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  1. Sado F, Yap HJ, Ghazilla RAR, Ahmad N
    PLoS One, 2018;13(7):e0200193.
    PMID: 30001415 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200193
    Prolong walking is a notable risk factor for work-related lower-limb disorders (WRLLD) in industries such as agriculture, construction, service profession, healthcare and retail works. It is one of the common causes of lower limb fatigue or muscular exhaustion leading to poor balance and fall. Exoskeleton technology is seen as a modern strategy to assist worker's in these professions to minimize or eliminate the risk of WRLLDs. Exoskeleton has potentials to benefit workers in prolong walking (amongst others) by augmenting their strength, increasing their endurance, and minimizing high muscular activation, resulting in overall work efficiency and productivity. Controlling exoskeleton to achieve this purpose for able-bodied personnel without impeding their natural movement is, however, challenging. In this study, we propose a control strategy that integrates a Dual Unscented Kalman Filter (DUKF) for trajectory generation/prediction of the spatio-temporal features of human walking (i.e. joint position, and velocity, and acceleration) and an impedance cum supervisory controller to enable the exoskeleton to follow this trajectory to synchronize with the human walking. Experiment is conducted with four subjects carrying a load and walking at their normal speed- a typical scenario in industries. EMG signals taken at two muscles: Right Vastus Intermedius (on the thigh) and Right Gastrocnemius (on the calf) indicated reduction in muscular activation during the experiment. The results also show the ability of the control system to predict spatio-temporal features of the pilots' walking and to enable the exoskeleton to move in concert with the pilot.
    Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Injuries/prevention & control
  2. Radin Umar RZ, Sommerich CM, Lavender SA, Sanders E, Evans KD
    Ergonomics, 2018 Sep;61(9):1173-1186.
    PMID: 29757713 DOI: 10.1080/00140139.2018.1475016
    Sound workplace ergonomics and safety-related interventions may be resisted by employees, and this may be detrimental to multiple stakeholders. Understanding fundamental aspects of decision-making, behavioural change, and learning cycles may provide insights into pathways influencing employees' acceptance of interventions. This manuscript reviews published literature on thinking processes and other topics relevant to decision making and incorporates the findings into two new conceptual frameworks of the workplace change adoption process. Such frameworks are useful for thinking about adoption in different ways and testing changes to traditional intervention implementation processes. Moving forward, it is recommended that future research focuses on systematic exploration of implementation process activities that integrate principles from the research literature on sense-making, decision-making, and learning processes. Such exploration may provide the groundwork for development of specific implementation strategies that are theoretically grounded and provide a revised understanding of how successful intervention adoption processes work. Practitioner summary: Adoption and acceptance of workplace changes may be facilitated through sound implementation strategies. This manuscript explores several principles of sense-making and decision-making processes that can potentially be used by industrial practitioners to inform the design and development of implementation strategies for interventions that improve workplace ergonomics and safety.

    ABBREVIATIONS:  Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs); National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH); National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA); Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

    Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Injuries/prevention & control*
  3. Ng YG, Shamsul Bahri MT, Irwan Syah MY, Mori I, Hashim Z
    J Occup Health, 2014;55(5):405-14.
    PMID: 23892641
    OBJECTIVES: Production agriculture is commonly associated with high prevalence of ergonomic injuries, particularly during intensive manual labor and during harvesting. This paper intends to briefly describe an overview of oil palm plantation management highlighting the ergonomics problem each of the breakdown task analysis.

    METHODS: Although cross-sectional field visits were conducted in the current study, insight into past and present occupational safety and health concerns particularly regarding the ergonomics of oil palm plantations was further exploited. Besides discussion, video recordings were extensively used for ergonomics analysis.

    RESULTS: The unique commodity of oil palm plantations presents significantly different ergonomics risk factors for fresh fruit bunch (FFB) cutters during different stages of harvesting. Although the ergonomics risk factors remain the same for FFB collectors, the intensity of manual lifting increases significantly with the age of the oil palm trees-weight of FFB.

    CONCLUSIONS: There is urgent need to establish surveillance in order to determine the current prevalence of ergonomic injuries. Thereafter, ergonomics interventions that are holistic and comprehensive should be conducted and evaluated for their efficacy using approaches that are integrated, participatory and cost-effective.

    Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Injuries/prevention & control*
  4. Ya'acob NA, Abidin EZ, Rasdi I, Rahman AA, Ismail S
    Work, 2018;60(1):143-152.
    PMID: 29733032 DOI: 10.3233/WOR-182711
    BACKGROUND: Work tasks in pineapple plantations in Malaysia are characterised by non-ergonomic work postures, repetitive tasks, awkward posture and manual handling of work tools that contribute to the reporting of musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS). There have been very limited studies performed among pineapple plantation workers focusing on ergonomic intervention programs to specifically reduce MSS.

    OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of work improvement module using a Kiken Yochi participatory approach intervention in reducing MSS among male migrant pineapple farm plantation workers in Pontian, Johor.

    METHODOLOGY: In this interventional study, a total of 68 male migrant workers from two plantation farms were invited to become a participant in this study. In total, 45 participants that consisted of 27 workers for the intervention group and 18 workers for the control group were recruited. The background of workers and MSS were assessed using questionnaires. Ergonomic and postural risks were evaluated and the work tasks with the highest risk were used as a basis for the development of the Kiken Yochi training module. MSS education and training intervention that provided information on proper lifting techniques and education on body mechanics and ergonomics to reduce MSS were implemented to both groups of workers. Kiken Yochi Training was given to the intervention group only. MSS were reassessed after 2 months of the follow-up period. Data was entered into statistical software and were analysed according to objectives.

    RESULTS: In terms of the postural risk assessment, almost two-third of the participants (68.5%) had working postures categorized as high risk for MSS. Ergonomic risk assessment identified cultivation, manual weeding and harvesting of pineapples as the work tasks contributing the highest health risks to workers. The most commonly reported MSS between both groups of workers were at the knees, lower back and shoulder area. Upon completion of the delivery of intervention module to both groups of workers, the MSS prevalence reported (after 2 months) were significantly lower for the ankles and feet area within the intervention group.

    CONCLUSION: This study suggested that development and implementation of programs using effective participatory approach training methods are able to prevent selected musculoskeletal problems for this occupation. To enhance the effects of such trainings, modifications of work tools in this occupation are desirable.

    Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Injuries/prevention & control*
  5. Mohd Shukoor NS, Mohd Tamrin SB, Guan NY, Mohd Suadi Nata DH
    Work, 2018;60(1):129-134.
    PMID: 29843301 DOI: 10.3233/WOR-182741
    BACKGROUND: Hard hats are among the personal protective equipment (PPE) used in many industries to reduce the impact of any falling object on the skull and also to prevent head and brain injuries. However, the practice of wearing a safety helmet during working hours is still low. This is due to the physical discomfort perceived by safety helmet users.

    OBJECTIVE: Given the unpopularity of the current hard hat, the general perception of workers concerning its use and its measurements are the determining factors in the development of a new hard hat.

    METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted in which 132 male oil palm harvesters between 19 and 60 years of age were selected from among the employees of the same oil palm harvesting company. A set of questionnaires was developed to collect their socio-demographic information as well as their perceptions of comfort and the prevalence of head injury. In addition, a set of measuring instruments, including Martin's anthropometry set, was used for head measurement and data collection in respect of the current hard hat. In this research, six respondents were randomly selected to attend an interview session for qualitative assessment.RESULTSBased on the questionnaires, the unpopularity in the use of the hard hat was largely influenced by factors related to poor design, in general, and, specifically, poor ventilation (64%), load (67% ), and physical discomfort (42% ). The measurements of the anthropometric parameters and the dimensions of the hard hat also showed a significant mismatch.

    CONCLUSION: The unpopularity of the current hard hat among oil palm harvesters stemmed from the discomfort from wearing, which showed that the development of a new hard hat could lead to better usage and the greater likelihood of wearing a hard hat throughout the working day.

    Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Injuries/prevention & control
  6. Ali R, Shaharudin R, Omar A, Yusoff F
    Int J Occup Environ Health, 2012 Oct-Dec;18(4):299-306.
    PMID: 23433290 DOI: 10.1179/1077352512Z.00000000031
    INTRODUCTION: This study on workplace injuries and risk reduction practices was part of the Malaysia National Health Morbidity Survey III (NHMS III) conducted in 2006.
    METHODS: This cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted to determine the incidence of workplaces injuries and assess the magnitude of some important risk reduction practices among workers. Data were gathered through face-to-face household interviews using a pre-coded questionnaire.
    RESULTS: Of the 22 880 eligible respondents, 88·2% (20 180) responded. The incidence rate for injuries at the workplace was 4·9 per 100 (95% CI: 4·6-5·2). The overall proportion of workers who had received occupational safety and health (OSH) training before or within 1 month of starting work was 33·6%. Among respondents who perceived that personal protective equipment (PPE) was required at their workplace, only 38·9% (95% CI: 37·8-39·4) were provided with it by their employers.
    DISCUSSION: Further studies are urgently needed to identify reasons for and management of the low uptake of risk reduction practices. This issue needs to be addressed to ensure the safety and health of our working population.
    Study name: National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS-2006)
    Matched MeSH terms: Occupational Injuries/prevention & control*
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