• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.41-47
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• 2009

The purpose of this study, during the lifting task was researching the difference and a relationship between the ground reaction force and the grip strength by change of position. After grip strength has measured in symmetry position and asymmetry position at 45cm and 75cm of height of hand, ground reaction force was measured by same attitude lifting wooden box. We analyzed the difference of grip strength and ground reaction force in each position change. The results of grip strength, the grip strength of both hand were significant difference that in study subject symmetry and asymmetry position (p<0.01). The results of symmetry lifting task, the study subjects was significant difference of the ground reaction force difference by height (p<0.05). Asymmetry lifting task was significant difference of ground reaction force difference by direction of rotation was changed (p<0.01). The result of it will rotate with non-dominant hand side of lifting tasks from height 75cm where it easily maintains a balance possibility and decreasing the load of the hand. Therefore, from the workshop in the work people, it will be between the height 75cm and non-dominant hand side of trunk rotatory direction in the lifting tasks. Future study is necessary researched about the change of grip strength when the height of the hand is higher, and the difference of the ground reaction force when the change of weight.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.104-113
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• 2005

A variety of ergonomic assessment methods of lifting tasks known as a major cause of work-related lower back pain have been used. But there is a limited information in choosing the most appropriate assessment method for a particular job and in finding out strengths and weakness of the methods. The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the ergonomic risks of lifting tasks in a marine diesel engine production industry by three lifting ergonomic assessment tools widely used: the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH) Revised Lifting Equation(NLE), the Washington Administrative Code 296-62-0517(WAC), and the Snook Tables. Lifting index(weight of load/Recommended Weight Limit) of NLE($LI_{NLE}$) was above 1 at 34 tasks(75.6%) of a total number of 45 lifting tasks. LI of WAC($LI_{WAC}$) was above 1 at 11 tasks(24.4 %). LI of Snook Table($LI_{Snook}$) was above 1 at 29 tasks(64.4%). Thus, LI was high in orders of $LI_{NLE}$ > $LI_{Snook}$ > $LI_{WAC}$. There were significantly high correlations among three Lls(p<0.01). The correlation coefficients between $LI_{NLE}$and the other three Lls($LI_{WAC}$ and $LI_{Snook}$) were r=0.93 and r=0.88, respectively. The linear regression equations were y = 0.444x + 0.11(r=0.93) between $LI_{NLE}$ and $LI_{WAC}$, y = 0.93x + 0.008(r=0.88) between LI(NLE) and $LI_{Snook}$. The LI values by WAC was significantly lower than those by the other tools. The compared features, strength and limitation among these tools were described in this paper.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.9-13
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• 2002

The objective of this study was to analyze and make comparison between the physical responses such as oxygen consumption rate, heart rate, and EMG-measurement for lifting tasks. Lifting activities with three different working frequencies(5, 8, 11 lifts/min) and two different weights(10, 20kg) for a lifting range(from floor to 76cm height) were studied. It was found that theme are positive correlations between the oxygen consumption rate and the EMG-measurements on the region of law back. Even though these physical responses were influenced by work weights and work frequency, it was found that the work frequency plays more important role in making muscle fatigue than the work weight. From these finding it is suggested that the work frequency should be considered as a more influencing factor than the work weight as long as the weight belongs to the permissible range based on the viewpoint of the biomechanical criterion for designing a job of manual materials handling tasks.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.413-420
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• 2013

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare one-hand and two-hands lowering activity in terms of biomechanical stress for the range of lowering heights from knuckle height to 10cm above floor level. Background: Even though two-hands lifting/lowering activity of manual materials handling tasks are prevalent at the industrial site, many manual materials handling tasks which require the worker to perform one-hand lifting/lowering are also very common at the industrial site and forestry and farming. Method: Eight male subjects were asked to perform lowering tasks using both a one-handed as well as a two-handed lowering technique. Trunk muscle electromyographic activity was recorded while the subjects performed the lowering tasks. This information was used as input to an EMG-assisted free-dynamic biomechanical model that predicted spinal loading in three dimensions. Results: It was shown that for the left-hand lowering tasks, the values of moment, lateral shear force, A-P shear force, and compressive force were increased by the average 6%, as the workload was increased twice from 7.5kg to 15kg. For the right-hand lowering task, these were increased by the average 17%. For the two-hands lowering tasks, these were increased by the average 14%. Conclusion: Even though the effect of workload on the biomechanical stress for both one-hand and two-hands lowering tasks is not so significant for the workload less than 15kg, it can be claimed that the biomechanical stress for one-hand lowering is greater than for two-hands lowering tasks. Therefore, it can be concluded that asymmetrical lowering posture would give greater influence on the biomechanical stress than the workload effect for one-hand lowering activity. Application: The result of this study may be used to provide guidelines of recommended safe weights for tasks involved in one-hand lowering activity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.96-100
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• 2012

Low back pain (LBP) is a major issue in modern industrialized society which is mainly caused by manual material handling (MMH) tasks. The objective of this study was to provide scientific data for establishing work standard for Korean workers throughout the laboratory experiment including some specific lifting tasks. Thirty male college students were recruited as participants. The maximum voluntary contraction (MVC), recommended weight limit (RWL), and psychophysical safety weight using Borg's CR-10 scale were studied. Results showed that the RWL was 8.4% MVC higher than the proposed psychophysical safety weight. Based on this result, it is suggested that the NIOSH lifting equation (NLE) should not be directly applied to Korean without reasonable modifications. The ratio of psychophysical safety weight to MVC was ranged from 20.1 to 26.4%. It is expected that use of the methodology in this study may provide better expectation of the work ability of Korean for reducing lower back pains caused by MMH.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.90-96
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• 2004

The objective of this study was to develop a model for safe work load based on a physiological model of metabolic energy of manual material handling tasks. Fifteen male subjects voluntarily participated in this study. Lifting activities with four different weights, 0, 8, 16, 24kg, and four different working frequencies (2, 5, 8, 11 lifts/min) for a lifting range from floor to the knuckle height of 76cm were considered. Oxygen consumption rates and heart rates were measured during the performance of sixteen different lifting activities. Simplified predictive equations for estimating the oxygen consumption rate and the heart rate were developed. The oxygen consumption rate and the heart rate could be expressed as a function of task variables; frequency and the weight of the load, and a personal variable, body weight, and their interactions. The coefficients of determination ($r^2$) of the model were 0.9777 and 0.9784, respectively, for the oxygen consumption rate and the heart rate. The model of oxygen consumption rate was modified to estimate the work load for the given oxygen consumption rate. The overall absolute percent errors of the validation of this equation for work load with the original data set was 39.03%. The overall absolute percent errors were much larger than this for the two models based on the US population. The models for the oxygen consumption rate and for the work load developed in this study work better than the two models based on the US population. However, without considering the biomechanical approach, the developed model for the work load and the two US models are not recommended to estimate the work loads for low frequent lifting activities.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.83-88
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• 2009

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the effectiveness of horizontal, vertical, asymmetric and coupling multipliers for manual material handling. Lifting tasks with 5 different horizontal distances ($30{\sim}70cm$) for 6 vertical distances(ankle, knee, waist, elbow, shoulder and head height) were experimented. The muscle activity and muscle exertion level during asymmetric load handling(without trunk flexion) was experimented. Lifting tasks with and without handle tote box for three postures(straight, bending, right angle posture) were experimented. The degrading tendency did not appeared almost in $60{\sim}70cm$ interval's horizontal distance. As a result of ANOVA, MVC paid attention to horizontal and vertical distance but cross effect was insignificant(p<0.01). The change of the MVC according to the horizontal, vertical distance appeared similar from of RWL. The results of normalized MVC measurement were decreased about 16%, 24%, 34% respectively as the asymmetry angle was $30^{\circ}$, $60^{\circ}$, $90^{\circ}$. RMS EMG values of right erector spinae muscles were decreased as the work posture went to $90^{\circ}$ and those of left erector spinae muscles were increased until the asymmetry angle was $40^{\circ}$ but decreased continually over $40^{\circ}$. 7 subjects, activities of left and right latissimus dorsi muscles were maintained constantly, while for remainer, those were irregular. MVC reduced maximum 23% by type of handle. MVC was highest in straight posture, but was lowest in right angle posture. As a result of ANOVA, MVC paid attention to posture, coupling(p<0.01). To all handle types, biceps brachii activity was increased in right angle posture, but reduced in straight posture. Based on the results of this study, it is suggested that the NIOSH guideline should not be directly applied to Korean without reasonable reexamination. In addition, we need to afterward study through an age classification.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.23-36
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• 1997

The objective of this study was to make a comparison of the oxygen consumption rates during the lifting activities and the physiological criteria of the recommended weights of RWL, AL, and MPL by NIOSH Guideline. The physical Work Capacity (PWC) based on the bicycle ergometer was 2562.71ml/min, and the one based on the treadmill was 2874.89ml/min for the college male students of Korea. Lifting activities with four different lifting frequencies(2, 5, 8, 11 lifts/min) for one lifting range from floor to 76cm height were studied. The oxygen consumption rates and the heart rates were measured or recorded while subjects were lifting the weight of RWL, AL, and MPL. The heart rates and the oxygen consumption rates increased as the frequency increased from 2 to lifts/min. However, those slightly decreased at the frequency of 11 lifts/ min. The measured oxygen consumption rates were ranging from 2.3% to 29.6% higher than the physiological criteria 620, 700, and 1000ml/min, respectively, of the RWL, AL, and MPL for all the lifting frequencies (5, 8, 11 lift/min) except 2 lifts/min. It si suggested that the physiological criteria of NIOSH Guideline should be based on the lifting PWC, which can consider the type of lifting activity and the frequency of the task, rather than using the PWC by ergometer or treadmill. The measured oxygen consumption rates were ranging from 13.26% to 40.11% higher than the values estimated using the models by Garg and Kim. From these findings it is suggested that the NIOSH Equation should not be directly applied to Korean without resonable modifications.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.239-247
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• 2008

Low back disorders (LBDs) have been the most common musculoskeletal problem in Korean workplaces. It affects many workers, and is associated with high costs to many companies as well as the individual, which can negatively influence even the quality of life of workers. The _evaluation of low back disorder risk associated with manual materials handling tasks can be performed using variety of ergonomic assessment tools such as National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Revised Lifting Equation (NLE), the Washington Administrative Code 296-62-0517 (WAC), the Snook Tables etc. But most of these tools provide limited information for choosing the most appropriate assessment method for a particular job and in finding out advantage and disadvantage of the methods, and few have been assessed for their predictive ability. The focus of this study was to _evaluate spinal loads in real time with lifting and pulling heavy cow leathers in variety of postures. Data for estimating mean trunk motions were collected as employees did their work at the job site, using the Lumbar Motion Monitor. Eight employees (2 males, 6 females) were selected in this study, in which the load weight and the vertical start and destination heights of the activity remained constant throughout the task. Variance components (three dimensional spaces) of mean trunk kinematic measures were estimated in a hierarchical design. They were used to compute velocity and acceleration of multiple employees performing the same task and to repetitive movements within a task. Therefore, a results of this study could be used as a quantitative, objective measure to design the workplace so that the risk of occupationally related low back disorder should be minimized.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.79-85
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• 2009

In this study, the effects of psychosocial stress (box color and precision demand) on muscle activity were evaluated in laboratory setting. Eight subjects performed sagittally symmetric lifting tasks. Box color (yellow, black), precision demand (yes, no), and box weight (5%MVC, 10%MVC, 15 %MVC) were varied and surface EMG signals from seven muscles(medial deltoid right, biceps brachii right, lateral triceps right, latissimus dorsi right, erector spinae right, external oblique right, internal oblique right) were recorded. EMG signals were band-pass filtered($10{\sim}400\;Hz$), rectified, RMS smoothed and normalized (NEMG). Analysis of variance tests were conducted on the total NEMG (TNEMG: the sum of the seven muscles' NEMGs) and on the individual muscle's NEMGs. Box color had no effect on the TNEMG and on the seven muscles activities(p>0.05). When precision demand was required at the end point of lifts, the mean NEMG showed higher values than no precision demand conditions: TNEMG (14% increase) and medial deltoid(40% increase), biceps brachii(10% increase), lateral triceps(26% increase), latissimus dorsi(25% increase) muscles. Those increases showed more conspicuous as the box weight increased in the muscles of medial deltoid, lateral triceps, and latissimus dorsi.