Dual Tasking during Trip Recovery and Obstacle Clearance among Young, Healthy Adults in Human Factors Research

Sachini N. K. Kodithuwakku Arachchige, Harish Chander, Adam C. Knight, Reuben F. Burch V, Chih-Chia Chen and Jennifer C. Reneker
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Sachini N. K. Kodithuwakku Arachchige: Neuromechanics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA
Harish Chander: Neuromechanics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA
Adam C. Knight: Neuromechanics Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA
Reuben F. Burch V: Human Factors & Athlete Engineering, Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39759, USA
Chih-Chia Chen: Cognitive and Motor Control Laboratory, Department of Kinesiology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA
Jennifer C. Reneker: Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Population Health, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 19, 1-11

Abstract: Trip-induced falls are extremely common in ergonomic settings. Such situations can lead to fatal or non-fatal injuries, affecting the workers’ quality of life and earning capacity. Dual tasking (DT) is a leading cause of trips and ineffective obstacle clearance among workers. DT increases their attentional demand, challenging both postural control and concurrent secondary tasks. As the human brain has limited attentional processing capacity, even young, healthy adults need to prioritize duties during DT. This article aimed to analyze these secondary task types and their applications in recent trip-related studies conducted on young, healthy adults. An extensive review of the recent trip-related literature was performed to provide a condensed summary of the dual tasks used. In previous trip-related literature, distinct types of secondary tasks were used. The choice of the concurrent task must be made vigilantly depending on the occupation, environmental context, available resources, and feasibility. DT can be used as a tool to train workers on selective attention, which is a lifesaving skill in ergonomic settings, especially in the occupations of roofers, construction workers, or truck drivers. Such training can result in successful obstacle clearance and trip recovery skills, which eventually minimizes the number of falls at the workplace.

Keywords: ergonomics; falls; cognitive; motor; secondary task; dual task; attention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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