Title: The effect of task characteristics on the choice to lean, upper body postures and joint loading during simulated automotive manufacturing tasks with one-handed, sub-maximal exertions

Authors: Kayla M. Fewster; Jim R. Potvin

Addresses: Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada ' Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the preferred leaning postures, while giving participants the choice to lean when completing tasks with constrained reaches. Twenty female participants completed a variety of different exertions with and without a leaning surface available. The frequency of choice to lean changed with task hand location. The long reaching task hand locations resulted in the most frequent choice to lean, and this decreased trunk and task arm shoulder loading, while allowing the participant to get closer to the task. These findings will be of use to industry in validating future leaning posture prediction software to help guide leaning posture estimates during proactive risk assessments.

Keywords: leaning; proactive ergonomics; constrained posture; automotive manufacturing.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHFMS.2018.096132

International Journal of Human Factors Modelling and Simulation, 2018 Vol.6 No.4, pp.266 - 281

Received: 04 Dec 2017
Accepted: 12 Mar 2018
Published online: 13 Nov 2018 *

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