ERGONOMICS – A SYSTEMS APPROACH potx

ERGONOMICS– ASYSTEMSAPPROACH  EditedbyIsabelL.Nunes            Ergonomics – A Systems Approach Edited by Isabel L. Nunes Published by InTech Janeza Trdine 9, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia Copyright © 2012 InTech All chapters are Open Access distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license, which allows users to download, copy and build upon published articles even for commercial purposes, as long as the author and publisher are properly credited, which ensures maximum dissemination and a wider impact of our publications. After this work has been published by InTech, authors have the right to republish it, in whole or part, in any publication of which they are the author, and to make other personal use of the work. Any republication, referencing or personal use of the work must explicitly identify the original source. As for readers, this license allows users to download, copy and build upon published chapters even for commercial purposes, as long as the author and publisher are properly credited, which ensures maximum dissemination and a wider impact of our publications. Notice Statements and opinions expressed in the chapters are these of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of the editors or publisher. No responsibility is accepted for the accuracy of information contained in the published chapters. The publisher assumes no responsibility for any damage or injury to persons or property arising out of the use of any materials, instructions, methods or ideas contained in the book. Publishing Process Manager Martina Blecic Technical Editor Teodora Smiljanic Cover Designer InTech Design Team First published April, 2012 Printed in Croatia A free online edition of this book is available at www.intechopen.com Additional hard copies can be obtained from orders@intechopen.com Ergonomics – A Systems Approach, Edited by Isabel L. Nunes p. cm. ISBN 978-953-51-0601-2    Contents  Preface IX Chapter 1 Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Assessment and Prevention 1 Isabel L. Nunes and Pamela McCauley Bush Chapter 2 Work-Related Musculoskeletal Discomfort in the Shoulder due to Computer Use 31 Orhan Korhan Chapter 3 Ergonomic Impact of Spinal Loading and Recovery Positions on Intervertebral Disc Health: Strategies for Prevention and Management of Low Back Pain 51 S. Christopher Owens, Dale A. Gerke and Jean-Michel Brismée Chapter 4 A Comparison of Software Tools for Occupational Biomechanics and Ergonomic Research 65 Pamela McCauley Bush, Susan Gaines, Fatina Gammoh and Shanon Wooden Chapter 5 Measurement Instruments for Ergonomics Surveys – Methodological Guidelines 119 Marina Zambon Orpinelli Coluci Chapter 6 Biomechanical Assessment of Lower Limbs Using Support Moment Measure at Walking Worker Assembly Lines 131 Atiya Al-Zuheri, Lee Luong and Ke Xing Chapter 7 Usability of Interfaces 155 Mário Simões-Marques and Isabel L. Nunes Chapter 8 User Experience Design: Beyond User Interface Design and Usability 171 Wei Xu VI Contents Chapter 9 Higher Efficiency in Operations Can Be Achieved with More Focus on the Operator 193 Per Lundmark Chapter 10 Critical Thinking Skills for Intelligence Analysis 209 Douglas H. Harris and V. Alan Spiker    Preface  Ergonomics, alsoknownasHuman Factors,isarecentscientificdiscipline,curiously with a well‐defined and official date and place of birth, July 12, 1949, in England. HoweverthetermErgonomics,wasproposedin1857,by thePolishphilosopherand naturalistWojciechJastrzebowskiandfellintooblivionfornearly acentury.Theword Ergonomics results from joining the Greek words ergon meaningʺworkʺ and nomos meaningʺnatural lawsʺ, and conveys the concern of understanding the relationships betweenhumansandtheirworkenvironment. Ergonomics in spite of its short existence, gathers a broad body of knowledge from different disciplines in  order to fit the workplace conditions and job demands to the capabilities of workers. Its main goal is to ensure humans well‐being, health, and safetywhilemaximizingtheperformanceofproductionsystems.Productionsystems, however, are a complex combination of physical, organisational and psychosocial dimensions. Therefore Ergonomics offers principles and methods to analyse and improve this multitude of interactions. Despite production systems being the main focusofErgonomics,itsinterventionextendsbeyondworksystems,tootheraspectsof ourdailylives,likeproductdesign,leisureorsport. This book isthe resultof an InTech initiativetobring together reputable  researchers fromdifferentcountriesthatcouldprovideaninterestingandup‐to‐dateoverviewof different Ergonomic research applications, practices and methodologies. The 10 chapterspresenttheresearchworkof 19authorsfrom 6differentcountries,andthey cover the following themes: work related musculoskeletal disorders; methods in Ergonomics;usability anduser‐experiencedesign;efficiencyinoperations,andcritical thinkingskills.Abriefoutlineofthevolumeispresentedhereafter. Chapter1offersanoverviewonwork‐relatedmusculoskeletaldisorders(WMSD).The recognition that the wor k may adversely affect health is not new, since musculoskeletal disorders have been diagnosed for many  years in the medical field. WMSDarerelatedwithrepetitiveanddemandingworkingconditionsandcontinueto representoneofthebiggestproblems inindustrializedcountries.WMSDarea group of inflammatory and degenerative diseases of the locomotion system, which result fromoccupationalriskfactorssuchasrepetition,forceorawkwardpostureaswellas individual and psychosocial risk factors. This chapter presents WMSD causes, X Preface pathophysiological mechanisms, characterization of the principal disorders and proceduresforworkplaceanalysisanddesign. Chapter 2 presents the risk factors that contribute to musculoskeletal disorders in shoulders resulting from intensive us e of computers. The ri sk factors of musculoskeletal disorders were revealed by assessing and analyzing workplace ergonomics, worker attitudes and experiences  on the use of the computer keyboard and mouse. This was followed by an experimental data collection of muscle load, muscleforceandmuscularfatiguefromtheshoulderbySurfaceelectromyographyto validateandverifytheproposedmathematicalmodel. Chapter3recognisesthatthemanagementoflowbackpain,particularly workrelated injuries,isverycontroversialandthatmanydifferenttreatmentapproacheshavebeen tried, ranging from osteopathic manipulations to work hardening programs. This chapter addresses low back pain reviewing the anatomical, biomechanical, and physiological mechanisms that contribute to the health of the lumbar spine with particularemphasisontheintervertebral disc(IVD);consideringthemechanismsthat maycausepainanddysfunctioninthelumbarspine;andpresentingspecificstrategies for prevention and management of work related low back pain based on the biomechanicalandphysiologicalresponseofthelumbarIVD. Chapter 4 is devoted to the comparison of software tools for occupational biomechanicsandergonomicresearch.Itprovidesasurveyonselectedbiomechanical software tools and gives a detailed analysis and a comparison of two specialized packages, 3DSSPP and JACK as well as examples of applications where one or the othermaybebettersuited. Chapter5presentsadescription of methodologicalguidelinesusedtoprepareanew questionnaireortoadaptanexistingone.Ergonomicsurveysareveryimportanttools to evaluate and identify problems in workplaces (such as industries, hospitals, and laboratories),sincestrategiestotackletheergonomicissuescanbederivedfromtheir results.Therefore,thesurveysshould becarefullypreparedtoobtaininformationina clear and reliable way. Usually, ergonomic surveys are based on measurement instruments (questionnaires) that are applied to workers on the workplace to collect thenecessaryinformation. Chapter 6 discusses the need for dynamic, flexible and reconfigurable assembly systems, which are able to respond  adequately to changes in the characteristics and demandsofthemarket.ThechapterpresentstheWalkingWorkerAssemblyLine,in which each worker utilizes various skills and functions by travelling along the manufacturing line to carry out all the required tasks. The  authors argue that this flexible manpower line (or flexible assembly line) approach is one of the promising techniques for configuring effective and productive assembly systems, responding welltothechallengesofthemanufacturingindustry.