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BackgroundSurgeon workload is significant both mentally and physically and may differ by procedure type. When comparing laparoscopic surgery and open surgery, studies have reported contrasting results on the physical and mental workload assessed.MethodsWearable posture sensors and pre-/post-surgical questionnaires were employed to assess intraoperative workload and to identify risk factors for surgeons using objective and subjective measures.ResultsData from 49 cases (27 open and 22 laparoscopic surgeries performed by 13 male and 11 female surgeons) were assessed. More than half the surgeons reported a clinically relevant post-surgical fatigue score. The surgeons also self-reported a significant increase in pain for the neck, upper back, and lower back during/after surgery. Procedural time had significant impacts on fatigue, body part pain, and subjective (NASA-TLX) workload. The objectively assessed intraoperative work postures using wearable sensors showed a high musculoskeletal risk for neck and lower back based on their posture overall. Open surgeries had significantly larger neck angles (median [IQR]: 40 [28–47]°) compared with laparoscopic surgeries (median [IQR]: 23 [16–29]°), p < 0.001) and torso (median [IQR]: 17 [14–22]° vs. 13 [10–17]°, p = 0.006).ConclusionSurgeons reported significantly higher levels of fatigue and pain in the neck and lower back during or after performing a surgical case. Longer procedural time resulted in more self-rated fatigue, pain, and subjective workload. Open surgery had higher postural risk. Overall, surgeons spent a disturbingly high percentage of time during surgery in high-risk musculoskeletal postures, especially the neck. These results show that intraoperative postural risk is very high and that interventions are necessary to protect surgeon musculoskeletal health for optimal surgeon performance and career longevity.

Objectives Many women experience absence periods from work during pregnancy. Several single risk factors for absence are identified, whereas the impact of multiple concurrent exposures has been sparsely studied. We hypothesized that the presence of multiple occupational exposures would be associated with an increased risk of absence from work during pregnancy. Methods We included women from the Danish National Birth Cohort (1996-2002), pregnant with one child and working ≥30 hours/week at interview (mean gestational week 17 (standard deviation 4.0); N=50 142). Information about five occupational exposures (job demands, job control, work posture, work shift, lifting) were retrieved from the interview, each assigned values of 0/1, and summed into an index (0-5). The woman's first absence from work (both regular and related to pregnancy) after the interview was available from a nationwide administrative register. We analyzed data with Cox regression using gestational age as the underlying time-variable. Results Few women experienced none of the occupational exposures (3.6%) and most experienced two exposures (34.7%). Only 24.3% of the women were absent from work before gestational week 31. The number of occupational exposures was associated with an increasing risk of absence. The adjusted hazard ratio for absence increased from 1.3 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-1.5] for one exposure to 2.9 (95% CI 2.5-3.3) for four to five exposures compared to no occupational exposure. Conclusion The higher the number of potentially adverse occupational exposures pregnant women experienced, the higher the risk for absence from work during pregnancy.

The guitar industry is in Mancasan, Sukoharjo regency is a small medium enterprises which carried out finishing process to produce acoustic guitars. All of the process are done manually without any machine. There is one process called fret wire installation where the operator is in a static work posture for an extended period of time to hold the work piece. Nordic Body Map (NBM) assessment showed that almost all assessed workers have pain in hip and right upper arm. There is indication of Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDS) risk in left upper arm, back, and waist of workers who conduct fret wires installation process. This indication is confirmed using REBA. REBA Score for fret wiring operator is 10, it indicates that the investigation and modification was needed as soon as possible. This arises to a problem called workers MSDS due to awkward posture. This research aims to design an ergonomic working table to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorder for fret wire installation operators. REBA was used to evaluate working posture to find the specific problem. In addition, NIDA product development process and anthropometry concept were also implemented to develop working table based on the problem previously found. The result is the proposed working table which specifications are has adjustable system on the leg of the table, features a lock to hold the guitar head, a support with a pad for the neck and body of the guitar, a work tool area and a half-coil fret wire arrangement, and a curved table base so that the operator is in a comfortable position and is close to the work piece.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are a major concern globally affecting societies, companies, and individuals. To address this, a new sensor-based system is presented: the Smart Workwear System, aimed at facilitating preventive measures by supporting risk assessments, work design, and work technique training. The system has a module-based platform that enables flexibility of sensor-type utilization, depending on the specific application. A module of the Smart Workwear System that utilizes haptic feedback for work technique training is further presented and evaluated in simulated mail sorting on sixteen novice participants for its potential to reduce adverse arm movements and postures in repetitive manual handling. Upper-arm postures were recorded, using an inertial measurement unit (IMU), perceived pain/discomfort with the Borg CR10-scale, and user experience with a semi-structured interview. This study shows that the use of haptic feedback for work technique training has the potential to significantly reduce the time in adverse upper-arm postures after short periods of training. The haptic feedback was experienced positive and usable by the participants and was effective in supporting learning of how to improve postures and movements. It is concluded that this type of sensorized system, using haptic feedback training, is promising for the future, especially when organizations are introducing newly employed staff, when teaching ergonomics to employees in physically demanding jobs, and when performing ergonomics interventions.

One of the most vital parameters to achieve sustainability in any field is encompassing the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) of the workers. In mining industry where heavy earth moving machineries are largely employed, ergonomic hazards turn out to be significant OHS hazards causing Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) in the operators. Nevertheless, the Indian mining industry lacks a comprehensive technique of OHS risk assessment, especially for ergonomic hazards that cause MSDs. This research appraises ergonomic hazards and develops Fuzzy Musculoskeletal-disorders Index (FMI) model to evaluate ergonomic-related MSDs. Work process and work tool ergonomic risk factors were identified through literature review and directives recommended by experts. Work posture was evaluated using RULA. The data-collecting approach was implemented using participatory ergonomic and design science principles. The FMI results show average MSDs score of 3.69, indicating high to extremely high risk. Surface plots show that combined work tool and work process was the most sensitive factors to MSDs risk compared to other two combinations. A two-sample t -test validated the FMI. The findings should help safety experts and managers develop effective OHS management plans and programmes for the sustainability of Indian mining industry.

Background Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) constitute a significant challenge in the realm of occupational health, especially in the manufacturing sector, necessitating the development of efficacious intervention strategies to enhance musculoskeletal health and reduce the incidence of MSDs. The present study is designed to assess the efficacy of a comprehensive ergonomic intervention, specifically tailored to diminish ergonomic risk factors and the prevalence of MSDs among workers engaged in vehicle assembly line operations. Method This interventional study, conducted over a one-year period, was implemented among assembly line workers within a rail bound vehicle manufacturing shop. The study engaged 181 participants who were subjected to a comprehensive ergonomic intervention plan. This intervention encompassed an ergonomic training program, enhancements in auxiliary tool, and the distribution of an ergonomic educational brochure. Workstation ergonomics, including postures and movements, vibrations, and work stress, were evaluated using the Quick Exposure Check (QEC). Participants scored their postural exposure and the intensity, duration, and frequency of musculoskeletal symptoms at nine anatomical sites in the modified Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. All evaluations were conducted at baseline and after a one-year follow-up. Results After the one-year intervention, the QEC scores for the neck, back, shoulders/arms, and wrists/hands decreased significantly ( p  < 0.01). The self-rated exposure scores for 22 awkward postures and repetitive movements were much lower than at baseline ( p  < 0.05). Moreover, the self-reported intensity, duration, and frequency of musculoskeletal symptoms in nine body areas all decreased significantly ( p  < 0.05). Conclusions The findings from this prospective study indicated enhancements in ergonomic conditions and a reduction in musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among vehicle assembly workers following a comprehensive ergonomic intervention.

Work-related diseases and disorders remain a significant global health concern, necessitating multifaceted measures for mitigation. One potential measure is work technique training utilizing augmented feedback through wearable motion capture systems. However, there exists a research gap regarding its current effectiveness in both real work environments and controlled settings, as well as its ability to reduce postural exposure and retention effects over short, medium, and long durations. A rapid review was conducted, utilizing two databases and three previous literature reviews to identify relevant studies published within the last twenty years, including recent literature up to the end of 2023. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria, of which 14 were of high or moderate quality. These studies were summarized descriptively, and the strength of evidence was assessed. Among the included studies, six were rated as high quality, while eight were considered moderate quality. Notably, the reporting of participation rates, blinding of assessors, and a-priori power calculations were infrequently performed. Four studies were conducted in real work environments, while ten were conducted in controlled settings. Vibration feedback was the most common feedback type utilized (n = 9), followed by auditory (n = 7) and visual feedback (n = 1). All studies employed corrective feedback initiated by the system. In controlled environments, evidence regarding the effectiveness of augmented feedback from wearable motion capture systems to reduce postural exposure ranged from strong evidence to no evidence, depending on the time elapsed after feedback administration. Conversely, for studies conducted in real work environments, the evidence ranged from very limited evidence to no evidence. Future reach needs are identified and discussed.

Work posture and/or position of work is a crucial problem in work system. Unnatural posture will lead to discomfort when doing the task such as pain at part of body such that it will cause accident in the end. This accident will affect level of work performance of the worker so as the work productivity fails achieve a target determined. The failure mode, of course, results in a big loss for a company. This state should be avoided by use of the natural posture by worker in completing a job. However, many workers do not still understand what kind of a natural and unnatural work posture directly. So, this condition has high risk for being occurred the discomfort. Thus, it is important to develop a tool for helping them to identify a certain posture of work. Objective of this study is to design a monitoring system devices to capture and to determine an natural posture of the worker based on ergonomic principles. Rapid Upper Limb Assessment method is applied to determine a risk of work posture. Machine Learning concept is implemented to support in designing a system by also applying python programming language. Result of this study shows that monitoring system devices developed is usable in informing an unnatural posture of worker in completing a job. Thus, this result will beneficial for worker to improve work posture to be natural position so as discomfort can be prevented.

Objectives Recent meta-analyses suggest a physical activity health paradox: high levels of occupational physical activity (OPA) increase cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, while leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) decreases risk. However, studies of women and cerebrovascular disease are limited. This report examines physical activity effects on stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) among working women in the United States. Methods OPA history, health status, and lifestyle were assessed by baseline interviews of 31 270 employed Sister Study participants aged 35-74 years. OPA was assessed at six intensity levels (lowest: \"mostly sitting\"); the highest three were combined as \"high intensity work.\" Independent OPA and LTPA effects on 6-year cerebrovascular disease incidence were estimated in adjusted Cox proportional hazard models. Results Stroke (N=441) and TIA (N=274) risk increased with more standing and higher intensity work at current and longest held job. Compared with mostly sitting, high intensity work at the current job increased TIA risk by 57% [hazard ratio (HR) 1.57, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04-2.38]. High intensity OPA at the longest held job increased risk for stroke by 44% (HR 1.44; 95% CI 1.08-1.93). Among women with CVD, sitting and standing equally, especially at the current job, increased risks up to two-fold (TIA HR 1.98, 95% CI 1.10-3.55) compared with mostly sitting at work. LTPA showed inverse associations. Conclusions Higher intensity levels of OPA increased stroke and TIA risks, while LTPA decreased risks; results corroborate the physical activity health paradox for women and cerebrovascular disease. More standing at work increased cerebrovascular disease risks, especially for women with CVD.

Prolonged computer-related work can be linked to musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in the upper limbs and improper posture. In this regard, we report on developing resources supporting improper posture studies based on motion capture sensors. These resources were used to create a baseline detector for the automated detection of improper sitting postures, which was next used to evaluate the applicability of Hjorth’s parameters—Activity, Mobility and Complexity—on the specific classification task. Specifically, based on accelerometer data, we computed Hjorth’s time-domain parameters, which we stacked as feature vectors and fed to a binary classifier (kNN, decision tree, linear SVM and Gaussian SVM). The experimental evaluation in a setup involving two different keyboard types (standard and ergonomic) validated the practical worth of the proposed sitting posture detection method, and we reported an average classification accuracy of up to 98.4%. We deem that this research contributes toward creating an automated system for improper posture monitoring for people working on a computer for prolonged periods.