In industrialised countries, musculo-skeletrical disorders of the upper limbs represent one of the commonest work-related diseases. All working activities habitually requiring repetitive upper limb movements and exertions represent a potential risk for these disorders under certain conditions. This practical manual provides a clear and detailed solution to the problem of assessing and consequently managing these risks in conformity with European Union legislation covering the safety and protection of workers' health. The book contains many tables, diagrams and schedules, enhancing its practical value. The methods it proposes for analyzing and designing or redesigning jobs and tasks do not require sophisticated equipment and are largely based on situations encountered in large manufacturing factories. Since risk analysis also concerns how jobs and tasks are organized, many concepts and terms are defined that prevention experts can share with those responsible for planning and organizing manufacturing activities on the shop floor.

This book covers how to analyze awkward working postures, particularly of the spine and lower limbs, in specific groups exposed. The methods covered suggests how to evaluate the postures correctly, taking account of the duration and sequence of the tasks involved, even in very complex scenarios where workers are involved with multiple tasks and work cycles varying from day to day. Excel spreadsheets located on the authors' website (www.epmresearch.org) have been developed to gather, condense, and automatically process the data. The tools serve to implement the strategy for calculating risk associated with exposure to awkward postures, i.e. the TACOS method. Included are 5 case studies which include physiotherapists, workers from construction, archaeological digs, vineyards, and kindergarten teachers. Features Provides a coherent definition of what the study of awkward postures is Clarifies and explains which parameters need to be detected and analyzed for the study of the working postures Defines the phases of a proper organizational study (e.g. tasks, postures, duration, and how often the postures will last) in the working cycle Presents a new and original risk calculation model for awkward postures, with particular attention to the study of the spine and the lower limbs Offers a free excel spreadsheet located on the authors' website which implements the strategy for calculating risk associated with exposure to awkward postures

Commonly used throughout the world, manual lifting tasks whether simple or complex all involve variable loads, postures, and movements. This practical guide discusses how to analyze the intricate lifting function and prevent injury during its execution. Outlining revised NIOSH Lifting Equation (RNLE) methods, the book illustrates their use in assessing manual lifting tasks of varying degrees of difficulty. Using examples to reinforce presented concepts, it explains how RNLE methods can be applied to evaluate single, composite, variable, and sequential lifting tasks. It also explores how to interpret and apply the results according to international standards and guidelines.

This book covers the application of the OCRA (Occupational Repetitive Actions) method. The methods make up a system dedicated to the analysis and management of the risk of biomechanical overload of the upper limbs. The book focuses on the OCRA checklist which presents various models from the most simplified, to the most complex. It describes methods, criteria, procedures and tools on how to perform such an assessment, in line with international standards. The book provides you with the correct methods and tools for prevention of upper limb work related musculoskeletal disorders no matter what the working environment is or what the international standards dictates.

Commonly used throughout the world, manual lifting tasks whether simple or complex all involve variable loads, postures, and movements. This practical guide discusses how to analyze the intricate lifting function and prevent injury during its execution. Outlining revised NIOSH Lifting Equation (RNLE) methods, the book illustrates their use in assessing manual lifting tasks of varying degrees of difficulty. Using examples to reinforce presented concepts, it explains how RNLE methods can be applied to evaluate single, composite, variable, and sequential lifting tasks. It also explores how to interpret and apply the results according to international standards and guidelines.

This book covers how to analyze awkward working postures, particularly of the spine and lower limbs, in specific groups exposed. The methods covered suggests how to evaluate the postures correctly, taking account of the duration and sequence of the tasks involved, even in very complex scenarios where workers are involved with multiple tasks and work cycles varying from day to day. Excel spreadsheets located on the authors' website (www.epmresearch.org) have been developed to gather, condense, and automatically process the data. The tools serve to implement the strategy for calculating risk associated with exposure to awkward postures, i.e. the TACOS method. Included are 5 case studies which include physiotherapists, workers from construction, archaeological digs, vineyards, and kindergarten teachers. Features Provides a coherent definition of what the study of awkward postures is Clarifies and explains which parameters need to be detected and analyzed for the study of the working postures Defines the phases of a proper organizational study (e.g. tasks, postures, duration, and how often the postures will last) in the working cycle Presents a new and original risk calculation model for awkward postures, with particular attention to the study of the spine and the lower limbs Offers a free excel spreadsheet located on the authors' website which implements the strategy for calculating risk associated with exposure to awkward postures

This book covers the application of the OCRA (Occupational Repetitive Actions) method. The methods make up a system dedicated to the analysis and management of the risk of biomechanical overload of the upper limbs. The book focuses on the OCRA checklist which presents various models from the most simplified, to the most complex. It describes methods, criteria, procedures and tools on how to perform such an assessment, in line with international standards. The book provides you with the correct methods and tools for prevention of upper limb work related musculoskeletal disorders no matter what the working environment is or what the international standards dictates.

One of the latest developments being pursued by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other international organizations (ILO, ISO), in relation to preventing work-related diseases and disorders, concerns the creation of "toolkits" and, within them, of simple tools. This book suggests a methodology and a comprehensive simple tool (ERGOCHECK, downloadable for free from the website www.epmresearch.org) for bringing together various potential risk factors to undertake a preliminary mapping of discomfort/danger in the workplaces and to assess consequent priorities for prevention, especially (but not only) in small and very small businesses. The tool is primarily designed to be used by employers, OSH (Occupational Health and Safety) operators and trade union representatives, but it may also be useful for occupational medical staff conducting periodical inspections and drafting health surveillance protocols, and for supervisory bodies (labor inspectors) conducting inspections in the workplace needing to rapidly detect potentially dangerous situations requiring specific preventive interventions. Daniela Colombini is a certified European ergonomist and a senior researcher at the Research Unit Ergonomics of Posture and Movement, Milan, where she developed methods for the analysis, evaluation and management of risk and damage from occupational biomechanical overload. She was a professor at the School of Specialization in Occupational Medicine in University of Milan and University of Florence. She is the coauthor of the OCRA method (EN 1005-5 standard and ISO 11228-3). She is the founder and president of the EPM International Ergonomics School (EPMIES). She has been working with accredited native teachers in countries such as the USA, France, India, Spain, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Brazil and other South American countries. She is a member of the Ergonomics Committee of UNI working in the international commissions of European Committee for Normalization (CEN) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Enrico Occhipinti is a certified European ergonomist. He is a professor at the School of Specialization in Occupational Medicine in University of Milano, and the director of the Research Unit Ergonomics of Posture and Movement (EPM) at Fondazione Don Gnocchi ONLUS-Milano. He developed and coauthored the OCRA method. He is a member and has been a coordinator (up to 2012) of the Technical Committee on Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA), and represents Italy in international commissions of the CEN and the ISO dealing with ergonomics and biomechanics.