¶ … drivers endure a multitude of work-related health issues due to the nature of their work. They drive consistently long hours. They must be weary of potential accidents, and do not receive high pay. This can lead to a higher than normal employee turnover rates, which lends to a lower quality of service for customers. Researchers have aimed at aimed at identifying what specific work-related health problems plague bus drivers. Research shows bus drivers often suffer from high blood pressure and musculoskeletal pain in the form of neck and low back pain. This may be due to constant vibration while driving and an ineffective seat and bus driver cabin. Another potential cause for these illnesses is the constant stress of the job. Bus Drivers cite the risk for potentially aggressive passengers and bad weather conditions as major stressors.

This dissertation is meant to show through interviews with bus drivers and managers and a literature review, how driving long hours can be detrimental to the health of a bus driver. Furthermore, how ergonomic evaluation may help ease the burden bus drivers have every day during long driving shifts. The results of the interviews and the literature review revealed several determiners of stress and occupational hazards for bus drivers. From low pay to bad weather conditions, bus drivers must also contend with poorly designed seats and bus driver cabins that lend to low back pain, and early leaves from their jobs.

Ergonomic evaluation is a way the UK and Europe can improve the occupational health and safety of bus drivers. By improving the design of seats, to restricting the placement of bus stops, steps can be made to improve the work environment for bus drivers in the UK and Europe. This is a qualitative study and used the answers of 9 bus drivers and 3 bus managers to understand the overall picture of bus driver occupational hazards.

1. Introduction

a. Background

Chronic health problems arise from a multitude of things. When they are work-related, they can be difficult to prevent. Bus drivers experience work-related illness at a higher rate than workers in any other occupation or industry (ATU, 2016). Work-related illnesses can come from contraction of common diseases due to the close proximity of numerous strangers entering the bus each day. Bus drivers may also become chronically ill due to the position they are seated in, in the bus for hours at a time. Job-related hazards from bus driving contribute to a 120% above-average rate for chronic illnesses (ATU, 2016). When research identified the epidemic of work-related illnesses in bus drivers, some researchers decided to identify ways to prevent and combat the problem. The first step was ergonomic evaluation.

b. Ergonomic Evaluation

Bus driving can be a difficult activity to manage over time. Bus drivers often experience lower back pain, pain in the ankles, neck, and knees from their continued sitting position (Tranchard, 2012). It is a demanding job and bus drivers in the UK and Europe require development of comfortable seating via ergonomic evaluation to successfully endure long driving hours. Ergonomic evaluation, also termed workstation assessment, guarantees that a bus driver's workstation is ergonomically designed to maximize productivity and lessen risk of injury (Patchong, 2014). Assessments are also performed in order to support the decrease of employee turnover rate that rises due to work-related injuries.

Ergonomic evaluation considers driver fatigue comprising of cognitive and/or physical fatigue. "Physical fatigue is related to perceptual-motor adjustments specific to the driver task and to discomfort caused by prolonged sitting. Cognitive fatigue can be subdivided in task-related and sleep related fatigue" (Vink, 2014, p. 522). While possible countermeasures to physical fatigue include passive/active micro-movements along with stimulation of macro-movements, sleep-related fatigue within the cognitive fatigue area is known to be intervention-resistant (Vink, 2014). This means ergonomic evaluation should aim for elimination of physical fatigue.

Fatigue symptoms are a common occurrence for bus drivers throughout the world, especially for the UK and Europe. A recent study examined the effects of bus driving for prolonged periods of time along with overall job quality compared to coach drivers. The researchers noted the multitude of health problems bus drivers experience...

"...the risk of heart disease for bus drivers to be twice that of their conductor colleagues. They also suffer gastrointestinal disorders, musculoskeletal problems and poor mental health (Williamson et al., 2013, p. 189). The study also stated bus drivers endure high amount of fatigue, stress and low job satisfaction. They mentioned the European Working Condition Survey as considering bus driving in Europe, to be the worst for working conditions, working hours, and potentials risks of physical violence.
c. Occupational Stress and Stress Prevention

Bus drivers go through many challenges when performing their duties. They encounter violent outbursts from customers (Williamson et al., 2013), they have back problems, among other health problems; all of which contribute to high employee turnover rate (Lannoo and Verhofstadt, 2016). The high turnover rate is due to high demands (making it to each bus stop on time, dealing with traffic), low support (little in terms of ergonomic design for seats, no set structure to enable exercise or physical therapy), and low control (cannot choose shifts at times, or how to meet the demands of the job) (Lannoo and Verhofstadt, 2016). Because of the constant occurrence of reported occupational stress in bus drivers, it can no longer be considered an infrequent occurrence. Occupational stress in bus drivers is a wide-ranging phenomenon both in the UK and throughout Europe (Patchong, 2014). Therefore, exploration of measures that can improve and prevent occupational stress for bus drivers is necessary. One such potential solution is ergonomic evaluation of seating and position of bus driver while working.

Bus drivers endure physical fatigue and stress, creating potential occupational hazards and safety concerns due to the nature of their work. They work long hours, typically in the same position for hours at a time (Arezes et al., 2013). When they drive, they must deal with difficult access to their bus cabins due to engine placement and old seating that is not ergonomically designed. "...it was observed that the bus cabins of all companies surveyed did not allow easy access due to the presence of the vehicle engine. The height and distance from the steering wheel did not allow the driver a good posture" (Arezes et al., 2013, p. 602). When seating is not ergonomically designed, it creates potential problems for the bus driver's posture, back, and appendages.

This dissertation will provide an analysis of what potential solutions ergonomic evaluation offers bus drivers and what current problems bus drivers face while working long hours. This is a qualitative study that will highlight responses from 12 participants (9 bus drivers and 3 managers) from 3 different bus companies in the United Kingdom. The interviews will provide the basis from which to understand how beneficial ergonomic evaluation is to the occupational health and safety of bus drivers. The literature will provide supplementary information that will allow for proper understanding and analysis of the problem and potential solution.

2. Problem Statement

The title of bus drivers comes with the potential of several health problems. This is due to the main job responsibilities of a bus driver like long work hours and uncomfortable seating. Preventative measures must be taken in order to reduce bus driver turnover rate and increase comfort for on duty bus drivers. The focus of the qualitative study is on ergonomic evaluation and the ways in which it can improve bus driver occupational health and safety. Because of the growing evidence of work-related illnesses for bus drivers, the potential solution of ergonomic evaluation may become a standard practice that could minimize the risk of physical fatigue development and occupational hazards for bus drivers in the UK and Europe.

Although some bus companies in the UK and Europe have included ergonomic evaluation in their repertoire of preventative measures, evidence still shows work-related health problems remaining as the primary concern for bus drivers and high employee turnover rate (Musson, 2013). This could be due to a failure to create a standard or practice, or improper adherence to policy. If the issue of occupational health and safety does not have a solution, it could lead to continued work grievances and work-related diseases for bus drivers.

3. Research Questions

• Can ergonomic assessment lead to effective preventative measures for bus drivers during long shifts?

• What entails ergonomic evaluation of bus cabins?

• How is physical fatigue and stress lessened through the implementation of ergonomic evaluation?

• What standards do bus companies implement in relation to ergonomic evaluation?

• If bus companies in the UK and Europe have already implemented ergonomic evaluation, has implementation improved bus driver health outcomes?

4. Significance of the Problem

High employee turnover and increased health problems associated with bus driving are important measures to combat and prevent. Because employee turnover for bus drivers remains so high, bus companies do not have effective and experienced bus drivers working for them. Less experienced drivers lead to more fatal car and vehicle accidents (Scenario Committee on Accidents and Traumatology, 2012). Without the necessary standards…