Ergonomic Analysis of Unloading Units in a Window and Door Consolidation Center

Abstract

The topic of this paper was an ergonomic analysis of unloading window units within Company XYZ, a window and door consolidation center. The purpose of the study was to analyze the employee MSD injury and/or illness loss data and ergonomically assess the workers’ manual material handling practices within Company XYZ’s Loose Unloading Department. Thus, the goals of the study included analyzing employee discomfort data, analyzing past losses that have occurred within the Loose Unloading Department, and performing an ergonomic analysis of workstations within the Loose Unloading Department. To attain the goals of the study, an ergonomic assessment of the loose unloading department was conducted. The tools utilized to conduct the ergonomic assessment included the Liberty Mutual Snook Tables, the Great American Insurance Company Ergonomic Task Analysis Worksheet, a goniometer, a force gauge, a video recording device, and Kodak’s Ergonomic Design for People at Work Anthropometric data. The data identified that the combined issues occurring from force, posture, reach, and lifting and materialhandling may be contributing to MSD injuries and illnesses within the Loose Unloading Department. Therefore, the implementation of engineering, personal protective equipment, and administrative process changes were recommended to mitigate potential MSD injuries and/or illnesses from occurring.