To estimate the three-year cumulative risk of work-related upper limb disorders (WRULDs) in a cohort of automotive industry workers and to provide a first test of the ability of the European Assembly Worksheet (EAWS) methodology to predict WRULDs.
METHODS:
292 workers were investigated by reviewing workers’ medical records during the period from 2012–2015 to determine their exposure to biomechanical overload according to EAWS risk scores (0–25, low risk, Green zone; 26–50, medium risk, Yellow zone; >50, High risk; Red zone).
RESULTS:
The risks were 0.83%, 5.71%, and 11.88% for the Control (unexposed), Green and Yellow Groups, respectively. Only the comparison between the Yellow/Control Groups was significant (p = 0.0014). In total, we observed 17 cases of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) (14 symptomatic and 3 cases detected by physical examination).
CONCLUSIONS:
The EAWS is a useful tool for the preliminary risk assessments of biomechanical overload among automotive industry workers. The finding of mainly non-specific disorders highly suggests that health surveillance should aim to identify not only full-blown diseases but also symptomatic cases.
HoeVC, UrquhartDM, KelsallHL, SimMR. Ergonomic design and training for preventing work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the upper limb and neck in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 8. 2012;(8):CD008570.
2.
MaCC, GuJK, CharlesLE, AndrewME, DongRG, BurchfielCM. Work-related upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders in the United States: 2006, 2009, and 2014 National Health Interview Survey. Work. 2018;60(4):623–34.
3.
RoquelaureY, HaC, RouillonC, FouquetN, LeclercA, DescathaA, et al. Risk factors for upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders in the working population. Arthritis Rheum. 2009;61(10):1425–34.
4.
van RijnRM, HuisstedeBM, KoesBW, BurdorfA. Associations between work-related factors and the carpal tunnel syndrome – a systematic review. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2009;35(1):19–36.
5.
van RijnRM, HuisstedeBM, KoesBW, BurdorfA. Associations between work-related factors and specific disorders of the shoulder – a systematic review of the literature. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2010;36(3):189–201.
6.
BaoSS, KapelluschJM, MerryweatherAS, ThieseMS, GargA, HegmannKT, et al. Relationships between job organisational factors, biomechanical and psychosocial exposures. Ergonomics. 2016;59(2):179–94.
7.
ThieseMS, HegmannKT, KapelluschJ, MerryweatherA, BaoS, SilversteinB, et al. Associations between distal upper extremity job physical factors and psychosocial measures in a pooled study. Biomed Res Int. 2015:1-9.
8.
da CostaJT, BaptistaJS, VazM. Incidence and prevalence of upper-limb work related musculoskeletal disorders: A systematic review. Work. 2015;51:635–44.
9.
GoldJE, d’ErricoA, KatzJN, GoreR, PunnettL. Specific and non-specific upper extremity musculoskeletal disorder syndromes in automobile manufacturing workers. Am J Ind Med Title. 2009;52(2):124–32.
10.
CoenenP, DouwesM, van den HeuvelS, BoschT. Towards exposure limits for working postures and musculoskeletal symptoms – a prospective cohort study. Ergonomics. 2016;59(9):1182–92.
11.
SanciniA, CapozzellaA, CaciarT, TomeiF, NardoneN, ScalaB, et al. Risk of upper extremity biomechanical overload in automotive facility. BES. 2013;26(1):70–5.
12.
Aublet-CuvelierA, AptelM, WeberH. The dynamic course of musculoskeletal disorders in an assembly line factory. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2006;79(7):578–84.
13.
PunnettL. Ergonomic stressors and upper extremity disorders in vehicle manufacturing: Cross sectional exposure-response trends. Occup Environ Med. 1998;55(6):414–20.
14.
PunnettL, GoldJ, KatzJN, GoreR, WegmanDH. Ergonomic stressors and upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders in automobile manufacturing: A one year follow up study. Occup Environ Med. 2004;61(8):668–74.
15.
GargA, MooreJS, KapelluschJM. The revised strain index: An improved upper extremity exposure assessment model. Ergonomics. 2016;59:1–11.
16.
GargA, MooreJS, KapelluschJM. The composite strain index (COSI) and cumulative strain index (CUSI): Methodologies for quantifying biomechanical stressors for complex tasks and job rotation using the revised strain index. Ergonomics. 2016;59:1–9.
17.
DrinkausP, SesekR, BloswickD, BernardT, WaltonB, JosepB, et al. Comparison of ergonomic risk assessment outputs from rapid upper limb assessment and the strain index for tasks in automotive assembly plants. Work. 2003;21(2):165–72.
18.
SchaubK, CaragnanoG, BritzkeB, BruderR. The European Assembly Worksheet. Theor Issues Ergon Sci. 2013;14(6):616–39.
19.
LavatelliI, SchaubK, CaragnanoG. Correlations in between EAWS and OCRA index concerning the repetitive loads of the upper limbs in automobile manufacturing industries. Work. 2012;41(Suppl. 1):4436-44.
20.
CaputoF, D’AmatoE, SpadaS, SessaF, LosardoM. Upper body motion tracking system with inertial sensors for ergonomic issues in industrial environments. Advances in Intelligent Systems & Computing (AHFE). 2016:801-12.
21.
UNI ISO 11228-3. 2009. Ergonomics – Manual Handling – Part 3: Handling of Low Loads at High Frequency.
22.
PunnettL, FineLJ, KeyserlingWM, HerrinGD, ChaffinDB. Shoulder disorders and postural stress in automobile assembly work. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2000;26(4):283–91.
23.
NicolettiS, ConsonniD, CarinoM, Di LeoneG, TraniG, BatteviN, et al. Upper limb work-related musculoskeletal disorders (UL-WMSDs): A retrospective cohort study in three large factories of the upholstered furniture industry. Med Lav. 2008;99(4):281–96.
24.
Roman-LiuD, BugajskaJ, TokarskiT. Comparative study of upper limb load assessment and occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders at repetitive task workstations. Ind Health. 2009;52(6):461–70.
25.
ColombiniD, OcchipintiE. L’analisi e la gestione del rischio nel lavoro manuale ripetitivo. Manuale per l’uso del sistema OCRA per la gestione del rischio da sovraccarico biomeccanico in lavori semplici e complessi. Milano: Franco Angeli Editore; 2014.
26.
NicolettiS, CarinoM, Di LeoneG, TraniG, CarellaF, RubinoG, et al. Prevalenza delle patologie da sovraccarico biomeccanico degli arti superiori negli addetti del comparto del mobile imbottito. Med Lav. 2008;99(4):271–80.
27.
PunnettL, WegmanDH. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders: The epidemiologic evidence and the debate. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2004;14(1):13–23.
