Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 082 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 serious physical harm to employees, in that employees were required to perform tasks involving ergonomic risk factors (including, but not limited to, repetitive motions, force and awkward postures) resulting in stressors that had caused, were causing, or were likely to cause cumulative trauma disorder(s): (a) Department 17, Station 2 where one employee was perform- ing unloading of frames (operation #369), riveting center hinge and tie plate (operation #101), riveting trolley strap (operation #390) and installing lock to trolley strap (operation #428). The evaluation of these tasks indicates that the employee is exposed ergonomic stressors including: repetition, hand/wrist contact with sharp edges, force applied with fingers, both hands and shoulders, stoop/bend to see controls, stooping/bending to fit space, work space constrain worker movement, bending to see work, bending to reach objects, stretching to reach objects, reach behind body, reach shoulders forward, reach above shoulder, elbow flexion, hand/wrist flexion, pinch, and ulnar deviation, finger abduction, palm pinch, pulp grasp, press, and finger pinch grip which are causing or likely to cause cumulative trauma disorders. The employer did not implement an effec- tive control strategy to reduce or eliminate such disorders. The injury and illness records for 1990, 1991 document a pattern of cumulative trauma disorders associated with this operation. While ultimate responsibility for correcting the hazard rests with the employer, given his superior knowledge of the operation, feasible and acceptable abatement methods to correct this hazard include, but are not limited to, the following: ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 369/101 1) Provide adjustable machines to reduce wrist deviations. 2) Reduce the number of frames on each rack to eliminate forceful exertions. 3) Use larger wheels on the rack trolley to reduce forceful exertions. 4) Provide an adjustable work station to eliminate awkward postures. 5) Provide a wooden platform on the rivet machine so operators are not required to hold the frames while grasping hinges or using hand tools to eliminate awkward postures. 6) Provide a sit/stand/lean option to reduce prolonged static postures. ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 428 1) Rearrange setup by using sit/stand/lean option to bring operator closer to the work surface (adjustable height). 2) Use jig and mechanical clamp to push lock into trolley to eliminate forceful exertion and awkward posture. 3) Eliminate the use of gloves while performing this task to reduce finger force while performing manual manipulations. SEE ABATEMENT NOTE: "ERGONOMICS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM"