Development of a Multi-Joint Postural Exposure Assessment Tool for Job Rotation

Abstract

With practitioners more often adopting job rotation practices in their facilities, there is an increased necessity for effective methods to measure the complex exposures in the diverse jobs that may be selected for a particular job rotation scheme. Potential methods need to be both versatile and simple, ensuring easy application and low cost. The current study developed and evaluated the potential of a video-based analysis method that combines the exposure measure of four body regions: neck, shoulder, low back, and hand/wrist. Three experienced analysts assessed the postural load for all jobs within fifteen different job rotation schemes at a manufacturing facility. Several potential indices were developed, computed and discussed. Overall, the video-based analyses evaluated in the current study provide an easy and cost effective method that allows a practitioner to compare multiple stressors at one time. Future work will evaluate the effectiveness of the method in actually controlling musculoskeletal disorders as well as incorporate other risk factor exposures such as forces, repetition and motion.