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In the context of assembly lines, the term 'rest time' refers to those time of inactivity allowed to a worker after the completion of his/her tasks on a product. Rest times are often assigned to workers that perform ergonomically hazardous tasks, to prevent their occupational diseases. When rest times are assigned after balancing the line, the line becomes unbalanced and the ergonomic load of workers is reduced at the price of deteriorated line performance. In this paper, an approach able to assign rest times during the balancing procedure is presented. The approach consists of a genetic algorithm coupled with a discrete event simulator to evaluate the fitness function of individuals, which considers the performance, the ergonomic, and the cost aspects. The OCRA index has been utilised to assess the ergonomic risk of workers. Results show that the presented approach can significantly support firms in designing manual assembly lines: the possibility to assign rest times during the balancing procedure allows for increasing the quality of solutions in 103 out of 135 benchmark instances. The greatest improvements are obtained when the ergonomic load of tasks is relevant, by achieving good performances of the line with limited costs, thus defending companies' profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collaborative robots have open new ways of designing assembly processes, thanks to their ability to share work space with operators. not only may they support the economical performance, but they can also improve the overall ergonomics. Building on existing work on task allocation problems, the authors study further the collaboration opportunities between operator and robot, namely cooperation phases (type of collaboration where both operator and robot act on the same work piece). This work proposes a new formulation of the related problem, and solutions are sought through heuristics methods, to investigate whether concurrent usage of different collaboration modes delivers better performance. The results indicate that cooperation mode enables higher process performances while controlling ergonomic risks. With a concern for real-life application, it has been applied on a real case study to verify its applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paced mixed-model assembly lines are popular with various manufacturing enterprises. However, they face the weakness that they are at risk of line stoppages owing to the occurrence of workstation work overload situations. Moreover, the consideration of workers' health and ergonomic risk on manual assembly lines is a necessity required by legislation. Therefore, this article addresses mixed-model assembly line balancing and sequencing taking the problem of ergonomic risk into consideration and manages work overloads using a side-by-side policy with utility workers. To solve these problems, this article proposes an hierarchical and two-stage framework. The optimization goals are to minimize the number of workstations and utility workers. Furthermore, this article integrates an iterated greedy algorithm into a genetics algorithm to obtain global exploration and local exploitation ability. Finally, a divide-and-conquer strategy is proposed to meet the challenge of solving a large-scale problem. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the mechanism proposed in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Ergonomic risks critically impact workers' occupational health, safety, and productivity, and thereby the sustainability of a workforce. In the construction industry, the physical demands and dynamic environment exposes workers to various ergonomic hazards. While previous research has mainly focused on postural risks, there is a need to broaden the scope to include more relevant factors and assess them systematically. This study introduces a multi-criteria decision framework integrating the Spherical Fuzzy Sets (SFSs) and Alternative Queuing Method (AQM) to evaluate and prioritize ergonomic hazards. First, SFSs are employed to quantify the linguistic expressions of experts, addressing the inherent vagueness and uncertainty. Then, an entropy-based objective weighting method is adopted to determine the criteria weights. Finally, AQM is utilized to generate the risk priority. The proposed method has been implemented in a real-life construction project, where "overexertion due to unreasonable task organization", "hypertension and heart diseases", and "existing WMSD record" are identified as the top three ergonomic hazards. Then, a thorough discussion of intervention strategies regarding different risk categories is presented to facilitate ergonomic interventions. This proposed decision support system can promote effective ergonomic risk management, benefiting workers' health and well-being and contributing to the sustainable workforce development of the construction industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repetitive tasks can lead to long-term cardiovascular problems due to continuous strain and inadequate recovery. The automobile operators on the assembly line are exposed to these risks when workload volume changes according to the workstation type. However, the current ergonomic assessments focus primarily on observational and, in some cases, biomechanical methods that are subjective and time-consuming, overlooking cardiorespiratory adaptations. This study aimed to analyze the cardiorespiratory response to distinct workload volumes and ergonomic risk (ER) scores for an automotive assembly line. Sixteen male operators (age = 38 ± 8 years; BMI = 25 ± 3 kg·m2) volunteered from three workstations (H1, H2, and H3) with specific work cycle duration (1, 3, and 5 min respectively). Electrocardiogram (ECG), respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP), and accelerometer (ACC) data were collected during their shift. The results showed significant differences from the first to the last 10 min, where H3 had its SDRRi reduced (p = 0.014), H1's phase synchrony and H2's coordination between thoracic and abdominal movements decreased (p < 0.001, p = 0.039). In terms of ergonomic risk, the moderate-high rank showed a reduction in SDRRi (p = 0.037) and moderate-risk activities had diminished phase synchrony (p = 0.018) and correlation (p = 0.004). Thus, the explored parameters could have the potential to develop personalized workplace adaptation and risk assessment systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dentists, including endodontists, frequently experience musculoskeletal disorders due to unfavourable working postures. Several measures are known to reduce the ergonomic risk; however, there are still gaps in the research, particularly in relation to dental work in the different oral regions (Quadrants 1–4). Methods: In this study (of a pilot character), a total of 15 dentists (8 male and 7 female) specialising in endodontics were measured while performing root canal treatments on a phantom head. These measurements took place in a laboratory setting using an inertial motion capture system. A slightly modified Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) coding system was employed for the analysis of kinematic data. The significance level was set at p = 0.05. Results: The ergonomic risk for the entire body was higher in the fourth quadrant than in the first quadrant for 80% of the endodontists and higher than in the second quadrant for 87%. For 87% of the endodontists, the ergonomic risk for the right side of the body was significantly higher in the fourth quadrant compared to the first and second quadrant. The right arm was stressed more in the lower jaw than in the upper jaw, and the neck also showed a greater ergonomic risk in the fourth quadrant compared to the first quadrant. Conclusion: In summary, both the total RULA score and scores for the right- and lefthand sides of the body ranged between 5 and 6 out of a possible 7 points. Considering this considerable burden, heightened attention, especially to the fourth quadrant with a significantly higher ergonomic risk compared to Quadrants 1 and 2, may be warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study focused on establishing the relationship between musculoskeletal alterations and the presence of ergonomic level risks in nurses during the patient mobilization process. The objective of the present study was to evaluate musculoskeletal disorders that are related to ergonomic risks associated with patient mobilization. Descriptive research was designed associated with patient mobilization. A quantitative, crosssectional, observational and non-experimental research was designed, applying the Kuorinka Nordic questionnaire as instruments, as well as the OWAS method in a sample made up of 60 nurses from a certain institution. When analyzing the results, a greater frequency of professionals with problems in the neck area is observed with 28.33%, shoulder with 25%, wrist with 13.33%, upper back with 25%, lower back 1,67. It is concluded that 100% of employees have a high risk, therefore, it is necessary to adopt measures to prevent diseases associated with musculoskeletal and ergonomic alterations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The object of the study: the process of determining and managing ergonomic risks at workplaces when performing professional activities on the example of truck drivers. The problem lies in uncertainty when making decisions in occupational safety and health management systems. The hypothesis of the study was the possibility of assessing ergonomic risks in the occupational safety management systems of organizations based on the identification of regularities between the load index, typical working postures when performing operations and the intensity of joint movements. An ergonomic risk assessment algorithm was developed, taking into account the load index, which includes a sequence of eleven steps, which can be conditionally divided into three groups. The first is determination of the intensity of joint movement. The second is the determination of the impact of activity and the duration of the production task. The third is determining the impact of environmental factors. An assessment of the ergonomic risk of drivers was carried out for three types of production work: driving a vehicle, replacing a damaged wheel, and repairing a car. At the same time, the ergonomic risk assessment algorithm takes into account the worker’s individual state of health and environmental factors, as well as experience and work experience. It has been established that there is a high level of ergonomic risk during car maintenance due to the highest total load index, which is 30 % higher compared to other types of work of vehicle drivers. The practical application consists in the development of a universal check list of drivers based on an algorithm to determine the ergonomic risk of workers at workplaces, which consists of 11 steps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Repetitive tasks can lead to long-term cardiovascular problems due to continuous strain and inadequate recovery. The automobile operators on the assembly line are exposed to these risks when workload volume changes according to the workstation type. However, the current ergonomic assessments focus primarily on observational and, in some cases, biomechanical methods that are subjective and time-consuming, overlooking cardiorespiratory adaptations. This study aimed to analyze the cardiorespiratory response to distinct workload volumes and ergonomic risk (ER) scores for an automotive assembly line. Sixteen male operators (age = 38 ± 8 years; BMI = 25 ± 3 kg·m2) volunteered from three workstations (H1, H2, and H3) with specific work cycle duration (1, 3, and 5 min respectively). Electrocardiogram (ECG), respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP), and accelerometer (ACC) data were collected during their shift. The results showed significant differences from the first to the last 10 min, where H3 had its SDRRi reduced (p = 0.014), H1’s phase synchrony and H2’s coordination between thoracic and abdominal movements decreased (p < 0.001, p = 0.039). In terms of ergonomic risk, the moderate-high rank showed a reduction in SDRRi (p = 0.037) and moderate-risk activities had diminished phase synchrony (p = 0.018) and correlation (p = 0.004). Thus, the explored parameters could have the potential to develop personalized workplace adaptation and risk assessment systems.

Introduction: Farming is a physically demanding occupation that puts farmers at risk of musculoskeletal disorders, particularly when frequently performing activities like heavy lifting, which strains the lower back muscles. The present study aimed to assess the ergonomic risk and fatigue during manual lifting tasks pertaining to farming activities. Methods: A study was performed on 20 farmers to analyze the ergonomic risks associated with load lifting through the estimation of the Recommended Weight Limit and Lifting Index using the revised NIOSH lifting equation. The low back compression forces of the participants were estimated using the 3DSSPP software. Surface electromyography was employed to analyze the onset of muscle fatigue during the lifting activity. Results: The results of the study showed a 111.12% increase in the recommended weight limit, a 52.77% reduction in lifting index, and a 28.15% reduction in the low back compression forces for the redesigned lifting technique. The average low-back compression force for the redesigned technique was observed to be well below the back compression design limit of 770 lb. A reduction in the slope of the RMS voltage regression line by 60% and a reduction of 50.23% in the peak spectral power of the sEMG signal, accompanied by a shift in the peak spectral power towards higher frequency region indicated delayed onset of fatigue for the redesigned technique. Conclusion: The outcomes of the study indicated that the ergonomic redesign of the lifting task could significantly reduce the lifting index and alleviate the spinal compression forces well within the back-compression design limit. The redesign was also found to delay the onset of fatigue in the erector spinae muscles.

Copyright of Religación: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades is the property of Religacion: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We study a problem, in which workers must be assigned to jobs over a number of time periods and each assignment incurs a job dependent ergonomic risk for the worker. The risks of the same worker are summarised over the time periods. The objective is to minimise the maximum risk of all workers. The problem has an interesting combinatorial structure such that it is not immediately clear if it is polynomially solvable or NP-hard. Its computational complexity remained open for 35 years. We prove its NP-hardness and discuss polynomially solvable special cases, in which either the number of workers is fixed or optimal solutions are attained at a lower bound. The results can be used in production planning approaches considering elimination of excessive ergonomic risks as one of the objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) symptoms are experienced by 1.71 billion of the human population and are characterized by persistent pain that decreases the ability to work in almost all types of occupations, including laboratory workers. The various stages of work in laboratory can cause complaints due to repetitive motions, manual handling, static and awkward posture, as well as long-duration of work. Therefore, this study aimed to determine risk level of work ergonomic and MSDs symptoms among laboratory workers. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional design involving 71 laboratory workers who were observed from 8 to 22 June 2022. The respondents were categorized into three Similar Exposure Group (SEG), namely administrative officers, analysts, and field workers. Risk level of MSDs symptoms and work ergonomic of each SEG was measured using the instrument of SNI 9011-2021, while individual factor was estimated through the questionnaire. Results: Out of the 71 respondents, the majority were males, aged

Background: Dentists, including endodontists, frequently experience musculoskeletal disorders due to unfavourable working postures. Several measures are known to reduce the ergonomic risk; however, there are still gaps in the research, particularly in relation to dental work in the different oral regions (Quadrants 1–4). Methods: In this study (of a pilot character), a total of 15 dentists (8 male and 7 female) specialising in endodontics were measured while performing root canal treatments on a phantom head. These measurements took place in a laboratory setting using an inertial motion capture system. A slightly modified Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) coding system was employed for the analysis of kinematic data. The significance level was set at p = 0.05. Results: The ergonomic risk for the entire body was higher in the fourth quadrant than in the first quadrant for 80% of the endodontists and higher than in the second quadrant for 87%. For 87% of the endodontists, the ergonomic risk for the right side of the body was significantly higher in the fourth quadrant compared to the first and second quadrant. The right arm was stressed more in the lower jaw than in the upper jaw, and the neck also showed a greater ergonomic risk in the fourth quadrant compared to the first quadrant. Conclusion: In summary, both the total RULA score and scores for the right- and lefthand sides of the body ranged between 5 and 6 out of a possible 7 points. Considering this considerable burden, heightened attention, especially to the fourth quadrant with a significantly higher ergonomic risk compared to Quadrants 1 and 2, may be warranted.

Copyright of Revista de Ingenieria, Matematicas y Ciencias de la Informacion is the property of Corporacion Universitaria Republicana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this study, working postures during the manual harvesting of hazelnuts were analyzed with four different ergonomic risk assessment methods, namely REBA, AWBA, OWAS, and RULA, and the differences between them were revealed. The most appropriate method for manual harvesting activities was determined. Hand harvesting of hazelnuts; It consists of three main workstations: shaking the branches by hand, collecting them manually from the branches, and containing them manually from the ground. There are three different ways of sitting in the hand-harvesting of hazelnuts: standing on knees, bending over, or cross-legged. During the manual harvest, the workers' movements at all workstations were observed and recorded with a camera. Images were analyzed using the ErgoFellow 2.0 program. As a result of the analysis, working postures that may cause musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) were determined. According to the analysis results, shaking the hazelnut by hand and harvesting from the branch by hand were risky compared to the other three analysis methods, except for the Ovako Working Posture Analyzing System (OWAS) method. In manual harvesting from the ground, high-risk scores were obtained in all working postures, Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA), Agricultural Whole-Body Assessment (AWBA), Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), and OWAS methods, and it was determined in the category of urgent action change. Among the ergonomic risk analysis methods, it can be said that AWBA is the analysis method that includes the closest positions of working postures in the manual harvest of hazelnuts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface electromyography (sEMG) is generally used to measure muscles' activity. The sEMG signal can be affected using several factors and vary among individuals and even measurement trials. Thus, to consistently evaluate data among individuals and trials, the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) value is usually calculated and used to normalize sEMG signals. However, the sEMG amplitude collected from low back muscles can be frequently larger than that found when conventional MVC measurement procedures are used. To address this limitation, in this study, we proposed a new dynamic MVC measurement procedure for low back muscles. Inspired by weightlifting, we designed a detailed dynamic MVC procedure, and then collected data from 10 able-bodied participants and compared their performances using several conventional MVC procedures by normalizing the sEMG amplitude for the same test. The sEMG amplitude normalized by our dynamic MVC procedure showed a much lower value than those obtained using other procedures (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, with p < 0.05), indicating that the sEMG collected during dynamic MVC procedure had a larger amplitude than those of conventional MVC procedures. Therefore, our proposed dynamic MVC obtained sEMG amplitudes closer to its physiological maximum value and is thus more capable of normalizing the sEMG amplitude for low back muscles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work-related musculoskeletal ailments are injuries or disorders of the joints, muscles, nerves, or tendons caused by repetitive tasks and jobs that require uncomfortable postures. REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment) is a widely used assessment method for examining occupational ergonomics in areas where musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are common. REBA assessment necessitates the presence of a professional evaluator who monitors workers’ motions and postures, which takes time and has limitations in terms of real-world implementation. With the progress of deep learning-based human posture estimate algorithms, postural risk assessment has become an important and complex research area. We present a technique for forecasting REBA risk levels using 3D coordinates of human body position as input data in this study. We calculated REBA risk scores for various body segments and overall risk rating for corresponding action level for each body position using 3D keypoints from the widely renowned Human 3.6M dataset, which is a significant contribution for future research work in this arena. Using this vast ground truth dataset, a unique DNN model was created to forecast the REBA risk level for measuring the full body’s postural risk. REBA Ground Truth dataset is highly imbalanced which coped with data augmentation for the rare classes. To determine the optimal model configuration based on highest accuracy, ablation study is conducted by tuning different hyper-parameters. The proposed model, post-ablation study, attained 89.07% accuracy score on a test set of 128,046 samples from Nadam optimizer with a learning rate of 0.001 and batch size of 512.

Creating healthy workplaces considering ergonomic risks is becoming a necessary part of preventive approach in design of workplaces. Preventive approach has positive impact including economical, health and safety measures. Corrective approach can be used when e.g. health issues must be improved. Performance analysis is important for employers in competitive domestic or global market. If the analysis is made on the basis of faulty or incomplete information, such analysis may not be reliable and consequently the decision made might yield an unexpected result. Thus, proper usage of performance indicators is vital to avoid mistakes and minimise such risk. Our study is focused on workplace in automotive industry, where worker removes product from the line and place the product in crates located next to the line. Worker prepares crates continuously after he fills them with product for full capacity. Quantitative analysis of ergonomic risk was performed with wireless multisensory measurement system Captiv, based on complaints from workers related to upper limbs and neck pain. Improvements in workplace design were suggested, also process changes were analysed by working posture analysis based on results measured with Captiv system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study discussed musculoskeletal risk analysis related to ergonomics, occupational safety, and health in agriculture in the Karawang district. Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) are occupational diseases that cause pain in the joints. The working position of rice farmers, especially during planting rice seeds and harvesting rice, is not suitable for ergonomics. This study aims to identify the MSDs experienced by farmers in Karang Tanjung village, Karawang district. The study used an analytical method using the Nordic Body Map (NBM) and RULA questionnaires to assess work posture. A sample of 30 workers was chosen for an observational cross-sectional study. The results showed that the ergonomic risk level entered level 4 in the high category. The most dominant MSDs felt by rice farmers in Karang Tanjung village were the waist (98%) and the neck (95%). This research was expected to serve as a model for future musculoskeletal risk reduction research.

• Early education practitioners are exposed to a significant degree of risk to their musculoskeletal health, 98% of participants reported pain while carrying out their roles. • A greater duration of time spent working in Early Child education is associated with a higher number of reported pain locations (independently of age). • Frequency of exposure to high musculoskeletal risk actions at work predicts pain frequency, onset, and need to take sickness absence. • Practitioners perceive a greater need for improvement compared to leaders or managers, greater perceived need predicts increased likelihood of considering leaving early education roles. This research investigates role demands and musculoskeletal pain (MSP) in UK Early Childhood Education (ECE) workforce (N = 196). Associations between frequency of actions construing higher risk to musculoskeletal health, and MSP, need to take sickness absence and considering changing jobs are considered. Differences between practitioners and leaders are investigated. Evaluation of pain severity, frequency, are gathered, and for the first time in ECE staff, pain duration, onset and bothersomeness. 98 % of participants reported pain associated with carrying out work-related tasks, with lower back the most reported area (89 %). Average onset was reported as > 12 months, average frequency every 7–14 days, and average duration of experience 1–2 weeks. Regression analysis controlling for age, and other demographic factors indicated frequency of exposure to occupational MSK risk predicted pain frequency and pain onset. Greater participant age predicted the duration of pain events. Greater number of years working in ECE predicted a greater number of pain locations (independently of age). Sickness absence was predicted by pain intensity, and frequency of pain caused by carrying out high MSK risk actions (e.g. lifting, stooping, working at low heights, and floor level). Consideration of leaving ECE employment was predicted by pain frequency, bothersomeness, number of locations and perceived need for greater provision of musculoskeletal protective measures. Findings presented here show for the first time the significant burden of pain with chronic characteristics present in UK ECE workforce. Findings highlight the need for ECE workplaces to better protect and promote the physical health of their staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface electromyography (sEMG) is generally used to measure muscles’ activity. The sEMG signal can be affected using several factors and vary among individuals and even measurement trials. Thus, to consistently evaluate data among individuals and trials, the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) value is usually calculated and used to normalize sEMG signals. However, the sEMG amplitude collected from low back muscles can be frequently larger than that found when conventional MVC measurement procedures are used. To address this limitation, in this study, we proposed a new dynamic MVC measurement procedure for low back muscles. Inspired by weightlifting, we designed a detailed dynamic MVC procedure, and then collected data from 10 able-bodied participants and compared their performances using several conventional MVC procedures by normalizing the sEMG amplitude for the same test. The sEMG amplitude normalized by our dynamic MVC procedure showed a much lower value than those obtained using other procedures (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, with p < 0.05), indicating that the sEMG collected during dynamic MVC procedure had a larger amplitude than those of conventional MVC procedures. Therefore, our proposed dynamic MVC obtained sEMG amplitudes closer to its physiological maximum value and is thus more capable of normalizing the sEMG amplitude for low back muscles.

Within our work environments there are many dangers and risks to our health, since millions of injuries related to non-fatal work occur annually, this study seeks to determine the association of Ergonomic Risk with musculoskeletal discomfort in remote work. In total there were 91 teachers who were evaluated using the pink and Nordic ergonomic method. The results show a statistically significant association, also in relation to the musculoskeletal discomfort of all the teachers evaluated, 61.5% have neck discomfort, 51.6% in the shoulder, 49.5% in the dorsal threshold, 53.8% elbow forearm, 74.7% hand wrist In the last month, on the other hand, in terms of the ergonomic evaluation by the Rosa method in chair and screen, there are teachers who are affected in all the aspects evaluated, placing themselves at a very high level of risk (53.8%), high level (44%) and low level (2.2%), which means that it is necessary to intervene to prevent health problems; Within this framework, it is concluded that there is musculoskeletal discomfort in 53 teachers and ergonomic risks in 49 teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The detection and prevention of workers' body straining postures and other stressing conditions within the work environment, supports establishing occupational safety and promoting well being and sustainability at work. Developed methods towards this aim typically rely on combining highly ergonomic workplaces and expensive monitoring mechanisms including wearable devices. In this work, we demonstrate how the input from low-cost sensors, specifically, passive camera sensors installed in a real manufacturing workplace, and smartwatches used by the workers can provide useful feedback on the workers' conditions and can yield key indicators for the prevention of work-related musculo-skeletal disorders (WMSD) and physical fatigue. To this end, we study the ability to assess the risk for physical strain of workers online during work activities based on the classification of ergonomically sub-optimal working postures using visual information, the correlation and fusion of these estimations with synchronous worker heart rate data, as well as the prediction of near-future heart rate using deep learning-based techniques. Moreover, a new multi-modal dataset of video and heart rate data captured in a real manufacturing workplace during car door assembly activities is introduced. The experimental results show the efficiency of the proposed approach that exceeds 70% of classification rate based on the F1 score measure using a set of over 300 annotated video clips of real line workers during work activities. In addition a time lagging correlation between the estimated ergonomic risks for physical strain and high heart rate was assessed using a larger dataset of synchronous visual and heart rate data sequences. The statistical analysis revealed that imposing increased strain to body parts will results in an increase to the heart rate after 100–120 s. This finding is used to improve the short term forecasting of worker's cardiovascular activity for the next 10 to 30 s by fusing the heart rate data with the estimated ergonomic risks for physical strain and ultimately to train better predictive models for worker fatigue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes an existing scenario of musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) associated with the ergonomic hazard of the aluminum formwork workstation and its workers. Aluminum form-workers have increasing evidence of MSDs from repetitive tasks such as the adjustment, alignment of pins, pulling, pushing, and installation of panels, because of the cumulative exposure to ergonomic risks. Existing research indicates that this is due to insufficient expertise, form-worker awareness, and a complex construction plan. Using the Tecnomatix process simulate, this study aims to identify awkward postures during the process of lifting, assembling, and installing formwork to quantify MSDs and assess the ergonomic risk of aluminum form-workers and provide simple solutions. This simulation method makes use of input data from a random sample of 92 participants retrieved from four construction sites. The Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), Ovako Working Analysis System (OWAS) scores, and Energy Expenditure Rate (EER) for three identified awkward cases were determined to be unsatisfactory, unsafe, and acceptable with suggested alternatives. The ergonomic scores correspond to various bodily stresses, allowing workers to better understand which body parts experience major stress when performing manual jobs. The suggested integrated preventive ergonomics system reduces MSDs and improves how people interact with their surroundings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study discussed musculoskeletal risk analysis related to ergonomics, occupational safety, and health in agriculture in the Karawang district. Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) are occupational diseases that cause pain in the joints. The working position of rice farmers, especially during planting rice seeds and harvesting rice, is not suitable for ergonomics. This study aims to identify the MSDs experienced by farmers in Karang Tanjung village, Karawang district. The study used an analytical method using the Nordic Body Map (NBM) and RULA questionnaires to assess work posture. A sample of 30 workers was chosen for an observational cross-sectional study. The results showed that the ergonomic risk level entered level 4 in the high category. The most dominant MSDs felt by rice farmers in Karang Tanjung village were the waist (98%) and the neck (95%). This research was expected to serve as a model for future musculoskeletal risk reduction research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unprecedented movement restrictions have been imposed due to Covid19 Pandemic induced shutdowns. The situation had triggered organization encouraging workforce to work remotely entirely or partially. The situation has implied prolonged stays at home and radical lifestyle changes including alterations in aspects like physical activity (PA), eating habits, mental health, and quality of sleep. Prolonged working hours and faulty sitting posture has accelerated onset of work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Scapular Asymmetry (Scapular Dyskinesia) is one of common problems, which is directly or indirectly associated with poor ergonomics. Aim of the study is to evaluate scapular asymmetry contributed due to ergonomic risk among office workers practicing sedentary lifestyle in work from home environment during lockdown. Target group of this study was persons who had been assigned remote work (Most subjects from MNCs and IT Sector) in Surat, of which total 100 subjects, 67 males and 33 females, participated and were of 25 to 55 years of age-group. The scapular asymmetry was assessed by using Lateral Scapular Slide Test (LSST) and Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) scale. Results analyzed with SPSS statistical software (version 21), showed 58% prevalence of scapular asymmetry. Correlation analysis between RULA scores and LSST average of all three position of both right and left side was r = 0.243, which indicates positive correlation between RULA and LSST. Hence, the results conclusively establish that the prevalence of scapular asymmetry is higher among office workers working remotely having ergonomic risk in lockdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) represent an important socio-economic burden. The current risk assessment and management involved in the ethiopathogenesis of WMSDs is based on observational tools and checklists, which have some limitations in terms of accuracy and reliability. The aim of this study was to assess WMSD prevalence and identify possible correlations with several socio-demographic and work-related variables in a large cohort representative of Italian workers in order to improve our understanding of the WMSD phenomenon. Methods This study includes data from INSuLa, a cross-sectional nationally representative survey of health and safety at work, developed by the Italian Workers’ Compensation Authority. A total of 8000 Italian workers were included. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association of independent variables, such as workers’ perceptions of exposure to biomechanical/ergonomic and video display unit (VDU) risks (Risk Perceived) and the actual risk exposure (Risk Detected) on Back, Lower and Upper limb pain. Socio-demographic, occupational and other health-related variables were included to investigate possible association with musculoskeletal disorders. Results Workers perceiving a significant exposure to biomechanical/ergonomic and VDU risks but not included in a health surveillance program for them (Risk Perceived/No Risk Detected) have had significantly higher odds of reporting musculoskeletal disorders. Regarding the biomechanical/ergonomic risk these workers are in the 19–24 age range (39.9%), transportation, warehousing/information and communication sectors (38.9%) and are employed in companies with more than 250 workers (35.8%). Regarding VDU risk, workers are in the 45–54 age range (24.5%), professional, financial and business services (38.0%) and come from companies with more than 250 employees (25.6%). Conclusions Within the occupational safety and health management systems an appropriate assessment of occupational risk factors correlated to musculoskeletal disorders (mainly biomechanical/ergonomic and VDU) and the correct definition of their exposure levels is essential to adequately prevent the onset of WMSDs. In this regard, our findings provide useful information to design novel approaches, aimed at improving our understanding of emerging risks, identifying gaps in current risk assessment strategies and enhancing workplace interventions are mandatory to improve the occupational risk assessment and management process and therefore implement the subsequent health surveillance systems.

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Purpose. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the association between ergonomic risk level and scapular dyskinesis in office workers. Methods. This cross-sectional study included office workers aged 20–65 years. A lateral scapular slide test (LSST) was used to evaluate scapular dyskinesis, and the quick exposure check (QEC) method was used to analyze the ergonomic risk level. Results. In all, 37 (45.7%) participants were men and 44 (54.3%) participants were women. Of the participants with scapular dyskinesis in any of the three LSST positions, 10.3% had low, 20.6% had medium, 30.9% had high and 37.9% had very high ergonomic risk level (p = 0.001). A low, positive linear correlation was observed between ergonomic risk level and LSST-1, LSST-2 and LSST-3 values. Conclusion. These results indicate that patients with scapular dyskinesis have a high ergonomic risk level. We believe that our work will serve as a foundation for intervention studies assessing ergonomic risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention on work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) involves statistical surveys showing an increasing trend in the incidence of WMSDs. Technological development has led to new tools and methods for the assessment of physical load at work. These methods are mostly based on the direct sensing of appropriate parameters, which allows more precise quantification. The aim of this paper is to compare several commonly used methods in Slovakia for the assessment of ergonomic risk reflecting current EU and Slovak legislative regulations. A Captiv wireless sensory system was used at a car headlight quality control assembly workplace for sensing, data acquisition and data processing. During the evaluation of postures and movements at work, we discovered differences in the applicable standards: Decree 542/2007 Coll. (Slovak Legislation), the STN EN 1005-4+A1, and the French standards default in the Captiv system. Standards define the thresholds for hazardous postures with significant differences in several evaluated body segments, which affects the final evaluation of the measurements. Our experience from applying improved risk assessment methodology may have an impact on Slovak industrial workplaces. It was confirmed that there is a need to create uniform standards for the ergonomic risk assessment of body posture, including a detailed description of the threshold values for individual body segments.