ERGONOMICS OF MANUAL MATERIALS HANDLING - Environmentally Conscious Materials Handling - page 58

require that both types of devices be employed. When selecting devices, remem-
ber that that the best devices have simple kinematics and low movement mass.
They will also have control systems that are easy to operate and are compatible
with human expectations. Finally, operators are likely to take longer to do a
task when using a manual materials handling assist device and appropriate work
methods changes to accommodate this are needed for successful adoption.

4 IMPLICATIONS OF USING AN ERGONOMIC APPROACH

The use of the NIOSH guidelines to evaluate your workplace, followed by
mechanical assists to improve the work environment, is an example of the power
of an ergonomic approach. Ergonomics , the science of designing a job by con-
sidering the characteristics and limits of people, allows individuals to maximize
their productivity and minimize their exposure to harmful stressors, helping to
improve both process and product design. Proper use of ergonomics has a pos-
itive effect on many business costs and, so, the financial bottom line. But what
are the benefits? What are the different options available to the manager?

4.1 Value of Ergonomics

Worker musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) continue to plague manual material
handing (MMH) jobs. In 2002, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported
over 58,000 cases of repetitive motion injuries and, in 2004, over 208,000 cases
that involved overexertion injuries because of heavy lifting (Tahmincioglu 2004).
Ergonomics can play a significant role in reducing these numbers.
What benefits can be realized by using an ergonomic approach in the
workplace? Hendrick (2003) categorized ergonomic benefits into three areas:
worker-related benefits (such as reduced accidents and injuries, and reduced
skill requirements), productivity benefits (such as increased output per worker
and reduced errors), and materials and equipment benefits (such as reduced
maintenance, scrap, and equipment damage). Management can easily track all
of these benefits to show improvement.
One of the principles of ergonomics is that every ergonomic improvement
should also result in a productivity improvement. Conway and Svenson (2001)
examined the relationship between MSD and workplace productivity. They con-
cluded that lower MSD rates were significantly correlated with higher produc-
tivity increases, and noted that industries having high MSD rates had lower
productivity gains. Their study showed that some industries and workplaces
are much more likely to be beset by MSD injuries, and in need of innovative
ergonomic solutions, than others.
The value of using an ergonomic approach to attack problems in the workplace
can be illustrated by the NIOSH guide, an ergonomic tool that is both diagnostic
and prescriptive. That is, it may be used to find a problem as well as find a