Working Postures and Movements

The book addresses seating concepts, hand tool and pedal designs, foot-floor interfaces, digital human models for computer-aided design and engineering, and work organization (task duration, breaks, handling frequency) as they affect human performance and musculoskeletal injury reduction.

Musculoskeletal injuries are the most prevalent work related reason for workers being absent from work in most industries. These injuries are often caused by static postures, sometimes with forceful exertions, or repetitive movements that have to be maintained for many hours a day, such as intensive use of data entry devices, or deskwork, assembly work, parts inspection, equipment maintenance, manual materials handling, machinery operations, and driving vehicles, among other activities. In order to prevent such injuries, occupational health professionals, ergonomists, production engineers and product designers have to know how to evaluate postures and movements, and understand how these are determined by the work environment, as well as what design tools are available to achieve less stressful working conditions.This book describes easy-to-use and internationally accepted evaluation tools applicable to postures and movements in the work environment. Renowned authors from around the world have put together the latest scientific knowledge describing the anthropometry, biomechanics, physiology, psychophysics, and human perceptual-motor control basis for posture and movement assessment related to all the major body segments. The book addresses seating concepts, hand tool and pedal designs, digital human models for computer-aided design and engineering, and work organization (task duration, breaks, handling frequency) as they affect human performance and musculoskeletal injury reduction. It is aimed at all practicing professionals and students that are familiar with the basic concepts of ergonomics in general, and for those in particular who are interested in gaining a deeper understanding of how to improve working postures and movements.Christine M. Haslegrave is a Senior Lecturer specializing in Occupational Ergonomics at the Institute for Occupational Ergonomics, University of Nottingham.Don B. Chaffin is the G. Lawton and Louise G. Johnson Professor of Industrial and Operations Engineering at Human Motion Simulation at the Center for Ergonomics University of Michigan, College of Engineering.