Ranavolo Alberto, Ajoudani Arash, Cherubini Andrea, Bianchi Matteo, Fritzsche Lars, Iavicoli Sergio, Sartori Massimo, Silvetti Alessio, Vanderborght Bram, Varrecchia Tiwana, Draicchio Francesco
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, INAIL, Monte Porzio Catone, 00040 Rome, Italy.
HRI2 Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 16163 Genova, Italy.
Sensors (Basel). 2020 Oct 10;20(20):5750. doi: 10.3390/s20205750.
Due to the epochal changes introduced by "Industry 4.0", it is getting harder to apply the varying approaches for biomechanical risk assessment of manual handling tasks used to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMDs) considered within the International Standards for ergonomics. In fact, the innovative human-robot collaboration (HRC) systems are widening the number of work motor tasks that cannot be assessed. On the other hand, new sensor-based tools for biomechanical risk assessment could be used for both quantitative "direct instrumental evaluations" and "rating of standard methods", allowing certain improvements over traditional methods. In this light, this Letter aims at detecting the need for revising the standards for human ergonomics and biomechanical risk assessment by analyzing the WMDs prevalence and incidence; additionally, the strengths and weaknesses of traditional methods listed within the International Standards for manual handling activities and the next challenges needed for their revision are considered. As a representative example, the discussion is referred to the lifting of heavy loads where the revision should include the use of sensor-based tools for biomechanical risk assessment during lifting performed with the use of exoskeletons, by more than one person (team lifting) and when the traditional methods cannot be applied. The wearability of sensing and feedback sensors in addition to human augmentation technologies allows for increasing workers' awareness about possible risks and enhance the effectiveness and safety during the execution of in many manual handling activities.
由于“工业4.0”带来的时代变革，应用各种方法对手动操作任务进行生物力学风险评估变得愈发困难，这些方法用于预防国际人类工效学标准中所考虑的与工作相关的肌肉骨骼疾病（WMDs）。事实上，创新的人机协作（HRC）系统正在增加无法评估的工作运动任务数量。另一方面，基于传感器的生物力学风险评估新工具可用于定量的“直接仪器评估”和“标准方法评级”，相较于传统方法有一定改进。有鉴于此，本信函旨在通过分析WMDs的患病率和发病率来探究修订人类工效学和生物力学风险评估标准的必要性；此外，还考虑了国际手动操作活动标准中列出的传统方法的优缺点以及修订所需面对的新挑战。作为一个典型例子，讨论围绕重物搬运展开，修订应包括在使用外骨骼进行搬运、多人搬运（团队搬运）以及无法应用传统方法时，使用基于传感器的工具进行生物力学风险评估。传感和反馈传感器的可穿戴性以及人体增强技术，能够提高工人对潜在风险的认知，并在许多手动操作活动的执行过程中增强有效性和安全性。
