Ergonomics and the UC Berkeley Campus

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Ergonomics and the UC Berkeley Campus

• Mallory Lynch, MA, CEA
• Ergonomics Specialist
• April 26, 2006

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What is Ergonomics?

• It is the science of fitting the job, tool or
  task to the individual
• Risk Factors
• Repetition
• Awkward Posture
• Force
• Vibration
• Contact Stress

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Ergonomics

• The majority of the ergonomics injuries on our
  campus are related to working on the computer
  however, the departments with the highest injury
  rates have job tasks that are non-computer
  related.
• The Ergonomics Task Force is an interdisciplinary
  group with members from Capital Projects
  (Architects), Disability Management Services,
  Environmental Health and Safety, Ergonomics_at_Work,
  Human Resources, Occupational Medicine, Physical
  Therapy and Procurement and Business Contracts.
  They work together to develop strategies to help
  with ergonomic challenges on the campus.
• They use different ergonomics tools to understand
  the problems and develop solutions.

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Ergonomics Tools

• Tools
• Americans with Disabilities Act
• Anthropometric Data
• Architectural Graphic Design Guide
• Ergonomics Job Analysis
• Focus Groups
• Mock ups
• Personal Interviews
• Pilot Programs
• Questionnaires
• Video taping

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Job Hazard Analysis Tools

• Snook Push/Pull/Lift/Lower/Carry Hazard Tables
• Washington State Checklist
• Rapid Upper Limb Assessment - RULA
• Rapid Entire Body Assessment - REBA
• Job Strain Index
• National Institute of Safety and Health -NIOSH
  Lifting Guide (Manual Material Handling)
• American Conference of Governmental Industrial
  Hygienists Hand Activity Level and Threshold
  Limit Values ACGIH HAL-TLV

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Case 1 Physical Plant

• Injury data showed high rate of ergonomic
  injuries for custodians, including low back,
  neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand
• Job tasks were specific to trash and recycle
  functions
• These tasks included collecting trash and recycle
  separately and also throwing filled plastic bags
  into outside garbage bins
• Met with department management for review of data
• Personal interviews with supervisors and staff
  and job task analysis of specific trash and
  recycle tasks
• Developed recommendations
• Pilot program for feasibility of interventions

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Trash and Recycle Containers

• Pulling one container and pushing another
  container are unsafe. This contributes to using
  awkward postures with the arms and back.
• Tying two containers together and pulling them is
  unsafe because it places stress on the shoulder
  and back. In addition, the containers take more
  effort to maneuver.

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A New Option for Staff

• Psychophysical data from interviews
• RULA tool adjusts for awkward shoulder positions
• Snook tables, 1991 push versus pulling
• Product identified and department provided
  samples for staff to test
• The Rubbermaid Tandem Brute Dolly is a safer
  alternative because it offers a way to push both
  containers. In addition, the dolly takes less
  effort to maneuver in narrow spaces and on uneven
  terrain.

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Placing Filled Bags into Outside Garbage Bins

• Trash and recycle collected and placed in larger
  trash bags to be emptied into the outside
  dumpsters
• Staff transport filled bags down the stairs or in
  the Brute Dollies
• Outside dumpsters are 48 inches tall and cannot
  be modified because the campus uses rear loading
  trucks to collect and dump the dumpsters.
• Majority of staff reach above shoulder height to
  place bags into the bins
• Weight of bags vary 15-50 pounds

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Challenges with Existing Design

• Staff need to grasp the bag near the top to
  properly throw bag to reduce being cut
  consequently, the existing design requires the
  majority of the staff to frequently raise the
  bags above shoulder height when placing them into
  the dumpsters. (Anthropometric data).
• Department has job lifting requirement of 50
  pounds, which is too much for this job task
  (Snook Tables 1991)

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Establishing Better Standards

• Set up standards for staff to tie off bags at
  weight limits that felt comfortable for them but
  not to exceed 25 pounds (Snook Tables 1991)
• Provided training for staff to practice new
  techniques and understand weight limit (handouts
  in 5 languages)

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Campus Departments Working Together as a Team

• TRASH ENCLOSURE
• DESIGN CRITERIA
• 6/2003
• Ergonomic Design For People Eastman Kodak 1986
• Snook Pull Table, 1991

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Design for the Smallest Population Percentile
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Design for the Smallest Population Percentile

• Access to the top of outside garbage can should
  not exceed 36 inches.
• The previous design showed a 24 inch concrete
  ramp around the back of the garbage bins to raise
  the worker up higher.

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Physical Plant

• Questions or comments regarding Case 1

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Case 2 Reception Counters at University Health
Services

• Reception counters built using architectural
  graphic standards.
• Transaction counter (24 in. L x 12 in. D x 42 in.
  H)
• Cookson fire doors close at night
• ADA accessibility

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Reception Counters

• Built in counters for staff (90 in. L x 24 in. D
  x 30 in. H)
• Reaching up and forward to client
• Numerous injuries to neck and shoulder
• With a remodel
• what tools would you use to help understand the
  risk factors?
• how would you decrease the reach and provide for
  more adjustability?

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Tools

• American with Disabilities Act
• Anthropometric Data
• Architectural Graphic Design Guide
• Ergonomics Job Analysis
• Washington State Checklist
• Focus Groups
• Mock ups
• Personal Interviews
• Working with table manufacturers

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Adjustable workstations

• Take out the built-in counter
• Provide two height adjustable tables having a
  shallower depth
• Place the computers in the corner area to provide
  more desk space around the employee.

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Modified the Transaction Counter

• Change the transaction counter to position the
  client closer to the employee.
• Relocate the ADA table and change the sign in
  practice to make it a universal design.

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Reduced the Reach

• Change the transaction counter to position the
  client closer to the employee.

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Mock Up To Give Visual Representation

• Creates staff buy-in
• Identifies potential improvements to proposed
  design
• Finished product

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Reception Counter

• Questions or comments regarding Case 2

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Case 3 Campus Dining

• New dining facility opened in 1/2003
• Serve between 900-1307 lunches and 1500-2500
  dinners/day
• 9 ergonomic injuries have occurred in the dish
  room since the opening
• Met with managers, supervisors and staff to
  better understand the different tasks

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Dish room

• 5 tier tray conveyor
• 3 stations to break down trays
• Trough at station 1 is 12 inches wide
• Trough at station 2 is 24 inches wide
• Trough at station 3 is 24 inches wide
• 2 trays can fit in each tiered compartment
• Dish machine runs parallel to tray conveyor

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Tray Conveyor

• Key issues identified in the area included
• Excessive reaching to grab trays and items on the
  trayveyor
• Frequent lifting and carrying filled racks
• Staff shortages
• Limited area to stage the dirty dishes

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Quick Fix Recommendations

• Unbolt the top tray on the conveyor to eliminate
  reaching above shoulder height
• Block part of the next section so only one tray
  can fit in the area.
• Consider going back to using larger trays so only
  one can fit on each level
• Position shorter staff at stations with least
  amount of reach to conveyor
• Provide more staff

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Silverware

• 4 out of the 9 ergonomic injuries happened while
  lifting and carrying heavy racks of silverware
  and from repetitive handling of the silverware.
• The silverware goes through the machine 3 times.
  Staff sort the clean silverware after the first
  time through and put like utensils in containers.
  These containers are placed in racks.

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Quick Fix Recommendations

• Staff should reduce the amount of dirty
  silverware they place in the full rack or
• Provide half size silverware racks
• Weight should not exceed 10 pounds to make it
  easier for the staff to transport

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More Quick Fixes

• Reduce the weight by only placing eight filled
  utensil containers in the rack that has 16 slots.
• Place several empty racks on the cart to raise
  the overall working height of sorting utensils.
• Use a small cart to transport the racks to and
  from the dish machine.

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Long Term Recommendations

• Design of dish room is too small for volume of
  meals
• Dish room needs to be remodeled
• Hire a dish room consultant
• Get input from dish room staff
• Provide ergonomic input throughout all phases of
  the remodel
• Study University of Iowa design
• 2 single level tray conveyors and six separate
  stations to break the trays down.
• Ample storage and areas to stage dirty dishes

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Campus Dining

• Questions or comments regarding Case 3

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How do we make sure the design is functional for
the application?

• Engineers, architects, designers, ergonomists,
  managers, supervisors and employees should be
  involved from the beginning.
• Hold focus groups to best understand any issues
  the departments are having with their existing
  design.
• Work simulation and workstation/equipment
  guidelines
• Develop functional design guidelines that work
  for the different applications
• Universal design
• Equitable use
• Flexibility in use
• Simple and intuitive use
• Low physical effort
• Perceptible information
• Tolerance for error