A Future Framework of Knowledge-Based Ergonomics Assessment System at Workplace in Automotive Assembly Plant

There are several parameters must be correctly evaluated to guarantee a good level of interaction between worker and working system, in order to avoid safety and health problems. The lack of attention to occupational ergonomics issues may to potential ergonomics risk for which decision makers are ignore when develop new product and process. This paper proposed a novel framework to facilitate the ergonomics knowledge management for occupational risk assessment. It serves two objectives, the first objective is to aid the decision makers predicting ergonomics risk element at early stage of development product and process. The second objective is to develop knowledge-based ergonomics assessment system (KBEAS) in automotive assembly plant. The respondents of the study are about 250 and consist of assembly workers ranging from operator to executive level in automotive component assembly plant. The activities of direct observation, activity analysis, photography, video, survey questionnaire and interviews, are employed to measure the occupational ergonomics risk factors. The outcome of these activities will be used as an input for analytical hierarchy process (AHP) technique to prioritize the occupational ergonomics risk ate workplace. The outcome of this framework could ease decision makers in assessing and prioritizing the ergonomics risk at the early stage of product and process in automotive component manufacturer

Investigation on musculoskeletal discomfort and ergonomics risk factors among production team members at an automotive component assembly plant

Musculoskeletal discomfort (MSD) is a very common condition in the automotive industry. MSD affects the worker’s health, well-being and decreases productivity. The main objective of this study is to identify the prevalence of MSD and ergonomics risk factors among production team members at a selected automotive component manufacturer in Malaysia. MSD data were collected by conducting structured interviews based on the Cornell Musculoskeletal Disorder Questionnaire (CMDQ). The production team members who achieved a total discomfort score for all body regions of more than 100 were selected for job task assessment. The physical exposure risk factors of work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) were evaluated by using Quick Exposure Check (QEC) techniques. The results of the study identified severe MSD associated with production assembly team members. It is expected that the prevalence of MSD for these production assembly team members concerned lower back (75.4%), upper back (63.2%), right shoulder (61.4%), and right wrist (60%). The QEC analysis discovered that about 70% of job tasks had very high risks for neck posture and 60% had high risks for the back (in moving condition) and shoulder/arm postures. 80% of respondents produced a high score for exposure risk to vibration. As a conclusion, the main implication of the current study is that special attention should be paid to the physical and psychosocial aspects in production team members with musculoskeletal discomfort to improve their safety, health, and well being, maintain work ability and productivity

Assessing exposure to physical risk factors for work-related musculoskeletal disorders and relevant psychosocial factors among assembly workers in an automotive component assembly plant

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are a common health problem throughout the manufacturing industry. Determination of musculoskeletal disorders and its relevant factors are one the most leading basis for ergonomics intervention programs in the automotive industry. This study was aimed to identify the ergonomics physical and psychosocial risk factors in automotive component assembly plant workers. In total ten workers with different job tasks were observed using Quick Exposure Check (QEC) which is an observational instrument, which allows practitioners and workers to assess four key regions of the body. It was found that automotive assembly component assembly plant workers were exposed to many postural problems while performing automotive component assembly task activities. Results of the QEC scores were found to be very high for the worker’s neck, whereas the scores for the worker’s back (in moving) and worker’s shoulder/arm were found to be high. The workers in spot gun welding process in two workstations including panel member rear cross No.1 spot gun welding assembly process (Line 2) as well as workers at the panel roof side inner spot gun welding assembly process suffered from very high levels of WMSDs at all worker’s main body regions except wrist/hand. Meanwhile, the vibration exposure level is high in most of the workstations. In addition, a very high exposure level for stress has been found in the panel member rear cross No.1 spot gun welding assembly process (Line 2) workstation. Musculoskeletal disorders had a high prevalence among workers in this automotive component assembly plant. The physical and psychosocial risk factors were required to be identified and controlled so that the WMSD’s symptoms can be minimized. The results of this study will be applied to a knowledge-based ergonomics risk assessment system development for assembly plant workers in an automotive component manufacturer

G3-4 musculoskeletal discomforts among assembly team members performing assembly welding task

Work in the automotive assembly plant is physically strenuous and assembly team members are particularly at risk for developing symptoms of musculoskeletal discomforts (MSDs) compared to other sectors. The main aim of this study was to determine the prevalence rate of musculoskeletal discomforts based on the frequency, severity and performance interference among production assembly team members in an automotive component assembly plant. A cross-sectional study was carried out among the production assembly team members who performed manual assembly welding task. The Cornell Musculoskeletal Disorders Questionnaire (CMDQ) data sheets were used in interview with the assembly team members to obtain the prevalence of MSDs. The prevalence of pain in the upper back, lower back, right shoulder and right wrist have been reported to be higher in comparison with pain in other parts of the body. The current study identified the severe musculoskeletal discomfort allies with production assembly line. Assembly team member's lines 4 were reported high mean frequency discomfort, severely discomfort and interfered assembling task performance. It has been discovered; nonetheless, that assembly team member's assembling task performance has interfered with lower back pain. MSD's survey appeared to be very helpful to screen the production assembly team member's health,well-being and performance. The results are also useful for assessing the ergonomics risks factors in the future study