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Document ID (ISN)103919
CIS number 05-236
ISSN - Serial title 0271-3586 - American Journal of Industrial Medicine
Year 2003
Convention or series no.
Author(s) Anema J.R., Steenstra I.A., Urlings I.J.M., Bongers P.M., de Vroome E.M.M., van Mechelen W.
Title Participatory ergonomics as a return-to-work intervention: A future challenge?
Bibliographic information Sep. 2003, Vol.44, No.3, p.273-281. Illus. 33 ref.
Abstract A participatory ergonomics programme applied to the disability management of workers suffering from low-back pain (LBP) is presented. It involved 35 workers who were absent from work for periods of 2-6 weeks due to LBP. Questionnaires were addressed to the workers, to their occupational physicians, who had received prior training in the programme, and to participating ergonomists. Workers, their supervisors and the ergonomists jointly identified a number of ergonomic solutions to be presented to the employers. Most workers were satisfied with the programme and reported a stimulating effect on return-to-work. Almost half of the proposed solutions were implemented. The main obstacles to implementation were technical or organizational difficulties and physical disabilities of the worker.
Descriptors (primary) plant health organization; health programmes; backache; ergonomics; rehabilitation
Descriptors (secondary) workplace design; sickness absenteeism; programme evaluation; industrial physicians; handicapped workers; role of supervisory staff; workers' participation; ergonomic evaluation
Document type D - Periodical articles
Country / State or ProvinceNetherlands
Subject(s) Ergonomics and work organization
Broad subject area(s) Physiology, ergonomics
Occupational medicine, epidemiology
Browse category(ies) Diseases of the musculoskeletal system
Workplace health promotion
Ergonomics
Rehabilitiation
Workers' participation
Occupational health services