Citation

Laberge M, Chadoin M, Inigo M, Messing K, Lefrançois M, Sultan-Taïeb H, Chatigny C, Riel J, Webb J, Fillion M, Vaillancourt C, Bellemare M. Ergonomics 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/00140139.2022.2048898

PMID

35232328

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the integration of sex and gender (s/g) by ergonomics students during their internship at the master's degree level, following training sessions on s/g issues in the workplace. This exploratory research used a descriptive mixed-methods design, encompassing evaluation of students' intention to use the content from the training (n = 13 students), and a multiple case study (n = 5 ergonomics interventions). The results show that while students found the training relevant, they only minimally integrated s/g in their interventions and when they did, it was primarily from an anthropometric and physiological perspective. In addition to discussing the training format limitations, the article discusses barriers to this integration: combining learning about s/g issues with learning about activity analysis is challenging; employers' and workers' organizations may be reluctant to approach s/g issues; and it is difficult for an ergonomist to integrate these issues when the employer's request does not specify it.

Practitioner Summary: This article aims to analyze the integration of s/g by ergonomics students during their internships.

FINDINGS show that they only minimally considered s/g. The discussion examines s/g training, organizational obstacles to inclusion of s/g during interventions, and how ergonomists can consider s/g in their practice.

Language: en

Keywords

training; Ergonomics intervention; obstacles to s/g integration; sex and gender integration