ISSN: 2222-6990
Open access
The pandemic Covid-19 crisis has changed our lives, where many of us spending much more time in our homes including working. The growth of working from home has changed workers’ perspectives on the nature of their jobs and it will have long-lasting impacts. Previous research on the impact of Covid-19 across the world focused mostly on certain conditions like as the economic crisis, psychological trauma, and unemployment stress instead of the impact on physical health and well-being. Previous studies have already highlighted professionals are suffering from different body aches and pains due to improper ergonomics. The increasing prevalence of laptop use which has replaced the desk computer culture at work, allowing a variety of postures while working. These changing postures put the musculoskeletal system under tremendous unwanted loads and the result is bodily aches and pain with the spine bearing the utmost burnt. However, there are lack of studies focusing on lecturers in higher learning institutions, even though most educational institutions permitting workforces to work from home (WfH) through online distance classes. Thus, two objectives are established which are; to review the WfH related activities affected to MSDs experience among workforce and to proposed a conceptual framework of ergonomics risk among higher education lecturer while WfH during the Covid-19 Pandemic Crisis. This proposed model will help the healthcare professionals and stakeholders to devise a plan, prevention, and treatment for this professional group. It is hoped that this research will benefit for well-being of people and families in Malaysia and simultaneously enhance the quality of life.
Argus, M., & Pääsuke, M. (2021). Effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on musculoskeletal pain, physical activity, and work environment in Estonian office workers transitioning to working from home. Work, (Preprint), 1-9.
Ariens, G. A., Bongers, P. M., & Douwes, M. (2001). Are neck flexion, neck rotation, and sitting at work risk factors for neck pain? Results of a prospective cohort study. Occupational Environmental Medicine, 58, 200–207.
Allam, S. N. S., Hassan, M. S., Mohideen, R. S., Ramlan, A. F., & Kamal, R. M. (2020). Online Distance Learning Readiness During Covid-19 Outbreak Among Undergraduate Students. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 10(5), 575-590.
Bachtiar, F., Maharani, F. T., & Utari, D. (2020). Musculoskeletal Disorder of Workers During Work from Home on Covid-19 Pandemic: A Descriptive Study. In International Conference of Health Development. Covid-19 and the Role of Healthcare Workers in the Industrial Era (ICHD 2020) (pp. 153-160). Atlantis Press.
Brooks, A. (1998). Ergonomics approaches to office layout and space planning. Journal of Facilities, 16(3/4), 73-78.
Celik, S., Celik, K., Dirimese, E., Tasdemir, N., Arik, T., & ?b. Büyükkara. (2018). Determination of pain in musculoskeletal system reported by office workers and the pain risk factors. International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, 31(1), 91-111.
Condrowati, Farahdina, B., Fandita, T. M., & Dyah, U. (2020). Musculoskeletal disorder of workers during work from home on covid-19 pandemic: A descriptive study. Advances in Health Sciences Research, 30, 153-160.
Collins, J. H., & Moschler, J. J. (2009). The Benefits and Limitations of Telecommuting. Defense AR Journal, 16 (1), 55–66.
Cameron, J. A. (1996). Assessing work-related body-part discomfort: current strategies and a behaviorally oriented assessment tool. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomic, 18(5-6), 389-398.
Daley, W. (2016). Static Posture. [Online]. Available: http://www.ehs.iastate.edu-occupational-ergonomics-static-postures. Accessed: 7 February 2021.
Dunstan, D. W., Wiesner, G., & Eakin, E. G. (2013). Reducing office workers' sitting time: rationale and study design for the Stand-up Victoria cluster randomized trial. BMC Public Health, 13, 1057.
Eurofound and the International Labour Office. (2017). Working Anytime, Anywhere: The Effects on the World of Work; European Union: Luxembourg; the International Labour Office: Geneva, Switzerland.
Erick, P. N., & Smith, D. R. (2011). A systematic review of musculoskeletal disorders among school teachers. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorder, 12(1), 260.
Evina, W., Adian, K., Bayu, Y. S. N., & Widya, R. W. (2020). The ergonomics design of Work-From-Home Facility during COVID-19 Outbreak in Indonesia and Its Implications for Musculoskeletal. Pakistan Journal of Medical & Health Sciences, 14(4), 1619-1622.
Farlex. (2017). Musculoskeletal disorder. [Online]. Available: http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Musculoskeletal+disorders. Accessed: 7 February 2021.
Gairola, A., & Pant, G. (2021). Computers users and postural issues amid COVID-19: A study of WFH. The Pharma Innovation Journal, 10(1), 512-522.
Gajendran, R. S., & Harrison, D. A. (2007). The Good, the Bad, and the Unknown About Telecommuting: Meta-Analysis of Psychological Mediators and Individual Consequences. The Journal of Applied Psychology 92(6), 1524–1541.
Geetha S. (2020). Workspace and postural challenges in Work from Home (WFH) Scenario. International Journal of Grid and Distributed Computing, 13(2), 12-20.
Grant, C. A., Wallace, L. M., Spurgeon, P. C., Tramontano, C., & Charalampous, M. (2019). Construction and Initial Validation of the e-Work Life Scale to Measure Remote eWorking. Employee Relations, 41(1), 16–33.
Hanifa, B., David, R. M., Smith, A. D., William, D., & Kevin, J. (2020). Working from home in the time of COVID-19: how to best preserve occupational health?. Occupational Environmental Medicine, 77(7), 509-510.
Hussin, S., Manap, M. R., Amir, Z., & Krish, P. (2012). Mobile learning readiness among Malaysian students at higher learning institutes. Asian Social Science, 8(12), 276-283.
Jaffar, N., Abdul-Tharim, A. H., Mohd-Kamar, I. F., & Lop, N. S. (2011). A literature review of ergonomics risk factors in construction industry. Procedia Engineering, 20, 89-97.
Johan, M., Julien, J. B., & Philippe, G. (2020). Effect of the presence or absence of upper limb support on posture when a smartphone user is in a seated position under ambient light conditions. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 80, 14(4), 1619-1622.
Kenny, R. F., & Zhang, Z. (2010). Learning in an Online Distance Education Course: Experiences of Three International Students. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 11(1), 17–36.
Lee, W., & Migliaccio, G. C. (2016). Physiological cost of concrete construction activities. Construction Innovation, 16(3), 281–306.
Li, G., Fan, Y., Lai, Y., Han, T., Li, Z., Zhou, P., Pan, P., Wang, W., Hu, D., Liu, X., Zhang, Q., & Wu, J. (2020). Coronavirus infections and immune responses. Journal of Medical Virology, 92(4), 424-432.
Lina, V., & Nantapong, B. (2020). The impact of working from home during COVID-19 on work and life domains: an exploratory study on Hong Kong. Policy Design and Practice, 4(1), 59-76.
Malchaire, J., Cock, N., & Vergracht, S. (2001). Review of the factors associated with musculoskeletal problems in epidemiological studies. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 74(2), 79–90.
Marcus, M., Gerr, F., & Monteilh, C. (2002). A prospective study of computer users: II. Postural risk factors for musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders. Am J Ind Med, 41, 236–249.
Messenger, J. C., & Gschwind, L. (2016). Three Generations of Telework: New ICTs and the (r) Evolution from Home Office to Virtual Office. New Technology, Work and Employment 3 (3), 195–208.
Mello, J. A. (2007). Managing Telework Programs Effectively. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, 19(4), 247–261.
Moretti, A., Menna, F., Aulicino, M., Paoletta, M., Liguori, S., & Iolascon, G. (2020). Characterization of home working population during COVID-19 emergency: A cross-sectional analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(17), 6284.
Naomichi, T., Masanori, O., Yoshiyuki, H., Junichi, A., & Masaharu, K. (2020). Lifestyle and subjective musculoskeletal symptoms in young male Japanese workers: A 16-year retrospective cohort study. Preventive Medicine Report 20.
Nilles, J. M. (1988). Traffic Reduction by Telecommuting: A Status Review and Selected Bibliography. Transportation Research Part A: General, 22(4), 301–317.
Phedy, P., & Gatam, L. (2016). Prevalence and associated factors of musculoskeletal disorders among young dentists in Indonesia. Malaysian Orthopaedic Journal, 10(2), 1–5.
Purwanto, A., Asbari, M., Fahlevi, M., Mufid, A., Agistiawati, E., Cahyono, Y., & Suryani, P. (2020). Impact of Work from Home (WFH) on Indonesian Teachers’ Performance during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Exploratory Study. International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology, 29(5), 6235–6244.
Rahimi, F., Kazemi, K., Zahednejad, S., LópezLópez, D., & Calvo-Lobo, C. (2018). Prevalence of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Iranian Physical Therapists: A Cross-sectional Study. Journal of Manipulative & Physiological Therapeutics, 41(6), 503–507.
Robertson, M. M., Maynard, W. S., & McDevitt, J. R. (2003). Telecommuting: Managing the Safety of Workers in Home Office Environments. Professional Safety, 48(4), 30–36.
Susan M. H. (2021). The Balance Careers. The Pros and Cons of a Flexible Work Schedule. Available online: https://www.thebalancecareers.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-flexible-work-schedules-1917964 (accessed on 9 February 2021).
Singh, L. P. (2020). Ergonomics for working from home during covid-19 pandemic. Ergonomics International Journal, 4(4), 1-4.
Stephen, B., Jorgen, W., Houshang, S. (2000). Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders at workplaces in the people’s republic of China. International Journal of Safety and Ergonomics, 6(4), 557-574.
Schneider, S. (1997). Musculoskeletal injuries in construction, Are they a problem? Proceeding of the 13th Triennial Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, June 29-July 4, Tampere, Finland. Vol. 6, 169-171.
Tayyari, F., & Smith, J. L. (1997). Occupational Ergonomics: Principles and applications. London, Chapman & Hall. (Chapter 1&19).
Tesfaye, H. M., Dawit, G. Y., & Demis, M. G. (2020). Physical environmental and occupational factors inducing work-related neck and shoulder pains among self-employed tailors of informal sectors in Ethiopia, 2019: results from a community based cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health, 1-10.
In-Text Citation: (Lop et al., 2021)
To Cite this Article: Lop, N. S., Kamar, I. F. M., & Mustapa, N. A. (2021). A Conceptual Framework of Ergonomic Risks Among Higher Education Lecturers While Working from Home During the Covid-19 Pandemic Crisis. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 11(9), 796–810.
Copyright: © 2021 The Author(s)
Published by HRMARS (www.hrmars.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode