Image: Nordroden
Research project Hand-intensive work, such as within food production and assembly, can lead to serious musculoskeletal problems, with a higher prevalence among women. Risk assessment is the first step in the systematic occupational health and management process to prevent ill-health. There is a lack of knowledge regarding whether women and men are assessed equally in identical hand-intensive tasks.
The research project will investigate whether women and men workers and ergonomist observers rate hand activity and force equally. The ratings will be compared with technical measurements of movement velocity (motion sensors) and muscle activity (surface electromyography, EMG). The results provide knowledge about equal and adequate exposure assessments for women and men, precision measures, risk for musculoskeletal disorders, and gender differences. This facilitates an inclusive and sustainable work environment for women and men performing hand-intensive work.
Hand-intensive work is common in the working population. Approximately one-third of the workforce is exposed to hand-intensive work tasks across various sectors, such as food production and assembly. Hand-intensive work is defined as exposure to high hand activity and high forces. These exposures primarily affect the wrist, elbow, shoulder, and neck, leading to an increased risk of musculoskeletal diagnoses such as carpal tunnel syndrome. The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders and carpal tunnel syndrome is higher among women.
Risk assessment of hand-intensive work aims to identify risk exposures and is currently based on generic threshold values for women and men. In other words, it is not known whether women and men are assessed equally and adequately in identical work tasks. This lack of knowledge may lead to consequences such as worse assessment precision, decreased efficiency in prevention, and unequal health outcomes. Therefore, hand activity and force exposures, and corresponding wrist velocity and muscular activity, should be investigated, and comparing women and men is essential. The research project is based on multiple sub-studies.
Data collection involved field measurements during workers' regular duties at eight companies in industries with hand-intensive work. In total, 28 unique women and men worker pairs participated. Each pair executed one of 18 unique, hand-intensive regular work tasks. Additionally, two pairs of ergonomists (one woman and one man per pair) and 27 women and 27 men ergonomists participated. Hand activity and force were self-rated by the workers and observer-rated by the ergonomists.
Hand activity and force are the two rated exposure variables assessed by the ACGIH® Hand Activity Threshold Limit Value® observational method. Data is also collected on influencing factors such as grip strength, anthropometry, psychosocial stress, and physical activity level. The measurements enable the exploration of differences in assessments between women and men and the significance of other measures, such as anthropometry.
Technical measurements of wrist velocity (movement sensors, IMUs) and muscular activity (EMG) corresponding to hand activity and force, respectively, were assessed. All measurements were conducted simultaneously. This enabled more profound insights into the relationship between the rated perception of exertion of hand activity and force and corresponding more objective (technical) measurements among women and men in identical work tasks.
Understanding the significance of hand activity and force exposure measurement precision in workers' self- and observer ratings, as well as their association to corresponding technical measures, is essential. This knowledge can contribute to the precision of exposure measurements from a gender perspective, by increasing our understanding of differences in musculoskeletal disorders in women and men. Further, high precision of exposure assessment can support more targeted preventive measures and promote health and sustainability in the workplace for women and men equally.
The knowledge from this project is crucial for researchers and ergonomists in occupational health and countless workplaces. It will be disseminated through scientific conferences, presentations, and workshops in the Swedish healthcare system.
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This work contributes towards Goal 3, Good health and well-being, Goal 5, Gender equality, and Goal 8, Decent work and economic growth.
The project is a collaboration with KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Huddinge, Division of Ergonomics, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, IMM Institute of Environmental Medicine.
