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Needs Assessment of Industrial Workers for the Prevention of Work-Related Upper Limb Disorder
Pryor, Stephanie C.
Pryor, Stephanie C.
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Abstract
Problem: Industrial workers performing manual labor are at increased risk for developing work-related upper limb disorders (WRULD). Workers’ careers may be shortened by WRULD secondary to chronic discomfort or disability. Thousands of dollars are spent annually on worker’s compensation and loss of skilled labor. When a participatory ergonomic program (PEP) is applied to the work setting, WRULD are preventable.Project Aims: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to perform an ergonomic needs assessment to identify and interpret risks for developing WRULD. The aims of this project included 1) conduct an ergonomic needs assessment identifying risks to meet ergonomic standards and incorporate perspectives of the employees and employer and 2) gather and interpret sufficient data to guide an interdisciplinary team to develop a PEP.Project Method: The Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) Model guided the framework for this QI project. This project was a cross-sectional design utilizing the employee Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) and the administrative OSHA Ergonomic Checklist. The sample population was employees at one midwestern aerospace engineering plant (N=10). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the questionnaires and checklists.Results: The OSHA Ergonomic Checklist identified risk factors for WRULD including high repetition tasks, awkward neck position, tasks with extreme reaching distance, and vibration-producing tools. The NMQ identified common somatic complaints including the neck, wrists/hands, and lower back, with supplemental questions that indicated extreme likelihood of participation in a PEP and ability to stand in their workstations for a mean of 7.1 hours.Conclusion: The ergonomic needs assessment validated the need for a PEP in the deburring pod that will address identified risk factors for WRULD.
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2022-05-31
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University of Kansas
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This item contains archived web content.
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900948_1.pdf
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Occupational safety,