Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 248 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 73, Station 11 where one employee was perform- ing install handle (operation #537) and install escutcheon (operation # 643) and assemble handles (operation #188). The evaluation of these tasks indicate that the employee is exposed ergonomic stressors including: repetition, hands exposed to vibration, force applied with one hand, with fingers, from one shoulder, elbow flexed and extended, shoulder reach forward and reach above shoulder, hand/wrist extension, flexion, pinch, radial and ulnar deviation and rotation, closed fist grip and pinch grip, finger push and medial grasp which are causing or likely to cause cumulative trauma disorders. The employer did not implement an effec- tive 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 correct- ing the hazard rests with the employer, given his superior knowledge of the operation, feasible and acceptable abate- ment methods to correct this hazard include, but are not limited to, the following: ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: OPERATION 537/643 1) Provide uniform anti-fatigue mat over entire work area or use shock absorbing footwear. 2) Relocate the activation controls for the handle pin installation machine. 3) Reduce number of tasks to increase rest time. 4) Provide mechanical means of installing escutcheon. 5) Install escutcheon off the conveyor, on a work station of appropri- ate height. 6) Provide sit/stand/lean option with adjustable work station. 7) Relocate the escutcheon stack to eliminate reaching. 8) Perform installation of handle and handle pins at level that does not require shoulder flexion. ABATEMENT RECOMMENDATONS: OPERATION 188 1) Provide mechanical means of connecting trim and handle. 2) Reduce numer of tasks to increase rest time. 3) Provide mechanical means to reduce the repetitive hammering. 4) Provide sit/stand/lean option. 5) Provide uniform anti-fatigue mat over entire work area or use shock absorbing footwear. 6) Relocate handle components to reduce horizontal and vertical reach. SEE ABATEMENT NOTE: "ERGONOMICS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM"