Ergonomics evaluation of workplace at car tyre service centre

The project title is to evaluate an ergonomic on workplace at car tyre service centre. Too many people are injured while working in automotive workshops. Questionnaire survey on the workers by through interview session is used to identify a level of body discomfort area and sources of injury or uncomfortable feelings. Direct observation is performed by "walk through" inspection using digital camera to evaluate and identify ergonomic risk factor based on work activity that has ergonomic stressors present at the workplace. In particular, the application of Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) is used to evaluate exposures to postures, forces and muscle activities that have been shown to contribute to Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs). From questionnaire survey findings, the twelve (12) of respondents have body discomfort in the neck (8 each), shoulder (10 each), elbow/forearm (9 each), hand/wrist (11 each), knee (7 each), lower leg (7 each) ankle/foot (4 each) and lower back (9 each). The main sources of injury/uncomfortable feeling in workplace are poor body posture (75%), bending the back (75%), highly repetitive motion (75%), heavy lifting object (83.3%), the long term standing (66.7%), long term squatting (58.3%), bending the neck (66.7%) and high hand force (58.3%). And about 50% reported that poor workplace design was contributed to source of injury while 41.7% reported in use of hand tools. Eight (8) pictures were taken by using digital camera for the eight (8) different tasks to identify the ergonomic physical risk factors. Most of the physical risk factors identified were awkward posture from working with the hands above the shoulders, neck bending, bending the back forward, repeated bending, reaching, squatting and kneeling on the hard surface. Lifting heavy objects more than 10 kg, not wearing a hand gloves and exposed to high hand arm vibration when using high impact wrench (air gun) also contributed to the ergonomic physical risk factor. The REBA analysis showed, mostly in a score of eleven (11), very high risk which require action to be taken immediately. This study also includes controlling, minimizing and eliminating the risks of work-related entire body disorders exposure. There is a two hierarchy of controls that are widely accepted for modifying ergonomic hazards in which are engineering controls and administrative controls. Engineering controls involve changing the workstation layout, selection and use of tools, position of process materials, or work methods used to complete a task. Administrative controls are policies or practices directed by management that can reduce or prevent exposure to ergonomics risk factors. The study will be useful to ergonomists, researchers, consultants, workshop managers, maintenance workers and others concerned with ergonomics design in workplace

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

A Comparative Study of Turbulence Models on Aerodynamics Characteristics of a NACA0012 Airfoil

This paper presented a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of air flow past a 2D model NACA0012 airfoil at high Reynolds number (Re = 3.0 x 106) at various angles of attack (-10° to 15°). The simulations were undertaken to inform on how the fluid flowed around the airfoil by solving the steady state governing equations of continuity and momentum conservation that are combined with one of three turbulence models Spalart-Allmaras, Realizable k-ε and k-ω shear stress transport (SST). It is observed that the Realizable k- ε eliminates the small separation bubble on the upper surface of the airfoil and delaying separation flow.  Also, for the lift coefficient, CL and drag coefficient, CD investigated in this paper, the predicted data have good agreement with other published data

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