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PubMed1990

Maximum acceptable repetitive lifting workload by Chinese subjects.

This study used psychophysical methods to determine the acceptable mean maximum lifting workload for eight Chinese young male subjects, and examined the effects of lifting technique (including freestyle, stoop and squat), lifting frequency (including 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 lifts/min) and physical characteristics on the maximum acceptable workload. The results are described as follows: (1) The maximum acceptable weights selected by subjects varied from 11.34 to 18.33 kg with changes in lifting technique and frequency. These data were lower than those previously obtained; (2) The upper limit of physiological tolerance over an 8 h workday was also generally lower than previously suggested. However, this upper limit varied with changes in lifting technique and frequency, and in some circumstances it was the same as or even higher than previous limit; (3) Lifting efficiency was affected significantly by technique and frequency. The rank order of efficiency for three lifting techniques were freestyle, stoop and squat. Efficiency was greatest when lifting frequency was between 5 and 6 lifts/min; and (4) The correlations between the maximum acceptable workloads selected by subjects and anthropometric sizes were significant, but those between maximum acceptable workload and isometric strength were not.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Psychophysical capacity of industrial workers for lifting symmetrical and asymmetrical loads symmetrically and asymmetrically for 8 h work shifts.

This paper presents comprehensive maximum acceptable weight of lift (psychophysical lifting capacity) database for male and female industrial workers for lifting symmetrical and asymmetrical loads symmetrically and asymmetrically for 8 h work shifts. The experimental data collected in previous studies on experienced (industrial) and inexperienced (non-industrial) materials handlers (Mital 1984a, Mital and Fard 1986) and the patterns of responses between the two populations (Mital 1985, 1987) were used to generate this database. Since previous work (Mital 1985, 1987) showed that responses of both experienced and inexperienced materials handlers to task variables are similar and also provided multipliers relating the psychophysical lifting capacities of the two populations, it was possible: (1) to convert psychophysical capacity data for asymmetrical lifting of symmetrical and asymmetrical loads, collected on inexperienced workers to reflect psychophysical lifting capacity of experienced workers for asymmetrical lifting; and (2) to take psychophysical lifting capacity data of experienced industrial workers for symmetrical lifting of symmetrical loads and generate from it their psychophysical lifting capacity for symmetrical and asymmetrical lifting of symmetrical and asymmetrical loads by using the response patterns of inexperienced workers to lifting symmetrical and asymmetrical loads symmetrically and asymmetrically. Both approaches were used and, as expected, provided almost identical values for the psychophysical lifting capacity of industrial workers for symmetrical and asymmetrical lifting of symmetrical and asymmetrical loads. Therefore, the final database tables provided in this paper used combined values generated by the two methods.

Databases, Bibliographic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Margin of safety for the human back: a probable consensus based on published studies.

Despite numerous efforts to control occurrences of work-related low back pain, it continues to be a significant problem. Since the causation of low back pain is under multifactorial control, it is suggested that the factor most vulnerable at any given time will determine the safety. Epidemiological, biomechanical, physiological, and psychophysical information presented in published literature has been analysed. The data available are related to injuries and the projected margin of safety. This paper therefore, is an integrative, inferential synthesis of the published work to discern the margin of safety. An attempt has been made to conclude, on the basis of objective evidence, an all encompassing criterion to ensure the safety of the back. The psychophysical approach appears to integrate biomechanical and physiological variables on a short term basis in the studies surveyed. However, it remains to be proven that the sensory conditioning due to prolonged and repetitive occupational tasks will remain responsive to cumulative load and fatigue failures.

Humans↗
PubMed1993

A psychophysical approach to determine the frequency and duration of work-rest schedules for manual handling operations.

The primary objectives of this study were: (1) to test whether rest allowances could be ascertained using a psychophysical methodology; and (2) to examine the effects of gender and frequency of handling on work-rest schedules. Two experiments were conducted, each experimental session at 4h. A psychophysical methodology was used where the subject was given control of the working and resting durations. The results of the study indicated that: (1) the total working time decreased and the total resting time decreased with an increase in the frequency of handling; (2) high frequency tasks required more frequent rest allowances; (3) for the same manual handling tasks, women needed more frequent and longer allowances than men; (4) experience with the manual handling of material reduced the variability collected from the psychophysical methodology. The application of the psychophysical methodology in industry is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Maximum acceptable forces of dynamic pushing: comparison of two techniques.

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate maximum acceptable initial and sustained forces while performing a push of 7.6 m, performed at a frequency of 1 push min-1 on a magnetic particle brake treadmill and a high-inertia push-cart. Eight male industrial workers performed a 40 min treadmill pushing task in the context of a larger experiment and two, 2 h push-cart tasks with a unique water loading system. A psychophysical methodology was employed, whereby the subjects were asked to select a workload they could sustain for 8 h without straining themselves or without becoming unusually tired, weakened, overheated or out of breath. The results revealed that maximum acceptable initial and sustained forces of pushing on the high inertia cart were significantly higher (28 and 23%, respectively) than pushing forces on the magnetic particle brake treadmill. It was concluded that adjustments to the pushing and pulling data bank by Snook and Ciriello (1991) may be appropriate if verification of this experiment yields similar results.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Alterations in physiological and perceptual variables during exhaustive endurance work while wearing a pressure-demand respirator.

The purpose of this investigation was to describe the time course of changes in physiological and perceptual variables during exhaustive endurance work with and without an air-supplied, full-facepiece, pressure-demand respirator. Thirty-eight healthy subjects (24 to 51 years of age) volunteered for this study. Treadmill speed was set at 5.5 kph (3.4 mph) and elevation was set at a level calculated to elicit 70% of a previously determined maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max). Subjects continued at this rate to exhaustion. Despite a constant work rate, VO2 and %VO2max increased during exercise and were significantly greater with the respirator (34.4 +/- 1.1 mL/kg.min; 84% VO2max) than without the respirator (31.9 +/- 1.1 mL/kg.min; 76% VO2max) at the "final" measurement point prior to termination of exercise by each subject. The final values for ventilation volume (VE) also were significantly greater with the respirator (89.2 +/- 3.4 L/min) than without (73.4 +/- 3.7 L/min). At the conclusion of the endurance walk, dyspnea index (VE/MMV.25) remained well below maximal values (with = 58.6 +/- 2%; without = 44.6 +/- 2%; p less than 0.001). Also, at the final period, no significant differences occurred in the subjects' perceptual ratings of work of breathing, yet work performance time was significantly reduced (p less than 0.0001) from 69.1 +/- 4.4 min (without) to 55.6 +/- 3.8 min (with). A significantly greater swing in peak pressure (maximum pressure measured within the facepiece of respirator), however, from inspired (PPi) to expired (PPe) occurred with the respirator (13.42 cmH2O) than without the respirator (9.25 cmH2O).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Working capacity after myocardial infarction.

The study presents data regarding the functional assessment and prognosis of acute myocardial infarction survivors resident in Prague 4 and an industrial region in north Bohemia. No demonstrable differences between the incidence of myocardial infarction in various professions were found. Acute myocardial infarction occurred in 0.52-0.73% of the total number of workers enrolled in the study. Rehabilitation programmes succeeded in significantly increasing working tolerance, overall performance, and in decreasing the heart rate/blood pressure index within the first six months after acute myocardial infarction. In patients resuming their original jobs, all these parameters were substantially more favourable than in those not seeking re-employment. Prognosis was assessed in 1072 patients. The 10-year mortality was 52.1%. Of the survivors, 30% of patients returned to work, and 24% and 46% remained in partial and full-time retirement, respectively.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Assessment of work capacity in patients with ischaemic heart disease: methods and practices.

Analysis of 1150 post-infarct and post-aorto-coronary bypass graft patients referred to the Toronto Rehabilitation Centre revealed that approximately 10% have not returned to work six months after the acute event. White-collar workers are more successful than blue-collar workers in resuming work, as are those medically treated as compared with the surgically treated. The reasons for prolonged unemployment were more frequently non-medical than medical. Detailed assessment is required where there is doubt about the patient's work capacity, or where legislation and/or trade practices demand it. The simplest procedure is an exercise test with energy cost matching. Telemetry during simulated work tasks or while on work stations in the Centre allows more flexibility, with actual observation and telemetry on the job site the only recourse in certain situations.

Canada↗
PubMed2004

Relationship between self-reported low productivity and overtime working.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between overtime working and self-reported low productivity due to poor health over the course of 1 year. METHODS: The subjects were 94 random-sampled workers at a Japanese manufacturing company. The data on sickness absence and low productivity due to poor health were collected by self-report questionnaires every month from October 1999 to September 2000. Seventy-four workers returned complete answers. The complete data on overtime hours of forty-nine of these employees were obtained from company records. RESULTS: In those reporting low productivity, cold-like symptoms and sleep loss were given as the causes. Low productivity was closely linked to overtime worked, whereas sick leave tended to increase during periods of change in overtime working. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest the possibility of a relationship between overtime working and self-reported low productivity.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Rheumatoid arthritis: returning patients to work.

Fifty-two patients with stable rheumatoid arthritis were followed-up for one year after being referred to the Disablement Resettlement Officer for work counselling. The proportion of patients employed following work counselling initially increased from 35% to 67%, falling to 57% after one year. In addition, 44% of patients "off sick" were re-established at work by job modification. Comparison of patients employed or unemployed one year later indicated that successful employment was related more to social and environmental factors than disability ro financial considerations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Employment status and ability to work among working-age chronic dialysis patients.

283 patients, age 18-59 years on chronic dialysis were interviewed about their current work status and their ability to work if currently not employed. Only 11% of the total sample was currently employed. However, one third of the nonemployed patients said they were able to work, and most of these patients had made an effort to be employed. Age, race, educational level, health status, and physical ability to perform job tasks, recent work experience, and interest in working were related to the reported ability to work. Patients who said they were able to work were also likely to be rated able to work by the medical director of their dialysis facility. The data indicate the importance of helping work-interested patients maintain their jobs when they start chronic dialysis treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Minimizing fatigue during repetitive jobs: optimal work-rest schedules.

Twenty women were asked to generate forces using a dynamometer that were consistent with one of three different work-rest schedules (a low-, medium-, and high-force schedule). Each work-rest schedule consisted of 6 identical blocks of 10 work-rest cycles. Each of the 10 work-rest cycles lasted 1 min. The first work-rest cycle in each block consisted of a 6-s maximal voluntary contraction and a 54-s rest. The remaining 9 work-rest cycles in each block consisted of a submaximal contraction and a rest period. The desired force of the submaximal contraction, the length of this contraction, and the duration of the rest period remained constant within schedules but varied across schedules. The amount of physiological work was kept constant among schedules. The fatigue that developed in the medium-force schedule was significantly lower than that developed in either the low- or high-force schedule. A model was developed that predicted the amount of fatiguable strength at the beginning and end of each contraction of a work-rest cycle. When fit to the results from the experiment, the model explained 94% of the variance. The model can be used to predict the work-rest schedule that minimizes fatigue in a given repetitive job, thereby potentially increasing productivity and reducing the incidence of cumulative trauma disorders.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Occupational repetition strain injuries. Guidelines for diagnosis and management.

Occupational repetition strain injuries (RSI) are a major, unchecked source of disability in industry and commerce, and have considerable social and economic consequences. The long-term morbidity associated with these injuries is preventable, but a coordinated approach to awareness, diagnosis, management, and prevention has been lacking. Confusing diagnostic terminology on medical certificates makes it difficult to obtain accurate data on the incidence and prevalence of different types of repetition injury. The terminology in use at present includes RSI, "tenosynovitis" and "overuse injury". Uniformity of diagnosis on an anatomical basis in relation to repetition or static load would greatly assist in epidemiological study, and improve notification and the impact of prevention programmes. Therefore, the Occupational Repetition Strain Injuries Advisory Committee, which was convened by the Division of Occupational Health, New South Wales Government Department of Industrial Relations, has prepared a set of guidelines for the diagnosis and management of these injuries.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗
PubMed1977

[The working place of the disabled as a social, ergonomic and safety problem (author's transl)].

Considering the disabled's role from the societal point of view and the necessity to re-integrate him to the fullest possible extent into the working process, the author raises the question in how far the (see article) 90/91 of the Works Constitution Act is also relevant for this group of employees. The results of these considerations is the initiation of a work science focusing on the disabled, or the resolute application of work scientific findings to the disability sector. Some ergonomic and safety related considerations strengthen the claim for social integration of the disabled. They should be included - together with a number of systematic job analyses in part already carried out by the author of this article - in the training programmes of job analysists for industrial firms.

Persons with Disabilities↗
PubMed2004

Fatigue models as practical tools: diagnostic accuracy and decision thresholds.

Human fatigue models are increasingly being used in a variety of industrial settings, both civilian and military. Current uses include education, awareness, and analysis of individual or group work schedules. Perhaps the ultimate and potentially most beneficial use of human fatigue models is to diagnose if an individual is sufficiently rested to perform a period of duty safely or effectively. When used in this way, two important questions should be asked: 1) What is the accuracy of the diagnosis for duty-specific performance in this application; and 2) What decision threshold is appropriate for this application (i.e., how "fatigued" does an individual have to be to be considered "not safe"). In the simplest situation, a diagnostic fatigue test must distinguish between two states: "fatigued" and "not fatigued," and the diagnostic decisions are "safe" (or "effective") and "not safe" (or "not effective"). The resulting four decision outcomes include diagnostic errors because diagnostic tests are not perfectly accurate. Moreover, since all outcomes have costs and benefits associated with them that differ between applications, the choice of a decision criterion is extremely important. Signal Detection Theory (SDT) has demonstrated usefulness in measuring the accuracy of diagnostic tests and optimizing diagnostic decisions. This paper describes how SDT can be applied to foster the development of fatigue models as practical diagnostic and decision-making tools. By clarifying the difference between accuracy (or sensitivity) and decision criterion (or bias) in the use of fatigue models as diagnostic and decision-making tools, the SDT framework focuses on such critical issues as duty-specific performance, variability (model and performance), and model sensitivity, efficacy, and utility. As fatigue models become increasingly used in a variety of different applications, it is important that end-users understand the interplay of these factors for their particular application.

Decision Support Techniques↗