S. Anyan Junior1, W.A. Kofi-Bediako1, A. Appah Acquah1
1University of Health and Allied Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, Ho, Ghana
Background: Lecturing entails a wide variety of activities. These include prolonged sitting, standing to teach as well as performing laboratory and clinical demonstrations. These activities are known source of ergonomic hazards and could predispose lecturers to developing work-related musculoskeletal discomfort (WMSDs) especially when performed over long duration under poor working conditions. Despite the potential ergonomic risks associated with lecturing, a detailed assessment of these risks have not been adequately explored among the Ghanaian population.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the ergonomic risk factors among lecturers of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Ho - Ghana
Methods: A cross-sectional study employing both qualitative and quantitative methods was conducted from February, 2019 to April, 2019 among UHAS lecturers in Ho. Lecturers were recruited using convenient sampling. A detailed analysis of lecturing job tasks was conducted using direct observations and interviews. Five lecturers were interviewed about the activities involved in their lecturing profession. This was complemented with direct observation of 9 lecturers as they performed their lecturing activities. These observations were recorded with a video camera and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA W-1) observation checklist was used to identify ergonomic risk factors associated with the specific job tasks identified. The Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) tool was used to assess the most awkward and frequently assumed postures while performing lecturing related tasks. Interview data and direct observations were analyzed in themes, while quantitative data was reported using descriptive statistics.
Results: Results from the job analysis indicated 3 main tasks that were mostly performed by lecturers. These were; sitting to prepare lecture notes, standing to teach, and clinical /laboratory demonstrations. Ergonomic risk factors identified among lecturers were awkward postures and frequent repetitive movements of the upper limb. Awkward postures were frequently observed during clinical demonstrations and sitting to prepare lecture notes. REBA scores were highest (score of 7) for clinical demonstration tasks compared to sitting to prepare lecture notes (score of 3) and standing to teach (score of 3). These scores connote medium and low ergonomic risks respectively. Standing to teach was often interspersed with short bouts of walking.
Conclusion(s): University lecturers at UHAS are exposed to medium risk due to awkward postures coupled with frequent repetitive movement of the upper limb during lecturing. A combination of sitting and standing to teach interspersed with periodic short walks may present less posture risks and thus should be recommended. Clinical demonstrations during teaching should be done with caution to ensure the best postures are assumed.
Implications: Findings from this study highlights the ergonomic risks associated with the lecturing profession. These risks may be similar across other educational institutions and thus could form a basis for developing ergonomic training programs aimed at reducing the adverse effects of ergonomic risk factors.
Funding, acknowledgements: Self-funded
Keywords: Ergonomic assessment, Lecturers, teaching, REBA, OSHA W1
Topic: Occupational health & ergonomics
Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH AND ALLIED SCIENCES
Committee: INSTITUTE OF HEALTH RESEARCH
Ethics number: UHAS-REC A.4|309|18-19
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
