Study Points to Need for Ergonomics Standards Focused on Overweight/Obese Workers
Being overweight/obese could have a negative effect on one’s muscular endurance, particularly in the large postural muscles of the shoulder and lower back, and this could contribute to workplace injuries and workers’ compensation claims, according to a recent study.
The study, from researchers at the Texas A&M School of Public Health and the University of Buffalo, and published in the journal
Human Factors, points to a need for new ergonomics research focusing more on overweight/obese individuals in the workforce.
According to a news item from Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Ranjana Mehta, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health in the Texas A&M School of Public Health, and colleague Lora Cavuoto, PhD, assistant professor from the University at Buffalo, developed a study to investigate the differences in muscular strength and endurance in
Collaboration with U.S. Army seeks to improve medic training and certification
Triage care on the battlefield requires split-second decision-making and proficiency in providing first aid. Correctly applying a tourniquet or inserting an intubation tube before a patient is evacuated to a hospital could save lives. To improve training for the field medics responsible for this level of care, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will team up with researchers from the United States Army Research Laboratory in Orlando, Florida, to better understand skill acquisition and to standardize the prolonged field care (PFC) certification process.
With the support of a $3.1 million grant from the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center, the team will combine neuroimaging, computer vision, eye-tracking, and artificial intelligence methods to make PFC certification faster, more objective, and scalable for all soldiers.