The implementation of ergonomics advice and the stage of change approach

• This paper investigates the implementation of ergonomics advice tailored according to the Stage of Change approach.
• Companies were randomly allocated to receive tailored or standard ergonomics advice.
• Companies in receipt of tailored advice implemented significantly more changes.
• The implementation of ergonomics advice may be improved by the incorporation of Stage of Change principles.

This paper investigates the implementation of injury prevention advice tailored according to the Stage of Change (SOC) approach. The managers of 25 workgroups, drawn from medium to large companies across a wide range of occupational sectors were allocated to receive either standard ergonomics advice or ergonomics advice tailored according to the workgroup SOC. Twelve months after the advice was provided, semi-structured interviews were conducted with each manager. In a multivariate model, managers who had received tailored advice were found to have implemented significantly more of the recommended changes (IRR = 1.68, 95% CI 1.07–2.63) and more “additional” changes (IRR = 1.90, 95% CI 1.12–3.20). Qualitative analysis identified that the key barriers and facilitators to the implementation of changes were largely related to worker resistance to change and the attitudes of senior managers towards health and safety. The findings from this study suggest that the implementation of ergonomics recommendations may be improved by the tailoring of advice according to SOC principles.