Ergonomics workplace assessment: differences between on-site and remote ergonomic evaluations under COVID-19 conditions

Abstract

The aim of Ergonomic workplace assessment (EWA) is to promote worker’s health due to identification, measurement and risk control related to the working conditions. Covid-19 pandemics forced workers to relocate their workplace from their offices to their homes. This fact headed the introduction of information technologies for the implementation of the EWA. This paper is focused in identifying the differences within both modalities. Seventeen health professionals answered three questionnaires regarding demographic information, EWA methodology they had applied, preference, advantages, disadvantages and opportunities of each methodology, discomfort and workload. Moreover, standard time was calculated for both modalities (Freivalds & Niebel, 2014).It was found that standard time for the execution only differed in one minute. Although, on- site modality is longer due to the transportation requirement. The difficulties in remote modality are related with the worker being alone and the verification of the proposed modifications for the workplace. Even so, remote modality optimizes time and coverage. To ensure the quality of the remote modality it is necessary to guarantee the internet connection of health professional and worker and also that the worker isn´t alone while the EWA.

Keywords: Ergonomics workplace assessment, Standard time, Safety management

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1002640