Musculoskeletal disorders within the carpentry trade: analysis of timber flooring subtasks

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (9) ◽  
pp. 2577-2590
Author(s):  
Abiola Akanmu ◽  
Johnson Olayiwola ◽  
Oluwole Alfred Olatunji
Keyword(s):  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Body Movement ◽  
Wearable Sensors ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Movement Data ◽  
Cutting Out ◽  
Trade Analysis ◽  
Ergonomic Exposures

PurposeCarpenters are constantly vulnerable to musculoskeletal disorders. Their work consists of subtasks that promote nonfatal injuries and pains that affect different body segments. The purpose of this study is to examine ergonomic exposures of carpentry subtasks involved in floor framing, how they lead to musculoskeletal injuries, and how preventive and protective interventions around them can be effective.Design/methodology/approachUsing wearable sensors, this study characterizes ergonomic exposures of carpenters by measuring and analyzing body movement data relating to major subtasks in carpentry flooring work. The exposures are assessed using Postural Ergonomic Risk Assessment classification, which is based on tasks involving repetitive subtasks and nonstatic postures.FindingsThe findings of this paper suggest severe risk impositions on the trunk, shoulder and elbow as a result of the measuring and marking and cutting out vent locations, as well as in placing and nailing boards into place.Research limitations/implicationsBecause of the type and size of wearable sensor used, only results of risk exposures of four body-parts are presented.Practical implicationsThis study draws insights on how to benchmark trade-specific measurement of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Safety efforts can be targeted toward these risk areas and subtasks. Specifically, results from these will assist designers and innovators in designing effective and adaptable protective interventions and safety trainings.Originality/valueExtant studies have failed to provide adequate evidence regarding the relationships between subtasks and musculoskeletal disorders; they have only mimicked construction tasks through laboratory experimental scenarios. This study adds value to the existing literature, in particular by providing insights into hazards associated with floor carpentry subtasks.

Decreasing work-related movement during a pandemic. Location analytics and the implications of the digital divide

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Taylor ◽  
Rickey Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Movement Data ◽  
Digital Infrastructure ◽  
Positive Externalities ◽  
Travel Restrictions

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the role of digital infrastructure in supporting compliance with travel restrictions. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of digital infrastructure in supporting compliance with travel restrictions. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, countries around the world have issued “stay-at-home” orders and curtailed a variety of economic activities. As countries have adopted aggressive policies to limit the spread of COVID-19, varying levels of national infrastructure to provide internet access have limited some nations’ ability to reduce travel requirements. As national policies struggle to address public health issues, location analytics enabled by big data provide unique insights regarding the efficacy of digital infrastructure. These insights can provide valuable tools to public health officials and regulators in understanding how health recommendations are implemented within an economy. Design/methodology/approach This study analyzes mobile phone movement data during the first half of 2020 and finds that countries that provided greater access to internet capabilities were better able to reduce work-related mobility. Findings This study’s findings indicate that greater levels of digital infrastructure may better prepare countries to adapt to societal disruptions such as COVID-19. Practical implications This study’s findings demonstrate that public health controls regarding movement and person-to-person interaction are less likely to be effective in nations with weaker digital infrastructure, even after accounting for variation attributable to gross domestic product (GDP) and pandemic severity. This could limit public health options in developing countries when faced with future socially disruptive events and encourage national investment in digital infrastructure. Social implications This study’s findings highlight positive externalities associated with reducing the digital divide. Developing better digital business infrastructure globally may reduce human exposure to future pandemic risks. Originality/value This research demonstrates the practical development implications of analysis of aggregate data widely available through mobile technology. As institutions develop techniques to ethically and effectively analyze this data, greater opportunities to support economic development may be revealed.

scholarly journals Work-related musculoskeletal disorder and its costs: a short review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Sophia Rosado ◽  
J. Santos Baptista ◽  
J.C. Guedes
Keyword(s):  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Economic Burden ◽  
Musculoskeletal Disorder ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Work Conditions ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders

Introduction: Musculoskeletal disorder can result from extreme physical demands at work. It has risen, mainly due to high muscle demands and static postures and generates a significant economic burden to the companies. This short review aims to point out the statistics of the most affected body parts by work-related musculoskeletal disorders, assess absenteeism and presenteeism costs, and evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions. Methodology: According to the PRISMA Statement, the search was performed in 5 electronic databases (Scopus, Web of Science, Science Direct, Pubmed). Articles selection was made by the title and abstract analysis, especially those aiming to explain and validate the subject. If the abstract fulfils the objective, the articles were read, and studies were considered that met the defined eligibility criteria. Were chosen articles that realised measurements or considered interventions in healthy human beings, especially in the working population, dated from 2015 to 2020. Results and Discussion: The scrutinised articles were conclusive that the most affected part of the body are the upper limbs, the neck and the upper back. The statistics ofthe affected workers varied according to the country and analysed tasks, but they converge concerning the most affected body parts. It could be noted that women are more affected by musculoskeletal disorders than men, especially older women; the reason, however, is not clearly explained. Muscle injury can lead high economic burden, mostly due to absenteeism and presenteeism. It was noted that the expenditure due to presenteeism is higher comparing to absenteeism in both developed and emergent countries. Conclusions: Due to high costs, companies are deploying strategies to improve work conditions and aware the workers about health and safety. Interventions have shown to be effective in reducing the risk of injuries. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders canbe extremely damaging to the workers’ health and are costly to the companies. Support supervisor interventions effectively improve work conditions and reduce the risk of damaging outcomes, increasing workers’ health, work ability, and, consequently, productivity.

scholarly journals Self-Reported Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders and Associated Factors among Restaurant Workers in Gondar City, Northwest Ethiopia, 2020

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Habtamu Tegenu ◽  
Mulat Gebrehiwot ◽  
Jember Azanaw ◽  
Temesgen Yihunie Akalu
Keyword(s):  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Goodness Of Fit ◽  
Multivariable Analysis ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Northwest Ethiopia ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders

Introduction. Globally, work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) have resulted in occupational disability and injury. Of these, restaurant workers are among the high-risk professionals usually affected by WMSDs. In Ethiopia, evidence on the burden of musculoskeletal disorder and contributing factors among restaurant workers were very limited. Therefore, this study was aimed at assessing the prevalence of self-reported WMSDs and contributing factors among restaurant workers in Gondar city, northwest Ethiopia, 2020. Methods. An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2020 to March 2020 among restaurant workers in Gondar city. A two-stage sampling technique was used to choose 633 study subjects. A structured Nordic questioner was used to collect the data. Data was entered into EpiData version 3.1 and exported to Stata version 14.0 for analysis. Both bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were computed. An adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was used to measure the association between WMSDs and independent variables. In the multivariable analysis, a P value of <0.05 was used to declare a statistically significant association. To check the goodness of fit, the Hosmer and Lemeshow test was used. Results. The prevalence of WMSDs among restaurant workers in the past 12 months was 81.5% [95% CI (78.18–84.44)]. Attending primary education [AOR: 2.14, 95% CI (1.17–3.90)], attending secondary education [AOR: 1.71 (1.02–2.86)], and job satisfaction [AOR: 1.90, 95%CI (1.13–3.19)] were significantly associated with WMSDs. Conclusion. In this study, the prevalence of WMSDs among restaurant workers was high. The upper back, lower back, elbow, and wrist were the most affected body parts. Age above 30 years, educational status being primary and secondary, and being dissatisfied by their job were positively associated with a high prevalence of WMSDs.

Digital twin-driven framework for improving self-management of ergonomic risks

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Omobolanle Ruth Ogunseiju ◽  
Johnson Olayiwola ◽  
Abiola Abosede Akanmu ◽  
Chukwuma Nnaji
Keyword(s):  
Short Term Memory ◽  
Wearable Sensors ◽  
Computational Cost ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Digital Twin ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Digital Twins ◽  
Field Deployment ◽  
Lstm Network

PurposeThe physically-demanding and repetitive nature of construction work often exposes workers to work-related musculoskeletal injuries. Real-time information about the ergonomic consequences of workers' postures can enhance their ability to control or self-manage their exposures. This study proposes a digital twin framework to improve self-management ergonomic exposures through bi-directional mapping between workers' postures and their corresponding virtual replica.Design/methodology/approachThe viability of the proposed approach was demonstrated by implementing the digital twin framework on a simulated floor-framing task. The proposed framework uses wearable sensors to track the kinematics of workers' body segments and communicates the ergonomic risks via an augmented virtual replica within the worker's field of view. Sequence-to-sequence long short-term memory (LSTM) network is employed to adapt the virtual feedback to workers' performance.FindingsResults show promise for reducing ergonomic risks of the construction workforce through improved awareness. The experimental study demonstrates feasibility of the proposed approach for reducing overexertion of the trunk. Performance of the LSTM network improved when trained with augmented data but at a high computational cost.Research limitations/implicationsSuggested actionable feedback is currently based on actual work postures. The study is experimental and will need to be scaled up prior to field deployment.Originality/valueThis study reveals the potentials of digital twins for personalized posture training and sets precedence for further investigations into opportunities offered by digital twins for improving health and wellbeing of the construction workforce.

Association of individual and device usage factors with musculoskeletal disorders amongst handheld devices users during homestay due to pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rahul Jain ◽  
Kunj Bihari Rana ◽  
Makkhan Lal Meena
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Office Workers ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Handheld Devices ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Chi Square Analysis ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic is spreading in India and different parts of the world. The outbreak delivered not only the condition of dying from infection but also forced people (especially office workers and students) to perform all working (office work, classes, assignments, etc.) and non-working activities (leisure activities such as social media, gaming, etc.) at home using handheld devices (HHDs). In this situation, HHD usage for longer durations is mainly responsible for work-related health issues. Therefore, the paper aims to explore HHD usage patterns and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) amongst HHD users during homestay and the impact of individual and HHD usage–related factors on MSDs.Design/methodology/approachFrom different states of India, 651 people (especially HHD users from universities and industries) were sampled by using systematic cluster random sampling. In addition, an online questionnaire was used to collect data on the prevalence and risk factors of MSDs. Finally, mean comparisons and chi-square analysis was used to analyse the collected data.FindingsThe prevalence rate of MSDs was higher in upper body parts as compared to the lower body parts. The association of gender with MSDs in various body parts was substantial. The time spent on various working and non-working activities using HHDs was significantly associated with MSDs in upper body parts.Practical implicationsHomestay work may be used as an alternative working arrangement, and the risk factors that have the most significant impact on the health of HHD users may be identified by organizations. The findings suggest the proper use of HHDs as per their essential need with intermediate recreational activities.Originality/valueIt is observed that the musculoskeletal health of office workers and university students is a cause for concern during homestay. The current study provides the prevalence of MSDs experienced by HHD users and the association of individual and HHD usage factors with MSDs.

scholarly journals A Study on the Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders among the Coalminers of Eastern Coalfields of India

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 34-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arunabha Bandyopadhyay ◽  
Samrat Dev ◽  
Somnath Gangopadhyay
Keyword(s):  
Back Pain ◽  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Lower Back Pain ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Lower Limbs ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Lower Back ◽  
Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders

Background: Mining is an ancient occupation, long recognized as being arduous and liable to injury and disease. The lifecycle of mining consists of exploration, mine development, mine operation, decommissioning and land rehabilitation. Objective: To explore the prevalence characteristics and influence factors related to the development of work related musculoskeletal disorders of underground coalminers in Eastern Coalfield mines. Methods: In a cross-sectional study of 55 coalminers from Saatgram Project, Raniganj, Eastern Coalfields, modified Nordic Questionnaire was performed to assess the musculoskeletal disorders. Logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze the correlation between the occupational factors and their work related musculoskeletal disorders. Results: In this study 36 out of 55 miners (65.45%) complained about the development of musculoskeletal disorders at different body parts. The maximum pain was identified at lower back. The presence of lower back pain was observed among 58.18% of miners. The prevalence of pain in different body sites of the miners increased significantly with their ages. According to the present study, the repetitive operations and awkward postures were the risk factors for the development of work related musculoskeletal disorders in neck, shoulder and upper limbs; moreover, the repetitive operation of moving heavy substances and stooping postures continuously were related significantly – with the development of lower back pain at lower limbs due to the long standing awkward posture. Conclusion: It may be concluded from the above study that Eastern Coalfield miners are suffering from work related musculoskeletal disorders. This condition may be rectified by changing working postures or by implementation of ergonomically designed tools and machineries.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijosh.v2i2.6596 International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, Vol 2. No 2 (2012) 34-37 

Work demand, stress and work-related musculoskeletal disorders among emergency workers

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justice Kwabena Kodom-Wiredu
Keyword(s):  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Work Stress ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Demand ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Emergency Workers ◽  
Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The demanding nature of firefighting exposes firefighters to unprecedented work stress and work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Even though relationships among work demand, work stress and WMSDs have been examined, the mediating role of work stress in the relationship between work demand and WMSDs requires more attention, particularly among emergency workers. The purpose of this paper is to therefore assess the mediation role of firefighters’ work stress in the pathway of work demand and WMSDs. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research design was used. Convenient sampling was employed to select 320 firefighters from the Greater Accra region of Ghana. Data were analyzed using descriptive, correlation and regression. Findings The findings revealed that work demand and stress significantly affect WMSDs. Also, work demand has a significant positive effect on work stress. It was further found that work stress partially mediates the relationship between work demand and WMSDs. Research limitations/implications The usage of cross-sectional data limits the strength of causality and observation of changes within units of observation over time, hence the need to use longitudinal data in future studies. Originality/value The novelty of this study lies in the revelation of the influence of stress in the pathway of work demand and WMSDs among emergency professionals, using an African lens.

Study of Posture and Discomfort in Handling Machines in Manufacturing Industry

2014 ◽  
Vol 592-594 ◽  
pp. 2552-2556 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.R. Balasubramanian ◽  
S.P. Sivapirakasham ◽  
Nanda Naik Korra ◽  
Kranti Kumar Dhruw
Keyword(s):  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Body Part ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
Musculoskeletal Discomfort ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Shift Operators ◽  
Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Grinding Machines ◽  
Body Map

Manufacturing industries were considered among the sectors with the considerable level of lost work days due to work related musculoskeletal disorders. The aim of the study is to find out the different parts of body affected due to discomfort while operating machines in manufacturing industry. In this study work-related body-part discomfort was assessed in 51 male operators by using a body map and ranking procedure, while operating different types of machines viz, lathe, drilling and grinding machines. The study showed that out of 51 operator’s, 45 reported discomfort in shoulder and neck, 34 in lower back, 32 in upper back, 46 in arm, and 23of the operators reported discomfort in the leg. Correlations between the discomfort level and different postures at different working conditions were higher. Except at the start of the shift, operators felt musculoskeletal discomfort in various body parts throughout the shift, and were highest at the end of the shift. The middle age group operators reported higher levels of discomfort. Keywords: Discomfort; Injury; Pain; Body map; Discomfort assessment; Questionnaire; Musculoskeletal disorders.

scholarly journals Ergonomic Evaluation of Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders and Postural Stress among Male Potato Cultivators of West Bengal, India

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amitava Pal ◽  
Sujaya De ◽  
Piyali Sengupta ◽  
Payel Maity ◽  
Prakash C. Dhara
Keyword(s):  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
West Bengal ◽  
Body Part ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Postural Stress ◽  
Observation Method ◽  
Postural Analysis ◽  
Vegetable Cultivation

Background: Apart from cereal production (rice, wheat, etc.) agricultural labourers are engaged in vegetable cultivation in West Bengal, India. Potato cultivation is one of the important vegetable cultivation in India. The potato cultivation tasks are repetitive in nature and those are carried out mainly by manual efforts. Most of the tasks of potato cultivation are monotonous, strenuous, physiologically demanding as well as time-consuming.Objective: The present study was aimed to evaluate musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and postural stress among male workers engaged in different potato cultivation jobs. Methods: The study was conducted on 163 male potato cultivators in different districts of West Bengal state. A modified Nordic Questionnaire and Body Part Discomfort scale were applied to identify MSDs in different body parts. The postural pattern was assessed by direct observation method. The postural stress was analyzed by OWAS, REBA and QEC methods. Result: The results show that the prevalence of MSDs was very high among the workers and the most affected areas were back and upper extremity. Postural analysis indicated that the subjects had to adopt different stressful postures during performing different potato cultivation jobs. During potato harvesting operation the workers were subjected to greater postural stress than that of other tasks.Conclusion: Postural stress might be the reason of the occurrence of MSDs. From this study it has been recommended that workers should avoid bad work postures as far as possible during work for reducing job related health hazards.International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, Vol 4 No 2 (2014) 05 – 14

scholarly journals The WGD—A Dataset of Assembly Line Working Gestures for Ergonomic Analysis and Work-Related Injuries Prevention

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (22) ◽  
pp. 7600
Author(s):  
Christian Tamantini ◽  
Francesca Cordella ◽  
Clemente Lauretti ◽  
Loredana Zollo
Keyword(s):  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Assembly Line ◽  
Wearable Sensors ◽  
Human Movement ◽  
Measuring Systems ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Working Environments ◽  
Analysis System ◽  
Ergonomic Analysis ◽  
Quantitative Indicators

This paper wants to stress the importance of human movement monitoring to prevent musculoskeletal disorders by proposing the WGD—Working Gesture Dataset, a publicly available dataset of assembly line working gestures that aims to be used for worker’s kinematic analysis. It contains kinematic data acquired from healthy subjects performing assembly line working activities using an optoelectronic motion capture system. The acquired data were used to extract quantitative indicators to assess how the working tasks were performed and to detect useful information to estimate the exposure to the factors that may contribute to the onset of musculoskeletal disorders. The obtained results demonstrate that the proposed indicators can be exploited to early detect incorrect gestures and postures and, consequently to prevent work-related disorders. The approach is general and independent on the adopted motion analysis system. It wants to provide indications for safely performing working activities. For example, the proposed WGD can also be used to evaluate the kinematics of workers in real working environments thanks to the adoption of unobtrusive measuring systems, such as wearable sensors through the extracted indicators and thresholds.

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