Effects of two ergonomic aids on the usability of an in-line screwdriver

We assessed the effects of two ergonomic aids on the usability of an in-line screwdriver. The simple aids considered were a hand support and a sleeve which softened the handle. In an experiment, 15 subjects drove screws into horizontal plywood plates with four combinations of a screwdriver and an er...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied ergonomics 2000-08, Vol.31 (4), p.371-376
Main Authors: Freund, Jouni, Takala, Esa-Pekka, Toivonen, Risto
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Applied physiology
Arm - physiology
Biological and medical sciences
Biomechanical Phenomena
Electromyography
Equipment Design
Ergonomic aid
Ergonomics
Ergonomics. Work place. Occupational physiology
Female
Hand tools
Human physiology applied to population studies and life conditions. Human ecophysiology
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Muscle
Muscle, Skeletal - physiology
Occupational Health
Plywood
Screwdriver
Screws
Sensory perception
Task Performance and Analysis
Textures
Usability
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Summary:We assessed the effects of two ergonomic aids on the usability of an in-line screwdriver. The simple aids considered were a hand support and a sleeve which softened the handle. In an experiment, 15 subjects drove screws into horizontal plywood plates with four combinations of a screwdriver and an ergonomic aid. The activities of four forearm muscles (EMG) and the force acting on the screw were measured. The subjects rated the properties of the tools as regards physical exertion, the ease of taking hold of the tool, comfort of the grip, and the surface texture. The hand support and the sleeve had positive effects on the subjective perception of exertion and the surface texture, respectively. Differences in EMG and thrust force along the shaft of the screwdriver handle were found to be too small for reliable deductions in the effects of the ergonomic aids.
ISSN:0003-6870
1872-9126
DOI:10.1016/S0003-6870(00)00005-3