Assessment of static standing exposures among manufacturing workers

Leg pain and lower leg and foot swelling over the course of the working day are relatively common symptoms and signs and are not attributable to a single pathology. There has been little attention paid to the sources and effects of static standing on lower extremity symptoms and fatigue. Even the quantitative characterization and definition of static standing is its infancy. Lower leg symptoms due to circulatory compromise, such as venous stasis disease, are particularly amenable to integrated interventions. There are strong relationships with underlying morbidities, such as obesity, inactivity, and diabetes; potential aggravation due to workplace exposures are poorly understood;and the most effective interventions are medically conservative rather than procedure-driven.

At the Center for Promoting Health in the New England Workplace (CPH-NEW), we have incorporated measures of static standing into our exposure assessment tools. This presentation involves a 3-component assessment of static standing in an aircraft manufacturing plant. The components are 1) self-report through a survey instrument utilized in other studies, 2) observed assessments of movement using a time-window approach, and 3) direct measurement of activity using a full-shift data logger. The analysis breaks down the extent of movement and the voluntary/involuntary nature of seating, assessed anamnestically, and compares these to self-reported measures of lower extremity discomfort and fatigue. The use of three assessment approaches to static standing will further clarify key components of exposure related risk