The Inter-Rater and Intra-Rater Reliability Analysis of Workplace Ergonomic Risk Assessment (original) (raw)

Inter- and intra- observer reliability of risk assessment of repetitive work without an explicit method

Applied Ergonomics, 2017

A common way to conduct practical risk assessments is to observe a job and report the observed long term risks for musculoskeletal disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inter-and intraobserver reliability of ergonomists' risk assessments without the support of an explicit risk assessment method. Twenty-one experienced ergonomists assessed the risk level (low, moderate, high risk) of eight upper body regions, as well as the global risk of 10 video recorded work tasks. Intra-observer reliability was assessed by having nine of the ergonomists repeat the procedure at least three weeks after the first assessment. The ergonomists made their risk assessment based on his/her experience and knowledge. The statistical parameters of reliability included agreement in %, kappa, linearly weighted kappa, intraclass correlation and Kendall's coefficient of concordance. The average inter-observer agreement of the global risk was 53% and the corresponding weighted kappa (K w) was 0.32, indicating fair reliability. The intra-observer agreement was 61% and 0.41 (K w). This study indicates that risk assessments of the upper body, without the use of an explicit observational method, have non-acceptable reliability. It is therefore recommended to use systematic risk assessment methods to a higher degree.

Ergonomic Evaluation Tools Associated with Biomechanical Risk Factors in Work Activities: Review of Literature

Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, 2018

Objective: Identify the most used evaluation tools in work situations that involve biomechanical and postural load. Through the literature review, it seeks to answer the following questions, which is the influence of the work or occupational ergonomics in the industry? What are the ergonomic evaluation tools most used in labor situation similar to surgical support? and What is the relation between working conditions and the appearance of symptoms associated with pain and occupational diseases?. Method: Were defined keywords related to main areas: Ergonomics, productivity and risk factors, with which it was subsequently made a literature review on these databases: PubMed, Springer, and ScienceDirect. Likewise, it is included in the review, documents related to OMS, OIT, Fasecolda, among others. The documents founded were classified taking into account the inclusion criteria like language (Spanish, English, and French) and the relation with interest topics. Finally, it has been made the analysis of content with Nvivo Software. Results: It has been identified that the most recurrent evaluation tools for studies, related to labor activities that involve biomechanical and postural load, were LEST, REBA and VAS methods. Likewise, it was identified the relation between biomechanical risk factors with labors activities that involve load lifting and handling. Conclusions: Similar Investigations on the surgical support in companies were reviewed, show that exist a tendency toward the appearance and development of MSDs of occupational origin, especially injuries at the lumbar level due to biomechanical demand of these activities.

CERA, An Integrated Tool for Ergonomic Risk Assessment

DEStech Transactions on Social Science, Education and Human Science

Despite decades of efforts the rate of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) is still very high. In case of WMSD the solution should be prevention that requires both safe machinery/equipment design and risk management at the workplace. To identify WMSD risk factors a wide range of ergonomic methods are available internationally, starting with simple check lists for hazard identification through paper and pencil based or spread sheet implemented software for screening or for risk assessment, ending with the now maturing computer technology with motion capture based imagining techniques. Although various collections exist that contain hundreds of ergonomic risk assessment tools very few of these are generally accepted and widely applied. The difficulty in particular is that a 'universal tool' cannot be chosen because each method is valid for different situations some are for special activities others for distinct body parts, therefore selecting the appropriate method is an additional issue. At University of Ă“buda R&D project aims the development of a complex Ergonomics Risk Assessment methodology based on the EN 1005 standard series that allows the composite ergonomic risk assessment of workplaces regarding position, force, manual handling and repetitive motion. The newly invented methodology called CERA is for occupational safety and health practitioners with basic knowledge to apply it several versions according to different application conditions. For basic evaluation a paper and pencil method and for more detailed analysis a spread sheet is provided in which, all assessments of the EN 1005 standard series are included.

Abating Biomechanical Risks: A Comparative Review of Ergonomic Assessment Tools

Journal of Engineering Research and Reports

Ergonomic assessment tools are crucial for evaluation of biomechanical risk factors at workplaces to understand the contributing factors and reduce the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) which have negative implications on employees’ health and productivity. This review examines a range of methods and ergonomic assessment tools. It shows ergonomic assessment tools, particularly postural analysis to comprise self-reports from workers, observation methods, direct measurement method and advanced techniques for assessment of postural change in executing highly dynamic activities. These tools have been designed for different work activities consisting typically of manual handing, repetitive tasks and static loading. Some of the tools target at specific body parts while others at multiple body parts. The tools have the strengths particularly in the assessment of recurring tasks in standing or sitting postures involving specific or multiple body parts. However, the tools also h...

Ergonomic Evaluation to improve Work Posture

International Journal of Engineering Research and, 2016

Industries today are facing numerous challenges to maintain the health and performance of employees while attempting to integrate new technologies. The health related problems such as Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) and Repetitive Motion Disorders (RMD) are prevalent in workers due to monotonous working on the shop floor. Hence there is a need to document the worker's problems related to their work area and evaluate the results obtained from the survey. Ergonomic assessments confirm that a worker's workstation is ergonomically designed to detract the risk of injury and escalate productivity. Ergonomic assessment tools such as RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) and REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment) were used for the postural analysis of the workers working on the workstation. Video recordings on various activities of the workers was prepared and then images were taken from it for the analysis. The results of RULA and REBA assessment worksheets first showed major signs of risk to the health of workers and after suggesting a suitable mechanism , again the results were calculated which showed signs of low risk comparatively. This led to an increase in the productivity of the manufacturing company and also reduced the fatigue of workers considerably which is discussed further in the paper.

The Evolution of Ergonomics Risk Assessment Method to Prevent Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDS)

International journal of online and biomedical engineering, 2022

In the last few decades, numerous of ergonomics risk assessment method was developed. These method was developed to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders or WMSDs among the workers. Although there is variety of methods was available to identify the present of WMSDs but the accuracy of the measurements is based on the methods applications and limitations. Due to the complexity of factors such as inhomogeneity of the working activities, the sophisticated of measurement process, the diversity of cultures, incapable to accesses various body posture, and others problem that remain unsolved, the evolution of ergonomics risk assessment methods was never ended. To react with the demanding related with the WMSDs problems, ergonomics risk assessment methods become more advance in technologies. Parallel with the upcoming challenges of industry revolution 4.0, ergonomics risk assessment methods need to be transformed and adapted with the advance technology-based methods. The industries already to step ahead and starting to represent their production activities using robotics technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, and super-computer technologies. Therefore, ergonomics committee and practitioner should realize the opportunities and developed new ergonomics risk assessment method that integrated with the technologies. They need to be more accessible, understood, visionary, and modernize. The evolution of ergonomics risk assessment methods must be continuing and not rely with the traditional approach only.

How to Perform an Ergonomic Workplace Analysis?

Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, 2018

Work related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD) are one of the commonest causes for morbidity among workers and are associated with significant financial and social burden. The use of a methodical, step-by-step approach and validated, simplified risk estimation tools which can be used even by non-experts in workplaces with limited resources is necessary to evaluate conditions of biomechanical overload and prevent WRMSDs. The work-related risk factors are psychosocial, physical, personal, organisational, environment etc. Identification of potential risk factors is an important component in preventing WRMSD and Ergonomic Workplace Analysis (EWA) plays a key role in it. EWA is a process where the ergonomic risk factors are evaluated using various validated tools. An EWA usually consist of 12 steps which included collection of personal information, work details, subjective analysis questionnaires, psychosocial information, vital sign assessment, metabolic assessment, assessment of work effort and fatigue, postural evaluation, other specific evaluations, environment details which is followed by analysis, recommendation and then follow up evaluations

IJERT-Ergonomic Evaluation to improve Work Posture

International Journal of Engineering Research and Technology (IJERT), 2016

https://www.ijert.org/ergonomic-evaluation-to-improve-work-posture https://www.ijert.org/research/ergonomic-evaluation-to-improve-work-posture-IJERTV5IS031136.pdf Industries today are facing numerous challenges to maintain the health and performance of employees while attempting to integrate new technologies. The health related problems such as Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) and Repetitive Motion Disorders (RMD) are prevalent in workers due to monotonous working on the shop floor. Hence there is a need to document the worker's problems related to their work area and evaluate the results obtained from the survey. Ergonomic assessments confirm that a worker's workstation is ergonomically designed to detract the risk of injury and escalate productivity. Ergonomic assessment tools such as RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) and REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment) were used for the postural analysis of the workers working on the workstation. Video recordings on various activities of the workers was prepared and then images were taken from it for the analysis. The results of RULA and REBA assessment worksheets first showed major signs of risk to the health of workers and after suggesting a suitable mechanism , again the results were calculated which showed signs of low risk comparatively. This led to an increase in the productivity of the manufacturing company and also reduced the fatigue of workers considerably which is discussed further in the paper.

Ergonomic Assessment and improvement of work Activities to reduce the level of risks associated with discomforts

It is reality of modern life of human society that every person strives to achieve excellent life standard. To be a successful person in life, it is necessary to work hard, and almost every person knows this reality. A good and perfect person also needs to be physically and mentally fit, because health and fitness plays a major role in the performance level of a human being. Unfortunately, in our present era of very fast industrial developments, people have to work very hard to get the appropriate earnings, and awareness of health and fitness of labor is consistently ignored in our developing countries. No, any kind of special attention is given to the human factors of a job and nobody is interested to make the working environment and work methodologies suitable for the labor. So, the net results of this ignorance are increase in the number of injuries and discomforts among the labors doing different jobs in the different sectors of industry like, Manufacturing, Services, Health Care etc., these injuries or discomforts not only affect the worker's health and fitness but also cause reduction in productivity, performance, and profitability of the organizations.