Nina Nevala

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are impairments of bodily structures, such as muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, nerves or the localised blood circulation system. MSDs can interfere with activities at work, and can cause an increase in sickness absence, and chronic occupational disability. The aim of this report is to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions in the workplace, and to provide an overview of policy initiatives in the EU regarding the retention, reintegration and rehabilitation of workers with MSDs. The main findings are presented with respect to backpain, upper and lower limb pain. Although many studies have been carried out, the evidence for the effectiveness of interventions is somewhat limited — in particular regarding interventions for upper limb symptoms. However, criteria for evidence are derived from the evaluation of medical treatment, and it has been suggested that they are not appropriate, considering the complexity of workplace interventio...

The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability and usability of the ergonomic workplace method (EWM) in evaluating sedentary, standing and physically active work. Six observers, ergonomists, occupational health experts, a work supervisor and a labour protection officer, making up three pairs of experts, participated in the study. They assessed the working conditions of three separate tasks, twice, from videotapes. The consistency of their assessments was determined from the percentages of agreement and the Kappa coefficient. Intra-observer reliability was assessed from the inter-measurement deviations. The overall consistency between the observer assessments was good. The intra-observer reliability was high. The EWM covered both rapidly assessed and time-consuming items. It is well suited for observing sedentary, standing and physically active work. All persons whose tasks involve the assessment of working conditions can use the method after being trained.

Sit-stand workstations offer a potential strategy to reduce prolonged occupational sitting. This controlled intervention study examined the effects of an environmental intervention on occupational sedentary time, musculoskeletal comfort and work ability, and the usability of sit-stand workstations in office work via a self-reported questionnaire. The intervention group (n = 24) used sit-stand workstations during the 6-month intervention period, and the control group (n = 21) used traditional sitting workstations. The results showed that working at sit-stand workstations can reduce sitting time significantly compared to control workstations (-6.7% vs. 5.0%, p = .019), which is reallocated mostly to standing (r = -0.719, p < .001). Sit-stand workstations improved perceived musculoskeletal comfort in the neck and shoulders (p = .028), as well as work ability (p = .022). The majority of intervention subjects rated sit-stand workstation adjustability as good (83.3%), and 75.0% were satisfied with the workstation. About 41.7% of the intervention participants, who were exclusively female, used the sit-stand function on a daily basis. While the environmental change alone was effective, it is likely that promoting the daily use of sit-stand workstations with counselling would lead to even more substantial positive effects.

This study assessed the effects of redesigning clients' clothing on the physical work load and strain of personal helpers. Five women, aged 18-54 years, who helped persons with physical disabilities were measured at their worksites before and after development of the clothes worn by clients. The physical work load and strain of the helpers' dressing/undressing of clients were determined from their hand and back movements, work time, muscular activity, heart rate (HR), percentage of heart rate range (%HRR), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE). The muscular activity of the right (p=0.05) and left (p=0.02) trapezius muscles, HR (p=0.03), and %HRR (p=0.03) of the helpers were lower when the new outerwear was used in place of traditional outerwear. Four helpers reported lower perceived exertion, and three had shorter work time with the new outerwear. This study showed that redesigning clients' clothing can help reduce the physical work load and strain of personal helpers.

Information technology (IT), especially assistive devices and programs, enable people with disabilities to work. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and use of this IT among workers with disabilities in the open labor market. The focus was on the IT accommodation solutions used in workplaces and how these improved the working skills of disabled people. One fourth (27%) of the participants considered their knowledge regarding assistive technology to be very good or good, whereas 39% considered their knowledge to be very poor or poor. Workers with visual disorders were the most aware of assistive technology in computer work. Over half of the respondents indicated that the user interface, display screen, and mouse settings of their computers were not accommodated.

Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää isojen pihattojen työoloja, turvallisuutta ja toiminnallisuutta sekä työn fyysistä ja henkistä kuormittavuutta. Iltalypsy ja siihen liittyvät työt olivat hengitys- ja verenkiertoelimistön osalta kevyttä tai keskiraskasta työtä. Eniten selän kumaria ja/tai kiertyneitä asentoja oli vasikoiden ruokinnassa ja parsien puhdistuksessa, lähes joka kolmas havainnoista. Lypsytyö kuormittaa erityisesti ranteen ojentajalihaksia. Naisilla suhteellinen lihaskuormitus oli lypsytyön eri vaiheissa korkeampi kuin miehillä. Rasitusoireita koettiin yleisimmin niska-hartiaseudun lihaksissa. Oireita oli erityisen runsaasti naisilla kehon oikealla puolella. Turvallisuuden parantamiseksi olisi kehitettävä järjestyksenpitoa pihatoissa. Lehmäliikenne olisi järjestettävä niin, etteivät eläinten ja ihmisten kulkureitit risteäisi. Pihaton laajennusta suunniteltaessa olisi otettava huomioon tilan koko toiminta, jottei työn kokonaiskuormitus kasvaisi liian suureksi. Viljelijöiden sekä eläinten altistumista melulle tulisi edelleen vähentää. Valaistus on uusissa tuotantorakennuksissa keskimäärin hyvä, mutta varastotilojen, nuorkarjan ja pihan valaistusta tulisi parantaa. Pölylle ja mikrobeille altistuminen on vähentynyt, joskin satunnaisesti pitoisuudet saattavat olla terveyden kannalta liian suuria. Altistuminen ammoniakille ja hiilidioksidille on pysynyt samalla tasolla parikymmentä vuotta. Ilmanvaihdon suunnittelun tärkeyttä parempaan työilmaan pyrittäessä ei ole vielä riittävästi ymmärretty. Pihattoyrittäjien koettu henkinen kuormittuneisuus oli korkea ja työn koetut muutokset suuria. Työtyytyväisyys ja työn ilo olivat heikentyneet EU-aikana. Oiretasolla henkisen hyvinvoinnin heikkeneminen ei kuitenkaan ollut havaittavissa. Yhteistyötä naapureiden kanssa tehtiin runsaasti. Taloudellisesti pihattoyrittäjät arvioivat selviytyvänsä hyvin, mutta henkisiin huoliin kaivattiin apua.Avsitken med denna studie var att undersöka arbetsmiljö, arbetarskydd och funktionsberedskap i stora kostallar samt studera fysisk och psykisk arbetsbelastning i dessa. Arbetsuppgifter i samband med kvällsmjölkning var lätta eller medeltunga när man betraktar belastning av andnings- och blodcirkulations organ. Förekomst av böjda eller vridna arbetställningar konstaterades för var tredje observation vid matning av kalvar och rengöring av bås. Mjölkningen belastar speciellt sträckmuskler i handloven. Vid mjölkningen var kvinnorna utsatta för större relativ muskelbelastning än männen. Stress förekom hos både kvinnor och män oftast i mulskler kring skuldror och nacke. Kvinnorna klagade ofta på symptom i högra sidan av kroppen. Vad beträffar arbetarskydd borde man i första hand utveckla den allmänna ordningen i kostallar. Korsvägar mellan människor och djur borde undvikas vid planering av passager. Vid utvidgning av lösdriftsladugårdar skall man iakttaga alla aktiviteter på lägenheten, för att icke orsaka onödig total belastning. Belysning i kostallarna var bra i allmänhet men man borde förbättra det i lager och på gården. Lägre bullerexponering av människor och djur i kostallar är idag ännu önskvärd. Lufthalterna av damm och mikrober har minskat med tiden men i några fall kan även dessa luftföroreningar uppkomma i höga halter. Jämtfört med tidigare studier har jordbrukarnas exponering för ammoniak och koldioxid inte minskat i nya kostallar. Ventilation i kostallarna var bristfällig i flera fall och man borde sätta ännu mera vikt på planering av ventilation. Psykisk arbetsbelastning av jordbrukarna i denna studie var hög och de upplevde att arbetet hade genomgått stora förändningar med minskad tillfredställelse och arbetsglädje som följd under EU-tiden. Vad beträffar symptomen kunde dock inte minskat psykiskt välbefinnande iakttas. Jordbrukarna hade mycket samarbete grannar emellan. Jordbrukarna ansåg att deras ekonomi var tillfredställande men hjälp med åtgärder för psykiska problem önskades.vokMyynti MTT Tietopalvelut. Yksikön huom.: mkf, mpymp

Työntekijä voi huolehtia aivoterveydestään työssään monin pienin ja vaikuttavin tavoin. Suomessa noin 3 500 työikäistä sairastuu aivoverenkiertohäiriöön vuosittain. Puolet heistä palaa työhön, jolloin työn muokkaus on tärkeä työkyvyn tuen keino. Nämä äkilliset muutostilanteet alentavat työntekijän työkykyä, joten työhön paluu edellyttää hyvää yhteistyötä työpaikan, työterveyshuollon ja kuntoutuksen ja kesken. Työn muokkaus on keino tukea työntekijän työkykyä ja työhön paluuta. Työhön paluun tuki ja työn muokkaus on prosessi, jossa on tarkasteltava sekä työntekijän yksilöllisiä tekijöitä että arvioitava työn vaatimuksia ja muita työhön liittyviä ympäristötekijöitä kokonaisuutena. Oulun ammattikorkeakoulu järjesti ESR-hankkeiden yhteisen webinaarin 27.4.2021. Sen teemana oli ”Henkilöstön osaamisen ja työkyvyn muutostilanteiden johtaminen, Case: AVH sairastavan henkilön palvelupolun eri vaiheet”. Webinaariin osallistui viisi ESR-hanketta, joissa käsiteltiin tämän blogin aiheita. Hankke...

Sit-stand workstations offer a potential strategy to reduce prolonged occupational sitting. This controlled intervention study examined the effects of an environmental intervention on occupational sedentary time, musculoskeletal comfort and work ability, and the usability of sit-stand workstations in office work via a self-reported questionnaire. The intervention group (n = 24) used sit-stand workstations during the 6-month intervention period, and the control group (n = 21) used traditional sitting workstations. The results showed that working at sit-stand workstations can reduce sitting time significantly compared to control workstations (-6.7% vs. 5.0%, p = .019), which is reallocated mostly to standing (r = -0.719, p < .001). Sit-stand workstations improved perceived musculoskeletal comfort in the neck and shoulders (p = .028), as well as work ability (p = .022). The majority of intervention subjects rated sit-stand workstation adjustability as good (83.3%), and 75.0% were sa...

Information technology (IT), especially assistive devices and programs, enable people with disabilities to work. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and use of this IT among workers with disabilities in the open labor market. The focus was on the IT accommodation solutions used in workplaces and how these improved the working skills of disabled people. One fourth (27%) of the participants considered their knowledge regarding assistive technology to be very good or good, whereas 39% considered their knowledge to be very poor or poor. Workers with visual disorders were the most aware of assistive technology in computer work. Over half of the respondents indicated that the user interface, display screen, and mouse settings of their computers were not accommodated.

Coordinating services for people with disabilities requires the expertise of professionals who promote the employment and work ability of their clients. This study evaluated the effects of work ability coordinators’ educational program on behavior of professionals who support work ability of people with disabilities. The participants were 394 professionals aged from 27 to 63 (mean age 46), who attended 21 educational programs in different parts of Finland during 2016–2019. As evaluation methods we used questionnaires and content analysis. The participants’ knowledge and skills, as their capabilities to provide work ability support to people with disabilities increased statistically significantly during the educational program. Motivation meant that the participants expected to gain knowledge on the broad structure of the service system and legislation. Networking opportunities led to new, individual-based contacts and co-operation at the national as well as the regional level. Behav...

The use of information and communication technologies is increasing in health care, and patient information is being transferred into electronic format. The aim of this study was to test the ergonomics and usability of a mobile workstation prototype in actual work situations. The mobile workstation was tested by physicians (n=5) and nurses (n=3) during and after hospital rounds. The study produced 19 requirements for a usable product. The participants rated wheel function, screen height, the mobility of the terminal, and the adjustability of the terminal height as the best usability features of the prototype. The keyboard level, the mouse level, and the difficulty to install the computer into the terminal were reported as the most important points in need of improvement. The results of this study show that having physicians and nurses make subjective judgments about the usability of a mobile workstation adds value to its design.

Abstract: Purpose: To evaluate the ergonomics and efficacy of five instruments used in dentistry for scaling and root planing. Methods: This experimental study with a comparative cross-sectional design was carried out during a simulated scaling and root planing task. Seven female dentists and one dental hygienist aged 26–58 years participated. Five instruments were evaluated in a subjective analysis of usability and musculoskeletal strain and with measurements of muscular activity, postures of the upper limbs, and work productivity. Results: The instruments with the thickest (diameter of 12–14 mm) silicon handles caused the lowest perceived strain in both the fingers/palm and the thumb. Work productivity was also the best with the thickest silicon handles. Between the instruments, no statistically significant differences were found for the muscular activity of the four muscle groups studied or for the postures of the wrist and upper arm. Conclusions: The design and material of denta...

The use of information and communication technologies is increasing in health care, and patient information is being transferred into electronic format. The aim of this study was to test the ergonomics and usability of a mobile workstation prototype in actual work situations. The mobile workstation was tested by physicians (n=5) and nurses (n=3) during and after hospital rounds. The study produced 19 requirements for a usable product. The participants rated wheel function, screen height, the mobility of the terminal, and the adjustability of the terminal height as the best usability features of the prototype. The keyboard level, the mouse level, and the difficulty to install the computer into the terminal were reported as the most important points in need of improvement. The results of this study show that having physicians and nurses make subjective judgments about the usability of a mobile workstation adds value to its design.

Abstract: Purpose: To evaluate the ergonomics and efficacy of five instruments used in dentistry for scaling and root planing. Methods: This experimental study with a comparative cross-sectional design was carried out during a simulated scaling and root planing task. Seven female dentists and one dental hygienist aged 26–58 years participated. Five instruments were evaluated in a subjective analysis of usability and musculoskeletal strain and with measurements of muscular activity, postures of the upper limbs, and work productivity. Results: The instruments with the thickest (diameter of 12–14 mm) silicon handles caused the lowest perceived strain in both the fingers/palm and the thumb. Work productivity was also the best with the thickest silicon handles. Between the instruments, no statistically significant differences were found for the muscular activity of the four muscle groups studied or for the postures of the wrist and upper arm. Conclusions: The design and material of denta...

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1. Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 2. Goal and framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 3. How was the study implemented? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 4. How did the organizations introduce the new concept? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 4.1. Selection and responsibilities of work ability coordinators . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 4.2. Development targets in organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 5 H...

Purpose Employers increasingly use ‘return to work’ (RTW) coordinators to support work ability and extend working careers, particularly among employees with reduced work ability. We examined whether applying this model was associated with changes in employee sickness absence and disability retirements. Methods We used data from the Finnish Public Sector study from 2009 until 2015. Employees where the model was introduced in 2012 constituted the cases (n = 4120, one municipality) and employees where the model was not in use during the follow-up, represented the controls (n = 5600, two municipalities). We analysed risk of disability retirement in 2013–2015 and risk of sickness absence after (2013–2015) vs. before (2009–2011) intervention by case–control status. Results The incidence of disability retirement after the intervention was lower in cases compared to controls both in the total population (hazard ratio HR = 0.49, 95% CI 0.30–0.79) and in the subgroup of participants with redu...