Trunk Posture during Manual Materials Handling of Beer Kegs

Brents, Colleen; Hischke, Molly; Reiser, Raoul; Rosecrance, John

doi:10.3390/ijerph18147380

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Trunk Posture during Manual Materials Handling of Beer Kegs

¹

Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA

²

Department of Health and Exercise Science, College of Health and Human Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA

³

School of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(14), 7380; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147380

Submission received: 24 May 2021 / Revised: 22 June 2021 / Accepted: 3 July 2021 / Published: 10 July 2021

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Risk-Reduction Research in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics)

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Abstract

Craft brewing is a rapidly growing industry in the U.S. Most craft breweries are small businesses with few resources for robotic or other mechanical-assisted equipment, requiring work to be performed manually by employees. Craft brewery workers frequently handle stainless steel half-barrel kegs, which weigh between 13.5 kg (29.7 lbs.) empty and 72.8 kg (161.5 lbs.) full. Moving kegs may be associated with low back pain and even injury. In the present study, researchers performed a quantitative assessment of trunk postures using an inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based kinematic measurement system while workers lifted kegs at a craft brewery. Results of this field-based study indicated that during keg handling, craft brewery workers exhibited awkward and non-neutral trunk postures. Based on the results of the posture data, design recommendations were identified to reduce the hazardous exposure for musculoskeletal disorders among craft brewery workers.

Keywords: manual materials handling; craft brewery; ergonomics; low back injury

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MDPI and ACS Style

Brents, C.; Hischke, M.; Reiser, R.; Rosecrance, J. Trunk Posture during Manual Materials Handling of Beer Kegs. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 7380. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147380

AMA Style

Brents C, Hischke M, Reiser R, Rosecrance J. Trunk Posture during Manual Materials Handling of Beer Kegs. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(14):7380. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147380

Chicago/Turabian Style

Brents, Colleen, Molly Hischke, Raoul Reiser, and John Rosecrance. 2021. "Trunk Posture during Manual Materials Handling of Beer Kegs" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 14: 7380. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147380

APA Style

Brents, C., Hischke, M., Reiser, R., & Rosecrance, J. (2021). Trunk Posture during Manual Materials Handling of Beer Kegs. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(14), 7380. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147380

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Trunk Posture during Manual Materials Handling of Beer Kegs

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