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- Macroergonomic aspects in the design of development programs in IDCsPublication . Coelho, Denis; Ferrara, Patrícia R.; Couvinhas, Ana F.; Lima, Tânia M.; Walter, Jake K.This paper revisits three reports on ergonomic aspects of development initiatives taking place in Industrially Developing Countries (IDCs). These include a macro-ergonomics intervention in a habitation community in Cape Verde (aimed at designing solutions contributing to sustainable development), the evolution of poultry growers’ control strategies as an integrative broiler operation is introduced in Mozambique, and a set of macro-ergonomic considerations related to the Agro Forestry Village Project in Mozambique. The paper seeks to set the reviewed development endeavors against the backdrop of the goals of ergonomics interventions. This reflection may inform development agents in future processes of design and implementation of integrated community and work systems transformation.
- Gender Differences in Associating Musculoskeletal Complaints, Housework, Electronic Device Usage and Physical Exercise for Administrative WorkersPublication . Lima, Tânia M.; Coelho, Denis A.This study assessed musculoskeletal complaints (MSCs) in administrative workers, associating MSCs with nonpaid housework, home use of electronic devices and physical exercise, while keeping a distinctive gender approach. This may promote the development of more effective preventive measures, by meeting the specific strengths and weaknesses of each gender. Methods. Ninety-six administrative workers (58 women and 38 men) who used computers more than 50% of their working time participated in a cross-sectional study. A questionnaire concerning individual socio-demographic data, habits and lifestyle, and including the Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire (NMQ), was deployed. Gender-based odds ratios for MSCs in body areas over the previous 12 months and correlation coefficients between habits and lifestyle variables and NMQ variables were computed. Results. Women did not incur a higher risk of MSCs than men. Analysis of the association did not yield meaningful associations for either gender. Results suggest giving future consideration to development of gender-specific preventive measures. Conclusion. Computerized work performed concomitantly with physical exposures outside the workplace showed mixed associations with MSCs, according to gender and depending on the kind of exposure. Results are indicative of the need for development of gender-specific preventive measures.
- Season influence on rapid thermal sensation assessment by young adultsPublication . Coelho, Denis; Silva, Pedro Dinho daThermal comfort is one of the most important ergonomic aspects of building occupancy. In this research, laboratory experiments are performed in a climatic chamber and described in detail. Experiments are carried out under two scenarios: with two different college students cohorts and with five different but comparable experimental conditions in each cohort. Three hundred twenty-two individual assessments under specific controlled thermal environment conditions are collected. The actual thermal sensation assessments obtained in the experiments are compared to the results obtained by a predicted mean vote (PMV) model. The correlation analysis shows that statistically significant differences are meaningful between the spring-summer and the autumn-winter experiments but not between genders. This paper discusses the plausible factors contributing to the different correlations experienced in the autumn-winter and spring-summer experiments. A correction factor between PMV according to Fanger's comfort equation and the actual thermal sensation values reported by the participants is also sought with a focus on the seasonal effects. The predicted results are in good agreement with the experimental results. This allows for further considerations about the influence of the season on the initial thermal sensations experienced by young adults.
- Working conditions under multiple exposures: A cross-sectional study of private sector administrative workersPublication . Coelho, Denis; Tavares, Carla; Lourenço, Luís Miguel; Lima, Tânia M.BACKGROUND: Office workers are increasingly exposed to physical and psychosocial risk factors. OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between environmental, physical and organizational working conditions and the physical and psychosocial well-being of a sample of private sector office workers. METHODS: Musculoskeletal pain was collected from a body map and the Disabilities of the Arms, Shoulders and Hands questionnaire. The short version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire enabled collecting information on six job related satisfaction and dissatisfaction subscales. A checklist for ergonomics in computer work guided the analysis of ergonomic factors and measurements were taken to characterize environmental conditions. Association between exposures and outcomes was calculated using IBM SPSS Statistics 20 software. RESULTS: Significant moderate positive association was found between dissatisfaction with job psychological demands and musculoskeletal pain in the upper body (0.40; p = 0.05), as well as between postural ergonomic mismatches and dissatisfaction with job insecurity towards the future (0.42; p = 0.04). A significant moderate negative association (−0,47; p = 0.02) was found as well between satisfaction with job social support and with leadership quality and location of the work station in an open-plan office as opposed to smaller office rooms. CONCLUSIONS: The results show how raising awareness of the risk factors encountered in contemporary office work is still necessary to promote widespread improvement of working conditions, from both a physical and a psychosocial perspective.
- Prevention of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in office work: A case studyPublication . Lima, Tânia M.; Coelho, Denis A.Twelve recently built office work stations, where jobs imply continued use of information and communication technologies, were analyzed for ergonomic risk factors. Based on a literature review of ergonomic recommendations for computer and general office work, a checklist was devised for assistance in identifying inadequate ergonomic situations, a process that was informed by pain complaints information. RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) was selected to estimate the risk of MSDs, considering the criteria of applicability and appropriateness to the case studied. This method was applied by an occupational health and safety technician to the most critical job observed in the workplace. Criticality was estimated through observations aided by the systematic use of a checklist tailored to the specific office scenario. Recommendations for change were provided for implementation in all workplaces in the office, in order to improve work conditions, and guide the setup of a MSD prevention training program.
- Ergonomic and psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal complaints in public sector administration – A joint monitoring approach with analysis of associationPublication . Lima, Tânia M.; Coelho, Denis A.Administration entails a high level of computerization with multiple risk factors (including psychosocial and of ergonomic nature), affecting worker health and well-being. An ergonomics researcher supported by a senior ergonomist and guided by a domain specific checklist assessed physical ergonomics of an organization, including 96 administrative workers in the assessment. Unstructured observations and interviews to the workers were also done. Socio-demographic, musculoskeletal health and psychosocial job data was collected from a composite questionnaire including the versions validated for the Portuguese population of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) and the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ). This paper demonstrates an approach to jointly monitor multiple factors to support controlling work system efficiency, safeguarding health. Even though postural issues, especially static posture, have previously been identified as risk factors contributing to the onset of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), the results of correlation analysis did not unveil a salient association between musculoskeletal complaints and ergonomic mismatches. The analysis did unveil statistically significant associations between exposure to psychosocial job factors and ergonomic risk factors. The pairs of variables actually associated were different according to gender confirming the need for future studies aiming the gendered study of MSD causality. Relevance to industry: Computerized offices expose workers to multiple risk factors (including of psychosocial and ergonomic nature), and possibly influence their health and well-being. The paper demonstrates an approach to jointly monitor multiple factors to support controlling work system efficiency and negative outcomes.
- A participatory ergonomics approach to prevention of musculoskeletal disorders in Portuguese small and medium enterprises: Ergo@OfficePublication . Lima, Tânia M.; Coelho, DenisA participatory ergonomics program enables a company to engage employees in its preventive strategy. This paper presents Ergo@Office, an integrated methodology devised for promoting continuous implementation of preventive measures while monitoring their effectiveness over time in a participatory manner. It consists of a straightforward and cost-effective resource which is primarily aimed at supporting the identification of the need for implementation of interventions for strategic prevention of musculoskeletal disorders. As a practitioner tool, Ergo@Office guides the deployment of a participatory approach to ergonomics in both the analysis as well as in the intervention phase. The implementation of the measures envisaged in this planning support framework result from teamwork between the OSHS (Occupational Health and Safety Services) and the employee whose work is under focus. The implemented measures should then be monitored, which will enable assessing their effectiveness and their adjustment to the labour setting in an up-to-date manner.
- Thermal Sensation Assessment by Young Portuguese Adults in Controlled SettingsPublication . Coelho, Denis; Silva, Pedro Dinho daLaboratory experiments in a controlled climatic chamber enabled evaluation of fitness of the PMV equation to thermal sensation assessment by a Portuguese sample. Experiments were carried out in two occasions (May and December 2014), with two different college students cohorts, with 5 experimental condi-tions in each cohort. A total of 323 individual assessments of specific controlled thermal environment condi-tions were collected. Subjects sat down in a chair while inside the chamber and evaluated the thermal envi-ronment after a standard period of 3 minutes inside the controlled climate chamber. Each participating subject undertook the sitting in the chamber in five different days, with different climatic conditions each time. PMV and thermal sensation as assessed in the climatic chamber are compared, yielding correlation coefficients which differ between the Spring-Summer experiments and the Autumn-Winter Experiments but not between genders. The paper discusses possible factors contributing to different correlations obtained in the Autumn-Winter and the Spring-Summer experiments.
- Correlation between Different Hand Force Assessment Methods from an Epidemiological StudyPublication . Coelho, Denis A.; Adamson, Carisa Harris; Lima, Tânia M.; Janowitz, Ira; Rempel, David M.This article presents the outcome of correlation analyses of data results obtained from using different methods for objectively and subjectively assessing hand force from a prospective study of 450 bluecollar workers from several companies and industries, followed for up to 3 years. The study collected detailed ergonomic exposure data at baseline and upper extremity health outcome data at baseline and every 4 months during the study. Ultimately, the study was intended to evaluate dose-response relationships of specific upper extremity disorders with detailed physical and psychosocial exposure data at the workplace while controlling for important individual factors. This article presents the methods used to collect data, as well as the hand force results of the epidemiological study in aggregate correlated form, as a means of exploring the degree of independence between the variables considered. These insights are useful in identifying musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) causation and predicting MSD risk based on work exposures. An enhanced understanding of the independence of MSD causal factors is instrumental in establishing more accurate multivariable models of MSD causation that will play an important role in extrapolating from the understanding of mechanisms of causation to establishing effective recommendations and programs to prevent the occurrence of MSDs.
- Protótipo do VABAMPAC - Validação por Código de Barras da Administração de Medicamentos aos PacientesPublication . Coelho, Denis; Marques, Susana; Lajes, Tiago; Velez, Fernando J.Uma barreira de segurança adicional, impedindo erros de dosagem e da escolha do fármaco no momento de tomada dos remédios pelos doentes, reduz a complexidade do trabalho na linha da frente dos cuidados médicos e aumenta a qualidade e a segurança do processo.