Prolonged standing in the OR: a Dutch research study

Prolonged standing is considered to be an occupational risk factor for musculoskeletal disorders. This cross-sectional, multicenter study examined whether Dutch perioperative personnel exceeded ergonomic guidelines for standing in the workplace (ie, not more than one hour of continuous standing and not more than four hours of standing in total per day). Perioperative personnel in 16 hospitals recorded their standing times on a daily basis. The average standing time in the OR was 2.5 hours per work day; however, participants exceeded the ergonomic guidelines on two out of three work days.A reduction in the source of the strain is considered to be the most effective way to prevent occupational health problems. Taking "microbreaks" to relax or move and job duty rotation could help reduce excessive physical stress.