title: Risk of upper extremity biomechanical overload in automotive facility.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the risk factors for upper extremity-work-related musculoskeletal disorders (UE-WMSD) on 13 production lines in an airbag factory using the threshold limit values-American conference of industrial hygienists- hand activity level (TLV-ACGIH-HAL) method and introduce the ergonomic improvement to reduce the repetitiveness and the peak force (Pf).
  
  
  METHODS
  Professional exposure level on 13 production lines in a automobile factory was measured using the TLV-ACGIH-HAL method and a further risk was assessed according to the ergonomic improvement.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The first assessment of 9 production lines showed that the professional exposure level was above the TLV or HAL limit. The second assessment showed that the professional exposure level was below the AL limit on all production lines except 1, in which the professional exposure level was between TLV and HAL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The assessment of UE-WMSD-related risk can identify the riskiest emplacements and evaluate the reduction of risk in professional exposure through interventions of structural- organizational type.
authors.affiliation: University of Rome Sapienza, Department of Anatomy, Histology, Medical-Legal and Orthopedics, Unit of Occupational Medicine, Viale Regina Elena 336, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sancini
authors.forename: Assunta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Capozzella
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Caciar
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tomei
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nardone
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Scala
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fiaschetti
authors.forename: Carlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cetica
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scimitto
authors.forename: PierAgostino
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gioffrrè
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sinibaldi
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Pastena
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Corbosiero
authors.forename: Maria Pia
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Schifano
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tomei
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ciarrocca
mesh_terms: D001134:Arm Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D016272:Occupational Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000502:physiology*