Wrapping machines Strain on the lower back when Design the spindle to be adjustable. on process lines handling heavy rolls of plastic This allows the rolls to be loaded at wrapping in awkward and twisted a suitable height and orientation, and postures, often above shoulder eliminates the need to lift them. height. This is caused by Design equipment to help worker inappropriate design and load rolls. positioning of the roll spindle and by Locate the spindle in an accessible restricted access. place on the plant. Provide information about how to install the plant in a way that allows adequate access. Power drills Prolonged use of the forearm Design drills to be as light as muscles and wrist caused by a possible. heavy or poorly balanced drill. Design drills with the handle under Exposure to vibration or impact the drill’s centre of gravity. recoil from hammer drills. Design to reduce shock and Excessive force needed to grip and vibration. control the tool to counter the effect Provide a suitable way of holding the of vibration and impact shocks. tool with both hands. Pliers Pressure to the palm of the hand Design pliers with handles that caused by handles that are too extend beyond the palm. short. Design pliers with bent handles so Prolonged use of the forearm that the user can maintain a straight muscles and compression of the wrist. wrist caused by using pliers with straight handles. Crimping, clamping Excessive force with outstretched Design handles with a grip span of and cutting fingers required to grip handles that 10 cm or less. are too wide apart. Chainsaws Excessive vibration. Design to reduce vibration. High force required to handle the Design the chainsaw to be as light chainsaw. as possible, and provide well-placed handles. Chairs Poorly designed chairs that cannot Follow existing design guidelines for be adjusted provide little back chairs, and consider how the will support and cause workers to adopt be used in the workplace. poor postures and movements. Work-benches, Workstations that cannot be Design workstations to be workstations and adjusted result in unnecessary adjustable. other work surfaces reaching, bending and exertion of Alternatively, dimensions should suit force. as many workers as possible.
Wrapping machines on process lines Strain on the lower back when handling heavy rolls of plastic wrapping in awkward and twisted postures, often above shoulder height. This is caused by inappropriate design and positioning of the roll spindle and by restricted access. Design the spindle to be adjustable. This allows the rolls to be loaded at a suitable height and orientation, and eliminates the need to lift them. Design equipment to help worker load rolls. Locate the spindle in an accessible place on the plant. Provide information about how to install the plant in a way that allows adequate access. Power drills Prolonged use of the forearm muscles and wrist caused by a heavy or poorly balanced drill. Exposure to vibration or impact recoil from hammer drills. Excessive force needed to grip and control the tool to counter the effect of vibration and impact shocks. Design drills to be as light as possible. Design drills with the handle under the drill’s centre of gravity. Design to reduce shock and vibration. Provide a suitable way of holding the tool with both hands. Pliers Pressure to the palm of the hand caused by handles that are too short. Prolonged use of the forearm muscles and compression of the wrist caused by using pliers with straight handles. Design pliers with handles that extend beyond the palm. Design pliers with bent handles so that the user can maintain a straight wrist. Crimping, clamping and cutting Excessive force with outstretched fingers required to grip handles that are too wide apart. Design handles with a grip span of 10 cm or less. Chainsaws Excessive vibration. High force required to handle the chainsaw. Design to reduce vibration. Design the chainsaw to be as light as possible, and provide well-placed handles. Chairs Poorly designed chairs that cannot be adjusted provide little back support and cause workers to adopt poor postures and movements. Follow existing design guidelines for chairs, and consider how the will be used in the workplace. Work-benches, workstations and other work surfaces Workstations that cannot be adjusted result in unnecessary reaching, bending and exertion of force. Design workstations to be adjustable. Alternatively, dimensions should suit as many workers as possible.