Task parameters affecting ergonomic demands and productivity of HVAC duct installation.

BACKGROUND: Mechanical installation workers experience work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) at high rates. OBJECTIVES: (1) Quantify the ergonomic demands during HVAC installation, (2) identify the tasks and task parameters that generated extreme ergonomic demands, and (3) propose improveme...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Work Vol. 49; no. 4; pp. 627 - 640
Autores principales: Mitropoulos, Panagiotis, Hussain, Sanaa, Guarascio-Howard, Linda, Memarian, Babak
Formato: research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Sage Publications Inc. 2014
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
fields @attributes:
  recordID: 1
pdfLink:
plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=103878885&site=ehost-live
header:
  @attributes:
    shortDbName: ccm
    uiTerm: 103878885
    longDbName: CINAHL Complete
    uiTag: AN
  controlInfo:
    bkinfo:
    dissinfo:
    jinfo:
      jid:
        10519815
        3RC
      jtl: Work
      issn: 10519815
      maglogo: N
    pubinfo:
      dt: 2014
      vid: 49
      iid: 4
      pid: 344
      pub: Sage Publications Inc.
      place: Thousand Oaks, California
    artinfo:
      ui:
        103878885
        100574258
        10.3233/WOR-131700
        NLM24004765
        103878885
      ppf: 627
      ppct: 13
      formats:
        fmt:
          @attributes:
            type: P
      tig:
        atl: Task parameters affecting ergonomic demands and productivity of HVAC duct installation.
      aug:
        au:
          Mitropoulos, Panagiotis
          Hussain, Sanaa
          Guarascio-Howard, Linda
          Memarian, Babak
        affil: Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
      sug:
        subj:
          Ergonomics
          Air Conditioning
          Task Performance and Analysis
          Human
          Musculoskeletal Diseases
          Videorecording
          Flexion
          Extension
          Clinical Assessment Tools
          Lifting
          Time Factors
      ab: BACKGROUND: Mechanical installation workers experience work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) at high rates. OBJECTIVES: (1) Quantify the ergonomic demands during HVAC installation, (2) identify the tasks and task parameters that generated extreme ergonomic demands, and (3) propose improvements to reduce the WMSDs among mechanical workers. METHOD: The study focused on installation of rectangular ductwork components using ladders, and analyzed five operations by two mechanical contractors. Using continuous time observational assessment, the videotaped operations were analyzed along two dimensions: (1) the production tasks and durations, and (2) the ergonomic demands for four body regions (neck, arms/shoulders, back, and knees). The analysis identified tasks with low portion of productive time and high portion of extreme postures, and task parameters that generated extreme postures. RESULTS: Duct alignment was the task with the highest portion of extreme postures. The position of the ladder (angle and distance from the duct) was a task parameter that strongly influenced the extreme postures for back, neck and shoulders. Other contributing factors included the difficulty to reach the hand tools when working on the ladder, the congestion of components in the ceiling, and the space between the duct and the ceiling. CONCLUSIONS: The identified tasks and factors provide directions for improvement.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
    refInfo:
    holdings:
      @attributes:
        islocal: N