The acute effects of working time patterns on fatigue and sleep quality using daily measurements of 6195 observations among 223 shift workers.

Objectives: This study aimed to estimate acute effects of roster characteristics on fatigue and sleep quality and investigated whether these effects differed by individual characteristics.

Methods: Using an ecological measurement assessment survey, fatigue and sleep quality were daily measured among 223 shift workers for up to eight weeks. A questionnaire assessed baseline characteristics, and roster data were retrieved from the company registers to determine roster parameters.

Promoting Employees' Recovery During Shift Work: Protocol for a Workplace Intervention Study.

Background: Shift work can be demanding owing to disturbances in the biological and social rhythms. This can cause short-term negative effects in employees, such as increased fatigue and reduced alertness. A potential way to counteract these negative effects is to enhance employees' recovery from work during working hours.

Evaluating an mHealth App for Health and Well-Being at Work: Mixed-Method Qualitative Study.

Background: To improve workers' health and well-being, workplace interventions have been developed, but utilization and reach are unsatisfactory, and effects are small. In recent years, new approaches such as mobile health (mHealth) apps are being developed, but the evidence base is poor. Research is needed to examine its potential and to assess when, where, and for whom mHealth is efficacious in the occupational setting.

Effects of four types of non-obtrusive feedback on computer behaviour, task performance and comfort.

This study investigated the effects of non-obtrusive feedback on continuous lifted hand/finger behaviour, task performance and comfort. In an experiment with 24 participants the effects of two visual and two tactile feedback signals were compared to a no-feedback condition in a computer task. Results from the objective measures showed that all types of feedback were equally effective to reduce lifted hand/finger behaviour (effectiveness) compared to absence of feedback, while task performance was not affected (efficiency).

The effect of a feedback signal in a computer mouse on hovering behaviour, productivity, comfort and usability in a field study.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a tactile feedback signal on hovering behaviour, productivity, usability and comfort after 1 week of using an experimental mouse. In a randomized controlled trial, a regular computer mouse was compared to a new developed mouse with a tactile, vibrating feedback signal to prevent unnecessary hovering above the computer mouse. According to this study, participants do decrease their hovering behaviour when using a mouse with tactile feedback.

Loss of productivity due to neck/shoulder symptoms and hand/arm symptoms: results from the PROMO-study.

Introduction: The objective of the present study is to describe the extent of productivity loss among computer workers with neck/shoulder symptoms and hand/arm symptoms, and to examine associations between pain intensity, various physical and psychosocial factors and productivity loss in computer workers with neck/shoulder and hand/arm symptoms.

Methods: A cross-sectional design was used. The study population consisted of 654 computer workers with neck/shoulder or hand/arm symptoms from five different companies.

The effect of speech recognition on working postures, productivity and the perception of user friendliness.

A comparative, experimental study with repeated measures has been conducted to evaluate the effect of the use of speech recognition on working postures, productivity and the perception of user friendliness. Fifteen subjects performed a standardised task, first with keyboard and mouse and, after a six week training period, with speech recognition. The use of speech recognition leads to improved postures of wrist, forearm, upper arm and shoulder and improvement of neck movements when compared to the use of keyboard and mouse.

Workload of window cleaners using ladders differing in rung separation.

The objective of the present study was to compare energetic workload, perceived exertion, perceived discomfort, safety, and mechanical load at lower limb joints among window cleaners during usage of extension ladders with 30 and 35 cm rung separation. Eleven healthy male professional window cleaners of short and tall stature participated in this study. No significant differences between 30 and 35 cm rung separation were observed for the energetic workload.