Abstract
This study was designed to investigate the relationship between workplace layout and muscular strain in one-handed manual materials handling activities repetitively performed at high rates in the horizontal plane. Ten subjects participated in the study. The task consisted of moving a 1 kg weight over a distance of 38 cm from three different directions set at 45°, 90° and 150° from the body plane. Subjects worked at work rates of 10 movements/Min and 20 movements /Min. Electromyographic (EMG) activities were recorded from five muscles of the dominant hand-arm-shoulder region.*** Root mean squared values of the EMG signals were computed. Static and dynamic components of the EMG signals were also calculated. Results of the study show that muscular strain as measured by EMG activity was in general sensitive to the variation of work rate. The total muscular load imposed by the task showed dependence on movement direction.
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