Job Organization Centred on Task Variability: Small Assembly Lines to Prevent Musculoskeletal Disorders

2000 ◽  
Vol 44 (30) ◽  
pp. 5-606-5-606
Author(s):  
Carolina Chaves ◽  
Joana Rodrigues ◽  
José Carvalhais ◽  
Anabela Simões
Keyword(s):  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Work Organization ◽  
Assembly Lines ◽  
Repetitive Work ◽  
Industrial Assembly ◽  
Task Variability ◽  
Ergonomic Evaluation

Typical industrial assembly lines with repetitive work have increasing rates of musculoskeletal disorders. Work organization centered on small lines and providing a larger set of tasks by operator is a possible solution to prevent this problem. The aim of this study was the ergonomic evaluation of two small radio assembly lines compared with the traditional one. The results are very promising for the new line models.

scholarly journals Exploring Local Initiatives to Improve the Work Environment: A Qualitative Survey in Swedish Home Care Practice

2021 ◽  
pp. 108482232098693
Author(s):  
Christofer Rydenfält ◽  
Roger Persson ◽  
Inger Arvidsson ◽  
Charlotte Holgersson ◽  
Gerd Johansson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Home Care ◽  
Work Environment ◽  
Gender Equality ◽  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Work Organization ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Care Practice ◽  
Change Initiatives ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Local Initiatives

Home care for the elderly constitutes a large and growing part of the social welfare system. Though, home care work is associated with a number of work environment-related challenges, including an increased risk for injuries, musculoskeletal disorders, high levels of sick leave and staff turnover, as well as stress and high workload, research is sparse. The present study explores local initiatives to improve the work environment initiated by the home care organizations themselves, and asks whether or not these initiatives affected gender equality. A qualitative web survey was sent to Swedish home care organizations, with open questions about change initiatives intended to have a positive effect on the work environment. There is an impressive amount of local work environment-related change initiatives going on. 80 categories of change initiatives were identified in answers from 178 units. However, these change initiatives were seldom evaluated or made accessible to stakeholders outside the organization. Main themes were concerned with work organization, digitalization, and planning, which largely follows trends in society (ie, digitalization, teamwork), rather than the actual needs identified by research (eg, musculoskeletal disorders). Despite apparent gender-related challenges, little of the work was associated with gender equality. The results indicates that there is a huge learning potential as the identified initiatives can serve as inspiration for others. However, to fully take advantage of these type of initiatives, more systematic evaluations are required.

scholarly journals Optimal Control of Industrial Assembly Lines

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Liberati ◽  
Andrea Tortorelli ◽  
Cesar Mazquiaran ◽  
Muhammad Imran ◽  
Martina Panfili
Keyword(s):  
Optimal Control ◽  
Assembly Lines ◽  
Industrial Assembly

scholarly journals REPETITION AS A RISK FACTOR FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja Pavlovic-Veselinovic
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
World Economy ◽  
Repetitive Work ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Repetitive Strain

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) are becoming a major problem in world economy. There is many and various risk factors that contribute to their development. Repetitive work is one of the most important risk factor. In this paper is described the body's response to repetitive strain, existing methods for evaluation/ quantification of repetition as risk factor for musculoskeletal disorders. The author proposes a new multidimensional scale for rating the level of risk of repetitive work, which may be useful in the risk assessment of the workplace. Key words: ergonomics, work related musculoskeletal disorders, risk assessment.

scholarly journals A Systematic Review for Computer Based Observational Techniques for Assessing Exposure to Risk Factors for Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3.20) ◽  
pp. 60
Author(s):  
Syahrul Aziana Abdul Rahman ◽  
Mohd Nasrull Abdol Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Work Organization ◽  
Reliability And Validity ◽  
Scientific Database ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Observer Reliability ◽  
Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Observational Techniques

The objective of this review are to systematically examine the existing techniques of computer based observational method for assessing Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) and analysed them to the needs of different potential users. Articles related are searched and collected from scientific database starting from 1977 to 2016. Seven methods are identified for computer based observational techniques and from these methods, only three methods have been evaluated as the intra-observer reliability and five methods are evaluated as inter-observer reliability where the average results are moderate to good agreement. For concurrent validity, five methods have been evaluated with moderate agreement. Some of the risk factors that related with WMSDs are; physical, psychosocial, work organization and individual factors. In addition, these existing techniques did not fulfil the criteria of reliability and validity testing during the development of these methods.  

scholarly journals Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and determination of associated risk factors in female workers in clothing manufacturing workshops of Yazd city

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fateme Neshastegar ◽  
Gholamhossein Halvani ◽  
Alireza Choobineh ◽  
Mohammadhossein AhmadiyeYazdi
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Material Handling ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Work Organization ◽  
Female Workers ◽  
Body Regions ◽  
Yazd City ◽  
Associated Risk Factors

Introduction: Upper limb musculoskeletal disorders are prevalent and undesirable health consequences among workers in clothing industry. To improve working conditions, workplace ergonomic assessment is necessary. This study was conducted among workers of clothing manufacturing workshops to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and to assess ergonomic working conditions to identify major risk factors associated with musculoskeletal symptoms.Methods: One hundred and fifty female workers from clothing manufacturing workshops of Yazd city participated. The Nordic questionnaire and an ergonomics checklist consisting of 6 sections were used as data collection tools. An index was calculated for each section of the checklist. Action categories indicating the priority of corrective measures were also defined. Data analysis was performed using the ANOVA and ROC curve tests by SPSS software (version 17).Results: The results showed a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, especially in the upper limbs among the study population. In this study, a significant association was found between the calculated ergonomics index and MSDs in different body regions (p<0.05). The mean of this index among the workers who reported symptoms was less than those of the other group indicating undesirable ergonomic conditions. In addition, 68.7% of the workers were categorized in the first priority of intervention (requiring ergonomic intervention as soon as possible).Conclusion: The prevalence of MSDs was high among the workers of clothing workshops. The developed checklist was considered as an appropriate and low cost tool for ergonomic evaluation of sewing workshops. The results also indicated that most ergonomic problems in these workshops originate from inappropriate general working conditions, work organization, manual material handling, hand tools, workstation and working post

scholarly journals Musculoskeletal Disorders in Broadcasting Engineers: The Role of Ergonomic Factors and Work Organization

2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-46
Author(s):  
K. Vangelova ◽  
B. Tzenova ◽  
V. Stanchev
Keyword(s):  
Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽  
Shift Work ◽  
Time Pressure ◽  
Work Organization ◽  
Work Schedules ◽  
Musculoskeletal Complaints ◽  
Correlation And Regression Analysis ◽  
Work Posture ◽  
White Collar Workers ◽  
Stress Fatigue

Summary The rate of musculoskeletal disorders is increasing in white collar workers and often is discussed in relation to ergonomic and work organization issues. The aim of the study was to follow the rate and determinants of musculoskeletal disorders in broadcasting engineers under shift work. Job analysis and ergonomic evaluation of the workplaces of 168 broadcasting engineers, working different shift work schedules, was carried. The self reported working conditions, psychosocial and ergonomic factors were followed. Questioning for distribution and localization of musculoskeletal complaints and diagnosed musculoskeletal disorders was carried. Data were analyzed with variation, correlation and regression analysis. A lot of ergonomic and work organization problems, simultaneous work on two monitors, changes of workplace during the shift were found. More than 50% of the employees were not content with shift work schedules, 38.7% worked often under time pressure and 23.8% in non-ergonomic work posture. A high incidence of musculoskeletal complaints mainly in the region of the back and neck was found. 35.1% of the employee reported musculoskeletal disorders, determined by non-ergonomic work posture, problems in shift work schedules, lack of control and decision making in a highly significant model. Measures for improving workplace ergonomics and work organization were proposed in order to reduce stress, fatigue and health risks in broadcasting staff.

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