05/25/2022: Differences in the Association Between the 2018 ACGIH TLV for Hand Activity and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome by Sex and Age

Differences in the Association Between the 2018 ACGIH TLV for Hand Activity & Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

About the webinar:

The recently revised ACGIH TLV for Hand Activity (TLV2018) is a widely used tool for assessing risk for upper limb musculoskeletal disorders.This webinar will explore findings from an analysis comparing the strength of the exposure-response relationships between the TLV2018 and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) between men and women and across age strata.  Heterogeneity of the effect size by sex or age would be important to specialists using the method for prevention of CTS among working populations.

Learning Objectives

At the completion of this activity, the learner will be able to:

  • Review the mechanics of the 2018 ACGIH TLV for Hand Activity and why you should be using it

  • Describe how the 2018 TLV for hand Activity differs from the 2001 TLV for hand activity when applied to a large multi-country prospective cohort

  • Explain how the exposure-response relationships between the 2018 TLV for Hand Activity and rate of CTS differs by sex and age

Speaker: Carisa Harris, PhD, CPE

Carisa Harris, PhD, CPE is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of California at San Francisco, and in the School of Public Health at the University of California at Berkeley.  She is also the Director of the UCSF/UCB Ergonomics Research & Graduate Training Program and the Director of the Northern California Center of Occupational & Environmental Health (COEH).  She received her PhD in Environmental Health Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley and teaches a variety of classes including Occupational Biomechanics and Industrial Engineering Human Factors Design.  Dr. Harris and her team perform research in a variety of areas focused on understanding and preventing work related injuries and improving human performance, productivity and health.  Her epidemiological research assesses and adjusts for healthy worker survivor bias in the assessment of physical, personal and work psychosocial factors associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and subsequent work disability. Additionally, her team is developing a variety of exposure assessment devices (wearables) for primary and secondary prevention purposes and performs various intervention studies on occupational tasks with high risk of musculoskeletal injuries. The lab has a history of performing research in the construction, computer, medical, hotel and manufacturing sectors.  From a global health perspective, Dr. Harris collaborates on research assessing the impact of heavy load carrying among women in developing countries (Nepal, Tanzania, Ethiopia) on associated morbidity.

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About COEH:

The Northern Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH) and its sister centers at Los Angeles and Irvine serve government, industry, schools, health professionals, and the general public through programs and partnerships designed to deepen understanding of occupational and environmental hazards and to prevent disease, fatalities, and injuries.