The role of participatory ergonomics in supporting the safety of healthcare workers; a systematic review

Despite the special attention given to safety in healthcare, most of the efforts are centered around patients. This study reviews the literature to explore the use of participatory ergonomics approaches to promote the safety of healthcare workers in clinical settings and the implementation challenges faced. This review follows PRISMA guidelines and utilizes the Pico framework to search databases for peer-reviewed articles on participatory ergonomics interventions for workers' safety. The search was conducted in April 2023. Quality assurance included the snowball method and manual searches in relevant safety and ergonomics journals. Several studies (N = 36) were included in the review. The identified safety issues addressed by participatory ergonomics are Musculoskeletal injuries (N = 14), occupational injuries (N = 8), performance in complex systems (N = 7), medication errors and management (N = 3), physical load (N = 2), and occupational stress (N = 2). Many implementation challenges were faced, such as infections, violence, burnout, staffing retention, and Covid-19-related challenges. These findings can contribute to the development of evidence-based policies, guidelines, and recommendations to support the integration of participatory ergonomics in healthcare safety programs, which can help reduce occupational hazards.