title: Use of the Finnish method to quantify the ergonomic properties in an office environment among the workplaces in an Electricity Distribution Company in West Tehran Province.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The workplace plays an important role in workers' performances, but most workplaces have not been designed and equipped in keeping with primary ergonomic principles. Ignoring these principles can cause ergonomic risk factors, difficulties for workers, and damage to workers' health. The aim of this study was to identify acceptable ergonomic properties in workplaces in order to determine and investigate the aspects of workstations that cause occupational discomfort. To accomplish this aim, we used the Finish method to evaluate workstations in an electricity distribution company in Tehran.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross sectional study was conducted for all of the workstations in an electrical power distribution company using the census method. The desired information was collected through objective observation using the Finish checklist of ergonomic issues in the workplace. Then, we used SPSS version 16 to analyze the information.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 11.2% of the workstations, none of the ergonomic principles was considered, so workers' bodied were not situated appropriately while they were working. In 31% of the cases, lighting ranged between 10% and 50% of the recommended amount, and some of the workers appeared to be in a slight daze. In 42.3% of the cases, the temperature in the workplace was in the range of 25 to 27°C. In 42.3 and 52.3% of the cases, ratings of noise were 2 and 3, respectively, indicating that the noise levels were 60-70 dB and 70-80 dB, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study can be used to determine ergonomic deficiencies in workstations so they can be resolved. Based on our investigation, it was found that the workstations, first and foremost, had significant defects in terms of work components. Furthermore, there were some irritating problems concerning noise and concerning comfort levels related to the high temperature.
authors.affiliation: M.Sc. Student of Occupational Safety & Health, Department of Occupational Health, Tarbiat Modares University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Haji Omid
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Kalte
authors.affiliation: Faculty Member of Occupational Health Department, Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH), Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
authors.forename: Mansour
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ziaei
authors.affiliation: M.Sc. Student of Business Management, Farabi College, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Najafi
authors.affiliation: Department of Health care Management, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Trehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Atiyeh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karami
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akbarzadeh
authors.affiliation: Iranian Petroleum Industry Health Research Institute (IPI HRI).
authors.forename: Iman
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ahmadnezhad
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Health, Public Health School, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran ; Ph.D. Student of Occupational Health, Department of Occupational Health, International Campus, Tehran University of Medical Science (TUMS.IC), Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karchani
keywords: occupational injuries; questionnaires; workplace