Rapid upper limb assessment (RULA): validity and reliability evidences in identifying workplace ergonomics among bank employee’s using computers

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) represent one of the leading causes of occupational injury and disability. Awkward body posture while typing is associated with MSDs among the computer users. RULA (rapid upper limb assessment) is a subjective observation method of posture analysis for use in ergonomics investigations of workplaces where work-related upper limb disorders are reported. To date, no data available on reliability and validity of RULA among the bank employee’s using computers. OBJECTIVE: To examine the validity and reliability of RULA among the bank employees’ using computers.  MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sample of bank employee were recruited by simple random sampling technique to take part in this validity and reliability study. All anthropometric measurement was taken before the beginning of the study including age, height and weight. The concurrent validity of RULA was established with the criterion referenced, Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA). Principal investigator recorded both the scores of RULA and REBA to estimate the concurrent validity. Intra-rater reliability of RULA was established by the principal investigator across two trials on the same group of participants in the same environmental condition and same timings with a gap of 2 days. Inter–rater reliability of RULA was established by the principal investigator and another researcher on the same group of participants with in the same environmental conditions and same with a gap of 2 minutes. RESULT: Total 301 Participants were recruited in this study, in which 170 participants were males, and other 131 were females. Concurrent validity of RULA with the criterion measure REBA is found to be good as measured by spearman’s rank correlation test, ?=0.91 (p<0.001). Intra-and inter-rater reliability of RULA is found to excellent with ICC=0.92 (0.90-0.94) and 0.91 (0.89-0.93) respectively. CONCLUSION: Validity and reliability of RULA have been established among the bank employees’ using computers. There exists good validity and excellent reliability among them.