Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are a frequent problem among office workers. We studied the effects of an ergonomics intervention among employees of a large hospital billing department.
Methods: This prospective intervention trial involved employee education sessions on office ergonomics and prevention of musculoskeletal disorders, plus workstation modifications.
Results: 115 employees of a hospital billing department participated in the initial program and 59 completed 4-year follow-up questionnaire. The 4-year post-intervention period was marked by decreased risk of OSHA-reportable injury (RR=0.45, 95% CI 0.26-0.78). Total lost days declined from 63.2 to 6.4 per 100 full-time equivalent (FTE). Annual workers' compensation costs declined from $432/FTE to $185/FTE. These improvements were significantly greater than those seen in the hospital as a whole. The proportion of employees with musculoskeletal symptoms declined on short-term follow-up. These changes in injury and cost occurred in the setting of increasing job demands and decreasing job satisfaction.
Conclusion: Substantial reductions in work-related musculoskeletal disorders were seen following an ergonomics intervention among office workers.
