Category: Review article

Potential of Participatory Ergonomic Intervention Approaches to Reduce Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Office Workers: A Review

Potential of Participatory Ergonomic Intervention Approaches to Reduce Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Office Workers: A Review
Ayman ALBEELI1, Shamsul Bahri Mohd TAMRIN1, Ng Yee GUAN1, Karmegam KARUPPIAH1

1 Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Putra Malaysia.

Page 1 – 14   |   Vol. 2, No. 2 (2017)   |    Available online on 1 September 2017

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Abstract

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a prevalent issue affecting office workers worldwide and resulting in economic losses and health problems. Pursuing of suitable ergonomic interventions approaches became an inescapable need in order of overcoming the future forecast that expects increased proportion of office-based worker as result of rapid growth of information technology. Participatory ergonomic intervention approaches emerge as a promising ergonomic intervention method to lower the work-related musculoskeletal disorders among office workers. This review underlines the ergonomic intervention methods that have been tried or tested for work-related musculoskeletal disorders reduction in office settings. The current status of using participatory ergonomic intervention approaches has shown potential effectiveness in reducing the prevalence of work-related MSDs. The future perspectives (strengths and opportunities) of these participatory ergonomic intervention approaches includes cost effectiveness, needed materials are simple and effortlessly acquired, and of low-cost. But then, the knowledge gaps (threats and weaknesses) regarding these participatory approaches comprise the lack of quality evaluation studies. Using participatory ergonomic intervention approaches is an imperative component that might help in reducing the prevalence of WMSDs among office-workers in both developed and developing countries and being reliable methods than other sophisticated or high-cost ergonomic intervention methods.

Keywords

Participatory intervention, ergonomic, office-workers, musculoskeletal disorders

Acknowledgement

–

© 2022 Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFEM). All rights reserved.

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Human Factors & Ergonomics Journal (HFEJ), eISSN: 2590-3705  is the official Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Malaysia.  The journal is published on a biannual basis. HFEJ aims to address current research in the field of Ergonomics in addition to the broad coverage of cognitive ergonomics, user experience, physical ergonomics and others such as transportation, industrial design and industrial engineering. HFEJ is a member of, and subscribes to the principles of the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), as such we only accept original work.

Dual Audio: Effects of Volume Range on Dichotic Listening Via Spatially Separated Speakers

Dual Audio: Effects of Volume Range on Dichotic Listening Via Spatially Separated Speakers
Steven J. KERR1, Carmen SIAU1

1 Motorola Solutions, Human Factors Research, Penang, Malaysia.

Page 21 – 33   |   Vol. 2, No. 2 (2017)   |    Available online on 1 September 2017

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Abstract

Professionals who utilize communication devices may have to listen and monitor multiple audio streams whether from different Land Mobile Radio (LMR) or public broadband (LTE) channels whilst carrying out their day to day tasks. Understanding how humans cope with multiple audio streams is therefore important to help engineers design solutions that will allow professionals to both hear and understand vital information from numerous sources. This paper describes a usability study of a spatialized dual speaker system (one speaker on each shoulder) whereby 16 participants from age 23 to 54 had to listen to 2 audio streams played simultaneously, a primary audio stream on one speaker to be concentrated on to understand content and a secondary stream played on the other speaker to be scanned for keywords. Participants were asked true or false questions on the primary stream to gauge level of information understood whilst being scored on their ability to recognize when selected keywords were spoken in the secondary stream. These audio streams were played at different volume ranges and deltas to understand if differences in volumes across a range of volumes can assist users in this task. The results has shown that there does not appear to be a specific volume range or delta that assists users in listening to content from 2 spatialized audio sources and that individual capabilities are more likely to be an important factor. Devices that have capability of broadcasting multiple channels therefore need the ability for each channel’s volume to be controlled individually and not be auto changed, as each user will have their own personal preferences.

Keywords

Dichotic Listening, Multi-Stream Audio, Divided Attention

Acknowledgement

Thanks to the participants and engineers from Motorola Solutions Penang in assisting with this study.

© 2022 Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFEM). All rights reserved.

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Human Factors & Ergonomics Journal (HFEJ), eISSN: 2590-3705  is the official Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Malaysia.  The journal is published on a biannual basis. HFEJ aims to address current research in the field of Ergonomics in addition to the broad coverage of cognitive ergonomics, user experience, physical ergonomics and others such as transportation, industrial design and industrial engineering. HFEJ is a member of, and subscribes to the principles of the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), as such we only accept original work.

Human Factors Issues in Malaysian Green Building Development: A Review

Human Factors Issues in Malaysian Green Building Development: A Review
Tsau Kar Yen1, *, Izran Sarrazin Mohammad2, Rohaya Abdul Jalil3, Abdul Hakim Bin Mohammed4

1,4 Faculty of Geoinformation and Real Estate, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia.

2,3 Centre for Real Estate Studies, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia.

Corresponding author: kytsau1989@gmail.com

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Page 27 – 32   |   Vol. 1, No. 1 (2016)   |    Available online on 1 September 2016

Abstract

This paper reviews the importance of incorporating human factors and ergonomics (HFE) in the development of Malaysian green buildings. Apparently, the development of green buildings is often focussed on achieving energy efficiency, low carbon emission, and lower operation and maintenance cost. However, green buildings should not only be environmentally and economically sustainable. Instead, it should also be socially sustainable. Social sustainability is connected to HFE and this could help to improve the quality of green development. It is imperative to consider HFE in green buildings as it is a discipline related to the understanding of the interaction among humans and other elements of a system in order to optimise human well-being and overall system performance. However, many tend to overlook the importance of human factors in green buildings and this may lead to some of the green features failed to be implemented, performed or not utilised in a way that maximises the performance of green buildings, thus restraining the green features’ usability and their potential benefits. Therefore, based on literature review, this paper reviews the need to incorporate human factors in the green building development and how this could benefit to improve the performance of green buildings in the Malaysian context. The findings show that HFE is still in its infancy stage in Malaysia. HFE is mostly implemented in the workplace focusing on occupational safety and health to reduce musculoskeletal disorder, risk, absenteeism and illness. The findings presented in this paper could create awareness among the practitioners on the benefits of creating flexible and ergonomic green buildings that accommodate building users, promote a healthy, comfortable and productive environment.

Keywords

Green Building, Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE), Green Building Performance

Acknowledgement

–

© 2022 Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFEM). All rights reserved.

Recommended articles

Publish with us

Human Factors & Ergonomics Journal (HFEJ), eISSN: 2590-3705  is the official Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Malaysia.  The journal is published on a biannual basis. HFEJ aims to address current research in the field of Ergonomics in addition to the broad coverage of cognitive ergonomics, user experience, physical ergonomics and others such as transportation, industrial design and industrial engineering. HFEJ is a member of, and subscribes to the principles of the COPE (Committee on Publication Ethics), as such we only accept original work.