The objective of this paper is to provide a systematic review of the reproducibility and validity of self-report questions concerning physical work demands. After a bibliographic search of Medline and Ergonomic Abstracts for 1980–2003, 15 articles meeting the eligibility criteria were reviewed for methodological quality; 82 formulations of questions on physical work demands were evaluated for reproducibility and 83 for validity. Questions evaluated for both reproducibility and validity that performed well in both sets of studies included those on duration or presence of sitting and standing posture, the presence of walking, kneeling or squatting postures, duration or frequency of hands above shoulders, manual handling of more than or less than 10 kg, general level of physical effort, presence and duration of whole-body vibration, and duration of the use of visual display terminals. Suggestions for improving the design of reproducibility and validity studies and directions for future research in physical workload measurement are proposed.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) represent a major public health problem and economic burden to employers, workers and health insurance systems. This systematic review had two objectives: (1) to analyze the cost-benefit results of organizational-level ergonomic workplace-based interventions aimed at preventing WMSD, (2) to explore factors related to the implementation process of these interventions (obstacles and facilitating factors) in order to identify whether economic results may be due to a successful or unsuccessful implementation. Systematic review. Studies were searched in eight electronic databases and in reference lists of included studies. Companion papers were identified through backward and forward citation tracking. A quality assessment tool was developed following guidelines available in the literature. An integration of quantitative economic results and qualitative implementation data was conducted following an explanatory sequential design. Out of 189 records, nine studies met selection criteria and were included in our review. Out of nine included studies, grouped into four types of interventions, seven yielded positive economic results, one produced a negative result and one mixed results (negative cost-effectiveness and positive net benefit). However, the level of evidence was limited for the four types of interventions given the quality and the limited number of studies identified. Our review shows that among the nine included studies, negative and mixed economic results were observed when the dose delivered and received by participants was low, when the support from top and/or middle management was limited either due to limited participation of supervisors in training sessions or a lack of financial resources and when adequacy of intervention to workers’ needs was low. In studies where economic results were positive, implementation data showed strong support from supervisors and a high rate of employee participation. Studies investigating the determinants of financial outcomes of prevention related to implementation process are very seldom. We recommend that in future research economic evaluation should include information on the implementation process in order to permit the interpretation of economic results and enhance the generalizability of results. This is also necessary for knowledge transfer and utilization of research results for prevention-oriented decision-making in occupational health and safety.

Objectives We sought to determine whether interventions that target work organization or the psychosocial work environment are effective in preventing or reducing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) compared to usual work. Methods We systematically reviewed the 2000–2015 English and French language scientific literature, including studies evaluating the effectiveness of an organizational or psychosocial work intervention on incidence, prevalence or intensity of work-related musculoskeletal pain or disorders in the neck, shoulders, upper limbs and/or back or of work absence due to such problems, among non-sick-listed workers. We excluded rehabilitation and individual-level behavioral interventions and studies with >50% attrition. We analyzed medium- and high-quality studies and synthesized the evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development & Evaluation (GRADE) approach. An analysis of key workplace intervention elements supplemented interpretation of results. Results We identified 884 articles; 28 met selection criteria, yielding 2 high-quality, 10 medium-quality and 16 low-quality studies. There was moderate evidence that supplementary breaks, compared to conventional break schedules, are effective in reducing symptom intensity in various body regions. Evidence was low- to very low-quality for other interventions, primarily due to risk of bias related to study design, high attrition rates, co-interventions, and insensitive indicators. Most interventions lacked key intervention elements, such as work activity analysis and ergonomist guidance during implementation, but the relation of these elements to intervention effectiveness or ineffectiveness remains to be demonstrated. Conclusions Targeting work–rest cycles may reduce WMSD. Better quality studies are needed to allow definitive conclusions to be drawn on the effectiveness of other work organizational or psychosocial interventions to prevent or reduce WMSD.

Objectives. We examined underestimation of nontraumatic work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) stemming from underreporting to workers’ compensation (WC). Methods. In data from the 2007 to 2008 Québec Survey on Working and Employment Conditions and Occupational Health and Safety we estimated, among nonmanagement salaried employees (NMSEs) (1) the prevalence of WMSDs and resulting work absence, (2) the proportion with WMSD-associated work absence who filed a WC claim, and (3) among those who did not file a claim, the proportion who received no replacement income. We modeled factors associated with not filing with multivariate logistic regression. Results. Eighteen percent of NMSEs reported a WMSD, among whom 22.3% were absent from work. More than 80% of those absent did not file a WC claim, and 31.4% had no replacement income. Factors associated with not filing were higher personal income, higher seniority, shorter work absence, and not being unionized. Conclusions. The high level of WMSD underreporting highlights the limits of WC data for surveillance and prevention. Without WC benefits, injured workers may have reduced job protection and access to rehabilitation.

The aim of this study was to identify workplace physical and psychosocial risk factors for neck pain among male and female workers and, in particular, to study the relationship between neck pain and intimidation and sexual harassment in the workplace in a representative sample of the Quebec working population. The study sample included 5405 men and 3987 women. In multiple logistic regression analyses, when taking into account individual and other workplace factors, neck pain was significantly associated with intimidation at work among both male (odds ratio (OR) 1.4 (1.01–1.8)) and female workers (OR 1.3 (1.01–1.8)). Among female workers, neck pain was alsosignificantly associated with unwanted sexual attention (OR 1.6 (1.1–2.4)). If confirmed in prospective studies, these results suggest that interventions to prevent harassment in the workplace may help reduce musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace and that workplace programmes to reduce harassment in the workplace should include prevention of sexual harassment. Practitioner Summary: While taking into account relevant personal factors and previously identified workplace physical and psychosocial risk factors, this gender-based study identifies new work exposures associated with neck pain that have not previously been studied, including unwanted sexual attention, intimidation and difficult or tense situations with the public.

La littérature scientifique reconnaît l’origine multifactorielle des troubles musculo-squelettiques (TMS) liés au travail. Au-delà des facteurs biomécaniques et personnels, les facteurs organisationnels et psychosociaux contribuent également à la genèse des TMS liés au travail, mais les relations entre ces problèmes de santé et ces facteurs d’exposition sont complexes et largement méconnues. De plus, il y a un manque de consensus sur ce que signifient les « facteurs psychosociaux du travail » et ce qui constitue le contexte organisationnel du travail. Notre équipe s’est penchée sur ces questions. Cet article décrit, à partir d’exemples, l’évolution de la pensée au regard des facteurs psychosociaux au travail associés à la santé au cours des trente dernières années. Puis, il présente un modèle conceptuel de la genèse des TMS liés au travail qui incorpore des facteurs psychosociaux du travail et le rôle médiateur possible de la détresse psychologique.