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Tray 1-A: NIOSH Investigations of WMSDs in Work Settings |
SIC Codes: 3612 3621 3631 3699
| Standard industrial classification (SIC) |
3612 Manufacturing (Electric distribution equipment) |
| Work setting and tasks |
Manufacture of high voltage and instrument transformers. Winding, wrapping, taping, and paper pulling operations were tasks under study. |
| Work-related musculoskeletal problems found |
Upper extremities (hand/wrist, shoulder, neck), low back and hip. |
| Ergonomic risk factors found |
Awkward postures causing extreme bending and reaching, static standing, and forceful pulling actions. |
| Recommendations |
Provide more height adjustable features to equipment and adjustable fixtures to relieve postural stresses. Reconfigure work areas to ease materials access and handling tasks. Design job rotation and rest break schedules to relieve most fatiguing work tasks. Educate workers in early signs of WMSDs. |
| HETA/NTIS reference no. |
HETA 93–0233–2498 NTIS order no. PB–95–269–973 |
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| Standard industrial classification (SIC) |
3621 Manufacturing (Electrical industrial) |
| Work setting and tasks |
The tasks include hammering, crimping, wrapping, winding, soldering, painting, and various assembly operations at an electric motor and generator plant. |
| Work-related musculoskeletal problems found |
Upper limb and neck |
| Ergonomic risk factors found |
Repetitive and forceful exertions, awkward postures, contact stress |
| Recommendations |
Engineering controls were suggested such as a raised standing surface, a modified mallet handle, and low-force clamps. Job rotation and training programs were suggested as administrative controls. Early reporting of symptoms was recommended. |
| HETA/NTIS reference no. |
HETA 81–369– 1591 and HETA 81–466–1591 NTIS order no. PB–86 –133–758 |
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| Standard industrial classification (SIC) |
3631 Manufacturing (Household appliances) |
| Work setting and tasks |
Producing microwave ovens. Jobs of grinding and mounting parts, wiring, leakage testing along a moving assembly line |
| Work-related musculoskeletal problems found |
Hand/wrist and shoulder tendinitis, epicondylitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome. |
| Ergonomic risk factors found |
Repetitive, forceful work (cycle time of 20 seconds), awkward postures, pinch grips, static muscle loading in use of handtools, time pressures, hand/arm vibration, and lifting. |
| Recommendations |
Engineering controls proposed for reducing forces were to use low insertion terminals, screws needing less push force in mounting, and tools with nonmetal handles, sized to minimize overgripping. Also recommended were adjustments to conveyor height and realignments in work flow to ease lifting. Administrative measures offered to slow down the line and adopt more job rotation and work changes that can broaden worker skills. Ergonomics training of all workers suggested as first step in meeting needs. |
| HETA/NTIS reference no. |
HETA 94–0214–2508 NTIS order no. PB–95–270–013 |
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| Standard industrial classification (SIC) |
3699 Manufacturing (Electrical equipment) |
| Work setting and tasks |
Manufacturer of garage door openers, antenna rotors, and motorized remote control switches. The many tasks included various hand-intensive assembly jobs, press operations, and use of pneumatic handtools. |
| Work-related musculoskeletal problems found |
Upper limb and neck |
| Ergonomic risk factors found |
Repetitive, static, and forceful exertions, awkward postures, paced work |
| Recommendations |
Numerous specific engineering controls were recommended to reduce manual handling of parts and ways to adapt foot pedals to assembly equipment. |
| HETA/NTIS reference no. |
HETA 85–480–1771 NTIS order no. PB–87–205–951 |
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