The Effect of an Ergonomic Intervention on Musculoskeletal, Psychosocial and Visual Strain of VDT Entry Work: Organization and Methodology of the International Study

This special issue of the International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics (JOSE) reports the results from an extensive multinational and multidisciplinary collaborative investigation of the impacts on visual display terminal (VDT) work of musculoskeletal, visual, ergonomic, and psychosocial factors. For brevity, this effort has been referred to as the MEPS project (musculoskeletal—eyestrain—psychosocial—stress). This paper lays out the basic methodological structure of the study. The study was conducted in 4 countries utilizing VDT data entry workers as the primary subject population. A battery of objective and subject assessment measures, including muscle load, visual function, physical and visual strain, postural, ergonomic and psychosocial factors, were assessed at 3 different points in time. A pre-test was given prior to an ergonomic intervention. Two post-tests were given 1 month and 1 year after the ergonomic intervention.

[1]  E. Kinney.  Primer of Biostatistics , 1987 .

[2]  Gunnar Horgen,et al.  The work posture and the postural load of the neck/shoulder muscles when correcting presbyopia with different types of multifocal lenses on VDT-workers , 1989 .

[3]  Victor M. Goldberg,et al.  Soft tissue rheumatic pain: Recognition, management, prevention , 1982 .

[4]  C. Dolea,et al.  World Health Organization , 1949, International Organization.

[5]  V. Hopkin.  Book reviewErgonomic aspects of visual display terminals: Edited by E. Grandjean, E. Vigliani Taylor and Francis Ltd, 1980, pp x + 300, £18 , 1981 .

[6]  L W Stammerjohn,et al.  Evaluation of Work Station Design Factors in VDT Operations , 1981, Human factors.

[7]  G Parenmark,et al.  Ergonomic on-the-job training of assembly workers. Arm-neck-shoulder complaints drastically reduced amongst beginners. , 1988, Applied ergonomics.

[8]  R. Westgaard,et al.  Postural angles as an indicator of postural load and muscular injury in occupational work situations. , 1988, Ergonomics.

[9]  B. Jonsson,et al.  Standardised Nordic questionnaires for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms. , 1987, Applied ergonomics.

[10]  B. Knave,et al.  Work with video display terminals among office employees. I. Subjective symptoms and discomfort. , 1985, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[11]  Ronald B. Rabbetts,et al.  Clinical Visual Optics , 1984 .

[12]  L Tijerina,et al.  Symptoms in video display terminal operators and the presence of small refractive errors. , 1988, Journal of the American Optometric Association.

[13]  K. B. Veiersted.  The reproducibility of test contractions for calibration of electromyographic measurements , 2004, European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology.

[14]  B Jonsson,et al.  Measurement and evaluation of local muscular strain in the shoulder during constrained work. , 1982, Journal of human ergology.

[15]  E. Grandjean,et al.  Ergonomic aspects of visual display terminals , 1980 .

[16]  B. Jonsson.  Kinesiology: with special reference to electromyographic kinesiology. , 1978, Electroencephalography and clinical neurophysiology. Supplement.

[17]  Kimberly C. Parsons,et al.  Work with display units1215 May 1986, Stockholm , 1986 .

[18]  H Shahnavaz,et al.  Evaluation of an ergonomics intervention programme in VDT workplaces. , 1995, Applied ergonomics.

[19]  Anja Vogler,et al.  An Introduction to Multivariate Statistical Analysis , 2004 .

[20]  L Philipson,et al.  Muscular load levels in performing musicians as monitored by quantitative electromyography , 1990 .

[21]  M. Dainoff,et al.  Visual Fatigue and Occupational Stress in VDT Operators , 1981, Human factors.

[22]  R. Fisher.  The Advanced Theory of Statistics , 1943, Nature.

[23]  R. E. Johnson.  Soft tissue rheumatic pain: Recognition, management, prevention , 1982 .

[24]  A. Aarås.  Relationship between trapezius load and the incidence of musculoskeletal illness in the neck and shoulder , 1994 .

[25]  R H Westgaard,et al.  Pattern of muscle activity during stereotyped work and its relation to muscle pain , 1990, International archives of occupational and environmental health.

[26]  Lars Aabakken,et al.  Assessing soft data in clinical trials , 1991 .

[27]  J. Cardell,et al.  CLINICAL REFRACTION , 1959 .

[28]  Steven L. Sauter,et al.  Promoting health and productivity in the computerized office , 1991 .

[29]  T. W. Anderson,et al.  An Introduction to Multivariate Statistical Analysis , 1959 .

[30]  Arne Aarås,et al.  Postural load and the incidence of musculoskeletal illness , 1991 .

[31]  A Aarås,et al.  Measurement of postural angles during work. , 1988, Ergonomics.

[32]  K. Hansen,et al.  Trapezius muscle load as a risk indicator for occupational shoulder-neck complaints , 1993, International archives of occupational and environmental health.

[33]  Marvin J. Dainoff,et al.  Safety and Health Effects of Video Display Terminals , 2001 .

[34]  E. Asmussen,et al.  Biomechanics VI-A , 1978 .

[35]  M. Kendall,et al.  Rank Correlation Methods , 1949 .

[36]  U Bergqvist,et al.  National Institute for Working Life Ergonomic Expert Committee Document No 1Visual Display Unit Work and Upper Extremity Musculoskeletal DisordersA Review of Epidemiological Findings , 1997 .

[37]  S. Braver,et al.  The measurement of clinical pain intensity: a comparison of six methods , 1986, Pain.

[38]  R. Westgaard,et al.  Electromyographic evaluation of muscular work pattern as a predictor of trapezius myalgia. , 1993, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health.

[39]  Mark R. Harrison Fraco.  Visual display units. , 1983 .

[40]  G. Westlander.  How identify organizational factors crucial of VDU-health? A context-oriented method approach , 1987 .

[41]  O. Hänninen,et al.  Shoulder strain in keyboard workers and its alleviation by arm supports , 1988, International archives of occupational and environmental health.

[42]  Steven L. Sauter,et al.  Promoting health and productivity in the computerized office : models of successful ergonomic interventions , 1990 .

[43]  William A. Mann.  The Principles and Practice of Refraction , 1961 .

[44]  R Ortengren,et al.  Reproducibility and stability of normalized EMG measurements on musculus trapezius. , 1996, Ergonomics.

[45]  R. Forthofer,et al.  Rank Correlation Methods , 1981 .

[46]  Vernon E. Rose,et al.  Patty's industrial hygiene , 2001 .