A study of three preventive approaches to low back injury

A study of three preventive approaches to low back injury

The plans for collecting the data were developed after interviews with law enforcement officials and manufacturers of police equipment, consultations ...

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The plans for collecting the data were developed after interviews with law enforcement officials and manufacturers of police equipment, consultations with physical anthropologists, and a review of pertinent anthropometric literature. The data base consists of two components: detailed body measurements of approximately 3000 male law enforcement officers and short form survey responses on the height, weight, and age of approximately 10 000 additional officers.

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Croney, J.E. Sizing up young women. British Clothing ManuCacturer, 1978, 14.8, 25; abstr in World Textile Abstracts.

There are several factors which affect the lifting capacity. These factors can be categorised under the following: (1) individual characteristics, (2) task variables, and (3) environmental conditions. This paper presents the methods used to determine the lifting capacity for male and female industrial workers, as well as the models developed to predict this capacity under several conditions of the task variables (height level, frequency, and box size). Since overloading and underloading in manual materials handling is undesirable, field data were collected to investigate the effects of job demands on manual materials handling injuries. As op,posed to the physiological approach no difference was found in the lifting capacity due to age. While both weight and work rate are important, work rate was a more effective and logical single measure of back injuries or stress than weight.

A summary is given of an anthropometric survey of 311 young British women students carried out by the London College of Fashion. The results obtained show some significant differences compared with those of a 10.3.22 (76294) comprehensive twenty-year survey Snook, S.H., Campanelli, R.A., and (W.F.F. Kemsley: Women's Measurements Hart, J.W. and sizes, HMSO, London, 1949). A study of three preventive approaches to low back injury. Journal of. Occupational Medicine, Jul 1978, 20.7,478 481; abstr in CIS Abstracts 10.3.20 (76280) (CIS 78-1986). White, R.M. Anthropometry of women of the U.S. Prevention of low-back injuries in Army. In: Proceedings of the 22nd industry has been attempted by Annual Meeting of the Human Factors (1) careful selection of workers, Society, 'People on the Move', Detroit, (2) training in safe lifitng techniques, Michigan, 1 6 - 1 9 October, 1978, and (3) ergonomic design of jobs to pp 456 460. fit the worker. Results are given of a study of 191 low-back injuries. Neither A new anthropometric survey of of the first two approaches is an US Army women was planned and effective control for low-back injuries. carried out in 1976-1977 in response to the need for current and comprehensive Partial control (at best 67%) is possible by way of ergonomic redesigning of body size data for the women who manual handling tasks. make up an increasingly large part of the United States Army. The main purpose of the survey was to obtain 10.3.23 (76295) and develop statistical data on the body Ayoub, M.M. sizes and proportions of Army workLifitng capacity of workers. Journal space and strength measurements. o f Human Ergology, Dec 1977, 6.2, While there has been relatively little 187-192. change in the body dimensions of In order to establish a valid criteria Army women between 1946 and on which to establish lifting guidelines, 1977, comparisons of data for men lifting capacity determination must and women clearly show that serious be made. This has been attempted design and sizing problems will be using several approaches mainly psychoencountered in the development of physical, physiological, and biomechanical clothing and equipment intended for methodologies. Although the data use by both Army men and women. obtained from these approaches yield information about lifting capacity, 10.3.21 (76288) some conflict in these data can be Mital, A. et al found. The purpose of this paper is to Relationship between lifting capacity discuss the three different approaches, and injury in occupations requiring the data obtained from these lifting. In: Proceedings of the 22rid approaches, and some data on the Annual Meeting of the Human Factors lifting capacity for males and females Society, 'People on the Move', Detroit, in the industrial workforce. In addition, Michigan, 16 19 October 1978, the conflicts in these data are also pp 4 6 9 - 4 7 3 . presented.

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Horino, S. Environment factors and work performance of foundry workers. Journal o f Human Ergolog.v, Dec 1977, 6.2, 159-166. Environmental factors such as atmospheric conditions, lighting, noise, and dust in foundry factories of different sizes were evaluated by direct physical measurements and a subjective rating method using an ergonomic checklist. Working postures and subjective feeelings of fatigue of the workers were analysed in various types of foundry shops. The results showed that workload was highly connected with poor working postures and unfavourable arrangement of work space as well as with poor workplace environment, particularly in terms of dust and noise. Forward bending and squatting positions, which were attributable to the manual working height on or just above the floor level, occupied 70 90% of the actual working time handling large-sized casts, while the work using a table allowed workers more frequent erect standing postures. It seemed essential to redesign the fundamental working processes and to improve the work surface height. A comparison was then made as to performance patterns and electromyographic activities of main muscles between the traditional moulding work on the floor and the work at a newly developed hydraulic lift-table operated by foot pedals. The new table assured the worker of an optimal standing position and proved to be an effective means of redesigning the workspace.

Visual displays 10.3.25 (76321)

Spencer, H., and Reynolds, L. Directional signing and labelling in libraries and museums: A review of current theory and practice. TRC Report No T78-6187; The British Library, Report No BLRD-5415, Sep 1977, 117 pp; abstr in R a n d D Abstracts. A study by the print research unit at the Royal College of Art to examine current practice in the provision of graphic inform ation in libraries, museums and other information centres. Signing, guiding and labelling systems in 27 libraries and 18 museums were examined in detail. Includes an analysis and a list of manufacturers of signs and labels and of equipment and materials for preparing them.

Applied Ergonomics September 1979

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