Title
Equal task, equal exposure? Are men and women with the same tasks equally exposed to awkward working postures?
Author
Hooftman, W.E.
van der Beek, A.J.
van de Wal, B.G.
Knol, D.L.
Bongers, P.M.
Burdorf, A.
van Mechelen, M.
TNO Kwaliteit van Leven
Publication year
2009
Abstract
The aim of the study was to determine whether men and woman with equal tasks perform these tasks in the same way. Video recordings of 37 male and 43 female workers in six task groups were observed, from which data regarding frequency and duration of exposure to awkward postures were derived. These data were also compared to self-reported exposures. The results showed that when level, duration and frequency of exposure were analysed at the same time, men and women had slightly different exposure patterns. However, these differences were not found when duration and frequency were analysed separately. From the questionnaires it appeared that men and women generally report similar exposures, but they seemed to over-report their exposure compared to the observed exposures. It is concluded that gender differences in exposure to awkward postures within the same task were small at most and cannot explain the female excess in musculoskeletal symptoms.
Subject
Healthy for Life
Workplace
Healthy Living
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:b32153ba-dfab-40e8-b118-35f84b6d2bae
TNO identifier
462046
Source
Ergonomics, 52 (9), 1079-1086
Document type
article