Table 1 Presentation of the study populations with health outcomes, work tasks and ergonomic and psychosocial conditions

 Men

110

73

24

55

0.04

 Women

40

27

18

41

0.04

 Age (range:21–66)

40.4

9.60

37.3

9.42

0.70

 Length of employment

9.8

4.41

7.3

5.25

< 0.01

 Has experienced neck pain

74

49

13

30

0.02

 Neck pain during the previous 7 days

42

28

4

9

0.48

 Intensity of neck pain

5.04

2.47

5.0

2.00

0.90

 Sick leave due to neck pain

26

17

0

0

< 0.01

 Shoulder pain

95

63

17

39

< 0.01

 Shoulder pain during the previous 7 days

53

35

4

9

0.03

 Intensity of shoulder pain

5.28

2.52

4.36

2.29

0.14

 Perceived good health

121

81

39

89

0.08

 Ever smoked

84

56

30

68

0.15

 Has previously worked as forklift operator^c

150

100

18

41

< 0.01

 Low-lifting order picker

123

82

14

32

< 0.01

 Counterbalanced tilting mast

129

86

15

34

< 0.01

 Reach decker

100

67

11

25

< 0.01

 Never sits at work

56

37

7

16

0.02

 Sits at work part of the day

42

28

8

18

0.08

 Sits at work 100%

52

35

29

66

< 0.01

 Works in drafts or cold

69

46

5

11

< 0.01

 Floor bumps when operating forklift

69

46

5

11

< 0.01

 Neck extension

108

72

9

20

< 0.01

 Neck lateral flexion

104

69

8

18

< 0.01

 Neck rotation

124

83

12

27

< 0.01

 Monotonous arm/ hand movements

119

79

19

43

< 0.01

 Heavy lifting arms/ hands

112

75

13

30

< 0.01

 Work involving hands above shoulder level

100

67

7

16

< 0.01

 Satisfied with work

7.15

1.94

8.1

1.40

0.04

 Co-worker support

135

90

43

98

< 0.01

 Freedom of work

105

70

39

89

< 0.01

 Stress due to high work pace

5.2

2.82

5.4

2.81

0.64

 Physically strenuous work

13.6

2.63

8.8

2.34

< 0.01

 Work ability now compared with personal best

7.1

1.98

8.6

1.43

< 0.01