Abstract
The main goal of this study was to quantify risk factors, that may contribute to the development of musculoskeletal injuries, in a trimmer's job of a large sawmill. Two operators participated in this study and each was measured for two days when two different products were processed. Detailed observational methods were used to quantify task distribution, repetitiveness of hand exertion and work postures. Surface electromyographic (EMG) and electrogoniometric measurements were employed to quantify muscle loads on four muscles in the neck/shoulder and forearm regions, and postural loads of the right wrist and forearm. Results of task distribution showed that the operators spent about 76% of the time monitoring and positioning boards. Thus, ergonomic intervention measures may need to be focused on improvements on this task. Major risk factors found at this job were high repetitive hand exertion, awkward wrist postures, high hand force exertion and static shoulder muscle load.
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