Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 132 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 11 where one employee was perform- ing rivet apron (operation #531), hook-up (operation #535) and machine rivet pad (operation #555). The evaluation of these tasks indicate 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, work space constrains worker movement, bending to reach objects, work and to see work, twisting to reach objects and work, stretching to reach objects and work, shoulder reach forward, reach above shoulder, elbow flexion and extension, hand/wrist extension, flexion, pinch, radial deviation, ulnar deviation and rotation, finger push, ab- duction, lateral pinch, pulp pinch, palm pinch, finger press and pulp grasp, 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 1989, 1990, 1991 document a pattern of cumulative trauma disorders associated with this operation. While ultimate responsibil- ity for correcting the hazard rests with the employer, given his superior knowledge of the operation, feasible and accept- able abatement methods to correct this hazard include, but are not limited to, the following: ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 531 1) Redesign layout to increase workspace and to improve work flow and reduce steps. 2) Use height and orientation adjustable rivet machine. 3) Design a moveable fixture to support shell during riveting. 4) Reduce the number of job tasks to increase rest time. 5) Increace number of operators performing the tasks. 6) Use mechanical ejector or divertor arm to move case off conveyor. 7) Perform the apron positioning operation offf the conveyor on a work surface of appropriate height. 8) Provide sit/stand/lean option. 9) Provide uniform fatigue mat over area or ensure operators wear appropriate footwear. ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 535 1) Provide sit/stand/lean option. 2) Provide uniform fatigue mat over area or ensure operators wear appropriate footwear. 3) Provide orientation and height adjustable machines. 4) Design device to assist in lifting for hook-up rivet machine. 5) Provide support frames for the machine to hold the case during hook- up operations. 6) Reduce the number of job tasks to increase rest time. 7) Increace number of operators performing the tasks. 8) Develop mechanical ejector or diverter bar to move cases on and off conveyor to eliminate forceful exertion. 9) Provide shell support while positioning for hook-up. 10) Install device to assist in lifting case while riveting hinges. 11) Combine hook-up and pad riveting operations in one machine which will rotate the case automatically. 12) Use tool to push in the hinges prior to riveting rather than hand. 13) Use mechanical means of moving shells on and off conveyor and between machines. ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 555 1) Provide sit/stand/lean option. 2) Provide uniform fatigue mat over area or ensure operators wear appropriate footwear. 3) Provide orientation and height adjustable machines. 4) Provide movable fixtures to support and move case during riveting in pad. 5) Reduce the number of job tasks to increase rest time. 6) Increace number of operators performing the tasks. 7) Develop mechanical ejector or diverter bar to move cases on and off conveyor to eliminate forceful exertion. 8) Develop fixture with horizontal movement capability to support and move case during riveting in pad. SEE ABATEMENT NOTE: "ERGONOMICS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM"