A Primer Based on Workplace Evaluations of Musculoskeletal Disorders
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Elements of Ergonomics Programs A Primer Based on Workplace Evaluations of Musculoskeletal Disorders |
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Toolbox Tray 1-A: NIOSH Investigations of WMSDs in Work Settings |
| Standard industrial classification
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2011 Manufacturing (Meat products) |
| Work setting and tasks | Plant processing beef and pork products. Tasks studied were cutting and dissecting cattle and hogs with saws, straight knives, powered hand knives, clippers, and hooks. |
| Work-related musculoskeletal problems found | Upper extremity disorders (mainly hand/wrist but also elbows, shoulder, and neck). |
| Ergonomic risk factors found | Vibration and force found to correlate highest with problem cases. Data on repetitive actions and awkward postures were judged insufficient for analysis. |
| Recommendations | Engineering changes included reorientation of tools, adjustable fixtures, better layout of workstations and delivery bins, and automating aspects of the work process to relieve workload demands. Train new employees in proper work methods, use of job rotation, and rest breaks suggested along with better maintenance of cutting knives to reduce vibrations. Improved medical management stressed, such as educating workers to report early signs of problems, allowing adequate time off for symptomatic cases to heal, and a slower paced return to work policy after surgery. |
| HETA/NTIS reference no. | HETA 88–180–1958 NTIS order no. PB–90–128–992 |