Effect of Ambient Oxygen Content, Safety Shoe Type, and Lifting Frequency on Subject’s MAWL and Physiological Responses

Atef M. Ghaleb, Mohamed Z. Ramadan, Ahmed Badwelan and Khalid Saad Aljaloud
Additional contact information
Atef M. Ghaleb: Department of Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia
Mohamed Z. Ramadan: Department of Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia
Ahmed Badwelan: Department of Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia
Khalid Saad Aljaloud: Department of Exercise Physiology, College of Sport Sciences & Physical Activity, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 21, 1-18

Abstract: Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the lifting capabilities of individuals in hypoxia when they wear different types of safety shoes and to investigate the behavior of the physiological responses induced by the lifting process associated with those variables. Methods: An experimental design was used, based on two sessions. The first was training and acclimatization session, then an experimental lifting phase. A total of ten male students of King Saud University were recruited in the study. A four-way repeated measures design, with four independent variables and six dependent variables, was used in this research. The independent variables that were studied in the experimental lifting phase were: ambient oxygen content (15%, 18%, and 21%), safety shoes type (light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty), lifting frequency (1 and 4 lifts/min), and replication (first and second trials). The dependent variables were also: maximum acceptable weights lifting using the psychophysical technique, heart rate (HR), electromyography (EMG) of (biceps brachii, trapezius, anterior deltoid, and erector spinae), safety shoes discomfort rating, rating of perceived exertion, and ambient oxygen discomfort rating. Results: The maximum acceptable weights lifting that were selected by participants at lower levels of the independent variables (ambient oxygen content 21%, lifting frequency 1 lift/min, and first replication) were significantly higher than at high levels of the independent variables (ambient oxygen content 15%, lifting frequency 4 lift/min, and second replication). Several interaction effects were also significant. Conclusions: It provides evidence that the ambient oxygen content increases the intensity of workload in lifting tasks. It showed that oxygen content affects the psychophysical selection of maximum acceptable weights lifting and the physiological responses represented in muscular activities and heart rate. It suggests that ambient oxygen content must be considered along with the type of safety shoes worn when the lifting task at altitudes occurs.

Keywords: ambient oxygen content; EMG; lifting; manual materials handling; physiological responses; maximum acceptable weights lifting (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/21/4172/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/21/4172/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:21:p:4172-:d:281392

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().