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The importance of work organization on workload and musculoskeletal health - Grocery store work as a model.

Balogh, Istvan LU ; Ohlsson, Kerstina LU ; Nordander, Catarina LU orcid ; Björk, Jonas LU and Hansson, Gert-Åke LU (2016) In Applied Ergonomics 53(Part A). p.143-151
Abstract
We have evaluated the consequences of work organization on musculoskeletal health. Using a postal questionnaire, answered by 1600 female grocery store workers, their main work tasks were identified and four work groups were defined (cashier, picking, and delicatessen work, and a mixed group, who performed a mix of these tasks). The crude odds ratios (ORs) for neck/shoulder complaints were 1.5 (95% CI 1.0-2.2), 1.1 (0.7-1.5) and 1.6 (1.1-2.3), respectively, compared to mixed work. Adjusting for individual and psychosocial factors had no effect on these ORs. For elbows/hands, no significant differences were found. Technical measurements of the workload showed large differences between the work groups. Picking work was the most strenuous,... (More)
We have evaluated the consequences of work organization on musculoskeletal health. Using a postal questionnaire, answered by 1600 female grocery store workers, their main work tasks were identified and four work groups were defined (cashier, picking, and delicatessen work, and a mixed group, who performed a mix of these tasks). The crude odds ratios (ORs) for neck/shoulder complaints were 1.5 (95% CI 1.0-2.2), 1.1 (0.7-1.5) and 1.6 (1.1-2.3), respectively, compared to mixed work. Adjusting for individual and psychosocial factors had no effect on these ORs. For elbows/hands, no significant differences were found. Technical measurements of the workload showed large differences between the work groups. Picking work was the most strenuous, while cashier work showed low loads. Quantitative measures of variation revealed for mixed work high between minutes variation and the highest between/within minutes variation. Combining work tasks with different physical exposure levels increases the variation and may reduce the risk of musculoskeletal complaints. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Applied Ergonomics
volume
53
issue
Part A
pages
143 - 151
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:26464034
  • wos:000367776200017
  • scopus:84954027613
  • pmid:26464034
ISSN
1872-9126
DOI
10.1016/j.apergo.2015.09.004
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9d927be5-1281-4959-9ece-cfb0c8d5521b (old id 8152431)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26464034?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:00:58
date last changed
2022-03-20 02:11:18
@article{9d927be5-1281-4959-9ece-cfb0c8d5521b,
  abstract     = {{We have evaluated the consequences of work organization on musculoskeletal health. Using a postal questionnaire, answered by 1600 female grocery store workers, their main work tasks were identified and four work groups were defined (cashier, picking, and delicatessen work, and a mixed group, who performed a mix of these tasks). The crude odds ratios (ORs) for neck/shoulder complaints were 1.5 (95% CI 1.0-2.2), 1.1 (0.7-1.5) and 1.6 (1.1-2.3), respectively, compared to mixed work. Adjusting for individual and psychosocial factors had no effect on these ORs. For elbows/hands, no significant differences were found. Technical measurements of the workload showed large differences between the work groups. Picking work was the most strenuous, while cashier work showed low loads. Quantitative measures of variation revealed for mixed work high between minutes variation and the highest between/within minutes variation. Combining work tasks with different physical exposure levels increases the variation and may reduce the risk of musculoskeletal complaints.}},
  author       = {{Balogh, Istvan and Ohlsson, Kerstina and Nordander, Catarina and Björk, Jonas and Hansson, Gert-Åke}},
  issn         = {{1872-9126}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{Part A}},
  pages        = {{143--151}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Applied Ergonomics}},
  title        = {{The importance of work organization on workload and musculoskeletal health - Grocery store work as a model.}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/8083307/Istvan_Balogh_Workload.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apergo.2015.09.004}},
  volume       = {{53}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}