Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers (대한산업공학회지)

Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers (대한산업공학회)
권호 표지

Investigation on Perceived Discomfort Depending on External Load, Upper Limb Postures and their Duration

외부 부하, 상지 자세와 지속 시간에 따른 지각 불편도

  • Kee, Dohyung (Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Keimyung University)
  • 기도형 (계명대학교 산업시스템공학과)
  • Published : 2004.06.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

This study aimed to empirically investigate perceived discomfort depending upon external load, upper limb postures and their holding time. Discomfort was obtained through an experiment, in which external load, wrist flexion/extension, elbow flexion, shoulder flexion and adduction/abduction were used as experimental variables. The subjects were instructed to hold given postures for 60s and to rate their subjective discomfort scores at 5s, 20s, 40s and 60s by using the free modulus method of magnitude estimation. The results showed that while only external load and elbow flexion were statistically significant at the holding time of 5s at ${\alpha}=0.05$ or 0.10, external load and upper limb postures excluding shoulder adduction/abduction significantly affected discomfort ratings at 20s, 40s and 60s at ${\alpha}=0.01$ or 0.05. Discomfort scores were also significantly different between four posture holding times at ${\alpha}=0.01$. The effects of external load and holding time were much larger than those of upper limb postures. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that external load and holding time as well as working postures betaken into consideration to precisely quantify postural load in industry.

Keywords

References

  1. Boussenna, M., Corlett, E.N. and Pheasant, S.T. (1982), The relation between discomfort and postural loading at the joints, Ergonomics, 25(4), 315-322 https://doi.org/10.1080/00140138208924959
  2. Carey, E.J. and Gallwey, T.J. (2002), Effects of wrist posture, pace and exertion on discomfort, International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 29, 85-94
  3. Chaffin, D.B. and Anderson, G.B.J. (1991), Occupational ergonomics, 2nd edition, Wiley, New York
  4. Corlett, E.N. and Bishop, R.P. (1976), A technique for assessing postural discomfort, Ergonomics, 19, 175-182
  5. Dul, J., Douwes, M. and Smitt, O. (1994), Ergonomics guidelines for the prevention of discomfort of static postures can be based on endurance data, Ergonomics, 37, 807-815
  6. Gescheider, G.A. (1985), Psychophysics: Method, theory, and application, 2nd edition, Lawrence Erbaum Associates, London
  7. Hignett, S. and McAtamney, L. (2000), Rapid entire body assessment (REBA), Applied Ergonomics, 31, 201-205
  8. Hsiao, H. and Keyserling, W.M. (1991), Evaluating posture behavior during seated tasks, International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 8, 313-334
  9. Karhu, O., Kansi, P. and Kuorinka, J. (1997), Correcting working postures in industry: A practical method for analysis, Applied Ergonomics, 8, 199-201
  10. Kim, C-H. and Fernandez, J.E. (1993), Psychophysical frequency for a drilling task, International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 12, 209-218
  11. Lin, M.L. and Radwin, R.G. (1997), A single metric for quantifying biomechanical stress in repetitive motions and exertions, Ergonomics, 40(5), 543-558 https://doi.org/10.1080/001401397188026
  12. Lin, M.L. and Radwin, R.G. (1998), Agreement between a frequency-weighted filter for continuous biomechanical measurements of repetitive wrist flexion against a load and published psychophysical data, Ergonomics, 41(4), 459-475 https://doi.org/10.1080/001401398186946
  13. McAtamney, L. and Corlett, E.N. (1993), RULA: a survey method for the investigation of work-related upper limb disorders, Applied Ergonomics, 24(2), 91-99 https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-6870(93)90080-S
  14. Murrell, K. (1969), Ergonomics, Chapman & Hall, London
  15. Putz-Anderson, V. and Galinsky, T.L. (1993), Psychophysically determined work durations for limiting shoulder girdle fatigue from elevated manual work, International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 11, 19-28.
  16. Zhang, L., Helander, M.G. and Drury, C.G. (1996), Identifying factors of comfort and discomfort in sitting, Human Factors, 38(3),377-389 https://doi.org/10.1518/001872096778701962