Determining Ergonomic Risks Arising from the Use of Information Technologies in the Covid-19 Environment

Abstract

Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) emerging in Wuhan, China, most employees had to work from home in unsuitable conditions. Employees are more affected by the factors that cause musculoskeletal disorders when working from home using information and communication technologies. The aim of the study was to determine the ergonomic risks related to the musculoskeletal system that teachers, who made up a large number of employees working in the service sector during the COVID-19 period, may be exposed to working remotely. For this, first of all, in line with the literature review and expert opinions, physical, psychosocial, and individual risk factors related to the musculoskeletal system were determined and the weight of the risk factors was calculated with the Analytic Network Process method. Work duration, posture, and physical environment constituted the highest risk factor among physical factors. With the Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluations, information and communication devices were ranked according to their effects on the user. The ranking is determined by mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. It is concluded that it is necessary to pay attention to the risk factors specified in the use of these devices in order to prevent musculoskeletal system damage.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributions

In this study; Author1: She contributed to scientific publication research, data collection, application of the method by transferring the data to the computer environment, solving the problem, and preparing the article. Author2: He contributed to the creation of the article idea, determination of the problem and method, application of the method, preparation of the article, review of the study, and interpretation of the results. Author3: It contributed to the determination of the problem and the method, the application of the method, the review of the study, and the interpretation of the results.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Güler Aksüt

Güler Aksüt has completed her doctorate in Eurasia University Health Sciences Institute, Department of Occupational Health and Safety in 2021 and received her doctorate. She has conducted studies on ergonomic risks. She works as a specialist teacher under the Ministry of National Education. Research interests; Occupational health and safety are ergonomic risks.

Hacı Mehmet Alakaş

Hacı Mehmet Alakaş, between 2012 and 2017, he received his doctorate from Gazi University, Department of Industrial Engineering, and his doctorate. He is an Associate Professor at Kırıkkale University. His field of study is ergonomics, multi-criteria decision making, operations research, and simulation.

Tamer Eren

Tamer Eren has worked as a research assistant at Kırıkkale University and Gazi University between 1997 and 2009. He has been working as Assistant Professor in 2009, Associate Professor in 2013, and Professor since 2019 at Kırıkkale University. His field of study is scheduling, multi-criteria decision making, ergonomics, and operations research.