Evaluation of safety, comfort, and design ergonomics in ambulance retrieval vehicles: a survey in Southern…

Cross-sectionalInternational journal of emergency medicine· Jul 2026

Evaluation of safety, comfort, and design ergonomics in ambulance retrieval vehicles: a survey in Southern India.

Lavanya Aradhya, Vrinda Lath, Freston Marc Sirur … Aniketh Kumar Shetty

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Occupational & Environmental MedicineCross-sectionalClinical practiceQ2IF 2.0

Limited patient-cabin space is the most commonly reported ambulance safety and comfort concern.

Evaluation of safety, comfort, and design ergonomics in ambulance retrieval vehicles: a survey in Southern India.

Lavanya Aradhya … Aniketh Kumar Shetty

International journal of emergency medicine · Jul 2026

Background

Ambulance interior design influences the safety, comfort, and operational efficiency of Emergency Medical Services (Emergency Medical Services) personnel.

Purpose

To evaluate Emergency Medical Services personnel perspectives on ambulance ergonomics, safety, comfort, and factors affecting patient care during transport.

Methods

A multicentre, cross-sectional survey-based observational study was conducted among Emergency Medical Technologists (Emergency Medical Technologists) and paramedics, recruited by convenience sampling, who were involved in patient transport using standard Advanced Life Support (Advanced Life Support) ambulances across Southern India.

n = 130 EMS providers

Results

6 in 10 Emergency Medical Services providers said cramped patient-cabin space affected safety and comfort.

60%

Limited patient-cabin

50%

Difficulty accessing e

More results

A total of 130 Emergency Medical Services providers participated.

Uneven roads (49.23%) and sudden vehicle breakdowns (41.53%) were the leading causes of transport-related injuries.

More results

CPR was the procedure most commonly associated with injuries to the care giver (53.84%), while back pain was the predominant occupational health hazard (57.69%).

“

Conclusion · 1 of 2

Emergency Medical Services personnel reported substantial concerns regarding ambulance ergonomics, particularly seat positioning, equipment accessibility, cabin workspace, and occupational safety.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

These findings emphasize the importance of further ergonomic research in ambulance design to enhance operational ease during in transit care while assuring provider and patient safety.

Evaluation of safety, comfort, and design ergonomics in ambulance retrieval vehicles: a survey in Southern India.

Evaluation of safety, comfort, and design ergonomics in ambulance retrieval vehicles: a survey in Southern India.

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