Improved ergonomic risk assessment through the combination of inertial sensors and observational methods exemplified by RULA

Abstract

Ergonomic risk assessment tools are used for the ergonomic assessment of workplaces. These tools can be used to evaluate the risks for biomechanical overload. In addition to self-declarations this also includes observational methods, the results of which are summarized in scores, such as the rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) method. Through the technical development of direct measurement methods, inertial motion capture systems can provide continuous objective data in the twenty-first century. In a new approach, the observational scoring method RULA has been modified and applied to digitally collected data, enabling differentiated ergonomic observations of entire workflows.