Reducing work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) through design: Views of ergonomics and design practitioners

BACKGROUND: Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) affect the well-being of workers. Unfortunately, user requirements for design to reduce workplace risk factors for MSDs are not always effectively communicated to designers creating a mismatch between the user requirements and what is ultimat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Work (Reading, Mass.) Mass.), 2016-01, Vol.53 (1), p.127-142
Main Authors: Punchihewa, Himan K.G., Gyi, Diane E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Co-design
Communication
Design specifications
Ergonomics
Ergonomics - methods
Federal regulation
Female
Humans
Integrated approach
Interviews as Topic
Male
Musculoskeletal diseases
Musculoskeletal Diseases - prevention & control
Occupational Diseases - prevention & control
Occupational Health
Prototypes
Questionnaires
Risk Assessment
Studies
Surveys and Questionnaires
Workplace
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Summary:BACKGROUND: Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) affect the well-being of workers. Unfortunately, user requirements for design to reduce workplace risk factors for MSDs are not always effectively communicated to designers creating a mismatch between the user requirements and what is ultimately produced. OBJECTIVE: To understand the views of practitioners of design and ergonomics regarding tools for participatory design and features they would like to see in such tools. METHODS: An online questionnaire survey was conducted with a cohort of practitioners of ergonomics and design (n = 32). In-depth interviews were then conducted with a subset of these practitioners (n = 8). To facilitate discussion, a prototype integrated design tool was developed and demonstrated to practitioners using a verbalized walkthrough approach. RESULTS: According to the results of the questionnaire survey, the majority (70%) believed an integrated approach to participatory design would help reduce work-related MSDs and suggested ways to achieve this, for example, through sharing design information. The interviews showed the majority (n = 7) valued being provided with guidance on design activities and ways to manage and present information. CONCLUSION: It is believed that an integrated approach to design in order to help reduce work-related MSDs is highly important and a provision to evaluate design solutions would be desirable for practitioners of design and ergonomics.
ISSN:1051-9815
1875-9270
DOI:10.3233/WOR-152126