Practitioner 's Summary : Currently , there is inconsistent evidence for recommending job rotation as a strategy for preventing musculoskeletal complaints .
The aim of this systematic review was to summarise evidence on the effects of job rotation on musculoskeletal complaints , exposures related to musculoskeletal complaints and sustainable working life parameters .
Effect of job rotation on need for recovery, musculoskeletal complaints, and sick leave due to musculoskeletal complaints: a prospective study among refuse collectors.
BACKGROUND Job rotation might be an effective preventive measure to reduce the prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints , although its effect has not been yet established . The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effect of job rotation in refuse collecting on need for recovery , prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints , and sick leave due to musculoskeletal complaints .  METHODS A 1-year prospect i ve study among refuse collectors was performed , using st and ardized question naires . Job rotation was performed between collecting two-wheeled containers and driving a refuse truck . The experimental groups of rotating refuse collectors at t(0 ) and t(1 ) ( group R-R ) and non-rotating refuse collectors at t(0 ) and rotating refuse collectors at t(1 ) ( group NR-R ) were compared with a reference group of non-rotating refuse collectors at t(0 ) and t(1 ) ( group NR-NR ) . RESULTS The adjusted need for recovery of group R-R was marginally significantly lower than need for recovery of the reference group . Groups R-R and NR-R had a more than two times higher risk for complaints of the low back than the reference group . No other significant results were found . CONCLUSIONS Job rotation seemed to coincide with a reduced need for recovery and was associated with an increased risk of low back complaints . No effects were found on sick leave due to musculoskeletal complaints . The results might be influenced by the healthy worker selection effect in the reference group and its inverse in the rotating groups
Practitioner 's Summary : Currently , there is inconsistent evidence for recommending job rotation as a strategy for preventing musculoskeletal complaints .
The aim of this systematic review was to summarise evidence on the effects of job rotation on musculoskeletal complaints , exposures related to musculoskeletal complaints and sustainable working life parameters .