ABSTRACT
Andrej, who is 32 years old, is 1.81 m tall and weighs 78 kg, has a live-in partner, and works as a painter. He works for a large company which is often commissioned to undertake new constructions. For Andrej it is mostly a matter of painting ceilings in ™ats. Some ceilings are spray-painted; others painted using a large roller on a long pole (Figure 4.1a). The ceilings are completed using a smaller roller or brush. This involves working with heavy equipment, which requires considerable effort from Andrej’s arm and shoulder muscles, with his hands held at shoulder height or higher. In addition, he has to look up at the ceiling so as not to splash ceiling paint over the entire apartment (Figure 4.1b). The relatively heavy effort from his shoulder muscles, with his hands lifted up high at the same time as his neck is bent back, means that Andrej gets pains in his neck and shoulder muscles as well as headaches. This is exacerbated by time pressures in noisy new constructions, which makes it dif—cult to take regular breaks or to vary his work posture.
