A Proof-of-Concept Comparison of Musculoskeletal Injury Risk Assessment Between Ergonomists and Inertial Measurement Units for Aircraft Assembly Tasks

Source abstract

Aircraft assembly requires repeatedly performing precision tasks at various heights and non-neutral positions. Prolonged exposure to non-neutral positions is a risk factor for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Traditional ergonomic assessments can support quantifying these risks, but are time consuming. Wearable motion sensing from Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) could support ergonomists quantifying postural exposure across work shifts. This study evaluated alignment between Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) shoulder and torso scores from a focus group of ergonomists and an IMU-based analysis using data collected from a worker performing assembly tasks. The proof-of-concept results suggest the proposed method is promising for identifying general postural exposure trends. Differences in expert perceptions and IMU-based analysis were observed, which could arise from the video format of the observations, including the point of view of the worker or the visual context. Further investigation should consider how to present IMU-based data to support ergonomist decision-making needs.