Design and construction of a prototype cushion, controlled by mechanical sensors, to evaluate the posture of office workers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18041/2322-634X/rcso.4.2015.4937Keywords:
ergonomics, occupational health, job design, musculoskeletal disorders, active breaks, productivityAbstract
This research is oriented to the field of occupational ergonomics, specifically the analysis of office jobs where required sitting most of the working day (more than 4 hours per day).
Objective: The prototype developed reduces musculoskeletal effects and risks resulting from sedentary jobs and evaluates the position of users in a working day of eight hours for a month.
Methodology: Exploratory experimentally, in order to implement the prototype and evaluate the functionality on 8 secretaries in the faculty of engineering in a university in the Cali city.
Results: A secretary holds about 24% of the time standing or outside your workplace, if something atypical data secretaries who spent much of the day standing (43% and 34%) are not considered is obtained an average of 18%, ie., in a day of eight hours a secretary of the faculty is standing on average 1 hour 30 minutes.
Conclusions: This process research and development of soft technologies, allows us to have a full and effective tool in investigating posture habits, active breaks and productivity jobs associated with high rates of physical inactivity for prevent musculoskeletal disorders.
Downloads
References
Vallely, L. Good ergonomics is good economics. Works Management. 1994; 47(2), 35.
Bernard BP, editor. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease control and Prevention, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. Musculoskeletal disorders and workplace factors: a critical review of epidemiologic evidence for work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the neck, upper extremity, and lower back. July 1997. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-141. [Internet] [Consultado Enero 10 de 2011] Disponible en: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/97-141/ .
National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine. Musculoskeletal disorders and the workplace: low back and upper extremities. Panel on Musculoskeletal Disorders and the Workplace. Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. 2001. [Internet] [consultado Enero 10 de 2011] Disponible en: http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309072840.
Colombia. Ministerio de Salud. Resolución 8430 del 4 de Octubre de 1993. Colombia. [Internet] [consultado junio 4 2011 ] Disponible en: http://www.unisabana.edu.co/fileadmin/Documentos/Investigacion/comite_de_etica/Res__8430_1993_-_Salud.pdf
Sauter, S. L., Schleifer, L. M., & Knutson, S. J. Work posture, workstation design, and musculoskeletal discomfort in a VDT data entry task. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. 1991; 33(2), 151-167.
Lee, D. L. Prevalence of Lifted Finger Behavior and Postures during Two-Button Computer Mouse Use. In Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting (Vol. 50, No. 13, pp. 1361-1365). SAGE Publications; 2006.
Rempel, DM, Krause, N, Goldberg, R, Benner, D, Hudes, M, & Goldner, GU. A randomised controlled trial evaluating the effects of two workstation interventions on upper body pain and incident musculoskeletal disorders among computer operators. Occupational and Environmental Medicine. 2006; 63(5), 300-306.
Putz-Anderson, V, Bernard, B. P, Burt, S. E, Cole, L. L, Fairfield-Estill, C, Fine, LJ. & Nelson, N. Musculoskeletal disorders and workplace factors. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH); 1997.
NIOSH workers health chartbook. NIOSH Publication No. 2004-146. Washington, D.C; 2004.