Publications
170 results found
Smedley J, Poole J, Waclawski E, et al., 2004, Manual handling risk controls in hospitals (MARCH): a cross-sectional survey of UK hospitals., Health Serv Manage Res, Vol: 17, Pages: 121-131, ISSN: 0951-4848
Injury and ill health among healthcare staff associated with handling patients is an important area of risk for UK National Health Service (NHS) employers. Since the introduction of a specific legal duty to control this risk in 1992, many Trusts have developed manual handling risk management strategies. Anecdotally, however, practice varies between Trusts and there is no published description of common practice among NHS employers. The latter would be useful as a benchmark for risk managers. Therefore, we undertook a cross-sectional survey of 158 UK trusts (81% of those invited) using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire to collect information about manual handling risk controls. Most Trusts had basic systems for risk management, including defined management accountability, written policies, provision of handling equipment, training, expert advice about manual handling and access to occupational health services and physiotherapy for injured employees. However, there was wide variation in important aspects, including the extent of expert manpower and criteria for referral to occupational health. Arrangements for monitoring risk controls were generally poor, and the variation in practice was a cause for concern. These data will help NHS employers by providing a benchmark against which to measure and develop risk management systems for manual handling. Future research should aim to develop standards through consensus opinion and ultimately evidence of effectiveness of risk controls.
Clarkson PJ, Buckle P, Coleman R, et al., 2004, Design for patient safety: a review of the effectiveness of design in the UK health service, JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING DESIGN, Vol: 15, Pages: 123-140, ISSN: 0954-4828
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- Citations: 57
Murphy S, Buckle P, Stubbs D, 2004, Classroom posture and self-reported back and neck pain in schoolchildren, APPLIED ERGONOMICS, Vol: 35, Pages: 113-120, ISSN: 0003-6870
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- Citations: 119
Clarkson PJ, Ward J, Buckle P, et al., 2004, Designing for patient safety: A review of the effectiveness of design in the UK health service, Pages: 563-572
The Department of Health and the Design Council jointly commissioned a scoping study to deliver ideas and practical recommendations for a design approach to reduce the risk of medical error and improve patient safety across the NHS. The research was undertaken by the Engineering Design Centre at the University of Cambridge, the Robens Institute for Health Ergonomics at the University of Surrey and the Helen Hamlyn Research Centre at the Royal College of Art. The research team employed diverse methods to gather evidence from literature, key stakeholders, and experts from within Healthcare and other safety-critical industries. Despite the multiplicity of activities and methodologies employed, what emerged from the research was a very consistent picture. This convergence pointed to the need to better understand the health care system as the context into which specific design solutions must be delivered. Without that broader understanding there can be no certainty that any single design will contribute to reducing medical error and the consequential cost thereof.
Ward J, Clarkson PJ, Buckle P, et al., 2004, The packaging and labelling of solid oral medicine using oral methotrexate as an example, Pages: 459-468
Solid oral Methotrexate (Methotrexate in tablet form) has been used for many years as an effective measure to treat severe rheumatoid arthritis and severe psoriasis. When taken at the right frequency and dose Methotrexate is a safe medication. However, in the community in the UK between 1993 and 2000, Methotrexate has been implicated in the deaths of some 25 patients and a further 26 cases of serious harm which have required hospitalisation [1,2]. In 2003 the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) began a programme of work to investigate the causes of errors with Methotrexate and to develop and implement solutions in response. Since then, three projects have been undertaken: The development of a new patient treatment diary; An investigation of IT systems in GP's surgeries and community pharmacies; and An assessment of the packaging and labelling of Methotrexate with patients and healthcare practitioners and the identification of changes which should improve patient safety. This paper describes the research and results from the third project.
Clarkson J, Buckle P, Stubbs D, et al., 2004, Designing for patient safety: A review of the effectiveness of design in the UK health service, 8th International Design Conference (DESIGN 2004), Publisher: UNIV ZAGREB, FACULTY MECHANICAL ENGINEERING & NAVAL ARCHITECTURE, Pages: 983-988
Oztug O, Buckle P, 2004, The effects of musculoskeletal pain on work performance: Which pain measurement tool should be used, Annual Conference of the Ergonomics-Society, Publisher: CRC PRESS-TAYLOR & FRANCIS GROUP, Pages: 197-201
Smedley J, Inskip H, Trevelyan F, et al., 2003, Risk factors for incident neck and shoulder pain in hospital nurses, OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE, Vol: 60, Pages: 864-869, ISSN: 1351-0711
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- Citations: 135
Woods V, Hastings S, Buckle P, et al., 2003, Development of non-keyboard input device checklists through assessments, APPLIED ERGONOMICS, Vol: 34, Pages: 511-519, ISSN: 0003-6870
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- Citations: 11
Smedley J, Trevelyan F, Inskip H, et al., 2003, Impact of ergonomic intervention on back pain among nurses, SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF WORK ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH, Vol: 29, Pages: 117-123, ISSN: 0355-3140
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- Citations: 82
Tapley SE, Buckle P, 2003, Reliability of manual handling assessment charts (MAC) developed for regulatory inspectors in the united kingdom, Annual Conference of the Ergonomics-Society, Publisher: TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD, Pages: 9-14
Murphy S, Buckle P, Stubbs D, 2002, The use of the portable ergonomic observation method (PEO) to monitor the sitting posture of schoolchildren in the classroom, APPLIED ERGONOMICS, Vol: 33, Pages: 365-370, ISSN: 0003-6870
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- Citations: 32
Buckle PW, Devereux JJ, 2002, The nature of work-related neck and upper limb musculoskeletal disorders, APPLIED ERGONOMICS, Vol: 33, Pages: 207-217, ISSN: 0003-6870
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- Citations: 348
Devereux JJ, Vlachonikolis IG, Buckle PW, 2002, Epidemiological study to investigate potential interaction between physical and psychosocial factors at work that may increase the risk of symptoms of musculoskeletal disorder of the neck and upper limb, OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE, Vol: 59, Pages: 269-277, ISSN: 1351-0711
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- Citations: 174
Buckle P, Devereux J, 2000, The state of scientific knowledge regarding work related neck and upper limb musculoskeletal disorders, Pages: 434-436
The report has drawn together knowledge from an extensive set of sources. These include the contemporary scientific literature, the views of an international expert scientific panel, current practice, employer and employee representatives and a number of official authorities from member states of the European Union (EU). The need for EU consensus regarding diagnostic criteria is identified. Size of the problem across EU member states has been reported. Understanding of the biological mechanisms of WRULDs varies greatly and it is dependent on the specific disorder. A strong positive relationship between some WRULDs and the performance of work, especially where workers were highly exposed to workplace risk factors is noted. Identifying workers in the extreme exposure categories should become a priority for any preventative strategy. Current scientific knowledge and existing general advice in European health and safety directives, etc., already provide some strategies for preventing WRULDs. Further action is suggested.
Buckle P, David G, 2000, The development of a european union topic centre good practice at workplace level musculoskeletal disorders, Pages: 469-472
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work has established Topic Centres covering the key areas for the Agency's information provision activities. A Topic Centre has been developed to provide information on Good Practice - Musculoskeletal Disorders via the Internet. Procedures for data collection have been established and a data base structure developed for the storage and management of the information that has been gathered. Sites and source materials have been found that will provide practical guidance for the target population in their work.
Woods V, Buckle P, 2000, Recommendations for reducing musculoskeletal health problems among cleaners, Pages: 510-513
A two year research study was undertaken to identify the extent and causes of musculoskeletal work related problems and discomfort among cleaners, to develop guidelines for machine design and to provide advice for supervisors and managers in the cleaning industry. The study highlighted that health problems amongst the UK cleaning population were significantly higher than for comparable working populations. This paper presents the recommendations put forward to try and reduce these health problems which are targeted at all interested parties in the cleaning industry i.e. employers, managers, supervisors, trainers, equipment suppliers and manufacturers. The recommendations focus on machine and equipment design, changes to work organisation and work schedules, formulation of training policies and programmes, development of local health policies and equipment maintenance programmes.
Li G, Buckle P, 2000, Evaluating change in exposure to risk for musculoskeletal disorders - A practical tool, Pages: 407-408
A tool has been developed for health and safety practitioners to assess the exposure to workplace risks for work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The tool is based on the practitioners' needs and "state of the art" research findings. QEC has been tested, modified and validated using both simulated and real tasks, with the help of approximately 150 practitioners. The studies have shown that the tool has a high level of sensitivity and usability, and exhibits largely acceptable inter/intra-observer reliability. Field studies also indicate that the tool is, in practice, reliable and applicable for a wide range of tasks. With a short training period and some practice, assessment can normally be completed within approximately 10 minutes for each task.
Trevelyan F, Buckle P, 2000, Change in exposure to risk for back pain following an ergonomics intervention in an acute hospital, Pages: 423-426
A large-scale ergonomics intervention that included policy, work organisation, focus groups, equipment and training was implemented in an acute hospital in the UK for an 18month period. The intervention was evaluated in terms of exposure to back pain risk factors using the Portable Ergonomic Observation (PEG) method. Sixteen nurses were observed for a fullshift before and after the intervention to identify nursing tasks and the proportion that each comprised in a typical nursing shift. Tasks were then described in terms of posture and load using observation data collected from 48 nurses before and after the intervention. Results showed a similar proportion of a shift was spent performing nursing tasks before and after the intervention and that tasks were affected differentially by the intervention.
Woods V, Buckle P, 2000, Musculoskeletal ill health in the cleaning industry
There are reports from several countries that cleaners have a high risk of developing health problems, particularly musculoskeletal problems affecting the back, neck, shoulders, elbows and hands. This symposium draws together research that is currently being conducted on ill health amongst cleaners in Europe.
Murphy SD, Buckle P, 2000, The occurrence of back pain in schoolchildren and exposure to risk factors in schools can they be measured?, Pages: 549-552
Back pain is a significant financial burden on industry and the economy, but more importantly it is the cause of suffering and disability to countless individuals. Therefore if the symptoms and risk factors of back pain could be identified at an early stage, the opportunities for remedial action would be improved. The study aims to identify the extent of back pain experienced by 11 to 14 year old school children, and establish the intensity, duration and frequency of exposure to mechanical risk factors present in schools. The following criteria were formulated to meet the study objectives, The method should record the intensity, duration, and frequency of the exposure, be continuous, unobtrusive, valid, reliable and feasible. None of the existing methods satisfied all the criteria, therefore new methods must be developed, or those methods which came closest to fulfilling the criteria, might be adapted to suit the participants and the research setting.
Hastings S, Woods V, Haslam RA, et al., 2000, Interviews and observation to investigate health effects from using non-keyboard input devices (NKID), Pages: 569-572
In-depth interviews and observations have been undertaken with intensive and non-intensive non-keyboard input device (NKID) users. Fifty individuals at ten organisations were interviewed to gain insight into how users arrange their workstations and use NKID in connection with different tasks. Observational data have also been collected on posture and workstation set-up, with video recordings at all sites. Initial results are presented here based on the first twenty-five interviews. A wide range of NKID was seen at the organisations visited including the mouse, touchscreen, joystick, trackball, and tablet and pen. Users reported a range of problems associated with the use of some devices: maintenance issues, device responsiveness and size of devices were some of those mentioned. Musculoskeletal pain and discomfort was also reported, particularly in mouse users n=9 (36%) with reports of weakness, stiffness and discomfort in the hands and wrist, An important observation was the variety of configurations of workstation furniture and equipment, which in some cases, constrained the position of the input device in relation to the user. This may result in the users having to work with the input device at some distance away from their body.
Woods V, Buckle P, 2000, Musculoskeletal ill health among UK cleaners, Pages: 506-509
This two year study of musculoskeletal health problems among UK cleaners incorporated the findings from questionnaire surveys, workplace assessments, laboratory trials and focus groups. Higher than expected prevalence rates of musculoskeletal pain and discomfort were identified among cleaners. The main areas affected were: elbows, knees, right wrist and hand, lower back, neck, and right shoulder. The proportion of cleaners seeking medical advice was high (52%). 23% reported taking time off work in the year prior to the study because of these problems, providing some measure of the probable cost of these disorders to employers, society and individuals. Work factors were found to be associated with an increase in risk for musculoskeletal problems among the study group. These included the unsuitable design of equipment, specific work tasks and postures and poor work organisation.
Devereux JJ, Buckle PW, 2000, Adverse work stress reactions - A review of the potential influence on work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), Pages: 457-460
Available data show that work stress and work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are the leading occupational health burdens in Member States of the European Union. Cross-sectional data do no provide a clear indication of the impact of work stress upon WMSDs. Studies have used different indicators for stress and this makes comparison between them more difficult. Similar workplace risk factors, including physical and psychosocial, seem to be associated with work stress and WMSDs. Stress has been implicated in the pathology of WMSDs but many hypotheses require further investigation. There is some epidemiological evidence to support work stress reactions as a predictor of WMSDs and a weighted reciprocal relationship may also exist between these two health problems. However, more longitudinal studies are required to clarify this issue.
Devereux JJ, Buckle PW, 2000, The risk of neck, shoulder and upper limb musculoskeletal disorders due to interactions between physical and psychosocial work risk factors
To investigate the possible interactions between physical and psychosocial risk factors in the workplace that may be associated with self-reported neck and upper-limb musculoskeletal disorder symptoms. Methods - 891 of 1514 manual handlers, delivery drivers, technicians, customer services computer operators and general office staff reported physical and psychosocial working conditions and neck and upper-limb disorder symptoms using a self-administered questionnaire (59% return rate). Of the 869 valid questionnaire respondents, 564 individual workers were classified in to one of four exposure groups: high physical - high psychosocial, high physical - low psychosocial, low physical - high psychosocial and low physical - low psychosocial. Results - The highest increase in risk was found in the high physical - high psychosocial exposure group for upper limb disorders. In the analyses, a departure from an additive risk model was observed for the upper-limb outcome definitions but not for those of the neck. Conclusions - This study suggests that an interaction effect between physical and psychosocial risk factors in the workplace may exist to increase the risk of self-reported upper-limb disorders.
Woods V, Hastings S, Buckle P, et al., 2000, Potential health effects of non-keyboard input devices (NKID): Results of manager and user surveys
This paper reports the findings of two questionnaire surveys, the first distributed to IT and health and safety managers and the second to users of non-keyboard input devices (NKID). This is part of a two year study investigating the potential health effects of non-keyboard input devices.
Simpson E, Buckle P, 2000, Office intervention studies and health outcomes: The effect of telephone headsets on working posture and musculoskeletal symptoms, Pages: 689-691
This field intervention study compared the working postures and reported musculoskeletal symptoms of participants, while using both a traditional telephone handset and a telephone headset. Twenty-six subjects from a variety of occupations participated in a cross over design. Working postures and self-reported symptoms were recorded and then compared following a month using a handset and a month of headset use. Working posture was significantly improved with the headset. A significant reduction in self-reported neck pain during the period of headset use was found.
Li GY, Buckle P, 1999, Current techniques for assessing physical exposure to work-related musculoskeletal risks, with emphasis on posture-based methods, ERGONOMICS, Vol: 42, Pages: 674-695, ISSN: 0014-0139
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- Citations: 322
Devereux JJ, Buckle PW, Vlachonikolis IG, 1999, Interactions between physical and psychosocial risk factors at work increase the risk of back disorders: an epidemiological approach, OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE, Vol: 56, Pages: 343-353, ISSN: 1351-0711
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- Citations: 100
Buckle P, Fernandes A, 1998, Mattress evaluation - assessment of contact pressure, comfort and discomfort, APPLIED ERGONOMICS, Vol: 29, Pages: 35-39, ISSN: 0003-6870
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- Citations: 39
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