Ovako Working Posture Analysis Research Articles

Postural analysis and ergonomic intervention of unorganized workers in indian construction sectors.

In India's fast-growing economy, the construction sector offers significant developments with huge employment opportunities but poses risks due to poor working environments and uncomfortable postures. Traditional methods, such as manual material handling, can lead to health hazards and musculoskeletal disorders such as overexertion, low back pain, etc. The purpose of this study was to analyze the working postures of unorganized employees engaged in residential buildings using Ergofellow software and to recommend changes in their unsafe working postures. Participants' working positions were video recorded and the postures were analyzed using Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) and Ovako Working Posture Analysis (OWAS). Paired sample t-tests were used to analyze significant differences between the RULA and REBA scores after the ergonomic interventions were implemented. From the analysis of RULA, REBA and OWAS, the working postures showed a high risk of potential injury and required an immediate change in employees' working postures. The RULA and REBA scores were subsequently lower after the ergonomic interventions, which were based on ergonomic and safety principles. The paired sample t-tests with p-values of less than 0.05 demonstrated decreased risks after ergonomic interventions. Working postures of the construction workers exposed to musculoskeletal disorders were examined and the ergonomic interventions were implemented. According to the recommendations, working positions were changed, and employee well-being was enhanced by reduced operational risks.

Comparing risk assessment methods for work-related musculoskeletal disorders with in vivo joint loads during manual materials handling

The validity of observational methods in ergonomics is still challenging research. Criterion validity in terms of concurrent validity is the most commonly studied. However, studies comparing observational methods with biomechanical values are rare. Thus, the aim of this study is to compare the Ovako Working Posture Analysing System (OWAS) and the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) with in vivo load measurements at hip, spine, and knee during stoop and squat lifting of 14 participants. The results reveal that OWAS and REBA action levels (AL) can distinguish between different in vivo load measurements during manual lifting. However, the results also reveal that the same OWAS- and REBA-AL do not necessarily provide equal mean values of in vivo load measurements. For example, resultant contact force in the vertebral body replacement for squat lifting ranged from 57% body weight (%BW) in OWAS-AL1 to 138%BW in OWAS-AL3 compared to 46%BW in REBA-AL0 and 173%BW in REBA-AL3. Furthermore, the results suggest that the performed squat lifting techniques had a higher risk for work-related musculoskeletal disorders than the performed stoop lifting techniques.

A Physical Fatigue Evaluation Method for Automotive Manual Assembly: An Experiment of Cerebral Oxygenation with ARE Platform

Due to the complexity of the automobile manufacturing process, some flexible and delicate assembly work relies on manual operations. However, high-frequency and high-load repetitive operations make assembly workers prone to physical fatigue. This study proposes a method for evaluating human physical fatigue for the manual assembly of automobiles with methods: NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), OWAS (Ovako Working Posture Analysis System) and RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment). The cerebral oxygenation signal is selected as an objective physiological index reflecting the human fatigue level to verify the proposed physical fatigue evaluation method. Taking auto seat assembly and automobile manual assembly as an example, 18 group experiments were carried out with the ARE platform (Augmented Reality-based Ergonomic Platform). Furthermore, predictions of metabolic energy expenditure were performed for experiments in Tecnomatix Jack. Finally, it is concluded that the proposed physical fatigue evaluation method can reflect the human physical fatigue level and is more accurate than the evaluation of metabolic energy consumption in Tecnomatix Jack because of the immersion that comes with the AR devices and the precision that comes with motion capture devices.

Identifikasi Potensi Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) pada Para Pekerja di Konveksi AA

AA Convection is a small household-scale industry that produces jeans for children. Almost the entire production process at the AA convection is manual handling. Therefore, it is necessary to identify work postures at work stations to determine the risk of injury or musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). To identify working posture, a method is needed, one of which is the Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS) method used to identify MSDs from inappropriate work activities. This study aims to identify the risk level of MSDs. On sewing and packing work and recommending work position improvements to reduce MSD complaints to workers at AA Convection. The results of this study indicate that the risk of MSDs in sewing and packing work has the same ergonomic status, with a risk level of 2nd order, which means that action is needed for some time to come. The recommendation for improving work position in sewing work is to redesign tables and chairs according to the height of workers. While the recommendation for improving work posture in packing work is to provide work desks and chairs that can also be adjusted to body height to reduce complaints and the level of risk of MSDs.

Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and postural analysis of beekeepers

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) lead to fatigue and decreased productivity in workers, resulting in the need for many affected individuals to seek medical treatment annually. Beekeepers, like other agricultural workers, are susceptible to WRMSDs due to the continuous demands of their work and the repetitive movements involved. Thus, the objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of WRMSDs and assess the level of risk associated with different postures among beekeepers to improve their musculoskeletal health. To achieve this, a cross-sectional study was conducted involving 33 beekeepers, consisting of two stages. Firstly, the Nordic Questionnaire was utilized to assess the prevalence of WRMSDs. Subsequently, the Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS) was employed to analyze and categorize the riskiest postures into four levels of corrective measures. The findings indicate that the most commonly affected areas were the back (51.5%) and waist (45.4%). The occurrence of WRMSDs in various body regions was significantly associated with the beekeepers’ years of experience and weekly working hours. Additionally, the prevalence of neck and back pain was significantly related to their body mass index (BMI). The OWAS postural analysis revealed that the back (36.75%) and arm (21.08%) regions required corrective measures as soon as possible (level III), while the back (26.47%) and legs (14.70%) fell under the category of corrective measures needed in the near future (level II). Combining the postural analysis results, 28.43% were classified as Action Levels (AL) II, 37.73% as level III, and 0.98% as level IV. This study demonstrates that WRMSDs are relatively common among beekeepers, primarily due to their extensive work experience and the adoption of awkward postures during their tasks. As a result, recommendations regarding ergonomics and physiotherapy are provided to alleviate pain and reduce the strain on critical postures.

ANALISIS ERGONOMIS PADA ALAT MINI CULTIVATOR PENGOLAH LAHAN PERTANIAN BERDASARKAN METODE NBM DAN OWAS

This research aims to: (1) Analyzing the ergonomics of mini cultivator tools based on the Nordic Body Map (NBM) method, and (2) Analyzing the ergonomics of mini cultivator tools based on the Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS) method. The method in this study was experimental, and the data were analyzed by quantitative descriptive method. The research sample amounted to 5 farmers. The results showed that in the initial posture, namely the upright back position, a score of 1122 category 1 was obtained, which means that the posture is not dangerous and does not need to be improved. In the work posture when running the mini cultivator tool, a score of 2173 category 3 is obtained, which means that the straight work posture must be improved immediately. The results of filling out the NBM questionnaire show that farmers still feel "a little sick" in straight work postures. Meanwhile, the turning posture obtained a score of 4173 category 3 which means that immediate improvement is needed. The results of filling out the NBM questionnaire show that farmers still feel "very sick" in the turning posture. Thus, the mini cultivator tool still needs improvement in several aspects of ergonomics and is discussed in the results of this study

Ergonomics assessment of the overhead maintenance of vehicle-mounted radar antenna using digital human modelling

The maintenance of vehicle-mounted radar antenna (VMRA) is a typical overhead work by manual handling, where exertions, awkward postures and approaching the ends of range of motion are often necessitated. When performing the maintenance tasks, workers are likely to be exposed to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), which may generate impingement, rotator cuff injury, tendonitis, and localized muscle fatigue. To reduce the occurrence probability of WMSDs and provide effective suggestions for workers in the maintenance of VMRA, digital human modelling (DHM) is employed to evaluate, interpret, and visualize the negative impacts resulting from improper working posture. Based on task simulation builder (TSB), several methods are employed and integrated for ergonomics assessment of the maintenance of VMRA, including metabolic energy expenditure (MEE) rate, comfortability of upper limb joints, working posture analysis with Ovako working posture analysis system (OWAS), and working risk analysis with rapid upper limb assessment (RULA). Ergonomics assessment results are as follows: (1) screwing out bolts results in the most total metabolic cost; (2) disassembly sequence 4 → ​3 → 2 ​→ ​1 contributes to the highest comfortability of upper limb joints; (3) the discomfort rating of working posture is high, and upper arm and neck face the greatest risk of exposure in the maintenance of VMRA.

Improvement of working posture in the metal casting industry to prevent musculoskeletal disorders

Less ergonomic work postures such as bending and squatting have the potential to pose work risks. When muscles receive static loads repeatedly and for a long time, it causes complaints of damage to joints, ligaments, and tendons commonly referred to as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) or injuries to the musculoskeletal system. This study aimed to determine the level of risk of work postures performed by workers in each work activity using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) and Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS) methods and provide suggestions for improving work postures to minimise the occurrence of work risks. The research was conducted at the foundry of metal in the Casting section. Initial data in the form of Nordic Body Map (NBM) questionnaire data used to determine complaints in the musculoskeletal system and data in the form of image documentation on each work activity used as material for analysing the assessment of the REBA and OWAS methods. Proposals for improving the working posture were given in the form of adding foundations for moulding and pattern-making activities, the design of tools for metal liquid pouring activities, and furnace designs for metal smelting. Proposals for improving the working posture were given in the form of adding foundations for moulding and pattern making, the design of tools for metal liquid pouring, and furnace designs for metal smelting.

Risk Evaluation of Musculoskeletal Disorders and Design of Lifting-carrying Facilities

There are main activities of the worker in UD Askan such as splitting the fish, carrying, and lifting the tubs. Work activities are done manually and the production process continually undergoes. The frequency of activity (15 cycles) in a day causes the risk of fatigue, injury, and Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs). Evaluation of the work posture of four workers by Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS) and Job Strain Index (JSI) methods showed high risk in the process of lifting and carrying a tank. The previous posture caused the worker to bend forward, both legs standing or squatting with both knees, and walk by carrying a tub. The results recommend solving soonest due to the danger to the musculoskeletal. The recommendation shows that lifting methods are required and the design of lifting and transporting equipment is needed. The evaluation posture by OWAS show that the process of carrying a tank is 3 level (immediate repair because it is harmful to the musculoskeletal), and after improvement, it is 1 level (not harmful to the musculoskeletal). Then, JSI indicates any improvement from the 3 levels (posing a hazard) to level 1 (safe work).

Postural strain of spinner and casting workers of a small-scale aluminium utensil making factory

Background: Small scale establishments often neglect the worker safety and comfort which impacts both productivity and workers’ safety. Various studies have been conducted in such small-scale establishments but not much has been done on aluminium utensil manufacturing factories. Spinning and casting are two important processes for manufacturing of aluminium utensils. But not much has been studied to assess the hazards of the involved workers. The present study is an attempt to explore this previously unnoticed area. Methods: The study was conducted in different small scale aluminium utensil factories in West Bengal. Sixteen spinners and seventeen casting workers were evaluated for this study. The analysis of posture was done by rapid upper limb assessment (RULA), rapid entire body assessment (REBA) and Ovako working posture analysis system (OWAS). The body parts discomfort was assessed by using Cornell musculoskeletal discomfort questionnaire and Nordic questionnaire was also used to assess the pain they experience. Results: All the casting workers are experiencing postural load beyond the recommended limit whereas in case of spinner, five workers experienced less postural load due to favorable work conditions. Casting workers mainly suffered from low back, neck, right shoulder pain whereas spinners suffered from wrist and finger pain followed by lower extremity pain. Conclusions: Both group of workers are experiencing postural load and discomfort. In case of casting workers, the prevalence was high and immediate interventions are needed. The discomfort is particularly high during the end of shifts.

Is low-cost motion capture with artificial intelligence applicable for human working posture risk assessment during manual material handling? A pilot study.

Assessing working posture risks is important for occupational safety and health. However, low-cost assessment techniques for human motion injuries in the logistics delivery industry have rarely been reported. To propose a novel approach for posture risk assessment using low-cost motion capture with artificial intelligence. A Kinect was adopted to obtain red-green-blue (RGB) and depth images of the subject with 24 postures, and the human joints were extracted using artificial intelligence. The images were registered to obtain the actual three-dimensional (3D) human joint angle. The root mean square error (RMSE) significantly decreased. Finally, two common methods for evaluating human working posture injuries-the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment and Ovako Working Posture Analysis System-were investigated. The outputs of the proposed method are consistent with those of the commercial ergonomic evaluation software.

Analysis of Working Posture in Mathadi Workers using the Computerized Ovako Working Posture Analysing System (OWAS)

Background: Navi Mumbai holds a large-scale market in Vashi that is the APMC market. Hence, several mathadi workers work there on regular basis. Purpose: The analysis was done to identify the working posture of the mathadi workers and whether they require any changes or not Method: Sixty mathadi workers who had spent at least one year on the job participated in this survey. They were recruited by non-probability sample of convenience from APMC market situated in Navi mumbai.

Classification of body postures using smart workwear

BackgroundDespite advancing automation, employees in many industrial and service occupations still have to perform physically intensive work that may have negative effects on the health of the musculoskeletal system. For targeted preventive measures, precise knowledge of the work postures and movements performed is necessary.MethodsPrototype smart work clothes equipped with 15 inertial sensors were used to record reference body postures of 20 subjects. These reference postures were used to create a software-based posture classifier according to the Ovako Working Posture Analysing System (OWAS) by means of an evolutionary training algorithm.ResultsA total of 111,275 posture shots were recorded and used for training the classifier. The results show that smart workwear, with the help of evolutionary trained software classifiers, is in principle capable of detecting harmful postures of its wearer. The detection rate of the evolutionary trained classifier (bar{a}_{ccr} = 0.35 for the postures of the back, bar{a}_{ccr} = 0.64 for the arms, and bar{a}_{ccr} = 0.25 for the legs) outperforms that of a TensorFlow trained classifying neural network.ConclusionsIn principle, smart workwear – as prototypically shown in this paper – can be a helpful tool for assessing an individual’s risk for work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Numerous potential sources of error have been identified that can affect the detection accuracy of software classifiers required for this purpose.

Cost and Workload Assessment of Agricultural Drone Sprayer: A Case Study of Rice Production in Japan

The shortage of labor is one of the major challenges facing agriculture in Japan. Technological innovations are required to overcome the limitations of the workload per worker. One such innovation is smart agriculture, which utilizes advanced technologies such as robots, AI, and IoT. This study aimed to provide data on the workload and pest control costs for the development of sustainable agriculture. The cost of pest control was compared between a boom sprayer, power sprayer, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for two model rice farmers. The Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS) and metabolic equivalent (METs) were used to measure workloads while using UAVs. The labor cost was reduced to half with the usage of UAVs compared with conventional machines. The resulting METs, or physical activity during pest-control work using UAVs, could be lower than those when using pest control machines. Through OWAS, 63.86% of the total jobs using UAVs were identified as having a low risk of musculoskeletal injury. The results suggest that UAVs could compensate for the shortage of workers, and these are effective tools to support the expansion of the agricultural area.

Systematic Comparison of OWAS, RULA, and REBA Based on a Literature Review.

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.

Working posture analysis on oyster mushroom farmers using OWAS method in Lempake, Samarinda, East Kalimantan

A preliminary survey showed that oyster mushroom farmers in Lempake Samarinda experienced pain in several body segments, especially at their waist. It may be attributable to the working condition that requires non-ergonomic postures such as frequent awkward posture in sitting or standing position. Therefore, this paper aims to assess the working posture in oyster mushroom farmers. Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS) method was applied to measure the risk level of farmers' working posture. A total of ten activities were observed from the oyster mushroom cultivations' process in four cultivations in Lempake, Samarinda, Indonesia. Each activity was assessed using the OWAS category based on the position of the back, arms, legs, and load. The result showed that 10% of farmers' working posture was classified in the 4th risk level category, categorized as highly dangerous for the musculoskeletal system, so direct improvement was needed. Furthermore, 10% of working postures were classified in the 3rd risk level category, and 60% of working posture was in the 2nd risk level category, which is categorized as dangerous for the musculoskeletal system and could cause significant tension so that improvement in the future as needed. On the other hand, 20% of working posture was classified in the 1st category which was safe for the musculoskeletal system

Implementation of SMED techniques to improve machine capacity and work posture analysis using OWAS: A case study in steel company

The increasing number of high buildings resulted in rising demand for building materials, especially wire mesh. The research was conducted at a steel company to increase production capacity by reducing setup time on drawing machine and improving work posture on the welding machine. Setup time decreased 5.86 minutes and effective capacity increased 21% as a result of setup process re-arrangement using Single Minutes Exchange of Die (SMED) technique and Maynard Operation Sequence Technique (MOST) is used to determine process time. Work posture analysis using Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS) in the welding machine and development wire mesh’s table decrease number of operating procedures from 7 activities to 6 activities and change working postures from bad work postureto good work posture.

Comparison of OWAS, RULA and REBA for assessing potential work-related musculoskeletal disorders

This study compared three representative observational methods for assessing musculoskeletal loadings: Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS), Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), and Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA). The comparison was based on 209 cases of upper-body musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) diagnosed by medical doctors. The most awkward/stressful posture in each participant's tasks was assessed using these techniques. Postural loadings were rated more highly by the RULA than by the OWAS and REBA (p < 0.01). The chi-square test and logistic regression analysis showed that only RULA grand score and action level, and REBA action level were associated with MSD work-relatedness (p < 0.01, p < 0.05, and p < 0.05, respectively). The percentage concordant values of the logistic model for the RULA grand score and action level were 52.4% and 44.8%, respectively, while the percentage concordant value for the REBA action level was 22.1%. Therefore, the RULA may be the best system for estimating the postural loads and work-relatedness of MSDs. Relevance to industryWork-related musculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of workplace disability in the developed countries. For preventing the disorders, quantification of musculoskeletal loads is required.

Working posture analysis of wall building activities in construction works using the OWAS method

Activities of construction works are carried out manually and continuously with critical and repetitive working postures. The poor working condition causes fatigue, musculoskeletal disorder, in the worst case could lead to working accident. The paper discussed critical working postures of construction works of house construction project in Indonesia. Three mains activities have been identified to be studied, namely building up the brick wall, plastering the wall, and casting the concrete column. The activities were video recorded, the dimension of the work place and its component were measured and further analyzed in ergonomics laboratory. The postures were studied using Ovako Working Posture Analysis System (OWAS) method to identify their critical levels. The improvements were proposed to remove the critical posture and reduce the risk of injury. Result of the study showed that building up the brick wall was the most critical task since it has 2 critical postures, while plastering the wall and casting the concrete column have 1 critical posture respectively. The propose improvement has successfully removed the critical posture and reduce the risk of injury.

The Implementation of Digital Ergonomics Modeling to Design a Human-Friendly Working Process in a Postal Branch

In today’s business world, there are two very important health issues that the employees in the service sector are faced with: Spinal disease, especially in the lower back, and carpal tunnel syndrome. These are well-known musculoskeletal disorders. To preserve the health of its employees and prevent professional illnesses, and to thus maximize their efficiency, companies must use knowledge from the field of ergonomics. This study aims to examine the work-related health problems that the workers in transportation companies are faced with. As a case study, a postal company from Serbia is considered, with particular attention paid to the counter clerks. The research was carried out in one branch of the postal operator. All six postal clerks working at the considered branch were subjects of the study. The workers were observed visually by the researchers and recorded while performing their job tasks. Based on the analysis of their movements and body positions, the evaluation of their level of risk exposure was determined using the Ergo Fellow software, specifically with five packages within this program (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment, Rapid Entire Body Assessment, Ovako working posture analysis system, Moore and Garg, and Suzanne Rodgers). As a result of the implemented tools, the analysts are in a position to conclude what should be changed in the work organization.