Combined impact of surgical lighting and flooring surface characteristics on staff stress: A hospital field study

This study evaluates the combined impact of operating room lighting and flooring surface characteristics on eye strain and physical fatigue among surgical staff. A cross-sectional survey utilizing a structured, validated ergonomic questionnaire was conducted with a purposive sample of N = 154 professionals across three public hospitals. Descriptive results showed that 80.5% of staff experienced eye strain, while over 52% rated lighting and flooring properties as poor. Correlation analysis indicated a strong positive association between eye strain and physical fatigue (r = 0.540, p < 0.01). Multiple linear regression indicated that self-reported physical fatigue was the strongest predictor of eye strain (β = 0.54, p < 0.001), with lighting and flooring properties significantly contributing to overall stress. These findings highlight the need for low-cost, high-impact ergonomic improvements (e.g., anti-fatigue mats and LED modernizations) to alleviate physical strain and optimize surgical safety.