• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to develop a comprehensive posture classification scheme considering the effects of external load and motion repetition as well as those of working posture. The scheme was developed based on a series of existing empirical studies dealing with postural classification scheme, effects of external load and motion repetition. Ranges of joint motions, external load and motion repetition were divided into the groups with the same degree of discomforts. Each group was assigned a numerical relative discomfort score of code on the basis of discomfort values for the neutral position of elbow flexion. The criteria for evaluating stress of working postures were proposed based on the four distinct action categories, in order to enable practitioners to apply appropriate corrective actions. The proposed scheme was compared with OWAS, RULA and REBA. The comparison revealed that while the proposed scheme and RULA showed similar results for the working postures with light external load and non-repetitive postures, the former overestimated postural load for postures with moderate or heavy external load and repetitive postures than the latter.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.178-183
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to quantitatively investigate the effects of external load upper extremity posture on perceived discomfort. An experiment was conducted for measuring discomfort scores depending upon external loads and upper extremity postures, in which the free modules and numeric estimate method of the magnitude estimation was adopted as a tool for obtaining discomfort ratings. The upper extremity postures were controlled by wrist flexion/extension, elbow foexion, shoulder flexion, and shoulder adduction/abduction. The results showed that all experimental variables except shoulder adduction/abduction were significant at ${\alpha}$=0.01 or 0.05. The effect of external load was very much larger than that of upper extremity postures. Therefore, it is recommended that a new posture classification scheme taking effect of external load to into consideration be developed for quantifying postural load.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.20 no.2 s.70
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• pp.127-132
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is to compare representative posture classification schemes of OWAS, RULA and REBA in terms of correctness for postural load. The comparison was based on the evaluation results by the three methods for 224 working postures sampled from steel, electronics, automotive, and chemical industries. The results showed that OWAS and REBA generally underestimated postural stress than RULA irrespective of industry type, work performed and whether or not leg posture is balanced. While about $71\%\;and\;73\%$ of the 224 posture were evaluated with the action category/level 1 or 2 by OWAS and REBA respectively, about $60\%$ of the postures were classified into the action level of 3 or 4 by RULA. The coincidence rate of postural stress category between OWAS and RULA was just $33.5\%$, while the rate between RULA and REBA was $46.0\%$. It is concluded from the findings of this study and the previous research that compared to OWAS and REBA, RULA more precisely evaluates postural stress.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.139-149
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• 2000

This study aims to review and assess the existing postural classification schemes used for evaluating postural loads in industry. The schemes can be classified into three categories: self-report, observational and instrument-based techniques depending upon how to record working postures. Of the three techniques, this study was mainly focused on the observational methods. The observational technique is most widely used in the industrial sites because it does not interfere with work, and is easy and simple to use and cost-effective without requiring the use of expensive equipment for estimating the angular deviation of a body segment from the neutral position. In spite of the usefulness and applicability, the techniques have some problems: 1) The existing observational techniques lack the consistency in the class limits of the motion categories in each body segment; 2) Most of them do not provide the post-analysis criteria needed to judge whether or not any posture is acceptable in view point of the postural load; and 3) They can not precisely evaluate the postural load for a given posture because the external loads and dynamic factors including acceleration, moment and force were not taken into consideration.

• Proceedings of the ESK Conference
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• 1998.04a
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• pp.31-35
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• 1998

Many reaearchers have reproted that poor body postures are associated with pains or symptoms of musculoskeletal dissoders. Therefore, the ergonomic evaluation of postural stresses as well as biomechanical stresses is important when a job such as automobile assembly tasks involves highly repetitive and/or prolonged poor body postures. A macropostural classification shema was developed to characterise various body postures occurring in automobile assembly tasks in the study. To specify a postural code and stress level to each body posture, perceived joint discomforts were subjectively evaluated in the lab experiments for the full range of motion in five human body joints. Based on the reaults, a postural classification scheme was developed where the full range of motion in each body joint was classified into several codes repressenting different stress levels. The automobile tasks were clustered into 12 types based on the result walk-in-surveillance and the possible posture codes for each task type are defined. I was exposed that the poor postural problems in automobile assembly tasks were concerned in most part with arms, trunk and neck. Application of te developed schema to seven operations in automobile assembly tasks showed that the schema can be used as a tool to identify the operations and tasks involving highly stressful body postures. The schema can also be utilised as a basis to prioritise the candidate assembly operations for redesign of work methods.

• IE interfaces
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.218-225
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• 2004

This study aims to investigate effect of external load and motion repetitiveness on perceived discomfort. An experiment was performed for measuring discomfort scores at varying conditions, in which external load, motion repetitiveness and arm posture were employed as experimental variables. The arm posture was controlled by shoulder flexion and abduction, and by elbow flexion. Fifteen healthy college-age students without history of musculoskeletal disorders voluntarily participated in the experiment. The results showed that the effect of external load, motion repetitiveness and shoulder posture on discomfort were statistically significant, but that elbow posture did not significantly affect discomfort ratings. The effect of external load was much larger than that of any other variables, and that of repetitiveness was second only to external load. Discomfort scores significantly increased linearly as the levels of external load and motion repetitiveness increased. This implies that although they were not fully reflected in the existing posture classification scheme such as OWAS, RULA, etc., the effect of external load and motion repetitiveness should be taken into consideration for precisely quantifying work load in industry. Based on regression analysis, equivalent values of external load and motion repetitiveness in terms of discomfort scores were provided, which would be useful for better understanding the degree of their effect on work load.

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.122-128
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to improve the firing elevation driving method for towed howitzer to prevent the musculoskeletal disorders. To adjust the firing elevation, it is required to rotate the hand wheel and this work has been done manually in the firing test range as the same method as field artillery troops. In the firing test range, the motor-driven firing elevation adjustment device was developed to improve the working efficiency and safety. These were compared by using posture classification scheme of RULA and REBA. It was measured elapsed time to investigate the improved operational efficiency. The optimal posture of upper body to operate the hand wheel for field artillery troops was proposed.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.45-56
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to evaluate perceived discomfort of working postures in terms of upper body (back, shoulder, and elbow) flexions when an external load varies. Eighteen subjects participated in an experiment of appraising perceived discomfort of varying upper body postures with three levels of external loads given. The ANOVA results showed that the perceived discomfort of upper body postures was significantly affected by the external load. It was also apparent that the interactions between external load and upper body posture were significant (p< 0.001). The result implies that a new posture classification scheme for workload assessment methods may be in need to reflect such interactions between external load and upper body posture. In order to support the statement, a regression model of perceived discomfort of upper body postures obtained from the experiment was developed and compared to that of perceived discomfort of seven work-related postures found in automobile assembly operations. The correlation coefficient between predicted and actual values of perceived discomfort was about 0.96. It is expected that the result help to properly estimate the body stress resluting from worker's postures and external loads and can be used as a valuable design guideline on preventing work-related musculoskeletal diseases in industry.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.11-27
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• 2005

The objectives of this study are to analyze representative wrist postures while using hand tools and parts at general assembly processes, to evaluate perceived discomfort on the wrist when external loads are present, and to suggest an evaluation and prediction model of perceived discomfort. Sixteen subjects participated in an experiment to appraise perceived discomfort. Three types of the wrist postures with five levels of non-neutralities were analyzed when five levels of external load were applied to each posture. The ANOVA results showed that the perceived discomfort of wrist postures was significantly affected by both the wrist posture and external load (p$<$0.001). It was also shown that some of the interactions between external loads and the wrist postures(Flexion/$Extension^*$Load, Flexion/$Extension^*$supination/pronation, ulnar/radial $deviation^*$supination/pronation) were significant(p$<$0.001). The result implies that a new posture classification scheme for workload assessment methods may be needed to reflect such effects of external load and wrist posture. A regression model of perceived discomfort was developed with respect to wrist posture and external load from the experimental data. A subsequent experiment revealed that the correlation coefficient between the predicted values of perceived discomfort from the model and the actual values obtained from the experiment was about 0.98. It is expected that the results help to properly estimate the body stress resulting from worker's postures and external loads and can be used as a valuable design guideline to analyze potential hazard of musculoskeletal diseases in industry.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.4893-4901
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• 2013

In order for a machine, especially used in the defense industry, to consistently operate during its life-time, lots of study has been done in machine design as well as machine maintenance. However, the realistic study is necessary in management and operation of a military support facility, where spare parts are stored and retrieved. In this paper, efficient arrangement of spare parts are proposed to acquire increased in efficiency and decreased in cost for operation management of the military support facility. First, spare parts is assorted by MTBF(Mean Time Between Failure) and divided in to three groups A/B/C as an alternative arrangement. Each defined alternatives will go under simulations and RULA(Rapid Upper Limb Assessment), which is posture classification scheme evaluation attributes, to find working time and posture difficulty and lastly by entropy measurement to be selected. This research proposes the efficient spare parts arrangement in military support facility to minimize working time and posture difficulty. By taking system and human engineering approach together into consideration, it will lead to show a specific value.