A Primer Based on Workplace Evaluations of Musculoskeletal Disorders
|
|
Elements of Ergonomics Programs A Primer Based on Workplace Evaluations of Musculoskeletal Disorders |
|
Toolbox Tray 1-A: NIOSH Investigations of WMSDs in Work Settings |
| Standard industrial classification
|
4311 Public utilities (Postal service) |
| Work setting and tasks | The work setting was a mail processing facility. Job tasks were those involved with feeding mail to several automated mail processing machines and removing such mail once it has been sorted. |
| Work-related musculoskeletal problems found | Limited to study of ergonomic risk factors in job tasks. |
| Ergonomic risk factors found | Frequent stooping to retrieve mail trays for feeding the machines, extended reach, and trunk flexion in sweeping and stacking sorted mail. High volume capacity of sorting machines makes these actions more repetitive. |
| Recommendations | Automated options for relieving manual operations with the processing machines need consideration. Examples would be a weight sensitive stacker bin that would eject its contents into a container either below or beside the bin where a moving conveyor could carry the mail away. Another would be spring-controlled leveling systems that raise the feeder trays as others are removed. Other measures would be to limit the time spent on these machine tasks or to provide added breaks. |
| HETA/NTIS reference no. | HETA 92–0073–2337 NTIS order no. PB–94–133–824 |