As Prepared by

Team PAJAL
IEDOSH KK BATCH 5
Ovako Working Posture Asessment System

Created in mid-1970s by Ovako Oy, a private

steel company in Finland.

Joint effort between the company and Finnish

IOSH.

Basic concepts has been incorporated into other

posture analysis systems.
 NECK

ARMS
TRUNK (TORSO)

LOWER
BODY
 Job evaluation and redesign
Determine if current postural demands are
acceptable
Establish baseline to evaluate effectiveness of
interventions
Identify job attributes associated with awkward
postures
Evaluate intervention effectiveness by comparing
to baseline
Epidemiology/Research
Measure exposure for doseresponse models
Standards of posture for neck, arms, trunk and lower body.

Observe bodys instantaneous movement at all four points.

Percentage of time recorded for all points and the name of the
work activity being assessed.
Results compared to benchmark.

Once trained on this method, a user can use it by simply

observing workers and no interaction with the workers is
required.

The data collected is compared against suggested to action

categories, which determine whether some corrective action
needs to be taken to reduce the risk of injury.
 Class 2: Postures
Class 1: Normal that must be
postures that do not
considered during
need any special
attention, except in the next regular
some special cases. check of working
methods.

Class 3: Postures
Class 4: Postures
that need
that need immediate
consideration in the
consideration.
near future.
 Agriculture

Education
(preschool) All types of works Construction
that uses all
working parts of
the body.

Steel manufacture Healthcare

 HEAD & NECK

1. Upright/free (neutral)
2. Bent forward flexion more than 30
3. Bent to side pure lateral bending more than 30
4. Bent backward extension more than 30
5. Twisted axial twisting more than 45
HEAD & NECK POSTURE
ARMS

1. Both arms below shoulder height

(neutral)
2. One arm above shoulder height;
elbow above shoulder height
3. Both arms above shoulder height
ARMS POSTURE
TRUNK (TORSO)

1. Straight/upright (neutral)
2. Bent forward (pure flexion)
3. Straight and twisted (Pure axial flexion)
4. Bent and twisted (combination of flexion,
lateral bending, and/or twisting)
TRUNK (TORSO) POSTURE
 LOWER BODY

1. Sitting
2. Standing weight on 2 legs, knees straight
3. Standing weight on 1 leg, knees straight
4. Standing weight on 2 legs knees bent
5. Standing weight on 1 leg, knee bent
6. Kneeling 1 or 2 knees touching the ground
7. Walking or moving
LOWER BODY POSTURE
METHODOLOGY:

OWAS software (CCOWAS) / OWAS form

A simple analysis software to analyze workers
posture and determine classification.

1.5Hr Video recording of each worker

Video freeze every 30sec to determine the
classification.

Site visit to observe and record all activities.

 Relatively easy to learn and use. Results can be compared against
benchmarks to establish intervention priority.

Scores at each body part can be used for before and after
comparisons after to evaluate intervention effectiveness.

Scores at each body part can be used in epidemiological studies.

Relatively easy to customize system to specific user needs

 Posture categories are rather broad for the
trunk and shoulders

No information on duration of postures

Method does not separate left and right arms

Method gives no information for the elbow or

wrist