1631e Update on german risk assessment tools for upper limb msds

As one of the leading cement companies in Indonesia, PT Semen Padang is known for its extensive distribution network. As the largest cement factory, the employees at this company engage in work that requires a high level of physical and mental effort. Although the tasks performed by the employees may be similar, the experience of psychological workload can vary greatly among them. The TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) and AFR (Alternative Fuel and Raw Material) departments in the company have several routine activities carried out daily. The numerous job demands that require physical exertion within limited time constraints can lead to a high workload level for employees in TPM and AFR. This workload is not limited to physical aspects but also includes psychological impacts that can disrupt employees’s concentration and performance. In this study, questionnaires were given to 7 employees from TPM and 7 employees from AFR. Based on the research conducted on physical workload using the CVL method, AFR employees experienced more physical workload compared to TPM employees. In terms of mental workload, using the NASA-TLX method, both TPM and AFR employees had 2 employees each with very high mental workload.

Objectives: This study aimed at measuring the mental and physical workload and its association with the prevalence of wrist disorders. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 120 female workers working in the assembly line of a porcelain company. The mental and physical workloads and also the prevalence of wrist disorders were measured using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) questionnaire, the OCRA method, and the Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire for wrists and hands, respectively. Results: The results showed that 63.3% of the participants had discomfort in their wrist and hands. The Mann-Whitney test results showed that OCRA risk levels were significantly higher in those with wrist pain than those without. The NASA-TLX results revealed that the physical demands and effort (78.79 ± 19.562 and 78.37 ± 20.002, respectively) had the higher scores among the 6 subscales of NASA-TLX, which were significantly higher in those with wrist pain. Conclusions: The findings suggested a high rate of physical and mental workloads and also the wrist disorders in the assembly line workers of the porcelain company. It seems that mental workload is one of the risk factors associated with the incidence of MSDs. Therefore, the high amount of mental workload should be considered as a risk factor.

Assessments of Physical Workload in Sonography Tasks Using Inclinometry, Goniometry, and Electromyography

Introduction: Occupational health must be considered in the workplace. Cases of overweight and obesity among workers in the manufacturing sector have increased. This study analyzes the relationship between physical workload and personal factors related to nutritional status among manufacturing workers. Methods: This study used an observational analytic study with a cross-sectional design. The variables of this study were physical workload, nutritional status, and personal factors such as gender, educational level, exercise habits, and smoking habits. The sample in this study was 239 workers in the manufacturing industry, and it was obtained using random sampling techniques. Data were analyzed using the Spearman correlation and coefficient contingency test. Result: More than half of the total cases of overweight and obesity occur in manufacturing workers who have a low physical workload. More than half of the respondents are female, do not have a high school education, and have never exercised. Most do not have a smoking habit. The results showed that physical workload (p=0.001), exercise habits (p=0.001), gender (p=0,004), and educational level (p=0.037) were related to nutritional status. In contrast, manufacturing workers' smoking habits were not associated with nutritional status (p>0.05). Conclusion: Physical workload, exercise habits, gender, and educational level have a relationship with nutritional status among workers, it is recommended that workers must increase their exercise routine such as implementing scheduled sports shifts for workers and providing sports facilities in companies so the case of being obesity can be decreased.

Return to work (RTW) and resumption of driving (ROD) are critical factors that influence postoperative quality of life in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, few studies have focused on the minimally invasive (MIS) approach and its effect on these outcomes. To investigate RTW and ROD's timelines and influencing factors following anterior MIS-THA. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 124 patients who underwent anterior MIS-THA. Data on the demographics, occupational physical demands, and RTW/ROD timelines were also collected. Clinical outcomes were measured using standardised scoring systems. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the differences between the groups based on employment status and physical workload. Among employed patients, the RTW rate was 94.7%, with an average return time of five weeks. The average ROD time was 3.5 weeks across all patients. Despite similar postoperative clinical scores, RTW time was significantly influenced by occupations' physical workload, with heavier physical demands associated with delayed RTW. Anterior MIS-THA facilitates early RTW and ROD, particularly in occupations with lower physical demands. These findings highlight the importance of considering occupational and physical workload in postoperative care planning to optimize recovery outcomes.

Health care is one of the leading sectors of the national economy in Latvia, where employees according to the official statistics make up 6.7% of all employees in the country. In 2022. Today, physical load and stress at work are an integral part of everyday life in various professions. It places a heavy burden on workers` mental and physical abilities. Work related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD`s) are the most common causes of occupational diseases, injuries, and disabilities for various professions, including staff in the operating block. When cognitive demands increase and are not balanced with employees' abilities, employees' health suffers (Bakker & Demerouti, 2007; Johnson & Hall, 1988; Karasek, 1979). The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction of physical and mental strain for surgeons and nurses in operating theater.Methods and materials. The research was performed at one of the hospitals in Latvia. Altogether participated 8 operating surgeons (7 males, 1 female) and 10 surgery nurses (2 males, 8 females). Interaction of mental and physical load was determined using subjective and multidimensional assessment tool: The NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) (Hart, 2006). This method is a multidimensional rating system for assessment of general or total workload based on results of the six sub scales: mental demands, physical demands, temporary demands, task performance, effort and frustration. Psychosocial aspects were considered when assessing mental strain, including working hours, work content, work team interrelations.ResultsThe results of NASA-TLX analysis show that highest degree of total workload considering mental and physical load interaction was identified for physicians  surgeons (75 points). Surgeons have a very high responsibility on the executable work, and they have been involved in responsible decision making, for example, saving the patient's life. Physical demands of the surgeons are mainly based in connection with postural load (prolonged standing on legs, forced working postures) and repetitive hand-arm movements. As work of surgery nurses is characterized with prolonged standing on legs and compulsive posture, load on upper limbs, the NASA-TLX analysis shows that physical load of surgery nurses is evaluated up to 78 points, but temporal load indicator for surgery nurses resulted in 83 points (highest degree), work performance conforms to 80 points, which indicates a high level of responsibility. Conclusion The interaction of a mental and physical load using NASA-TLX method allowed to estimate the total workload and compare the significance in percent (or weight scores) of different demands (stress at work, an effort, frustration, quality of performance, a.o.). The physical workload is higher for surgery nurses than for operating surgeons, as according to the NASA-TLX analysis psycho-emotional workload (responsibility for the patient's life, time pressure, decision making) is higher than physical workload for operating surgeons. Physical workload (frequent arm movements, standing, lifting and carrying) for surgery nurses significantly influences their total workload.Acknowledgment: This research has been supported by the project “Work Related Musculoskeletal Disorders and Psychosocial Risks for Operating Room Health Care Staff”, Agreement No. LU-BA-PA-2024/1-0044, UL registration No. ESS2024/465.

Introduction: Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders are common among healthcare workers especially nurses, and because they are preventable, attention should be raised towards the importance of training as the first step for improving both health of nurses and quality of patient care thus decreasing both human and economic costs. Aim of work: This study was conducted to assess the prevalence of workrelated musculoskeletal disorders, to implement an ergonomic training program and to evaluate the effect of ergonomic intervention program nurses’ physical workload and work style. Materials and methods: intensive care units’ nurses from two hospitals participated in the study and completed questionnaires including Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire, physical work load questionnaire and Workstyle Short Form questionnaire. An intervention training program was conducted in one hospital on ergonomic principles, musculoskeletal disorders, patient manual-handling techniques, stretching and relaxation exercises for major body regions, other hospital regardedas control. Evaluation of the effect of the program was conducted after 6 months. Results: Low back pain was the commonest cause of job change among intervention and control hospitals nurses (11.9%, 13.0% respectively). Most of nurses reported a moderate physical workload. There was significant reduction in physical work load and improvement in the Work style after intervention (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Considering the fact of decreased resources needed to equip the Egyptian hospitals with advanced patient handling equipment and as a glance of hope to improve nurses’ health and safety while performing their job, our ergonomic training program showed significant improvement in nurses’ activities that will help in reducing Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSDs) and thus improvement of their quality of life.

During the last two decades two potent groups of predictors for work-related musculoskeletal problems have been identified: physical work load and poor psychosocial working conditions. However, little is known about their combined effects. In this study the buffering effect of control at work with respect to the negative effects of psychological demands and physical work load on musculoskeletal problems is examined. All study variables were sampled from 431 people working in geriatric nursing homes in Germany by means of questionnaires. Main effects and interactions were tested with multiple regression analysis. The results showed that control buffered the effects of high psychological demands, but not of high physical work load; the buffering effect of control was observed only when physical work load was low. The combined effects of demands and physical work load were over-additive. Thus, the power of different predictors for musculoskeletal symptoms depended on the level of other predictors. This suggests that the efficiency of certain strategies for the prevention of musculoskeletal problems is likely to depend on the level of risk factors, with different strategies being appropriate for different levels of risk.

Although assembly lines are designed to be highly efficient and very cost effective, they have been criticised for their effects on workers. Assembly workers usually perform repetitive tasks and sit or stand for long periods of time, therefore they are at high risk of work-related injuries such as musculoskeletal disorders. In this study, we present a new assembly line balancing problem that incorporates not only task precedence and processing times but also physical workloads in order to reduce work-related injuries. We consider the physical workload of a task as a fuzzy concept and propose a fuzzy linear programming model. The proposed model is applied to an assembly line balancing problem in a textile company and to some of the benchmark problems in order to illustrate the effects of physical workloads.

Occupational injury rates among hotel workers exceed the national service sector average. This study assesses the prevalence of back and neck pain, and its associations with physical workload, ergonomic problems, and increasing work demands. Nine hundred forty-one unionized hotel room cleaners completed a survey about health and working conditions. Associations between job demands and pain were determined by logistic regression models adjusting for individual characteristics, cumulative work demands, care-taking responsibilities at home, and psychosocial job factors. The 1-month prevalence of severe bodily pain was 47% in general, 43% for neck, 59% for upper back, and 63% for low back pain. Workers in the highest exposure quartiles for physical workload and ergonomic problems were between 3.24 and 5.42 times more likely to report severe pain than workers in the lowest quartile. Adjusted odds ratios for work intensification ranged from 1.74 (upper back) to 2.33 (neck). Most room cleaners experience severe back or neck pain. Severe pain showed strong associations with physical workload, work intensification, and ergonomic problems.

As ergonomics has become an integral part of the design process, digital human modeling is a rapidly emerging area that links computer-aided engineering design, human factors engineering and applied ergonomics. This paper briefly presents some of the basic principles of user-centered design and their relationship to ergonomics, together with the application of digital human modeling (DHM) in the design process of an assistive walking aid for elderly users with low mobility, considering the assessment of risk and comfort of the system. The use of DHM in order to improve certain features of a system or product is not a new concept, various types of digital human models being used for over 35 years. Using the Human Builder module in CATIA V5 two human models are generated with the help of anthropometric data collected from a group of &gt;65 years old participants living in assistive care centers. The models are further employed in testing the safety and comfort level of the walking aid currently used by the participants, resulting the need of immediate changes in the device.

Robotics holds the potential to streamline the execution of repetitive and dangerous tasks, which are difficult or impossible for a human operator. However, in complex scenarios, such as nuclear waste management or disaster response, full automation often proves unfeasible due to the diverse and intricate nature of tasks, coupled with the unpredictable hazards, and is typically prevented by stringent regulatory frameworks. Consequently, the predominant approach to managing activities in such settings remains human teleoperation. Teleoperation can be demanding, especially in high-stress situations, and involves a complex blend of both cognitive and physical workload. We present an experiment to explore a range of physiological and performance-related metrics for workload assessment during robotic teleoperation. Thirty-five participants performed a teleoperation task, during which we manipulated cognitive and physical workload conditions. We recorded multiple metrics, including brain activity using functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy, galvanic skin responses, cardiovascular responses, subjective workload ratings, task and robot performance data. Our results suggest that robotic teleoperation performance may be the most robust metric for distinguishing between different levels of workload experienced during teleoperation, with most physiological measures becoming insignificant to distinguish high cognitive workload.

Five-year prospective cohort study of 1449 transit operators. To investigate psychosocial job factors as predictors of work-related spinal injuries, controlling for current and past physical workload. The association between psychosocial job factors and spinal disorders may be confounded by physical workload. A 1991 prospective study of Boeing workers found psychosocial but not physical factors to be associated with spinal injuries. However, data on physical workload were limited. Recent cross-sectional studies of transit drivers showed both physical and psychosocial factors to be independently associated with back and neck pain. This study was designed to test these findings prospectively. Spinal injuries were ascertained from workers' compensation records, employment history from company records, and psychosocial factors from questionnaires. Logistic regression models adjusted for age, gender, height, weight, vehicle type, and current and past physical workload. During follow-up, 320 drivers reported a first spinal injury. Spinal injury was predicted by psychological job demands (odds ratio [OR], 1.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.33-1.95); job dissatisfaction (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.09-2.23); and the frequency of job problems (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.02-2.26). Marginally significant associations were found for low supervisor support (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 0.99-1.72) and female gender (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 0.95-2.32). Compared with full-time work, part-time work was associated with a 2.7-fold reduced risk for spinal injury (OR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.15-0.93). Cable car crews performing the heaviest physical labor had a threefold increased risk of spinal injury compared with bus drivers (OR, 3.04; 95% CI, 1.85-5.00). Physical workload and psychosocial job factors both independently predict spinal injury in transit vehicle operators.

The role of human resources is very important to carry out work processes and achieve company goals. Companies need to pay attention to special skills or competencies to achieve goals. To produce optimal performance, human resources need protection in the form of occupational safety and health. To achieve this, companies need to pay attention to the factors that affect worker fatigue. The factors that influence worker fatigue come from two factors, namely internal factors (age, gender, nutritional status, health status, psychological state of the workforce), and external factors (workload and years of service, physical work environment). This study aims to analyze the relationship between physical workload, mental workload, and breakfast habits for PT. Pos Indonesia Semarang City. This research was a quantitative study using the coss sectional method. The instruments used were the IFRC Questionnaire to examine Work Fatigue, the NASA TLX questionnaire to examine mental workload and physical workload using workload measurements based on the level of Calorie Requirements. The population in this study were 121 employees. The sampling technique used was incidental sampling technique, namely the technique of determining the sample by chance, given the conditions that made it impossible to meet respondents directly during the pandemic, this technique was applied to anyone who was willing to fill out a questionnaire while still paying attention to the existing sample criteria. . Based on the results of the Spearman rank statistical test, it was found that there was no relationship between age (0.101&gt; ρ value), physical workload (0.584&gt; ρ value), and breakfast habits (0.982&gt; ρ value) and work fatigue. However, there was a significant relationship between work fatigue on expedition couriers with their mental workload.

BackgroundIt is usually assumed that musculoskeletal pain is associated with both the physical workload and the psychosocial work environment, as well as with personal and lifestyle factors. This study aims to ascertain the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in women with varying or different occupational exposures, and to explore the associations between musculoskeletal pain and the occupational and personal factors.MethodsA questionnaire on physical, psychosocial and individual factors was answered by 1591 women in five occupational groups with contrasting occupational exposures (teachers, anaesthetic, theatre, and assistant nurses, and sonographers). The outcome measure was musculoskeletal pain (in a new model based on frequency and intensity of complaints the preceding year) from the neck, shoulders, hands, lower back and feet.ResultsNeck pain was equally frequent among teachers, assistant nurses and sonographers, and less frequent in anaesthetic and theatre nurses. The sonographers experienced the highest prevalence of shoulder pain, while the assistant nurses were the most affected in the wrists and hands, lower back, and feet.The teachers reported the highest scores in most of the psychosocial dimensions. The theatre nurses scored highest in strenuous work postures and movements (mechanical exposure index, MEI), and the assistant nurses in physical activity and lifting (physical exposure index, PHYI). Multivariable models in the total population showed that both the physical workload and the psychosocial work environment were associated with pain in all body regions, though different factors affected different regions. Pain in the neck, shoulders, hands and lower back was strongly associated with a high MEI and high job demands, while pain in the feet was associated with a high PHYI and a high BMI. A young age was associated with pain in the neck, and an older age was associated with pain in the hands and feet. Lack of time for personal recovery was associated with pain in the shoulders and lower back.ConclusionsThe occupational groups were affected differently and need different protective measures. For the teachers, the psychosocial work environment should be improved. The surgical staff and sonographers require measures to mitigate lifting and constrained postures.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12891-016-0883-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.