Improving healthy work culture measures using participatory ergonomic interventions

Abstract

Objectives. The productivity outcomes from proper implementation of participatory ergonomic interventions in industrial developing countries (IDCs) are important to have management support. However, the role of awareness promotion in engaged groups of intervention has been overlooked. This article explains the health effects of some ergonomic interventions including nutrition awareness, training and workstation redesign on the labor productivity indices of an industry using participatory ergonomics. Methods. The study design was a semi-experimental study. After the field study, the proper model of participatory ergonomics was presented to implement the interventions. The International Labour Organization (ILO) checkpoint, quick exposure check (QEC) checklist and Nordic questionnaire were applied to assess ergonomic risk factors. Labor productivity was measured using some indicators of health and production. Statistical tests including paired-sample t tests were performed for data analysis using SPSS version 22.0. Results. The ergonomic interventions with a focus on awareness promotion resulted in positive outcomes (p < 0.05) including a decrease of blood pressure (equally 3.1%), improvement in optimum monthly performance of labors, better QEC number and also time saving of about 18.93% in doing tasks. Conclusion. Awareness promotion and productivity outcomes were found to be important in management commitment and support to persuade participatory ergonomic interventions.

Keywords:

• participatory ergonomics
• awareness
• training
• redesign
• nutrition
• productivity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.