China 
Africa 
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Ergonomic design modifications of de-fibering machine in coir industry—a case study
Published in Sheela Evangeline, M.R. Rajkumar, Saritha G. Parambath, Recent Advances in Materials, Mechanics and Management, 2019
M. Satheeshkumar, K. Krishnakumar
Work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are major occupational health problems that are caused by workplace activities which affected at the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, peripheral nerves, and supporting blood vessels of the human body [1]. The causes of WMSDs are forceful or awkward movements, awkward posture, body vibrations, excessive force and strain, repetitive motions, overuse and duration of application of pressure etc. Kim et al. reported that, awkward working posture had a strong relation to the causation of WMSDs [2]. In scientific literature, awkward posture is one that involves considerable deviation from neutral position which includes twisting the body, frontward and rearward bending, working overhead, wrist bending, kneeling, stooping, and squatting [3]. An ergonomically poor designed workplace leads to physical stress to the labor force, low productivity and poor quality of work. Proper ergonomic design of work station achieved by a scientific method is required in the industry for the reduction of WMSDs [4]. Physical measurement of workstation should match with human anthropometric measurements to avoid awkward postures, to get better efficiency and to provide a safe working environment [5].
THE EFFECTS OF MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN ON WORK PERFORMANCE: WHICH PAIN MEASUREMENT TOOL SHOULD BE USED
Published in Paul T. McCabe, Contemporary Ergonomics 2004, 2018
Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) are described as inflammatory and degenerative diseases and disorders that result in pain and functional impairment, and may effect the neck, shoulders, elbows, forearms, wrists and hands (Buckle and Devereux, 2002). Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common type of work-related ill-health problem in Great Britain. Apart from their impact on health, the symptoms of MSDs may effect the productivity of those sufferers. This issue has been addressed mostly by considering the sickness-absence records as outcomes. However the effects of the symptoms when the workers are present at work has received little attention (Hagberg et al, 2002; Yu and Ting, 1993). Therefore in this study the effects on work performance amongst workers who have differing levels of musculoskeletal pain will be addressed. The selection of a suitable pain measurement tool is described in this paper.
Ergonomic Evaluation and Design of Handheld Medical Devices
Published in Jack M. Winters, Molly Follette Story, Medical Instrumentation, 2006
David M. Rempel, Thomas J. Armstrong, Ira Janowitz
Many jobs entail repeated exertions, often in combination with forceful exertions and extreme postures. These factors have been shown to be associated with elevated risk of upper extremity work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), such as carpal tunnel syndrome, hand–wrist tendonitis, and nonspecific forearm pain [8,9]. These disorders are a serious cause of work disability and workers’ compensation in health care providers. Some of the common tools that are used for assessment of WMSD risk factors include Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) [10], Strain Index [11], Liberty Mutual (Snook) psychophysical tables [12,13], and American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists® Threshold Limit Value (ACGIH TLV) for Hand Activity Level (HAL) [14] (see Table 11.5). These tools are best suited for highly structured jobs in which the same sequence of human–machine interactions is repeated throughout the work shift. In these cases, the analyst can estimate the factors listed in Table 11.5.
Optimization of Productivity and Worker Well-Being by Using a Multi-Objective Optimization Framework
Published in IISE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors, 2021
Aitor Iriondo Pascual, Dan Högberg, Dan Lämkull, Estela Perez Luque, Anna Syberfeldt, Lars Hanson
The case study represents a manual welding task within manufacturing at Volvo Cars. The task involves using one or more of three welding guns for seven welding locations. The guns can be grasped at different locations, and the workers need to assume different postures when welding the seven spots. Because the guns are supported by a lifting device, the workers are not affected by the weight of the guns. The welding guns are not fixed in a single position; hence, each spot can be welded by holding the guns at different angles. In addition, the task is performed by different workers, so the welding posture can change due to the anthropometry of each worker. The task is repetitive, and the workers need to perform it over a full workday. There is thus a risk of developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), particularly in the upper limbs. By optimizing worker well-being and productivity, the risk of WMSDs and the cycle time of the welding operation can be minimized. To achieve this, a model was created in a DHM tool and an optimization model was defined.
Smartphone-based human fatigue level detection using machine learning approaches
Published in Ergonomics, 2021
Swapnali Karvekar, Masoud Abdollahi, Ehsan Rashedi
Workplace fatigue can result from repetitive and/or physically challenging jobs, especially when workers do not have sufficient breaks. Earlier studies demonstrate that the muscle fatigue in the lower limbs deteriorates postural control and may lead to balance impairment (Adlerton, Moritz, and Moe‐Nilssen 2003; Pinsault and Vuillerme 2008; Helbostad et al. 2010). As a consequence, this fatigue-induced diminished motor control performance increases the risk of fall and injury (Johnston et al. 1998). The most recent data from the Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index showed the direct cost of disabling workplace injuries in 2019 due to falls on the same level in the US was estimated to be almost $10 billion or ∼19% of total injury cost (Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety 2019). Over the long term, this fatigue may also lead to Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) and adversely affect performance. In addition, research indicates that >80% of the total costs associated with lost productive time were due to fatigue and reduced performance (Ricci et al. 2007). In fact, fatigue impairs performance by reducing concentration and increasing the time needed to accomplish a given task. The increased task-completion time is partially due to the fact that the musculoskeletal system is challenged to use and adapt momentary muscle substitution patterns once the worker is fatigued (Mehta et al. 2015). Hence, fatigue detection in workers before they reach the extreme level of fatigue could play a key role in preventing fatigue-induced fall/injury and performance decline.
Experimental Evaluation of a Shoulder-Support Exoskeleton for Overhead Work: Influences of Peak Torque Amplitude, Task, and Tool Mass
Published in IISE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics and Human Factors, 2019
Logan Van Engelhoven, Nathan Poon, Homayoon Kazerooni, David Rempel, Alan Barr, Carisa Harris-Adamson
Risk factors contributing to upper extremity, work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) include repetition, force, non-neutral posture, and vibration (NIOSH, 1997). In 2015, 8.4% of WMSD cases in the United States in involved the shoulder, with a median of 23 lost workdays per injury (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016). While the incidence rate of shoulder cases (8 per 10,000 FTEs) is half that for back cases (17 per 10,000 FTEs), the associated lost time is more than three times in duration. The risk of injury to the shoulder is especially high during overhead tasks that are commonly performed in construction and manufacturing (NIOSH, 1997). In fact, if sustained for even one hour, the onset of shoulder muscular fatigue may begin at muscle activation levels as low as 5% of the maximum voluntary contraction (Sjøgaard, Savard, & Juel, 1988). This suggests that the risk of shoulder WMSDs is present at low exertion levels if an overhead task is performed for a long enough duration.