Agreement between an expert-rated mini job exposure matrix of occupational biomechanical exposures to the lower body and technical measurements or observation: a method comparison study

Objectives Investigating the agreement between an expert-rated mini job exposure matrix (JEM) of lower body exposures and technical measurements of worktime spent standing/walking and observation-based estimates of time spent kneeling/squatting and total load lifted per workday.Methods We chose 16 j...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Andreas Holtermann, Johan Hviid Andersen, Nidhi Gupta, Poul Frost, Susanne Wulff Svendsen, Mette Korshøj, Annett Dalbøge, Peter Fjeldstad Hendriksen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2022-12-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/12/e064035.full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850187907561684992
author Andreas Holtermann
Johan Hviid Andersen
Nidhi Gupta
Poul Frost
Susanne Wulff Svendsen
Mette Korshøj
Annett Dalbøge
Peter Fjeldstad Hendriksen
author_facet Andreas Holtermann
Johan Hviid Andersen
Nidhi Gupta
Poul Frost
Susanne Wulff Svendsen
Mette Korshøj
Annett Dalbøge
Peter Fjeldstad Hendriksen
author_sort Andreas Holtermann
collection DOAJ
description Objectives Investigating the agreement between an expert-rated mini job exposure matrix (JEM) of lower body exposures and technical measurements of worktime spent standing/walking and observation-based estimates of time spent kneeling/squatting and total load lifted per workday.Methods We chose 16 job titles from the 121 job groups in the lower body JEM and included them in the mini JEM. New expert ratings for the mini JEM were performed by the same five occupational physicians who performed the ratings for the lower body JEM. For each job title and type of exposure, the exposure estimates were a mean of the five independent ratings. Technical measurements of standing/walking for all 16 job titles, and for 8 job titles workplace observations were performed of kneeling/squatting and total load lifted per workday. Data were collected from September to December 2015 and supplemented by data from the NOMAD and DPhacto studies collected between 2011 and 2013. All data were collected in Denmark. Agreement between expert-based and measured/observed lower body exposures by job titles was evaluated using Spearman’s rank correlation, Bland-Altman plots evaluated systematic deviations and limits of agreement (LoA).Results Standing/walking showed a rank correlation of 0.55, kneeling/squatting 0.83 and total load lifted per workday 0.71. The mini JEM estimates did not systematically deviate from the technical measurements/observations for time spent standing/walking (mean difference 0.20 hours/workday, LoA −1.63, 2.03 hours/workday) and kneeling/squatting (mean difference −0.35 hours/workday, LoA −1.21, 0.51 hours/workday). For total load lifted per workday, the mini JEM systematically overestimated the exposures compared with the observations (mean difference −909 kg/workday, LoA −3000, 1147 kg/workday).Conclusions There was moderate to very high agreement between an expert-rated mini JEM of standing/walking, kneeling/squatting, and lifting exposures and corresponding technical measurements/observations. This method comparison study supports the use of the expert-based lower body JEM in large-scale occupational epidemiological studies.
format Article
id doaj-art-d1e62214a1be41bd9da469668c54eb4f
institution OA Journals
issn 2044-6055
language English
publishDate 2022-12-01
publisher BMJ Publishing Group
record_format Article
series BMJ Open
spelling doaj-art-d1e62214a1be41bd9da469668c54eb4f2025-08-20T02:15:59ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552022-12-01121210.1136/bmjopen-2022-064035Agreement between an expert-rated mini job exposure matrix of occupational biomechanical exposures to the lower body and technical measurements or observation: a method comparison studyAndreas Holtermann0Johan Hviid Andersen1Nidhi Gupta2Poul Frost3Susanne Wulff Svendsen4Mette Korshøj5Annett Dalbøge6Peter Fjeldstad Hendriksen73 Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark2 Department of Occupational Medicine, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Regional Hospital West Jutland, University Research Clinic, Herning, Denmark1 Unit of Muscoloskeletal Disorders and Physical Workload, National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark2 Occupational Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, DenmarkDanish Ramazzini Centre, Department of Occupational Medicine, Gødstrup Hospital, University Research Clinic, Gødstrup, Denmark1 Unit of Muscoloskeletal Disorders and Physical Workload, National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark1 Department of Occupational Medicine, Danish Ramazzini Centre, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, DenmarkNational Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, DenmarkObjectives Investigating the agreement between an expert-rated mini job exposure matrix (JEM) of lower body exposures and technical measurements of worktime spent standing/walking and observation-based estimates of time spent kneeling/squatting and total load lifted per workday.Methods We chose 16 job titles from the 121 job groups in the lower body JEM and included them in the mini JEM. New expert ratings for the mini JEM were performed by the same five occupational physicians who performed the ratings for the lower body JEM. For each job title and type of exposure, the exposure estimates were a mean of the five independent ratings. Technical measurements of standing/walking for all 16 job titles, and for 8 job titles workplace observations were performed of kneeling/squatting and total load lifted per workday. Data were collected from September to December 2015 and supplemented by data from the NOMAD and DPhacto studies collected between 2011 and 2013. All data were collected in Denmark. Agreement between expert-based and measured/observed lower body exposures by job titles was evaluated using Spearman’s rank correlation, Bland-Altman plots evaluated systematic deviations and limits of agreement (LoA).Results Standing/walking showed a rank correlation of 0.55, kneeling/squatting 0.83 and total load lifted per workday 0.71. The mini JEM estimates did not systematically deviate from the technical measurements/observations for time spent standing/walking (mean difference 0.20 hours/workday, LoA −1.63, 2.03 hours/workday) and kneeling/squatting (mean difference −0.35 hours/workday, LoA −1.21, 0.51 hours/workday). For total load lifted per workday, the mini JEM systematically overestimated the exposures compared with the observations (mean difference −909 kg/workday, LoA −3000, 1147 kg/workday).Conclusions There was moderate to very high agreement between an expert-rated mini JEM of standing/walking, kneeling/squatting, and lifting exposures and corresponding technical measurements/observations. This method comparison study supports the use of the expert-based lower body JEM in large-scale occupational epidemiological studies.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/12/e064035.full
spellingShingle Andreas Holtermann
Johan Hviid Andersen
Nidhi Gupta
Poul Frost
Susanne Wulff Svendsen
Mette Korshøj
Annett Dalbøge
Peter Fjeldstad Hendriksen
Agreement between an expert-rated mini job exposure matrix of occupational biomechanical exposures to the lower body and technical measurements or observation: a method comparison study
BMJ Open
title Agreement between an expert-rated mini job exposure matrix of occupational biomechanical exposures to the lower body and technical measurements or observation: a method comparison study
title_full Agreement between an expert-rated mini job exposure matrix of occupational biomechanical exposures to the lower body and technical measurements or observation: a method comparison study
title_fullStr Agreement between an expert-rated mini job exposure matrix of occupational biomechanical exposures to the lower body and technical measurements or observation: a method comparison study
title_full_unstemmed Agreement between an expert-rated mini job exposure matrix of occupational biomechanical exposures to the lower body and technical measurements or observation: a method comparison study
title_short Agreement between an expert-rated mini job exposure matrix of occupational biomechanical exposures to the lower body and technical measurements or observation: a method comparison study
title_sort agreement between an expert rated mini job exposure matrix of occupational biomechanical exposures to the lower body and technical measurements or observation a method comparison study
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/12/e064035.full
work_keys_str_mv AT andreasholtermann agreementbetweenanexpertratedminijobexposurematrixofoccupationalbiomechanicalexposurestothelowerbodyandtechnicalmeasurementsorobservationamethodcomparisonstudy
AT johanhviidandersen agreementbetweenanexpertratedminijobexposurematrixofoccupationalbiomechanicalexposurestothelowerbodyandtechnicalmeasurementsorobservationamethodcomparisonstudy
AT nidhigupta agreementbetweenanexpertratedminijobexposurematrixofoccupationalbiomechanicalexposurestothelowerbodyandtechnicalmeasurementsorobservationamethodcomparisonstudy
AT poulfrost agreementbetweenanexpertratedminijobexposurematrixofoccupationalbiomechanicalexposurestothelowerbodyandtechnicalmeasurementsorobservationamethodcomparisonstudy
AT susannewulffsvendsen agreementbetweenanexpertratedminijobexposurematrixofoccupationalbiomechanicalexposurestothelowerbodyandtechnicalmeasurementsorobservationamethodcomparisonstudy
AT mettekorshøj agreementbetweenanexpertratedminijobexposurematrixofoccupationalbiomechanicalexposurestothelowerbodyandtechnicalmeasurementsorobservationamethodcomparisonstudy
AT annettdalbøge agreementbetweenanexpertratedminijobexposurematrixofoccupationalbiomechanicalexposurestothelowerbodyandtechnicalmeasurementsorobservationamethodcomparisonstudy
AT peterfjeldstadhendriksen agreementbetweenanexpertratedminijobexposurematrixofoccupationalbiomechanicalexposurestothelowerbodyandtechnicalmeasurementsorobservationamethodcomparisonstudy