IIE transactions on occupational ergonomics and human factors最新文献

{"title":"Patient's Body Size Influences Dental Hygienist Shoulder Kinematics","authors":"T. Amasay, A. Karduna","doi":"10.1080/21577323.2013.787956","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21577323.2013.787956","url":null,"abstract":"OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS This study found that dental hygienists are exposed to higher shoulder elevation angles when treating a simulated big-girth patient versus a simulated average-girth patient. These differences in motion patterns may increase dental hygienists’ susceptibility to shoulder musculoskeletal disorders. Ergonomic interventions may be needed to facilitate solutions to problems associated with treating patients who are overweight or obese. Ergonomics and human factors practitioners should educate dental hygienists to be more aware of their body posture, specifically shoulder position, while working on patients with big chest girth. TECHNICAL ABSTRACT Background: Dental hygienists suffer from musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremities, and the prevalence of these disorders increases with years of occupation. Furthermore, the prevalence of overweight and obese individuals in the United States has been rapidly increasing for both adults and children in recent years. This may increase the involvement of dental hygienists with obese patients, which may result in an increased prevalence of shoulder musculoskeletal disorders. The effect of patient's body size on the three-dimensional humeral and scapular kinematics of dental hygienists, however, is currently unknown. Purpose: The aim of the current study was to measure the influence of patient girth on the shoulder kinematics of dental hygienists during teeth instrumentation in a simulated work environment. Method: Sixteen female dental hygienists participated in a lab-based study that simulated a dental hygienist workplace. Three-dimensional kinematic data were collected for the right and left scapula and humerus using the Polhemus Liberty magnetic tracking system (Colchester, VT, USA). To quantify differences in humeral and scapular kinematics and exposure variables, two independent variables with two levels were chosen: handedness and body type size. Separate two-way ANOVAs with repeated measures were conducted. Results: Dental hygienists sustained significant higher mean humeral elevation angles and higher mean scapular upward rotation angles for the dominant and non-dominant hands while instrumenting a simulated patient with big girth chest. Furthermore, dental hygienists spent significantly more time above 30° and 60° of humeral elevation for the dominant and non-dominant hands while instrumenting this simulated patient. Conclusion: This study provided evidence that dental hygienists alter their shoulder kinematics while instrumenting patients having a larger girth. Consequently, working with patients who are obese, or with a larger body size, may increase dental hygienist susceptibility to shoulder musculoskeletal disorders.","PeriodicalId":73331,"journal":{"name":"IIE transactions on occupational ergonomics and human factors","volume":"1 1","pages":"153 - 165"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21577323.2013.787956","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"60122755","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Finger Tendon Travel Associated with Sequential Trigger Nail Gun Use.","authors":"Brian Lowe,&nbsp;James Albers,&nbsp;Stephen Hudock,&nbsp;Edward Krieg","doi":"10.1080/21577323.2012.742028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21577323.2012.742028","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Pneumatic nail guns used in wood framing are equipped with one of two triggering mechanisms. Sequential actuation triggers have been shown to be a safer alternative to contact actuation triggers because they reduce traumatic injury risk. However, the sequential actuation trigger must be depressed for each individual nail fired as opposed to the contact actuation trigger, which allows the trigger to be held depressed as nails are fired repeatedly by bumping the safety tip against the workpiece. As such, concerns have been raised about risks for cumulative trauma injury, and reduced productivity, due to repetitive finger motion with the sequential actuation trigger.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study developed a method to predict cumulative finger flexor tendon travel associated with the sequential actuation trigger nail gun from finger joint kinematics measured in the trigger actuation and productivity standards for wood-frame construction tasks.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Finger motions were measured from six users wearing an instrumented electrogoniometer glove in a simulation of two common framing tasks-wall building and flat nailing of material. Flexor tendon travel was calculated from the ensemble average kinematics for an individual nail fired.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Finger flexor tendon travel was attributable mostly to proximal interphalangeal and distal interphalangeal joint motion. Tendon travel per nail fired appeared to be slightly greater for a wall-building task than a flat nailing task. The present study data, in combination with construction industry productivity standards, suggest that a high-production workday would be associated with less than 60 m/day cumulative tendon travel per worker (based on 1700 trigger presses/day).</p><p><strong>Conclusion and applications: </strong>These results suggest that exposure to finger tendon travel from sequential actuation trigger nail gun use may be below levels that have been previously associated with high musculoskeletal disorder risk.</p>","PeriodicalId":73331,"journal":{"name":"IIE transactions on occupational ergonomics and human factors","volume":"1 2","pages":"109-118"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21577323.2012.742028","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"34165160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Comparison of Platform Motion Waveforms During Constrained and Unconstrained Standing in Moving Environments","authors":"C. A. Duncan, S. MacKinnon, W. Albert","doi":"10.1080/21577323.2013.775195","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21577323.2013.775195","url":null,"abstract":"OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS Using a principal component waveform analysis technique to examine the platform kinematics during motion-induced interruptions and motion-induced corrections found that these events significantly differ in perturbation magnitude at the time of stepping initiation. These results suggest that differences between the motion-induced interruptions and motion-induced corrections are more than just theoretical, and therefore, when examining these events in offshore environments, they cannot be considered one and the same. Since these change-in-support reactions may be an alternative instead of a last resource response, they may also not be a clear indicator of ship operability. Therefore, when evaluating the risks associated with performing tasks in moving environments, the resultant effects of the change-in-support reactions, such as motion-induced interruptions or motion-induced corrections and their potential effect on injury mechanisms, must also considered. TECHNICAL ABSTRACT Background: Postural response research suggests that change-in-support reactions involving the movement of feet may occur long before the physics-based stability limits have been reached. As such, the current definition of a motion-induced interruption used to describe change-in-support reactions in offshore environments may not be valid, and the alternative motion-induced correction definition may be more appropriate. However, differences between motion-induced interruptions and motion-induced corrections are currently unknown. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in platform motion waveforms between motion-induced interruption and motion-induced correction occurrences when standing on a 6 degree of freedom motion platform. Methods: Twenty participants (ten male, ten female) with little or no experience working in marine environments performed a constrained and unconstrained stationary standing task while being exposed to a continuous multi-directional wave-like perturbation. The constrained standing task was representative of motion-induced interruptions, while the unconstrained standing task was representative of motion-induced corrections. Principal component analysis was incorporated, permitting the preservation of temporal characteristics unique to each motion curve in the analysis. Students’ t-tests were performed on the derived significant principal component scores to determine if these components were statistically significantly different between constrained and unconstrained standing. Results: Analysis of pitch and roll axes suggest that most of the variability of platform motions between motion-induced interruptions and motion-induced corrections can be described by two principal components. The first component, accounting for 80%–90% of all variability, was a magnitude modifier and suggests that there are quantifiable differences in the platform motions that cause motion-induced interruptions and motion-indu","PeriodicalId":73331,"journal":{"name":"IIE transactions on occupational ergonomics and human factors","volume":"1 1","pages":"140 - 151"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21577323.2013.775195","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"60122552","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intervening on the Determinants of Mechanical Exposures: The Effects of a Redesigned Production System on Physical Demands and Worker Perceptions","authors":"A. Laing, D. Cole, R. Wells","doi":"10.1080/21577323.2013.771586","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21577323.2013.771586","url":null,"abstract":"OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS Biomechanical analyses confirmed that workers on an existing production system experienced substantial trunk and shoulder loads. The production system design was a major determinant of these high exposures. To reduce these exposures, workplace stakeholders (including local and corporate management and organized labor) engaged with researchers in a participatory design process. Process elements included biomechanical modeling simulations to develop potential configurations, which were subsequently tested by workers during user trials with mock-ups. Based on stakeholder feedback, a new tilted production system was implemented. Formal analyses following installation of the tilted line demonstrated significant decreases in trunk flexion, spinal compression, and muscle activity for the low back and shoulder regions. Workers perceived that the new tilted line made their work significantly easier, safer, and less tiring. The study indicates that interventions at the production system level, developed using a participatory process, can reduce mechanical exposures while improving worker perceptions of job demands. TECHNICAL ABSTRACT Background: The design of an existing production system (flat line) was identified as the dominant driver of mechanical exposures for the low back and upper limb. A participative process was utilized in designing and implementing a tilted line that allowed workers to adopt more upright postures. Purpose: This study aimed to test the hypotheses that the new tilted production system would (1) decrease physical demands of the low back and shoulder, (2) not increase activity of the wrist musculature, (3) reduce workers’ reports of pain intensity, and (4) be perceived as a positive and beneficial change by the workforce. Methods: Eighteen of 22 tilted line workers volunteered to be videotaped (postures input into a biomechanical model of the upper limb/trunk) and have electromyography from the low back, shoulder, and forearm recorded while they worked at four tilted and flat line positions. Self-report questionnaires were used to compare pain intensity scores from workers on the tilted and flat lines. Results: Working on the tilted line was associated with statistically significant reductions in peak trunk angle (mean difference of 11°), L4/L5 spinal compression (314 N), and peak and mean electromyography for the low back (31% and 29%) and dominant shoulder (11% and 12%). No significant differences in pain scores were observed between the two lines. However, workers perceived that the tilted line made their work significantly easier, safer, less tiring, and assisted with their job. Conclusions: Tilting the production system allowed more upright postures, significantly reducing mechanical exposures for the trunk and upper limb. The participatory design approach may have contributed to workers’ positive perceptions about the newly designed production system. Ergonomic interventions that focus on workplace el","PeriodicalId":73331,"journal":{"name":"IIE transactions on occupational ergonomics and human factors","volume":"1 1","pages":"128 - 139"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21577323.2013.771586","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"60122608","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Workday Arm Elevation Exposure: A Comparison Between Two Professions","authors":"Lucas Ettinger, L. Kincl, Peter Johnson, C. Carter, S. Garfinkel, A. Karduna","doi":"10.1080/21577323.2013.766282","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21577323.2013.766282","url":null,"abstract":"OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS Results from this study indicate that dental hygienists spent a mean of 7% of their workday with their arms elevated above 60° of humeral elevation. The majority of their workday (71%) was spent working with their arms in static positions. Compared to a separate working population (office workers), dental hygienists had more than two times greater arm elevation exposure above 60°. Dental hygienists have a high incidence of shoulder injuries, which may be related to arm elevation exposure. Based on the present study, ergonomic interventions should be based on reducing the total arm elevation exposure in dental hygiene. Further, interventions should be designed to reduce the repetitive tasks performed by dental hygienists. TECHNICAL ABSTRACT Background: The prevalence of shoulder-related musculoskeletal disorders among dental hygienists working in the United States has been reported to be between 21% and 60%. Arm elevation exposure levels above 60° have been identified as potentially harmful in other occupations. Purpose: The aim of this study was to measure arm elevation exposure in dental hygienists in a single workday and to compare these data with those from another occupation with a lower risk for shoulder impingement syndrome. Methods: Bilateral, full workday arm elevation exposure was measured for both dental hygienists and computer workers using a tri-axial accelerometer with a built in data logger (Virtual Corset®, Microstrain, Inc., VT, USA). Exposures analyzed were the percent of the workday spent above 30°, 60°, and 90° of humeral elevation. Additionally, exposure to repetitive motion, or jerk, was estimated, specifically the percent time spent moving the arm in pseudo-static (<10°/s) slow humeral motion (between 10°/s and 40°/s) and fast humeral motion (>40°/s). Results: Dental hygienists had bilateral arm elevations above 60° for approximately 7% of their workday, more than two times the exposure of office workers for the same duration of work. Dental hygienists had a mean of 71% of their work time in pseudo-static postures, which is significantly less than computer workers (78%). Dental hygienists had slow and fast arm motion during 23% and 6% of their workday, respectively, significantly higher than those for computer workers (17% and 5%). Conclusions: Arm elevation exposure levels among dental hygienists are relatively high and may contribute to upper extremity injuries within this profession. In dental hygiene work, elevation exposure above 60° and dynamic arm motions above 10°/s may be specific contributors to the risk of upper extremity disorders bilaterally.","PeriodicalId":73331,"journal":{"name":"IIE transactions on occupational ergonomics and human factors","volume":"1 1","pages":"119 - 127"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21577323.2013.766282","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"60122468","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Packages of participation: Swedish employees' experience of Lean depends on how they are involved.","authors":"Mikael Brännmark,&nbsp;Richard J Holden","doi":"10.1080/21577323.2012.729001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21577323.2012.729001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Lean Production is a dominant approach in Swedish and global manufacturing and service industries. Studies of Lean's employee effects are few and contradictory.</p><p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Employee effects from Lean are likely not uniform. This paper investigates the effect of employees' participation on their experiences of Lean.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>This study investigated how different packages of employee participation in Lean affected manufacturing workers' experiences of Lean. During 2008-2011, qualitative and quantitative data were collected from Swedish manufacturing companies participating in the national Swedish Lean Production program Produktionslyftet. Data from 129 surveys (28 companies), 39 semi-structured interviews, and 30 reports were analyzed. In the main analysis, comparisons were made of the survey-reported Lean experiences of employees in three groups: temporary group employees (N = 36), who participated in Lean mostly through intermittent projects; continuous group employees (N = 69), who participated through standing improvement groups; and combined group employees (N = 24), who participated in both ways.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Continuous group employees had the most positive experience of Lean, followed by the combined group. Temporary group employees had the least positive experiences, being less likely than their counterparts to report that Lean improved teamwork, occupational safety, and change-related learning, decision making, and authority.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings support the importance of continuous, structured opportunities for participation but raise the possibility that more participation may result in greater workload and role overload, mitigating some benefits of employee involvement. Consequently, companies should consider involving employees in change efforts but should attend to the specific design of participation activities.</p>","PeriodicalId":73331,"journal":{"name":"IIE transactions on occupational ergonomics and human factors","volume":"1 2","pages":"93-108"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21577323.2012.729001","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"32205475","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Earliest Gait Deviations During Slips: Implications For Recovery","authors":"K. Beschorner, M. Redfern, R. Cham","doi":"10.1080/21577323.2012.660904","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21577323.2012.660904","url":null,"abstract":"OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS This study identified that deviations in vertical force and knee angle/angular velocity of the slipping leg occur earlier in stance and with greater magnitude than other lower-body motions when a person experiences an unexpected slip. Deviations in the ankle angle/angular velocity and hip angular velocity occurred soon after the knee angle and with smaller magnitudes. These results suggest that foot somatosensation and ankle/knee proprioception may play a role in sensing a slip. Therefore, workers with sensation loss in their foot, ankle, and/or knee may have an impaired ability to respond to slipping. Exposure to simulated slip perturbations may also be part of slip-and-fall prevention programs. To ensure biofidelity of such training perturbations, foot forces should initially be reduced, followed by extension deviations of the knee, and then plantarflexion deviations of the ankle. TECHNICAL ABSTRACT Rationale: Slip-and-fall accidents are a serious occupational and public health concern. The biomechanical deviations due to a slip occurring prior to the postural response onset are still not well understood. Understanding this period of the slip would provide insight into the sensory cues for slipping and may provide guidance in developing slip-training protocols. Purpose: This study examined the timing and magnitude of deviations in vertical force and lower-body joint angles and angular velocities of slips compared to unperturbed walking. Methods: Twenty-nine younger and 29 middle-aged participants walked under normal unperturbed conditions and during an unexpected slip. Joint angle and angular velocity trajectories and ground reaction forces were evaluated. Deviations occurring during the slipping trial that exceeded ±2.58 standard deviations (99% confidence interval) were identified as the onset of deviation from normal walking. Results: Deviation timing (and peak magnitude in the first 200 ms) of vertical force, knee angle, knee angular velocity, ankle angle, ankle angular velocity, and hip angular velocity of the slipping leg occurred at 58 ms (0.17 BW reduction), 116 ms (6.7° extension), 111 ms (87°/s extension), 156 ms (4.4° plantarflexion), 122 ms (86°/s plantarflexion), and 149 ms (18.9°/s flexion), respectively. Deviations normalized to baseline stride-to-stride standard deviation revealed largest deviations in vertical force and knee angle and then knee angular velocity and ankle angle and angular velocity. No age effects were found. Conclusions: These results suggest that foot somatosensation as well as ankle and knee proprioception from the slipping leg may be among the first sensory cues to slipping. Exposure to simulated slip perturbations may be part of slip-and-fall prevention programs. To ensure biofidelity of such perturbations, foot forces should initially be reduced, followed by extension deviations of the knee, and then plantarflexion deviations of the ankle.","PeriodicalId":73331,"journal":{"name":"IIE transactions on occupational ergonomics and human factors","volume":"1 1","pages":"31 - 37"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21577323.2012.660904","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"60121783","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exertion-Dependent Effects of Physical and Mental Workload on Physiological Outcomes and Task Performance","authors":"Ranjana K. Mehta, M. Agnew","doi":"10.1080/21577323.2011.632488","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21577323.2011.632488","url":null,"abstract":"OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS The findings from the current study illustrate the adverse effects of concurrent physical and mental demands on shoulder muscle activation. Furthermore, the results also suggest that the effects of concurrent physical and mental demands are more pronounced during static, as opposed to dynamic, exertions. As such, it is important to consider the interaction of said work parameters (i.e., force levels, mental demands, and type of exertion) when evaluating/designing tasks. Occupational tasks requiring concurrent physical and mental work should be redesigned to reduce static loading (by changing postures or providing frequent breaks). With tasks requiring static exertions, other physical parameters (such as force) should be reduced to minimize interference due to additional cognitive processing. To conclude, concurrent physical and mental demands affect muscle activation and impede worker performance; ergonomists should consider this interaction during task design/redesign, evaluations of injury risk, and potential causal models of injury development. TECHNICAL ABSTRACT Background: Static work is considered an occupational risk factor in the development of injuries, thus there is an emphasis on employing dynamic exertions to work tasks. With workers experiencing concurrent physical and mental demands in their daily jobs, it is unclear whether these exertion types affect overall task demands differentially. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare exertion-dependent physiological responses due to concurrent physical and mental workload during intermittent shoulder exertion. Methods: Twelve young participants, balanced by gender, performed intermittent static and dynamic shoulder abduction for 3 minutes at three levels of physical workload (low, moderate, and high) in the absence and presence of a mental arithmetic task. Study measures included muscle activity, muscle oxygenation, motor and mental arithmetic task performance, and subjective responses (NASA-Task Load Index and Borg CR10 Scale). Results: Static exertions and higher physical demands adversely affected physiological responses (i.e., muscle activity and oxygenation) and performance measures, and they were associated with higher levels of perceived exertion and workload. Additional mental demands negatively affected muscle activity, mental task performance, and subjective workload measures. However, these results were more pronounced during static exertions at high physical demand levels. Conclusions: Results indicated that certain job parameters (static exertions and high physical demands) are more susceptible to interference with mental demands than others (dynamic exertions and low demands). When assessing overall demands placed on workers during concurrent physical and mental work, it is important to consider the interaction of work parameters, specifically physical demand levels and exertion type, with mental demands.","PeriodicalId":73331,"journal":{"name":"IIE transactions on occupational ergonomics and human factors","volume":"1 1","pages":"15 - 3"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21577323.2011.632488","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"60121530","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Solution Building Versus Problem Convincing: Ergonomists Report on Conducting Workplace Assessments","authors":"R. Wells, W. Neumann, Tizneem Nagdee, N. Theberge","doi":"10.1080/21577323.2012.708699","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21577323.2012.708699","url":null,"abstract":"OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS Professional ergonomists (n = 21) from across Canada reported initiating workplace assessments with observations, interviews, and imaging approaches. When necessary, they proceeded to deeper, usually quantitative, methods in order to provide a better understanding of the situation or, more frequently, to motivate action in the company, operating in a “convincing” mode. Some ergonomists reported that when working in a higher trust environment, they used simpler, often more qualitative, evaluation methods to move directly to developing design alternatives—a “solution-building” mode. These findings shed light on how ergonomists judge the appropriateness of a method for a given context in their daily work. They may also be valuable for ergonomists trying to refine their assessment approach, both for researchers trying to better support practitioners through improved tools and knowledge and for the planning of ergonomists’ education. TECHNICAL ABSTRACT Rationale: There are many methods available to help ergonomists in the design and evaluation of work. Very little is known about how practitioners chose appropriate methods in their daily work. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine what approaches are used by ergonomists in their daily work, to describe the experiences of ergonomists with different assessment methods, and to discover how they judge the appropriateness of a method. Methods: In order to explore the use of such methods, 21 semi-structured interviews were completed with professional ergonomists across Canada. Results: Most ergonomists reported initiating a study using methods such as observation, interviews, and imaging. There was a frequent mention of hazard identification and risk assessment at workplaces by the ergonomists interviewed. In some situations, ergonomists proceeded to deeper, often quantitative, analyses in order to provide a better understanding of ergonomics issues or, more frequently, to motivate a recommended action—operating in a ‘convincer’ mode. Some ergonomists reported that when working in a higher trust environment, they are able to use simpler evaluation methods to move directly to developing design alternatives—a “solution-building” mode. Applications: These findings shed light on how ergonomists judge the appropriateness of a method for a given context. They may also be valuable for ergonomists trying to refine their assessment approach, for researchers trying to better support practitioners through improved tools and knowledge or in the planning of ergonomists’ education.","PeriodicalId":73331,"journal":{"name":"IIE transactions on occupational ergonomics and human factors","volume":"1 1","pages":"50 - 65"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21577323.2012.708699","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"60122195","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"On-Site Observations of Spine Angle Data During Prolonged Office Sitting While Performing Computer-Aided Drafting Work: A Case Study","authors":"B. C. Nairn, N. R. Azar, Janessa Drake","doi":"10.1080/21577323.2012.708700","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21577323.2012.708700","url":null,"abstract":"OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS Cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine angles were recorded from five office workers in their workplace to evaluate how individuals normally sit during a workday and to observe movement patterns. Postural data were collected continuously for 2 hours, and the development of pain/discomfort was documented concurrently. Within participants, mean spine angles varied by less than 13° over the measurement period. One initially asymptomatic participant developed discomfort in the mid-back region, and further analysis showed a distinctly different posture in the thoracic region compared to the other participants. Thus, there may be associations between differences in spine region movement and localized areas of pain development. This also highlights the potential importance of individual variations associated with pain development, accentuates the potential negative effects of remaining in an unchanged posture for a prolonged period of time, and reinforces the notion that frequent breaks or postural adjustments may be beneficial.","PeriodicalId":73331,"journal":{"name":"IIE transactions on occupational ergonomics and human factors","volume":"1 1","pages":"76 - 81"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2013-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/21577323.2012.708700","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"60122356","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}