Abstract
Powered hand tools have the potential to produce reaction forces that may be associated with upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (UEMSDs). This paper reports an ongoing study to quantify how operators respond to nutrunner reaction forces, with results from twelve male subjects. Three work configurations using pistol grip and angle tools were tested in the laboratory. Handle displacement due to torque reaction was recorded using a cable potentiometer. Grip force was measured on an instrumented handle attached to each tool. A full factorial experiment was designed considering working height, distance, tool, and fastener joint hardness. The results show that working height significantly affected grip force and handle displacement. The mean displacement was 22.75 mm when using pistol grip tools on a horizontal surface on a soft joint, and was 7.15 mm on the hard joint. This study provides information regarding the workstation design and tool selection that could minimize the torque reaction experienced by nutrunner operators.
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