Biomaterial Database

An evaluation of ergonomic improvements in the woodworking industry. 1993

A Burdorf, and L van Duuren

Institute of Occupational Health, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

A survey was conducted among operators in the woodworking industry to study the effect of machine characteristics on exposure to mechanical load. The 28 subjects worked in five small factories and operated four-sided planing machines. Work postures and external load were analysed with the Ovako working posture analysis system. Among the operators awkward postures regularly occurred, such as a bent or twisted back (25%), outstretched arms (25%) and a twisted head (28%). The average percentage of time spent with lifting and carrying wooden boards and planks was 41%. The statistical analysis indicated that beneficial effects on postural load were achieved by various ergonomic improvements, such as rising platforms and roller paths. Work time with external load was reduced by 10% as a result of the presence of rising platforms and tables. The type of analysis presented may guide towards the improvement of work conditions of operators of planing machines by reducing mechanical load on the body.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D009140	Musculoskeletal Diseases	Diseases of the muscles and their associated ligaments and other connective tissue and of the bones and cartilage viewed collectively.	Orthopedic Disorders,Musculoskeletal Disease,Orthopedic Disorder
D009784	Occupational Diseases	Diseases caused by factors involved in one's employment.	Diseases, Occupational,Occupational Illnesses,Disease, Occupational,Illnesse, Occupational,Illnesses, Occupational,Occupational Disease,Occupational Illnesse
D011187	Posture	The position or physical attitude of the body.	Postures
D005069	Evaluation Studies as Topic	Works about studies that determine the effectiveness or value of processes, personnel, and equipment, or the material on conducting such studies.	Critique,Evaluation Indexes,Evaluation Methodology,Evaluation Report,Evaluation Research,Methodology, Evaluation,Pre-Post Tests,Qualitative Evaluation,Quantitative Evaluation,Theoretical Effectiveness,Use-Effectiveness,Critiques,Effectiveness, Theoretical,Evaluation Methodologies,Evaluation Reports,Evaluation, Qualitative,Evaluation, Quantitative,Evaluations, Qualitative,Evaluations, Quantitative,Indexes, Evaluation,Methodologies, Evaluation,Pre Post Tests,Pre-Post Test,Qualitative Evaluations,Quantitative Evaluations,Report, Evaluation,Reports, Evaluation,Research, Evaluation,Test, Pre-Post,Tests, Pre-Post,Use Effectiveness
D005082	Physical Exertion	Expenditure of energy during PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. Intensity of exertion may be measured by rate of OXYGEN CONSUMPTION; HEAT produced, or HEART RATE. Perceived exertion, a psychological measure of exertion, is included.	Physical Effort,Effort, Physical,Efforts, Physical,Exertion, Physical,Exertions, Physical,Physical Efforts,Physical Exertions
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D006804	Ergonomics	The science of designing, building or equipping mechanical devices or artificial environments to the anthropometric, physiological, or psychological requirements of the people who will use them.	Engineering Psychology,Human Engineering,Cognitive Ergonomics,Ergonomic Assessment,Human Factors Engineering,Human Factors and Ergonomics,Organizational Ergonomics,Physical Ergonomics,Psychology, Engineering,Visual Ergonomics,Cognitive Ergonomic,Ergonomic,Ergonomic Assessments,Ergonomic, Cognitive,Ergonomic, Organizational,Ergonomic, Physical,Ergonomic, Visual,Ergonomics, Cognitive,Ergonomics, Organizational,Ergonomics, Physical,Ergonomics, Visual,Human Factors Engineerings,Organizational Ergonomic,Physical Ergonomic,Visual Ergonomic
D001696	Biomechanical Phenomena	The properties, processes, and behavior of biological systems under the action of mechanical forces.	Biomechanics,Kinematics,Biomechanic Phenomena,Mechanobiological Phenomena,Biomechanic,Biomechanic Phenomenas,Phenomena, Biomechanic,Phenomena, Biomechanical,Phenomena, Mechanobiological,Phenomenas, Biomechanic
D014934	Wood	A product of hard secondary xylem composed of CELLULOSE, hemicellulose, and LIGNANS, that is under the bark of trees and shrubs. It is used in construction and as a source of CHARCOAL and many other products.	Woods