الفهرس 
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Abstract
Ergonomics is a scientific discipline, which is concerned with improving the productivity, health, safety and comfort of people, as well as promoting effective interaction among people, technology and the environment in which both must operate (Olszewski & Wolf, 2015). Ergonomic disorders affect the human body‘s movement or musculoskeletal system as muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, discs and blood vessels whether occurring suddenly or over a prolonged period of time (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), 2013).
Occupational Safety and Health Administration stated basic ergonomic principles and guidelines to keep the computer operators fit during work as work in neutral posture and at proper heights, keep everything in easy reach, reduce excessive motions, maintain a comfortable environment and provide clearance, minimize pressure points and doing exercises and stretches (Centre of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders (CREPMD), 2012).
Currently computer related injuries are developing into an epidemic among computer users. It is estimated that, worldwide, 25% of computer users are already suffering from computer related injuries. In United States, MSDs’ cases accounted for 34 % of all injury and illness cases in 2012 (Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 2014). Incidence of work related musculoskeletal disorders symptoms among the examined users in Saudi Arabia was 70% (Ibrahim, 2014). In Egypt, a study carried out in the Egyptian Natural Gas Company (GASCO) among main office employees revealed that prevalence of WMSDs was 72% (Gabr, 2014).
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Successful prevention of prolonged disability and chronic-state musculoskeletal conditions depends on the use of prognostic assessment data and psychosocial information to create targeted interventions. Occupational health nurse plays an important role in designing ergonomics training programs for the prevention of ergonomic disorders actively involved in effective strategies (Institute of Work and Health (IWH), 2012).
Aim of the Study:
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of the ergonomics training program for prevention of health disorders among computer operators through:
- Assessing the health condition of computer operators.
- Assessing the computer operators’ knowledge and practices related to workstation ergonomics.
- Designing and implementing of ergonomics training program for computer operators.
- Evaluating the effect of the ergonomics training program on computer operators’ health status.
Research Hypothesis:
Implementation of the ergonomics training program would improve the computer operators’ knowledge, practices and health disorders related to workstation ergonomics.
I- Technical Design:
Research design:
A quasi experimental design was used to explore the outcomes of the ergonomics training program on computer operators.
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Setting:
The study was conducted at Bank Al Qahera, Jossef Abbas branch, Nasr City. This branch is the central and the most intense from other smaller branches within Cairo Governorate.
Study sample:
The sample size included 130 computer operators using a systematic random sample technique method. The field work was carried out within duration of 14 months from February 2016 to March 2017 two days/week for maximum 6 hours/day.
Tools of data collection tools: The following tools were used:
First tool: A self administered questionnaire divided into 6 parts as the following:
- Part I: Socio-demographic questionnaire (Appendix I) was concerned with the computer operators’ socio-demographic data such as gender, age, marital status, home crowding index, monthly income and educational level.
- Part II: General health condition and personal habits questionnaire including the following (Appendix II):
a- Personal habits questionnaire was including the computer operators’ nutritional & sleeping habits and pattern, sport practice and smoking.
b- Health history assessment questionnaire was including chronic diseases, medications, eye problems and previous surgeries related to MSDs.
c- General health assessment checklist was to assess the computer operators’ body mass index (BMI) and eye symptoms related workstation. This tool was used during pre program implementation and follow up.
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- Part III: Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) questionnaire adopted from Nordic assessment questionnaire developed by (Kuorinka et al., 1987) (Appendix III) including the musculoskeletal symptoms related to workstation from neck to foot using during pre & follow up of the program implementation.
- Part IV: Occupational stress level questionnaire adopted from (Karasek, 1985) (Appendix IV): This part was to assess the stress level of the computer operators related to work.
- Part V: Computer operators’ working condition questionnaire was assessing the computer operators’ working nature such as years of experience, daily work hours, daily hours of using computer at work & home, fulfilling work at home and total daily hours of computer use.
- Part V: Workstation Ergonomics knowledge questionnaire (Appendix VI) divided into seven variables to assess the computer operators’ knowledge related to ergonomics standards using during pre & follow up of program implementation.
Second tool: Observational checklist was used to assess the workstation environment and computer operators’ practices regarding the workstation ergonomics.
- Part I: Workstation ergonomics environment observational checklist adopted from (Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), 2010) (Appendix V): This part was divided into six variables to assess the computer operators’ workstation environment.
- Part II: Computer operators’ practices observational checklist related to workstation ergonomics (Appendix VI): This part was divided into two variables to assess the
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computer operators’ workstation practices using pre & post program implementation.
II- Operational design:
The study in order to be completed had passed through different phases as follows: the preparatory phase, pilot study phase and the field work phase.
Results:
Findings obtained from the present study could be summarized as the following:
The study sample was aged between 25-35 years were 66.9% with a mean age 33.33+6.17 and 61.5 % of them were males.
53.1% were daily sleeping less than 6 hours at night with a mean 5.71+6.69.
As for chronic diseases, 33.1% suffered from gastroenterological diseases, 13.8% diabetes mellitus, 11.5% respiratory diseases, 10.0% renal diseases and 9.2 cardiac diseases. The eye problems before job revealed that 26.2% of suffered from myopia and 17.7% stigmatism.
63.8% of the computer operators were working under stress.
There were highly statistical significant differences among pre & follow up of computer operators’ workstation eye problems.
There was a highly statistical significant improvement among pre & follow up of the computer operators’ most common musculoskeletal symptoms in relation to neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists/hands, fingers of right & left hand, upper & lower back, pelvis, thighs, knees and ankles/feet.
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70.0% of the studied computer operators were totally using computer 7-12 hours/day with a Mean 9.56+6.38.
After the training program implementation, there was a statistically significant increase in computer operators’ total satisfactory knowledge related to workstation ergonomics.
After the training program implementation, there was a highly statistical significant increase in computer operators’ total healthy practices regarding workstation ergonomics.
A highly significant positive correlation was between pre & post total computer operators’ knowledge and practices.
The total computer workstation environment was suitable by 90.8% and there were highly statistically significant differences between total workstation environment and follow up of computer operators’ total practices.
There were highly statistically significant differences between pre & follow up of computer operators’ total practices and neck, right wrist/hand, right hand fingers and upper & lower back.
There was a highly statistically significant positive correlation between pre & follow up of computer operators’ eye problems and total daily hours of computer use.
Conclusion:
Based on the findings of the present study, the conclusion included:
In conclusion, the findings of the current study proved a significant positive improvement in computer operators’ knowledge, practices and health disorders related to workstation ergonomics through follow up of implementation of the
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ergonomically training program. Indeed, the results revealed a highly statistically significant positive correlation between pre & post total computer operators’ knowledge and practices. Furthermore, there was a highly significant relationship between pre & follow up of computer operators’ total practices and the common health problems of neck, right wrist/hand, right hand fingers and upper & lower back. On the other side, the only significant negative correlation was between pre & follow up of computer operators’ eye problems and eyes’ breaks & exercises during work.
Recommendations:
Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations can be suggested:
- Updating the bank’ documentation system regarding the findings of computer operators’ MSDs related to workstation ergonomics.
- Provision of booklets for computer operators as a guide and standardized reference to motivate them for continuity of following the workstation’ guidelines.
- Periodic physical examination and screening services have to be applied for early identification and detection of ergonomic health problems for computer operators.
- Computer operators have to be provided with health education about good life style.
- Occupational health nurse can help the bank administrators in carrying out strategic services related to job overloaded tasks to overcome the occupational stress level