Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: ERGONOMIC

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to: a) The hazard of performing repetitive motions resulting in stressors likely to cause cumulative trauma disorders, and an effective ergonomics program was not implemented in that administrative and engineering controls and medical management were not effectively implemented. Packaging area - Bakenets Dept. - 5 stations; Potato Chips dept. - 6 stations; Variety Pack Dept. - 5 stations; Corn Chips dept. - 3 stations; Extruded Dept. - 9 stations. Feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct this hazard include but are not limited to the following: 1) Identify al current employees who are experiencing symptoms associated with cumulative trauma disorders and set up files on them for the case manager. 2) Perform an ergonomic assessment of each operation to identify mechanical stressors which may be produced by the environment and/or work methods. 3) Develop and improve ergonomic training and awareness program for employees, supervisors, engineers, and managers: a) Increase training time to ingrain good work practices. b) Set up distinct training line that is less congested and has variable speed. c) Distribute information on lost worktime so employees become more invested and informed of progress of program. d) Set up a committee (possibly the packer task force) to monitor injuries, coordinate communication, take action on problems. 4) Establish a comprehensive medical management program: a) Screen applicants by physical exam for predisposition to CTD and place employee in appropriate job. b) Have physicians visit plant twice a year or when major changes are made so they are familar with job requirements and work environments. c) Set up case management for CTD injuries, preferably done by a nurse or doctor. d) Have a physician review progress after CTS surgery at two weeks with normal minumum time off of four weeks. e) Physician, in consent with employee and management, will make light duty job assignment, not just list restrictions. f) All complaints of CTD symptoms must be assessed by a physician before a light duty assignment is made. g) Employees with CTS should not be in modified jobs that involve wrist movement (grasping, lifting sraping) with affected hand. h) Diagnosis physicians should list body part affected, suspected cause (pathophysiology), and degree of impairment. i) Audit files of case manager of people on disability or in work hardening, by an occupational physician. 5) Control measures for: a) Reducing total amount for force exerted, particularly in folding boxes. b) Reducing wrist deviation and forearm rotation thru training and re-training refresher information. c) Limiting arm reach; in stacking cases. d) Equipping work stations with adjustable tables and stands e) Reducing frequency of repetitive motion (shuffle packing). f) Rotating employees between high and low stress jobs and include relief packers in rotation. g) Postures in cleaning conveyors and scales.