We are now in the busiest sales period of the year for order fulfillment centers. For many companies the end of the year peak can be 3x or more the average. Even in the most efficient and mechanized distribution centers, there are still lots of manual tasks to be performed and companies typically double or triple their workforce for the last 100 days or so of the year. That adds up to a lot of temporary “hands-on-deck” and an increased risk for work related injuries.

Various studies have shown that the main risk factors (or conditions) associated with the development of injuries in manual material handling tasks include the following:

• Awkward postures - bending, twisting

• Repetitive motions - frequent reaching, lifting, carrying

• Forceful exertions - carrying or lifting heavy loads

• Pressure points - grasping (or contact from) loads, leaning against parts or surfaces that are hard or have sharp edges

• Static postures - maintaining fixed positions for a long period of time

Holste Says: It is in the best interest of the both the company and the worker to pay close attention to DC environmental and ergonomic issues for safety reasons. What Do You Say? Click Here to Send Us Your Comments Click Here to See Reader Feedback

Repeated or continual exposure to one or more of the above factors initially may lead to fatigue and discomfort. However, over time injury to the back, shoulders, hands, wrists, or other parts of the body may occur. MSD (muscular skeletal disorder) injuries include damage to muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves and blood vessels. In addition, poor environmental conditions such as extreme heat, cold, noise, and poor lighting, typical to many DCs, may increase workers’ chances of developing other types of problems.

The amount of training that companies can provide for temporary workers is limited. Yet, it is in the best interest of the both the company and the worker to pay close attention to DC environmental and ergonomic issues for safety reasons. While accidents will happen – nobody should go home from the job with chronic pain and/or injury.

Types of Ergonomic Improvements

In general, there are (2) types of ergonomic improvements that can be made to “improve the fit” between the demands of work tasks and the workers’ capabilities to perform them:

Operational Improvements – These include rearranging, modifying, redesigning, providing or replacing tools, equipment, workstations, packaging, parts, processes, or systems. The Materials Handling Industry of America www.mhia.org and the Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association www.mheda.org are comprised of many diverse and specialized manufacturers and engineering firms offering a large variety of solutions.

Industrial Engineering Improvements – Here the focus is on observing how different workers perform the same task to get ideas for improving work practices or organizing the work, such as:

• Alternate heavy tasks with light tasks

• Provide variety in jobs to eliminate or reduce repetition (overuse of the same muscle groups)

• Adjust work schedules, work pace, or work practices

• Provide recovery time (multiple short rest breaks)

• Modify work practices so that workers perform work within their power zone (above the knees, below the shoulders, and close to the body) and provide training on these techniques.

• Rotate workers through jobs that use different muscles, body parts, or postures.

• Why are workplace injuries occurring?

• Which tasks are most likely to cause injuries?

• What to do about problem jobs once you find them?

• How to reduce workers' exposure to injuries?

One of the best ways to answer these questions is to be proactive in your problem solving. This simply means finding the problem first by looking thoroughly around the DC rather than waiting for problems to occur. Then improve the fit between the work and the worker by putting the appropriate changes into place. And be sure to do at least the following:

Final Thoughts

Even in the worst of economic times, eliminating high risk manual handling operations makes perfect sense. Making tasks less physically demanding and more efficient is the first step to higher productivity and lower operating cost.