Ergonomic Evaluation of Office Staff by Rapid Office Strain Assessment Method and Its Relationship with the Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders

Abstract

Background & objectives: In recent years, the rapid growth of technology and the use of computers have affected almost all office work stations. Musculoskeletal disorders are very common among administrative staff. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the ergonomic status and prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in office staff affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This study was conducted on 96 office staff affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in 2018. To evaluate the ergonomic status, ROSA method and to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, Nordic standard questionnaire was used. The data were analyzed using Chi-square, one-way ANOVA and descriptive statistics with SPSS-22 software Results: The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in staff was higher in the neck (62.5%), shoulder (57.3%) and lower back (57.3%) than the other organs. The average ROSA score in the society was 4.9 ±1.02. 70.8% of the subjects were evaluated in warning zone and 29.2% in the area of immediate corrective measures. There was a relationship between the final score of ROSA and the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in the neck, shoulders and lower back. There was also a relationship between age, gender, work experience and the final score of ROSA. Conclusion: The ROSA method was determined as a suitable tool for evaluating the ergonomic status of office stations. According to the results, employees are at risk of musculoskeletal disorders and have workstations with ergonomic risk factors. Therefore, tensile movements, adjusting work schedules, using equipment such as a document holder and Headset are recommended.

Review on Current Issues related to Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders

“…Because of this, the primary obstacle faced by ergonomics is the problem of developing jobs in such a way that they prevent work-related muscle and joint disorders (WMSDs) while also maintaining high levels of output quality and productivity. [6] One of the most common sites of occupational exhaustion is seen in the longus and brevis heads of the extensor carpi radialis muscle group. The investigation of localised muscle fatigue as a means of gaining a deeper comprehension of the processes behind WRMDs is an essential contribution made by medicine.…”

“…Developing effective preventative techniques, on the other hand, continues to be a task that presents a significant amount of difficulty. [6] The upper extremities of the human body are far more sensitive to WMSDs than the lower extremities are. This is the case when compared to other sections of the body.…”

Evaluation of Musculoskeletal Disorders and Ergonomic Risk Factors Among Office Workers of Kashan University of Medical Sciences in Iran

“…In the conducted studies, various areas, such as the neck, lower back, or shoulder, have been mentioned as the most common MSDs in computer users (1,6,(9)(10)(11)(12). The relationship between the ergonomic hazards of different parts of the desk with the MSDs of computer users is not clear.…”