Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 197 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 76, Station NG-3B, where one employee was performing bottom wheel attachment and assemble side handles (operations # 205 and # 188). The evaluation of these job tasks indicates that the employee is exposed ergonomic stressors including: repetition, force applied with fingers, force with one or both hands, from both shoulders, shoulders at different levels, reach forward, elbow flexion, hand/wr- ist flexion radial deviation, ulnar deviation and rotation, 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 1989, 1990, 1991 document a pattern of cumulative trauma disorders associated with this and similar operations. 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 205 1) Provide sit/stand/lean option with adjustable work station. 2) Provided adequate cushioned floor mats. 3) Use suitable, shock absorbing footwear. 4) Develop surveillance and preventative maintenance program for torque setting of screwdriver. 5) Provide vibration dampening on handles of screwdriver. 6) Provide mechanical ejector or diverter arm to move cases on and off conveyor to eliminate forceful exertions and reaches. 7) Provide mechanical conveyor to eliminate pushing shells down roller conveyor. 8) Lower height of conveyor to reduce excessive lifting requirements. 9) Tilting of work surface to alleviate repetitive stress on flexed elbow joint and promote more natural posutre of arm/wrist/hand. 10) Reorinetation of work surface could permit use of more appropriate tool. ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 188 1. Use a jig to hold handle while inserting pin. 2. Automate attaching of ID to handle. 3. Provide sit/stand option with adjustable work station. 4. Position parts closer to employee by using tilted trays with open front edge. Arrange trays in semi-circle so that all parts are within range of 15 inches in front of operator. SEE ABATEMENT NOTE: "ERGONOMICS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM"