Photograph-based ergonomic evaluations using the Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA)

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Ergonomics
• Human Factors Engineering

Background:

• Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a significant concern in office environments.
• The Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) is a tool used to identify ergonomic risk factors in workstations.
• Remote assessment methods are increasingly explored to improve accessibility and efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the validity and reliability of conducting ROSA assessments remotely using photographs.
• To compare photo-based ROSA assessments with traditional on-site evaluations.
• To identify sources of error in remote, photo-based ergonomic assessments.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-three office workstations were assessed both on-site and via photographs.
• Three ergonomists performed remote, photo-based ROSA assessments.
• Statistical analyses including sensitivity, specificity, root mean square error (RMSE), and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were used.

Main Results:

• Photo-based assessments showed a sensitivity of 79% and specificity of 55% in correctly classifying workstations.
• The average error between on-site and photo-based scores was approximately 2 points on the ROSA scale (RMSE = 2.3).
• Interrater reliability for photo-based assessments was good to excellent (ICC = 0.667-0.856).

Conclusions:

• Remote, photo-based ROSA assessments demonstrate potential for evaluating MSD risk factors but require further refinement.
• Sources of error include parallax effects, inaccurate joint angle estimations, and postural classification boundaries.
• Improvements in photo-collection protocols are necessary for enhancing the accuracy and utility of remote ROSA evaluations.