Sign language interpreters (SLI) provide a vital service to the deaf community but also experience high levels of pain and suffer from career threatening musculoskeletal disorders. Balancing work and rest (recovery) may be a useful intervention to help address these concerns. This thesis addresses two specific questions, parsed out of a larger study seeking to determine ideal work to rest ratios for sign language interpreting. The aims of this specific body of work were to evaluate sign language interpreters (SLIs) perceptions of the mental and physical demands associated with different work to rest ratios; and, to measure kinematics during signing, comparing kinematic outcomes between novice and experienced SLIs and over time using the work to rest ratio that was perceived as the least demanding (as identified in aim 1). Nine novice and nine experienced interpreters participated in the study, each interpreting the same ten hours of a university level lecture, over the course of six visits to the laboratory. During each session interpreters worked (“hands in the air”) for 60 minutes, but used a different work to rest strategy in each session. These strategies ranged from 10-minute work, 10-minute rest, to 60 minutes of continuous work with no rest. During each session, participants were instrumented with motion capture and electromyography sensors while interpreting in a simulated working environment. In addition, SLIs were asked to provide feedback about their perceptions of the mental and physical demands associated with each session. The first study in this thesis reports on participant’s subjective feedback about the six different sessions (paper #1); where participants identified the 15-minute work to rest ratio as ideal. The second paper reports on kinematic data from this perceived ideal work to rest ratio (paper #2). Despite interpreting in a work to rest ratio that SLIs perceived as ideal, kinematic variables with known associations to injury risk (joint position, velocity, micro-breaks) readily exceeded reported thresholds. / Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-29 17:46:11.133

Nursing staff have an elevated risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders, in particular in the lower back area. Statistics produced by leading industrial nations show that back problems are the world’s number one work-related health problem, and that healthcare workers suffer from a greater occurrence of such problems than workers in other professions. In this context, many studies have examined manual patient handling activities, which was thought to be the main cause of musculoskeletal disorders of the lower back. But nurses have many other types of work to perform and several reviews have concluded that approaches which only focus on manual patient handling activities do not sufficiently reduce back problems in nursing professions. Other risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders of the lower back discussed in the literature included repeated bending and the high proportion of static trunk postures. The main aim of this doctoral thesis was therefore to examine the influence of stressful trunk postures on the physical workload of nursing staff in hospitals and nursing homes. It focuses on the type, number and extent of stressful postures and on identifying activities that encourage their occurrence. We used our findings to derive strategies for reducing stressful postures in nursing, and examined whether nursing staff regard such a reduction as actually relieving their physical workload. A secondary aim was to consider the older people potentially in need of care. The background to this is that, due to steadily rising costs, many older people are unable to afford care in a nursing home, and additionally that the forecast severe shortage of nursing staff in future gives reason to look for solutions that can reduce the demand for nursing staff. Among older people who still look after themselves, we therefore examined which stressful postures they adopt when carrying out domestic tasks such as cooking and washing laundry. From the results, we provided some examples of a better design of the domestic environment, which reduces stressful postures, when performing these tasks and helps older people to be able to look after themselves in their own homes for longer. / <p>QC 20140324</p>

Magister Scientiae (Physiotherapy) - MSc(Physio) / Lack of adherence to the correct working conditions exposes workers to ergonomics-related hazards and eventually work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMDs) which are estimated at 160 million per year globally. Literature shows that with modernization by use of computers, administrators are exposed to prolonged sitting and long working hours which predisposes them to ergonomic hazards. Low back pain and neck pain are the leading work-related musculoskeletal disorders with a lifetime prevalence of 70 - 80% and 50 - 60% respectively.Both low back pain and neck pain have a multifactorial aetiology that includes work-related and individual related factors. Lack of reporting of work-related injuries has led to paucity of statistical literature with regards to work-related low back pain and neck pain, especially in the developing countries. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of ergonomics related low back pain and neck pain, and describe the effect of a knowledge-based ergonomic intervention among administrators in Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi (AKUH, N). A mixed method design was used in this study using a survey and two focus group discussions(FGD). A self-administered questionnaire that is in four sections was administered to 208 participants. The questionnaire sought the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, the knowledge of participants with regards to low back pain and neck pain as well as the work-related and individual risk factors related to the same. The dissemination of the study results involved a one hour knowledge-based ergonomic session given to all interested participants, based on the information from the survey. Two FGD with purposive selection of eight participants were held to explore their experience on the value of the information provided.The statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 20 was used to capture and analyze the quantitative data. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the study findings in the form of means, frequencies, standard deviations and percentages. Inferential statistics (chi-square) was used to test the associations between different categorical variables (p<0.05). For the qualitative data, the tape recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim, field notes typed, sorting and arranging data was done and themes were generated. Thematic content analysis was used to generate the themes. The aim of the study, confidentiality and the participants‘ freedom to withdraw from the study were explained. Informed consent was also obtained before the survey and FGD and referral was made where necessary. The findings of the current study revealed that the study participants were knowledgeable about ergonomics-related low back pain and neck pain however this knowledge was not directly translated into behaviour. Low back pain (LBP) had the highest twelve month prevalence at 75.5% followed by neck pain at 67.8%, and LBP showed significant associations at p< 0.05 with some work-related and individual risk factors. The results of the FGDs showed that most participants had positive behavioural and attitudinal change post the knowledge-based ergonomic intervention despite the challenges they met in implementing the behavioural change. These results therefore show the need for continual education about ergonomics to create awareness on the predisposing factors to work-related LBP and neck pain, hence promoting a healthier quality of life amongst employees through adherence to healthy work behavioural practice.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Occupational health (OH) in physiotherapy is well known for addressing workrelated musculoskeletal disorders (WRMDs), which are high in number according to the available statistics (Fingerhut, Concha, Punnet, Steenland, & Driscoll, 2014). The introduction of the Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy degree in Kenya in 2010 created a good platform for the development and review of occupational health content in the curriculum

Forest machine operators are still experiencing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) despite extensive mechanisation and modernisation of harvesting systems. However, paucity of local ergonomics research and technology transfer problems threatens the sustainability of mechanised systems in South Africa. Consequently, this study was a field-based ergonomic assessment of local forwarding operations. PG Bison’s North East Cape Forests (NECF) Eastern Cape operations and Komatiland Forests (KLF), Mpumalanga, operations were studied. The main aim of the study was to carry out an ergonomic assessment on local forwarder operator tasks, using Tigercat 1055 forwarders. The study specifically assessed WMSD prevalence and risk factors, investigated the frequency of awkward head postures, and evaluated work organisation. A modified Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire was used to survey WMSD prevalence and work organisation factors. During the shift, operators reported localised work-related musculoskeletal discomfort hourly. A video camera mounted in the cab was used to capture the footage of awkward head postures. The video footage was also used for the WMSD risk assessment using Health and Safety Executive (HSE) (HSG60) upper limb disorder assessment worksheets. Operators reported that they had experienced WMSDs during the last 12 months, mainly in the lower back, neck, shoulders and upper back. The operators cited lower repetitive strain symptoms and higher lower back discomfort than in previous studies. Twenty three per cent of awkward head postures were extreme. Operators reported worse than normal psychological profiles. The study results support the assertion that causal pathways of WMSDs are complex and multifactorial. Repetition, awkward head posture, duration of exposure, vibration, psychological factors and individual differences were identified as the main WMSD risk factors. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Plant Production and Soil Science / MSc / Unrestricted

Musculoskeletal disorders are common in many industries such as automotive, manufacturing and line assembly. Risk factors include high frequency or hand repetition, long duration of work activities with short rest periods, unsustainable postures which put strain on the body and muscles, and activities that require significant force to fulfill duties. The current ACGIH TLV for hand activity uses hand activity level (HAL) and normalized peak force (NPF) to assess an individual’s risk of developing an MSD. The purpose of this study is to propose the use of Posture as an alternative to NPF and couple it with HAL to assess the risk of an MSD. The data used in this paper come from an automotive study conducted at four automotive manufacturing plants. An estimated 50 interviews were conducted at each of the four plants in an effort to document if any worker had recently experienced an MSD which would then be termed as a case. A case was determined by one of two methods, the first being if the employee visited the plant clinic for pain experienced while on the job, the second occurred through an interview conducted by a USF investigator in which the employee answered yes to having pain or discomfort that interfered with work, play or sleep and there was a treatment-seeking behavior. The analysis revealed HAL and Posture can be used to assess potential MSD development in exposed workers. Logistic regression was conducted, and it showed statistical significance when using HAL and Posture to assess MSDs developing in workers exposed in occupational settings. In place of NPF, Posture can be used with HAL to assess MSDs in occupational settings.

This research is to validate a risk assessment model?s ability to predict work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). The model looks at the primary risk factors of repetition, force, deviated posture, tool design, duration, and frequency. The sum of the ratings for each factor is the risk assessment score for the person doing a certain job task. According to the score, the task is rated as a ?no risk? to an ?extreme risk? task. The data used for this research was from an epidemiological study preformed at a fish processing facility. To validate the model, the scores from the risk assessment model were compared to the operators? severity and frequency of pain in the median nerve distribution of the hand and to previous risk model. The statistical tests show that the risk assessment model can predict if the operator performing a task is at risk for forming a WMSD.

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