• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.143-153
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• 2014

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of trunk-forearm supported sitting on trunk flexion angle, trunk extensor fatigue and seat contact pressure. Background: The relationship between sitting posture and musculoskeletal disorders of the trunk extensor fatigue and seat contact pressure has been documented. The trunk-forearm support type ergonomic chair was devised from the fact that trunk-forearm support has been reported to reduce trunk extensor activity and discomfort. Method: Using three different sitting postures, upright ($P_1$), trunk-forearm supported ($P_2$) and normal sitting ($P_3$), six healthy subjects participated in the study. Motion capture system was used to collect head and trunk flexion angle, and surface electromyography (sEMG) was used to collect myoelectric signal of upper trapezius, lower trapezius, erector spinae, multifidus, and pressure mat system was used to measure seat contact pressure. Results: When trunk and forearm were supported by the ergonomic chair, higher head flexion angle showed upright > trunk-forearm supported > normal in order, and muscle fatigue showed less than upright and normal sitting. Mean seat contact pressure decreased 19% than upright sitting. But muscle fatigue was not affected by each condition. Conclusion: Trunk-forearm supported sitting of the ergonomic chair showed positive effect in respect of trunk and head flexion angle, trunk extensor fatigue, seat contact pressure. To acquire comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of the ergonomic chair, further studies such as anatomical effects from measurement of external applied loading effect to the body from interface pressure analysis are required. Application: The results of the publishing trend analysis might help physiological effects of trunk-forearm support type chair.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.171-181
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• 2009

This study was carried out to evaluate a musculoskeletal symptom and the work posture of the nurses in an operating room who have worked in the present department for more than one year. The job analysis of operating room nurses for ergonomic work posture analysis is divided into 14 tasks. On the basis of that, a survey research and ergonomic work posture analysis are also carried out. Among 41 operating room nurses of a cancer center in Kyonggi province who responded to the self-administered questionnaire, 20 nurses were observed and videorecorded to apply Rapid Entire Body Assessment(REBA) to ergonomic work posture analysis from April 16, 2007 to May 18, 2007. The results of analysis are as follows. The prevalence rate of musculoskeletal symptoms was 75.6% and its prevalence rates by part of the body are these followings; lower back and leg/foot 43.9%, shoulder 36.6%, neck 34.1%, hand/wrist/ finger 22.0%, arm/elbow 14.6%. In accordance with the results of ergonomic work posture analysis, 4 tasks that have a REBA score of 8 have high-risk levels and require an immediate management. It shows there is a significant correlation with overall musculoskeletal symptoms and objective workloads that are estimated by REBA. In conclusion, the work conditions of operating room nurses should be improved. It is also necessary that inappropriate work postures and ergonomic work conditions are improved to prevent musculoskeletal disorders of operating room nurses.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.390-402
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• 2009

This study aimed to examine the general characteristics of individual workers, psychosocial working environment, and ergonomic risk factors which affect the status of musculoskeletal disorders. Self-report was carried out for musculoskeletal symptoms and ergonomic risks in working environment in 856 production workers in 16 small to medium sized manufacturing companies. Musculoskeletal symptoms were examined with a standardized questionnaire, and ergonomic risks were evaluated with a qualitative self-administered instrument for the tasks related to musculoskeletal disorders. Major findings were as follows: 1) Complaint rate for musculoskeletal symptoms was higher in female, aged, married workers with longer working hours, less leisure/hobby activity, longer household working hours and history of disease or accident. 2) Complaint rate for musculoskeletal symptoms was significantly higher in workers with dissatisfaction, difficult tasks, and no self-control at work. 3) Complaint rate for musculoskeletal symptoms was significantly higher in workers involved in tasks with major ergonomic risk factors, and handling heavy equipment. 4) Explanatory power increased the model with the musculoskeletal symptoms as dependent variable and demographic variables, psychosocial working environment and ergonomic risk factors included, and total explanatory power of 18.6% revealed the significant effect. Based on the results, we can conclude that musculoskeletal symptoms in manufacturing workers are associated with individual demographic characteristics, psychosocial working environment and ergonomic risk factors.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.342-353
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to systematically review literature and conduct a meta-analysis to comprehensively identify and evaluate the effects of workplace risk assessment-based ergonomic intervention on work-related muscular-skeletal disorders in workers. Methods: We searched the Ovid-Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane library and up to 2018 using search terms such as muscular-skeletal, disorder, impairment, work-related muscular-skeletal disorders, ergonomic, intervention, management with no language limitations; screened reference lists; and contacted experts in the field. Results: We identified 545 references and included 13 randomized controlled tests (3,368 workers). We judged nine studies to have a low risk of bias, while the other four studies have a high risk of bias. Conclusion: Ergonomic intervention based on risk assessment in the workplace did not significantly differ in terms of the intensity of pain or duration of workers in the workplace, but low-quality evidence decreased the frequency of musculoskeletal disorder pain in three to six months moderate-quality evidence and in six to nine months low-quality evidence. Besides, low-quality evidence to reduce discomfort and moderate-quality evidence to improve worker posture. Therefore, ergonomic intervention based on the assessment of risk factors in the workplace should be applied to reduce pain frequency and discomfort and improve workers posture among musculoskeletal disorders.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.933-942
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• 2010

Objective: To develop an ergonomic evaluation tool which can be apply to assess the lower-limb postures associated with farming tasks. Background: In general, most of existing ergonomic assessment tools was developed to investigate the work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the upper-limb postures in manufacturing industry. Methods: As the first step of development of the evaluation tool, 13 lower-limb postures that were commonly observed in farming task were investigated by the subjective discomfort ratings, heart rates, and muscle activities. And then, an ergonomic evaluation tool for the lower-limb postures was developed based on results of the first experiment. Lastly, the ergonomic checklist which was developed in the current study was compared with other existing ergonomic assessment tools. Results: Based on the results of comparisons between a newly developed assessment tool and other existing assessment tools, it was found that a newly developed tool can perceive more sensitively for the various lower-limb postures than other assessment tools. Conclusions: Lower-limb posture assessment tool which can evaluate and assess risks of lower-limb WMSDs which were prevalent in farming tasks more easily and accurately was developed in this study. The lower-limb assessment tool can also be utilized to prevent WMSDs related with lower-limbs as well as improve working environments.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.75-78
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• 2018

Background: To identify work sectors with high risk for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in Korean men and women. Methods: We analyzed nationwide data to identify ergonomic risk factors in Korean employees. In particular, we analyzed data on exposure to five ergonomic risk factors (painful/tiring postures, lifting/moving heavy materials, standing/walking, repetitive hand/arm movements, and hand/arm vibration) according to employment sector, sex, and age, using the 2014 Fourth Korean Working Conditions Survey. We also used workers' compensation data on work-related MSDs in 2010, which is available by sex. Results: The different work sectors had different gender distributions. "Manufacturing" (27.7%) and "construction" (11.3%) were dominated by males, whereas "human health and social work activities" (12.4%), "hotel and restaurants" (11.7%), and "education" (10.4%) were dominated by females. However, "wholesale and retail trade" and "public administration and defense" employed large numbers of males and females. Furthermore, the work sectors with a greater proportion of work-related MSDs and with multiple ergonomic risk factors were different for men and women. For men, "construction" and "manufacturing" had the highest risk for work-related MSDs; for women, "hotel and restaurants" had the highest risk for work-related MSDs. Conclusion: Ergonomic interventions for workers should consider gender and should focus on work sectors with high risk for MSDs, with multiple ergonomic risk factors, and with the largest number of workers.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2013.05a
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• pp.1631-1632
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• 2013

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Design Studies Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.80-81
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• 2005

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2011.06a
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• pp.949-950
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• 2011

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.11 no.2 s.23
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• pp.33-40
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• 2005

According to the development of technology of the navigational equipments, many bridge equipments have been improved, however, marine accidents by human error have not been reduced. Therefore, a matter of primary concern is focused on whether bridge equipments of ships are ergonomically arranged to reduce errors due to human factors. As part of a design of IBS(Integrated Bridge System) standard, rules of the conning display to save time and additional movements to obtain important informations of a ship should be established as soon as possible. In the present study, ergonomic design factors for the conning display are studied through the survey of related works, heuristic evaluations, sketch method tests as well as questionnaires. Using these factors, new conning display was designed and the ergonomic indices were evaluated by comparing tests of the existing conning displays. It is found that the designed conning display obtained high ergonomic index showed better performance, therefore, the ergonomic index studied in the present paper can be used as a useful design standard in the conning display design procedures.