A participatory ergonomics intervention to re-design work and improve the musculoskeletal health of paramedics: protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

Study Protocol

Jodi Oakman¹  Victoria Weale¹  Karen Davies² 

[1] Centre for Ergonomics and Human Factors, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia;Centre for Ergonomics and Human Factors, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia;Queensland Ambulance Service, Brisbane, QLD, Australia;

关键词: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders;    Musculoskeletal pain;    Participatory ergonomics;    APHIRM toolkit;    Paramedics;    Ambulance service;    Intervention;    Cluster RCT;    Risk management;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12891-023-06834-8

 received in 2023-03-27, accepted in 2023-08-25,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundIn this paper, we present the protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of a participative risk management intervention to address work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). The aims of the study include to evaluate the implementation process and the impact of the intervention on work related musculoskeletal pain and discomfort and exposure to physical and psychosocial hazards in paramedics over a 12-month period.MethodsThe intervention in this study is to implement A Participative Hazard Identification and Risk Management (APHIRM) toolkit in an ambulance service. Eighteen work groups containing eligible participants (registered paramedics) will be randomised into the intervention or wait-list control arm in one of three rolling recruitment periods. The APHIRM toolkit survey will be offered at baseline and 12 months later, to all current eligible participants in each work group allocated to the trial. The intervention work groups will receive the remainder of the APHIRM toolkit procedures. Identifying data about individual participants will not be collected in the survey, to protect participant privacy and encourage participation. Changes in primary (musculoskeletal pain and discomfort) and secondary (exposure to physical and psychosocial hazards at work) outcomes measured in the survey will be analysed comparing the baseline and follow up response of the cluster. A process evaluation is included to analyse the implementation and associated barriers or facilitators.DiscussionThis study is important in providing a comprehensive approach which focusses on both physical and psychosocial hazards using worker participation, to address WMSDs, a well-known and significant problem for ambulance services. The effectiveness of the intervention in work groups will be rigorously evaluated. If significant positive results are observed, the intervention may be adopted in ambulance services, both nationally and internationally.Trial registrationISRCTN77150219. Registered 21 November 2021.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2023

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Fig. 4