Participatory ergonomics approaches to design and intervention in workspaces: a literature review

Abstract

Abstract Participatory ergonomics relies on the involvement of people to constitute or improve their work environments. The present study aims to answer through a literature review how ergonomic interventions are performed in these environments. The research focussed on workspace design and processes related to participative ergonomics. The search in Scopus was performed for the period 2016 to 2020. From 200 articles, 28 were tabulated for content analysis encompassing the themes of ergonomic approach modes, use of intermediate objects and technological solutions adopted. The majority of the studies found were inserted in hospital, office and maritime/port environments. The results show that ergonomics approaches face diverse challenges: financial and time constraints, power asymmetries, experience levels, social, cultural and individual issues. Nevertheless, it sets out to develop skills, activities, competencies, and to organise these in a global and structured way. Further studies in a wide diversity of databases are needed to follow up the analysis of such approaches and conceptions of work activity. PRACTITIONER SUMMARY This study conducted a review of the literature on ergonomic approaches in a variety of workspaces, whether they are being transformed or designed. Attention was sought for commonalities of approaches that resulted in the topics regarding intermediate objects and the technological impact on recent ergonomic interventions. The main finding denotes a greater need to consolidate virtual and physical tools and methods and to investigate an intervention framework that is applicable to most interventions, in addition to responding to the major challenges pointed out by the articles.