Safety On: a new survey methodology for occupational diseases. Preliminary study of the incongruous postures of employees in manufacturing and service companies.

Abstract

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) stand as a prominent cause of injuries within modern industries. Previous research has successfully established a causal link between MSDs and awkward working postures. Therefore, the development of a robust tool for assessing and monitoring workers' working postures is of paramount importance in preventing MSDs. The Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) stands as one of the most widely adopted observational methods for evaluating working postures and their associated risks of MSDs in industrial settings. This preliminary study aims to design and validate a novel tool capable of monitoring and preventing incongruous postures among workers. The analysis methodology leverages a wrist-worn sensor, facilitating the continuous monitoring of incongruous postures adopted by workers. The data collected through this sensor-based approach were subsequently evaluated using the RULA method. The findings from the RULA assessment highlighted incongruous postures prevalent among computer operators and individuals working in both the service and industrial sectors.