business advantages of ergonomics in industry

156 Pages·2015·51.54 MB·English

BUSINESS ADVANTAGES
OF
ERGONOMICS IN INDUSTRY
Proefschrift
ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor
aan deTechnisclie Universiteit Delft,
op gezag van de Rector Magnificus prof ir. K.C.A.M. Luyben,
voorzitter van het College voor Promoties,
in het openbaar te verdedigen op
maandag 23 juni om 12:30 uur
door Nancy Lee LARSON
Master of Science in Industrial Engineering, North Carolina State University
Geboren te Willmar, Minnesota, The United States of America
Dit proefschrift is goedgekeurd door de promotoren:
Prof.dr. P. Vink
Prof. dr. M.S. Hallbeck
Samenstelling promotiecommissie:
Rector Magnificus, Voorzitter
Prof.dr. P. Vink, Technische Universiteit Delft, promotor
Prof.dr. M.S. Hallbeck, Mayo Clinic Rochester, promotor
Prof.dr. S.H. Dhondt, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Professor dr.ir. J.M.P. Geraedts, Technische Universiteit Delft
Prof.dr. M.P. de Looze, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam
Prof.dr. K.J. Zink, Technische Universitat Kaiserslautern
Dr. M.M. Robertson, Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety,
USA
Prof.mr.dr.ir. S.C. Santema, Technische Universiteit Delft, reservelid
ii
iii
ISBN: 978-94-6259-224-7
iv
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements v
List of Abbreviations vii
Chapter 1: Introduction 1
Chapter 2, Part 1: An Office Ergonomics Case Study 27
Chapter 2, Part 2: Pilot Study to Assess Strategies to Reduce Work-Related
MSDs Associated with Computer Work 35
Chapter 3: iVlacroergonomics in Corporations:
30 Years of Ergonomics at 3M: A Case Study 45
Chapter 4: Industrial Ergonomics: The impact of a macroergonomics program
with a well-defined performance goal in reducing work-related
musculoskeletal disorders 59
Chapter 5: Corporate Ergonomics Programs: Identifying value through a
company award process 83
Chapter 6: Business Optimization: It's not musculoskeletal disorder
management or system optimization — it's both Ill
Epilog 123
Summary of this PhD 133
Samenvatting 137
Curriculum Vitae 141
V
Acknowledgements
This degree was realized through the support and encouragement of friends,
colleagues, and family, and I welcome the opportunity to acknowledge and
thank them here.
In 1982, a psychology professor at North Carolina State (NCSU), whose name I
unfortunately no longer remember, during a conversation mentioned the
words "human factors and ergonomics". I asked "what's that" and five minutes
later I began my career in the profession.
I was fortunate to and appreciate receiving a NIOSH Trainee Grant and support
from NCSU which allowed me to earn a iVIasters Degree in Industrial
Engineering in Ergonomics. Today I am deeply appreciative to Delft University
of Technology for sponsoring this PhD program.
At NCSU Dr. Richard Pearson led the engineering ergonomics program and he
encouraged (actually required) his students to join the Human Factors Society
(HFES). I attended my first Society Meeting at Dayton Ohio in 1986 and have
been a member ever since. The HFES Meetings enabled me to meet Susan
Dray, Michelle Robertson, Sue Hallbeck, Andy Imada, Hal Hendrick, Klaus Zink,
Connie Bazley, Sue Evans, Gary Orr, and so many others who inspired and
mentored me over the past many years. I am so lucky to have met each of you
as colleagues and even more lucky to have your friendship. There are many
more, too many more, to list - but we share the core belief that we really can
make a difference in the world.
A very special, thanks to Tom Albin, friend and colleague of over 25 years and
current "partner in crime" as we each pursued PhDs at TU Delft. 1 am eagerly
looking forward to establishing the Minneapolis Chapter of the Delft University
of Technology Alumni Association with you.
A gigantic thank you to Dr. Peter Vink. Your patience and ever enthusiastic
encouragement and guidance resulted in (much to my surprise) my completing
this degree - 1 am most indebted to you.
vi
Two companies enabled the research included in this PhD: IDS (or American
Express Financial Advisors) and 3M Company. I appreciate the opportunities
each provided and for allowing the research to be published.
A big well deserved thank you to Holly Wick: without your contributions the
3iVl program would not have been successful. Thanks for putting up with me
for the past 14 years. The ergonomics staff in the SM locations deserve all the
credit for the results of the ergonomics program. Their efforts improved the
working conditions of thousands of employees around the world. Finally, a
bottom-of-my-heart thanks to Miriam Kowarski for making my writing
coherent and reminding me to "take a deep breath."
Which brings me to family. I am grateful for my parents who READ and stayed
engaged with learning their entire life. Especially for my mom who until the
day she died at the age of 96 read the newspaper every day and discussed
current events with a passion. I inherited her lifelong passion for learning from
her. To Todd and Macy, Neysa, Jason and Anya, and Bekka, my grounding and
life balance comes from you. It would be easy for you to think your mom was
crazy, but you never have; I promise to return the favor. If nothing else, I've
taught you that you are never too old to learn something new.
Finally, to Ross, you provided love, inspiration, and support over 38 years.
Without you, none of this would have happened.
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List of Abbreviations
AEFA American Express Financial Advisors
AEIA Applied Ergonomics Innovation Award
BLS Bureau of Labor Statistics
BCPE Board Certified Professional Ergonomics
CDC Center for Disease Control and Prevention
CWA Communication Workers of America
CSO Customer Service Organization
EDC Ergonomics Design Criteria Tool
EJA Ergonomics Job Analysis Tool
ERRP Ergonomics Risk Reduction Process
GAO Government Accounting Office
HFE Human Factors/Ergonomics
IR Incident Rate (WMSD cases * 200,000) / number of work hours)
lEA International Ergonomics Association
IDS Investor Diversified Services
JAR Job Analysis Rate = Number of target jobs completed * 200000)/
number of work hours
MSD Musculoskeletal Disorders
NIOSH National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration
PHRJP Potential High Risk Job Pool
WIP Workplace Improvement Process
WMSD Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders
WMSD IR Incident Rate = (WMSD Cases * 200000)/number of work hours
WMSD SRIR
Severity Incident Rate ((lost-time WMSD cases + restricted time
WMSD cases) * 200,000)/number of work hours
WMSD SR Days
Severity Days Incidence Rate ((lost-time WMSD days + WMSD
restricted time days) * 200,000)/number of work hours
WMSD LT IR
Lost Time Incident Rate (lost-time WMSD cases * 200,000) /
number of work hours
viii
The following is a list of published papers used in this PhD:
Chapter 1 is partly based on
Larson N. Macroergonomics in Global Corporations: "How to get it done". In:
Carayon P, Robertson M, Kleiner B, Hoonakker PLT, eds. Human Factors in
Organizational Design and Management - VIII. Proceedings of the Eighth
international Symposium on Human Factors in Organizational Design and
Management held in Maui, Hawaii, USA, June 22-25, 2005. Santa Monica, Ca:
lEA Press, 2005:87-92.
Chapter 2 includes
Larson, N., 2008 Participatory Ergonomics: An Office Ergonomics Case Study,
In: Sznelwar Ll, Mascia FL, Montedo UB, Eds. Human Factors in Organizational
Design and Management - IX. Santa Monica, Ca.: lEA Press, 2008.
Larson N., Miezio, K., Shear, K., Ault, G., Tepper, D., Gottleib, M.K. Pilot Study
to Assess Strategies to Reduce Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders
Associated with Computer Work. Human Factors in Organizational Design and
Management - V1996 Elsevier Science. 1996. p. 267-272.
Chapter 3 is
Larson N., Wick H. 30 Years of Ergonomics at 3M: A Case Study. Work: A
Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitation, Vol. 41, 5091-5098,
2012.
Chapter 4 is
Larson N., Wick H, Albin T, Vink P. Industrial Ergonomics: The impact of a
comprehensive program with a well-defined performance goal in reducing
work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Accepted for publication in: P Vink
(ed): Occupational Ergonomics, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2014.
Chapter 5 is
Larson N., Wick, H., Hallbeck, S., Vink, P. Ergonomics case study projects
demonstrate positive results in a global multi-industry, resubmitted in 2014 to
HE Transactions on Occupational Ergonomics & Human Factors.
Chapter 6 is
Larson N. Corporate Ergonomics: Its Musculoskeletal Disorder Management
and System Optimization. Ergonomics in Design: 2012 20: 29-32.
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Many Fortune 500 company headquarters are located in countries with
regulations requiring ergonomics programs to be included as part of business.
These global companies are in a unique position to elevate the work well-being
of hundreds of millions of workers and also improve operating efficiency
through the application of ergonomics. The lEA, in their 2012 policy statement
describes the wide variety of ways ergonomics can be applied in various
settings. While mentioning industrial ergonomics as one ofthe applications, it
does not specifically address this opportunity. The profession needs to develop
justification, written in the language of business, in order to continue to
expand the realized value in global operations.
This research provides evidence for this proposal and confirms that dual
benefit or the reduction of WMSDs and operational efficiency can both be
realized by application of ergonomics in industry. This research demonstrates
that to realize these benefits all levels of ergonomics, microergonomics,
participatory ergonomics and macroergonomics are important, and the
commonly recommended ergonomics program elements all contribute to and
also impact success. Further research to broaden the understanding regarding
how these technical and program elements interrelate and benefit both
employees and business is needed to guide companies and industrial
ergonomics programs.
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