Checklists used to assess risk factors such as wrist extension and motion repetition are valid tools for identifying work-related risk factors for musculoskeletal injuries, according to a recent study published in Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment, and Rehabilitation.
For assessing a checklist’s predictive quality, Thomas J. Albin, of High Plains Engineering Services, recommends using the basic information gathered from analyzing jobs with a checklist and constructing a 2 × 2 statistical table that serves as the basis for probability calculations. This table ultimately yields the probability that at-risk jobs are correctly identified, according to Albin. He also suggested the use of control charts to asses and manage inter- and intra-rater reliability may be more effective than more traditional assessment methods such as correlations, Cohen’s and Fleiss’ kappa.
“A simple Bayesian analysis of checklist results provides an effective tool for evaluating the validity of the checklist by giving the probability that a positive checklist result truly indicates a problem job. The procedure can also be used to assess the efficacy of modifications of the checklist,” Albin wrote. “It is suggested that the analysis may also offer insight into the relative contribution of different causal factors of musculoskeletal injuries and illnesses. Finally, the technique can be used to predict the accuracy of applying a checklist to assess the risk of jobs different from those used in the historical basis.”
For more information:
Albin TJ. Work. 2012;43:381-385.
Disclosure: Albin has no relevant financial disclosures.
