Table Of ContentThe Occupational Ergonomics Handbook
Second Edition
Interventions, Controls,
and Applications in
Occupational Ergonomics
The Occupational Ergonomics Handbook
Second Edition
f A T
UNDAMENTALS AND SSESSMENT OOLS FOR
O E
CCUPATIONAL RGONOMICS
I , C , A
NTERVENTIONS ONTROLS AND PPLICATIONS IN
O E
CCUPATIONAL RGONOMICS
The Occupational Ergonomics Handbook
Second Edition
Interventions, Controls,
and Applications in
Occupational Ergonomics
Edited by
William S. Marras
The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A.
Waldemar Karwowski
University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.A.
1938_Discl.fm Page 1 Wednesday, December 7, 2005 12:46 PM
Published in 2006 by
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International Standard Book Number-10: 0-8493-1938-2 (Hardcover)
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Interventions, controls, and applications in occupational ergonomics / edited by William S. Marras and
Waldemar Karwowski.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8493-1938-2 (alk. paper)
1. Human engineering--Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Industrial hygiene--Handbooks, manuals, etc. I.
Marras, William S. (William Steven), date. II. Karwowski, Waldemar, date.
TA166.I5685 2005
620.8'2--dc22 2005052860
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Preface
Developmentofthe2ndeditionoftheOccupationalErgonomicsHandbookwasmotivatedbyourdesire
tofacilitateawideapplicationofergonomicsknowledgetoworksystemsdesign,testingandevaluation
inordertoimprovethequalityoflifeformillionsofworkersaroundtheworld.Ergonomics(orhuman
factors)isdefinedbytheInternationalErgonomicsAssociation(www.iea.cc)asthescientificdiscipline
concernedwiththeunderstandingofinteractionsamonghumansandotherelementsofasystem,and
theprofessionthatappliestheory,principles,data,andmethodstodesigninordertooptimizehuman
well-being and overall system performance. Ergonomists contribute to the design and evaluation of
tasks, jobs, products, environments, and systems in order to make them compatible with the needs,
abilities,andlimitationsofpeople.
Theergonomicsdisciplinepromotesaholisticapproachtothedesignofworksystemswithduecon-
sideration of the physical, cognitive, social, organizational, environmental, and other relevant factors.
The application of ergonomics knowledge should help to improve work system effectiveness and
reliability, increase productivity, reduce employee health care costs, and improve the quality of pro-
duction processes, services, products, and working life for all employees. In this context, professional
ergonomists, practitioners, and students should have a broad understanding of the full scope and
breadthofknowledgeofthisdemandingandchallengingdiscipline.
Interventions, Controls, and Applications in Occupational Ergonomics contains a total of 52 chapters
dividedintoeightparts.
Part I, Ergonomics Processes, describes the elements of the ergonomics processes, including success
factorsforimplementationofindustrialergonomicsprograms,practicalinterventionsinindustrythat
utilize participatory approaches, surveillance, Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) recordkeeping requirements, and psychosocial work factors. Part II, Surveillance, discusses
theinjurysurveillancedatabasesystemsandcorporatehealthmanagementforthedesignandevaluation
ofhealthinindustrialorganizations.PartIII,IndustrialProcessApplications,isdevotedtoergonomics
processes from the small and large industry perspectives. The main focus of Part IV, Upstream
Ergonomics, is on human digital modeling, as well as facilities planning and organizational design
andmacroergonomics.
PartVandPartVIdealwiththeengineeringandadministrativecontrolsofwork-relatedmusculoske-
letal disorders. Part V, Engineering Controls, presents the methods and techniques for engineering
control, including the knowledge of what works and what does not, general solutions for the control
of upper extremity and low back disorders, application of lift assist rail systems and hand tools, as
wellsuchengineeringcontrolsasgloves,wristsupports,andlowerextremitysupports.PartVI,Admin-
istrativeControls,discussesthetheoryandpracticeofergonomicsinterventionsintheworkplace,worker
selectionforphysicallydemandingjobs,physicalabilitytesting,training,secondaryassessmentofworker
functionalcapacities,interventionsforlowbackpain,humanresourcemanagementandselection,work
v
daylength,shiftwork,andjobrotationissues.Thispartalsoprovidesanupdateontheuseofbackbelts
inindustry,anddiscussesbestpracticesforthepreventionofmusculoskeletaldisordersatwork.PartVII,
MedicalManagement,addressestheissuesofmedicalmanagementofwork-relatedmusculoskeletaldis-
orders,systemsapproachtorehabilitation,wristsplints,andapplicationoftheclinicallumbarmotion
monitor.
Finally,PartVIII,ErgonomicsIndustrialInterventions,providesanoverviewofbestpracticesforergo-
nomicsinterventionswithrespecttothedesignanduseofchairsandofficefurniture,aswellasdesignof
computer keyboards and notebook computers. This part also discusses ergonomics interventions in a
variety of industries, including meat and poultry processing, agriculture, distribution centers (case
picking),healthcare(patienthandling),aswellasservicesystems,thatis,grocerystores/bakery,furniture
manufacturing, and construction industry. This section also addresses the problem of medical errors,
discusses the challenges and rewards of applying ergonomics in developing areas, and looks into the
futureofhumanwork.
Theknowledgepresentedinthisbookshouldhelpthereaderstoimprovetheirunderstandingofthe
complexinteractions between thepeople at workand other systems, which must beconsidered in the
context of rapidlychanging Occupational Ergonomics technology and evolving social needs. We hope
that this book will be useful to the professionals, students, and practitioners who aim to optimize the
design of systems, products, and processes, manage the workers’ health and safety, and improve the
overallqualityandproductivityofcontemporarybusinesses.
William S. Marras
TheOhioStateUniversity
Waldemar Karwowski
UniversityofLouisville
vi
About the Editors
WilliamS.Marras,Ph.D.,D.Sc.(Hon),C.P.E.,holdstheHondaendowed
chair in transportation in the department of industrial, welding, and
systems engineering at The Ohio State University. He is the director of
the biodynamics laboratory and holds joint appointments in the
departments of orthopedic surgery, physical medicine, and biomedical
engineering. He is also the co-director of The Ohio State University
InstituteforErgonomics.Dr.MarrasreceivedhisPh.D.inbioengineering
andergonomicsfromWayneStateUniversityinDetroit,Michigan.Heis
alsoacertifiedprofessionalergonomist(CPE).
Hisresearchiscenteredaroundoccupationalbiomechanics.Specifically,
his research includes workplace biomechanical epidemiologic studies,
laboratory biomechanic studies, mathematical modeling, and clinical
studies of the back and wrist. His findings have been published in over
170refereedjournalarticles,7books,andover25bookchapters.Healsoholdsseveralpatents,including
one for the Lumbar Motion Monitor (LMM). Professor Marras has been selected by the National
Academy of Sciences to serve on several committees investigating causality and musculoskeletal
disorders. He also serves as the chair of the Human Factors Committee for the National Research
CouncilwithintheNationalAcademyofSciences.
Hisworkhasattracted nationaland international recognition. Hehas beentwicewinner(1993and
2002) of the prestigious Swedish Volvo Award for low back pain research as well as Austria’s Vienna
AwardforPhysicalMedicine.HerecentlywontheLibertyMutualPrizeforinjurypreventionresearch.
Recently,hewasawardedanhonorarydoctorofsciencedegreefromtheUniversityofWaterlooforhis
workonthebiomechanicsoflowbackdisorders.
Inhissparemoments,Dr.MarrastrainsinShotkankarate(ablackbelt),enjoysplayingandlistening
tomusic,sailing,andfishing.
vii
WaldemarKarwowski,Sc.D.,Ph.D.,P.E.,C.P.E.,isprofessorofindustrial
engineering and director of the center for industrial ergonomics at the
University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky. He holds an M.S. (1978)
inproductionengineeringandmanagementfromtheTechnicalUniversity
of Wroclaw, Poland, and a Ph.D. (1982) in industrial engineering from
Texas Tech University. He was awarded the Sc.D. (dr hab.) degree in
management science by the Institute for Organization and Management
in Industry (ORGMASZ), Warsaw, Poland (June 2004). He is also a
boardcertified professional ergonomist (BCPE). Healso received doctor
of science honoris causa from the South Ukrainian State K.D. Ushynsky
Pedagogical University of Odessa, Ukraine (May 2004). His research,
teaching, and consulting activities focus on human system integration
and safety aspects of advanced manufacturing enterprises, human–computer interaction, prevention
ofwork-relatedmusculoskeletaldisorders,workplaceandequipmentdesign,andtheoreticalaspectsof
ergonomicsscience.
Dr. Karwowski is the author orco-author of more than 300 scientific publications (including more
than 100 peer-reviewed archival journal papers) in the areas of work systems design, organization,
andmanagement;macroergonomics;human–systemintegrationandsafetyofadvancedmanufacturing;
industrial ergonomics; neuro-fuzzy modeling in human factors; fuzzy systems; and forensics. He has
edited or co-edited 35 books, including the International Encyclopedia of Ergonomics and Human
Factors,Taylor&Francis,London(2001).
Dr. Karwowski served as a secretary-general (1997–2000) and president (2000–2003) of the Inter-
nationalErgonomicsAssociation(IEA).HewaselectedasanhonoraryacademicianoftheInternational
AcademyofHumanProblemsinAviationandAstronautics(Moscow,Russia,2003),andwasnamedthe
alumni scholar for research (2004–2006) by the J. B. Speed School of Engineering of the University
of Louisville. He has received the Jack A. Kraft Innovator Award from the Human Factors and
ErgonomicsSociety,USA(2004),andserves asacorrespondingmemberoftheEuropeanAcademyof
Arts,SciencesandHumanities.
viii
Contributors
David C.Alexander Gene Buer Marvin J.Dainoff
AuburnEngineers,Inc. CraneEquipmentand PsychologyDepartment
Auburn,Alabama Service,Inc. MiamiUniversity
SubsidiaryofColumbus Oxford,Ohio
W. GaryAllread McKinnonCorp.
InstituteforErgonomics Eureka,Illinois JosephM.Deeb
TheOhioStateUniversity ExxonMobilBiomedical
David Caple
Columbus,Ohio Sciences,Inc.
DavidCaple&AssociatesPtyLtd
Annandale,NewJersey
Melbourne,Victoria,Australia
CharlesK. Anderson
AdvancedErgonomics,Inc. JackDennerlein
PascaleCarayon
Dallas,Texas HarvardSchoolofPublicHealth
EcoledesMinesde
Boston,Massachusetts
Nancy,France
A.Asmus
Industrial,WeldingandSystems Ernesto Carcamo C.G.Drury
Engineering WISHAServices DepartmentofIndustrial
TheOhioStateUniversity WashingtonStateDepartmentof Engineering
Columbus,Ohio LaborandIndustries UniversityofBuffalo
Olympia,Washington Buffalo,NewYork
Ann E. Barr
PhysicalTherapyDepartment Don B. Chaffin BradleyEvanoff
CollegeofHealthProfessions UniversityofMichigan WashingtonUniversity
TempleUniversity AnnArbor,Michigan SchoolofMedicine
Philadelphia,Pennsylvania St.Louis,Missouri
A.-M. Chany
Industrial,WeldingandSystems
Patricia Bertsche SusanEvans
Engineering
RossLaboratories SueEvans&Associates,Inc.
TheOhioStateUniversity
Chicago,Illinois Fairfax,Virginia
Columbus,Ohio
R.R.Bishu FadiA.Fathallah
LarryJ. Chapman
DepartmentofIndustrialand BiologicalandAgricultural
DepartmentofBiological
ManagementSystems SystemsEngineering EngineeringDepartment
Engineering UniversityofCalifornia
UniversityofWisconsin
UniversityofNebraska Davis,California
Madison,Wisconsin
Lincoln,Nebraska
David J. Cochran SueA. Ferguson
Marilyn SueBogner DepartmentofIndustrial Industrial,WeldingandSystems
InstitutefortheStudyof Engineering Engineering
HumanError,LLC UniversityofNebraska TheOhioStateUniversity
Bethesda,Maryland Lincoln,Nebraska Columbus,Ohio
ix
