Measuring pandemic home-work conditions to determine ergonomic recommendation relevance.

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. MET...

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Published in:Work Vol. 71; no. 2; pp. 299 - 309
Main Authors: Black, Nancy L., St-Onge, Samuelle, Davis, Kermit, Kotowski, Susan
Format: research tables/charts Journal Article
Published: Sage Publications Inc. 2022
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: 2022
      vid: 71
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      pub: Sage Publications Inc.
      place: Thousand Oaks, California
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        atl: Measuring pandemic home-work conditions to determine ergonomic recommendation relevance.
      aug:
        au:
          Black, Nancy L.
          St-Onge, Samuelle
          Davis, Kermit
          Kotowski, Susan
        affil: Faculté d'ingénierie, Université de Moncton, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
      sug:
        subj:
          Ergonomics Canada
          Work Environment
          Home Environment Psychosocial Factors
          COVID-19 Pandemic
          Employee Attitudes
          Human
          Questionnaires
          Motivation
          Productivity
          Pain Management
          Fatigue Risk Factors
          Low Back Pain Risk Factors
          Descriptive Statistics
          Shoulder Pain Risk Factors
          Posture
          Adaptation, Physiological
          Scales
          Canada
          Funding Source
          Male
          Female
          Adult
          Middle Age
          Interpersonal Relations
          Time Management
          Work-Life Balance
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Middle Aged: 45-64 years
          Male
          Female
      ab: 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.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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