Vit. artikkel

Publisert

  • 2008

Forskningsområde

Fysisk arbeidsmiljø

The goal of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the impact of different physical work station designs, expressed in two different brands of forest vehicles, on the muscle activity patterns in the neck and upper extremities among the vehicle operators. Surface electromyography (sEMG) was continuously recorded bilaterally on the trapezius (TM) and the extensor digitorum muscles (EDM) during one working day among operators driving Timberjack and Valmet vehicles, either as harvesters (n = 7 and 6, respectively) or forwarders (n = 9 and 9, respectively). Both the construction of the crane in relation to the chassis and the design of the control levers vary between the Tim-berjack and Valmet vehicles, which demand different ergonomic performance by the operators. The operators mostly handle control levers in the harvesters or forwarders, the latter with a more varied work load, in a fixed, seated working posture in the cabin for long hours with little rest. The sustained low- level muscle activity was quantified by periods with muscle activity above 0.5 percent EMGmax into 10 predetermined duration intervals from 1.6 to 5 s up to above 20 min (SULMA periods). These SULMA periods were analyzed both for number in the different intervals and cumulated...

Østensvik, Tove Maria; Nilsen, Petter; Veiersted, Kaj Bo
International Journal of Forest Engineering 19(2): 11–20
Les publikasjon