Winning Investigation Examines Methods for Measuring Occupational Physical Exposures
Hopkinton, Mass. (December 5, 2016) – A team of researchers won the 2016 International Ergonomics Association (IEA) Liberty Mutual Medal for their scientific paper entitled, “Detailed assessment of low-back loads may not be worth the effort: A comparison of two methods for exposure-outcome assessment of low-back pain.” The investigation, published in Applied Ergonomics (Vol. 51, pp. 322–330, 2015) compares and contrasts two methods for measuring physical exposure at the workplace. The winning researchers from the Netherlands include Pieter Coenen, Ph.D., Department of Public and Occupational Health, VU Medical Center; Idsart Kingma, Ph.D. and Jaap van Dieën, Ph.D., Department of Human Movement Science, Vrije Universteit Amsterdam; and Cecile R.L. Boot, Ph.D. and Paulien M. Bongers, Ph.D., Department of Public and Occupational Health, VU Medical Center. (Pictured above: Award winner Pieter Coenen (left) and Ernst Koningsveld (right) of the IEA Executive Committee.)
The winning investigation explored the effect of two low back loading measurement methods with different accuracies on exposure estimates and their associations with low-back pain (LBP). The researchers used two methods to obtain low-back moments (which determine forces on the lumbar spine) of 93 workers -- a moderately accurate observation-based method and a more accurate video-analysis method. The methods were compared based on individual and group-based estimates of moments and their predictive value for LBP. The researchers found that while more accurate methods may improve estimates of peak low-back moments at the individual level, this does not necessarily lead to a higher accuracy of low-back load estimates at a group level. Further, a more accurate method also does not lead to better estimates of low-back pain risk.
“As biomechanists, we tend to put a lot of emphasis on accuracy of measurement and analysis methods,” says Professor Jaap van Dieën. “It is interesting to see that this does not always have added value. The good news is that thorough analysis of mechanical occupational risks is much more feasible than previously thought.”
The most prestigious award of its kind in the field of occupational ergonomics and safety, the IEA/Liberty Mutual Medal is awarded to the authors of an original scientific paper that meets criteria for innovation and impact. Presented annually, the award recognizes outstanding original research leading to the reduction of work-related injuries and/or to the advancement of theory, understanding and development of occupational safety research. An international review committee, established by the IEA, selects the winning contribution from among applicants worldwide. The Medal carries a stipend of $10,000. The 2016 winners received the award at the Human Factors NL Congress, held in November 24-25 in Amersfoort, the Netherlands.
To access the scientific paper online, please visit www.sciencedirect.com.
About Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety
Owned and operated by Liberty Mutual Insurance, the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety (www.libertymutualgroup.com/researchinstitute) is an internationally recognized safety and health research facility. Through laboratory and field-based investigations, the Research Institute seeks to advance scientific, business-relevant knowledge in workplace, built environment, driving safety and disability. Research findings, published in the open, peer-reviewed literature, are shared with the worldwide health and safety community and are used to develop recommendations, guidelines and interventions to help reduce injury and disability.
About International Ergonomics Association
The International Ergonomics Association (IEA) is the federation of ergonomics and human factors societies from around the world. The mission of the IEA is to elaborate and advance ergonomics science and practice and to improve the quality of life by expanding its scope of application and contribution to society. For more information on the IEA, please visit www.iea.cc.
