Schwartz A, Gerberich SG, Kim H, Ryan AD, Church TR, Albin TJ, McGovern PM, Erdman AE, Green DR, Arauz RF. Appl. Ergon. 2019; 81: e102874.
Affiliation
Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety Education and Research Center, Division of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
INTRODUCTION: A Minnesota union identified to researchers at the University of Minnesota a concern relevant to a possible relation between their daily workload and outcome of occupational injuries among a population of janitors.
OBJECTIVE: To assess if the ergonomic workload is related to injuries among janitors.
METHODS: Following an initial group discussion among janitors, which identified common and hazardous tasks potentially leading to occupational injuries, a questionnaire was developed, pre-tested, and distributed to the janitors. Questions addressed various exposures, including workload, and comprehensive information regarding injury occurrence over two six-month sequential periods (May 2016-October 2016, November 2016-April 2017). Quantitative ergonomic analyses were performed on a sub-group of janitors (n = 30); these included data collection to identify Borg Perceived Exertion (Borg) and Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) scores. Descriptive, multivariable with bias adjustment analyses were conducted on the resulting data.
RESULTS: Eight tasks were found to be common for janitors. All average REBA scores for the tasks were identified in the high-risk category. The task of repeatedly emptying small trash cans (<25lb) was significantly related to injuries. Average Borg scores fell between the very light perceived exertion and somewhat difficult perceived exertion categories. Multivariable regression analyses indicated that age-sex-standardized ergonomic workload, measured by task frequencies and REBA or Borg scores, was positively related to injury occurrence.
CONCLUSIONS: Standardized ergonomic workload was positively related to injury occurrence. This information serves as a basis for further research and potential intervention efforts.