Obstacle clearance performance in individuals with high body mass index.

The objective of this study was to quantify performance in an obstacle clearance task among individuals with excess body weight or body mass index (BMI). Task performance was operationalized as the maximum obstacle height cleared, four duration measures of successful task completion and compensatory movements used in the process of task completion. Eighteen participants with a BMI exceeding 30 kg/m completed a laboratory experiment that required stepping over seven lightweight obstacles.

Integrating Interprofessional Collaborative Practice Into Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety Education: Results of a Feasibility Study.

Objective: Although occupational health and safety programs are expected to prepare graduates to function in an interprofessional collaborative environment, research to support training in this area is far less common in this discipline than among clinical programs. We incorporated interprofessional education (IPE) competencies into an occupational health and safety course for graduate students in diverse disciplines (public health, engineering, nursing) and evaluated effectiveness.

Methods: We assessed course offerings for content learning and attitudes toward IPE and analyzed data using a mixed-methods approach.

Comparison of ergonomic risk factors and work-related musculoskeletal disorders among dismantler and burners of electronic waste in Agbogbloshie, Accra Ghana.

Rudimentary methods for electronic waste (e-waste) recycling employed in developing countries are a source of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs). A summarized comparison of WRMSDs and preliminary exposure assessment among e-waste dismantlers (D) and burners (B) in Agbogbloshie, Ghana is presented. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate WRMSDs and associated risk factors using the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire and a newly developed ergonomic assessment tool.

Wearable inertial sensors for human movement analysis: a five-year update.

Introduction: The aim of the present review is to track the evolution of wearable IMUs from their use in supervised laboratory- and ambulatory-based settings to their application for long-term monitoring of human movement in unsupervised naturalistic settings.

Areas Covered: Four main emerging areas of application were identified and synthesized, namely, mobile health solutions (specifically, for the assessment of frailty, risk of falls, chronic neurological diseases, and for the monitoring and promotion of active living), occupational ergonomics, rehabilitation and telerehabilitation, and cognitive assessment. Findings from recent scientific literature in each of these areas was synthesized from an applied and/or clinical perspective with the purpose of providing clinical researchers and practitioners with practical guidance on contemporary uses of inertial sensors in applied clinical settings.

Functional Data Representation of Inertial Sensor-based Torso-Thigh, Knee, and Ankle Movements during Lifting.

This study examined the goodness-of-fit of using a sigmoid function to characterize time-series angular displacement trajectories during two-handed anterior lifting. Twenty-six participants performed two-handed anterior lifting with a low (4.5 kg) vs.

Work-Related Exposures and Musculoskeletal Disorder Symptoms among Informal E-Waste Recyclers at Agbogbloshie, Ghana.

Recycling of electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) in developing countries is mostly conducted in the informal sector consisting of low skilled workers. Informal e-waste recycling predominantly involves the physically demanding work of manually collecting, dismantling and burning of e-waste items to extract reusable components and valuable metals including gold or copper. This cross-sectional study investigated the effects of manual e-waste recycling work on the musculoskeletal health of 176 workers at Agbogbloshie in Accra, Ghana - the largest informal e-waste dumpsites in Africa.

Occupational and Environmental Health Effects of Informal Electronic Waste Recycling - A Focus on Agbogbloshie, Ghana.

The unregulated and unorganized structure of informal electronic waste recycling worksites exposes workers to numerous occupational hazards. This context also presents research challenges in collecting exposure data to establish linkages with adverse health effects and development of risk-mitigating strategies. This paper presents some findings from a 5-year multinational and multi-institutional collaboration of academic and government partners, which documented extensive occupational and environmental health conditions at the Agbogbloshie electronic waste site in central Accra, Ghana.

Musculoskeletal Disorders in Unstructured, Unregulated Work: Assessment Methods and Injuries.

Unstructured and unregulated work is expanding fast among low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Furthermore, accumulation of urban waste resulting from overconsumption is a global concern. Hence, waste management and recycling have received increased attention.

The Impact of COVID-19 and Pandemic Mitigation Measures on Persons With Sensory Impairment.

Purpose: To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated mitigation measures on persons with sensory impairments (SI), including visual impairments (VI) and hearing impairments (HI).

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Methods: Adults with VI (best-corrected visual acuity <20/60 in the better-seeing eye), HI (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, codes), and age- and sex-matched controls (n = 375) were recruited from the University of Michigan.

Wheeled Mobility Use on Accessible Fixed-Route Transit: A Field Study in Environmental Docility.

Multiple field studies provide qualitative accounts of usability barriers experienced by users of wheeled mobility devices on public transit. This study aimed to examine these usability barriers from the theoretical perspective of Environmental Docility by quantifying the relationship between functional capabilities of wheeled mobility device users and ingress-egress performance on accessible fixed-route transit vehicles in an urban setting. Twenty-eight wheeled mobility users each completed three trips on a predetermined route through the local public transit system.

A PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF PHYSICAL WORK EXPOSURES AMONG ELECTRONIC WASTE WORKERS AT AGBOGBLOSHIE, ACCRA GHANA.

Occupational exposure associated with unstructured, informal e-waste recycling has received very limited attention. This study aimed to quantify the occupational physical exposures among informal e-waste workers at the largest e-waste site in Africa. A cross-sectional field survey of 163 male e-waste workers was conducted using a self-report occupational physical activity questionnaire, along with direct work observations, and pedometer estimates of walking activity for a subset of workers (n = 42).

Use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health to Measure Public Transportation Barriers among Older Adults.

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) is a universal framework used to classify human functioning in clinical and rehabilitative domains. The objective of this study was to examine the utility of the ICF as a framework to categorize and measure barriers to public transportation reported by older adults. ICF coding techniques were applied to sixty paratransit applications for analyzing user-reported barriers to public transportation.

INVESTIGATING INCLUSIVE DESIGN OF SHARED AUTOMATED VEHICLES WITH FULL-SCALE MODELING.

Shared automated vehicles (SAVs) in the form of low-speed driverless shuttles have the potential to improve independent mobility for older adults and people with disabilities. At full vehicle autonomy and in the absence of an onboard operator, tasks such as ingress-egress, interior circulation, and securement of passengers and carry-on items will need to be safe, efficient, and independent. This paper describes a novel laboratory apparatus for conducting inclusive design research related to SAVs and presents preliminary findings from an ongoing preliminary study examining the effects of interior design configuration on ingress-egress performance for six wheelchair users.

Effect of Passenger Encumbrance and Mobility Aid Use on Dwell Time Variability in Low-floor Transit Vehicles.

Public transit serves users with a broad range of physical capabilities and design needs. However information about the operational effects of diverse users interacting with the transit system is scarce. This paper examined the occurrence and effects of boarding and alighting passengers with mobility aids (wheelchairs, scooters, walkers and canes), or with large items (carts, strollers, bicycles, or carrying an infant) on bus stop dwell time in a fixed-route bus service.

A Narrative Review on Contemporary and Emerging Uses of Inertial Sensing in Occupational Ergonomics.

Accurate, reliable, and cost-effective quantification of real-time biomechanical exposures in occupational settings remains an enduring pursuit in ergonomics. Miniaturized, wireless, body-worn inertial sensors offer opportunities to directly measure vast and personalized kinematics data in both laboratory and applied settings. This review investigated the contemporary and emerging uses of wearable inertial sensing technology in occupational ergonomics research related to biomechanical exposure assessment in physical work.

Development of an observation-based tool for ergonomic exposure assessment in informal electronic waste recycling and other unregulated non-repetitive work.

Most existing ergonomic assessment tools are intended for routine work. Time- and cost-efficient observational tools for ergonomic assessment of unregulated work are lacking. This paper presents the development of an observation-based tool designed to investigate ergonomic exposures among informal electronic waste workers that could be applied to other unregulated jobs/tasks.

Musculoskeletal Disorder Symptoms among Workers at an Informal Electronic-Waste Recycling Site in Agbogbloshie, Ghana.

Informal recycling of electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) has myriad environmental and occupational health consequences, though information about the chronic musculoskeletal health effects on workers is limited. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and intensity of self-reported musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) symptoms among e-waste workers at Agbogbloshie in Ghana-the largest informal e-waste dumpsite in West Africa-relative to workers not engaged in e-waste recycling. A standardized musculoskeletal discomfort questionnaire was administered to 176 e-waste workers (73 collectors, 82 dismantlers, and 21 burners) and 41 workers in a reference group.

Measuring Effects of Two-Handed Side and Anterior Load Carriage on Thoracic-Pelvic Coordination Using Wearable Gyroscopes.

Manual carrying of heavy weight poses a major risk for work-related low back injury. Body-worn inertial sensors present opportunities to study the effects of ambulatory work tasks such as load carriage in more realistic conditions. An immediate effect of load carriage is reflected in altered gait kinematics.

Gender and Parity in Statistical Prediction of Anterior Carry Hand-Loads from Inertial Sensor Data.

The objective of this study was to examine potential gender effects on the performance of a statistical algorithm for predicting hand-load levels that uses body-worn inertial sensor data. Torso and pelvic kinematic data was obtained from 11 men and 11 women in a laboratory experiment while they carried anterior hand-loads of 13.6 kg, and 22.

Effects of Visual Stress on Postural Control during Simulated Laparoscopy: A Preliminary Study.

Intraoperative stress can influence both surgeon health and patient outcomes, however stress management is not properly assessed during surgical training. Seven healthy, novice individuals participated in an experiment involving precision pin transfers using laparoscopic surgical instruments. A visual stressor introduced by altering the digital blur in a real-time video display (none, low, and high) was hypothesized to influence postural control and task performance.

An Exploratory Study of Encumbered Passengers on Fixed Route Buses.

Although the presence of disabled passengers on fixed-route transit affects operations, their data are often ignored, aggregated into a broad "encumbered" category, or marked as outliers in analyses of service performance measures. This study examines boarding and alighting characteristics of passengers encumbered with mobility aids (wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, and canes) and accessories (bicycles, strollers, and trailers) on fixed route buses and compares them to ambulatory unencumbered passengers. Data from detailed task analysis of video recordings of boarding and alighting activity at 1,327 bus stops from a sample of 29 bus trips on two fixed routes in Ann Arbor were analyzed.

Accessible Design of Low-Speed Automated Shuttles: A Brief Review of Lessons Learned from Public Transit.

Low-speed, driverless automated shuttles have the potential to significantly improve community mobility for older adults and people with disabilities who are otherwise unable or ineligible to drive. However, accessibility and inclusive design of these shuttles to accommodate the spectrum of human abilities and impairments is impeded by the lack of accessible design regulations, standards, and information tools specific to automated vehicles. In light of the scarce accessibility research on automated shuttles, a literature review on public transit was performed.

Processes and Challenges associated with informal electronic waste recycling at Agbogbloshie, a suburb of Accra, Ghana.

Electronic waste (e-waste) is a worldwide problem with regards to its increasing rate in the global waste stream. Its recycling is known to be associated with adverse health outcomes. The recycling site at Agbogbloshie is a major e-waste recycling hub which presents enormous health threats to the residents in this community as a result of exposure to complex mixtures of chemicals associated with the poor work methods employed.