ABSTRACT
One approach to the prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) is the psycho-
physical approach. This approach seeks to provide limits and guidelines for manual work that represent
“maximum acceptable” workloads that minimize the injury potential of the work. Most often, these data
reflect maximum acceptable weights or forces acceptable to different population percentages given other
constant task parameters such as frequency. Limited data have been collected that examine maximum
acceptable frequencies when the force or load parameter is held constant. It is often quite difficult to
assess whether forces exerted or loads handled in the workplace exceed what is thought to pose excess
risk, and the psychophysical approach is one approach to this problem.
