Designing Ergonomic Interventions for EMS Workers – Part II: Lateral Transfers

Details

• Personal Author:
  Conrad KM ; Gacki-Smith J ; Lavender SA ; Reichelt PA
• Description:
  The objective of the current work was to test ergonomic interventions aimed at reducing the low back musculoskeletal loads experienced by firefighters/paramedics (FFPs) providing emergency medical services (EMS) when performing lateral transfers between a bed and a stretcher or between a stretcher and a hospital gurney. The interventions, developed using focus groups, were a bridgeboard to reduce the frictional force resisting the lateral sliding of the patient, the use of rods along each side of the patient to facilitate the grasping and handling of the bedsheet on which the patient is typically transferred, and a single rod that, when rolled in the bedsheet, resulted in the task being changed from a lifting task to a pulling task. Eleven two-person teams laterally transferred a 75 kg dummy with each intervention between a bed and simulated stretcher. Two roles were defined. For the two-sided transfers, the FFP roles were termed "stretcher-side" and "bed-side." Surface electromyographic (EMG) data were collected from 8 trunk muscles from each participant along with spine kinematic data. Additionally, kinetic data were obtained for the FFP in the stretcher-side role. Trunk flexion moments and Erector Spinae activity were reduced for the FFP in the stretcher-side role when using the bridgeboard and the single rod both individually and in combination. The single rod reduced the Erector Spinae activity in the FFP who typically would have been on the bed. For FFPs in both roles the single rod increased Latissimus Dorsi activation relative to the standard bedsheet transfer condition, although, this effect was moderated when the single rod was used in combination with the bridgeboard. Ratings of perceived exertion also supported the use of the single rod relative to the corresponding control condition. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Mining Occupational Health Particulate Matter Safety Vehicle Emissions
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: LBD Back Pain Biomechanical-engineering Biomechanics Body-mechanics Emergency-responders EMS Ergonomics Fire-fighters Firefighter Intervention Medical-rescue-services Muscle-function Muscle-physiology Muscle-stress Muscle-tension Musculoskeletal-system Posture Rescue-measures Rescue-workers

  More +
• ISSN:
  0003-6870
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Illinois ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  227-236
• Volume:
  38
• Issue:
  2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20031802
• Citation:
  Appl Ergon 2007 Mar; 38(2):227-236
• Contact Point Address:
  Departments of Industrial Welding and Systems Engineering and Orthopaedics, The Ohio State University, 1971 Neil Avenue, Rm. 210, Columbus, OH 43210
• Email:
  lavender.1@osu.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2007
• NORA Priority Area:
  Disease and Injury: Low Back Disorders
• Performing Organization:
  University of Illinois at Chicago
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20020930
• Source Full Name:
  Applied Ergonomics
• End Date:
  20060729
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b1f588df33fcb49eb987c315fbaca9f77093027e6c3fee23444e42393541f5dae1805ba9cea67c845b3c203493e63e3fe97019aa11c4dca0d1b70e86901de386
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/185958/cdc_185958_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 345.35 KB ]