ISE 3600 Assessment Tools

HAL (Hand activity level)

How does it work? 0-10 rating from idle to rapid motion Where would it work best? Works best for a job requiring hand motions Job example Desk job, typing

Psychophysical Data

How does it work? Accounts for 75% of females, back injury assessment tool. Tables to indicate what the population is willing to lift Where could it work best? Works best when assessing lift, push, or pull Job example Heaving lifting, pushing a hospital bag

3D Static strength prediction program (3DSSPP)

How does it work? Calculate spine compression force and compare predicted spine loads with criteria to determine if damage is likely Where would it work best? Works best for back injuries to predict forces acting on the selected spinal motion segments Job example? Delivery man

PATH (posture, activities, tool use and loads handled)

How does it work? Categorize the various postures using images Where would it work best? Works best on jobs that are non cyclical or have long and irregular cycle times Example? Construction worker smoothing concrete

REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment)

How does it work? Gives posture scores using a table Where would it work best? When the whole body is exerting a force Job example? Twisting assembly line job 8-10 is high risk

RULA (Rapid Upper limb assessment)

How does it work? Gives posture, force, and repetition scores based off of pictures Where would it work best? works best when upper limbs are exerting the force 6 and above is high risk

NIOSH Work Practices

How does it work? RWL= LC* HM*VM*DM*AM*CM*FM Where would it work best? Works best when used to predict an acceptable load given a set of work conditions Job example? Lifting job in a factory setting

Strain Index (Uses borg scale)

How does it work? Rate intensity of exertion and multiply by observation variable, duration, effort, posture, speed Where would it work best? Works best when analyzing jobs for risk of distal and upper extremity disorders Job Example? Reaching Job

AIHA Lifting TLV

How does it work? Tables with workplace lifting conditions that people can be exposed to without lower back or shoulder disorders Where would it work best? Works best when lifting is done with two hands, involves 1 task, within 30 degrees of mid sagittal plane Job Example? Furniture mover, need task duration, frequency, lift height, horizontal lift location

Liftshitz and Armstrong checklist

How does it work? Yes or no questions and you add up the scores (the higher the better) Where would it work best? Works best when jobs focus on hand and wrist usage Job example? factory worker using operating tools

Lumbar Motion Monitor

How does it work? Device strapped to patients to measure lumbar range of motion, velocity and acceleration Where could it work best? Works best in work place where high risk for LBD Job examples Throwing bags, something with lots of twisting