Evaluation of the influence of mobile data terminal location on physical exposures during simulated police patrol activities.
Prolonged occupational police driving combined with use of an in-vehicle computer elicits awkward, sustained postures in a scenario that lacks the adjustability to accommodate many mobile officer anthropometries and job-specific components. Twenty participants performed simulated police patrol sessions at five mobile data terminal (MDT) locations and using two seats: standard police vehicle seat and modified seat designed for police use. An MDT location self-selected prior to the session reduced perceived discomfort by up to 50% in the low back (p < .0001) and 68% in the right shoulder (p < .0001) compared to other tested locations, including the most common currently used location recorded from a representative police force. Muscle activity was lowest at the self-selected and current MDT locations for all muscles, significantly so for posterior deltoid (p < .0001) and supraspinatus (p < .0001). The modified seat reduced low back discomfort from the standard seat by 28% (p < .0001). Combining a self-selected MDT location and modified driver seat generated lower discomfort and physical loading than the currently used configuration.
Department of Kinesiology, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1.
C D
CD
McKinnon
J P
JP
Callaghan
C R
CR
Dickerson
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001334:Automobile Driving; D006804:Ergonomics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D016495:Police; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013685:Telecommunications; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D055815:Young Adult