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Inter-worker variability in lower body postures during assembly line work: implications for exposure assessment.

This study evaluated inter-worker variability in lower body posture and work activity during highly-structured assembly line work. Data were collected from 79 unique assembly line workstations in an engine manufacturing plant. Because the plant utilized work teams, 4-8 workers rotated through each w...

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Published in:Journal of Occupational & Environmental Hygiene Vol. 7; no. 5; pp. 261 - 272
Main Authors: Keyserling WM, Wiggermann N, Werner RA, Gell N
Format: equations & formulas research tables/charts Journal Article
Published: Taylor & Francis Ltd May2010
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: May2010
      vid: 7
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      pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd
      place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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        10.1080/15459621003640502
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        atl: Inter-worker variability in lower body postures during assembly line work: implications for exposure assessment.
      aug:
        au:
          Keyserling WM
          Wiggermann N
          Werner RA
          Gell N
        affil: Center for Ergonomics, Industrial and Operations Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
      sug:
        subj:
          Blue Collar Workers
          Posture Evaluation
          Chi Square Test
          Education, Continuing (Credit)
          Funding Source
          Human
          Industry
          Motor Vehicles
          Sitting
          Standing
          Videorecording
          Walking
      ab: This study evaluated inter-worker variability in lower body posture and work activity during highly-structured assembly line work. Data were collected from 79 unique assembly line workstations in an engine manufacturing plant. Because the plant utilized work teams, 4-8 workers rotated through each workstation. At least 30 min of videotape was collected from at least three workers at each workstation. A computer-assisted work sampling procedure randomly selected 200 video 'freeze-frames' for each worker. Lower body posture/movement (e.g., sit, stand, walk, etc.) was determined for each frame and used to estimate the percentage of time the worker spent in various postures and activities. Chi-square analyses were performed for each workstation to assess the significance of inter-worker differences. Due to variations in individual work methods, significant differences (p <.05) were found at 57 out of 79 workstations (72%). The greatest differences occurred when workers had the option to choose between standing and sitting (significant in 8 of 8 cases; in extreme examples, sit time ranged between 0-100% on one job, and 6.5-98% on another). Studying a single worker (or 'proxy') can contribute to substantial error when estimating exposures in workplace studies of ergonomic stressors, since the proxy may not be representative of all workers who perform the job. Individual measurements are preferable, particularly for jobs where workers have substantial latitude to develop individualized work methods.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        equations & formulas
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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