Occupational ergonomic risks among ambulance personnel: insights from REBA-based assessment

Objectives. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among ambulance workers and evaluate their ergonomic risk using the rapid entire body assessment (REBA) method. Methods. The cross-sectional study involved 246 ambulance personnel working in the ambulance service. Data were collected through a structured survey. Additionally, a subset of 30 participants underwent ergonomic risk assessment using the REBA method, focusing on five common tasks. χ² and correlation analyses were performed to examine associations between variables. Results. MSD prevalence was 59.76%, with the lower back (60.2%), neck (45.1%) and shoulders (45.1%) being most affected. Significant associations were found between MSD presence and age (p < 0.001), height (p = 0.004), weight (p = 0.023) and years of experience (p < 0.001). The highest REBA risk score was for stretcher lifting (8.62), while vascular access had the lowest (2.52). Heavy lifting, multi-tasking and psychological stress were significant risk factors for MSDs (respectively p = 0.008, p = 0.018, p = 0.016). Conclusions. Ambulance personnel are exposed to high risk of MSDs as a result of the physically demanding nature of their work. Implementation of comprehensive ergonomic training programs, effective workload management strategies and use of assistive lifting devices may significantly reduce the risk of MSDs and enhance overall well-being and performance of paramedics.