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dc.creatorRucker, Nathan Paul
dc.date.accessioned2012-06-07T22:57:26Z
dc.date.available2012-06-07T22:57:26Z
dc.date.created1999
dc.date.issued1999
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-1999-THESIS-R83
dc.descriptionDue to the character of the original source materials and the nature of batch digitization, quality control issues may be present in this document. Please report any quality issues you encounter to digital@library.tamu.edu, referencing the URI of the item.en
dc.descriptionIncludes bibliographical references (leaves 49-50).en
dc.descriptionIssued also on microfiche from Lange Micrographics.en
dc.description.abstractThirty jobs from two manufacturing facilities were analyzed using the Strain Index and a generic risk factor method to determine whether they exposed workers to an increased risk of developing distal upper extremity disorder (hazard classification). If either the right or left side received a Strain Index score of greater than 5 or if the presence of the generic risk factor was noted the job was classified as 'problem.' If both the left or right side had a Strain Index score less than 5 or if the presence of generic risk factors was not noted the job was classified as 'safe.' Morbidity data was collected from the different manufacturing facilities retrospectively over 5 years. Medical records and OSHA 200 logs were used as the main source of morbidity data. If there was recorded upper extremity disorder for a job, the job was classified as 'positive.' Likewise, if there was no recorded disorder the for the job the job was classified as 'safe.' The Strain Index and generic risk factor classifications ('problem' and 'safe') was compared to the morbidity classification ('positive' and 'negative') using a 2x2 table. Strain Index task variables were compared to the morbidity classification to determine which task variables were most significant. The jobs in this study primarily involved light intensities of exertions performed at a 'fair' speed of work for 4-8 hours a day. The task variable that was found to be the comparison of the Strain Index classification and the morbidity classification was highly significant (p <0.001). Using the Strain Index scores as a screening test to identify 'problem' jobs, the sensitivity was 100%, the specificity was 88%, the positive predictive value was 67%, and the negative predictive value was 100%. Generic risk factors were not found to be significant and had low measures of predictive validity. The results generated by this study suggest that the predictive validity of the Strain Index is good and the predictive validity of the generic poor. This indicates that the Strain Index is a valuable tool that can be used in the industrial setting.en
dc.format.mediumelectronicen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherTexas A&M University
dc.rightsThis thesis was part of a retrospective digitization project authorized by the Texas A&M University Libraries in 2008. Copyright remains vested with the author(s). It is the user's responsibility to secure permission from the copyright holder(s) for re-use of the work beyond the provision of Fair Use.en
dc.subjectsafety engineering.en
dc.subjectMajor safety engineering.en
dc.titleValidation of the strain index in manufacturing facilitiesen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplinesafety engineeringen
thesis.degree.nameM.S.en
thesis.degree.levelMastersen
dc.type.genrethesisen
dc.type.materialtexten
dc.format.digitalOriginreformatted digitalen


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