Ascertaining of Ergonomic Risk

Factors
Michigan’s checklist for upper extremity of cumulative trauma disorders

Risk factors Yes No

1. Physical stress
1.1 can the job be done without hand/wrist contact with sharp edge?
1.2 is the tool operating without vibration?
1.3 Are the worker’s hands exposed to temperature > 210 C
1.4 Can the job be done without using gloves?

2. Force
2.1 Dose the job require exerting force?

2.2 Can the job be done without using finger pinch grip?

3. Posture
3.1 Can the job be done without flexion or extension of wrist?

3.2 Can the tool be used without flexion or extension of wrist?

3.3 Can the job be done without deviating the wrist from side to side?
3.4 Can the tool be used without deviating the wrist from side to side?
3.5 Can the worker be seated while performing the job?
3.6 Can the job be done without “cloths wringing” motion?
 Ascertaining of Ergonomic Risk
Factors
Michigan’s checklist for upper extremity of cumulative trauma disorders

Risk factors Yes No

4. Workstation Hardware
4.1 Can the orientation of the work surface be adjusted?
4.2 Can the height of the surface be adjusted?
4.3 Can the location of the tool be adjusted?

5. Repetitiveness
5.1 Is the cycle time (repetition) longer than 30 second?

6. Tool Design
6.1 Are the thumb and finger slightly overlapped in a closed grip?

6.2 Is the spam of the tool’s between 5 and 7 cm (2-2¾ inches)?

6.3 Is the handle of the tool made from material other than metal?

6.4 Is the weight of the handle of the tool below 4 Kg (9lb)?

6.5 Is the tool suspended?

[ ‘No’ Responses are indicative of conditions associated with the risk of CTDs]
Lifshitz, Y. and Armstrong, T., 1986, A design checklist for control and prediction of cumulative trauma
disorders hand intensive manual job, Proceedings of 30th Annual Meeting of Human Factor Society, 837-841
MF
A
Ref: Rodgers
JOB ANALYST

TASK DATE

Effort Level Score Priorit

(<75% of all Workers can Exert Effort – 4 ) y

Region Light – 1 Moderate – 2 Heavy – 3 Effort Duration Frequenc

y

Neck Head turned partly to
side, back or slightly
forward
Shoulder Arms slightly away from
sides; arms extended
with some support
Back Leaning to side or
bending arching back
Arm / Elbow Arms away from body,
no load; light forces
lifting near body
Head turned to side;
head fully back; head
forward about 200
Arms away from body,
no support; working
overhead
Bending forward; no
load; lifting moderately
heavy loads near body;
working overhead
Rotating arms while
exerting moderate force
Same as moderate but
with force or weight;
head stretched forward
Exerting forces or R R R R
holding weight with
arms away from body L L L L
or overhead
Lifting or exerting force
while twisting; high
force or load while
bending
High force exerted with R R R R
rotation; lifting with
arms extended L L L L

Wrist / Light forces or weights
Hand / handled close to body;
Finger straight wrist;
comfortable power grip
Legs / Standing, walking
Knees without bending or
leaning; weight on both
feet
Ankles / Standing, walking
Feet / Toes without bending or
leaning; weight on both
feet
Grip with wide or narrow
span; moderate wrist
angles, especially
flexion; use of gloves
with moderate forces
Bending forward, leaning
on table; weight on one
side; pivoting while
exerting force
Bending forward, leaning
on table; weight on one
side; pivoting while
exerting force
Pinch grips; strong R R R R
wrist angles; slippery
surface
L L L L
Exerting high force R R R R
while pulling or lifting;
crouching while
L L L L
exerting force;
Exerting high force R R R R
while pulling or lifting;
crouching while
exerting force; standing L L L L
on tiptoes

Continuo's Effort Duration <6 Sec 6 – 20 Sec 20 – 30 sec >30Sec

1 2 3 4 (Enter VH for priority)

Effort Frequency <1 / min 1 – 5 / min >5 – 15 / min >15 / min

1 2 3 4 (Enter VH for priority)
 AN
EXAMPLE
JOB: CARPET INSTALLATION – REAR COMPARTMENT ANALYST

TASK: CARRY CARPET TO CAR & INSTALL IN REAR COMPARTMENT DATE

Effort Level Score Priorit

(<75% of all Workers can Exert Effort – 4 ) y

Region Light – 1 Moderate – 2 Heavy – 3 Effort Duration Frequenc

y

Neck Head turned partly to
side, back or slightly
forward
Shoulder Arms slightly away from
sides; arms extended
with some support
Back Leaning to side or
bending arching back
Arm / Elbow Arms away from body,
no load; light forces
lifting near body
Head turned to side; Same as moderate but
head fully back; head with force or weight; 2 2 2 M
forward about 200 head stretched forward
Arms away from body, Exerting forces or R
3 R
1 R
3 R
H
no support; working holding weight with
overhead arms away from body
L
2 L
1 L
3 HL
or overhead
Bending forward; no Lifting or exerting force
load; lifting moderately while twisting; high 3 2 2 H
heavy loads near body; force or load while
working overhead bending
Rotating arms while High force exerted with R
3 R
1 R
3 R
H
exerting moderate force rotation; lifting with
arms extended L
2 L
2 L
3 L
H

Wrist / Light forces or weights Grip with wide or narrow Pinch grips; strong R
3 R
1 R
3 R
H
Hand / handled close to body; span; moderate wrist wrist angles; slippery
Finger straight wrist; angles, especially surface
comfortable power grip flexion; use of gloves
L
2 L
2 L
3 L
H
with moderate forces
Legs / Standing, walking Bending forward, leaning Exerting high force R
3 R
1 R
3 R
H
Knees without bending or on table; weight on one while pulling or lifting;
leaning; weight on both side; pivoting while crouching while L
2 L
1 L
3 L
M
feet exerting force exerting force;
Ankles / Standing, walking Bending forward, leaning Exerting high force R
3 R
1 R
3 R
H
Feet / Toes without bending or on table; weight on one while pulling or lifting;
leaning; weight on both side; pivoting while crouching while
feet exerting force exerting force; standing L L
1 L
3 L
M
on tiptoes 2

Continuo's Effort Duration <6 Sec 6 – 20 Sec 20 – 30 sec >30Sec

1 2 3 4 (Enter VH for priority)

Effort Frequency <1 / min 1 – 5 / min >5 – 15 / min >15 / min

1 2 3 4 (Enter VH for priority)
 Table: Body Parts with High Priority for Change
Scores
Body Parts Three- Number Three – Number Strategy to Reduce
Rating before Rating Goal after Fatigue
intervention (High Intervention (Low
Priority) Priority)
R shoulder 313 212 Reduce reach, decrease
force
L shoulder 223 221,212 Reduce no of forceful
pushes
Back 322 221,212 Decrease force, reduce
reach, no.
R arm / elbow 313 212 Decrease force, reduce
no.
L arm / elbow 223 212 Reduce no. and time

R wrist / hand 313 212 Reduce pinch grip, reach

no.
L wrist / hand 223 212 Reduce no. and time

R leg / knee 313 212 Reduce reach and no.

R ankle / foot 313 212 Reduce reach and no.

Note: Table … shows the category scores for the four levels of change priority (low, high,
very high)
“priority for change” score from three number
rating
Effort Level= 1 Effort Level= 2 Effort Level= 3

Duratio Frequenc Priori Duratio Frequenc Priorit Duratio Frequenc Priorit

n y ty n y y n y y
1 1 L 1 1 L 1 1 L

1 2 L 1 2 L 1 2 M

1 3 L 1 3 M 1 3 H

2 1 L 2 1 2 1 H

2 2 L 2 2 M 2 2 H

2 3 M 2 3 H 2 3 VH

3 1 L 3 1 M 3 1 VH

3 2 M 3 2 M 3 2 VH

3 3 -- 3 3 -- 3 3 --

Note: with the score for effort level (top row) and for duration and frequency (columns within the
section for the effort level). A score of 4 either effort level, duration or frequency is automatically VH
(very high). The “priority for change” from the table is low (L), moderate (M), high (H) or very high
(VH).
* This combination of duration and frequency is not possible
 Category Score in the order of
increasing fatigue for three – number
rating (Effort, Continuous effort duration
Low (L)
and Frequency Very High
Moderate (M) High (H)
111 123 223 (VH)
323
112 132 313 331
113 213 321 332
211 222 322
121 231 4xx
212 232 X4x
311 312 xx4
122
131
221
Tack evaluation of Muscle fatigue
Analysis

Problem Job: Carpet No. of People

Installation affected: 4
Problems Task: Carrying Minutes / shift: Up
and installing carpet to 8 hours
JSI

Ref: Moore, J. S . & Garg A.,

 JSI
Ratings
1.Intensity of Exertion
2.Duration of Exertion
3.Efforts per Minute
4.Hand / Wrist Posture
5.Speed of Work
6.Duration of Task per day
 1.Intensity of Exertion
An estimate of the strength required to perform the task one
time. Guidelines for assigning a rating criterion are presented
in the following table
Rating % MSA Borg Perceived Effort
Criterion ScaleB
Light < 10% <= 2 Barely noticeable or relaxed
effort
Somewhat 10 -29% 3 Noticeable or definite effort
Hard
Hard 30 – 4-5 Obvious effort; unchanged facial
49% expression
Very Hard 50 - 6-7 Substantial effort; changes facial
79% expression
Near >= 80% >7 Uses shoulder or trunk to
Maximal generate force
A
Percentage of maximal strength
B
Compared to the Borg CR – 10
scale
The Borg CR 10
Scale
0 Nothing at all
0.3
0.5 Extremely weak Just noticeable
0.7
1 Very weak
1.5
2 Weak Light
2.5
3 Moderate
4
5 Strong Heavy
6
7 Very strong
8
9
10 Extremely strong Maximal
11
• Absolute maximum Highest possible
 1.Duration of Exertion

Duration of Exertion is calculated by measuring the

duration of all exertions during an observation period,
then dividing the measured duration of exertion by the
total observation time and multiplying by 100

100 X duration of all exertions

% Duration of Exertion (sec)
= Total observation time
(sec)
 1.Efforts per Minute
Efforts per Minute are measured by counting the number of
exertions that occur during an observation period, then
dividing the number of exertions by the duration of the
observation period, measured in minutes

Number of
Efforts per Minute Exertions
= Total observation time
(min)
 1.Hand / Wrist Posture
Hand / Wrist Posture is an estimate of the position of
the hand or wrist relative to neutral position.
Guidelines for assigning rating criterion are presented
in the following table
Rating Wrist Wrist Ulner Perceived
Criterion Extension FlexionA Deviatio Posture
Very
A
00 - 100 00 - 50 n A
00 - 100 Perfectly
Good Neutral
Good 110 – 250 60 – 150 110 – 150 Near Neutral

Fair 260 - 400 160 – 300 160 – 200 Non-neutral

Bad 410 - 550 310 - 500 210 -250 Marked

Deviation
Very >600 >500 >250 Near Extreme
Bad
A
From derived from
data
 1.Speed of Work
Speed of Work is an estimate of how fast the worker is
working. Guidelines for assigning a rating criterion are
presented in the following table

Rating Compared to Perceived Speed

Criterion MTM-1 A
Very Slow <= 80% Extremely relaxed pace
Slow 81 - 90 % “taking one’s own time”
Fair 91 - 100 % “normal” speed of motion
Fast 101 - 115 % rushed., but able to keep
Very Fast >115 % up
Rushed and barely or
unable to keep up
A
the observation pace is divided by MTM- 1’s predicted
pace and expressed as a percentage of predicted
1.Duration of Task per day

Duration of Task per

day is either measured
or obtained from plant
personnel
 Job Stress
Ratin Intensity Index
Duration Efforts / Hand / Speed of Duratio
g of of Minute Wrist Work n per
Exertion Exertion (EM) Posture (SW) Day
1 (IE)(1)
Light <(DE)
10% <4 (0.5) (HWP)
Very Good Very (DD)
<1
(0.5) (1) Slow (1) (0.25)

2 Somewha 10 – 29 % 4 – 8 (1) Good (1) Slow (1) 1–2

t Hard (3) (1) (0.5)

3 Hard (6) 30 49 % 9 - 14 Fair (1.5) Fair (1.5) 24

(1.5) (1.5) (0.75)

4 Very Hard 50 79 % 15 – 19 Bad (2) Fast (1.5) 4 – 8 (1)

(9) (2) (2)

5 Near 80 – 100% >= 20 (3) Very Bad Very Fast >= 8

Maximal (3) (3) (2) (1.5)
(13)

JSI = IE X DEX EM X HWP X SW X DD

 Job Stress
Index
Preliminary testing has revealed that jobs
associated with distal upper extremity
disorders had is score greater than 5
SI Scores less than or equal to 3 are
probably safe
SI Scores greater that or equal to 7 are
probably hazardous
The SI does not consider stresses related to
localized mechanical compression. This factor
should be considered separately