Usability of Passive Back Exoskeletons and Ergonomic Handles for Transportation Maintenance Workers: A Field-Based Study in Shoveling

Shoveling activities are associated with back and shoulder injuries due to its high frequency and physical demands. Ergonomic handles and back exoskeletons (EXOs) are two commonly used tools to reduce ergonomic risks and prevent physical injuries during shoveling. Previous research has evaluated the usability of back EXOs in various activities, but most are limited to laboratory environments and there is a lack of research on usability of back EXOs in field shoveling activities. Previous research has focused on modifying the design of ergonomic handles to improve shovel ergonomics, but there has been limited evaluation of ergonomic handles’ usability in practical shoveling. To address the gaps, this research collected perceived usabiltiy through questionnaires among 20 transportation maintenance workers in field-based shoveling experiments. Results showed 75% (n=15) accepted the ergonomic handle for shoveling. When the ergonomic handle was combined with the passive back EXO, it became significantly easier to use and required less prior knowledge, though workers reported that the handle was unnecessarily more complex. While 90% (n=18) found it not acceptable to use the passive back EXO in shoveling, combining it with ergonomic handles improved acceptance among 50% of users. This study contributes to understanding passive back EXO and ergonomic handle usability in field-based shoveling activity, and offering practitioners ergonomic solutions to improve worker safety and comfort during shoveling activities.