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

Details

• Personal Author:
  Garg, Arun ; Kapellusch JM ; Moore, J. Steven
• Description:
  The Composite Strain Index (COSI) quantifies biomechanical stressors for complex tasks consisting of exertions at different force levels and/or with different exertion times. The Cumulative Strain Index (CUSI) further integrates biomechanical stressors from different tasks to quantify exposure for the entire work shift. The paper provides methodologies to compute COSI and CUSI along with examples. Complex task simulation produced 169,214 distinct tasks. Use of average, time-weighted average (TWA) and peak force and COSI classified 66.9, 28.2, 100 and 38.9% of tasks as hazardous, respectively. For job rotation the simulation produced 10,920 distinct jobs. TWA COSI, peak task COSI and CUSI classified 36.5, 78.1 and 66.6% jobs as hazardous, respectively. The results suggest that the TWA approach systematically underestimates the biomechanical stressors and peak approach overestimates biomechanical stressors, both at the task and job level. It is believed that the COSI and CUSI partially address these underestimations and overestimations of biomechanical stressors. Practitioner Summary: COSI quantifies exposure when applied hand force and/or duration of that force changes during a task cycle. CUSI integrates physical exposures from job rotation. These should be valuable tools for designing and analysing tasks and job rotation to determine risk of musculoskeletal injuries. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Biomechanical Phenomena Ergonomics Musculoskeletal Diseases Musculoskeletal System Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Risk Assessment Safety Stress, Psychological
• Keywords:
  Analytical Instrumentation Analytical Models Analytical Processes Author Keywords: Ergonomics Tools And Methods Biomechanics Cumulative Trauma Force Health And Safety Human-machine Systems Job-rotation Job Analysis Job Design Job Design And Analysis Job Rotation Job Stress Mathematical Models Methods And Approaches MSD Musculoskeletal System Musculoskeletal System Disorders Occupational Hazards Physical Stress Quantitative Analysis Risk Analysis Risk Assessment And Management Simulation Methods Stress Analysis System Performance Task Analysis Time Weighted Average Exposure Workstation Design

  More +
• ISSN:
  0014-0139
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant ; Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 5 ; OSHA Region 6 ; Texas ; Wisconsin
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  60
• Issue:
  8
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20048887
• Citation:
  Ergonomics 2017 Aug; 60(8):1033-1041
• Contact Point Address:
  Arun Garg, Department of Occupational Science & Technology, College of Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
• Email:
  arun@uwm.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2017
• Performing Organization:
  University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20130901
• Source Full Name:
  Ergonomics
• End Date:
  20170831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:bf95081faeebc8de3835a880e551da120002a45a8db68f820ce1d29ac1d15642f1d5863323040dc7d8d10f63d1ae003dc9e8a7261e90907576e8addabe55ed05
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/203507/cdc_203507_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 905.96 KB ]