18 research outputs found
The effect of two alternative arm supports on shoulder and upper back muscle loading during pipetting
Smaller loads reduce risk of back injuries during wine grape harvest
Hand-harvest work in wine grape vineyards is physically demanding and exposes workers
to a variety of ergonomics risk factors. Analysis of these exposures together with
data on reported work-related injuries points to the risk of back injury as a prevention
priority, in particular the lifting and carrying of tubs of cut grapes (weighing up
to 80 pounds) during harvest. Our study evaluated the effectiveness of an intervention
— the use of a smaller picking tub — on the incidence of musculoskeletal symptoms
among workers during two harvest seasons. Reducing the weight of the picking tub by
about one-fifth to below 50 pounds resulted in a five-fold reduction in workers' postseason
musculoskeletal symptom scores, without significant reductions in productivity
Overcoming Production Disruption When Adopting New Technologies: Application of Macroergonomics and Safety Culture:
Organizations are constantly responding to new technologies that require an appropriate response
to remain competitive. Depending on the nature of the technologic changes, incremental changes
may be adequate. However, at some point, the technical demands may be disruptive because the
organization is unable to respond adequately. In this case study of a biotechnology production
facility, rapidly changing customer and technological demands created a crisis manifested in
rising employee injuries and production interruptions. The crisis was ultimately addressed
through a comprehensive redesign of human-system relationships. Key ingredients included: a
management willing to examine the entire production system, a multidisciplinary team
coordinating efforts towards a common goal, engagement of staff at all levels of the
organization, and the creation of feedback channels to better guide the actions of supervisors and
managers. The methods used in this successful case study, involving a macroergonomics
approach, can be applied to any private or public enterprise