Effect of tool shape and work location on perceived exertion for work on horizontal surfaces

Details

• Personal Author:
  Armstrong TJ ; Franzblau, Alfred ; Snook SH ; Ulin SS
• Description:
  A study was conducted on the effects of horizontal work location and tool shape on perceived exertion. Subjects rated the level of perceived exertion after performing a task involving driving screws into perforated sheet metal mounted on a horizontal surface using three differently shaped power tools with the surface placed at three different vertical heights and four different horizontal distances from the fixed beam on which it was mounted. The lowest perceived exertion levels were seen using a pistol shaped tool at a horizontal position of 13 centimeters (cm) from the fixed beam and a vertical height at the midthigh level of the worker and using an in line tool at a horizontal position of 13cm and a vertical position at elbow level. The highest exertion ratings were seen using the pistol tool at a horizontal position of 88cm and a vertical position at elbow height and a horizontal position of 63cm and a vertical position at midchest height. Statistical analysis using horizontal work position, vertical position of the beam, and tool shape as independent variables demonstrated that horizontal work location and vertical position were significant main effects. The stature of the subjects was not found to be a significant factor in determining the ratings of perceived exertion. Females gave higher exertion ratings than did male subjects. Specific workstation design guidelines based upon these results were presented. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Ergonomics Musculoskeletal Diseases Occupational Health Safety Sex Characteristics Staff Development
• Keywords:
  Anthropometry Hand-tools Musculoskeletal-system-disorders NIOSH-Grant NIOSH-Publication Physical-capacity Power-tools Sex-factors Training Work-analysis
• ISSN:
  0002-8894
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; Michigan ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  383-391
• Volume:
  54
• Issue:
  7
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00216349
• Citation:
  Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 1993 Jul; 54(7):383-391
• Contact Point Address:
  Industrial & Operations Engr University of Michigan 2254 G G Brown Laboratory Ann Arbor, Mich 48109
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1993
• Performing Organization:
  University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, Michigan
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19820701
• Source Full Name:
  American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal
• End Date:
  19950630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:a7a486cb4988129d5e9328ccaf13cde1af457c6080c434e67be42634abb8da2f4a539cd54bd059008835cb6f1175588e6c62d3777a7c9030a1967cac18e118f5
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/204539/cdc_204539_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 765.96 KB ]