UNIT-4
REPETITIVE
MOTION INJURY
AND DESIGN OF
HAND TOOLS
By
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INTRODUCTION
Repetitive motion injury (RMI) or
cumulative trauma disorder (CTD) has
been increasingly recognized in
ergonomics during the last 20 years.
Typically these injuries are caused by
repetitive motions, such as of a hand,
and there is a cumulative affect so that
RMI may develop after an extended
period of time
CTD
Cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) are
injuries of the musculoskeletal and
nervous systems that may be caused by
repetitive tasks, forceful exertions,
vibrations, mechanical compression
(pressing against hard surfaces), or
sustained or awkward positions
CAUSES OF CUMULATIVE TRAUMA
DISORDERS
Inappropriate work methods
• Repetitive hand movements with high force
• Flexion and extension of hand
• High force pinch grip
• Uncomfortable work postures
• Lack of experience of manual work
• New job
• Back from vacation
Inappropriate leisure activities
• Insufficient rest due to working in a second
job
• Knitting, playing musical instruments,
playing tennis, bowling,
Pre-existing conditions
• Arthritis, bursitis, other joint pain
• Nerve damage
• Circulatory disorders
• Small hand/wrist size
GUIDELINES FOR
REDUCING RMI
Guidelines for hand posture
• Watch out for sudden flexion or extension
of the hand or fingers
• Avoid extreme ulnar deviation and radial
deviation
• Avoid operations that require more than 90°
wrist rotation
• Keep forces low during rotation or flexion of
the wrist
• For operations that require finger pinches
keep the forces below 10 N; this represents
20% of the weaker operators’ maximum
pinch strength
GUIDELINES FOR
REDUCING RMI
Guidelines for handtools
• Cylindrical grips should not exceed 5 cm (2 in) in
diameter
• Avoid gripping that spreads the fingers and thumbs
apart by more than 6 cm (2.5 in)
• Use hand tools that make it possible to maintain the
wrist in a neutral position
Guidelines for workstation design
• Keep the work surface low to permit the operator to
work with elbows to the side and wrists in a neutral
position
Avoid sharp edges on the work table and part bins that
may irritate the wrists when the parts are procured;
keep reaches within 50 cm (20 in) from the work
surface so that the elbow is not fully extended
GUIDELINES FOR
REDUCING RMI
Guidelines for process engineering
• Allow machinery to do repetitive tasks and
leave variable tasks to human operators
• Provide fixtures that hold parts together
during assembly, and which can present the
assembly task at a convenient angle to the
operator
• Minimize time pressure or pacing pressure by
allowing operators to work at their own paces
GUIDELINES FOR
REDUCING RMI
Guidelines for product design
• Minimize the number of screws and
fasteners used in the assembly
• Minimize the torque required for
screws
• Locate fasteners and screws at
“natural” angles so they are easy for the
operator to insert
• Design a product with large parts to
permit gripping with fingers and palm
instead of pinching
HAND TOOL DESIGN
A hand tool must
• Fit the task
• Fit the user and hand
• Not create injuries
Two Basic grips
power grip and
precision grip
POWER GRIP
the hand makes a fist with the
forefingers on one side and the thumb
reaching around.
3 different categories of power grip that
are differentiated by the direction of the
force
(1) force parallel to the forearm, e.g., a
saw (2) force at an angle to the forearm,
e.g., a hammer
(3) torque about the forearm, e.g.
screwdriver
PRECISION GRIP
Internal precision grip: where the tool
is held inside the hand, e.g., a table
knife;
External precision grip: where the
tool is pinched by the thumb against the
index finger and middle finger, e.g., a
pen.
The design motto is, “It is better to bend
metal than to twist arms”
DESIGN GUIDELINES
FOR HAND-TOOL DESIGN
VIDEO DISPLAY
TERMINALS
15
INTRODUCTION
The applications of computer technology
and the accompanying use of video display
terminals (VDTs) are revolutionizing the
workplaces of America, and their use will
continue to grow in the future.
In 1984 only 25 percent of the U.S.
population used computers at work.
In 1993, more than 45 percent of the
population.
More than 18 million workers are in jobs
that often require intensive keying.
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WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS
OF A VIDEO DISPLAY TERMINAL?
Display screen
output device that shows what the computer is
processing.
Shows what’s being processed.
Keyboard
Allows user to send information.
Central processing unit
Brains of computer
Performs calculations
organizes the flow of information
into and out of the system.
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PHYSICAL FACTORS IN
VDT
1. Chair
2. Body posture
3. Foot rest
4. Keyboard support table
5. Document holder
6. Display monitor
7. General lighting
8. environmental factors
[Link] CHAIR
The chair should be easily adjustable to
provide good support to your lower back and
allow up/down movements for proper height
interface with the keyboard.
The seat pan should have the ability to tilt
forward or backward and the chair should be
fitted with casters if tasks require the
operator to get up or move around the
workstation frequently
[Link] POSTURE
Body posture should be as shown with
right angles at the elbow, hip, and knee.
The head should be held in a neutral
position facing straight ahead with the
eyes gazing forward or slightly down
3. FOOT REST
A foot rest may be needed when the operator's
feet do not comfortably reach the floor,
although this should not be necessary if both
the table and the chair are height-adjustable.
The feet should reach and touch the floor in a
flat, relaxed manner.
Foot and leg circulation will be affected if over
extension of the feet occurs, as is the case
when the user wears high-heeled shoes.
4. KEYBOARD SUPPORT
TABLE
The keyboard support table can be adjusted to
allow proper upper body posture, or the chair
height can be adjusted to achieve the same
purpose.
The keyboard should be detachable to permit
flexible positioning. A wrist rest should be
available for those who desire it.
Keeping the wrist level straight and in a relaxed
position offers the worker maximum comfort for
extended hours of work.
5. DOCUMENT HOLDER
A document holder should be provided
and adjustable in height and angle of tilt,
to the same height and plane that the
operator views the majority of the time.
Usually the position will be at or just
below screen level, allowing the operator
to hold his/her head in the neutral
position shown in the diagram.
6. DISPLAY MONITOR
The display monitor (VDT) should be positioned so that the distance
from the eye to the screen can be adjusted, allowing the center of
the screen to be positioned so viewing angle is 15 to 25 degrees
below eye level.
Display monitors placed too low will increase musculoskeletal
tension and fatigue to the back and neck. Display monitors placed
too high will also increase visual fatigue and neck tension.
The screen should be detached from the keyboard so that each can
be positioned in an optimum manner.
If vision problems are experienced by VDT workers, they should see
their ophthalmologist to rule out any need for prescription glasses.
7. GENERAL LIGHTINGS
General lighting for the office and VDT work vary between
operators.
Light above and behind the display monitor will glare onto
the screen.
Reduce glare onto the screen by appropriate placement of
the display screen in the room.
The VDT workstation should be oriented so the operator
does not face an unshielded window or a bright light source.
The orientation of the video screen should be perpendicular
or nearly perpendicular to the line of windows.
8. ENVIRONMENTAL
FACTORS
Due to the work demands put on VDT
operators, it is important
that environmental factors such as
temperature (68o to 78o F),
humidity (30-70%), and
noise (<75 dbA or as low as achievable)
be kept within acceptable ranges.
REFERENCE
A Guide to Human Factors and Ergonomics - Martin
Helander Chapter 11, P.N0:209-223
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