Ergonomia

Correcting working postures in industry: A practical method for analysis

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Osmo Karhu*, Pekka Kansi** and Iikka Kuorinka***
*Department manager, OVAKO Oy, Helsinki, Finland
**MSc, Finnish Institute for Leadership, Helsinki,Finland
***Assistant Director, Institute of Occupational Health, Department of Physiology, Helsinki, Finland

Available online 18 February 2003.

Abstract
A practical method for identifying andevaluating poor working postures, ie, the Ovako Working Posture Analysing System (OWAS), is presented. The method consists of two parts. The first is an observational technique for evaluating workingpostures. It can be used by work-study engineers in their daily routine and it gives reliable results after a short training period. The second part of the method is a set of criteria for the redesignof working methods and places. The criteria are based on evaluations made by experienced workers and ergonomics experts. They take into consideration factors such as health and safety, but the mainemphasis is placed on the discomfort caused by the working postures. The method has been extensively used in the steel company which participated in its development. Complete production lines havealready been redesigned on the basis of information gathered from OWAS, the result being more comfortable workplaces as well as a positive effect on production quality.

Applied Ergonomics
Volume 8,Issue 4, December 1977, Pages 199-201 |

International journal of occupational safety and ergonomics: JOSE (Int J Occup Saf Ergon)
Publisher: Ablex Publishing Corporation

ISSN: 1080-3548, OCLC:231682934
Website: International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics website
Other titles: JOSE
Material type: Periodical
Document type: Journal / Magazine / Newspaper
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