Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 191 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 7, Station 6 where one employee was performing install/glue top lining (operation #652), assemble frame to shell (operation #513), punch for handle (operation #588), rail/apron rivet (operation #589), mirror assembly (opera- tion #593) and install handle/mirror (operation #195). The evaluation of these tasks indicates that the employee is exposed ergonomic stressors including: repetition, hand/wr- ist contact with sharp edges, force applied with fingers, with one hand, with both hands, from one shoulder, from both shoulders, by bending and by twisting, stoop/bend to fit work space, work space constrains worker movements, bending to reach work and to see work, twisting to reach objects, stretching to reach objects and work, shoulders different levels, shoulder reach forward, reach above shoulder, reach ovehead, elbow extension and flexion, hand/wrist extension, flexion, pinch, radial deviation, ulnar deviation and rotation, finger push, pulp pinch, palm pinch, finger press, abduction, pulp grasp and medial grasp, and pinch, pencil and closed fist 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 and 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 acceptable abatement methods to correct this hazard include, but are not limited to, the following: ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 652 1) Provide uniform anti-fatigue mat over entire work area or use shock absorbing footwear. 2) Provide more space for worker. 3) Use automatic glue application as in other departments. 4) Provide larger diameter handle for tool to allow power grip. 5) Reduce number of job tasks to increase rest time. 6) Angle tool or tilt fixture to reduce wrist deviations. 7) Provide sit/stand/lean option with adjustable work station. ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 513 1) Provide uniform anti-fatigue mat over entire work area or use shock absorbing footwear. 2) Provide more space for worker. 3) Lower storage table to reduce forward reaching. 4) Redesign work station to provide stationary surface on top of conveyor to perform work. 5) Provide back stop on work surface to prevent case from sliding. 6) Reduce number of job tasks to increase rest time. 7) Provide means of applying frame to shell mechanically. 8) Lower work table and use tilted fixture to reduce wrist deviations. 9) Provide sit/stand/lean option with adjustable work station. ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 588 1) Provide uniform anti-fatigue mat over entire work area or use shock absorbing footwear. 2) Provide more work space for worker. 3) Lower the point of operation and controls of machine. 4) Relocate the controls of the machine and redesign to eliminate wrist extension. 5) Adjust work station to eliminate elbow abduction. 6) Redesign controls to allow force activation with palms to reduce wrist extension. 7) Provide sit/stand/lean option with adjustable work station. ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 589 1) Provide uniform anti-fatigue mat over entire work area or use shock absorbing footwear. 2) Design a rotating fixture to support shell during riveting. 3) Reduce the number of jobs to increase rest time. 4) Provide sit/stand/lean option with adjustable work station. 5) Relocate the rail storage shelf to reduce upward reach. ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 593 1) Provide more space for the worker. 2) Provide uniform anti-fatigue mat over entire work area or use shock absorbing footwear. 3) Provide adjustable work station. 4) Provide alternative tool that eliminates the twisting motion to secure mirror. 5) Reduce the number of jobs to increase rest time. 6) Provide sit/stand/lean option with adjustable work station. 7) Lower working surface. 8) Bring materials closer to point of operation. ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 195 1) Provide more space for the worker. 2) Provide uniform anti-fatigue mat over entire work area or use shock absorbing footwear. 3) Provide adjustable work station. 4) Suspend screwdriver at a lower level to reduce upward reach. 5) Provide vibration dampening. 6) Provide preventative maintenance for tool and ensure proper torque setting is maintained. 7) Provide sit/stand/lean option with adjustable work station. SEE ABATEMENT NOTE: "ERGONOMICS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM"