Open AccessMechanical exposure concepts using force as the agent
Author(s) -
Richard Wells,
Dwayne Van Eerd,
Göran M Hägg
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of work, environment and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1795-990X
pISSN - 0355-3140
DOI - 10.5271/sjweh.778
Subject(s) - hazard , exposure assessment , computer science , variety (cybernetics) , process (computing) , risk analysis (engineering) , occupational exposure , hazard analysis , reliability engineering , medicine , artificial intelligence , engineering , environmental health , biology , ecology , operating system
This paper presents a model that addresses mechanical exposure with regard to the development of musculoskeletal disorders, defines exposure concepts, unifies a variety of exposures, and includes the concept of human activity. When force is used as an agent, concepts related to the measurement, transformation, and interaction of the agent with tissues can be developed for use in epidemiologic exposure assessment and hazard assessment. The importance of tissue response in the exposure modeling process and in the creation of exposure indices is highlighted. Unfortunately, the response of tissue to forces of varying amplitudes and time variation patterns are largely unknown and thus reduce the possibility to develop optimal exposure assessment metrics. Although the paper argues that an exposure index at the tissue level may be the most powerful, considerations of resources and current knowledge make exposure indices based on external exposure or internal exposure preferable choices.