Development and evaluation of ergonomics and psycosocial assessment method for assessing work-related upper limb disorders

The observational methods have been considered as the most widely used for assessing work-related upper limb disorders (WULDs) because it is inexpensive, practical to use, and flexible to use in a wide range of workplaces. However, the existing methods have a specific purposes and do not universally ideal for all risk factors. Most of the existing methods only focus on assessing physical risk factors of WULDs especially in body postures and do not considered other factors of WULDs such as psychosocial, work organizational, and individual risk factors. Nowadays, psychosocial work characteristics are recognized as important risk factors. Besides that, during the tool development process, it was found that some of the existing observational methods have limited work perform the reliability, usability, and validity analysis. In order to improve these limitations, this study aims to develop a new observational method known as Upper Limb Risk Assessment (UPLIRA) tool and to determine the reliability and validity of the UPLIRA tool. The initial development of UPLIRA tool was conducted in three stages including the development of the UPLIRA system components, development of the UPLIRA checklist (prototype), and psychometric properties evaluation (reliability and validity). In reliability trials, the results of inter and intra rater reliability shows good (K = 0.802 - 0.806) to very good (K = 0.811 - 0.833) agreement among the observers. Meanwhile, the usability trials shows that the UPLIRA tool was applicable to wide range of jobs/tasks, valuable at works, and action level is easy to understand (mean 4.17 ± 0.753). Whereas, in validity trials the highest risk scores were obtained by cashier workers contrast to office workers according to the UPLIRA assessment. Based on the results so far, it can be concluded that the UPLIRA tool was found to be practically reliable and applicable to a wide range of workplaces

Relationship between musculoskeletal symptoms and ergonomic risk factors among office workers

This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, ergonomic risk levels, and identify ergonomic factors in computer workstation. A questionnaire-based interview and painself report form of the workers were collected among 76 office workers using Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) and direct observation using Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) to determine ergonomic risks. The mean age for men was 37.0 (SD = 9.4) and women was 34.3 (SD = 8.7). While for the total mean number of working experience was 10.0 (SD = 7.7). The highest prevalence rate of musculoskeletal symptoms among office workers were in the lower back (53.9%), neck region while women had 58.6% musculoskeletal pain on the shoulder region over the last 12 months. From logistic regression analysis, chair height score and back support score were significantly associated with low back pain

Usability of the Upper Limb Risk Assessment (UPLIRA) Method for Assessing the Risk Factors of Upper Limb Disorders

It is important to design ergonomic methods or assessment with a high usability and good ergonomic features, so the method is easily adaptable to the task and the workplace environment. Usability is a measurement on how well the user can use that functionality. The study converged on testing the usability of the new tools for assessing ULDs namely as Upper Limb Risk Assessment (UPLIRA). The UPLIRA method was evaluated by 6 students (3 undergraduate students and 3 postgraduates students) from University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) who are conducting research in ergonomic. From the feedback survey of UPLIRA method, the observers agree that the prototype of UPLIRA tool was applicable to workplace assessment for the wide range of jobs/task (mean 4.00, SD:0.632) with 83% percentage of agreement . They also indicate that UPLIRA method is quick to use (mean 3.67, SD:1.033) with percentage agreement of 67%. The scoring system and action level was rated as easy to understand (mean 3.67, SD:1.211) and (mean 4.17, SD:0.408). Conclusively, the UPLIRA method was rated as straightforward to use, applicable to wide range of tasks, and time saving as assessment can be completed within 10 minutes. In addition, the UPLIRA assessment covers an extensive range of physical, psychosocial, work organizational, and individual risk factors

Usability of the Upper Limb Risk Assessment (UPLIRA) Method for Assessing the Risk Factors of Upper Limb Disorders

It is important to design ergonomic methods or assessment with a high usability and good ergonomic features, so the method is easily adaptable to the task and the workplace environment. Usability is a measurement on how well the user can use that functionality. The study converged on testing the usability of the new tools for assessing ULDs namely as Upper Limb Risk Assessment (UPLIRA). The UPLIRA method was evaluated by 6 students (3 undergraduate students and 3 postgraduates students) from University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) who are conducting research in ergonomic. From the feedback survey of UPLIRA method, the observers agree that the prototype of UPLIRA tool was applicable to workplace assessment for the wide range of jobs/task (mean 4.00, SD:0.632) with 83% percentage of agreement . They also indicate that UPLIRA method is quick to use (mean 3.67, SD:1.033) with percentage agreement of 67%. The scoring system and action level was rated as easy to understand (mean 3.67, SD:1.211) and (mean 4.17, SD:0.408). Conclusively, the UPLIRA method was rated as straightforward to use, applicable to wide range of tasks, and time saving as assessment can be completed within 10 minutes. In addition, the UPLIRA assessment covers an extensive range of physical, psychosocial, work organizational, and individual risk factors