In petroleum dumps, repair and maintenance tasks have to be carried out in restricted workspaces, or where access to components is difficult. There is an increased risk of injury in such awkward working postures. The hazard associated with these tasks and workplaces may be assessed using biomechanical models to evaluate the loads imposed on the body. These may also be used to set criteria for safe loads of force demands in the more complex workplaces. However, it is difficult to specify realistically the postures with which will be adopted by workers in confined workspaces.
The present study was undertaken to measure the postures adopted for maximal force exertions in typical, kneeling and overhead working tasks. The posture record have been analyzed to identify factors which determine the choice of posture, and to develop ways of predicting postures as input to biomechanical models used in workplace evaluation.
Posture, Maintenance, Repair, workspaces
