Working Posture Assessment: The TACOS (Time-Based Assessment Computerized Strategy) Method

This book covers how to analyze awkward working postures, particularly of the spine and lower limbs, in specific groups exposed. The methods covered suggests how to evaluate the postures correctly, taking account of the duration and sequence of the tasks involved, even in very complex scenarios where workers are involved with multiple tasks and work cycles varying from day to day. Excel spreadsheets located on the authors website (www.epmresearch.org) have been developed to gather, condense, and automatically process the data. The tools serve to implement the strategy for calculating risk associated with exposure to awkward postures, i.e. the TACOS method. Included are 5 case studies which include physiotherapists, workers from construction, archaeological digs, vineyards, and kindergarten teachers.

• Provides a coherent definition of what the study of awkward postures is
• Clarifies and explains which parameters need to be detected and analyzed for the study of the working postures
• Defines the phases of a proper organizational study (e.g. tasks, postures, duration, and how often the postures will last) in the working cycle
• Presents a new and original risk calculation model for awkward postures, with particular attention to the study of the spine and the lower limbs
• Offers a free excel spreadsheet located on the authors website which implements the strategy for calculating risk associated with exposure to awkward postures