Ergonomic assessment of fixed-height wooden laboratory stools and their association with student well-being: a cross-sectional study from Ghana

Scientific knowledge is often pursued in university laboratories, which are designed for discovery but may not always prioritise the physical wellbeing of workers. Students worldwide, in both industrialised and developing countries, often spend many hours in practical sessions using furniture that is not ergonomically suitableThis cross-sectional study investigated the ergonomic suitability of standardized fixed-height, backless wooden laboratory stools and their association with the wellbeing and academic experience of undergraduate science students at a large public university in Ghana. A custom-designed online survey was used to assess comfort, discomfort, pain, fatigue, enjoyment of work, and safety awareness in a sample of 456 students. Findings revealed significant sex disparities, with female students reporting notably lower comfort (I = –4.50, p < 0.001, d = –0.51) and higher discomfort, pain, and fatigue than male counterparts. Notably, female students also reported significantly higher safety concerns than males (t = –2.16, p = 0.OU, d = –0.24). Prolonged sitting duration was associated with increased adverse ergonomic outcomes, including reduced comfort, heightened pain, and diminished enjoyment of laboratory activities. Regression analyses further identified age, weight, and sex as significant predictors of the various ergonomic outcomes. Height was additionally identified as a significant predictor of fatigue and posture adjustment (§ = 0.15, p = 0.001). These findings underscore the need for ergonomically informed furniture design in higher education, particularly in resource-constrained settings, to reduce musculoskeletal discomfort and support students’ comfort and wellbeing during laboratory sessions.