One of the most researched areas of ergonomic risk assessment is the analyzes of postures for the prevention of WMSD (work-related musculoskeletal disorders). It is described as a health problem appearing in the locomotor apparatus, causing light or irreversible disorders and injuries. Of which the most affected areas are the spinal region and the upper limbs affecting approximately 60% of the working population. Discovering factors responsible for WMSD ergonomists and health and safety professionals use a great range of tools. There are predefined sheets or software solutions for helping their work.
The most widely spread are REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment), RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment), OWAS (Owako Working Posture Analyses), EAWS (European Assembly Worksheet), JSI (Job Strain Index), and some scales for fatigue and exposition (Borg-scale, MFA-Muscle Fatigue Analysis, KIM-Key Indicator Methods). Some of these methods target the manufacturing processes, assembly workflows, others assess office work or work in extreme conditions. Working conditions are often evaluated based on the tasks of the employee. Postures, lifting and carrying of objects, moving of loads, push-pull of carts, and the frequency of actions.
The importance of discovering risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders and the lack of common strategy seemed to inspire a joint attempt at ISO and on a national level to define common directions, so ISO11226, ISO11228, and 1005 standard series were created. These standards assess static motions, repeated motions, and other aspects of work processes. The standards take a step forward by describing assessment for time intervals instead of separate moments.
Many expert software environments put stress on determining ergonomic risk by the listed methods or by special biomechanical applications that handle more complex situations. In ViveLab standard methods are provided alongside supporting their understandability by charts and diagrams. We found it important to use methods that are commonly accepted, and permeable with other methods. Also to provide commonly acceptable options. Therefore you may use the adapted versions of the ISO 11226 and EN1005-4 standards assessing, static and repetitive motions. Also, based on the statistical results of RULA automatically calculated, some factors of ISO11228-3 may be determined.
Please feel free to try our analyzes solution and discover the advantages provided by the wide range of methods, including the adapted versions of the standards. Free trial is available at https://www.vivelab.eu/login/
