Occupational Risk Evaluation through Infrared Thermography: Development and Proposal of a Rapid Screening Tool for Risk Assessment Arising from Repetitive Actions of the Upper Limbs

André Luiz Soares, Antonio Augusto de Paula Xavier and Ariel Orlei Michaloski
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André Luiz Soares: Câmpus Guarapuava, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), Guarapuava, Paraná 85053-525, Brazil
Antonio Augusto de Paula Xavier: Câmpus Ponta Grossa, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), Ponta Grossa, Paraná 84017-220, Brazil
Ariel Orlei Michaloski: Câmpus Ponta Grossa, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), Ponta Grossa, Paraná 84017-220, Brazil

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-19

Abstract: Risk analysis is one of the main tools for preventing the occurrence of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders. New methods of risk analysis should seek to be more agile and simplified, encouraging them to be widely applied in work environments. This paper aimed to develop a rapid tool for assessing the risk of developing Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) arising from repetitive actions of the upper limbs, while using a thermographic camera to measure skin temperature variation. A workstation was developed in an environmentally controlled laboratory, representing the five levels of risk presented by the Occupational Repetitive Actions Index (OCRA) Index, which were performed by 32 participants for 20 min. each level. There was a significant change in forearm skin temperature at all risk levels ( p < 0.001), with a positive linear correlation ( r = 0.658 and p < 0.001), which led the authors to perform linear regression analysis for the forearm region. The Predicted OCRA Index calculation equation was successfully developed (R = 0.767 and R² = 0.588), while using as independent variables: air temperature and temperature variation of the forearm skin. The Predicted OCRA Index can be applied as a screening tool for large numbers of workers in the same company or sector, due to its speed of application and the determination of risk level, but it does not replace the original OCRA Index.

Keywords: risk assessment; repetitive actions; OCRA Index; infrared thermography; skin temperature (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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