Effect of pneumatic screwdrivers and workstations on operator body posture

Abstract Four pneumatic screwdrivers, representing two different motor speeds and grip types, were used by both inexperienced (college student) and experienced male and female operators in a simulated and actual furniture assembly operation, respectively. All screwdrivers were used to set screws in furniture desk tops configured in three different orientations. The workstation/workpiece orientations were chosen to assess both ideal and non-ideal upperarm-forearm, wrist, shoulder and body postures assumed by operators during the assembly task. The results of this study indicate that less deviation of the upperarm-forearm and wrist was assumed by male operators. The female operators, necessarily disadvantaged by strength and stature, assumed postures representing greater body part abduction and deviation from neutral points. No differences were found between inexperienced and experienced operators.

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