Work station and work place design can reduce the risk of injuries, including repetitive stress injuries.
Repetitive stress injuries (RSI) are caused by repeating the same motions over and over again without providing enough time for the body to recover from the motion. These injuries are also called cumulative trauma disorders (CTD) and occupational overuse syndrome (OOS). Increasing force or shortening cycle times for repeating these actions accelerate the rate at which these types of injuries occur. But the work spaces can be designed (or redesigned) to minimize the risk of repetitive stress injuries.
Instructions
Workplace Design Improvements
1. Provide soft hand grips for tools and levers to reduce stress on the hands as they are used. Alternatively, purchase tools that have built-in soft grips.
2. Provide powered scissors or vices to eliminate the need to squeeze with force.
3. Repeatedly applying force during assembly can cause RSIs.
Reduce the force required to assemble or insert parts. This may be done by redesigning the assembly guides or providing power tools to assemble parts instead of relying on human strength.
4. Install soft, textured work mats in areas where people stand for long periods of time.
5. Heavy lifting can cause muscles strains and tears. Repeated heavy lifting can cause stress injuries.
Replace heavy lifting by humans with cranes and lifts.
6. Increase the cycle time between repetitive motions, allowing time for an employee to rest. This time can be mere seconds in order to improve their health. "The Handbook of Industrial Engineering," by Gavriel Salvendy says "it is believed today that jobs with a cycle time of less than 30 seconds and a fundamental cycle that exceeds 50 percent of the total cycle (exposure) time lead to increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders." (See Reference 3)
7. Provide battery-powered or compressed air-powered assembly tools, like screw drivers, to minimize wrist motions.
8. Replace controls that require multiple actions to activate with those using a single control -- except in the case of safety devices. If multiple motions are required to activate a potentially dangerous device, such as a two-handed switch for an industrial press, no changes are necessary.
9. Simplify assembly sequences to eliminate the number of motions necessary to complete a task. Eliminating wasted motion increases efficiency while reducing the risk of repetitive stress injuries.
10. Raise work stations to eliminate bending. If a work station is low because it is best suited to the job, install lifts or other ways to raise the work station when it is used for another purpose.
11. Raise assembly tables to the height of the operator instead of requiring kneeling. If kneeling is necessary, provide knee pads.
12. Track all types of reported pain or injuries and look for patterns in work areas or job categories. According to "Best Practices in Occupational Health, Safety, Workers Compensation and Claims Management for Employers", by Lisa Granger: "carpal tunnel can occur [in] different body parts; however, the wrists are the most common body part afflicted." (See Reference 1)
Tags: stress injuries, cycle time, heavy lifting, lifting cause, repetitive stress, repetitive stress injuries, risk repetitive