Prospective validation of a low-back disorder risk model and assessment of ergonomic interventions associated with manual materials handling tasks

Ergonomics ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 43 (11) ◽  
pp. 1866-1886 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. S. Marras ◽  
W. G. Allread ◽  
D. L. Burr ◽  
F. A. Fathallah
Keyword(s):  
Risk Model ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Materials Handling ◽  
Manual Materials Handling ◽  
Back Disorder ◽  
Ergonomic Interventions ◽  
Disorder Risk

Low Back Disorder Risk and Spinal Loading during Patient Transfer

1998 ◽  
Vol 42 (12) ◽  
pp. 901-905
Author(s):  
W. S. Marras ◽  
K. G. Davis ◽  
B. C. Kirking ◽  
P. K. Bertsche
Keyword(s):  
Evaluation System ◽  
Risk Model ◽  
Weight Bearing ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Patient Handling ◽  
Spinal Loading ◽  
Back Disorder ◽  
Disorder Risk

Patient handlers suffer from low back injuries at an alarming rate. While many have found patient handling to be associated with incidences of low back pain, there has been limited research quantifying the risk for the specific tasks performed by the patient handlers. The current study used both a risk evaluation system (Low Back Disorder risk model) and a biomechanical model (EMG-assisted spinal loading model) to quantitatively evaluate risk of LBD during patient handling. Seventeen subjects (twelve experienced and five inexperienced) performed several patient handling tasks. The patient transfers were between bed and wheelchair (fixed and removable arms) and between a commode chair and hospital chair. A “standard” patient (a 50 kg cooperative female; non-weight bearing but had use of upper body) was used in all patient handling tasks. Overall, patient handling was found to be an extremely hazardous job that had substantial risk of causing a low back injury. There was significant risk when transferring the patient with either one or two patient handlers. However, the greatest risk was associated with the one-person transferring techniques. The actual task performed had limited effect on the risk of LBD and the three-dimensional spinal loads. Even the safest of tasks (evaluated in this study) had significant risk. These findings suggest that the only feasible means to control risk would be to provide mechanical lift assists devices.

scholarly journals Trunk Posture during Manual Materials Handling of Beer Kegs

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 7380
Author(s):  
Colleen Brents ◽  
Molly Hischke ◽  
Raoul Reiser ◽  
John Rosecrance
Keyword(s):  
Small Businesses ◽  
Inertial Measurement Unit ◽  
Measurement Unit ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Inertial Measurement ◽  
Materials Handling ◽  
Kinematic Measurement ◽  
Manual Materials Handling ◽  
Trunk Posture ◽  
Data Design

Craft brewing is a rapidly growing industry in the U.S. Most craft breweries are small businesses with few resources for robotic or other mechanical-assisted equipment, requiring work to be performed manually by employees. Craft brewery workers frequently handle stainless steel half-barrel kegs, which weigh between 13.5 kg (29.7 lbs.) empty and 72.8 kg (161.5 lbs.) full. Moving kegs may be associated with low back pain and even injury. In the present study, researchers performed a quantitative assessment of trunk postures using an inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based kinematic measurement system while workers lifted kegs at a craft brewery. Results of this field-based study indicated that during keg handling, craft brewery workers exhibited awkward and non-neutral trunk postures. Based on the results of the posture data, design recommendations were identified to reduce the hazardous exposure for musculoskeletal disorders among craft brewery workers.

Torso kinematics and low back disorder risk as a function of pallet orientation

2005 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 173-183
Author(s):  
Michael J. Jorgensen ◽  
Amit Handa ◽  
Prabaharan Veluswamy
Keyword(s):  
Low Back ◽  
Back Disorder ◽  
Disorder Risk

The objective of this study was to assess the affect of pallet location on torso kinematics during lifting. Participants transferred 11.3 kg boxes to pallets at two orientations and two distances from a constant lift origin. When reorienting the pallet from 180° to 90°, torso twist, lateral and sagittal torso kinematics increased when palletizing to various locations on the pallet when keeping the pallet distance far. Torso flexion increased slightly at the lowest level on the pallet independent of the pallet distance. When keeping the pallet distance close, torso twist kinematics decreased only when palletizing to the highest and closest position of the pallet. When reorienting the pallet from 180° to 90° adjacent to the lift origin, the best strategy to reduce torso kinematics appears to be to eliminate the transferring of loads to the lowest level of the pallet, and keeping the pallet close to the lift origin.

The effect of pallet distance on torso kinematics and low back disorder risk

Ergonomics ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 48 (8) ◽  
pp. 949-963 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J Jorgensen ◽  
Amit Handa ◽  
Prabaharan Veluswamy ◽  
Manish Bhatt
Keyword(s):  
Low Back ◽  
Back Disorder ◽  
Disorder Risk

The Effects of Box Differences and Employee Job Experience on Trunk Kinematics & Low Back Injury Risk during Depalletizing Operations

1996 ◽  
Vol 40 (13) ◽  
pp. 651-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Gary Allread ◽  
William S. Marras ◽  
Kevin P. Granata ◽  
Kermit G. Davis ◽  
Michael J. Jorgensen
Keyword(s):  
Injury Risk ◽  
Risk Model ◽  
Food Distribution ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Job Experience ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Back Disorder ◽  
Trunk Kinematics ◽  
Different Characteristics ◽  
Main Effects

Workers from a local food distribution center were studied depalletizing boxes from a pallet. The objectives of this study were to determine the change in trunk kinematics associated with selecting boxes having different characteristics and to observe if there was a relationship between trunk kinematics and employee job experience. The boxes varied in terms of: size; presence/absence of handles; weight; and location on a pallet. Worker job experience also was recorded. Kinematic trunk motions and subsequent risk of low back disorder (LBD), assessed using a risk model, were studied as dependent measures. Results indicated that the weight and layer conditions influenced most of the kinematic variables. The size and handle conditions influenced fewer dependent measures. All main effects but the handle condition had an influence on LBD risk. Most of the significant interaction effects were related to layer, illustrating the tremendous influence that box location on a pallet had on trunk kinematics and LBD risk. In fact, at the bottom pallet layers, LBD risk was the same regardless of the weight lifted or the size of the box. In studying job experience, inexperienced workers were found to have LBD risk values that were, on average, 5% higher than the experienced group. This study has been successful at pinpointing which box parameters are worthy of consideration to include in a food distribution environment for the purposes of reducing the risk of work-related LBD.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document