Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Ergonomics of the “Seated Worker”: Comparison Between Postures Adopted in Conventional and Sit-Stand Chairs in Slaughterhouses

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Book cover Proceedings of the 20th Congress of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA 2018) (IEA 2018)

Part of the book series: Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing ((AISC,volume 825))

Included in the following conference series:

  • 3264 Accesses

Abstract

This case study aims to compare conventional and sit-stand chairs regarding Brazilian Regulatory Standard 36 (NR-36) requirements. Two types of chairs present in a slaughterhouse in southern Brazil were compared (sitting and sit-stand posture). The seven NR-36 requirements of seat characteristics were used: (1) to have height adjustable to the worker’s height and the nature of the tasks performed; (2) little or no conformation at the base of the seat; (3) rounded front edge; (4) backrest adapted to the body for protection of the lumbar region; (5) easy-to-use adjustment systems; (6) constructed with material that prioritizes thermal comfort; and (7) footrest that adapts to the length of the worker’s legs in cases where the operator’s feet do not reach the floor. The sit-stand chair met 6 requirements of the NR-36, lacking the attribute that requires backrest (4), in contrast, the conventional chair met all requirements. The function of the backrest in the sitting posture is linked to the reduction of load on the spine. Although the sit-stand chair has no backrest, the posture adopted when using this chair is more natural and distributes 60% of the body weight in the lower limbs, resulting in less intervertebral disc compression. Based on this principle, the sit-stand posture may be an alternative to be tested in slaughterhouses. It was concluded that both conventional and sit-stand chairs met most of NR-36 requirements, being options for alternating postures.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA). História da Avicultura no Brasil. http://abpa-br.com.br/setores/avicultura. Accessed 10 Feb 2018

  2. Brazilian Association of Animal Protein (ABPA) (2017) Annual Report 2017. ABPA, São Paulo. http://abpa-br.com.br/storage/files/final_abpa_relatorio_anual_2017_ingles_web.pdf. Accessed 10 Feb 2018

  3. Rasotto C, Bergamin M, Simonetti A, Maso S, Bartolucci GB, Ermolao A, Zaccaria M (2015) Tailored exercise program reduces symptoms of upper limb work-related musculoskeletal disorders in a group of metalworkers: a randomized controlled trial. Man. Ther. 20(1):56–62

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Caso MA, Ravaioli M, Veneri L (2007) Esposizione a sovraccarico biomeccanico degli arti superiori: la valutazione del rischio lavorativo nei macelli avicoli. Prevenzione Oggi 3(4):9–21

    Google Scholar 

  5. Punnett L, Wegman DH (2004) Work-related musculoskeletal disorders: the epidemiologic evidence and the debate. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 14(1):13–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. OSHA (2013) Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Prevention of musculoskeletal injuries in poultry processing. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3213.pdf. Accessed 22 Feb 2018

  7. Brasil (2013) Ministério do Trabalho. Norma Regulamentadora NR-36 - Segurança e saúde no trabalho em empresas de abate e processamento de carnes e derivados. Portaria MTE nº 555, de 18 de abril de 2013, Brasil

    Google Scholar 

  8. Brasil (1978) Ministério do Trabalho. Norma Regulamentadora NR 01 – Disposições Gerais. Portaria GM n.º 3.214, de 08 de junho de 1978, Brasil

    Google Scholar 

  9. Brasil (1978) Ministério do Trabalho. Norma Regulamentadora NR 17 – Ergonomia. Portaria GM nº 3.214, de 08 de junho de 1978, Brasil

    Google Scholar 

  10. Lida L (2005) Ergonomia. Projeto e Produção. 2nd ed. Edgard Blücher, São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  11. Claus AP, Hides JA, Moseley GL, Hodges PW (2009) Is ‘ideal’ sitting posture real? Measurement of spinal curves in four sitting postures. Man. Ther. 14(4):404–408

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Kroemer KH, Grandjean E (2005) Manual de ergonomia: adaptando o trabalho ao homem, 5th edn. Bookman Editora, Porto Alegre

    Google Scholar 

  13. Chaffin DB, Andersson GBJ, Martin BJ (2006) Occupational biomechanics, 4th edn. Wiley, Hoboken

    Google Scholar 

  14. Corlett EN (2006) Background to sitting at work: research-based requirements for the design of work seats. Ergonomics 49(14):1538–1546

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Keegan JJ (1953) Alterations of the lumbar curve related to posture and seating. J Bone Joint Surg Am 35(3):589–603

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Grandjean E (1973) Ergonomics of the home. Taylor & Francis, London

    Google Scholar 

  17. Grandjean E, Hünting W (1977) Ergonomics of posture — review of various problems of standing and sitting posture. Appl Ergon 8(3):135–140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Moro ARP (2000) Análise biomecânica da postura sentada: uma abordagem ergonômica do mobiliário escolar. Doctoral dissertation, Tese (Doutorado em Educação Física) UFSM, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. Santa Maria (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Pynt J, Higgs J, Mackey M (2001) Seeking the optimal posture of the seated lumbar spine. Physiother Theory Pract 17(1):5–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Mörl F, Bradl I (2013) Lumbar posture and muscular activity while sitting during office work. J Electromyogr Kinesiol 23(2):362–368

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. McGill SM, Kavcic NS, Harvey E (2006) Sitting on a chair or an exercise ball: various perspectives to guide decision making. Clin Biomech 21(4):353–360

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Ruiz RC, Kupek E, Menegon FA, Ruiz PGM (2017) Roteiro para a ação. Revista Proteção 311:60–67

    Google Scholar 

  23. Messing K, Tissot F, Stock S (2008) Distal lower-extremity pain and work postures in the Quebec population. Am J Public Health 98(4):705–713

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Seo A, Kakehashi M, Tsuru S, Yoshinaga F (1996) Leg swelling during continuous standing and sitting work without restricting leg movement. J Occup Health 38(4):186–189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Chester MR, Rys MJ, Konz SA (2002) Leg swelling, comfort and fatigue when sitting, standing, and sit/standing. Int J Ind Ergon 29(5):289–296

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Taillefer F, Boucher JP, Comtois AS, Zummo M, Savard R (2011) Physiological and biomechanical responses of different sit-to-stand stool types on women with and without varicose veins. Le Travail Humain 74(1):31–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Antle DM, Vézina N, Côté JN (2015) Comparing standing posture and use of a sit-stand stool: analysis of vascular, muscular and discomfort outcomes during simulated industrial work. Int J Ind Ergon 45:98–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Harrison DD, Harrison SO, Croft AC, Harrison DE, Troyanovich SJ (1999) Sitting biomechanics part I: review of the literature. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 22(9):594–609

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Claus AP, Hides JA, Moseley GL, Hodges PW (2016) Thoracic and lumbar posture behaviour in sitting tasks and standing: progressing the biomechanics from observations to measurements. Appl Ergon 53:161–168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Ebara T, Kubo T, Inoue T, Murasaki GI, Takeyama H, Sato T, Suzumura H, Niwa S, Takanishi T, Tachi N, Itani T (2008) Effects of adjustable sit-stand VDT workstations on workers’ musculoskeletal discomfort, alertness and performance. Ind Health 46(5):497–505

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Zapater AR, Silveira DM, Vitta AD, Padovani CR, Silva JCPD (2004) Postura sentada: a eficácia de um programa de educação para escolares. Ciência Saúde Coletiva 9:191–199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Moro AR (2000) Análise do sujeito na postura sentada em três diferentes situações de mobiliário cadeira-mesa simulado em um protótipo. Revista Eletrônica do Estudo do Movimento Humano, Kinein 1(1)

    Google Scholar 

  33. Bendix T, Winkel J, Jessen F (1985) Comparison of office chairs with fixed forwards or backwards inclining, or tiltable seats. Eur J Appl Physiol 54(4):378–385

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. International Standards Organization (2002) Safety of machinery-anthropometric requirements for the design, ISO 14738. International Standards Organization, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  35. Vergara M, Page A (2002) Relationship between comfort and back posture and mobility in sitting-posture. Appl Ergon 33(1):1–8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Oliver J, Middleditch A (1998) Anatomia funcional da coluna vertebral. Revinter, Rio de Janeiro

    Google Scholar 

  37. IEA - International Ergonomics Association, http://www.iea.cc/whats/index.html. Accessed 14 Feb 2018

  38. Brasil (2017) Ministério do Trabalho. Secretaria de Inspeção do Trabalho. Manual de Auxílio na Interpretação e Aplicação da Norma Regulamentadora nº 36: Segurança e Saúde no Trabalho em Empresas de Abate e Processamento de Carnes e Derivados. Brasília - DF

    Google Scholar 

  39. Neufert E (2013) Arte de projetar em arquitetura: princípios, normas e prescrições sobre construção, instalações, distribuição e programa de necessidades dimensões de edifícios, locais e utensílios; consultor para arquitetos, engenheiros, aparelhadores, estudantes, construtores e proprietários, 18th edn. Gustavo Gili, São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  40. Brasil (2002) Ministério do Trabalho. Secretaria de Inspeção do Trabalho. Manual de Aplicação da Norma Regulamentadora nº 17: Ergonomia. Brasília - DF

    Google Scholar 

  41. Brandimiller PA (1999) Corpo no Trabalho, Guia de Conforto e Saúde para Quem Trabalha em Microcomputadores. Editora Senac, São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  42. Panero J, Zelnik M (2014) Dimensionamento humano para espaços interiores: um livro de consulta e referência para projetos, 1st edn. Gustavo Gili, São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Technological Center, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

    Natália Fonseca Dias, Adriana Seára Tirloni, Diogo Cunha dos Reis & Antônio Renato Pereira Moro

  2. Biomechanics Laboratory, CDS, Federal University at Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

    Diogo Cunha dos Reis & Antônio Renato Pereira Moro

Authors
  1. Natália Fonseca Dias
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Adriana Seára Tirloni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Diogo Cunha dos Reis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Antônio Renato Pereira Moro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Natália Fonseca Dias .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of the Republic of San Marino, San Marino, San Marino

    Sebastiano Bagnara

  2. Centre for Clinical Risk Management and Patient Safety, Tuscany Region, Florence, Italy

    Riccardo Tartaglia

  3. Centre for Clinical Risk Management and Patient Safety, Tuscany Region, Florence, Italy

    Sara Albolino

  4. Fraunhofer FKIE, Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

    Thomas Alexander

  5. International Ergonomics Association, Tokyo, Japan

    Yushi Fujita

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Dias, N.F., Tirloni, A.S., dos Reis, D.C., Moro, A.R.P. (2019). The Ergonomics of the “Seated Worker”: Comparison Between Postures Adopted in Conventional and Sit-Stand Chairs in Slaughterhouses. In: Bagnara, S., Tartaglia, R., Albolino, S., Alexander, T., Fujita, Y. (eds) Proceedings of the 20th Congress of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA 2018). IEA 2018. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 825. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-96068-5_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation