Perceptions of Stability upon Standing from Working Postures Used in the Construction Industry

Autor: Raymond W. McGorry, Angela DiDomenico
Rok vydání: 2009
Předmět:
Zdroj: Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting. 53:1627-1631
ISSN: 1071-1813
2169-5067
DOI: 10.1177/154193120905302018
Popis: Falls on the same level or from heights are a significant cause of injuries and fatalities among the American workforce, particularly within the construction industry. Instability upon standing may be a contributing factor for many fall-related injuries and fatalities. This study explored self-reports of postural stability upon standing after maintaining static postures for varying durations. Thirty-three male participants completed three replications of the conditions created by four postures and three durations within posture for a total of 36 conditions. The results indicated that the working posture used to complete a task significantly affected postural stability upon standing (ANOVA, α=0.05), although individuals were not able to distinguish these changes. Postural stability ratings were affected more by the duration within posture (p=0.001). Small correlation values between the subjective ratings and the objective COP-based measures substantiated the finding that individuals were not sensitive to the changes in postural sway measures caused by the differing postures and may not be fully aware of the risk to balance encountered during transitions. Findings may lead to recommendations for redesign of tasks or tools to reduce the use of certain working postures (e.g. kneeling), particularly in high-risk environments such as construction.
Databáze: OpenAIRE