1. EPIC Spinal Function Sort
Group 5

2. What is it?
EPIC (Employment Potential Improvement Corporation) Spinal Function Sort
A written test including a collection of 50 tasks that is depicted by drawings and simple task descriptions that cover a broad range of spinal demands
Based on evaluee’s perceived capability
Useful with orthopaedic, neurologic, and rheumatologic impairments.

3. Purpose
To quantify the person with a disability’s perception of his or her ability to perform work tasks that involve the use of the spine in various ways.
Also measures progress.

4. History
Started out as the RISC Tool Sort and went through many changes with several variations and today is called the EPIC Spinal Function Sort
Began as 500 photographs and condensed down to 48.
Two tasks were duplicated to test the reliability check
Questions are ordered from least to most demanding

5. Reliability and Validity
Undergone 3 years of reliability testing using rating of perceived capacity through various studies
Used the test-re-test procedure
Reliability Check built into testing- questions #17 and #49, #6 and #50 (See EPIC questionnaire)
Result of test is an RPC( rating of perceived capacity) score (compare to normative data which gives a percentile)

6. Normative Data
Normative data with percentile ranges is available for “employed healthy” and “unemployed patients”
Employed healthy data was collected from volunteers as part of a larger study
Unemployed patients (disability data) was from 6 rehabilitation centres throughout the USA.

7. Percentiles 90th and > = Superior 70th-85th= Above average
35th-65th= Average
15th-30th= Below average
10th and < = Inferior

8. SFS Male RPC Scores

9. SFS Female RPC Scores

10. Demonstration Establish Client Profile Instructions Testing Evaluation
Interpretation

11. Client Profile
Kim is a student who sits in class and in front of her computer for long periods of time (approx. 50 hrs/wk).
Carries her book bag all day (wt 28lb) frequently walking in between the main campus and the fieldhouse.
Kim participates in regular physical activity (4-5 times/wk).
Came for a clinical assessment regarding her recent lower back pain.

12. Demonstration

13. Spinal Function Sort

19. Evaluation and Interpretation
After reliability has been determined, test scores are calculated
All columns (ex able 1, restricted 3, etc) are summed and then multiplied by a set value.
Columns are then totalled in both section one and section two
The sum of each sections will give the RPC value

20. Alternate Tests
This test can also be used to assess job demands

21. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
NIOSH
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

22. What is it?
Federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related disease and injury

23. Mission Statement
Provide national and world leadership to prevent work-related illness, injury, and death by gathering information, conducting scientific research, and translating the knowledge gained into products and services.

24. NIOSH Lifting Equation
A tool used to identify, evaluate, or classify some risks associated with a lifting task.
An appropriate tool used when:
estimating the risk of a 2-handed, manual lifting task
Evaluating a job characterized by multiple lifting tasks
Evaluating a lifting task that may include trunk rotation
Different types of hand coupling, repetitiveness and duration

25. Cont’d Determining a relatively safe load weight for a given task
Determining a relatively unsafe load weight for a given task
Deciding the appropriate style of abatement for a job that has been identified as having a lifting hazard
Comparing relative risk of 2 lifting tasks
Prioritizing jobs for further ergonomic evaluation

26. The NIOSH Lifting Equation
Developed in 1991
RWL= (LC)x(HM)x(VM)x(DM)x(AM)x(FM)x(CM)
RWL= Recommended Weight Limit
LC= Load constant 23kg
HM= horizontal multiplier (25/H)
VM= vertical multiplier 1-(.003[V-75])
DM= distance multiplier .82+(4.5/D)
AM= asymmetric multiplier 1-(.0032A)
FM= frequency multiplier- from table
CM= coupling multiplier- from table

27. RWL The NIOSH equation calculates the RWL (recommended weight limit)
Defined for a specific set of task conditions as the weight of the load that nearly all healthy workers could perform over a substantial period of time (eg. Up to 8 hrs) without an increased risk of developing lifting-related lower back pain.

28. Horizontal component
Horizontal component (H) is measured from mid-point of line joining the inner ankle bones to a point projected on the floor directly below the mid-point of the hand grasps (ie. Load centre)- the large middle knuckle of the hand

29. Vertical Component
V is defined as the vertical height of the hands above the floor.
V is measured vertically from the floor to the mid-point between the hand grasps- defined by the large middle knuckle.

30. Distance component
The vertical travel distance (D) is the distance of the hand between the origin and destination of the lift.
D can be computed by subtracting the vertical location (V) at the origin of lift from the corresponding V at the destination of the lift

31. Asymmetry Component
Asymmetry refers to a lift that begins or ends outside the mid-sagittal plane. It should be avoided if possible. If it cannot be avoided, the recommended weight limits are significantly less than those limits used for symmetrical lifting.
It may be required if:
- The origin and destination of lift are oriented at an angle to each other
The lifting motion is across the body (ie swinging bags or boxes from one location to another)
The lifting is done to maintain body balance in obstructed workplaces, on rough terrain, or on littered floors
Productivity standards require reduced time per lift.

32. Asymmetric Angles
The asymmetric angle (A), is operationally defined as the angle between the asymmetry line and the mid-sagittal line.
Defined as the horizontal line that joins the mid-point between the inner ankle bones and the point projected on the floor directly below the mid-point of the hand grasps, as defined by the large middle knuckle

33. Frequency Component The frequency multiplier is defined by
The number of lifts per minute
The amount of time engaged in the lifting activity
Vertical height of the lift from the floor

34. Frequency (F)
F refers to the average number of lifts made per minute- measured over a 15-min period
In jobs where frequency varies from session to session, each session should be analyzed separately
Overall work pattern should always be considered

35. Coupling Component
Refers to the hand-to-object gripping method that can affect the maximum force a worker can/must exert on the object, and the vertical location of the hands during the lift
The effectives of the coupling is not static, but may vary with the distance of the object from the ground, so that a good coupling could become a poor coupling during a single lift.
Rated on a scale of good, fair or poor for the NIOSH equation (the ratings are standardized)