Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 193 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 8 where one employee was performing inspection and repair of case (operation #595) and pack case (operation #599). The evaluation of these tasks indicates that the employee is exposed ergonomic stressors including: repetition, hand/wrist exposed to agents (vibration), force applied with one hand, with both hands, from one shoulder, from both shoulders and by twisting, stoop/bend to fit work space, work space constrains worker movements, bending to reach work, twisting to reach objects, stretching to reach objects, shoulders different levels, reach behind body, reach shoulders forward, reach above shoulders, reach overhead, throw objects over shoulder, elbow flexion and extension, hand/wrist extension, flexion, pinch, radial deviation, ulnar deviation and rotation, finger push, abduction, pulp pinch, palm pinch, finger press and medial grasp, and closed fist grip and pinch grip which are causing or likely to cause cumulative trauma disorders. The employ- er did not implement an effective control strategy to reduce or eliminate such disorders. The injury and illness records for 1990 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 595 1) Eliminate the use of rails on the conveyor. 2) Relocate the tools closer to the worker. 3) Provide vibration dampening pad on power tool handles. 4) Suspend and counter-weight drill and screwdriver. 5) Institute a preventative maintenance program for all power tools to set and maintain appropriate torque setting. 6) Use more workers to provide greater rest break opportunities to eliminate duration and repetition strain on the worker. 7) Provide a mechanical ejector to move shells on and off the conveyor to eliminate forceful exertions. 8) Use "lazy susan" tray to support shell on work station to reduce need for wrist deviations 9) Use sit/stand/lean option to eliminate static posture. 10) Provide uniform anti-fatigue mat over entire work area or use shock absorbing footwear. 11) Bring container of chemical closer to worker. ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS; OPERATION 599 1) Improve layout to reduce twisting, lifting and lowering of cartons. 2) Lower the table provided for packing. 3) Extend vertical surface of packing stations to guide suitcases into cartons. 4) Carton sealer should be same level as packing station so case can be pushed in to eliminate lifting. 5) Reshape nozzle of glue gun to eliminate deviation. 6) Reduce number of job tasks to increase rest time. 7) Design conveyor to deliver case to worker by using diverter bar. 8) Eliminate the use of rails on the conveyor. 9) Provide sit/stand/lean option with adjustable work station. 10) Relocate plastic bags to reduce horizontal reach. SEE ABATEMENT NOTE: "ERGONOMICS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM"