Journal of the Korean Society of Safety (한국안전학회지)

The Korean Society of Safety (한국안전학회)
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A Study of Crane Operators' Overexertion of Neck Muscles

크레인 작업자의 목 부하 연구

  • Oh, Sae Loom (Department of Industrial Engineering, Hongik Universi) ;
  • Lee, Kwan Suk (Department of Industrial Engineering, Hongik Universi)
  • Received : 2012.04.25
  • Accepted : 2013.02.13
  • Published : 2013.02.28
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Abstract

Crane operators usually work with their necks bent forward in a seating position for a long period. They have complained of their musculoskeletal stress at their necks. The objective of this study was to find the level of stress at the neck when crane operators bend their neck forward during their work. Experiments were conducted in the laboratory where subjects bent their necks forward for 1 minute and took a rest for 0.5 minute and repeated this performance for 60 minutes. Subjective evaluation using Borg's CR-10 scale and electromyography (EMG) were used to check the level of the stress at the neck. Subjects reported that the level of pain at the end of 60 min. experiment was close to the extreme pain(level 8.95). The EMG level(amplitude) increased 80% on the average and the center frequency of EMG shifted to the lower frequency level which indicated fatigue of neck muscles. Thus, it was found that there is quite much neck stress for crane operators when they maintain their neck posture of bending forward for a long time during their work. This information will be a basis in searching for an intervention measure for the crane operators' neck stress.

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References

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