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The OCRA Checklist is one of the tools of the OCRA method for assessing risk associated with repetitive movements of the upper limbs. Task rotation is when a worker alternates between two or more tasks during a certain period of time (i.e.: a day, a month, a year). The multitask analysis process by the OCRA Checklist involves the following steps: 1 - Determine the full task rotation period: daily up to yearly; 2 - Identify repetitive tasks performed in the period; 3 - Use the OCRA checklist to calculate the “intrinsic” score for each task as if it was performed for the entire period; 4 - Analyse tasks and scores with respect to real time exposure and apply two alternative computational models: Time-Weighted Average and Multitask Complex. While, in the industrial sectors, tasks rotate often in a similar way every day and consequently the previous procedures could be easily applied, in some productive sectors exposure assessment is much more complex being characterized by the presence of several tasks over periods longer than a day (weekly, monthly, yearly). In general the study of these conditions are based on the use of the Checklist OCRA and on adaptations of the two multitask analysis models.

Objective: We seek to develop a new approach for analyzing the physical demands of highly variable lifting tasks through an adaptation of the Revised NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) Lifting Equation (RNLE) into a Variable Lifting Index (VLI). Background: There are many jobs that contain individual lifts that vary from lift to lift due to the task requirements. The NIOSH Lifting Equation is not suitable in its present form to analyze variable lifting tasks. Method: In extending the prior work on the VLI, two procedures are presented to allow users to analyze variable lifting tasks. One approach involves the sampling of lifting tasks performed by a worker over a shift and the calculation of the Frequency Independent Lift Index (FILI) for each sampled lift and the aggregation of the FILI values into six categories. The Composite Lift Index (CLI) equation is used with lifting index (LI) category frequency data to calculate the VLI. The second approach employs a detailed systematic collection of lifting task data from production and/or organizational sources. The data are organized into simplified task parameter categories and further aggregated into six FILI categories, which also use the CLI equation to calculate the VLI. Results: The two procedures will allow practitioners to systematically employ the VLI method to a variety of work situations where highly variable lifting tasks are performed. Conclusions: The scientific basis for the VLI procedure is similar to that for the CLI originally presented by NIOSH; however, the VLI method remains to be validated. Application: The VLI method allows an analyst to assess highly variable manual lifting jobs in which the task characteristics vary from lift to lift during a shift.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) is currently not only a health problem in enterprises across six European regions which are Catalonia (ES), Lombardy (IT), South-West Bohemia (CZ) Upper Austria (AU), Estonia (EE), Provincie Noord-Brabantv(NL), but also impacts negatively on productivity and on the competitiveness of enterprises. This project, granted by Innovation 4 Welfare (I4W), will provide a high value to enterprises in the participating regions. However, although EU-legislation has established new and highly innovative technical standards the area of “physical ergonomics, specifically aimed at protecting the “working population” from biomechanical and organizational risks for WMSDs, it is still not easy for users to find a suitable tool or strategy for identifying hazards and assessing risks for purposes of WMSDs prevention effectively. Additionally, there are no criteria or guidelines for teaching users how to select the best method for a specific case. Hence, this project proposes to develop a set of toolkits to help users find the most suitable and effective solution to the problem at hand. Developing toolkits based on a collaborative platform for preventing WMSDs will not only help companies improve and maintain healthy and safe working conditions, but will also promote the creation of new solutions in the field of WMSD and injuries prevention. As a result, it will significantly enhance worker health, life quality and productivity, as well as reduce sick leave absences and economic/social costs connected to work-related muscular disorders and injuries. This paper seeks to illustrate the methodology of developing toolkits for hazard identification, risk assessment and prevention of WMSDs based on a collaborative platform. In order to demonstrate this, the paper presents an analysis of the approaches and the implementation plan for toolkits development. Additionally, the paper closes by suggesting that an essential element for successful prevention of WMSDs is the interaction between the workers and the policy makers, knowledge providers.

El levantamiento manual de cargas es un requerimiento de trabajo muy frecuente en Europa y su exposición puede originar importantes daños a la salud, comportando un gran coste socio-económico. En esta investigación, mediante la valoración de expertos y delegados de prevención, se caracterizan las exposiciones a levantamientos manuales de cargas más presentes en las empresas y las prácticas comunes para su evaluación. Se analiza la validez, las limitaciones y la aplicabilidad de los modelos matemáticos actuales para evaluar la exposición al riesgo que comporta ante condiciones de levantamiento de alta variabilidad. Se propone un nuevo modelo matemático para analizar la exposición al riesgo, el índice de levantamiento variable (VLI), y se plantean y analizan diferentes estrategias de aplicación basadas en la reducción de la dimensión de los atributos que la caracterizan, definiendo los indicadores que permiten valorar las estrategias de aplicación del modelo más adecuadas., L’aixecament manual de càrregues és un requeriment de treball molt freqüent a Europa, i la seva exposició pot generar importants danys a la salut amb un alt cost sòcio-econòmic. En aquesta recerca, mitjançant la valoració d’experts i delegats de prevenció, es caracteritzen les exposicions a aixecaments manuals de càrregues més presents en les empreses i les pràctiques més comuns per a la seva avaluació. S’analitza la validesa, les limitacions i la aplicabilitat dels models matemàtics actuals per avaluar l’exposició al risc en condicions d’alta variabilitat. Es proposa un nou model matemàtic per analitzar l’exposició al risc, l’índex d’aixecament variable (VLI), i es plantegen i analitzen diferents estratègies d’aplicació basades en la reducció de la dimensió dels atributs que la caracteritzen, definint els indicadors que permeten valorar les estratègies d’aplicació del model més adients., Manual lifting loads is a widely extended requirement at work in Europe. The exposure to this hazard is producing significant work-related musculoskeletal disorders and a high social and economic cost. In this study, the most common characteristics of tasks involving manual lifting loads in companies and how they are currently analyzed are identified, based on perception and opinions of ergonomists and health and safety representatives. The validity, applicability and limitations of current mathematical models for assessing this risk in highly variable conditions are analyzed. A new mathematical model, called variable lifting index (VLI), is proposed. Different strategies for applying the model based on attribute reduction are analyzed. Finally, new indicators to evaluate the goodness of each strategy have been defined.