Ergonomics, Health, and Perceptions about Remote Domestic Workposts: Study in Areas of City of João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil

Luiz Bueno Silva (), Carmem Julianne Beserra Melo, Adriana Gomes Lisboa de Souza and Lucas Guedes de Oliveira
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Luiz Bueno Silva: Department of Production Engineering, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58051-970, Brazil
Carmem Julianne Beserra Melo: Department of Production Engineering, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58051-970, Brazil
Adriana Gomes Lisboa de Souza: Department of Production Engineering, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58051-970, Brazil
Lucas Guedes de Oliveira: Department of Production Engineering, Federal University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58051-970, Brazil

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 7, 1-23

Abstract: Home office (HO) stands out as one of the most promising and popular forms of teleworking, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, many companies want to implement or maintain this working method, given its numerous advantages. However, there are adverse effects that are mainly related to physical and mental health. This article presents ergonomic analyses of HOs in neighborhoods considered heat islands. Temperature levels, extreme low-frequency non-ionizing radiation (ELF-NIR), illuminance, physical layout characteristics, and physiological parameters of teleworkers were measured. The results reveal that 92% of these professionals work 6 to 8 h daily with an ambient temperature between 25 and 30 °C, illumination levels in the range 11.20–290 Lux, and ELF-NIR > 0.4 µT. The majority of teleworkers are overweight (BMI > 24.9), and some of them have blood pressure higher than average values (129 mmHg for systolic and 84 mmHg for diastolic) in addition to a reduction in the number of red blood cells and hematocrits. Symptoms such as burning sensation, dryness, tired eyes, redness, itching, and photophobia (light sensitivity) show a 68.95% similarity. These HOs do not meet the required ergonomic and health standards.

Keywords: home office; remote home workstation; ergonomics; health; lighting; temperature; non-ionizing radiation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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