Title: Behavior and Biomechanical Aspects of Ladder Climbing

Bio: Albert Fu is a pre-candidate at the University of Michigan Center for Ergonomics. He has been working on the NIOSH Ladder Study since the beginning of 2015. The study focuses on how different ladder configuration, with different pitching, rail height and rung spacing, would affect the biomechanical loads and risk of falls. He is currently involved in an orthotic device design project, doing biomechanical modeling and post clinic evaluation of patients’ gait using Inertia Measurement Units (IMUs).

Abstract: Ladder climbing is common for painting, construction, roofing, communication tower maintenance, and firefighting jobs. Biomechanical loads for supporting, raising and lowering the weight of the body during climbing can cause fatigue and contribute to musculoskeletal disorders. This presentation will show an overview of the NOISH ladder study, and two primal findings. First finding shows different hand hold style would affect climber’s behavior from both kinematic and biomechanical aspect. Second finding shows that stature could affect foot placement strategy under different pitch, and a proposed kinematic model to explain it. This finding was demonstrated in AHFE 2017 poster session.