Are pre-hospital work systems a good fit with musculoskeletal health?
Tracks
Room 1
| Tuesday, December 1, 2026 |
| 3:15 PM - 3:35 PM |
| Plenary Room - Grand Central |
Overview
Karen Davies
Speaker
Dr Karen Davies
Queensland Ambulance Service
Are pre-hospital work systems a good fit with musculoskeletal health?
Abstract
Aim
Paramedics experience high rates of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Previous strategies have focussed on the high physical demands of the job. Psychosocial factors such as occupational violence and high emotional demands have been identified in pre-hospital work and may also be important to address WMSDs. This study aimed to comprehensively examine all job-related hazard exposure and musculoskeletal pain in paramedics.
Methods
Data collected during implementation of A Participative Hazard Identification and Risk Management (APHIRM) toolkit was analysed. Participants self-rated exposure to physical and psychosocial hazards and musculoskeletal pain in five body areas using the APHIRM toolkit survey. Quantitative analysis investigated relationships between demographic and occupational factors, hazard exposure and musculoskeletal pain.
Results
Eight hazards were identified as high exposure at baseline and follow up, including physical, psychosocial and general safety (involving physical and psychosocial aspects) hazards. Participants identified how these hazards presented as sources of risk within their work. Relationships between the identified hazards and the pain scores were not statistically significant. The sources of risk in this study about WMSDs overlap with broader health and safety and patient safety considerations, such as clinical devices and procedures, occupational violence and dealing with challenging people.
Discussion/Implications
The physical and psychosocial hazards and sources of risk identified in this study are opportunities to improve the fit between the work and the musculoskeletal health of paramedics and include both well-known and newly identified sources. Several of these sources overlap with broader health and safety and patient safety considerations, which provides opportunity for ambulance services to apply HFE methods to achieve benefits beyond musculoskeletal health, through improving fit. Improving work related exposure to all hazards will require consideration of all sources of risk specific to the pre-hospital work system and a shift from task to job focussed risk mitigation.
Paramedics experience high rates of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Previous strategies have focussed on the high physical demands of the job. Psychosocial factors such as occupational violence and high emotional demands have been identified in pre-hospital work and may also be important to address WMSDs. This study aimed to comprehensively examine all job-related hazard exposure and musculoskeletal pain in paramedics.
Methods
Data collected during implementation of A Participative Hazard Identification and Risk Management (APHIRM) toolkit was analysed. Participants self-rated exposure to physical and psychosocial hazards and musculoskeletal pain in five body areas using the APHIRM toolkit survey. Quantitative analysis investigated relationships between demographic and occupational factors, hazard exposure and musculoskeletal pain.
Results
Eight hazards were identified as high exposure at baseline and follow up, including physical, psychosocial and general safety (involving physical and psychosocial aspects) hazards. Participants identified how these hazards presented as sources of risk within their work. Relationships between the identified hazards and the pain scores were not statistically significant. The sources of risk in this study about WMSDs overlap with broader health and safety and patient safety considerations, such as clinical devices and procedures, occupational violence and dealing with challenging people.
Discussion/Implications
The physical and psychosocial hazards and sources of risk identified in this study are opportunities to improve the fit between the work and the musculoskeletal health of paramedics and include both well-known and newly identified sources. Several of these sources overlap with broader health and safety and patient safety considerations, which provides opportunity for ambulance services to apply HFE methods to achieve benefits beyond musculoskeletal health, through improving fit. Improving work related exposure to all hazards will require consideration of all sources of risk specific to the pre-hospital work system and a shift from task to job focussed risk mitigation.
Biography
Karen is a Physiotherapist and Certified Human Factors and Ergonomics Professional. She recently completed a professional doctorate at La Trobe University. Karen has worked for the past eight years in a large ambulance service and has had a long career in the healthcare industry working with health professionals to improve work systems.
