Perceptions of postural stability after transitioning to standing among construction workers

Falls are a leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries in the construction trades. This study explored construction workers’ self-reports of postural stability upon standing after working in different postures. One hundred and eighty-nine workers in 10 construction trades provided stability ratings by completing a written questionnaire. Additional data collected included age, gender, years of experience, and rating of overall balance. Construction workers rated their overall balance as high, furthermore, no difference was found between trades or age groups. Significant differences in stability ratings were provided for the various postures. The most commonly used non-erect postures (bent over at waist, squatting, and forward kneeling) resulted in the largest self-reports of instability. Sitting on elevated surface and sitting on level surface resulted in the highest levels of self-reported stability and are recommended when maintaining balance is a concern. Differences associated with construction trade and age were also found, but were thought to be attributed to differences in tasks performed since no differences were found when each posture was analyzed separately. The results suggest that the working posture used to complete a task affects the postural stability upon standing regardless of construction trade and age of worker. Findings may lead to recommendations for redesign of tasks or tools to reduce the use of certain working postures, particularly in high-risk environments such as construction.     

Whole-body vibration and postural stress among operators of construction equipment: a literature review

INTRODUCTION: Operators of construction equipment perform various duties at work that expose them to a variety of risk factors that may lead to health problems. A few of the health hazards among operators of construction equipment are: (a) whole-body vibration, (b) awkward postural requirements (including static sitting), (c) dust, (d) noise, (e) temperature extremes, and (f) shift work. It has been suggested that operating engineers (OEs) are exposed to two important risk factors for the development of musculoskeletal disorders: whole-body vibration and non-neutral body postures. METHOD: This review evaluates selected papers that have studied exposure to whole-body vibration and awkward posture among operators of mobile equipment. There have been only few studies that have specifically examined exposure of these risk factors among operators of construction equipment. Thus other studies from related industry and equipment were reviewed as applicable. CONCLUSION: In order to better understand whole-body vibration and postural stress among OEs, it is recommended that future studies are needed in evaluating these risk factors among OEs.     

Ergonomic Risk Factors for Cumulative Trauma Disorders in VDU Operators

The objectives of this study were to investigate the rate of cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) in the upper body and to describe the associations of such disorders with ergonomic parameters in a group of data entry operators. A total of 173 data entry operators volunteered to take part in the study. Questionnaires were used to investigate their medical history. Diagnoses of CTDs were made with clinical tests. A visual posture analysis of the workers and an ergonomic analysis of workstations and workload were used to reveal risk factors. Neck and shoulder pain, extensor tendonitis of the wrists and De Quervain’s disease were common in the study population. An assessment of risk factors showed that leaning wrists on the keyboard, hard keystrokes, extreme wrist joint and thumb positions and working in poor ergonomic design were correlated to pain and development of CTDs.     

Musculoskeletal symptoms as related to ergonomic factors in Iranian hand-woven carpet industry and general guidelines for workstation design.

Carpet weaving is a high risk occupation for developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The objectives of the present study, which was carried out in the Iranian hand-woven carpet industry, were determination of the prevalence of MSD symptoms, identification of major factors associated with MSD symptoms and development of guidelines for workstation design. 1,439 randomly selected weavers participated in this study. A questionnaire was used to collect data on MSD symptoms. The results revealed that the prevalence rates for symptoms in different body regions were high as compared to the general Iranian population (for neck, back and large joints, p <.0001). The results of multivariate analyses showed that major ergonomic factors associated with musculoskeletal symptoms were loom type, working posture, daily working time and seat type. Based on the results, some general guidelines for designing weaving workstations were developed. A prototype test showed that the new workstation was acceptable for subject tests and that it improved working posture.     

Comparisons of ergonomic evaluation tools (ALLA,RULA, REBA and OWAS) for farm work

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to validate the agricultural lower limb assessment (ALLA) ergonomic checklist, which was developed for various agricultural tasks in Korea. Methods. One hundred and ninety-six working postures were selected from the real agricultural tasks to verify ALLA, a lower limb body posture assessment tool, and then evaluated by 16 ergonomic experts. Hit rate, quadratic weighted κ, one-way analysis of variance and t-test analyses were applied to compare ALLA with other assessment tools. Results. ALLA analysis had a superior hit rate with ergonomic expert assessment compared with other assessment tools. Quadratic weighted κ analysis also showed that ALLA provided superior estimates of risk levels for farm working postures. Discussion. ALLA would be an appropriate assessment tool to estimate risk factors for various lower limb body postures which frequently occur in agricultural tasks in Korea. ALLA is a simple and accurate risk assessment tool that could be usefully applied to identify and mitigate risk factors and work-related musculoskeletal disorders in agricultural tasks, and also to evaluate the effects of control and intervention for working conditions.     

A Classification System for Characterization of Physical and Non-Physical Work Factors

A comprehensive evaluation of work-related perfomance factors is a prerequisite to developing integrated and long-term solutions to workplace performance improvement. This paper describes a work-factor classification system that categorizes the entire domain of workplace factors impacting performance. A questionnaire-based instrument was developed to implement this classification system in industry. Fifty jobs were evaluated in 4 different service and manufacturing companies using the proposed questionnaire-based instrument. The reliability coefficients obtained from the analyzed jobs were considered good (.589 to .862). In general, the physical work factors resulted in higher reliability coefficients (.847 to .862) than non-physical work factors (.589 to .768). performance work-factor system classification     

Ergonomic analysis of working postures using OWAS in semi-trailer assembly,applying an individual sampling strategy

In semi-trailer assembly, workers are exposed to several physical risk factors. Awkward working postures have not yet been investigated in semi-trailer assembly, although they are known to be a major risk factor for musculoskeletal disorders. We therefore conducted a comprehensive ergonomic analysis of working postures using the Ovako working posture analysing system (OWAS), with an individual sampling strategy. The postural load in semi-trailer assembly was assessed on the basis of 20,601 observations of 63 workers executing a representative set of nine work tasks. According to the OWAS, the postural load of various working postures and body part positions may have a harmful effect on the musculoskeletal system. We therefore give examples of corrective measures that could improve awkward working postures. Applying an individual sampling strategy was revealed to have advantages over a collective strategy, so this is recommended for future ergonomic analyses.     

An adaptive neural network algorithm for assessment and improvement of job satisfaction with respect to HSE and ergonomics program: The case of a gas refinery

Researchers have been continuously trying to improve human performance with respect to Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) and ergonomics (hence HSEE). This study proposes an adaptive neural network (ANN) algorithm for measuring and improving job satisfaction among operators with respect to HSEE in a gas refinery. To achieve the objectives of this study, standard questionnaires with respect to HSEE are completed by operators. The average results for each category of HSEE are used as inputs and job satisfaction is used as output for the ANN algorithm. Moreover, ANN is used to rank operators performance with respect to HSEE and job satisfaction. Finally, Normal probability technique is used to identify outlier operators. Moreover, operators with inadequate job satisfaction with respect to HSEE are identified. This would help managers to see if operators are satisfied with their jobs in the context of HSEE. This is the first study that introduces an integrated ANN algorithm for assessment and improvement of human job satisfaction with respect to HSEE program in complex systems.     

Variation in posture quality across musical instruments and its impact during performances

Objective. Bad posture increases the risk that a musician may suffer from musculoskeletal disorders. This study compared posture quality required by different instruments or families of instruments. Methods. Using an ad-hoc postural observation instrument embracing 11 postural variables, four experts evaluated the postures of 100 students attending a Spanish higher conservatory of music. Results. The agreement of the experts’ evaluations was statistically confirmed by a Cohen's κ value between 0.855 and 1.000 and a Kendall value between 0.709 and 1.000 (p?χ² tests revealed significant association between instrument families and seated posture with respect to pelvic attitude, dorsal curvature and head alignment in both sagittal and frontal planes. This analysis also showed an association between instrument families and standing posture with respect to the frontal plane of the axis of gravity, pelvic attitude, head alignment in the frontal plane, the sagittal plane of the shoulders and overall posture. Conclusions. While certain postural defects appear to be common to all families of instruments, others are more characteristic of some families than others. The instrument associated with the best posture quality was the bagpipe, followed by percussion and strings.     

Road accidents,an occupational risk

Road accidents sustained at work represent between 20% and 40% of work fatalities in most industrialised countries, yet few data on occupational road accident risk factors have been published. A case control study was performed to assess the role of work-related risk factors in the occurrence of occupational road accidents. A preliminary qualitative study was carried out to identify possible occupational factors in occupational road accidents, and to draw up the case control study. Cases were recruited from the Rhône road trauma registry (France), controls from voting lists. A telephone interview was performed. Exposure to road risk was measured as a percentage of work time. One hundred and forty-six cases and 440 matched controls were interviewed. Accident risk was found to increase with exposure. Driving was associated with more difficult working conditions than found in jobs not involving driving. These difficulties, however, were not systematically associated with increased occupational road accident risk. Among factors which still emerge after adjustment for road risk exposure, there are scheduling issues (inflexible schedule organisation, lack of consecutive rest-days, lack of flexibility in performing the work), difficulties of communication with superiors, low seniority in the activity, low educational level and physical constraints at work. This study highlights some possible occupational road accident risk factors. Given the chosen case/control methodology, the findings may be considered as advancing our knowledge of the subject, but need confirmation by further studies.     

基于SE-FA的现役装备改进风险评价指标体系研究

现役装备改进是在原有产品基础上,通过采用各种改进措施,对产品的战术技术性能和结构进行局部改善,以达到提高或改进装备性能,延长装备使用寿命的目的.现役装备改进是一个复杂的系统工程过程,制约因素多、技术难度大,风险在所难免.为确保改进任务顺利进行,必须及时开展风险分析和评价研究,从而预先采取针对性措施加以防范.研究分析了现役装备改进的风险因子,构建了风险评价指标体系,并运用结构熵理论对指标体系的结构有序度进行了评价,提出了相对优化方案.最后,运用因子分析方法(FA)对构建的指标体系进行了因子分析,验证了指标体系的合理性.     

The effect of an ergonomic intervention on musculoskeletal, psychosocial, and visual strain of VDT data entry work: the Polish part of the international study.

A group of routine data entry operators (female) was included in the Polish MEPS (musculoskeletal--eyestrain--psychosocial--stress) study. Before the intervention, ergonomic assessment revealed improper working conditions such as inadequate lighting, uncomfortable chairs, and lack of forearm and wrist support while medical examination revealed that trapezius muscle load along with upper arm, head and back angles were higher than advisable. Subjects complained about neck and shoulder pain, visual problems, and psychosocial conditions. The ergonomic intervention included installation of new luminaires and Venetian blinds, new chairs, repair of ventilators, and optometric corrections. The results after the intervention showed mainly improvement in chair comfort, lighting conditions, visual strain, and sitting posture. However, financial limitations did not allow satisfactory completion of the intervention leading to a mixed interpretation of the results.     

印染行业特种设备的风险评价与责任保险研究

特种设备在印染行业的广泛应用带来经济效益的同时也伴随着事故和风险,政府部门一直探寻有效的风险管理手段。近年来,保险作为转移风险的有效方式在安全生产方面备受关注,然而其在印染行业的特种设备中的应用还不够成熟。因此,文章根据印染行业特种设备的风险特点,着重从人、机、环、管四个方面分析其风险,并运用作业危险性评价法(LEC)评估作业人员的风险等级、计算事故最大可能损失(MPL)、运用等级系数安全评价法评估企业的安全性,从而量化印染企业的责任风险,应用于责任保险的保费费率浮动计算中。     

Implementation of safety management systems in Hong Kong construction industry – A safety practitioner's perspective

IntroductionIn the 1980s, the safety management system (SMS) was introduced in the construction industry to mitigate against workplaces hazards, reduce the risk of injuries, and minimize property damage. Also, the Factories and Industrial Undertakings (Safety Management) Regulation was introduced on 24 November 1999 in Hong Kong to empower the mandatory implementation of a SMS in certain industries including building construction. Therefore, it is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of the SMS in improving construction safety and identify the factors that influence its implementation in Hong Kong.MethodA review of the current state-of-the-practice helped to establish the critical success factors (CSFs), benefits, and difficulties of implementing the SMS in the construction industry, while structured interviews were used to establish the key factors of the SMS implementation.ResultsResults of the state-of-the-practice review and structured interviews indicated that visible senior commitment, in terms of manpower and cost allocation, and competency of safety manager as key drivers for the SMS implementation. More so, reduced accident rates and accident costs, improved organization framework, and increased safety audit ratings were identified as core benefits of implementing the SMS. Meanwhile, factors such as insufficient resources, tight working schedule, and high labor turnover rate were the key challenges to the effective SMS implementation in Hong Kong.Practical applicationsThe findings of the study were consistent and indicative of the future development of safety management practice and the sustainable safety improvement of Hong Kong construction industry in the long run.     

Work environment risk factors for injuries in wood processing

Problem

The reported injury rate for wood product manufacturing in Maine, 1987-2004, was almost twice the state-wide average for all jobs. Method: A case-control study was conducted in wood processing plants to determine preventable risk factors for injury. A total of 157 cases with injuries reported to workers' compensation and 251 controls were interviewed. Results: In multivariable analyses, variables associated with injury risk were high physical workload, machine-paced work or inability to take a break, lack of training, absence of a lockout/tagout program, low seniority, and male gender. Different subsets of these variables were significant when acute incidents and overexertions were analyzed separately and when all injuries were stratified by industry sub-sector. Impact on industry: Generalizability may be limited somewhat by non-representative participation of workplaces and individuals. Nevertheless, these findings provide evidence that many workplace injuries occurring in wood processing could be prevented by application of ergonomics principles and improved work organization.     

Fault propagation behavior study and root cause reasoning with dynamic Bayesian network based framework

The Bhopal disaster was a gas leak incident in India, considered the world's worst industrial disaster happened around process facilities. Nowadays the process facilities in petrochemical industries have becoming increasingly large and automatic. There are many risk factors with complex relationships among them. Unfortunately, some operators have poor access to abnormal situation management experience due to the lack of knowledge. However these interdependencies are seldom accounted for in current risk and safety analyses, which also belonged to the main factor causing Bhopal tragedy. Fault propagation behavior of process system is studied in this paper, and a dynamic Bayesian network based framework for root cause reasoning is proposed to deal with abnormal situation. It will help operators to fully understand the relationships among all the risk factors, identify the causes that lead to the abnormal situations, and consider all available safety measures to cope with the situation. Examples from a case study for process facilities are included to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. It also provides a method to help us do things better in the future and to make sure that another such terrible accident never happens again.     

Exploring the organisational preconditions for occupational accidents in food industry: A qualitative approach

The continuing high frequency of occupational accidents in the Swedish food industry calls for new approaches to better understand the underlying factors. In the present study, 54 accidents involving hand injuries were investigated from the operators’ perspective, to explore the organisational preconditions. In-depth interviews were conducted with operators and their supervisors, and 24 of these interviews were analysed using the grounded theory method. The core category ‘safety as a process’ was identified encompassing the perception of the process of the accident at operative level and organisational preconditions that increased the risk of occupational accidents. These preconditions were open factors: deficiencies in technical/physical environment and work organisation; and concealed factors: insufficient communication and learning, a high level of responsibility in combination with low control, conflicting goals and a gap between procedures and practice. These preconditions lead to risk acceptance, resignation towards improved safety and normalisation of risk. Through the analysis a five-step hypothesis was empirically generated.     

Assessment of Ergonomic and Occupational Health-Related Problems Among Female Prawn Seed Collectors of Sunderbans,West Bengal,India

Abstract

Sixty female prawn seed collectors and 60 female control subjects from Sajenakhali and Sandeshkhali blocks of Sunderbans, West Bengal, India, were randomly selected to evaluate and compare musculoskeletal disorders and physiological stress. The control group was engaged in domestic work involving minimum hand-intensive activities. The modified Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire and rapid entire body assessment were used. Most subjects suffered from discomfort in different body parts, especially in the lower back (98%), knees (88%), shoulders (75%), ankles (70%) and feet (67%). This study reveals that female prawn seed collectors suffer from significant physiological load and extreme physiological stress due to prolonged working hours in a standing posture and excessive work pressure. Consequently, all these factors affect female prawn seed collectors ‘ health and work performance.     

Pushing and pulling: an assessment tool for occupational health and safety practitioners

A tool has been developed for supporting practitioners when assessing manual pushing and pulling operations based on an initiative by two global companies in the manufacturing industry. The aim of the tool is to support occupational health and safety practitioners in risk assessment and risk management of pushing and pulling operations in the manufacturing and logistics industries. The tool is based on a nine-multiplier equation that includes a wide range of factors affecting an operator’s health risk and capacity in pushing and pulling. These multipliers are based on psychophysical, physiological and biomechanical studies in combination with judgments from an expert group consisting of senior researchers and ergonomists. In order to consider usability, more than 50 occupational health and safety practitioners (e.g., ergonomists, managers, safety representatives and production personnel) participated in the development of the tool. An evaluation by 22 ergonomists supports that the push/pull tool is user friendly in general.     

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among workers in an MDF furniture factory in eastern Thailand

The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors contributing to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among 439 workers in an MDF furniture factory using questionnaires and the risk assessment form of the Ergonomic Assessment Tool for Arthritis technique to assess aspects of the workstations and working postures of jobs. With regard to factors that affected MSDs, it was found that workers older than 50 years were having knee symptoms: their adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 18.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.51, 226.40]. Those who had been working for 1–2 years were having neck pain symptoms: aOR 12.01, 95% CI [1.82, 79.43]. The recommendation of this study is that health monitoring should be provided for workers who have pain in various parts of their bodies, especially those who have been working for 6–10 years, and those who are over 50 years old with knee pain.