N. Saldana et al., A COMPUTERIZED METHOD FOR ASSESSMENT OF MUSCULOSKELETAL DISCOMFORT INTHE WORKFORCE - A TOOL FOR SURVEILLANCE, Ergonomics, 37(6), 1994, pp. 1097-1112
A musculoskeletal discomfort survey was conducted to assess musculoske
letal discomforts among rural mail carriers in two post offices. Perce
ived musculoskeletal discomfort was collected directly from the workfo
rce by means of a computerized discomfort assessment system (DAS). Thi
s investigation aimed at: (1) assessing the rural mail carrier's perce
ption of DAS; and (2) assessing the rural mail carrier's musculoskelet
al discomforts resulting from work. Most participants in the study fou
nd the computer tool easy to learn and easy to use. The information co
llected by DAS was used: (1) to determine the number of participating
employees who were experiencing some kind of musculoskeletal problem;
(2) to determine subtasks associated with discomfort; (3) to determine
the body areas most affected by different subtasks; and (4) to invest
igate the patterns of discomfort that occurred with time.