A new framework for exploration of transportation maintenance-related prevalent work injuries, hazardous activities, and effectiveness of ergonomic solutions in the United States

Abstract

The transportation industry involves various ergonomic injuries caused by activities exceeding workers’ capabilities. Although the construction industry has been thoroughly studied regarding work-­related injuries, hazardous activities, and effective ergonomic solutions, there is a lack of such research in the transportation sector. However, injuries, risky activities, and effectiveness of solutions may be different in transportation activities due to different work duration, intensity, and frequency. Thus, this research intends to explore the common work-related injuries, hazardous transportation activities, and the effectiveness of ergonomic solutions for transportation maintenance workers. This thorough examination incorporated historical injury records, online surveys, in-person site observations, and field experiments. Specifically, a preliminary list was first created based on transportation workers’ historical injury data, including common injured worker positions, injury types, activities causing most injures, and potential risk factors. An online survey was then designed to identify work-related injuries and activities. Following observations, field experiments involved 29 transportation maintenance workers. Back injuries emerged as the most prevalent when engaging in lifting and pushing/pulling tasks. Using a back exoskeleton can eliminate physical fatigue risks when lifting weights of 50 pounds or more. In addition, lifting lighter loads (31.5 pounds) can significantly reduce the risk of injuries.

RELEVANCE TO HUMAN FACTORS/ERGONOMICS THEORY

Prevalent work-related injuries, hazardous activities, and effective ergonomic solutions have been thoroughly researched in the construction domain. However, with the injury and fatality statistics of the transportation industry, there is a lack of studies investigating what injuries are prevalent, what activities are risky, and what solutions could be effective in the transportation industry. To the best of author’s knowledge, this paper is the first research presenting a new framework exploring prevalent work-related injuries, hazardous activities, and ergonomic solutions’ effectiveness in the domain of transportation maintenance work through the analysis of historical data, online survey data, onsite observations, and field experiment. Theoretically, this paper fills the lack of research about identification of ergonomic injuries and risky activities in the transportation industry, and contributes to the development of ergonomically effective process, practice, and technique for improved health and safety in the transportation maintenance work. Practically, the research team worked with a state Department of Transportation to help the transportation-related workers, managers, and organizations better realize the risky activities and understand how to prevent the risks.

Keywords:

• Transportation maintenance
• ergonomics
• health
• safety
• work-related injuries

Acknowledgments

The authors would also like to thank Barry Partridge and Michael Lane for their help. The contents of this paper reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein, and do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the sponsoring organizations. These contents do not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. The Purdue University Human Research Protection Program reviewed the studies and IRB approved the survey investigation (IRB-2020-1759), onsite observation (IRB-2021-1358), and field experiments (IRB-2021-1530).

Supplemental data

The data are available upon reasonable request.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported in part by the Joint Transportation Research Program administered by the Indiana Department of Transportation and Purdue University.