Evaluating risks for the upper extremity during the installation of electrical meters

Abstract

Installation of electrical meters is an occupational task that may place utility employees at risk of upper extremity discomfort or disorders. This study focused on identifying the most preferable installation technique from several alternatives using a combination of professional utility employees and experimental subjects. Factors considered included variation in installation height, the use of a hand-held mallet, lubrication applied to the meter and the use of one vs. two hands for installation. Installing meters located above shoulder height resulted in a two-fold increase in both peak and cumulative hand acceleration and pressure. Further, the use of a force-absorbing striking mallet showed significantly lowered peak pressure (60%) compared to other techniques. Peak acceleration and cumulative pressure were significantly lower than other techniques for both experienced and inexperienced subjects when using the mallet. Additionally, the mallet installations had amongst the lowest ratings of perceived exertion across installation types. Thus, the primary recommendations for meter installation with respect to the analyzed scenarios are to use a force-absorbing striking mallet and avoid installations at high locations.