Iranian Journal of Ergonomics

Background and Objectives: The silence of employees has become a critical issue for organizational development, referring to deliberate neglect of important ideas, suggestions and opinions about their work. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of variable organizational support perceived by employees on breaking the silence with the mediating role of emotional commitment.
Methods: The statistical population includes 900 governmental employees from which 273 persons have been selected using Cochran formula and random sampling method. Information gathering tools include Eizenberger (1986) perceived organizational support questionnaires, Allen & Meyer (1990) affective commitment Questionnaire and Silence climate questionnaire of Vakola and Bouradas (2005). After gathering requested information from the participants, the information was analyzed by Microsoft Excel 2016, SPSS 23.0 and smartpls3.
Results: The results showed that perceived organizational support was positively correlated with employee silence. The results also showed that the emotional commitment mediates the relationship between perceived organizational support and employee silence.
Conclusion: Given the relationship between perceived organizational support and emotional commitment with employee silence, it is essential for planners to consider these components.

Background and Aim: Occupational accidents are recognized as one of the major concerns in the mining industry. The purpose of this study was to analyze the incidence of occupational accidents in a mine for 10 years using Human Factor Analysis and Classification System (HFACS).
Method: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 664 mining accidents during 2009-2018. The tools used in this study included accident reporting checklists, human factors analysis and classification system (HFACS), and a team approach to analyze these accidents. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS AMOS v. 23.0.
Results: The accident frequency rate (AFR) was 15.10±3.34. The results of 10-years accident analysis in this mine based on HFACS model showed that the highest contribution of each parameter to the four layers including unsafe acts, preconditions for unsafe acts, unsafe supervision and organizational influences were respectively devoted to perceptual error (64.4%), Physical environment (29.5%), inadequate supervision (59.6%), and organizational process (65.6%). The results of structural equation modeling showed that the AFR is directly and indirectly affected by the layers of the HFACS model (P<0.05). The most significant impact on the AFR was related to the unsafe acts layer.
Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that all four causal layers of human factors were effective in mine accidents, in addition the HFACS model is highly effective for unsafe acts-based accidents analysis, so it can be used for future planning to reduce accidents in the mining sector.

Background and Aim: Agricultural combine harvesters play a crucial role in cereal productions. A combine operator performs almost all harvesting activities in seated posture. As an interface of the biomechanical system of operator’s body and combines’ mechanical system, seat has major effect on operator’s safety, health, and comfort. A successful design of seat is not achievable without considering the anthropometric characteristics of user population in geometric design. In current study, the accommodation of common harvesting combines’ seat with Iranian operators’ body dimensions has been investigated.
Methods: This study was conducted in Bijar, the widest county of Kurdistan province in the west of Iran. Eight anthropometric dimensions including weight, stature, shoulder height, elbow rest height, popliteal height, buttock-popliteal length, shoulder breadth, and hip breadth were measured on a sample of operators. The accommodation of seat pan width, upper backrest width, lower backrest width, seat height, armrest height, seat depth, and backrest height were investigated based on logical equations.
Results: There was a considerable mismatch between evaluated combine seats and the anthropometric dimensions of operators. Selecting 440, 370, 440, 410, 260, 430, and 415 mm for respectively seat pan width, upper backrest width, lower backrest width, seat height, armrest height, seat depth, and backrest height can increase the match percentage to a range of 62.2% to 100%.
Conclusion: The dimensions of available combine harvester seats are not suitable for Iranian population. However, considering the anthropometric dimensions of operators can improve the seats ergonomically. It should be noted that a design based on corresponding national and international standards cannot guarantee the geometrical accommodation of seats.

Background and Aim: A good work environment is a place where one can feel relaxed and focused. In the field of environmental psychology, color is one of the environmental factors that greatly influence human perception and behavior. The purpose of this systematic review study was to investigate the effect of color on work environment.
Methods: This article is a systematic review study. Full-text and English-language articles published in PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Google Scholar were searched using the following keywords: Color perception, color ergonomics, color psychology, color effect, mental health and Workplace. The search was without time limit, and 45 eligible articles were reviewed.
Results: Initially, 262 articles were identified from different databases. Among them, 93 articles met the criteria for entering the study. After that, 48 articles were removed from the study due to lack of experimental studies and 45 articles were selected for final review. A total of 18 studies focused on color priority, 25 studies on mood and emotions, 6 studies on health outcomes, and 19 studies on the effect of workplace color on work-related outcomes. The results showed that color has a significant effect on emotions (eg mood), well-being (eg stress, comfort, well-being) and performance (eg productivity, creativity).
Conclusion: Workplace color should be considered as one of the main ways to promote the (mental and physical) health of individuals.

Background and Objectives: Job stress is among the factors that affect job performance. The present study aimed at the developing and studying the effectiveness of an educational package to cope with the occupational stress of the flight crew.
Methods: The research method is mixed (qualitative & quantitative). The statistical population in the qualitative section consists of elites and informants in the field of coping strategies for the flight crew’s stress and seven people were selected by targeted sampling method. In the quantitative method, the statistical population included Mahan flight crew and forty people were selected through convenient sampling and they were randomly assigned into two experimental and control groups. The quasi-experimental method with an unbalanced control group was used. The Vandroff‌’s Job Stress Questionnaire was used for measuring the dependent variable. The data were analyzed by Multivariable Variance method and Independent t-test for differential scoring using SPSS 25 software.
Results: The results indicated that the educational package of coping with occupational stress led to the reduction of stress in the flight crew. The analysis of each occupational stress components showed that the training for coping with the occupational stress is effective for, Decision-making Power, job & time strain, role ambiguity, value deficiency, as well as social support from the manager and colleagues.
Conclusion: Thus, according to the effectiveness of the educational package for coping with occupational stress, it is recommended that this package be used in other airline companies and also by the psychologists and consultants who utilize occupational therapy for the occupational stress of the flight crew.

Background and Objectives: One of the most important aspects of ergonomics is physiologic balance between human characteristics and their jobs. This study aimed to investigate the physiological characteristics of janitor, safety guard and facility workers of a work organization and determine their physiological fit.
Methods: A total of 70 staff were evaluated using Queen's college step test, N20 body composition analyzer, SECA scale, RS800CX Polar pacemaker. Descriptive statistics and analytical tests including ANOVA and Pearson correlation were used. The data was analyzed using SPSS 20.
Results: Body Mass Index (BMI) and fat percentage (Fat%) of employees were beyond the optimal range, but Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR) were in the range. Also, the average Maximum Volume of Oxygen consumption (VO_2max) were 42/1±62/33 mL/kg/min and the average of working capacity (maximum Physical Work Capacity: PWC_max) were 16/63±4/46 kcal/min.
Conclusion: The results indicated that the level of some physical characteristics is inappropriate, physical fitness is poor and individual capabilities and job requirements are not in balance. Using standardized recruitment tests, providing the possibility of sports activities (by organizations) and finding integrated indicators that simultaneously take into account the physical, mental, social and environmental capabilities of individuals to determine work capacity (by researchers), can be facilitating steps to establish an ergonomic balance in the workplace.

Background and Objectives: Nursing errors are a serious threat to patient safety, which can lead to increased public concern and distrust of recipients of health care services and refusal to undergo treatment. Therefore, the present study examines types of causes of nurses' errors, reasons for not reporting them and ways to reduce errors.
Methods: The present study was a narrative review study of English and Persian articles on nurses' errors in the period (2008-2018) and was done in 2019. Articles were searched in three internal databases such as SID, Magiran and Iran Medex and five external databases of Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Springer.
Results: Most nursing errors were in the form of functional errors. Risk factors were divided into nurse, organization, ward, and patient-related error factors. The reasons for nurses' failure to report errors include professional reputation and legal problems. Error reduction strategies are such as nursing education and management controls.
Conclusion: Nursing errors have been studied in various ways. These studies are not only aimed at identifying nurses' errors, but also to enhance knowledge and knowledge about the possible causes and preventive factors. The benefits of this view of the articles lead to the provision of appropriate health care services, proper planning for hospitals by managers, and the advancement of nursing education. However, fewer studies have used modern methods of hazard identification.

Background and Aim: Job adjustment is an important factor for the successful employment of nurses. The job nature can be a factor influencing job adjustment. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of job nature on job adjustment among a sample of nurses. 
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 542 nurses working in hospitals affiliated to Kashan University of Medical Sciences. Using Cochran's formula and stratified random sampling method, 190 nurses were selected as a sample. Two standard and validated questionnaires were used for gathering data associated with job nature and job adjustment. The reliability of the questionnaires was estimated through Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Data analysis was performed at both descriptive and inferential levels using SPSS 22.
Results: Findings revealed that means of job nature (70.43±45.07) was higher than average (60) and mean of job adjustment (3.23±0.42) was higher than average (3). Pearson correlation coefficient showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between job nature and job adjustment (r=0.29). The regression coefficient showed that the job nature was able to predict the job adjustment of nurses.
Conclusion: The average job nature and adjustment of nurses were favorable and there was a positive relationship between job nature and job adjustment of nurses. Therefore, in order to increase the adjustment of nurses, managers should pay more attention to nurses' perceptions of their job characteristics and provide them with diversity, feedback and the opportunity to create friendly relationships at work.

Background and aim: Nowadays performance management is used to make organizational agility and improve organizational architecture. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of organizational architecture on performance management with the mediating role of organizational agility of physical education departments of country's medical science universities.
Methods: The method is a descriptive-survey research and operational and applied in terms of purpose. The statistics of this study included all senior managers and staff of physical education departments in medical universities throughout Iran, selected as a statistical sample for a total of 216. Data collection tools were organizational architecture questionnaire, Baldrige performance standard questionnaire and Sharifi organizational agility questionnaire. In order to analyze the research findings, path analysis and structural equations and SPSS 20  were used.
Results: It showed that organizational architecture and its dimensions have a significant effect on performance management with the mediating role of organizational agility of physical education departments in medical universities of the country. The magnitude of the effect of the mediating variable using VAF was 0.228 and according to the magnitude of the direct effect of the independent variable on the dependent which was equal to 0.799, it can be said that the magnitude of the direct effect is greater than the indirect effect.
Conclusion: In modern performance management, the aims of staffs and the purposes of the organization should be aligned and by creating coordination and providing the necessary guidance by supervisors, people feel more belonging to the organization and make the organization more agile by organizational changes.

Background and Objectives: In recent decades, several major accidents have occurred in high-reliability industries such as petrochemical companies. Accident analysis shows that the occurrence of more than 90% of accidents in industries are due to human factor and only with technical-engineering measures and the establishment of safety rules and regulations can not be institutionalized safe behaviors in such industries. Therefore, despite a slight reduction in human presence in these industries, the potential for human error risks is still high. The aim of this study was to identify and assess human errors in a petrochemical plant using the technique for the retrospective and predictive analysis of cognitive errors (TRACEr).
Methods: The sample size was all the eight operators of control room working in four shifts. In the first step, all tasks were analyzed using the hierarchical task analysis in order to identify sub-tasks. Then, for all the subtasks, different error modes (external and internal), psychological error mechanism (PEM) and performance shaping factors (PSFs) were identified and recorded in TRACEr sheet.
Results: The analysis of TRACEr sheets indicated that of a total number of 1171 detected errors, the internal and external errors were 50.67% (n=593) and 49.33% (n=578), respectively. In this line, ̔timing/sequence̕ errors with 35.36% and 'quality/selection' errors with 30.03% were identified as the highest and lowest external error modes, respectively. In classifying the internal error modes, action errors with 31.87% and decision making with 10.73% were identified as the highest and lowest external error modes, respectively. Within PEMs, ̔distraction/preoccupation̓ (23.61%) was identified as the main causes of perception errors. The analysis of the PSFs shows that ‘Organization’ with 27.95% and ‘task complexity’ with 8.74% were two main factors affecting the task errors.
Conclusion: The current study could identify many of the errors and conditions that affect the performance of operators. Therefore, this study can be introduced as a basis for managers and stockholders of chemical industries with complexity and high risk in order to prioritize human error prevention programs.