Practical Ergonomics



TF29

NOTE TO THE DISCUSSION LEADER:



The basic theme of this talk is to provide information to your

employees that can be used to improve their work stations within

your department. To prepare for this talk, survey your department

to determine what practical ergonomic solutions can be implemented

to improve the safety and efficiency of your overall operation.

Review the following case studies with your employees to stimulate

group discussion about what they can do to improve the overall safe

operation of your department.



What does ergonomics mean? Simply put, it is fitting the workplace

to the worker to reduce physical and mental stress.



CASE 1



Joe, who works on a manufacturing assembly operation, injured

himself one afternoon while bending over to pick up a basket of

parts that weighed 25 pounds. Joe complained to his supervisor

that while he was bending over his back started to hurt. Joe was

sent to the doctor who diagnosed his injury as a pulled back

muscle. He was off work for several weeks because of the injury.

When he returned, he and his supervisor investigated the possible

cause of Joe's injury. They discovered that bending over to pick up

the basket of parts and then placing it on the workbench was

unnecessary. Instead, Joe and his foreman decided to stack three

pallets under the basket, making it the same height as the

workbench. That way they eliminated the possibility of anyone

having to bend over to pick up the basket of parts.



NOTE TO THE DISCUSSION LEADER:



Ask he group what other methods could be used to reduce the need to

bend over and pick up the basket of parts.



Possible solutions:



þ Purchase a scissors jack or hydraulic lift table.



þ Re-evaluate the assembly layout and install a roll conveyor to

move the parts to the work station.



CASE 2 .



Sally, an electronics assembly operator, works on a small trim

press which is operated by two hand controls. After the third day

on the job she started to experience some pain in her shoulders by

the end of the shift. Sally mentioned this to her supervisor who

then initiated an investigation to determine the cause. The

investigation revealed that the two hand controls were 10 inches

above Sally's shoulders while she was seated at her work

station.



NOTE TO THE DISCUSSION LEADER:



Ask the group what could be done to eliminate the need to reach 10

inches above shoulder height to operate the press.



Possible solutions:



þ Raise Sally's chair.



þ Move the two hand controls to the bench area and guard them

properly to prevent accidental actuation of the press.



CASE 3



Ed, a polisher working on small parts, started to experience some

discomfort and fatigue in his wrists. Before an injury could occur,

Ed decided to experiment. He took an empty box and placed it

under one end of the carton holding his parts. By placing the parts

at an angle it was easier for Ed to take the parts from the carton

and do his polishing operation. By making this simple modification,

Ed reduced the number of times that he had to reach over the edge

of the carton to pick up the parts. The change also allowed

him to straighten his hand to pull the parts out, reducing wrist

fatigue.



Although there had been no injury or accident in this case, it

shows that there are many things we can do to prevent injuries and

accidents in the workplace.



In order to improve our safety program we are asking all employees

to review their operations and suggest any ergonomic modifications

to management.




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