@article{ref1,
title="Muscular, cardiorespiratory and thermal strain of mast and pole workers",
journal="Ergonomics",
year="2014",
author="Oksa, Juha and Hosio, Sanna and Mäkinen, Tero and Lindholm, Harri and Rintamaki, Hannu and Rissanen, Sirkka and Latvala, Jari and Vaara, Kimmo and Oksa, Panu",
volume="57",
number="5",
pages="669-678",
abstract="This field study evaluated the level of muscular, cardiorespiratory and thermal strain of mast and pole workers. We measured the muscular strain using electromyography (EMG), expressed as a percentage in relation to maximal EMG activity (%MEMG). Oxygen consumption (VO2) was indirectly estimated from HR measured during work and expressed as a percentage of maximum VO2 (%VO2max). Skin and deep body temperatures were measured to quantify thermal strain. The highest average muscular strain was found in the wrist flexor (24 ± 1.5%MEMG) and extensor (21 ± 1.0%MEMG) muscles, exceeding the recommendation of 14%MEMG. Average cardiorespiratory strain was 48 ± 3%VO2max. Nearly half (40%) of the participants exceeded the recommended 50%VO2max level. The core body temperature varied between 36.8°C and 37.6°C and mean skin temperature between 28.6°C and 33.4°C indicating possible occasional superficial cooling. Both muscular and cardiorespiratory strain may pose a risk of local and systemic overloading and thus reduced work efficiency. Thermal strain remained at a tolerable level.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0014-0139",
doi="10.1080/00140139.2014.895854",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2014.895854"
}