Investigating the trends and causes of changes in human anthropometric dimensions over the past three decades: a challenge for ergonomic design.

Objectives. The present study aimed to review the changes in anthropometric dimensions around the world during the last 30 years.Methods. The search for this study was conducted in four databases with related keywords. Papers from 1990 to 2021 were reviewed and 4139 articles were identified, with 505 related titles. Of these, 187 articles met the eligibility criteria, and their whole text was examined; 132 articles were then included for the final review.Results. The reviewed studies showed that a large number of anthropometric dimensions of the human body have become larger than in the past, such as height. Although the increasing trend of anthropometric dimensions in the past has been faster than in recent years, decreasing changes have also been seen in some anthropometric dimensions, such as the human jaw, face width and head width. It should be noted that the main reasons for the changes mentioned in the studies are economics and family income, social conditions, health and nutrition.Conclusion. Since the process of changes in anthropometric dimensions is not always the same, anthropometric data should be updated regularly, and work environments and equipment should be reviewed or redesigned according to the new anthropometric data.

How salutogenic workplace characteristics influence psychological and cognitive responses in a virtual environment.

Until today, most research focussed on the effects of pathogenic workplace demands on employee illness instead of on salutogenic resources on health. Using a stated-choice experiment in a virtual open-plan office, this study identifies key design aspects that enhance psychological and cognitive responses, ultimately improving health outcomes. The study systematically varied six workplace attributes: screens between workstations, occupancy rate, presence of plants, views outside, window-to-wall ratio (WWR), and colour palette. Each attribute predicted perceptions of at least one psychological or cognitive state. Plants had the highest relative importance for all expected responses but views outside with ample daylight, red/warm wall colours, and a low occupancy rate without screens between desks were also important. Low-cost interventions like adding plants, removing screens, and using warm wall colours can contribute to a healthier open-plan office environment. These insights can guide workplace managers to design environments that support employees' mental states and health.Practitioner summary: Salutogenic workplace resources that promote health have been understudied. This study aimed to show which workplace characteristics caused positive psychological and cognitive responses to improve health, using a stated-choice experiment in a virtual office environment. Plants in the office were the most important attribute for employees' psychological and cognitive responses.

Measuring ergonomic interventions and prevention programs for reducing musculoskeletal injury risk in the dental workforce: A systematic review.

PURPOSE: Pain from musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) is experienced by all types of dental clinicians, leading to forced reduction of work capacity and premature retirement. Prolonged static posture is a major contributor to MSD in dentistry. Currently, there is no uniform ergonomic training in dentistry to prevent MSD. This systematic review explored and summarized methods and technologies for baseline and ongoing measurements of ergonomic intervention and prevention programs for reducing postural risk and for prevention of MSDs. METHODS: The review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. The literature search included PUBMED, Embase, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library, and identified relevant observational, experimental, quasi-experimental, research, and intervention studies. Quality was rated using a validated standardized instrument. RESULTS: A total of 20 studies were included, of which 4 were rated as being of the high quality. Methods ranged from observers to motion sensors. Ten studies focused used established measuring tools (PAI, RULA, REBA), while nine studies focused on effectiveness of alternative methods of measurement. One study identified ISO standard 11226 for baseline comparisons. Evolving technologies were found to be suitable for baseline measurements of posture, and for feedback for developing sustainable postural behaviors. No studies measured ongoing postural performance improvement. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review adds to current evidence for the expanded and improved use of early training and testing of postural competence to reduce MSD risk among dental professionals. Further studies using technologies to assess the impacts of ergonomic training and testing among dental professionals are warranted.

Healthy working in inclusive companies - a study protocol of the GAIN project.

BACKGROUND: The research project GAIN (working healthy in inclusion companies) deals with the topics of health and work in inclusive companies. Due to a great need for research on (occupational) health (e.g. physical and mental health status) and workplace design in companies employing people with disabilities, this project pursues the primary goal of generating information for the development and implementation of health-preserving measures within the framework of occupational health and safety, and risk assessment, for employees with and without impairments in inclusive companies. METHODS: Within the framework of the project, the employees of three inclusive companies will be examined with the help of an interdisciplinary and triangulative approach. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, specific physical workloads and hazards will be investigated by means of baseline screening methods and measurement techniques, specifically among employees with physical disabilities and impairments. In the statistical analysis, descriptive methods will be used to record the current state, while inferential statistical methods will be used to evaluate health maintenance measures. Inferential statistics for continuous data with confidence intervals based on the statistical parametric mapping (SPM) method will also be performed. The significance level will be set at 5%. Qualitative methods will be used to analyse structures and working conditions within the companies, with particular attention to the specific construction of the relationship between work, health and disability. CONCLUSIONS: The structures in inclusion companies must be specifically designed to support and promote the understanding of work and health in relation to the idea of one's own body, its positioning in space and its performance. These characteristics are to be identified in the course of the project and bundled into best-practice recommendations. Furthermore, it is the aim of the research project to derive recommendations for action at its conclusion and to present further advice for the promotion of health in inclusive companies.

Hypogravity modeling of upper extremities: an investigation of manual handling in the workplace.

Experiments on the lower limbs are the only approaches being used to study how hypogravity (HG) (0 < g < 1, e.g., Moon: 1/6 g, Mars: 3/8 g) affects human movement. The goal of this study was to expand this field experimentally by investigating the effect of HG on the upper extremities during one-handed manual handling tasks in a sitting posture: static weight holding with an outstretched arm, and slow repetitive weight lifting and lowering motions. The hypothesis was that while completing static and dynamic tasks with elements of repetition in HG, the upper body's tilt (angle regarding the vertical axis) would change differently from Earth's gravity. Specifically, upper arm and spine angles, joint torques, and forces were investigated. Twenty-four healthy participants aged 33.6 ± 8.2 years were involved in the trial. Joint angles were examined using vision-based 3D motion analysis. According to this investigation, there is a correlation between a body tilting backward and a gravity level reduction (p < 0.01). Thus, HG causes postural deviation, and this shows that workplace design must be adapted according to the level of gravity to promote comfortable and balanced body alignment, minimizing stress on muscles and joints. To lower the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), enhance overall performance, and increase job satisfaction, proper support systems and restrictions for sitting positions should be taken into account, concerning different levels of gravity.

Understanding user behaviour in activity-based offices.

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.

A systematic literature review on persuasive technology at the workplace.

Employees face decisions every day-in the absence of supervision. The outcome of these decisions can be influenced by digital workplace design through the power of persuasive technology. This article provides a structured literature review based on recent research on persuasive technology in the workplace. It examines the design and use of persuasive systems from a variety of disciplinary perspectives and theories. The reviewed studies were categorized into the research streams of technology design, user-centered research, and gamification. The purpose of the studies is categorized using a modified definition of the persuasive systems design model. A number of experimental studies show that alignment of the employee's behavior with the employer's agenda can be achieved. A robust finding is the key role of interactivity in granting employees a subjective experience of rapid and meaningful feedback when using the interface.

How Does Office Design Support Employees' Health? A Case Study on the Relationships among Employees' Perceptions of the Office Environment, Their Sense of Coherence and Office Design.

This study investigated the current design circumstances of an office as well as employees' perceptions of the office environment in relation to their perceived health, drawing on sense of coherence theory (comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness). Previous studies have related the physical office environment to employee health. However, most studies have focused on alleviating negative effects, while health-promoting potential, including employee sense of coherence, has been overlooked. This study adopted a mixed method case study approach, combining semi-structured interviews with employees, structured observations, and analysis of architectural drawings. The results indicated that employees' perceptions did not always align with the ideas behind the architectural design and that employees understood the environment differently. The study also highlighted the interrelations (and contradictions) among the different components of sense of coherence. The findings imply that organizations may need to prioritize which components of coherence should be supported most by the office environment. It also suggests that case-specific design aspects should play a more central role in studying and conceptualizing healthy office design and that design solutions should be continuously modified during the use phase, while ensuring employees' participation. The study concluded that an 'ideal' office environment should not be the goal. Instead, office design should provide an environment in which employees are able to cope with challenges in comprehensible, manageable and meaningful ways.

Exploring Teachers' Back Pain Concerning Their Habits, Rules, Leisure Activities, and Physical Activity Breaks at Work.

The role of a teacher in the Faculty of Health Sciences involves teaching students, preparing lessons, and participating in other activities such as research projects and management processes. Professional participation is part of their involvement in daily occupations, which are taking place in teachers' socio-cultural context and are necessary for their well-being. Teachers' work performance can be enabled or constrained by their professional habits, including habits while using computers. We investigated awareness of and adherence to recommendations on ergonomics and preventive measures for back pain among the Faculty of Health Sciences employees. This study was aimed at investigating the relationship between the influence of their habits during computer use and back pain. An online questionnaire was sent to the teaching staff of the Faculty of Health Sciences (n = 115). 73% of the staff opened the online questionnaire, 43% fully completed the questionnaire. Data were processed using SPSS statistical program, version 20.0. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and factor analysis were calculated. Analysis of the results showed a significant statistical association between the professional habits and roles [daily computer use (r = .443, P < .01); position of different body parts during computer use [head (r = .669, P < .001), shoulder (r = .446, P < .01), legs and feet (r = .483, P < .01), screen inclination (r = .577, P < .01), adjusting chair settings (r = .608, P < .01), distance between eyes and screen (r = .766, P < .01)]; physical activities break at work [r = .758, P < .01], and back pain. Considering ergonomic principles when designing the work environment can have a major impact on employees' health and quality of work. As experts in the field of health sciences, faculty members are not sufficiently aware of the impact of an improperly designed work environment on employee health, which affects work habits.

Framing Future of Work Considerations through Climate and Built Environment Assessment of Volunteer Work Practices in the United States Equine Assisted Services.

The foundation of healthy workplace design is an understanding of work practices. Volunteers comprise the majority of the workforce in care centers using horses to address human health issues. Documentation is lacking on protections for worker well-being in equestrian microenvironments which are known to have the potential for dust exposures. Climate acts as a master variable in equestrian facility design and ventilation usage to address dust and temperature concerns. Using climate as an independent variable, our objective was to characterize space usage, safety, environmental control, and organizational practices through a national survey of equine assisted programs. We found that more fully enclosed indoor arena spaces were in cold/very cold and mixed-humid climates (p = 0.0114). Annually more volunteers (p = 0.0073) work in these two climate groups averaging 100 volunteers per location. A total of 34% of all facilities, regardless of climate, do not use mechanical ventilation systems (e.g., fans). As volunteer worker time in the arena increased, time in the barn microenvironment tended to decrease (p = 0.0538). We identified facility designs, ventilation usage, and worker arrangements to refine the scalability of future air contaminant monitoring and to provide frameworks for education, workplace design, and prevention of exposure to dust.

Ergonomics in fashion engineering and design - Pertinent issues.

BACKGROUND: Before the emergence of ready-to-wear (RTW) garments, production of apparels relied on ergonomics considerations through body measurements (anthropometry) of individual users. This is an indication of the inherent nature of ergonomics in apparel fabrication; however active mention of ergonomics related to fashion engineering and design before then was lacking. OBJECTIVE: This article seeks to emphasize the need for an organized framework of knowledge for ergonomics suited to fashion engineering and design education and research. METHODS: Relevant literature have been reviewed and three main knowledge components of ergonomics relevant to fashion engineering and design have been identified and classified based on standard classes of areas within the general field of ergonomics. RESULTS: Areas of ergonomics applications in fashion engineering and design under the headings of consumer product design, i.e. apparel design, workspace or office design, manufacturing process design and man-machine system, have been discussed. CONCLUSION: Comprehensive ergonomics education related to fashion engineering and design consist of the three main knowledge components: (1) the five aspects of ergonomics, (2) anthropometry and biomechanics and (3) the three domains of ergonomics.

Criterios Ergonómicos para el Diseño de Quirófanos / Ergonomic Criteria for Operating Room Design

Resumen El personal involucrado en el área quirúrgica se ve afectado con lesiones musculoesqueléticas por esfuerzos y movimientos repetitivos acumulados. La gravedad de sus lesiones está dada en función de las posturas de trabajo, la especialidad quirúrgica y la disposición de los elementos con los que interactúa. La ergonomía ha tomado relevancia ya que ha hecho aportes muy importantes para las condiciones de trabajo en diferentes áreas. Aun cuando en la literatura se pueden encontrar diversas investigaciones de la frecuencia y los efectos de las lesiones ocupacionales en el personal del área quirúrgica, escasos estudios han propuesto pautas para el diseño ergonómico de quirófanos. El presente estudio engloba cuatro criterios ergonómicos que deben considerarse para el diseño de quirófanos.

Abstract Personnel involved in the surgical area are affected with musculoskeletal injuries due to accumulated repetitive stress and movements. The severity of the injuries is given according to the work postures, the surgical specialty and the arrangement of the elements in the operating room. Ergonomics has become relevant since it has made very important contributions to working conditions in different areas. Although in the literature investigations of the frequency and effects of occupational injuries on surgical staff can be found, few studies have proposed guidelines for the ergonomic design of operating rooms. The present study encompasses four ergonomic criteria that should be considered for the design of operating rooms.

Prediction model of the effect of postural interactions on muscular activity and perceived exertion.

Musculoskeletal disorders are a prevalent disease in many Western countries. While a large number of ergonomic analyses and assessment methods are nowadays available, most current methods that assess exposure calculate overall risk scores of individual body segments without considering interaction effects of exposure variables. Therefore, a study was conducted that aimed at investigating and quantifying interaction effects of trunk inclination and arm lifting on ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and muscle activity. A multiple regression model to predict musculoskeletal load under consideration of interaction effects was derived. The study revealed that there is a significant interaction effect of trunk inclination and arm lifting. Furthermore, final regression models explained variance in exposure variables in a range of R2 = 0.68 to R2 = 0.147 with a subset of two to three inputs. The predicative equations support the computer-based post-processing of sensor data. Practitioner summary: This article elaborates on the importance of interaction effects of working postures on assessment results of load. In practise, easy to-use-methods for an assessment of working postures are needed. Therefore, a regression model is derived, which facilitates the quantification of work load under consideration of interaction effects. The use of this regression model for the assessment of posture data gathered by range sensors is recommended. Abbreviations: RPE: rating of perceived exertion; MSD: musculoskeletal disorder; OWAS: ovako working posture analysing system; RULA: rapid upper limb assessment; LUBA: postural loading on the upper body assessment; REBA: rapid entire body assessment; OCRA: occupational repetitive action;S D: standard deviation; EMG: surface electromyography; LUT: left upper trapezius pars descendens; RUT: right upper trapezius pars descendens; LLT: left trapezius pars ascendens; RLT: right trapezius pars ascendens; LAD: left anterior deltoideus; RAD: right anterior deltoideus; LES: left erector spinae longissimus; RES: right erector spinae longissimus; SENIAM: surface electroMyoGraphy for the non-invasive assessment of muscles; MVC: maximum voluntary contraction; MANOVA: multivariate analysis of variance; ANOVA: analysis of variance; OLS: ordinary least squares; MANCOVA: multivariate analysis of covariance.

Burnout is the canary in the coalmine; the solution is not stronger canaries.

Strategies to increase personal wellness and resilience are being increasingly promoted by organisations as a response to occupational burnout. Thought leaders in burnout research believe that this approach is unlikely to be effective as it does not address the underlying causes of burnout which is poor workplace design.

Plus size and obese workers: anthropometry estimates to promote inclusive design.

A significant proportion of the adult population globally is overweight, obese or classed as 'plus size'. This has led to variability in size and shape across the working population and exclusion in the workplace. A new dataset of the anthropometry of plus size people has been created. Length dimensions were similar to other data, but breadth, circumference, and depth measurements were substantially larger. The hip breadth and abdominal depth were important for predicting largeness in this population. These data help explain the high exclusion rates from design and the number of fit, reach, posture and clearance issues reported by participants with a high BMI: generally, the higher the BMI the greater prevalence of problems. It is hoped that a better understanding of the anthropometric characteristics of the plus size worker will inform the design of safe, productive work environments to promote inclusion for a wider range of people. Practitioner Summary: A new anthropometry dataset of plus size people has been created. The higher the BMI the greater the problems with design in the workplace for fit, reach, posture and clearance. To ensure inclusion and reduce stigma it is important to understand more about the size and shape of this population.

Physiological Effects of Blue Pulsed LED in an Indoor Lighting Environment / Efectos Fisiológicos de Luz LED Azul Intermitente en un Ambiente de Iluminación en Interiores

Abstract Purpose: An experiment was conducted to investigate the physiological effects of a continuous blue pulsed light emitting diode (BP-LED) added to a task lamp in an actual indoor lighting environment and its influence in alertness having as a final purpose to develop a commercial product that could be applied in situations similar to those depicted in the present work. Design methodology: Previous research studies have stated that the addition of pulsed light evokes physiological changes that may induce alertness. The participants were exposed to four different lighting conditions. Electroencephalograms (EEG), pupil sizes, heart rates (HR), performance tests, and subjective reactions were measured. Findings: Low colour temperature light and the BP-LED revealed an improved alertness according to the data from the EEG recordings. The intervention of the BP-LED in a high colour temperature ambiance was beneficial in maintaining high levels of alertness compared to the conditions where the BP-LED was not used. It was tested that the use of a BP-LED in a task lamp may be beneficial in improving or maintaining alertness levels in an indoor workplace ambiance. Originality and Value: Designing of an adequate workplace task lamp light that improves alertness for in-house, office, or classroom situations in which it is essential.

Resumen Propósito: Un experimento fue llevado a cabo para investigar los efectos fisiológicos que una luz azul LED pulsada de manera intermitente (BP-LED), adicionada a una lámpara de escritorio, y en un ambiente interior; pueda influir en el estado de alerta de una persona con la finalidad de desarrollar un producto comercial que pueda ser aplicado para los casos desarrollados y otros posibles escenarios. Metodología de Diseño: En estudios anteriores se establece que la adición de luz en pulsaciones evoca cambios fisiológicos que pueden inducir al estado de alerta. Los participantes experimentaron cuatro escenarios de iluminación. Se registraron mediciones con respecto a encefalografía (EEG), tamaño pupilar, ritmo cardiaco, prueba de performance, así como evaluación subjetiva. Hallazgos: Los datos de EEG revelaron un mayor estado de alerta durante la exposición a iluminación cálida aunado a luz BP-LED. La intervención de luz fría y BP-LED denotó ser benéfica en el nivel de estado de alerta en comparación con las condiciones donde el BP-LED no intervino. Se logró evaluar que el uso de BP-LED en una lámpara de escritorio puede ser benéfico para mejorar o mantener el estado de alerta cuando sea usado en un espacio interior. Originalidad y Valor: Propuesta para diseñar una luminaria de escritorio; para uso casero, laboral o de estudio; que mejore el estado de alerta de las personas.

Effects of office workstation type on physical activity and stress.

OBJECTIVE: Office environments have been causally linked to workplace-related illnesses and stress, yet little is known about how office workstation type is linked to objective metrics of physical activity and stress. We aimed to explore these associations among office workers in US federal office buildings. METHODS: We conducted a wearable, sensor-based, observational study of 231 workers in four office buildings. Outcome variables included workers' physiological stress response, physical activity and perceived stress. Relationships between office workstation type and these variables were assessed using structural equation modelling. RESULTS: Workers in open bench seating were more active at the office than those in private offices and cubicles (open bench seating vs private office=225.52 mG (31.83% higher on average) (95% CI 136.57 to 314.46); open bench seating vs cubicle=185.13 mG (20.16% higher on average) (95% CI 66.53 to 303.72)). Furthermore, workers in open bench seating experienced lower perceived stress at the office than those in cubicles (-0.27 (9.10% lower on average) (95% CI -0.54 to -0.02)). Finally, higher physical activity at the office was related to lower physiological stress (higher heart rate variability in the time domain) outside the office (-26.12 ms/mG (14.18% higher on average) (95% CI -40.48 to -4.16)). CONCLUSIONS: Office workstation type was related to enhanced physical activity and reduced physiological and perceived stress. This research highlights how office design, driven by office workstation type, could be a health-promoting factor.

Shoulder muscular activity in individuals with low back pain and spinal cord injury during seated manual load transfer tasks.

This study aimed to compare the activity of four shoulder muscles in individuals with low back pain (LBP), spinal cord injuries (SCI) and a control group, during one-handed load transfer trials. Nine individuals with minimum one-year of LBP, eleven with thoracic/lumbar SCI and nine healthy controls participated in this study. The activations of anterior deltoid, upper trapezius, infraspinatus and pectoralis major were recorded by surface EMG during one-handed transferring of a cylinder from a home shelve to six spatially distributed target shelves. The integrated EMG values were compared using repeated measure ANOVA. Both LBPs and SCIs had higher anterior deltoid activation and LBPs required more upper trapezius activation than controls (p < 0.05). The spatial position of the targets also significantly influenced demands for these two muscles. The anterior deltoid and upper trapezius in LBP and SCI individuals are under higher demand during occupational load transfer tasks. Practitioner Summary: This study aimed to compare the activation of four shoulder muscles in individuals with low back pain, spinal cord injuries and healthy condition. EMG analysis showed that the injured groups required more upper trapezius and anterior deltoid activation during load transfer tasks, which may predispose them to muscle overexertion.

Foot placement strategy in pushing and pulling.

BACKGROUND: Pushing and pulling tasks are very common in daily and industrial workplaces. They are one major source of musculoskeletal complaints. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the foot placement strategy while pushing and pulling. PARTICIPANTS: Thirteen young males and ten young females were recruited as participants. METHODS: A two (pushing and pulling) by four (48 cm, 84 cm, 120 cm, and 156 cm) factorial design was used. RESULTS: Exertion direction and exertion height significantly affected foot placement strategy. Pushing task needed more anteroposterior space than pulling task. The percentages of female/male for trailing foot position ranged from 77% to 90% (pushing) and from 80% to 93% (pulling) across the exertion heights. CONCLUSION: Practitioners should provide an anteroposterior space approximately to 70% body stature for workers to exert their maximum pulling and pushing strengths.