Last data update: May 06, 2024. (Total: 46732 publications since 2009)
Records 1-12 (of 12 Records) |
Query Trace: Waters TR[original query] |
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Development and evaluation of ergonomic interventions for bucket handling on farms
Fathallah FA , Tang SC , Waters TR . Hum Factors 2016 58 (5) 758-76 OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to introduce and evaluate two interventions, Ergo Bucket Carrier (EBC) and Easy Lift (EL), for youths (and adults) to handle water/feed buckets on farms. BACKGROUND: The physical activities of both adult and youth farm workers contribute to the development of low-back disorders (LBDs). Many of the activities youths perform on farms are associated with increased LBD risk, particularly, the handling of water and feed buckets. METHOD: Seventeen adult and youth participants (10 males and seven females) participated in this study. To assess the risk of LBDs, the participants were instrumented with a three-dimensional spinal electrogonio-meter while lifting, carrying, and dumping water buckets using the traditional method and the two interventions. RESULTS: For both the adult and youth groups, the results showed that the two interventions significantly decrease the magnitudes of LBD risk in many of the tasks evaluated. Overall, the use of the EBC resulted in a 41% reduction in the level of LBD risk for the carrying task and a reduction of 69% for the dumping task. Using the EL, on the other hand, is especially effective for lifting tasks (55% reduction in LBD risk). Results of the subjective response were consistent with the objective evaluations. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the potential for ergonomic interventions in reducing LBD risk during the common farming task of bucket handling. APPLICATION: Potential application of this study includes the introduction of the EBC and EL in family farms to reduce the LBD risk among youth and adult farmers. |
Evidence of health risks associated with prolonged standing at work and intervention effectiveness
Waters TR , Dick RB . Rehabil Nurs 2014 40 (3) 148-65 PURPOSE: Prolonged standing at work has been shown to be associated with a number of potentially serious health outcomes, such as lower back and leg pain, cardiovascular problems, fatigue, discomfort, and pregnancy-related health outcomes. Recent studies have been conducted examining the relationship between these health outcomes and the amount of time spent standing while on the job. The purpose of this article was to provide a review of the health risks and interventions for workers and employers that are involved in occupations requiring prolonged standing. A brief review of recommendations by governmental and professional organizations for hours of prolonged standing is also included. FINDINGS: Based on our review of the literature, there seems to be ample evidence showing that prolonged standing at work leads to adverse health outcomes. Review of the literature also supports the conclusion that certain interventions are effective in reducing the hazards associated with prolonged standing. Suggested interventions include the use of floor mats, sit-stand workstations/chairs, shoes, shoe inserts and hosiery or stockings. Studies could be improved by using more precise definitions of prolonged standing (e.g., duration, movement restrictions, and type of work), better measurement of the health outcomes, and more rigorous study protocols. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Use of interventions and following suggested guidelines on hours of standing from governmental and professional organizations should reduce the health risks from prolonged standing. |
Provisional recommended weight limits for manual lifting during pregnancy
Waters TR , MacDonald Leslie A , Hudock Stephen D , Goddard Donald E . Hum Factors 2014 56 (1) 203-214 OBJECTIVE: The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Revised Lifting Equation (RNLE) was adapted to derive recommended weight limits (RWLs) for pregnant workers and to develop corresponding guidelines for clinicians. BACKGROUND: In the past three decades there has been a large increase in the number of women employed outside the home and remaining in the workforce during pregnancy. Practical authoritative guidelines based on accumulated evidence are needed to inform allowable work activity levels for healthy pregnant workers. METHOD: Empirically based lifting criteria established by NIOSH to reduce the risk of overexertion injuries in the general U.S. working population were evaluated for application to pregnant workers. Our evaluation included an extensive review of the literature linking occupational lifting to maternal and fetal health. Decision logic and supporting literature are presented, along with computational details. Results: Provisional RWLs for pregnant workers were derived from the RNLE, along with guidelines for clinicians. The guidelines advise against pregnant workers lifting below midshin and overhead. CONCLUSION: Based on our review of the available evidence, we present lifting thresholds that most pregnant workers with uncomplicated pregnancies should be able to perform without increased risk of adverse maternal and fetal health consequences. Except for restrictions involving lifting from the floor and overhead, the provisional guidelines presented are compatible with NIOSH lifting recommendations adopted in the early 1990s for the general working population. APPLICATION: Implementation of these provisional guidelines could protect millions of female workers in the workplace from fetal and maternal lifting-related health problems. |
Clinical guidelines for occupational lifting in pregnancy: evidence summary and provisional recommendations
MacDonald LA , Waters TR , Napolitano PG , Goddard DE , Ryan MA , Nielsen P , Hudock SD . Am J Obstet Gynecol 2013 209 (2) 80-8 Empirically-based lifting criteria established by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to reduce risk of overexertion injuries in the general U.S. working population were evaluated for application to pregnant workers. This report proposes criteria to guide decisions by medical providers about permissible weights for lifting tasks performed at work over the course of an uncomplicated pregnancy. Our evaluation included an extensive review of the literature linking occupational lifting to maternal and fetal health. Although it has been 29 years since the American Medical Association’s (AMA) Council on Scientific Affairs published its report on the Effects of Pregnancy on Work Performance, these guidelines continue to influence clinical decisions and workplace policies. Provisional clinical guidelines derived from the NIOSH lifting criteria are presented that account for recent evidence for maternal and fetal health, and aim to improve the standard of care for pregnant workers. |
Workplace safety equals patient safety
Spratt D , Cowles CE Jr , Berguer R , Dennis V , Waters TR , Rodriguez M , Spry C , Groah L . AORN J 2012 96 (3) 235-44 For many years, AORN has been a leader in creating a safe environment for the patient in the OR and other procedural areas. Perioperative nurses provide care that adheres to the AORN standards and recommended practices. AORN provides orientation tools like Periop 101: A Core Curriculum™. Collaborations among AORN staff members, member volunteers, and representatives of other organizations have resulted in tool kits to address safety factors such as surgical briefings, time out, and debriefings. | I believe that workplace safety is an integral part of patient safety. There are many pieces to creating a safe work environment, and much work has been done by AORN in cooperation with experts in various fields and health care organizations. Therefore, I have asked my colleagues to discuss a variety of topics related to workplace safety, including fire safety, sharps safety, safe patient handling, and smoke in the OR environment. I have also solicited general discussions on workplace safety in the OR and the sterile processing department and on workplace safety issues from AORN’s perspective. I posed the following question: | From your professional perspective, what work related to workplace safety have we done, and what has been its impact on the surgical team? |
Ergonomics in design: interventions for youth working in the agricultural industry
Waters TR . Theor Issues Ergon Sci 2012 13 (2) 270-285 Youth and adolescents make up a substantial segment of the working population in the agricultural industry and many of these young workers are required to perform physically demanding jobs that put them at significant risk for developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Although there are no surveillance systems in place to track these potential injuries for youth who work in agriculture, based on our understanding of the magnitude of risk for these tasks, a number of interventions have been developed and evaluated that should reduce the risk of MSDs for youth who perform these high risk tasks. The purpose of this article is to raise the research community's awareness to the risk of work-related MSDs for youth who work in agriculture and to demonstrate that ergonomic designers are best suited to develop cost-effective interventions for use in these tasks that can be easily implemented. |
Efficacy of the revised NIOSH lifting equation to predict risk of low back pain due to manual lifting: expanded cross-sectional analysis
Waters TR , Lu ML , Piacitelli LA , Werren D , Deddens JA . J Occup Environ Med 2011 53 (9) 1061-7 OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation (RNLE) is a valid tool for assessing risk of low back pain (LBP) due to manual lifting by using combined data from two cross-sectional studies of 1-year prevalence. METHODS: Results from a symptom and occupational history questionnaire and RNLE analysis for 677 subjects employed in 125 manual lifting jobs at nine industrial sites were combined from two studies. RESULTS: The odds of LBP increased as the lifting index (LI) increased from 1.0 to 3.0. A statistically significant odds ratio (OR) was found for both the 1 < LI ≤ 2 (OR = 1.81) and the 2 < LI ≤ 3 categories (OR = 2.26). For jobs with an LI value greater than 3.0, however, the OR remained nonsignificant. The 2 < LI ≤ 3 group remained statistically significant after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, and psychosocial factors. CONCLUSIONS: It is clear that as the LI increases, the risk of LBP increases. Longitudinal studies are needed. |
Human posture simulation to assess cumulative spinal load due to manual lifting. Part I: methods
Waters TR , Lu M , Werren D , Piacitelli L . Theor Issues Ergon Sci 2011 12 (2) 176-188 The estimation of cumulative spinal load (CSL) resulting from exposure to manual materials handling (MMH) may provide a sensitive method for assessing the risk of highly varying exposures. This article reports on a CSL method that involves human posture simulation of workers from videotape in order to assess spinal load exposures due to MMH. The proposed method appears to be sensitive to different durations of exposure, easy to use and useful for assessing jobs with a high degree of variability in task characteristics between lifts. Although the method remains to be validated, it appears to be a useful addition to the range of tools available for assessing manual lifting exposures in worksite-based epidemiologic studies. Ergonomic methods are lacking for assessing highly variable MMH tasks, such as tasks found in warehousing. The existing methods do not include sufficient factors to account for variable exposure patterns or tasks with highly variable task characteristics, such as varying load weights and lift geometries. The CSL assessment method described in this article may provide a way to evaluate these types of tasks in order to assess the overall risk of workers developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders. |
Trends in work-related musculoskeletal disorders: a comparison of risk factors for symptoms using Quality of Work Life data from the 2002 and 2006 general social survey
Waters TR , Dick RB , Krieg EF . J Occup Environ Med 2011 53 (9) 1013-24 OBJECTIVE: To assess trends in risk factors for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). METHODS: Results from two similar national surveys (2002 and 2006) examined trends in relationships between individual, psychosocial, and physical factors and MSDs. RESULTS: Findings between years were similar, but important differences included a stronger effect of "Work Stress" on "Pain in Arms," and a stronger combined effect of "Hand Movement" and "Work Stress" on "Pain in Arms." Also, two interactions were statistically significant in the 2006 data, but not in the 2002 data, revealing potentially increased risks. These were "Hand Movement" and "Work Stress" on "Back Pain," and "Heavy Lifting" and "Work Stress" on "Pain in Arms." CONCLUSION: New strategies for preventing both low back and upper extremity MSDs should focus on work stress, heavy lifting, and hand movement, individually and in combination. |
Safe patient handling for rehabilitation professionals
Waters TR , Rockefeller K . Rehabil Nurs 2010 35 (5) 216-222 Every day, thousands of physical therapists and rehabilitation nurses are required to perform physically demanding therapeutic patient handling tasks that are stressful to the caregiver and increase his or her risk of developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). In rehabilitation, patient handling tasks might be classified as"traditional"or"therapeutic."Traditional tasks have a practical goal, such as transferring a patient from bed to a wheelchair, and therapeutic tasks have more targeted goals such as facilitating patient function and independence. Therapeutic patient handling tasks present a greater risk for caregivers to sustain work-related MSDs than typical patient handling tasks do because caregivers are exposed to high mechanical loads on the spinal tissues for longer amounts of time. The Veterans Health Administration, Association of Rehabilitation Nurses, and the American Physical Therapy Association endorse the use of modern patient handling technology as part of a comprehensive safe patient handling program for providing therapy in rehabilitation settings. Information about patient handling technology that is effective in reducing the risk of work-related MSDs from performing therapeutic patient handling and movement tasks is also presented and discussed in this article. |
Introduction to ergonomics for healthcare workers
Waters TR . Rehabil Nurs 2010 35 (5) 185-191 Healthcare workers who handle and move patients as part of their jobs suffer a disproportionately high number of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The majority of reported work-related MSDs are back pain cases that result in significant numbers of lost work days. It is likely that these lost workdays have a substantial impact on the quality and cost of health care. Patient care ergonomics can reduce the risk of work-related MSDs by helping safety experts design the work so it can be safely performed by most workers. This article provides a general overview of ergonomics what it is, how it can be used to help design safe work, and why all healthcare workers and administrators should know and understand how excessive work demands can lead to increased risk of work-related MSDs. The article will also explain technological solutions that can be implemented to reduce the risk of work-related MSDs for healthcare workers. |
Two-dimensional biomechanical model for estimating strength of youth and adolescents for manual material handling tasks
Waters TR , Garg A . Appl Ergon 2010 41 (1) 1-7 Youth and adolescents are routinely engaged in manual material handling (MMH) tasks that may exceed their strength capability to perform the task and may place them at excessive risk for musculoskeletal disorders. This paper reports on a two-dimensional biomechanical model that was developed to assess MMH tasks performed by youth 3-21 years of age. The model uses age, gender, posture of the youth performing the MMH activity, and weight of the load handled as input, and provides an estimate of the strength demands of the task and spinal disc compression and shear force resulting from the activity as output. The model can be used to assess whether a specific MMH task exceeds the strength demands for youth of certain ages or genders, which of the internal muscle strengths are most affected, and provides information about the estimated spinal disc compression and shear forces on the spine as a result of the specified MMH task. These results would be helpful in deciding whether a task is appropriate for a youth to perform or whether a certain task modification may be sufficient in reducing the physical demands to a level acceptable for a youth of certain age and gender. |
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