Abstract
This study aimed to systematically compare three representative observational methods for assessing musculoskeletal loadings and their association with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs): Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS), Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), and Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA). The comparison was based on a literature review without time limitations and was conducted on various factors related to observational methods. The comparisons showed that although it has a significant limitation of comprising only two classifications for the leg postures, (1) the RULA is the most frequently used method among the three techniques; (2) many studies adopted the RULA even in evaluation of unstable lower limb postures; (3) the RULA assessed postural loads as higher risk levels in most studies reviewed in this research; (4) the intra- and inter-reliabilities for the RULA were not low; and (5) the risk levels assessed by the RULA were more significantly associated with postural load criteria such as discomfort, MHTs and % capable at the trunk, and MSDs.
Highlights
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are one of the most frequent occupational disabilities in the industry
Other relevant literature was supplemented based on the reference lists of these articles and via a search of the electronic databases such as ScienceDirect and Scopus without time limitations using the following keywords: “Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS),” “Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA)” and “Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA).” Of the 190 papers/articles searched, 109 studies that were not related to this study, included a method or did not deal with any of the comparison factors used in this study were discarded
While the OWAS assesses only the loadings of posture and force/external load, the RULA and REBA evaluate the exposure to posture and force/external load as well as repeated and static posture effects
Summary
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are one of the most frequent occupational disabilities in the industry. Work-related musculoskeletal load due to awkward or static postures, excessive amount of force, repetitive effort, etc., is known to be a strong risk factor for developing WMSDs [4]. Of the varying assessment methods, observational techniques have been used more frequently. While the use of direct measurement approaches, including motion capture/measurement, electronic goniometer, and push/pull force sensors, has minimally increased, the use of observational methods, such as Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) [8], Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) [9] and Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS) [10], by US ergonomists has significantly increased in 2017, compared to that in 2005 [11]. The observational techniques are inexpensive, easy to use, flexible, and do not interfere with workers’ tasks or the jobs being performed [5,12,13,14,15,16]
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