Flying through the hospital: efficiency and safety of an ergonomic solution

In hospitals many horizontal transfers (from stretcher to bed etc.) are performed from the moment a patient is admitted (f.e. with an ambulance) through examination departments all the way to the wards. These transfers can be very strenuous and solutions may be to use a special lifting device that accompanies the patient on this route: a stretcher sling This is a specially designed disposable lifting sling for horizontal transfers and repositioning, the sling can easily be connected to a ceiling or mobile lift. The ambulance service, two hospitals and a manufacturer decided to study the effects. The stretcher sling travels with the patient. Does this provide an ergonomically sound solution and is this an effective and efficient solution? The results were positive, but a behavioral change was also necessary.     

The effect of visualization method on the performance of simulated microsurgery tasks

The operating microscopes may be a significant cause of fatigue and discomfort in surgeons. The need for the microscope to be placed over the operating field forces surgeons to remain at the microscope's eyepieces at an uncomfortable posture for the entirety of the surgery. This study compared the effects on microsurgical task performance for four visualization methods: a monocular microscope, a binocular microscope, a three-dimensional (3D) flat-panel television display and a two-dimensional (2D) flat-panel television display. Eleven subjects each performed two microsurgical tasks and their performance was documented by video camera. The statistical analysis performed indicated utilization of the microscope as a visualization method increased subject performance. No significant difference in performance between the 2D and stereoscopic visualization methods.     

Interface of drug use

Packaging and labeling play a crucial role awhile protecting medicaments and transmitting a range of crucial information to the users. Taking into account the scarcity of specific studies in this area, it was considered great the need for a comprehensive survey about customers' satisfaction when handling these containers.     

Promoting work ability and well-being in hospital nursing: the interplay of age, job control, and successful ageing strategies

Previous research shows that work ability of nurses decreases with age. In our study we therefore addressed the following questions: Do successful ageing strategies at work in terms of selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) support the work ability of nurses? Does SOC mediate the relationship between job control (i.e., decision opportunities at work) and work ability? Does the mediation differ between age-groups? 438 nurses (Age Range 21-63 years) completed a questionnaire in the course of an employee survey. Results show that SOC is positively related with work ability. The positive effect of job control on work ability is significantly mediated by SOC. There are stronger mediating effects for elder nurses than for younger nurses. Results indicate that the interplay of job control and SOC at work helps to maintain the work ability of nurses in nursing care.     

What makes age diverse teams effective? Results from a six-year research program

Based on a new model of productivity in age diverse tams, findings from a six-year research program are reported in which data from more than 745 natural teams with 8,848 employees in three different fields (car production, administrative work, financial services) were collected. Moreover, central assumptions of this model were tested with a representative survey of the German workforce (N = 2,000). Results support both significant advantages and disadvantages for age-mixed teams. Based on the findings, the following preconditions for the effectiveness of age diverse teams are identified: high task complexity, low salience and high appreciation of age diversity, a positive team climate, low age-discrimination, ergonomic design of work places, and the use of age differentiated leadership. Based on these insights, we developed a new training for supervisors, which addresses the aforementioned aspects and seeks to improve team performance and health of team members. It was found that the training reduces age stereotypes, team conflicts and enhances innovation. Thus, we can conclude that effective interventions for a successful integration of elderly employees in work groups are available and that combinations of measures that address ergonomic design issues, team composition and leadership are to be strongly recommended for practice.     

Activity analysis: contributions to the innovation of projects for aircrafts cabins

This article presents results obtained from some ergonomics intervention in the project for the conception of aircraft's cabins. The study's aim is to analyze the contribution of the method adopted in the passengers' activities analysis in reference situations, real-use situations in aircraft's cabins, applied to analyze typical activities performed by people in their own environment. Within this perspective, the study shows two analyses which highlight the use of electronic device. The first analysis has been registered through a shooting filming in a real commercial flight. In the second one, the use is developed within the domestic environment. The same method has been applied in both contexts and it is based on activity analysis. Starting with the filming activity, postures and actions analysis, self-confrontation interviews, action course reconstruction and elaboration of postures envelopes. The results point out that the developed method might be applied to different contexts, evincing different ways of space occupation to meet human personal needs while performing an activity, which can help us with the anticipation of the users' needs, as well as indicate some innovation possibilities.     

Design for worksystem safety using employees' perception about safety

In this paper, the predictors of work injuries based on Leamon's Man-Machine model are identified in a sociotechnical framework. Several hypotheses are developed and tested to describe the accident/injury phenomena in mining worksystems. Possible designs for improving work-system's safety are specified using scaled Mahalanobis distance (MD). A case control study design is adopted. Five variables namely, age, negative-affectivity, physical-hazards, job-dissatisfaction, and safety-practice are emerged as significant contributors to work injuries for the mines studied. Two most interesting findings obtained through this study are (i) 36% of cases (injured employees) (MD < 1) are unlucky to meet an accident and (ii) 40% of the controls (non-injured employees) (MD > 1) are lucky to be able to avoid an accident. The most probable reason for the former case is the organizational ineffectiveness while that for the latter may be risky adventures of employees which are due to lack of education, awareness, and appropriate training. Based on the MD values for cases and controls, possible design guidelines are suggested. The study categorically identifies the accident situations where engineering control, education and training, and other organizational safety measures are to be adopted.     

Computer use and ulnar neuropathy: results from a case-referent study

We aimed to evaluate associations between vocational computer use and 1) ulnar neuropathy, and 2) ulnar neuropathy- like symptoms as distinguished by electroneurography. We identified all patients aged 18-65 years, examined at the Department of Neurophysiology on suspicion of ulnar neuropathy, 2001-2007. We mailed a questionnaire to 546 patients with ulnar neuropathy, 633 patients with ulnar neuropathy-like symptoms, and three community referents per case, matched on sex, age, and primary care centre. From a Job Exposure Matrix we extracted estimates of daily hours of computer use. The analysis was performed by conditional logistic regression.There were a negative association between daily hours of computer use and the two outcomes of interest. Participants who reported their elbow to be in contact with their working table for 2 hours or more during the workday had an elevated risk for ulnar neuropathy (OR=2.16, 95 % CI; 1.06-4.44).The two outcomes were not associated with daily hours of computer use. Findings suggested specific effects of pressure on the elbow, and might be an explanation for the overweight of left-sided outcomes in this primarily right-handed group. Preventive efforts would then be straightforward by providing appropriate arm support for the left arm and elbow.     

Are cutout handles used when available in real occupational settings? Description of grips and upper extremities movements during industrial box handling

In order to achieve better postures and decrease musculoskeletal risks adequate design of hand/box couplings for manual materials handling (MMH) are still needed. No studies evaluating upper limb movement thorough direct measurements during box handling in workplace were identified in the literature. In this study we describe the types of grip and movements adopted by ten workers when handling redesigned boxes with cutout handles between different heights on industrial pallets. The new handles were used by 90% of the workers through different types of grip. Electrogoniometric measurements showed relatively safe forearm and wrist movements, although elbow inadequate range of movement was recorded. Despite the good acceptance of the cutout by workers, the new design requires extra internal space in the boxes reducing applications for this alternative of box.