THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Technion Study Reveals Israeli Workers
and Economy Suffering from Back Aches

HAIFA — Some 75 per-
cent of all Israeli workers
suffer from back pains,
mainly lower back pains.
One of the main causes for
this phenomenon is an in-
adequate design of their
work-place, according to a
survey recently conducted
by researchers in the Fa-
culty of Industrial
Engineering and Manage-
ment at the Technion - Is-
rael Institute of Technol-
ogy.
In addition to the pain
and inconvenience caused
to individuals, the cost to Is-
rael's economy amounts to
approximately $2 million
annually.
In many cases, the impro-
per position of a person at
work is reducing his or her
actual working time, caus-
ing a lowering in efficiency
and professional prod-
uctivity, according to the
survey. Unsuitable position
of a worker's body during
working hours, over a con-
tinuous period, can damage
the performance of both
back and limbs.
Dr. Issachar Gilad, of
the Technion Research
Center for Work Safety
and Human Engineering,
maintains that "through
proper work-place de-
sign, that would take into
account the configura-
tion of the human back as
well as its limitations, the
productivity of the aver-
age Israeli worker could
be increased by up to 50
percent."
Statistics collected and
analyzed in the framework
of the research project on Is-
raeli conditions, from 1970
to 1975, indicate that 75
percent of all Israeli work-
ers suffered from back
pains. These figures, when
compared with the results of
surveys taken in western
countries, like the United
States and Canada, indi-
cated that the backache
phenomenon is widespread
in Western countries. Three
percent of the general popu-
lation each year, join the
ranks of back pain sufferers,
and of these, two percent
develop partial working
disability, whereas one per-
cent can be classified as par-
tially to totally disabled.
Dr. Gilad is convinced
that, by making use of bio-
mechanical principles, tak-
ing into consideration the
demands of a given job and
the characteristics of the
human body, it is possible to
establish a standard for
proper positions for workers
— and according to them —
build more suitable work-
places.
Studying the survey re-
sults has led the Technion
researchers, headed by Dr.
Gilad to the conclusion that
the suffering population is
divided into three groups.
One, consisting of 60 per-
cent of the working popula-
tion with absences from
work, as a direct result of
their problem, for short
periods up to two weeks.
The second group with work
absences varying from two

weeks up to six months,
consists of 32 percent of the
working population. The
third group with work ab-
sences exceeding periods of
six months, are about eight
percent of the working
population.

There is dispute among
experts as to the exact
causes of back pains but,
according to Dr. Gilad, it
is most likely that they

are caused by mechani-
cal pressures on the
backbone and discs.
These pressures are
caused by long-terms in a
certain position, or im-
proper position of the
body, exposure to cycli-
cal vibrations or other
ergonomic factors.

The Technion researchers
recommend that every
worker should counteract

Friday, October 29, 1982 15

We Make Our Own Glasses

any wrong position during
working hours by relaxing
or resting properly. Particu-
lar movements activating
the back, such as lifting,
pushing or carrying heavy
weights, could put unneces-
sary and uncontrolled
dynamic and static pres-
sures on the backbone,
therefore, proper ways of
handling such tasks are
now being studied at the
Technion Center.

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JUDGE HILDA R. GAGE

The Circuit Court
for the Sixth Judicial Circuit of Michigan
Oakland County, Michigan

Dear Friend,

I urge you to support Judge Bernard A. Friedman in
this year's election for Judge of the 48th District Court.

Prior to being appointed by Governor Milliken to
serve as Judge, Bernard A. Friedman served the public and the
Michigan Bar for fifteen years as a prosecutor, trial attorney,
and city attorney. His experience both as a Judge and an
attorney establishes Judge Friedman as the best candidate for
the position.

Judge Friedman not only has my endorsement, but he
has also been endorsed by the Women's Lawyers Association of
Michigan, the Civic Searchlight, the Fraternal Order of Police,
Tri-City Police Organization, The Spinal Column, and the
Oakland Press.

Judge Friedman understands not only the letter of
the law, but knows also the spirit of the law.

Please don't forget, and tell your friends to
remember Judge Bernard A. Friedman on November 2nd.

Sincerely,

Hilda. R. Gag
Circuit Judge

HRG:abh

Not paid for at government expense

Paid for by the Committee to Retain Judge Bernard A. Friedman. P.O. Box 962, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan 48013

...

I.1 7-5068