Effects of an Ergonomic Education on Musculoskeletal Disorders and Job Satisfaction at a Detergent Manufacturing Company

Effects of an Ergonomic Education on Musculoskeletal Disorders and Job Satisfaction at a Detergent Manufacturing Company

A controlled clinical trial with parallel groups, single-blind, randomized, conducted on a sample of 100 participants. Randomization was performed using the RAND function in Excel.

Two groups—ergonomic training intervention and control—will be studied in a detergent factory in Semnan. Participants will be blinded to their group assignment. Initial assessments will use the REBA checklist, Nordic questionnaire, and Minnesota Job Satisfaction Survey. The intervention group will receive at least 120 minutes of specialized ergonomic training plus a two-week follow-up; the control group will continue usual work without specialized training. Measurements will be repeated three months post-intervention to evaluate the training’s effectiveness by comparing both groups.

All workers employed in a detergent manufacturing factory aged 18–65 years, employed in the detergent manufacturing factory, with at least one year of work experience in the factory, no history of severe inflammatory diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis) or serious musculoskeletal injuries (such as recent fractures), no recent musculoskeletal surgery (e.g., lumbar disc surgery in the past 6 months), and willingness to participate in the study.

The intervention group receives specialized and practical ergonomic training, while the control group continues their usual workplace activities without specialized training (nutrition, stress management, and general ergonomic topics).

Assessment of body posture (risk level for musculoskeletal disorders); prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders; workers’ job satisfaction

In this study, eligible workers who provide consent and comply with existing protocols will be randomly allocated (random allocation) into groups. All workers are numbered from 1 to n, and using blocks of four and a random number table, selected employees are assigned according to a predetermined list into two groups: intervention and control. This approach ensures two balanced groups equal in number and guarantees that the two groups will not have significant differences in baseline and confounding factors.

In this type of study, only the participants are unaware of their group assignment (intervention or control), while the researchers and assessors are aware of the intervention type. In this research, after measuring the study variables at baseline, participants were divided into two groups: intervention and control. The intervention group received specialized and practical ergonomic training, while the control group continued their usual workplace activities without specialized training (nutrition, stress management, and general ergonomic topics).

Personal identity data (such as name, national ID number, contact information, and any personal identifiers) are completely removed and not included in the shared files. All data, after undergoing a de-identification process, including research data and results, are shared anonymously without any possibility of tracing individual identities. Data related to the primary study outcomes (such as ergonomic risk assessment scores, prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, and job satisfaction scores) will be shared without full demographic details. Data related to educational interventions and their implementation will be provided in summary form, without personal information, as accompanying documentation.

The access period will begin 6 months after the publication of the results.

Requests for data and documentation will only be accepted from researchers, graduate students, or reputable research institutions that have clear research objectives and adhere to ethical research principles.

Formal Request: The request must be submitted in writing and include a full description of the purpose and the type of analysis or intended use of the data and documents. The applicant must also guarantee that the data will only be used for the specified purposes. Confidentiality and Ethics Agreement: Before receiving the data, the requester must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and a commitment to adhere to ethical principles and protect the research data. Permitted Types of Analysis: Statistical and research analyses aligned with the primary objectives of the study and aimed at advancing knowledge in ergonomics, occupational health, or related fields are permitted. Any commercial use, reproduction of data for non-research purposes, or analyses violating ethical principles is prohibited. Restrictions on Further Sharing: Received data cannot be transferred or shared with any other individual or entity without prior written permission from the data owner. Reporting Results: The researcher is obliged to present the results of the data analysis in the form of a report or scientific article and provide a copy of the results to the data owner. Privacy Protection: Data usage must ensure the privacy of participants is maintained, and no information that could reveal individual identities will be disclosed.

Semnan, Basij Boulevard, Central Headquarters of Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Deputy of Research and Technology Phone: +98 23 3345 1336 Email: [sem.ums.res@gmail.com]

Preparation of Official Request The applicant must prepare a formal letter or request form including: • A detailed description of the research purpose and intended use of the data • The type of required data and documents • The planned analysis or use of the data This step usually takes 2 to 5 business days. Submitting the Request to the Research Team The request should be sent to the email address or portal designated by the research data manager. Initial Review of the Request The research team reviews the request for completeness, alignment of objectives with research policies, and applicant’s eligibility. This step typically takes 5 to 10 business days. Request for Additional Documents (if needed) If more documents are required (e.g., CV, proposal, introduction letter), the applicant will be asked to provide them. The duration depends on the applicant’s response time (usually 5 business days). Signing Agreements and Commitments After preliminary approval, the applicant must sign and submit the confidentiality agreement and the ethical research commitment. This step takes 3 to 7 business days. Final Approval and Data Preparation Upon receipt of signed agreements, the research team issues final permission and prepares the requested data and documents, ensuring de-identification. This process usually takes 7 to 14 business days. Sending Data and Documents to the Applicant Data will be sent securely (e.g., via data portal, encrypted email, or secure drive). Depending on the delivery method, this step may take 1 to 3 business days.