Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 125 Hazard: ERGONOMIC

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The emp l employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazard s causing or likely to cause serious physical harm to employees, in that empl o to perform tasks involving ergonomic risk factors (including, but not limit e force and awkward postures) resulting in stressors that had caused, were ca u to cause cumulative trauma disorder(s): a) Department 72, Station 6A where one employee was perform- ing attaching skid plate to bottom shell (operation #377). The evaluation of these tasks indicates that the employee is exposed ergonomic stressors including: repetition, hand/wrist contact with sharp edges, hands exposed to water/agent (vibration), force applied with fingers, with one hand, with both hands, from one shoulder, from both shoulders, by twisting and by bending, stooping/bending to fit work space, bending to reach work and to see work, twisting to reach objects, stretching to reach objects, shoulder reach behind body, reach shoulders forward, elbow flexion and extension, hand/wrist extension, pinch, radial deviation, ulnar devia- tion and rotation, finger palm pinch and medial grasp, 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 elimin- ate such disorders. The injury and illness records for 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 377 1) Automate installation of skid plate to eliminate operator installa- tion of screws. 2) Minimize the torque of the screwdriver and maintain through a preventative maintenance program. 3) Install rotating, tilted fixture and change grip of screwdriver to pistol grip for skid plate installation to reduce reaches, forceful exertions, and awkward postures. 4) Provide a vibration dampening handle for the screwdriver. 5) Use regular rest breaks to decrease duration of exposure to ergonomic stressors. 6) Expand range of activities to vary muscular activity. 7) Add additional station or operator to assist in performing operation. 8) Reduce the number of screws necessary to attach plate. 9) Provide sit/stand/lean option to eliminate prolonged static posture. 10) Provide shock absorbing footwear or adequate fatigue mats. SEE ABATEMENT NOTE: "ERGONOMICS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM"