Sheet Metal Manual Handling Aids: Effects of Design Differences on Muscle Activity and Subjective Assessment
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31436/iiumej.v26i1.3397Keywords:
Ergonomics, manual material handling, trolleys, sheet metal, electromyographyAbstract
Manual material handling is a common task in various industries and has been linked to work-related musculoskeletal injuries. Handling heavy and bulky sheet metal manually can cause awkward postures and forceful exertion, leading to intense biomechanical load on the workers. A trolley lifter was designed and fabricated to address this issue to improve work postures during sheet metal transfer tasks. This study aimed to investigate the potential ergonomic benefits of the trolley lifter design compared to the traditional hydraulic table cart. The study aims to determine the effect of the design differences between the two devices on muscle activities during sheet metal handling operations and to compare subjective perceptions of the subjects on these devices. The independent variable in this study was the type of device used for sheet metal handling (i.e., trolley lifter vs. traditional hydraulic table cart) and types of sheet metals (vary by thickness). The dependent variables were muscle activities in four different muscles (biceps brachii, triceps brachii, erector spinae, and trapezius) and subjective perceptions of the devices. A randomized repeated-measure experimental design was employed, surface electromyography was used to measure muscle activities, and a subjective questionnaire was administered to gather data on the participants' perceptions of the devices. Participants were asked to perform separate sheet metal handling operations using both devices. The relationship between the dependent and independent variables was examined. The non-parametric test indicated that there were significant decreases in muscle activation levels in the biceps brachii, triceps brachii, erector spinae, and trapezius muscles when using the trolley lifter compared to the traditional hydraulic table cart. Moreover, participants rated the trolley lifter as more usable, useful, and desirable than the traditional hydraulic table cart. In conclusion, the trolley lifter was a more effective and ergonomically beneficial tool for handling large sheet metals than the traditional hydraulic table cart. This study highlights the importance of ergonomic interventions in manual material handling tasks, advocating for adopting tools and equipment that can enhance worker safety, reduce physical strain, and improve overall job satisfaction.
ABSTRAK: Pengendalian bahan secara manual adalah tugas biasa dalam pelbagai industri dan telah dikaitkan dengan kecederaan muskuloskeletal yang berkaitan dengan kerja. Mengendalikan kepingan logam yang berat dan besar secara manual boleh menyebabkan postur yang janggal dan tenaga yang kuat yang membawa kepada beban biomekanikal yang kuat pada pekerja. Untuk menangani isu ini, pengangkat troli telah direka untuk memperbaiki postur kerja semasa tugas pemindahan kepingan logam. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk menyiasat lebih lanjut potensi faedah ergonomik reka bentuk pengangkat troli berbanding troli meja hidraulik tradisional. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk menentukan kesan perbezaan reka bentuk antara kedua-dua peranti pada aktiviti otot semasa operasi pengendalian kepingan logam dan untuk membandingkan persepsi subjektif subjek kepada peranti ini. Pembolehubah bebas dalam kajian ini ialah jenis peranti yang digunakan untuk pengendalian kepingan logam (iaitu, pengangkat troli berbanding troli meja hidraulik tradisional) dan jenis kepingan logam (berbeza mengikut ketebalan). Pembolehubah bersandar ialah aktiviti otot dalam empat otot yang berbeza (biceps brachii, triceps brachii, erector spinae, dan trapezius) dan persepsi subjektif pada peranti. Reka bentuk eksperimen ukuran berulang secara rawak telah digunakan dan elektromiografi permukaan digunakan untuk mengukur aktiviti otot, serta soal selidik subjektif telah diberikan untuk mengumpul data mengenai persepsi peserta kepada peranti. Peserta diminta melakukan operasi pengendalian kepingan logam menggunakan kedua-dua peranti pada masa yang berasingan. Hubungan antara pembolehubah bersandar dan tidak bersandar telah dikaji. Ujian bukan parametrik menunjukkan bahawa terdapat penurunan ketara dalam tahap pengaktifan otot dalam bisep brachii, triceps brachii, erector spinae, dan otot trapezius apabila menggunakan pengangkat troli berbanding dengan troli meja hidraulik tradisional. Selain itu, peserta menilai pengangkat troli sebagai lebih boleh digunakan, berguna dan diingini daripada troli meja hidraulik tradisional. Kesimpulannya, pengangkat troli telah terbukti sebagai alat yang lebih berkesan dan ergonomik untuk mengendalikan kepingan logam yang besar berbanding dengan kereta meja hidraulik tradisional. Kajian ini menyerlahkan kepentingan campur tangan ergonomik dalam tugas pengendalian bahan manual, menyokong penggunaan alatan dan peralatan yang boleh meningkatkan keselamatan pekerja, mengurangkan ketegangan fizikal, dan meningkatkan kepuasan kerja secara keseluruhan.
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