of 9 shifts and 13 fidgets every 15 min. No significant differences emerged by sex or between days indicating that a single representative day can capture baseline sitting responses in the field. Average field kinematics tended to agree with the laboratory-collected kinematics, but postural variability was larger in the field. These kinematic values could be useful for designing interventions aimed at reducing spine flexion and increasing spine movement in occupational sitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sedentary behavior at work contributes to detrimental cognitive outcomes (e.g., decreases in attention). The length of time that cognitive performance benefits are sustained following bouts of breaking up sitting (e.g., using sit-stand desks or walking) is not known. A narrative review of the literature was conducted using a systematic search strategy, with keywords related to breaking up sitting interventions in office-based environments and cognitive performance outcomes in the period immediately post the cessation of the breaking up sitting intervention. Three types of office-based breaking up sitting interventions were identified; 1) sit-stand desks, 2) walking desks and 3) cycling desks. From the eight studies which met the criteria, the impacts of these interventions on cognitive performance outcomes were mixed, with significant benefits in some studies and others reporting no benefit. Of the cognitive domains assessed, working memory, attention, and psychomotor function showed significant sustained improvement for up to 30 minutes post intervention. While there are benefits to a key set of cognitive performance domains following breaking up sitting interventions in office-based settings, no studies have evaluated whether benefits to cognitive performance persist for longer than 30 minutes after the breaking up sitting intervention. Furthermore, specific applications of these cognitive benefits to tasks outside of work (e.g., driving home from work) are unknown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most important and the most common health problems among office workers and computer users is the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This study aims to investigate the risk of MSDs and associated factors in the office workplaces of a Electonic Units Design and Manufacturing Company. Data were gathered from 102 office employees from a manufacturing company via ROSA method and Cornell questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed to examine the relationship between ergonomic risk levels and MSDs reported by the office staff. The mean ROSA final score is 4,43 (std. dev. = 0.9785), chair section is 4,41, monitor and telephone section is 1,83, and mouse and keyboard section is 3,04. Fifty one of 102 (50%) office workplaces are at risk. The most important factor to raise the risk level is found to be the height and depth of the chair. The Cornell questionnaire results highlight that the highest discomfort severity is related to the neck (39,29), back (38,95%), waist (11,45%) and shoulders (4,11% and 4,05%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prolonged sitting at work can lead to adverse health outcomes. The health risk of office workers is an increasing concern for the society and industry, with prolonged sitting work becoming more prevalent. Objective: This study aimed to explore the variation in muscle activities during prolonged sitting work and found out when and how to take a break to mitigate the risk of muscle symptoms. Methods: A preliminary survey was conducted to find out the prevalence of muscle discomfort in sedentary work. Firstly, a 2-h sedentary computer work was designed based on the preliminary study to investigate the variation in muscle activities. Twenty-four participants took part in the electromyography (EMG) measurement study. The EMG variations in the trapezius muscle and latissimus dorsi were investigated. Then the intervention time was determined based on the EMG measurement study. Secondly, 48 participants were divided into six groups to compare the effectiveness of every break type (passive break, active break of changing their posture, and stand and stretch their body with 5 or 10 mins). Finally, data consisting of EMG amplitudes and spectra and subjective assessment of discomfort were analyzed. Results: In the EMG experiment, results from the joint analysis of the spectral and amplitude method showed muscle fatigue after about 40 mins of sedentary work. In the intervention experiment, the results showed that standing and stretching for 5 mins was the most effective break type, and this type of break could keep the muscles' state at a recovery level for about 30−45 mins. Conclusions: This study offers the possibility of being applied to office workers and provides preliminary data support and theoretical exploration for a follow-up early muscle fatigue detection system.

A number of studies in literature focus on seated workers and investigate physical workload, related back/neck pain, environmental ergonomics such as illumination, thermal comfort, cooperation, and work organization. Although, the positioning of furniture and related units may directly or indirectly influence the performance of workers, up-to best knowledge, the office layout problem is not studied in detail. Therefore, this study aims to illustrate how fractal layout concept can be adapted for cell type office layouts. The study is novel because, the constraints of a basic mathematical model that is originally defined for unequal area facility layout problem is redefined as to meet the ergonomic requirements and generate a layout. Proposed approach is used to solve the office layout problem in a university department. It is concluded that the layout obtained by considering the closeness ratings defined by office employees along with the redefined constraints outperforms the current layout.

BACKGROUND: Computer-intensive office work associations with health challenges may intensify following COVID-19 pandemic-related changes to home-based office work. OBJECTIVE: To determine working conditions, perception and physical elements affecting health after pivoting to full time home-work. METHODS: An online questionnaire addressed physical, productivity, motivation, and work-practice factors. Photos of the worker in their home-work environment showed side and front-back perspectives. RESULTS: Sixteen questionnaires were received, and 12 respondents supplied photos. Home and office workplace differences varied. Ten felt productivity was affected, most often positively. Four noted increased pain or fatigue intensity, particularly in the eyes, neck / head, lower back, and shoulders. Working posture was not optimal; six didn't use traditional chair-sitting for up to half the day. Forward and backward trunk inclination accounted for at least 10% of the workday for 12 respondents; lateral inclination affected ten and eight had unsupported legs. Fifteen used an adjustable chair, but photos revealed ergonomic recommendations were not consistently followed. Fourteen participants communicated regularly by telephone, eight only for moderate duration and ten using adapted telephone equipment. Half of the ROSA scores were high. CONCLUSIONS: Workers forced into telework during the pandemic experience positive and negative impacts. Postures vary more than in offices, potentially increasing health risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along with today's technological developments, office workers in the public sector spend a large part of their time in front of the computer. The use of computers in the public sector, on the one hand, facilitates the work, on the other hand, brings health problems. It is important to determine effective mitigation measures in the control of ergonomic risk factors in the workplace and to evaluate the effectiveness of previously established systems. It is known that ergonomic factors have a significant effect on job satisfaction and work efficiency in working life. In this direction, the productivity of the workforce will be positively affected to the extent that a suitable and comfortable working environment is provided to the employees in terms of health and work safety. In this study, it is aimed to determine the problems that arise depending on the conditions in the offices of a large-scale metal plant and to develop solutions. A questionnaire consisting of 5 main parts was designed in order to evaluate the physical conditions in the working environment (noise, climate, lighting), working environment and equipment used. The questionnaire was applied to a total of 151 employees, at least one person in each office of the enterprise, after the application for test purposes. The survey data were evaluated with the SPSS package program. In the measurements made in the offices, the noise level was 49.03 dB(A), the temperature was 22.40°C, the humidity was 34.35%, and the lighting level was 301.5 lux. 55% of the employees found that the desk width was appropriate. It was determined that the chairs of 25 people (16.6%) could not be adjusted, and the back support of 119 people (78.8%) was adjustable. The most common health problems related to health (musculoskeletal disorders) that employees are exposed to were evaluated. It has been determined that the most common health problems experienced by the employees are neck, waist, back and shoulder disorders. Neck disorders, which are thought to be caused by working at a desk for long hours, are the highest. 96 employees (63.58%) reported that they felt pain in the neck region at least once a week, and 91.67% of those who felt pain reported mild to moderate pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Primary Objective: To analyse the knowledge and awareness of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among bankers in Maval region using a self- administered survey-based questionnaire. To analyse the knowledge and awareness of office ergonomics among bankers in Maval region using a self-administered survey-based questionnaire. Secondary Objective: To find association between the knowledge and awareness of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and office ergonomics among bankers in Maval region and their age as a part of demographic data. Method: It was a cross-sectional study in which a self-madequestionnaire was used to know the knowledge and awareness of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and office ergonomics among bankers.Google form link of the same was mailed to the 252 participants by making a list of all banks in Maval region, approached in person and telephonically and their data was collected.After collecting the data,it was analysed statistically and representation of qualitative characteristics like age, gender was represented through graphical pie charts. The survey results were shown as percentage in the form of graphical representation through pie charts and in the tabular form. Results: Through results it was seen that bankers were aware about work-related musculoskeletal disorders and office ergonomics but were not implementing it their working tenure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Ergonomics issues while using virtual reality (VR) headsets for text-intensive applications have not been studied. Measures of neck and shoulder discomfort and simulator sickness symptoms were quantified while participants were performing a document creation task for 60 min using a VR headset and a desktop monitor. During the task with the headset, participants rotated the head 2.7 times more frequently and used the neck extensor muscles 25.9% more, in average. They also rated the neck and shoulder discomfort 60% and 17.5% higher after the task. The simulator sickness symptoms were also rated significantly higher (p <.05) for the headset condition, with more pronounced differences in the symptoms related to visual discomfort. Results indicate that the physical discomforts due to the frequent head rotations and the headset weight, and visual discomforts due to difficulty in reading texts were the main issues of the VR headset for common office tasks. Practitioner summary: Ergonomics issues associated with the use of a VR headset for conducting office productivity work tasks have been evaluated in an experiment. Study results indicate that the development in the neck physical discomfort and visual discomfort may be the main barriers to the use of current VR headsets for office works. Abbreviations: VR: virtual reality; VDT: video display terminal; EMG: electromyography; MVC: maximum voluntary contraction; SSQ: simulator sickness questionnaire; ECG: electrocardiogram; NEMG: normalised electromyography [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: This article describes the use of Raster Stereography in the monitoring of the changes in spinal biomechanics. The measurement results show the effect of sitting on different types of office chair, on changes in the curvature of the spine. The current development trend of the operational activities indicates an increase in occupations which last for a few generations and whose primary position is the activity in the sitting position. This trend is directly connected with the technological progress and development of the society within Industry 4.0. However, the workplaces intended for sitting occupations that are designed according to the current standards are unsuitable from several perspectives. The long-term sitting activities at most actual workplaces cause an accumulation of the static load. For this reason, the article deals with dynamizing the activities in the sitting position. The presented research is based on utilizing the knowledge of the sitting posture dynamics and on the information acquired through diagnostics based on the Raster Stereography as an innovative method based on modelling a natural human spin. The article brings the first research results, which points out the fact that probably not all types of dynamic sitting that are nowadays preferred are suitable for long-term working. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, there is no guidance on the training programme approach that should be provided to new sit-stand workstation users to optimally integrate workstation usage patterns into their working day. The objective of this research study was to determine if a training programme could influence long-term usage of sit-stand workstations. Thirty-five employees from the University of Waterloo volunteered to participate in this longitudinal study. Two different types of training programmes were delivered: (1) an example from industry and (2) based on current literature. There was an influence of training programme on the frequency of sit to stand transitions made each day. Those who received the additional training programme also reported sitting less, standing more and used their sit-stand workstations more consistently day-to-day than those who did not. Practitioner Summary: A longitudinal study was conducted to assess the impact of training programmes on sit-stand workstation usage. A training programme based on current literature resulted in more consistent sit-stand usage than an industry example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Working at a standing desk is a popular strategy to help reduce low back pain development during prolonged computer work. The purpose of this study was to examine how muscle activity, joint kinematics, weight distribution, balance and low back discomfort were affected by utilising footrests at different heights while working at a standing desk. Sixteen individuals performed a computer task at a standing workstation under four conditions: flat ground stance, and standing with one leg elevated on a low (10 cm), medium (20 cm), or high (30 cm) footrest. Footrest usage altered lumbo-pelvic and bilateral hip joint angles, muscle activity, weight distribution, and range of sway in the elevated limb. Additionally, footrest height altered lumbo-pelvic and hip joint position in the elevated limb. Discomfort increased with time across all conditions. Results suggest that intermittent utilisation of a footrest should be considered to promote changes in posture and muscle activity during prolonged computer use. Practitioner summary: This laboratory study showed that utilising a footrest between the heights of 10–30 cm during standing computer work may be beneficial to promote changes in posture and muscle activity over time. However, we recommend exercising caution while maintaining any standing position beyond 10 min of consecutive use. Abbreviations: LBP: low back pain; PD: pain developer; NPD: non-pain developer; GMe: gluteus medius; TFL: tensor fascia lata; LES: lumbar erector spinae; COP: centre of pressure; NDI: northern digital incorporated; CV: coefficient of variation; WHQ: waterloo handedness questionnaire; WFQ: waterloo footedness questionnaire; VAS: visual analogue scale; OBDI: Oswestry back disability index; IBS: International Society of Biomechanics; sEMG: surface electromyography; MVIC: maximum voluntary isometric contraction; RMS: root mean square; A/P: anterior/posterior; M/L: medial/lateral; % MVE: percentage of maximum voluntary excitation; ROM: range of motion; MCID: minimum clinically important difference [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yapılan çalışma ile 2017 yılında Düzce Üniversitesi merkez kampüsünde çalışan akademik ve idari personelin çalıştıkları ofisler ve ofis ortamları analiz edimiştir. Çalışma kapsamında DÜ merkez kampüsünde 12 farklı merkezde 523’ü akademik, 275’i idari personel olmak üzere toplam 798 çalışan çalışmanın evrenini oluşturmaktadır. Çalışmada veri elde etme aracı olarak anket formundan yararlanılmıştır. Çalışmada yararlanılan anket formu araştırmacılar tarafından literatüre bağlı kalınarak geliştirilmiştir. Çalışmada kullanılan anket formu 2 farklı bölümde 17 soru ve 62 yargıdan oluşturulmuştur. Çalışma kapsamında %95 güven düzeyi ve %5 hata payına göre ulaşılması gereken denek sayısı 260 olarak hesaplanmış ve çalışma kapsamında 316 çalışana ulaşılmıştır. Çalışma kapsamında katılımcıların %12,7’sinin ergonomik bilgisayar kullanımı hakında bilgi sahibi olduğu, %43’ünün de ergonomik bilgisayar kullanımı hakkında bilgi sahibi olmadığı belirlenmiştir. Çalışma kapsamında kullanılan ofislerin gerek doğal gerekse de yapay aydınlatılma bakımından iyi olduğu, hava kalitesi bakımından iyi olduğu, ses yalıtımı bakımından çok iyi olduğu, özellikle ofislerin temizliği ve düzenliliğinin ve çalışma alanlarının alansal olarak yeterliliğinin iyi olduğu ve kullanılan masa ve sandalyelerin de antropometrik olarak çalışanlara uygun olduğunu tespit edilmiştir.

Ergonomics is called the scientific study of the relationship between person and his work environment. With the advancing technology and rapidly increasing possibilities, today many businesses are managed from venues and offices. The items (especially furniture) used in spaces and offices are extremely important in terms of increasing the productivity of the employees. With this study, it was tried to investigate whether the ergonomic adequacy of the physical environment conditions in the offices differ significantly according to the demographic characteristics of the academic staff working at Usak University. The research population consists of academic staff working at Usak University. In the spring semester of 2017-2018, totally 720 academic staff work at the university. Within the scope of the study, it was aimed to reach all academic staff, but 300 academic staff were sent a survey. While preparing the questionnaire form to be used in the study, previously prepared studies on the subject were used. Surveys were received from 182 academic staff within the scope of the study. The return rate of the surveys is 61%. The questionnaire forms obtained were then evaluated statistically with the help of SPSS package program. It was determined that 42,3% of the participants were between the ages of 25-34. 57,1% of the participants are men. 78% of the academic staff stated that they found the proximity of the office they work with to the job related tools (photocopy, printer, etc.) are sufficient. 73,6% of the participants think that the office furniture is suitable for their body sizes and 72,5% of the participants think that the other offices that they work at are close enough. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: It has been known for many years that workplace environment of the individuals has a great impact on human health. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of ergonomic intervention on the health complaints of office workers. Material and Method: In this interventional study, the health complaints of workers were determined via implementing surveys before and after the intervention. Moreover, ergonomic observations were made for the participants and the working environment. In the context of intervention, an overall ergonomic training was provided and risk factors at work were decreased. Results: As the conclusion of the ergonomic intervention, an improvement was determined in the working posture and in equipment usage. A s a result of this, the proportion of participants with at least one area of musculoskeletal complaints decreased from 81.2% to 62.5%, while the proportion of participants with any eye complaints decreased from 52.5% to 28.7%. Conclusion: The results imply the intervention program is very useful and it is necessary to implement such programs fo r all of the risk groups by occupa tional safety and health units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, people of almost every age group are users of computers and computer aided systems. Technology makes our life easier, but it can also threaten our health. In recent years, one of the main causes of the proliferation of diseases such as lower back pain, neck pain or hernia, Arthritis, visual disturbances and obesity is wrong computer usage. The widespread use of computers also increases these findings. The purpose of this study is to direct computer users to use computers more carefully in terms of ergonomics. The user-interactive system developed for this purpose controls distance of the user to the screen and calculates the look angle and the time spent looking at the screen and provides audio or text format warning when necessary. It is thought that this system will reduce the health problems caused by the frequency of computer usage by encouraging individuals to use computers ergonomically.

Hazırlanan bu çalışma Düzce Üniversitesi (DÜ) merkez kampüsünde çalışan akademik ve idari personelin ofis çalışmalarında iş bağlı olark ortaya çıkan rahatsızlıklarının analiz edilmesini amaçlamaktadır. Araştırma evrenini DÜ merkez kampüsünde 2011-2012 eğitim öğretim yılı güz döneminde 9 farklı merkez ve 11 farklı fakültede çalışan 397 akademik ve idari personel oluşturmaktadır. Çalışma kapsamında veri elde etmek için anket formundan yararlanılmıştır. Çalışma kapsamında kullanılan anket formu literatürde yer alan çalışmalardan yararlanılarak araştırmacılar tarafından geliştirilmiştir. Çalışma kapsamında veri elde etme aracı olarak kullanılan anket formu 5 farklı bölümde 24 soru ve 92 yargıdan oluşturulmuştur. Çalışma kapsamında toplam 220 çalışandan geri dönüş alınabilmiş, ancak bazı anketlerin istatistiksel olarak değerlendirilmesinin uygun olmadığından 111 akademik, 84 idari personel olmak üzere 195 çalışandan elde edilen anketler istatistiki değerlendirmeye tabi tutulmuştur. Çalışma kapsamında katılımcıların yaklaşık %67’si günde 4-8 saat bilgisayar kullanmaktadırlar. Bilgisayar kullanımında her oturmada aralıksız olarak 1-2 saat (%77,4) bilgisayar kullanılırken, ortalama mola süresi irdelendiğinde de ortalama 10-15 dakika (%64,4) mola verdikleri belirlenmiştir. Çalışma kapsamında katılımcıların ofis ergonomisi konusunda herhangi bir eğitim almadıkları (%96,4) belirlenmiştir. Katılımcıların kullandıkları çalışma masalarının uygun olmamasından dolayı rahatsızlık yaşadıkları tesp

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Recently, the rate at which sit-to-stand workstations are being introduced into the workplace has seen a dramatic increase. Aside from adjusting the height of the desk when transitioning from sitting to standing, there is a lack of literature regarding the necessary adjustments to other equipment associated with the workstation. To better understand some of these limitations, 16 participants stood and sat at a sit-to-stand workstation while adhering to current Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Guidelines for Office Ergonomics. Transitioning between sitting and standing while adhering to CSA guidelines resulted in a 3.9 cm difference in monitor height relative to work surface between sitting and standing. Results from this investigation support the notion that monitor height adjustments relative to the work surface are necessary when utilising sit-to-stand workstations – with the implementation to practice message being that both sitting and standing configurations need to be assessed and accommodated in the workstation configuration. Practitioner summary: Limited guidelines exist in the necessary adjustments to equipment associated with sit-to-stand workstations. Transitioning between sitting and standing resulted in a 3.9 cm difference in monitor height relative to work surface between sitting and standing. This supports that monitor height adjustments relative to the workstation are necessary when using sit-to-stand workstations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Sit-stand workstations have been introduced in the workplaces to address the adverse sedentary effect inherent to typical office jobs. Existing field or laboratory studies showed that standing interventions are not a detriment to work productivity or performance. The effect of gradient standing proportion on these measures is still unknown. OBJECTIVE: The current naturalistic pilot study aimed to examine the controlled sit-stand ratio effect on office performances. METHODS: Eleven musculoskeletal symptom free office employees from a large government agency volunteered in this study. They were all equipped with electronic sit-stand desks. Computer usage (N=11) and productivity (N=3) were collected using software and organizational metrics, respectively, for four typical workdays of four different sit-stand ratios (7 : 1, 3 : 1, 2 : 1, and 1 : 1). RESULTS: There were no statistically significant schedule effects on any computer usage measures. While not significant, time using computer, keystrokes, word count, and keyboard errors were all less as standing time increased. Sit-stand ratio and job productivity did not observe a clear cause and effect relationship. CONCLUSIONS: The amount of time spent standing in typical office jobs might not affect computer usage and productivity. Further study with a larger sample is needed for a stronger evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current development trend of the operational activities indicates an increase in occupations which last for a few generations and whose primary position is the activity in the sitting position. This trend is directly connected with the technological progress and development of the society within Industry 4.0. However, the workplaces intended for sitting occupations that are designed according to the current standards are unsuitable from several perspectives. The long-term sitting activities at most actual workplaces cause an accumulation of the static load. For this reason, the article deals with dynamizing the activities in the sitting position. The presented research is based on utilizing the knowledge of the sitting posture dynamics and on the information acquired through diagnostics based on the Raster Stereography as an innovative method based on modelling a natural human spin. The article brings the first research results, which points out the fact that probably not all types of dynamic sitting that are nowadays preferred are suitable for long-term working.

The focus of this study was on the possibility of implementing an office ergonomics programme as part of a broader workplace health initiative at a South African research organisation. We explored the perspectives of actors in the workplace regarding organisational barriers and facilitators to implementing ergonomic interventions. This qualitative study presents the perspectives of three workplace actor groups: operational managers (n = 4); health and safety representatives (n = 9); and office employees (n = 4) who were involved in a previous ergonomic assessments that proposed several corrective and preventive actions. Eight factors emerged as either barriers or as simultaneous barriers and facilitators to the implementation of proposed ergonomic interventions. These are: organisational culture; information and specialist support; funding; support from operational managers; attitude towards changes; general organisational awareness; individual knowledge of ergonomics; and support from colleagues. This study is one of the first in South Africa to investigate the perspectives of workplace actors in an office setting with regard to factors that influence implementation of ergonomics initiatives to reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ergonomics science recommends office chairs that promote active sitting to reduce sitting related complaints. Since current office chairs do not fulfill this recommendation, a new chair was developed by inverting an existing dynamic chair principle. This study compares active sitting on the inverted chair during a simulated computer-based office task to two existing dynamic office chairs (n=8). Upper body stability was analysed using Friedman ANOVA (p=.01). In addition, participants completed a questionnaire to rate their comfort and activity after half a working day. The inverted chair allowed the participants to perform a substantial range of lateral spine flexion (11.5°) with the most stable upper body posture (≤11mm, ≤2°, p≤.01). The results of this study suggest that the inverted chair supports active sitting with backrest support during computer-based office work. However, according to comfort and activity ratings, results should be verified in a future field study with 24 participants. Practitioner Summary: This experimental laboratory study analyses the feasibility of active sitting with a backrest support during common office work on a new type of dynamic office chair. The results demonstrate that active sitting with a backrest support is feasible on the new but limited on existing chairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to concerns about excessive sedentary exposure for office workers, alternate work positions such as standing are being trialled. However, prolonged standing may have health and productivity impacts, which this study assessed. Twenty adult participants undertook two hours of laboratory-based standing computer work to investigate changes in discomfort and cognitive function, along with muscle fatigue, movement, lower limb swelling and mental state. Over time, discomfort increased in all body areas (total body IRR [95% confidence interval]: 1.47[1.36-1.59]). Sustained attention reaction time (β = 18.25[8.00-28.51]) deteriorated, while creative problem solving improved (β = 0.89[0.29-1.49]). There was no change in erector spinae, rectus femoris, biceps femoris or tibialis anterior muscle fatigue; low back angle changed towards less  lordosis, pelvis movement increased, lower limb swelling increased and mental state decreased. Body discomfort was positively correlated with mental state. The observed changes suggest replacing office work sitting with standing should be done with caution. Practitioner Summary: Standing is being used to replace sitting by office workers; however, there are health risks associated with prolonged standing. In a laboratory study involving 2 h prolonged standing discomfort increased (all body areas), reaction time and mental state deteriorated while creative problem-solving improved. Prolonged standing should be undertaken with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research was to investigate the following ergonomic factors that might be related to the indoor health and comfort (IHC) of office workers, such as sick building syndrome (SBS) symptoms, job comfort and musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS). The study sample comprised all 65 office workers who use computers/laptops. The methods and instruments used in the study include observation, interviews, work environment measurement and questionnaires that address job comfort as well as SBS and MSS complaints. The study results show that 53.85 percent of the workers had high levels of comfort and that 53.85 percent had SBS complaints, 33.85 percent of which were eye-strain complaints and 33.85 percent of which were complaints of fatigue. Moreover, 78.57 percent of the workers experienced MSS. The ergonomic factors that were not in compliance with established regulations or standards were chair dimension, desk dimension, computers, work posture, room dimension, room layout, room colour and environmental factors such as noise, lighting, temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde and volatile organic compound (VOCs). The study revealed a significant relationship between activity-level factors and work comfortability; additionally, VOCs concentration was a factor associated with SBS complaints. On the other hand, no significant relationship was found between ergonomic factors and MSS complaints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of technology has increased the number of activities workers are able to perform while using visual display units (VDUs), as well as the amount of time spent executing those activities; the developing technology, however, has also increased the probability of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), which can decrease a worker's productivity and result in a company's economic loss. Workers at PT. X use VDUs 8 hours per day. This research aimed to analyse the risk factors that are the likely cause of some MSD symptoms experienced by PT. X workers, such as individual and psychological factors, the work environment, VDU, chair and the work patterns. This research was a cross-sectional study that used proportional stratified random sampling with 95 participants. The study found that most of the workers experienced MSD symptoms (78.6%), of which 70.52 percent were chronic complaints, 1.37 percent were acute complaints and 6.71 percent were a combination of both acute and chronic complaints. On the other hand, 16.84 percent of the respondents did not have any MSD complaints. Risk factors that were shown to be related to MSDs include high BMI (p = 0.031), work patterns period (p = 039), job stress perception (p = 0.005) and work posture (p = 0.036). Work posture relates to seat length (p = 0.041) and seat height (p = 0.005). Job stress perception is related to the details of assignments or work (p = 0.047), duration of work (p = 0.04), duration of rest (p = 0.000), work demands (p = 0.018) and job control (p = 0.009). Based on multivariate analysis, the most dominant risk factors associated with MSD complaints were the duration of rest, work posture and job stress perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human daytime fatigue has many signs (tiredness, sleepiness, lack of vigilance). The on-set of fatigue during working hours can be dangerous for people of several professions such as lorry drivers or industry workers, however even for office workers it may lead to serious errors. Timely recognition of daytime fatigue using simple computer based tests can reduce fatigue related accidents or errors in workplace. In this paper, we analyze the use of keystroke data derived by typing on computer keyboard to recognize the state of an increased fatigue. Using specific key press and release timing information from text input tasks, we achieve an average daytime fatigue recognition accuracy of 98.11% when only three qualitative classes of daytime fatigue (low, medium and high) are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twelve office workers participated in a study investigating effects of four sit/stand schedules (90-min sit/30-min stand, 80/40, 105/15, and 60/60) via several objective and subjective measures (muscle fatigue, foot swelling, spinal shrinkage, and self-reported discomfort). Results showed that there were no significant differences in shoulder and low back static muscle activities between sitting and standing. Muscle fatigue was developed during workday under all schedules. The longest standing schedule seemed to have a tendency of reducing muscle fatigue. None of the schedules helped or worsened foot swelling and spinal shrinkage. More active break-time activities seemed reducing muscle fatigue and foot swelling. While the self-reported bodily discomfort levels were generally low, the preferred schedules among the participants were varied, although the least standing schedule was the least preferred. We may conclude that effects of using sit–stand workstation to improve musculoskeletal health may be limited but promoting more active break-time activities can help. Practitioner Summary:Sit–stand workstations are used to reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders. This study shows that office workers prefer sit/stand durations in the range between 1:1 and 3:1. Longer standing may have the potential to reduce muscle fatigue. However, active break-time activities may be more effective in reducing muscle fatigue and foot swelling. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

One of the sciences which considers to human health, human performance and body activities is Ergonomics. Ergonomics is one of the modern sciences, drawing as much from the field as from the laboratory, and including elements of art and craft as well. Before designing the workplace it is necessary to determine its requirements, i.e., which it is intended for, what are the characteristics of the existing work equipment and the additional tools needed. However, there are some standards and with their application people will prevent the occurrence of modern office diseases. This paper is focused on the positive aspects of ergonomics in improvement of the working environment.

Shoulder joint kinematics has been used as a representative indicator to investigate musculoskeletal symptoms among computer users for office ergonomics studies. The traditional measurement of shoulder kinematics normally requires a laboratory-based motion tracking system which limits the field studies. In the current study, a portable, low cost, and marker-less Microsoft Kinect™ sensor was examined for its feasibility on shoulder kinematics measurement during computer tasks. Eleven healthy participants performed a standardized computer task, and their shoulder kinematics data were measured by a Kinect sensor and a motion tracking system concurrently. The results indicated that placing the Kinect sensor in front of the participants would yielded a more accurate shoulder kinematics measurements then placing the Kinect sensor 15° or 30° to one side. The results also showed that the Kinect sensor had a better estimate on shoulder flexion/extension, compared with shoulder adduction/abduction and shoulder axial rotation. The RMSE of front-placed Kinect sensor on shoulder flexion/extension was less than 10° for both the right and the left shoulder. The measurement error of the front-placed Kinect sensor on the shoulder adduction/abduction was approximately 10° to 15°, and the magnitude of error is proportional to the magnitude of that joint angle. After the calibration, the RMSE on shoulder adduction/abduction were less than 10° based on an independent dataset of 5 additional participants. For shoulder axial rotation, the RMSE of front-placed Kinect sensor ranged between approximately 15° to 30°. The results of the study suggest that the Kinect sensor can provide some insight on shoulder kinematics for improving office ergonomics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic sitting approaches have been advocated to increase seated energy expenditure with the view of lessening the sedentary nature of the task. This study compared energy expenditure (EE) and overall body discomfort on a novel dynamic chair with a standard office chair. Fifteen pain-free participants completed a DVD viewing task on both chairs in a randomised order. Energy expenditure and discomfort were collected simultaneously. Linear mixed models were used to analyse steady-state EE recorded on each of the chairs. Differences in discomfort were analysed using Wilkoxon Signed Rank Tests. Sitting on the novel dynamic chair significantly (p = 0.005) increased energy expenditure compared to a standard office chair. The discomfort experienced was mild overall, but was significantly greater on the dynamic chair (p = 0.004). Whilst the EE was seen to be significantly higher on the dynamic chair, the MET values are still below 1.5 METS. Thus, the use of a dynamic chair does not seem to be the most effective measure to prevent sedentary behaviour. Practitioner Summary:Sitting on a dynamic chair increased energy expenditure compared to sitting on a standard office chair among pain-free participants. Whilst the EE was seen to be significantly higher on the dynamic chair, the MET values are still below 1.5 METS (low level EE). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]