August 13, 2007 — A new study by scientists from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and a colleague supports earlier research that supplementary rest breaks minimize discomfort and eyestrain among data-entry employees without impairing productivity.
The study was published in the July 2007 issue of the peer-reviewed journal American Journal of Industrial Medicine .
The researchers followed 51 workers for eight weeks. For half of the study, participants had conventional work breaks (two breaks per day, 15 minutes each). For the other half of the study, they had the conventional breaks along with four supplemental breaks per day, five minutes each. Discomfort and eyestrain were gauged through responses to questionnaires, and productivity through electronically recorded measures.
The study also attempted to gauge whether stretching exercises helped to reduce discomfort. No significant differences in discomfort were observed between employees instructed to perform stretching exercises and employees not instructed to perform stretching exercises as part of the study. However, employees in the exercise group skipped the exercises during most of their breaks. Further research on exercise motivation and the effects of exercise is suggested in the paper.
NIOSH will incorporate the findings among other data in designing ongoing research for preventing work- related musculoskeletal injuries, and assessing potential interventions.
