Energetic requirement, muscle fatigue, and musculoskeletal risk of prolonged standing on female Malaysian operators in the electronic industries: influence of age (original) (raw)

Engineering e-Transaction

The aim of this investigation was to study the influence of age on energetic requirement, muscle fatigue and musculoskeletal risk of prolonged standing work. The study group was focused on female Malaysian operators (typically in electronic industries) who represented one of the largest work populations in the country. Four younger female operators (mean age 25 years old) and four older female operators (mean age 45 years old) performed 8 hours of standing task in an electronic manufacturing line. Two main tasks were identified: standing and material loading/unloading. The following parameters were measured for the two main tasks at start, mid and end of shift: heart rate, residual oxygen level in exhaled air, EMG from gastrocnemius muscle, and perceived discomfort in feet, legs, and low back. Resting heart rate and residual oxygen level were measured prior to the onset of work. Self-assessed work activities and perceived exertion were measured at the end of the shift. Body Part Symptom Survey and PLIBEL checklist were used as practical tools to assess the musculoskeletal risk of prolonged standing work. Energetic requirement was estimated from heart rate, whereas muscle fatigue was obtained from EMG on gastrocnemius muscle and perceived discomfort in feet, legs, and low back. The results showed that energetic requirement, muscle fatigue and musculoskeletal risk of prolonged standing work were significantly lower for younger operators as compared to older operators. In view of the lower physical work capacity and muscle endurance of older operators, prolonged standing work is not suitable for them as it incurs higher energetic requirement and higher risk of musculoskeletal disorder, and hence affects their safety and health as well as overall work performance and productivity.

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