Abstract

The IRSST received several requests (CSST, companies, unions) about the musculoskeletal disorders (RSIs and back pain) associated with the use of micro-computing in offices that highlight the need for sharing practical information. The proposed project has two goals: 1) specifying the needs of the different people involved, in terms of information transfer, training, popularization, and problem solving; 2) analyzing the practical and popularized literature that can meet, in whole or in part, the needs expressed.
To analyze the needs, the organization of discussion groups with different actors is proposed. To meet the second objective, relevant written and audiovisual documentation will be collected and analyzed by using descriptive fact sheets as well as comparison and evaluation grids specifically developed for this purpose.
The expected result is the publication of two reports. The first report will present the needs expressed as well as their prioritization by the different stakeholders. The second will be devoted to the evaluation of the most interesting documentation and will contain a descriptive classification of the available documentation.
In addition, the profile of the training programs and the available information should enable the IRSST to make informed choices for further research in the office automation field.