individual
What campus are you from?
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Carissa Aumack, Senior
Lead Presenter's Name
Carissa Aumack
Faculty Mentor Name
Elizabeth Blickensderfer
Abstract
The following work is a case study of a retired United States Air Force officer, callsign Doppler, whose former roles included instructor pilot and aircraft commander for C-5 Galaxies. During their service as a commissioned officer, Doppler incurred multiple repetitive musculoskeletal injuries to their cervical and thoracic back, which they believe to have been exacerbated by the task design associated with “bag drags”. “Bag drags” are the processes by which all crew luggage is loaded onto the aircraft after receiving deployment orders, with each crew member (~9-12) bringing a minimum of five bags ranging between 50-60 lbs. each. In an effort to explore this task, and other ergonomic concerns described by Doppler, the following work leverages a combination of subjective and objective assessment methods. This mixed-methods approach yielded substantial insights into Doppler’s experiences and the task characteristics of “bag drags”. Across multiple interviews, Doppler detailed how the “bag drags” were completed, including making a reenactment video of himself to demonstrate the process. Based on the descriptions and reenactment, a tabular task analysis was completed to highlight the prevalent ergonomic concerns (e.g., awkward posture, heavy forces, duration, and repetitive motions) and the body parts used during the task (e.g., arms, neck, legs, abs, back, shoulders, wrists, and hands). In order to calculate ergonomic risk, the National Institute of Safety and Health (NIOSH) Lifting Equation and the Washington State Lifting Assessment (WSLA) were employed to determine a Recommended Weight Limit (RWL) and Lifting Index (LI), respectively. Based on this, an RWL of 11.56 lbs. and 8.99 lbs. were calculated, with the lowest RWL being 46 lbs. lighter the actual weight of the bags. Similarly, the LI at the beginning of the task was determined to be 4.76, while the LI increased to 6.12 at the end of the task. Both calculated values are greater than 3, which indicates that the lift is likely outside the capabilities of most individuals. Likewise, the WSLA calculates a weight limit for the entire task, determining the appropriate limits for the lift based on posture, duration, and frequency of the lift. The WSLA calculated a weight limit of 25.3 lbs., roughly 30 lbs. lighter than the actual weight of the bags. Beyond this, the Body Pain Discomfort Survey (BPDS) and aspects of the interviews examined Doppler’s perceptions of their pain. This included where pain is felt most, how it affects their daily life, and any factors that influence the pain experienced today or the severity of the injuries when they occurred. The BPDS showed that their pain has propagated beyond their back and into their arms, hands, knees, neck, and chest, to the point that it sometimes limits their ability to breathe. Based on these results, recommendations to improve the task are discussed. These include Air Force policy changes surrounding “bag drags”, redesigns of task-related tools, and the implementation of a winch to facilitate the aircraft loading process. While Doppler may not be able to benefit from these interventions, other United States Air Force aircrews may, by reducing the potential and risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders associated with “bag drags” and safeguarding them against unnecessary and undue harm.
Did this research project receive funding support from the Office of Undergraduate Research.
No
Mission Ready, Physically Wrecked: Ergonomic Case Study of Aircrew Bag Drags
The following work is a case study of a retired United States Air Force officer, callsign Doppler, whose former roles included instructor pilot and aircraft commander for C-5 Galaxies. During their service as a commissioned officer, Doppler incurred multiple repetitive musculoskeletal injuries to their cervical and thoracic back, which they believe to have been exacerbated by the task design associated with “bag drags”. “Bag drags” are the processes by which all crew luggage is loaded onto the aircraft after receiving deployment orders, with each crew member (~9-12) bringing a minimum of five bags ranging between 50-60 lbs. each. In an effort to explore this task, and other ergonomic concerns described by Doppler, the following work leverages a combination of subjective and objective assessment methods. This mixed-methods approach yielded substantial insights into Doppler’s experiences and the task characteristics of “bag drags”. Across multiple interviews, Doppler detailed how the “bag drags” were completed, including making a reenactment video of himself to demonstrate the process. Based on the descriptions and reenactment, a tabular task analysis was completed to highlight the prevalent ergonomic concerns (e.g., awkward posture, heavy forces, duration, and repetitive motions) and the body parts used during the task (e.g., arms, neck, legs, abs, back, shoulders, wrists, and hands). In order to calculate ergonomic risk, the National Institute of Safety and Health (NIOSH) Lifting Equation and the Washington State Lifting Assessment (WSLA) were employed to determine a Recommended Weight Limit (RWL) and Lifting Index (LI), respectively. Based on this, an RWL of 11.56 lbs. and 8.99 lbs. were calculated, with the lowest RWL being 46 lbs. lighter the actual weight of the bags. Similarly, the LI at the beginning of the task was determined to be 4.76, while the LI increased to 6.12 at the end of the task. Both calculated values are greater than 3, which indicates that the lift is likely outside the capabilities of most individuals. Likewise, the WSLA calculates a weight limit for the entire task, determining the appropriate limits for the lift based on posture, duration, and frequency of the lift. The WSLA calculated a weight limit of 25.3 lbs., roughly 30 lbs. lighter than the actual weight of the bags. Beyond this, the Body Pain Discomfort Survey (BPDS) and aspects of the interviews examined Doppler’s perceptions of their pain. This included where pain is felt most, how it affects their daily life, and any factors that influence the pain experienced today or the severity of the injuries when they occurred. The BPDS showed that their pain has propagated beyond their back and into their arms, hands, knees, neck, and chest, to the point that it sometimes limits their ability to breathe. Based on these results, recommendations to improve the task are discussed. These include Air Force policy changes surrounding “bag drags”, redesigns of task-related tools, and the implementation of a winch to facilitate the aircraft loading process. While Doppler may not be able to benefit from these interventions, other United States Air Force aircrews may, by reducing the potential and risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders associated with “bag drags” and safeguarding them against unnecessary and undue harm.