Ergonomics Team Research Articles

Practical Aspects of the Organization of Ergonomics Committees in the Context of the Quality of Ergonomic Activities Undertaken in Manufacturing Enterprises

Theoretical background: In order to systematize ergonomic activities in the enterprise, some of them decide to establish ergonomics committees whose task is to solve problems in this area and also to propose new, often innovative solutions for implementation. The structures of these units often include employees from different departments who have a different view of ergonomics depending on the position they hold. However, the organization of ergonomics committees can cause many problems due to the lack of top-down guidelines for their activities (each company must establish its own rules). In scientific research on the ergonomic aspects of projects, there is a tendency to look for factors that favor the diffusion of ergonomic issues in their implementation. One such factor may be the creation of an ergonomics committee to pursue ergonomic goals. Their activities are not described in detail in the literature (there are no practical guidelines for their functioning), which is why the topic is discussed in this article. Purpose of the article: The main goal of this article is to present propositions for actions that can be taken to systematize the functioning of the ergonomics committees and to link this task with the quality of ergonomics management in manufacturing enterprises. The aim of the article is also to describe, using a practical examples, various aspects of the operation of ergonomics committees and to indicate guidelines for their establishment and activities. Thus, the article aims to fill the research gap in the field of creating ergonomics committees. Research methods: The research used the interview method with participants of ergonomics committees from companies from various industries. The questions were asked in the following groups: organization and functioning of the ergonomics unit in the enterprise and assessment of the effects of the ergonomics team’s activities. The respondents were participants of the ergonomics committees, which was appointed at least 2 years earlier, the industries represented by the respondents are: automotive (2 companies) and furniture production. Data obtained in three selected enterprises (through informal interviews) where such committees operate, as well as a literature review in this area, were used to formulate these suggestions. The results of the undertaken research allowed for the identification of practical aspects of the functioning and organization of the ergonomics committees. This is an innovative area of research due to the fact that few scientific studies describe such units and guidelines for their practical implementation. Main findings: The main result of the undertaken research was to indicate the categories in which the activities of ergonomics committees should be considered and to provide practical guidelines for their activity. These guidelines are presented as structured areas for consideration when establishing an ergonomics committee: (1) establishing the principles of operation and reporting; (2) determining the composition of the committee; (3) determining the scope of activity of the committee; (4) providing appropriate training for committee’s representatives; (5) support for the committee’s activities. The most important conclusion from the undertaken research is the indication that each enterprise must plan the operation of the committee taking into account its internal conditions. The conclusions from the conducted research were supplemented with indications of directions for further research into the conditions for the functioning of ergonomics committees in manufacturing companies.

3D4K exoscope in epilepsy surgery: a seminal experience.

To report the progressive introduction of the exoscope (EX) from surface lesionectomy to antero-mesial temporal lobectomy (AMTL) in an epilepsy surgery practice. We describe a population of ten consecutive patients undergoing EX surgery, with a minimum follow-up of 6months, that was compared to a similar population of patients referred to operative microscopic surgery (OM). All surgeries were performed with the use of EX or OM alone. Transient neurological complications for surgery in eloquent regions were recorded in one patient for each population. Nine and seven patients undergoing, respectively, EX and OM surgery resulted in Engel class Ia (90% vs. 70%). The mean duration of EX and OM surgery resulted in 265.5 and 237.9min, respectively, with a mean of 308.3 and 253.3min for AMTL cases, respectively. This preliminary study revealed that ORBEYE EX can be safe and effective in different types of epilepsy surgeries. The transition from OM to EX is fast, even though it is slower for the more challenging mesial temporal structure removal. Ergonomic and operative team interaction is improved by the use of EX. Our data need to be confirmed by larger studies.

Design management in ergonomics team leadership

Documentary research was used to gather and display the skills, approaches, and domains of expertise of the professionals working in Ergonomics field defined by their own professional associations. For such, one table of professional scopes and job descriptions in Ergonomics was assembled. The objective of this research was reached by using this table to correlate and to compare its elements to the characteristics of the designer and to the attributions of Design Management described in the literature review. Lastly, this comparison brought forth the analysis of how they fit in Ergonomics team leadership roles and the recognition of design managers as qualified and unique professionals for leading roles in Ergonomics multidisciplinary teams.

Non-Powered Hand Tool: Size Selection from an Anthropometric Ergonomic Point of View

Abstrac In order to improve production companies are laying out resources to minimize time and save the worker force in each workstation. It means the ergonomist specialist must choose the correct hand device according to each worker. The goal of this research is to set forth an instructions set for tool hand tools selection focused on anthropometrics of the workers in order to rise production using the adequate tool for the task. During the study, the anthropometrical data is processed and evaluated to obtain the dispersion population for each finger length and identified the main body size parameters for design tools. As a result, a methodical guide to help ergonomics team managers to make sure the correct and appropriate tool size selection to reduce the possibility of future illness for workers and the tailored ergonomic design of each workstation according to specific data for the worker.

The practice of ergonomics as a design discipline in the basic design of oil platforms.

Ergonomics is increasingly gaining ground in projects in the energy sector, as well as in the continuous process industry, although the discipline is still framing its space in this milieu. This issue emerges from the designers' lack of familiarity with ergonomics work, especially in engineering design projects, combined with the usual expectations of organizations regarding the participation of ergonomists and the deliverables they ought to develop throughout the project. This study aims to report the participation of a team of ergonomists in an oil platform basic design, discussing ergonomics structuring as an emerging design discipline. This qualitative study used participant observation as a methodology approach aligned with the theoretical framework of Activity Ergonomics (AE). The data collection occurred between October 2018 and June 2020 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The results show the challenges faced by the ergonomics team and strategies adopted in order to create technical specifications (TS), which will determine the work conditions in the future platforms. An evolution in relation to the practice of Ergonomics during this project can be pointed out, even though part of its scope of action remains to be better understood among the design team. Considering oil platform project contexts, this work highlights how ergonomics can help integrate the different rationalities that compose the design process.

REBA: an Ergonomics Assessment for Machine Operator of Porang (Amorphophallus Muelleri)

This Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) has been applied for assessing operator of porang cutting machine in agriculture/forestry. An ergonomic team, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering and business statisticians test the porang (amorphophallus muelleri) cutting machine and collect individually data more than 10 examples of postures to produce a new evaluation that combines dynamic and static posture loading factors, human load interfaces (couplings), and new limb concepts the assisted gravity. position. Initial reliability for inter-observer coding shows hope, but further work is needed to establish the trust for the machinery customer.

Alat Pencacah Ikan Mekanis Meningkatkan Produktivitas Perajin: Studi Kasus Desa Hajoran Tapanuli Tengah

ABSTRAK Sektor perikanan laut merupakan sumber mata pencaharian masyarakat di kawasan pesisir pantai. Desa Hajoran di Kabupaten Tapanuli Tengah merupakan daerah pesisir pantai dengan potensi besar di sektor perikanan khususnya perikanan laut. Nelayan Hajoran menggunakan susunan bambu berbentuk segi empat berukuran 10m x 10m yang ditancapkan di tengah perairan untuk menangkap ikan. Ikan hasil tangkapan sebagian dijual dalam kondisi segar sedangkan sebagian lainnya diasinkan. Ikan yang telah diasinkan hanya dijual bagian badannya sedangkan bagian kepala ikan asin akan dicacah menjadi lebih kecil oleh perajin. Proses pencacahan dilakukan menggunakan parang dengan postur kerja duduk membungkuk, lutut terlipat dan telapak kaki tertekuk. Perajin mengeluhkan sakit pada pergelangan tangan, bahu, pinggang, pantat dan lutut sehingga kesulitan untuk dapat segera berdiri setelah proses pencacahan selesai. Perajin cacahan ikan memberikan masukan dalam bentuk kuesioner SNQ untuk menganalisa keluhan mereka selama ini. Kegiatan tersebut membutuhkan waktu yang lama, kualitas cacahan ikan yang tidak seragam, kapasitas produksi yang rendah serta menimbulkan rasa sakit pada anggota tubuh. Kegiatan pengadian pada masyarakat ini bertujuan meningkatkan produktivitas perajin cacahan ikan. Upaya yang dilakukan adalah pendampingan oleh tim ergonomi, pemberian materi berupa ceramah, pelatihan penggunaan fasilitas kerja ergonomis dan penyempurnaan metode kerja sehingga dibutuhkan partisipasi aktif perajin. Pemanfaatan alat pencacah ikan mekanis merupakan solusi untuk meningkatkan produktivitas perajin cacahan ikan. Cacahan ikan yang dihasilkan akan memiliki kehalusan yang dapat diatur, kualitas yang terjaga, waktu yang singkat serta disain yang ergonomis. Perbaikan metode kerja yang dilakukan tim pengabdian menyebabkan perajin dapat bekerja lebih nyaman sehingga terjadi peningkatan produktivitas.

General Motors Global Ergonomic Manufacturing Engineering Process Appling consistent strategies and methodologies for success

General Motors (GM) ergonomics activity began over 30 years ago as a decentralized, ad-hoc effort in various plants and divisions. In the mid-80’s GM and The United Automobile Workers (UAW) Union participated in an ergonomics pilot project with the University of Michigan (resulting in several published articles). In 1990 UAW-GM- Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) entered into an agreement on Ergonomics. These were the catalyst for Ergonomics Program in General Motors. By the mid-2000’s GM recognized how critical it was to shift more attention to “designing in” ergonomic principles and guidelines early in the vehicle and powertrain development process. Today, our Global Manufacturing Engineering Ergonomics team (Program Ergonomists) consist of individuals around the globe that execute our ergonomics process across several functional groups, as a single voice to ensure: Vehicle and Powertrain Product Engineering (PE) teams implement ergonomic principles in the products we make, and Manufacturing Engineering (ME) teams implement ergonomic principles when launching new programs in the manufacturing plants. Our primary focus is to design out systemic product and manufacturing issues and prevent future ergonomics issues before the product goes into production. GM’s ergonomics process is based on proactive assessments using internal and external ergonomic tools, research, and guidelines.

Editor Notes: Issue 29.1

Editor Notes: Issue 29.1

Integrating Evaluation and Needs Assessment: A Case Study of an Ergonomics Program

This case study focuses on the relationship between evaluation and needs assessment and how both processes were integrated in one project. The project involved evaluating a 10-year-old ergonomics course. The course was one component of a broader organizational change initiative, aimed to reduce or eliminate on-the-job injuries. The success of the change initiative depended on applying knowledge from the course as well as other workplace variables, such as management commitment, plant communications, and the relationship between management and union labor. Robert Stake's (1967) countenance framework was modified to consider both instructional and performance issues in the research design. Data collection included observing the course, conducting focus groups with past course attendees who were ergonomic committee members, interviewing ergonomic teams in manufacturing plants, and reviewing course materials and other related documents. The findings illustrate the overlap between the needs assessment and evaluation processes. The discussion addresses how these labels can limit perception of the system of interest, the importance of adapting the research design to take advantage of naturally occurring organizational events, the value of integrating both needs assessment and evaluation perspectives, and the importance of differentiating evaluation and needs assessment recommendations.

A efetividade de metodologias de diagnóstico rápido em ergonomia em plataformas offshore: revisitando o conceito de modo degradado de funcionamento

Resumo Introdução: plataformas offshore enfrentam crescentes demandas de manutenção, com um quantitativo fixo de trabalhadores. Com o tempo, ocorre a degradação progressiva das instalações, sendo necessárias estratégias diferenciadas para recuperar a integridade operacional. Objetivo: apresentar como uma Metodologia de Diagnóstico Rápido (MDR) em ergonomia foi elaborada para avaliar um conjunto de plataformas e revisitar o conceito de Modo Degradado de Funcionamento, quanto a segurança e confiabilidade operacional. Método: a MDR foi construída em quatro etapas e aplicada em 12 plataformas. Para cada uma, foram retraçados os processos históricos de seu modo de operação atual. Resultados: esta MDR permitiu revelar princípios gerais para sistematizar situações que devem melhorar e compreender processos amplos, que levaram ao acúmulo de condições ergonomicamente inadequadas, e recuperar parte da experiência acumulada pelas equipes embarcadas. A chave foi a preparação para os embarques, baseada na experiência dos ergonomistas e dos trabalhadores onshore e offshore. Conclusão: diagnósticos rápidos podem contribuir para reverter processos crônicos de degradação ao revelarem a visão geral das condições de vida e trabalho a bordo, as trajetórias singulares das plataformas e a contribuição positiva dos trabalhadores, colocando em debate mudanças e ações necessárias à inflexão de um dado percurso.

From the ergonomic guidelines to the configuration of use in the offshore platforms design context

The possibility of using pre-defined ergonomic recommendations for projects offshore is related to several factors that encompass the hiring of a specialized ergonomic team to the design phase in which this team is involved in the context of the project. The main objective of this article is to test the usage and discuss the applicability of the Ergonomic Technical Recommendations (TRs), developed using the Ergonomic Work Analysis methodology. Although the TR files were considered overly long to read/become familiarised, the contextualization of the TRs through the configurations of use and the ergonomic study, or the specialists, were fundamental in leading the ergonomic directives to being considered and implemented.

Effect of Ergonomics Training on Agreement Between Expert and Nonexpert Ratings of the Potential for Musculoskeletal Harm in Manufacturing Tasks

To evaluate the effect of ergonomics training on non-ergonomists' ability to recognize and characterize the potential for musculoskeletal harm in manufacturing tasks. Ergonomics training was delivered to members of a participatory ergonomics team in a manufacturing facility. Before and after training, participatory ergonomics team members and the research team rated the potential for musculoskeletal harm for each of 30 tasks. Measures of agreement included Pearson, concordance, and intraclass correlation coefficients. Measures of agreement generally improved after training. The greatest agreement was observed for ratings of the potential for musculoskeletal harm to the low back. The greatest improvement in agreement was observed for ratings of the potential for musculoskeletal harm to the neck/shoulder. The training seemed to improve non-experts' ability to identify the potential for musculoskeletal harm.

Participatory ergonomics in emergency medicine — Implementation of changes after two statistical studies

IntroductionVarious authors studied the workload in emergency departments and the link with care safety, patients and professional satisfaction. We led a participative ergonomic work team to use these knowledge to build a new and more successful organization.MethodIn an emergency department of a teaching hospital, a research-action model based on the ergonomics analysis of the real work studied the role of space on the job and proposed systematic improvements.ResultsReports were discussed and proposals were reflected by the group and the experts. Team work with doctors, nurses and nurse’s aides was proposed as well as time of multidisciplinary sectorized transmissions between successive teams and during day. The closeness between areas was defined as well to improve the teamwork quality and facilitate links with families. The creation of adequate spaces was studied. The collected data also helped to reorganize the supply, the furniture, the equipment and the software to reduce preparation time and increase time spent with patients.DiscussionThis work showed the interest to think globally, and after a real analysis of needs, allowed well-balanced and favourable improvements for all.

Establishing a physical therapist-driven model of safe patient handling and movement programs in a general hospital

Healthcare workers are at great risk for musculoskeletal injuries related to ergonomic risk work factors. Patient handling tasks such as transfers and bed positioning pose the highest risk. This report describes the implementation of a physical therapist-driven model of ergonomic intervention in a general hospital in Israel. A group of senior physical therapists undertook the lead role in implementing an ergonomics program on four hospital wards. After participating in an extensive ergonomics training program, the therapists were guided through the process of risk analysis and program formation tailored to four pilot wards. Four interdisciplinary ergonomic teams were established. The teams will define their ongoing role in coordinating and implementing ergonomics activities in the future. Short-term outcomes include the advancement of ergonomics knowledge and awareness among therapy and nursing staffs, and recognition of therapists' role in healthcare ergonomics, as well as the establishment of four interdisciplinary ergonomics teams. The long-term outcome will be the maintenance of team activities over time, including repeated surveys of staff attitudes and practices, which have been positively correlated with reductions in musculoskeletal injury rates. This model of intensive involvement of therapists within multidisciplinary ergonomics programs may serve as a protocol for further projects in healthcare settings.

What makes age diverse teams effective? Results from a six-year research program

Based on a new model of productivity in age diverse tams, findings from a six-year research program are reported in which data from more than 745 natural teams with 8,848 employees in three different fields (car production, administrative work, financial services) were collected. Moreover, central assumptions of this model were tested with a representative survey of the German workforce (N = 2,000). Results support both significant advantages and disadvantages for age-mixed teams. Based on the findings, the following preconditions for the effectiveness of age diverse teams are identified: high task complexity, low salience and high appreciation of age diversity, a positive team climate, low age-discrimination, ergonomic design of work places, and the use of age differentiated leadership. Based on these insights, we developed a new training for supervisors, which addresses the aforementioned aspects and seeks to improve team performance and health of team members. It was found that the training reduces age stereotypes, team conflicts and enhances innovation. Thus, we can conclude that effective interventions for a successful integration of elderly employees in work groups are available and that combinations of measures that address ergonomic design issues, team composition and leadership are to be strongly recommended for practice.

Macroergomonics’ contribution to the effectiveness of collaborative supply chains

This article presents a conceptual model that combines Macroergonomics and Supply chain. The authors combine their expertise on these individual topics, building on their previous research. The argument of the paper is that human factors are key to achieve effective supplier-customer collaboration. A conceptual model is presented, its elements and their interactions are explained. The Content-Context-Process is applied as a departing point to this model. Macroergonomics aspects considered are: a systemic approach, participatory ergonomics, formation of ergonomics teams and evaluation of ergonomics projects. The expected outcomes are: (a) improvement of production and productivity levels, (b) improvement of the product quality, (c) Reduction of absenteeism, (d) Improvement in the quality of work life (from the employees' perspective), and (e) increase in the employees' contribution rate of ideas for improvement. A case study was carried out at a vitroplant production organisation incorporating environmental aspects to obtain sustainable benefits.

The application of the ISO 11064 for deep water platform control centre design: benefits and limitations

This paper describes an ergonomic intervention in the design of the control centre of two floating production storage vessels. It also discusses the application of ISO 11064 standard used throughout this intervention. The results show that the specifications suggested by the ergonomics team proposed a new concept for the control centre for the company's offshore production units and that, in the face of the complexity of the project, the standard was essential regarding several vital methodological principles including: the need to conduct situational analyses and work simulations, the participation of users, among others. It can be concluded that, although the standard focuses primarily on the design of non-mobile control centres, some of its principles are applicable to mobile systems such as oil drilling platforms. The standard can also function as an important instrument of social mediation in the relations between the companies involved in the project.

Contextual factors affecting task distribution in two participatory ergonomic interventions: a qualitative study

This article provides an analysis of the evolution of the division of labour in participatory ergonomics (PE) programmes in two worksites. The analysis is based on interviews and field observations in the worksites. In both settings there was meaningful participation by both worker and management members of ergonomic change teams (ECTs) in the hazard assessment and solution identification stages, but as the teams moved to the implementation stage, worker representatives were marginalised and the participatory nature of the programmes was severely curtailed. The removal of workers from the process was the outcome of the interplay among the type of activities pursued in the implementation stage, the skills and knowledge required to carry out those activities, and workers’ limited influence in the organisational hierarchies. Findings highlight the salience of the social context in which participatory programmes are located and the importance of examining participatory programmes as they evolve over time. Statement of Relevance: This article contributes to a growing literature on the process and implementation of PE programmes. The article's focus on social and organisational factors that affect the division of labour and attention to the evolution of involvement over time extend current understandings of participation in ergonomics programmes.

Process and implementation of participatory ergonomic interventions: a systematic review

Participatory ergonomic (PE) interventions may vary in implementation. A systematic review was done to determine the evidence regarding context, barriers and facilitators to the implementation of participatory ergonomic interventions in workplaces. In total, 17 electronic databases were searched. Data on PE process and implementation were extracted from documents meeting content and quality criteria and synthesised. The search yielded 2151 references. Of these, 190 documents were relevant and 52 met content and quality criteria. Different ergonomic teams were described in the documents as were the type, duration and content of ergonomic training. PE interventions tended to focus on physical and work process changes and report positive impacts. Resources, programme support, ergonomic training, organisational training and communication were the most often noted facilitators or barriers. Successful PE interventions require the right people to be involved, appropriate ergonomic training and clear responsibilities. Addressing key facilitators and barriers such as programme support, resources, and communication is paramount. Statement of Relevance: A recent systematic review has suggested that PE has some effect on reducing symptoms, lost days of work and claims. Systematic reviews of effectiveness provide practitioners with the desire to implement but do not provide clear information about how. This article reviews the literature on process and implementation of PE.