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Consistency between the ACGIH TLV for hand activity and proposed action levels for wrist velocity and forearm muscular load based on objective measurements : an example from the assembly industry

Dahlqvist, Camilla LU ; Arvidsson, Inger LU ; Löfqvist, Lotta LU and Gremark Simonsen, Jenny LU (2024) In International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics 30(3). p.927-935
Abstract

Objectives. This study aimed to investigate the consistency between results of the American Conference for Governmental Occupational Hygienists (ACGIH) threshold limit value (TLV) for hand activity and proposed action levels of objective measurements in risk assessments of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Methods. Wrist velocities and forearm muscular load were measured for 11 assemblers during one working day. Simultaneously, each assembler’s hand activity level (HAL) during three sub-cycles was rated twice on two separate occasions by two experts, using a HAL scale. Arm/hand exertion was also rated by the assemblers themselves using a Borg scale. In total, 66 sub-cycles were assessed and assigned to three exposure categories:... (More)

Objectives. This study aimed to investigate the consistency between results of the American Conference for Governmental Occupational Hygienists (ACGIH) threshold limit value (TLV) for hand activity and proposed action levels of objective measurements in risk assessments of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Methods. Wrist velocities and forearm muscular load were measured for 11 assemblers during one working day. Simultaneously, each assembler’s hand activity level (HAL) during three sub-cycles was rated twice on two separate occasions by two experts, using a HAL scale. Arm/hand exertion was also rated by the assemblers themselves using a Borg scale. In total, 66 sub-cycles were assessed and assigned to three exposure categories: A) below ACGIH action limit (AL) (green); B) between AL and TLV (yellow); and C) above TLV (red). The median wrist velocity and the 90th percentile of forearm muscular load obtained from the objective measurements corresponding to the sub-cycles were calculated and assigned to two exposure categories: A) below or C) above the proposed action level. Results. The agreement between ACGIH TLV for hand activity and the proposed action level for wrist velocity was 87%. Conclusions. The proposed action level for wrist velocity is highly consistent with the TLV. Additional studies are needed to confirm the results.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
agreement, forearm muscular load, inter-rater reliability, risk assessment, work-related musculoskeletal disorders, wrist velocity
in
International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics
volume
30
issue
3
pages
9 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • pmid:38961651
  • scopus:85197862660
ISSN
1080-3548
DOI
10.1080/10803548.2024.2367367
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0874c25a-faa4-4e97-9e3d-6bb81dc5807b
date added to LUP
2024-11-28 14:07:44
date last changed
2025-05-16 04:43:43
@article{0874c25a-faa4-4e97-9e3d-6bb81dc5807b,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objectives. This study aimed to investigate the consistency between results of the American Conference for Governmental Occupational Hygienists (ACGIH) threshold limit value (TLV) for hand activity and proposed action levels of objective measurements in risk assessments of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Methods. Wrist velocities and forearm muscular load were measured for 11 assemblers during one working day. Simultaneously, each assembler’s hand activity level (HAL) during three sub-cycles was rated twice on two separate occasions by two experts, using a HAL scale. Arm/hand exertion was also rated by the assemblers themselves using a Borg scale. In total, 66 sub-cycles were assessed and assigned to three exposure categories: A) below ACGIH action limit (AL) (green); B) between AL and TLV (yellow); and C) above TLV (red). The median wrist velocity and the 90<sup>th</sup> percentile of forearm muscular load obtained from the objective measurements corresponding to the sub-cycles were calculated and assigned to two exposure categories: A) below or C) above the proposed action level. Results. The agreement between ACGIH TLV for hand activity and the proposed action level for wrist velocity was 87%. Conclusions. The proposed action level for wrist velocity is highly consistent with the TLV. Additional studies are needed to confirm the results.</p>}},
  author       = {{Dahlqvist, Camilla and Arvidsson, Inger and Löfqvist, Lotta and Gremark Simonsen, Jenny}},
  issn         = {{1080-3548}},
  keywords     = {{agreement; forearm muscular load; inter-rater reliability; risk assessment; work-related musculoskeletal disorders; wrist velocity}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{927--935}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics}},
  title        = {{Consistency between the ACGIH TLV for hand activity and proposed action levels for wrist velocity and forearm muscular load based on objective measurements : an example from the assembly industry}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10803548.2024.2367367}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/10803548.2024.2367367}},
  volume       = {{30}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}