Can Ergonomic Enhancements Improve Productiveness?

The road was dropping cash. The corporate needed to rent extra employees to make up for low productiveness. Staff had been underperforming, and the standard of the merchandise was compromised.

We had been introduced in to modernize the meeting line and implement a wide range of ergonomic enhancements.

To do this, we might first must conduct a radical evaluation of the office, encompassing each workplace areas and the store flooring. The aim was to establish ergonomic danger components linked to low productiveness and MSDs.

Second, we must assess the employees’ efficiency and well-being, together with worker well being knowledge, damage experiences and absenteeism information.

Then, armed with knowledge, we might try to extend productiveness and effectivity by way of higher office ergonomics. By limiting downtime brought on by accidents or ache, decreasing bodily pressure on personnel, and streamlining work procedures, we believed that we may enhance organizational efficiency and competitiveness.

Methodology

Step one was to evaluate the situation of the employees. We performed a Physique Components Signs Survey (BPSS) to watch employees’ postures on the meeting line. We additionally used the Fast Higher Limb Evaluation (RULA) to investigate the postures of employees assembling the tailgate part.

We then performed a Pareto evaluation to rank the physique components receiving most discomfort. The operators reported excessive ranges of discomfort in varied physique components, such because the higher again, neck, decrease again, arms and wrists.

A lot of the firm’s merchandise had been being assembled on worktables. The method required a very long time. Clearly, the work space would should be redesigned to enhance employee consolation and security.

The researchers noticed employees performing varied meeting duties. (a) An worker is aligning a clip into the hand device bracket, inserting into the decrease bracket, pushing down into place, and repeating 4 occasions to finish the suitable and left brackets. They place the decrease bracket into the desk, ensuring the sides align with the tailgate. They align bolts with 4 holes and loosely fasten them. Within the subsequent picture (b), the employee makes use of a T25 spline to drill and make sure the bolts will not be loosely fixed to the tailgate. Supply: College of Johannesburg

Physique Components Signs Survey

Whereas observing employees assembling tailgates, we appeared for harmful postures and setups. We measured the time spent in awkward postures and the way usually employees repeated these postures.

Particularly, we appeared for the next:

• Excessive neck flexion or rotation.
• Raised or forward-leaning shoulders.
• Hunched or rounded again.
• Elbow flexion or extension past snug limits.
• Extreme lumbar flexion or twisting.
• Awkward arm positioning and actions.
• Awkward wrist angles or repetitive pressure.

BPSS knowledge revealed 32 employees who felt “discomfort” in higher again, shoulders, decrease again, arms, wrists and neck. An extra 22 employees felt “extreme discomfort” in these areas.

Weighting these scores enabled us to prioritize areas for ergonomic enhancements, akin to improved workstation design, coaching on higher lifting strategies, and extra assist tools.

A Pareto evaluation indicated that the higher again, neck and decrease again accounted for practically 77 % worker discomfort points, so our interventions would prioritize these areas.

The researchers performed a Pareto evaluation to rank the physique components receiving most discomfort. Supply: College of Johannesburg

Fast Higher Limb Evaluation

The RULA scoring technique entails assigning ranges, starting from 1 to 7, to every physique half. To find out the urgency of intervention, the scores are labeled into “action levels.” Decrease ranges point out regular situations, whereas larger ranges point out larger urgency. Utilizing RULA, the postures had been evaluated for his or her ergonomic dangers. The evaluation recognized a number of points with the work space setup, particularly when it comes to the operators’ physique postures.

Particularly, we recognized the next points:

• When assembling components on tables that had been too low, many operators had been seen bending their necks ahead. Due to the size and angle of flexion, this posture acquired a excessive grade.
• To entry parts or supplies, employees ceaselessly needed to prolong their arms above shoulder peak, which led to excessive shoulder muscle pressure and fatigue.
• The decrease again acquired a excessive RULA rating as a result of frequent pressure from having to bend ahead on the waist whereas engaged on the tailgate meeting.
• Throughout meeting, dangerous arm postures and repetitive wrist actions raised the danger of higher limb issues.

The RULA discomfort scores had been as follows: neck discomfort, 26.3 %; shoulder and higher again discomfort, 30 %; and decrease again discomfort, 19.3 %. These scores fall throughout the medium- to high-risk vary on the RULA scale, indicating the necessity for rapid ergonomics interventions to enhance postures, cut back muscle pressure, and stop long-term accidents.

This chart lists the key ergonomic enchancment steps we steered. Supply: College of Johannesburg

Design Enchancment and Implementation

We made a number of recommendations for ergonomic enhancements to deal with the excessive levels of discomfort within the neck, decrease again, and shoulder. 

Our new workstation design incorporates a number of enhancements geared toward lowering discomfort and stopping accidents. Adjustable work heights enable operators to place the work floor to go well with their particular person wants, minimizing bending and reaching. Some work surfaces are slanted to reduce bending and make it simpler to succeed in parts. As well as, the work surfaces that contact the physique have ergonomic cushioning.

Seated workstations enable operators to maintain their elbows at a 90-degree angle, whereas standing workstations are positioned at elbow peak to scale back again and shoulder pressure. Correct seating with adjustable lumbar assist promotes a impartial backbone place, stopping decrease again discomfort. For standing duties, anti-fatigue mats and footrests cut back stress on the again and legs.

We additionally ensured that supplies and screens had been positioned at eye stage, lowering neck pressure. Instruments had been positioned inside straightforward attain to keep away from pointless bending or stretching. Ergonomic instruments with cushioned grips had been launched to scale back wrist pressure, and adjustable device holders convey instruments right into a impartial place. Instrument racks and part trays are positioned 14 to 18 inches away from the consumer to attenuate reaching.

The unique worktable was 550 millimeters in peak and was not adjustable. That required operators to bend at a light flexion angle of 45 levels when assembling tailgates. Supply: College of Johannesburg

Job rotation and common breaks had been carried out to scale back repetitive pressure accidents. Staff alternate between duties and take micro-breaks each 30 to 60 minutes. Enough lighting ensures work areas are well-lit, lowering the necessity for awkward head positions. Lastly, footrests and adjustable work surfaces accommodate various employee heights, making certain that every one operators can work in a impartial, snug posture. These enhancements promote higher well being, consolation, and productiveness.

The unique worktable was 550 millimeters in peak and was not adjustable. That required operators to bend at a light flexion angle of 45 levels when assembling tailgates.

The researchers redesigned the worktables used to assemble tailgates. Now, employees can modify the peak of the work floor for his or her consolation. Slanted tables decrease bending. Supply: College of Johannesburg

Our new workstations are adjustable to accommodate all staff assembling tailgates, eliminating extreme bending, in addition to neck and shoulder pressure. Our redesign additionally positions supplies wanted for tailgate meeting nearer to the employee, minimizing motion and lowering handbook materials dealing with.

After implementation, 95 % of the employees revealed excessive enchancment in consolation stage, notably within the higher again, neck, and decrease again, working with the developed ergonomically sound workstation. It’s anticipated that the adjustments may even improve productiveness, cut back absenteeism, and enhance job satisfaction.

By optimizing workflow and minimizing pressure, ergonomic changes can enhance effectivity and assist staff carry out duties extra successfully. Sustaining staff’ well-being will construct a cushty work setting and promote long-term worker satisfaction and security.

We suggest that common ergonomic assessments and changes must be a part of the corporate’s steady enchancment plan to take care of a protected and environment friendly office.

Editor’s notice: This text is a abstract of a analysis paper co-authored by Harmless Fana Ndlovu of the College of Johannesburg. To learn your entire paper, click on right here.

For extra data on ergonomics, learn these articles:
Customized Workstations Enhance Ergonomics
Workstations Assist Speaker Producer Hit All of the Proper Notes
Do Ergonomics Investments Pay Off?