Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 118 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 72, Station 1 where one employee was performing punching for skid plate bottom (operation #360), punching for bezel (operation #361), punching for glides (operation #422) and riveting glides (operation #518). 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, with one hand, with both hands, from one shoulder, from both shoulders and by bending, stooping/bending to fit space, work space constraint of worker movement, bending to reach work, to see work and to reach objects, stretching to reach objects and controls, shoulders different levels, reach shoulders forward, reach above shoulder, elbow flexion and extension, hand/wrist extension, flexion, pinch, radial deviation and ulnar de- viation, finger push, abduction, palm pinch and finger press, and closed fist grip and pinch grip which are causing or likely to cause cumulative trauma disorders. The employer did not implement an effective control strategy to reduce or eliminate such disorders. The injury and illness records for 1989, 1990, 1991 document a pattern of cumulative trauma disorders associated with this operation. An employee who was exposed to undue repetitive motion trauma, excessive force and awkward finger, hand and arm positions while installing glides and punching shells on Line 72. there was not documentation of job reassignment or modification used as a therapeutic approach for conservative medical treatment to address the CTD problem. The employee was returned to the same job stressor which were causing the medical condition. 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 360/361 1) Divide station into two work areas for two employees (bezel/skid punch one station, glide punch/rivet on other) so machines and conveyor are closer together to reduce the amount of shell manipulation and carrying that is necessary. 2) Eliminate the need for stacking maaterials and excessive lifting. 3) Change the location of the bezel die and spring load gate. 4) Enlarge and pad handle of bezel punch gate to reduce palmar pressure and increase power grip. 5) Provide automatic clamp device for skid punch to eliminate the need for grasping to hold shell in punch while activating controls. 6) Use spring-loaded or tilt bins to reduce stooping and lifting to retrieve case shells from coffins. 7) Discontinue movement of coffin bins without use of forklift, or redesign coffin bins for ease of movement. 8) Provide spring-loaded gate with handle located in a postition which prevents stooping when operating the bezel punch. 9) Expand the work station area to prevent lifting of shells to maneuv- er around obstacles. 10) Lower the toggle switches to eliminate need for finger extension. 11) Use appropriate, shock absorbing, footwear to reduce stress of legs and feet. 12) Raise shell of floor or use spring loaded pallet to raise shells up to the work surface height. 13) Bring skid parts bin closer, and tilt for easier access to reduce reaches. ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 422/518 1) Divide station into two work areas for two employees (bezel/skid punch one station, glide punch/rivet on other) so machines and conveyor are closer together to reduce the amount of shell manipulation and carrying that is necessary. 2) Eliminate the need for stacking maaterials and excessive lifting. 3) Use tilt bin or coffins with spring loaded bottom to reduce excess- ive reaching and stooping to get shells from bins. 4) Reduce height of the conveyor to approximately 30 inches. 5) Provide platforms for top shell glide punch and glide rivet machines. 6) Provide adjustable height and orientation machines to reduce wrist deviations and awkward postures. 7) Provide automatic clamp device for glide punch to eliminate holding of shell while activating buttons. 8) Pad and tilt sharp edges of glide/wheel rivet bins machine. 9) Have more than one person perform the operations. 10) Eliminate lifting of stacks of shells from bin. 11) Provide support platforms for holding cases to eliminate awkward postures. 12) Use appropriate footwear to reduce stress and fatigue on the lower body due to standing and walking on a concrete floor. SEE ABATEMENT NOTE: "ERGONOMICS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM" ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 101 1) Completely pad edge of bin. 2) Provide more room for the operator for comfort and safety. 3) Use height and orientation adjustable machines to reduce wrist deviation s 4) Provide adjustable work station to reduce awkward postures. 5) Provide platform on rivet machine so worker does not have to hold frames or using hand tool. 6) Provide shock absorbing footwear or even, cushioned fatigue mat througho u ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 505 1) Increase work space to reduce congestion and improve safety and convenie n 2) Automate stripping process to avoid repetitive wrist deviations and trun k 3) Pre-cut strips of stripping material into appropriate lengths to elimina t 4) Provide an adjustable fixture to hold the frame for strip application. 5) Provide holster for the scissors. 6) Provide racks which do not require reaching over the shoulder or bending . 7) Use appropriate footwear in lieu of fatigue mats or platforms. ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATIONS 383/577/694 1) Provide more room for operator. 2) Provide adjustable machines and work tables to prevent stooping and extr e 3) Design multi-punch or drill for frames to eliminate manual punching. 4) Change location of handle punch controls. 5) Design punch machine so it is not necessary to hold frame during punch, e posture. 6) Provide even, cushioned fatigue mat throughout work area, or advise oper a shock absorbing shoes. 7) Provide cutting device for cutting exact length of stripping material or SEE ABATEMENT NOTE: "ERGONOMICS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM"