Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 233 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 77, Station 1 where one employee was perform- ing punching for glides (operation #422), punch for top insert (operation #540), Punch frame for draw bolt (opera- tion #694), punch frame for key slot (operation # 210), punch frame for shoulder strap (operation #320), wire stitch apron (operation #411), rivet pockets to insert (operation 410), drill insert box for rivets (operation #536), install tumbler spring to lock (operation #110) and install lock to escutcheon (operation #428. The evaluation of these tasks indicates that the employee is exposed ergonomic stressors including: repetition, hand/wrist contact with sharp edges, hands exposed to vibration, force applied with fingers, with one hand, both hands, from one shoulder and both shoulders, applied by bending, and by bending to see work and reach objects, stooping/bending to fit space, work space constraint of worker movement, bending to reach work, stretching to reach objects, reach shoulders forward, reach above shoulder, reach behind body, reach overhead, elbow flexion, elbow extension, hand/wrist extension, flexion, pinch, ulnar and radial deviation, and rotation, finger push, palm pinch, medial grasp ,pinch grip 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, 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 422/540 1) Provide uniform anti-fatigue mat over entire work area or use shock absorbing footwear. 2) Provide adjustable work station. 3) Provide automatic clamp for punch machine. 4) Reduce number of job tasks performed to increase rest time. 5) Adjust die of insert punch to eliminate force and awkward postures to place and remove shell. 6) Provide sit/stand/lean option. 7) Replacd stacking of shells by using conveyor or spring loaded container ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 694/210/320 1) Provide uniform anti-fatigue mat over entire work area or use shock absorbing footwear. 2) Make height of machines adjustable. 3) Equalize height of machines and controls to reduce shoulder abduc- tion and elbow flexion. 4) Reduce number of tasks to increase rest time. 5) Design multi-punch for frame. 6) Provide support for frame during punching. 7) Provide sit/stand/lean option with adjustable work station. 8) Adjust rack to eliminate extended reaching. 9) Provide well chosen and properly fitted gloves. ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 411 1) Reduce number of job tasks to increase rest time. 2) Provide mechanical means of shell rotation. 3) Provide platform that moves horizontally to support wrist. 4) Provide sit/stand/lean option with adjustable work station. 5) Bring controls closer to operator and adjust height to fit operator. ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 410/536 1) Provide uniform anti-fatigue mat over entire work area or use shock absorbing footwear. 2) Provide adjustable machine. 3) Suspend and counterweight drill with vibration dampening. 4) Adjust insert punch to eliminate the need for drilling. 5) Eliminate drill lever to reduce contact stress. 6) Reduce the number of tasks to increase rest time. 7) Devise alternative means of pocket installation such as gluing operation. 8) Lower the point of operation for the insert riveting machine. 9) Change orientation of insert to eliminate ulnar deviation when drilling. 10) Provide sit/stand/lean option with adjustable work station. ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 110/428 1) Provide handle for key with large diameter handle for power grip. 2) Reduce the number of tasks to increase rest time. 3) Provide fixture for holding escutcheon. 4) Provide fixtue to reduce wrist deviations. 5) Provide parts dispenser which ejects parts automatically to enhance efficiency and reduce pinch gripping. SEE ABATEMENT NOTE: "ERGONOMICS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM"