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ISSN 1051-9815 (P)
ISSN 1875-9270 (E)
Impact Factor 2024: 1.7
WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation is an interdisciplinary, international journal which publishes high quality peer-reviewed manuscripts covering the entire scope of the occupation of work. The journal's subtitle has been deliberately laid out: The first goal is the prevention of illness, injury, and disability. When this goal is not achievable, the attention focuses on assessment to design client-centered intervention, rehabilitation, treatment, or controls that use scientific evidence to support best practice.
WORK occasionally publishes thematic issues, but in general, issues cover a wide range of topics such as ergonomic considerations with children, youth and students, the challenges facing an aging workforce, workplace violence, injury management, performing artists, ergonomic product evaluations, and the awareness of the political, cultural, and environmental determinants of health related to work.
Dr. Karen Jacobs, the founding editor, and her editorial board especially encourage the publication of research studies, clinical practice, case study reports, as well as personal narratives and critical reflections of lived work experiences (autoethnographic/autobiographic scholarship),
Sounding Board commentaries and
Speaking of Research articles which provide the foundation for better understanding research to facilitate knowledge dissemination.
Narrative Reflections on Occupational Transitions, a new column, is for persons who have successfully transitioned into, between, or out of occupations to tell their stories in a narrative form. With an internationally renowned editorial board,
WORK maintains high standards in the evaluation and publication of manuscripts. All manuscripts are reviewed expeditiously and published in a timely manner.
WORK prides itself on being an author-friendly journal.
WORK celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2015.
*WORK is affiliated with the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT)* *WORK is endorsed by the International Ergonomics Association (IEA)* *WORK gives out the yearly Cheryl Bennett Best Paper Award*
Abstract: Systems approaches and their relevance to risk assessment are considered through an examination of a number of recent applications in England. The importance of visual mapping of systems is emphasised. This approach encourages participation from those within the system with less technical knowledge but with important information to add to a risk assessment. Other advantages outlined include the ability to readily identify system boundaries, map processes and record both strengths and weaknesses of existing or planned system changes. The use of risk assessment methods with this approach should be cautious, as any one method may only identify a sub-set of…all risks.
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Keywords: Systems analysis, healthcare, mapping, risk
DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-0090-3847
Citation: Work,
vol. 41, no. Supplement 1, pp. 3847-3849, 2012
Abstract: The SEIPS (Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety) model of work system and patient safety is described and selected research and practical applications are presented.
Keywords: sociotechnical systems, macroergonomics, health care, patient safety, SEIPS model
DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-0091-3850
Citation: Work,
vol. 41, no. Supplement 1, pp. 3850-3854, 2012
Abstract: In France, in the private sector as in the public sector, performance-based management tends to become a norm. Performance-based management is supposed to improve service quality, productivity and efficiency, transparency of allotted means and achieved results, and to better focus the activity of employees and of the whole organization. This text reports a study conducted for the French Ministry of Budget by a team of researchers in ergonomics, sociology and management science, in order to assess the impact of performance-based management on employees, on teams and on work organization. About 100 interviews were conducted with employees of all categories and…6 working groups were set up in order to discuss and validate or amend our first analyses. Results concern several aspects: workload and work intensification, indicators and performance management and the transformation of jobs induced by performance management.
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Keywords: Quality of work, system ergonomics
DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-0092-3855
Citation: Work,
vol. 41, no. Supplement 1, pp. 3855-3860, 2012
Abstract: Ergonomics/human factors is, above anything else, a systems discipline applying a systems philosophy and systems approaches. Many things are labeled as “systems X” in today’s world, and this paper specifies just what attributes and notions define ergonomics/human factors in systems terms. These are concern for context, acknowledgement of interactions and complexity, a holistic approach, recognition of emergence and embedding of the professional effort involved within organization systems. These five notions are illustrated with examples from a large body of work on rail human factors.
Keywords: Systems, systems ergonomics, human factors, rail
DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-0093-3861
Citation: Work,
vol. 41, no. Supplement 1, pp. 3861-3868, 2012
Abstract: Referring to the discussion recently promoted by the Sub-Technical Committee n°4 “Ergonomics and design for sustainability”, in this paper will be shown the early results of a theoretical and methodological study on Ergonomic design for sustainability. In particular, the research is based on the comparison between the common thematic structure characterizing Ergonomics, with the principles of Sustainable Development and with criteria adopted from other disciplines already oriented toward Sustainability. The paper identifies an early logical-interpretative model and describes possible and relevant Strategies of Ergonomic design for sustainability, which are connected in a series of specific Sustainable Arguments.
Keywords: Principles of sustainable development, Ergonomic design for sustainability, Design for sustainability, Strategies of ergonomic design for sustainability
DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-0053-3869
Citation: Work,
vol. 41, no. Supplement 1, pp. 3869-3873, 2012
Abstract: Starting from the results of a theoretical and methodological study on Ergonomic design for sustainability previously developed from the authors, this paper shows the early results of a study that tries to apply them to actual operational and conceptual apparatuses of Ergonomics. In particular, the research aims to verify the possibility for Ergonomics to initiate an update of its current theoretical and procedural tools, towards new design solutions of “sustainable well-being”, trying to look for new declinations of its several fields of application. The paper identifies new paradigms and definitions for one of the central themes of ergonomic design, as…well as one among the most established and investigated: the usability of products and services.
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Keywords: Ergonomic design for sustainability, Transdisciplinary approach, Social effectiveness, Relative efficiency, Extended satisfaction
DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-0054-3874
Citation: Work,
vol. 41, no. Supplement 1, pp. 3874-3877, 2012
Abstract: The relationship between Ergonomics and Design is a key element in the sustainability project, as well as in many other areas of experimental design. In the Design for Sustainability field, Ergonomics is a strategic factor for design culture innovation, providing designers with the necessary knowledge and skills regarding human characteristics and capabilities, as well as user needs and desires during use and interaction with products in work activities and everyday life. Ergonomics is also a strategic innovative factor in design development and manufacturing processes. In fact, ergonomics provides a methodological approach in user-product interaction evaluation processes through the use of…participatory design and survey methods, user trials, direct observation, savings and resource conservation, etc. On the other hand, design offers solutions able to interpret user needs and expectations, at the same time suggesting new behaviors and lifestyles. In Design for Sustainability, the ergonomic and user-centered approach contributes greatly to lifestyles and innovative use of products - making it possible to understand and interpret real people needs and expectations in their everyday actions and behavior. New consumption patterns, new awareness of lifestyles, energy source consumption, purchasing methods and consumption style etc. can be supported by design innovation, responding to expressed and unexpressed user needs. With this in mind, the ergonomic approach represents the starting point for design choices and at the same time, a tool for assessing their appropriateness and effectiveness.
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Keywords: user needs, lifestyle innovation, product innovation
DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-0055-3878
Citation: Work,
vol. 41, no. Supplement 1, pp. 3878-3882, 2012
Abstract: This work presents considerations on Ergonomics and Design for Sustainability in the healthcare field based on research experiences of the Technology and Design for Healthcare (TeDH) research group of INDACO (Industrial design, communication, arts and fashion) department of Politecnico di Milano. In order to develop a multidisciplinary approach to design able to answer to specific user needs such as elderly in an environmental sustainable way (1) this paper shows the results we achieved concerning ergonomics and environmental impact in product development (2), the extension of this approach to interior and home design and the advantage of the application of Information…Communication Technologies (ICT). ICT can help people with special needs to make their everyday life easier and more safe, at the same time, ICT can make socialenvironmental impact of everyday behavior evident and can be applied to manage sustainability. The specific theme is thus to integrate ergonomics and sustainability competences in the development of Ambient Assisted Living through a Product- Service System approach. The concept of product service system has the potential to improve product performances and services, establish new relations and networks with different actors in order to satisfy user needs and apply a systems approach considering environmental, social and economic factors in the users’ environment.
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Abstract: A sustainable project should also be affordable, and it is cheaper if it its affordability is guaranteed to as much people as possible since the first phases of the project without any modifications. The author illustrates the activity of diffusion of DfA on an urban scale carried out on didactic and cultural level.
Keywords: sustainability, accessibility, Design for All, teaching DfA, disseminating DfA
DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-0057-3888
Citation: Work,
vol. 41, no. Supplement 1, pp. 3888-3891, 2012
Abstract: The sub-discipline of “sustainable development and human factors” is relatively new, first being used in 2006 with a Technical Committee of the IEA being established only in 2009 and a similar special interest group on “green ergonomics” at the Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors being established in 2010. In general though, the definitions and practice of “sustainable development” is highly contentious and ambiguous across a range of disciplines. This paper examines the diversity of definitions and approaches to sustainable development and human factors in the early papers in this sub-discipline. An examination of 45 chapters and papers (from 2008…to 2011) reveals a surprising consistency in the definitions used for sustainable development but also a large proportion of the papers where no definitions are given at all. The majority of papers were, however, biased towards an economic capital and social capital emphasis, which is to be expected of work traditionally in the ergonomics paradigm. Further, most papers were theoretical in nature demonstrating a great opportunity for empirical work. The variability in definitions is discussed in relation to the future challenges facing the growth of this emergent sub-discipline and opportunities for further theoretical and empirical work.
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Keywords: triple bottom line, work systems sustainability, sustainable development, green ergonomics
DOI: 10.3233/WOR-2012-0058-3892
Citation: Work,
vol. 41, no. Supplement 1, pp. 3892-3899, 2012
