4D WATBAK Hands-on Computer Session

In this session, we will use 4D WATBAK to evaluate an industrial task in terms of PEAK and CUMULATIVE loading. Follow the steps outlined on this sheet to complete the analysis. Use the WATBAK manual as required, but remember to cite and reference the information appropriately. The first step is to conduct a Task Analysis of the job. What is the person doing? Identify each major Task and the actions that make up each task. A new action is needed for each different kind of physical loading situation (or for each different posture you wish to analyse). See the WATBAK HELP file page16. Examine the video and conduct a Task Analysis.

Job Breakdown and Time Sheet

Task Group / Task / Action Name Remove mould/remove lower mould/grab and detach Remove mould/turn and toss /turn and toss Remove mould/turn and reach back/turn Remove Upper mould/Detach mould from base/ grab and detach Remove Upper mould/turn and toss/turn and toss Remove Upper mould/turn and reach back/turn Remove Lower mould/reach and detach/grab and detach Remove Lower mould/detach/toss back Action Duration (S/rep.) 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.03 0.01 Action Reps (# / shift) 1050 3150 3150 1050 1050 1050 6300 6300

Now begin to create a biomechanical model of the job.

SECTION 1: SINGLE ACTION ANALYSIS

In this section, we will use 4D WATBAK to evaluate a single action. From the action breakdown, and from your observation of the video, select the action that has the highest spinal loading. If you are unsure you may enter a couple of actions and test to see which has the highest loading. What action did you choose as having the 'peak load'? Reaching for the lower mould and detaching getting up and tossing 1. START the 4dWATBAK program (Programs \ Ergowatch \ 4D WATBAK) 2. On the Info tab, fill in the following information: Site: Foam Plant Department: Line 2 Job Classification: Hourly Job Name: Operator Workstation ID: Demould Shift: Day 3. Click on the Job tab. Enter 7 hours into the Total Working Time / Shift space. Analyst: your name Date: June 1, 1999 Worker ID: Jane Anthrop: Female 50th %ile

4.

Name the Task-group, task and action you will model. 5. Enter the Posture for each action. (use the POSTURE tab)

(Tip: Click and drag the body joints of the manikin into position to match the video, as taken from the video. Or adjust the joint angles using control panel on the left hand side.) 6. Enter the FORCE information (use the FORCE tab) (Tip: You can click on the words e.g. Pull In to specify that direction quickly (faster than moving the pointer).) 2

What methods, or tools, might you use to determine the force that you need to enter? The force measure, the mechanical goniometer can be used to one determine the force.

(For this LAB everyone will use the same forces ask the TA) 7. Click on the Output tab. Click on Single Action \ Summary. Fill in the table below for the action you chose with the highest (peak) spinal loading. Value Units Direction L4-L5 Moment 81.5 Nm Extensor L4-L5 Compression 1457 Nm Extensor Reaction Shear 281 N Anterior Joint Shear 156 N Anterior 8. Click on Spine Compression & Shear Limits. How do your compression and joint shear values compare to the limits provided? The compression and joint shear values are lower than the limits provided because the back is not fully flexed.When flexed shear load surpasses the limits and compression load stays the same Discussion Questions 9. What effect does changing the leg postures have on Spinal Loading? Answer: Changing the leg posture does not have any effect on the spinal loading because leg loads are calculated from the hands down. 10a. What effect does changing the low back posture to fully flexed have on lumbar load? (Give specific supporting numbers where appropriate) The load on the lumbar increases from 156 N to 586.The L4-L5 shear value increased almost 5 times this is due to the fact that when in fully flexed the natural curved posture of the spine is diturbed 10b. What are the implications of this for working posture and injury risk? Answer: This implies that if a worker is working in this posture there is a higher risk to musculoskeletal disorders. There is more damage to the spine. For a single action going over the Action limit (AL) increases risk of injury.

(See Chapter 5 Viewing and Interpreting 4D Watbak Results in Watbaks HELP pdf file for more details on interpreting your model outputs.) 10c. How can you figure out if the low back is fully flexed or not by looking at a posture? The natural structure of the spine is curved, when the low back is fully flexed it is straight therefore by looking at the low back you can tell whether its fully flexed or not.

11a. What muscle group is challenged if there is an extensor (positive) moment acting about L4-L5? Vertebral Muscles more specifically the Extensor muscles 11b. What muscle group is challenged if there is a flexor (negative) moment acting about L4-L5? The flexor muscles 12. Should jobs be designed to be under the Maximum Permissible Limit or under the Action Limit? Jobs should be designed to be under both the action limit and the maximum permissible limit because surpassing the action limit increases chance of risk injury for that action and the maximum permissible limit is greater than AL

SECTION 2: CUMULATIVE LOAD ASESSMENT

1. Now continue to model the other tasks in order to calculate the CUMULATIVE load on the operator for an entire shift. Add the appropriate number of actions and tasks to form the job breakdown that you developed on the Job Breakdown and Time Sheet downstairs and buttons

Tip:

Use the

2. Then label your tasks and actions appropriately Rename the standard labels by double-clicking on the text. Enter the repetitions and duration for each action.

(Tip: Double click under Reps. or Dur. For each action). Refer to the Job Breakdown and Time Sheet that you completed for these values.) 3. Complete the modelling procedure for each task as you did for the peak load task. Click on the Output tab.

4. Complete the following table: (Tip: To scroll through the actions, click on the of the screen.) at the top right hand corner

Action

L4-L5 Moment

L4-L5 Compression

L4-L5 Reaction Shear

L4-L5 Joint Shear

Remove Upper mould/Detach mould from base/pull fixture

Remove Upper mould/turn and toss /Throw fixture

179.1N m 10.1Nm 4.9Nm

3198 691 627

485 121 95 477

211 105 95 279

5

Remove mould/turn and toss /turn and toss /Carry fixture Remove mould/turn and toss /turn and toss

129.8nm 2393

5a. Click on Spine Compression & Shear Limits and complete the following table: Action L4-L5 compression over Action Limit (AL)? (Y or N) L4-L5 compression over Maximum Permissible Limit (MPL)? (Y or N) L4-L5 joint shear over Action Limit (AL)? (Y or N) L4-L5 joint shear over Maximum Permissible Limit (MPL)? (Y or N)

Remove Upper mould/Detach mould from base/Pull fixture

Remove Upper mould/turn and toss /Throw fixture

N N N N

N N N N

N N N N

N N N N

Remove mould/turn and toss /turn and toss /Carry fixture Remove mould/turn and toss /turn and toss

5b. Based on these results, would you change this job? Why? Based on these results I would not change this job because all the actions are lower than the Action limit and the Maximum Permissible Limit and hence the L4-L5 loads are minimum 6a. Which task has the highest shoulder load? Remove mould/turn and toss /turn and toss /Carry fixture 6b. What is the shoulder load and what % of the population have the strength to do this task? The shoulder load is calculated to be 6.1Nm flexing and 99% of the population have the strength 6c. Based on the results in 6b, would you target this job for ergonomic intervention? Why? No, because almost every female and male is capable of doing this task and the shoulder load is low 6

7a. Click on Job Summary and complete the Peak LOAD and PEAK LBPI columns of the following table: Peak Load Hand Load L4-L5 Moment L4-L5 Compression L4-L5 Reaction Shear L4-L5 Joint Shear Peak LBP Index

49.1 179.1 3210.4 485.2 278.6

0.35 0.49 0.47 0.53

7b. Based on these results, would you target this job for ergonomic intervention? Why? Yes bcause 50% of the population will report Low Back Pain injury and this will show direct costs to the company

8. To help answer this kind of question create a new blank dummy analysis (REMEMBER TO SAVE YOUR LAB MODEL 1st!!). Create a 50% ile male model with a single action and a spinal load of 3433 N (The NIOSH AL). What is the LBPI index for Compression at the AL? _______0.49__________ 9. Adjust the model to a spinal compression of 6376 (The NIOSH MPL) What is the LBPI index for Compression at the MPL? ________0.78______ 10a. NOW RETURN TO YOUR MODEL & record the cumulative LOAD and LBPI results using your findings from above to help interpret the LBPI score. Cumulative( LBP Index MNs L4-L5 Extensor Moment L4-L5 Flexor Moment L4-L5 Compression L4-L5 Anterior Reaction Shear L4-L5 Posterior Reaction Shear L4-L5 Anterior Joint Shear L4-L5 Posterior Joint Shear Overall LBP Index

1.299 -0.016 1.716 4.765 0.00 2.775 0.00

0.31 0.29 0.90

0.72

10b. Based on these results, would you target this job for ergonomic intervention? Why? Because the cumulative L4-L5 reaction shear is 0.95 for the low back pain reporting index and the combined is 0.72.yes I would

10c. Report:

How might you modify this job to reduce the injury risk? Model your ideas and report the impact they would have on the biomechanical loading. Be specific in describing your changes and the effect it would have on model inputs and outputs. (Include a short proposal of your design change, provide model data from before and after.) Append print outs of your models. Label and refer to these models appropriately and accurately as required. (10+ marks)
The most important modification would be to change the layout and redesign it.

Think Questions.

11. What % of the female population is capable of generating a shoulder moment of 32 Nm?

12. In what kind of situation is it possible to have a low moment on the back but high compression? Try to get this type of result using 4D WATBAK and explain the situation and results in the space provided.

13. How is it possible for a person to be bent over but have a zero moment on the spine? Try to get this type of result using 4D WATBAK and explain the situation and results in the space provided.

14. What kind of tasks do you do around the house that you would expect create high peak loading on the spine? Using your body size and weight model these tasks what result do you get.