The Stay@Work study: Participatory Ergonomics to prevent back and neck pain; a cost-effectiveness study

The Stay@Work study: Participatory Ergonomics to Prevent Back and Neck pain: a
cost-effectiveness study

Over the past 20-years, the use of PE to decrease/ prevent and reduce
musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) has increased remarkably. In Canada as well as
in the Netherlands, PE has shown to induce return to regular work in patients
with sub-acute low back pain with 4-6 weeks. However, to date it is unknown
whether PE is effective to prevent back and neck pain among workers.
Furthermore, no study aiming on the prevention of MSD, has been performed to
investigate the (cost)effectiveness of a PE program.

The primary objective of the current study will be to evaluate the
(cost)effectiveness of a PE intervention in order to prevent back and neck pain
among a heterogeneous group of workers.

This study has been designed as a two armed randomized controlled trial (RCT).
Departments of the KLM, NS, and VU/VUmc will participate in this study and will
be allocated to either the intervention group (PE) or the control group (usual
care/ no PE) by randomization. It is assumed that 1 department will consist of
150 workers. Departments consisting of less than 150 workers, will be
clustered.
In advance of the intervention, an educative video as to back and neck injury
prevention will be showed to both intervention and control group and workers
will be asked to fill out the baseline questionnaire. After 6 and 12 months
both groups will fill out a follow-up questionnaire.

The intervention is a participative ergonomic program, a stepwise (6 steps) and
structured method. The participative ergonomics approach is based on the active
participation and strong commitment of the employer and employee. Both will be
participating in a working group (max. 7 workers, 1 manager and 1 work
coordinator). 2 meetings will be planned per working group. During the fist
meeting steps 2-4 will be performed. Between step 5 and 6, the second meeting
will take place in order to evaluate the implementation process.
Both meetings will be guided by the ergonomist.

Steps of PE:
Step 1: the ergonomist will perform a workplace inventory (including a
workplace observation) and will use this information to formulate several
putative risk factors for the development of back and neck pain.
Meeting 1
Step 2: The working group will adjust the risk factors and will brainstorm
about new risk factors. Risk factors will be evaluated and chosen by the
working group.
Step 3: The working group will brainstorm about possible solutions for the risk
factors. The working group will evaluate the solutions by using a checklist
(consisting of 5 criteria) and the most adequate solutions will be chosen.
Step 4: The working group will develop an implementation plan.
Step5: implementation process, performed by working group
Meeting 2: evaluation of implementation process
Step 6: controlling and evaluating the innovations

To our knowledge, no risks are associated with participation.