Identification of exposed body segments and risk levels in specialized construction tasks involving upper limbs above shoulder level.
Musculoskeletal disorders are common among specialized construction workers due to repetitive, physically demanding work. However, biomechanical risks and the specific involvement of body segments in vaulted roof construction remain insufficiently characterized.Identify the most exposed body segment...
| Published in: | Work p. 1 |
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Sage Publications Inc.
Aug2026
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ccm&AN=196151031&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: ccm uiTerm: 196151031 longDbName: CINAHL Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: dissinfo: jinfo: jid: 10519815 3RC jtl: Work issn: 10519815 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Aug2026 pid: 344 pub: Sage Publications Inc. place: Thousand Oaks, California artinfo: ui: 196151031 10.1177/10519815261476062 196151031 ppf: 1 formats: fmt: @attributes: type: P tig: atl: Identification of exposed body segments and risk levels in specialized construction tasks involving upper limbs above shoulder level. aug: au: Villegas Romero, Mario Alberto Hernández Arellano, Juan Luis Restrepo Correa, Jorge Hernán Maldonado Macías, Aidé Aracely affil: Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 27764 Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez , Chihuahua, Mexico sug: ab: Musculoskeletal disorders are common among specialized construction workers due to repetitive, physically demanding work. However, biomechanical risks and the specific involvement of body segments in vaulted roof construction remain insufficiently characterized.Identify the most exposed body segments and measure biomechanical risk in vaulted roof construction.This observational study took place at six construction sites. Thirteen workers participated: six vault masters and seven helpers, all actively working on vaulted roof construction. Each worker completed six work cycles. We conducted task analysis, static biomechanical analysis, and the Susan Rodgers postural assessment. We measured muscle load as a percentage of maximum voluntary contraction (%MVC).Task analysis identified critical upper limb postures in both workers. The master vaulter spent 51% of the work cycle with their arms raised above shoulder level while handling significant loads, while the helper maintained similar postures for 90% of the cycle without significant loads. %MVC values exceeded recommended limits in the master vaulter left wrist (18%), left shoulder (24–25%), and right (26%). In the helper, both shoulders showed moderate muscle demand (%MVC: 14–16%). Susan Rodgers’ method indicated a high-priority strain in the shoulder and arm during the master vaulter key postures, while the helper presented a low to moderate risk.Vaulted roof construction requires sustained overhead work and elevates strain on shoulders and wrists. The biomechanical risks are notably higher in the master vaulter than in the helper, underscoring the need for targeted ergonomic measures to reduce muscle strain and prevent occupational musculoskeletal disorders. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: Journal Article ougenre: Article language: English refInfo: holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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