Standard Test Method for Assessing the Effect of Back Exoskeletons on Low Back Loading and Risk

Importancia y uso:

5.1 Ergonomic assessment tools are useful to safety professionals for quantifying LBD risks. However, there are currently no industry standards for assessing changes in LBD risk when a worker wears a back exoskeleton (also commonly referred to as a back-assist exoskeleton, back-support-exoskeleton, or lift-assist exoskeleton).

5.2 Back exoskeletons are wearable devices that complement traditional ergonomic controls by reducing musculoskeletal forces, a key risk factor for back overexertion injuries (also termed cumulative trauma disorders, repetitive motion injuries, repetitive stress injuries, ergonomic injuries, overuse injuries, or work-related musculoskeletal disorders).

5.3 There is evidence that back exoskeletons can reduce the loading (biomechanical forces) on low back structures, including muscles, ligaments, vertebrae, and discs. Quantifying how much back exoskeletons reduce this loading on the low back and associated LBD risks for certain users, jobs, or tasks could help inform where to deploy (or not deploy) exoskeletons, and how to assess their impact in relation to or in combination with other ergonomic controls or operational changes.

5.4 The results of this test method shall describe how much an exoskeleton changes low back loading and LBD risk factors, thus providing exoskeleton users (for example, workers), exoskeleton researchers (for example, scientists, engineers), exoskeleton implementers (for example, companies, safety professionals), and other stakeholders (for example, insurance companies) with quantitative information about exoskeleton capabilities and expectations with respect to occupational safety and health.

5.5 This test method is designed to be administered by a test technician of appropriate experience and expertise. See Section 1 for details.

5.6 This test method can be applied to various work tasks and various occupational back exoskeletons with ranging capabilities and features. See Section 1 for details.

5.7 This test method can be used in a variety of testing environments.

5.8 This test method can support safety professionals, managers, or other occupational health professionals in assessing the efficacy (or expected efficacy) of back exoskeletons for reducing LBD risk.

5.9 This test method can provide exoskeleton manufacturers, researchers, and insurance companies with quantitative information about exoskeleton performance and exoskeleton effects on work-related musculoskeletal injury risks.

Subcomité:

F48.02

Volúmen:

15.13

Palabras clave:

back-assist; back-support; ergonomic assessment; exoskeleton; exosuit; fatigue failure; industrial; lift-assist; lifting; low back disorder risk; low back pain; lowering; material handling; military; musculoskeletal disorders; occupational; overexertion injury; overuse injury; work-related musculoskeletal injury;