ERGONOMICS– ASYSTEMSAPPROACH EditedbyIsabelL.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, alsoknownasHuman Factors,isarecentscientificdiscipline,curiously with a well‐defined and official date and place of birth, July 12, 1949, in England. HoweverthetermErgonomics,wasproposedin1857,by thePolishphilosopherand naturalistWojciechJastrzebowskiandfellintooblivionfornearly acentury.Theword Ergonomics results from joining the Greek words ergon meaningʺworkʺ and nomos meaningʺnatural lawsʺ, and conveys the concern of understanding the relationships betweenhumansandtheirworkenvironment. 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 safetywhilemaximizingtheperformanceofproductionsystems.Productionsystems, 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 focusofErgonomics,itsinterventionextendsbeyondworksystems,tootheraspectsof ourdailylives,likeproductdesign,leisureorsport. This book isthe resultof an InTech initiativetobring together reputable researchers fromdifferentcountriesthatcouldprovideaninterestingandup‐to‐dateoverviewof different Ergonomic research applications, practices and methodologies. The 10 chapterspresenttheresearchworkof 19authorsfrom 6differentcountries,andthey cover the following themes: work related musculoskeletal disorders; methods in Ergonomics;usability anduser‐experiencedesign;efficiencyinoperations,andcritical thinkingskills.Abriefoutlineofthevolumeispresentedhereafter. Chapter1offersanoverviewonwork‐relatedmusculoskeletaldisorders(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. WMSDarerelatedwithrepetitiveanddemandingworkingconditionsandcontinueto representoneofthebiggestproblems inindustrializedcountries.WMSDarea group of inflammatory and degenerative diseases of the locomotion system, which result fromoccupationalriskfactorssuchasrepetition,forceorawkwardpostureaswellas individual and psychosocial risk factors. This chapter presents WMSD causes, X Preface pathophysiological mechanisms, characterization of the principal disorders and proceduresforworkplaceanalysisanddesign. 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, muscleforceandmuscularfatiguefromtheshoulderbySurfaceelectromyographyto validateandverifytheproposedmathematicalmodel. Chapter3recognisesthatthemanagementoflowbackpain,particularly workrelated injuries,isverycontroversialandthatmanydifferenttreatmentapproacheshavebeen 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 particularemphasisontheintervertebral disc(IVD);consideringthemechanismsthat maycausepainanddysfunctioninthelumbarspine;andpresentingspecificstrategies for prevention and management of work related low back pain based on the biomechanicalandphysiologicalresponseofthelumbarIVD. Chapter 4 is devoted to the comparison of software tools for occupational biomechanicsandergonomicresearch.Itprovidesasurveyonselectedbiomechanical 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 othermaybebettersuited. Chapter5presentsadescription of methodologicalguidelinesusedtoprepareanew questionnaireortoadaptanexistingone.Ergonomicsurveysareveryimportanttools to evaluate and identify problems in workplaces (such as industries, hospitals, and laboratories),sincestrategiestotackletheergonomicissuescanbederivedfromtheir results.Therefore,thesurveysshould becarefullypreparedtoobtaininformationina clear and reliable way. Usually, ergonomic surveys are based on measurement instruments (questionnaires) that are applied to workers on the workplace to collect thenecessaryinformation. Chapter 6 discusses the need for dynamic, flexible and reconfigurable assembly systems, which are able to respond adequately to changes in the characteristics and demandsofthemarket.ThechapterpresentstheWalkingWorkerAssemblyLine,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 welltothechallengesofthemanufacturingindustry.