Developing an Observational Technique of Assessing and Identifying Ergonomic and Health Risk Factors Associated with Office Work: A Study of Selected Offices in Three State-Owned Tertiary Institutions of Katsina State in Nigeria

Work place safety and health has become a global mechanism of response to various occupational hazards, injuries and diseases. Due to the neglect of basic safety and health regulations in Nigeria, office work especially in the governmental sector, has come to be associated with ergonomic and health related issues such as musculo-skeletal disorders and eye syndrome as a result of exposure of workers to certain risk factors. Musculo-skeletal disorders and eye syndromes are common complaints among typists, secretaries, computer workers and other related office activities with grave consequences on workers’ productivity and the national economy. The objective of this study is to identify and assess the level of exposure of office workers in the three tertiary institutions of Katsina State of Nigeria, in the category of typists, secretaries, personal assistants, computer workers and other related clerical activities. The methodology adopted in the study is a non-participant, un-obtrusive observation using Rapid Office Stress Assessment Checklist Technique (ROSA). The checklist provided specific stressor variables and the health related risk factors associated with the office work. The findings of this study is that, workers in the three state-owned tertiary institutions in Katsina State of Nigeria, are exposed to ergonomic and other health related risk factors due to poor work facilities and poor working habit. It is therefore concluded that, in order to achieve a sustainable and productive office work environment, the working facilities and work behaviour of the workers must be changed and improved and that office safety and health regulations must be made as part of the organisational practice.