The answer is, we really don’t know. Let’s look at our front-line healthcare workers.  Prior to the current pandemic, a clinical worker may need to don masks, gowns, gloves and face protection for only certain patients. The duration of wear may have only been minutes to hours before a break. Today, this same personal protective equipment (PPE) may be worn 12+ hours at a time. How does this affect working postures? Have we considered the weight of head gear combined with forward neck flexion? Are we considering potential heat stress from layers of material that doesn’t offer ‘breathability’?

To help us better understand if the increase in duration is affecting our workforce, you are invited to participate in a 5-minute anonymous survey. The survey is being conducted by Prof. Jay Banerjee, a Consultant in Geriatric Emergency Medicine at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and Honorary Professor of Safety Science at Loughborough University and Prof. Sue Hignett, Chartered Ergonomist & Human Factors Specialist (C.ErgHF).   Note, the survey is NOT related to PPE provision and availability.

Contribute to our body of knowledge on this emerging trend HERE

#exponentehf #ppe #workplacesafety #ergonomics #humanfactors