ERGONOMICS

Design for Repetitive Tasks

Fitting the job to the

worker

a repetitive task

Containing or characterized by repetition, especially

when unnecessary or tiresome.

Repetition is the frequency at which a motion

or task is repeated with little variation in
movement.
High repetition is a similar motion performed
every few seconds.
The risk of WMSDs due to repetition is
increased when high repetition is sustained
over a significant period of time and combined
with force, awkward postures, acceleration and
velocity.

Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders

(WMSDs) are occupational disorders that
involve soft tissues such as muscles,
tendons, ligaments, joints, blood vessels
and nerves

WMSDs are sometimes referred to using other

terms such as:

Cumulative Trauma Disorders CTD

Repetitive Trauma Disorders RTD
Repetitive Strain Injuries RSI
Repeated Motion Disorders RMD
Overuse Syndromes

WMSDs are occupational disorders of

the soft tissues:

Muscles
Tendons
Ligaments
Joints
Blood Vessels
Nerves

Musculoskeletal Disorders
(MSDs)
Represent 1 in 3 Lost Time
MSDs
Injuries
Contact with
Objects

Transportatio
n Related

Workplace Violence
All Other
Falls

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Annual Survey, 1996

WMSDs affects nearly

50,000 Washington
workers each year

Enough People
to Fill Safeco
Field!!
It is estimated that the
actual cost including lost
taxes, wages, fringe benefits
administrative

State Fund Claims - Statewide 1990-98*

Number of Claims

All other
claims

74%

WMSDs

26%

Cost of Claims
All
other
claims

WMSDs

40%

60%

* Note: This data does not include lower extremity WMSDs.

Source: SHARP Report No. 40-4a-2000

MSDs Cost Twice the Average

Workers Compensation Claim
0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

MSDs of Back
Upper extremity
MSDs
Average Claim

Average Costs per Claim ($)

Source: Workers Compensation data from Insurance Companies 1993

The main occupational factors associated with

musculoskeletal conditions at work are:

Force
Posture
Repetition
Duration

Repetitive Trauma Disorders

Repetitive trauma injuries or cumulative trauma
disorders are terms used to describe health
disorders arising from repeated biomechanical
stress due to ergonomic hazards.
These disorders are a class of musculoskeletal
disorders involving damage to the tendons,
tendon sheaths, synovial lubrication of the tendon
sheaths and the related bones, muscles and
nerves of the hands, wrists, shoulders, neck, and
back.

Carpal Tunnel
Best known MSD
Compression of
the median nerve
at the wrist
Tunnel made up
of nine flexor
tendons and one
peripheral nerve
Numbness and
tingling on the
thumb side of the
hand

Carpal Tunnel

Tennis Elbow
Tennis
elbow (lateral
epicondylitis) is
inflammation of
the extensor
tendons that
attach to the
outside of the
elbow.

Its caused by rapid over-arm motions like

throwing. Athletes arent the only ones affected.

Tendonitis
Tendon function:
Transmit force from muscle to
bone
Micro tears of tendon occur daily
Typically repair themselves
With repeated loading repair is
not adequate
Pain / Inflammation

Anatomy of a Tendon

Anatomy of
DeQuervains
Tendonitis

Causes Of DeQuervains
Wringing washcloths, clothes
Typing on the computer
keyboard
Cutting with scissors
Sewing or pinching
Stirring food for a long period of
time
Opening jars

Specific Design Guidelines:

Keep the work surface height low enough to permit the
operator to work with elbows to the side and wrists near
their neutral position.
Avoid sharp edges on workplace parts bins that may
irritate the wrists when the parts are procured.
Keep reaches within 20 in. of the front of the work
surface so the elbow is not fully extended when forces are
applied.
Keep motions within 20 to 30 degrees of the wrists
neutral point.
Avoid operations that require more than 90 degrees of
rotation around the wrist.
Avoid gripping requirements in repetitive operations that
spread the fingers and thumb apart more than 2.5 in.
Cylindrical grips should not exceed a diameter of 2 in.
with 1.5 in. as the preferable diameter.
Select a glove with the least interference for gripping if
hand protection is needed for a repetitive task.

Hand Tool Design for Repetitive

Tasks:
Design handles that make use of the power grip involving
the palm.
Avoid pinch grips. The preferable diameter for handles is
1.5 in.
Make handles long enough (4 in.) to avoid applying
repeated pressure to the base of the thumb, as when using
a putty knife or a paint scraper.
Orient the tool handle so it does not cause the wrist to be
bent or twisted.
Design tools to reduce the need to exert a sustained force
on a cold and hard surface.
Properly textured handles increase the feeling of control
on a powered tool.
Reduce the vibration from a powered hand tool as far as
practical.

Repetitive Strain Injury

A repetitive strain injury is an injury to a part of the
body that is caused by overusing or straining that
body part.
Causes of RSI:
repetitive activities
doing a high-intensity activity for a long time
without rest
poor posture or activities that require you to work in
an awkward position
Cold temperatures and vibrating equipment are also
thought to increase the risk of getting RSI

Brusitis
A bursa is a sac
containing viscous fluid
situated at 150 places in
our body.
They act like cushions
that protect muscles and
tendons from rubbing
against bones during
movements of the body.
Overexertion and injury can cause inflammation of
bursae, or bursitis.

Trigger Finger

Trigger finger results from a discrepancy between

the size of the tendon and the size of the entrance to
the tendon sheath. This discrepancy can be the result
of localized inflammation or a nodular swelling on the
tendon itself.
When the size discrepancy between the tendon and
the tendon sheath reaches a critical point, the tendon
will experience resistance from the tendon sheath.
At first, this is felt as a snapping of the trigger
finger when relaxing a fist.
If the condition worsens, the trigger finger may
need applied pressure from other fingers to
straighten, or may not straighten at all.

Repetitive Motion Disorder

Repetitive motion disorders include a family of
muscular conditions that result from repeated
motions performed in the course of normal work or
daily activities.
too many uninterrupted repetitions of an
activity or motion
unnatural or awkward motions such as
twisting the arm or wrist
overexertion
incorrect posture
muscle fatigue

assembly line work

meatpacking
sewing
playing musical instruments
computer work
carpentry
gardening
tennis

People
affecte
d

changing the way they perform

repetitive movements
changing the frequency with
which they perform them
changing the amount of time
they rest between movements.

Injury in the
making...

continued...

Muscle Injury
A muscle contraction that lasts a long time
reduces the blood flow. Consequently, the
substances produced by the muscles are not
removed fast enough and accumulate.
The accumulation of these substances irritates
muscles and causes pain.
The severity of the pain depends on the duration
of the muscle contractions and the amount of time
between activities for the muscles to get rid of those
irritating substances.

Policemans Heel
caused by the
repetitive
microtrauma
of walking
long distances
every day

Neuritis
Repeated or
prolonged exertion
can cause damage to
the nerves supplying
a muscle or passing
through it.
This can cause
sensations of
numbness or tingling
in areas of the body
supplied by the
nerve.

Handlebar Palsy

Ulnar neuropathy causes numbness, tingling, or pain

into the arm and hand on the side of the little finger.
Bicyclists call this condition "handlebar palsy".

Bones & Joints

Under repeated loading, particularly of the lower
extremities,
stress fractures can occur.
Stress fracturing, like many WMSDs is a process
rather
than an event.
Repeated loads (below the threshold for acute
fracture)
damage bone, eventually leading to acute
fracture.

Working with the Hands

Above Head
For more than 2 hours per day

"Caution Zone"

Working with the Elbows

Above Shoulders
For more than 2 hours per day

"Caution Zone"

Neck or Back Bent

Forward More than 30
For more than 2 hours per day

"Caution Zone"

Highly Repetitive Motion

Workers repeat same motion every few
seconds for more than 2 hours per day
with:
neck
shoulders
elbows
wrists
hands

"Caution Zone"

Highly Repetitive Motion

Intensive keying
for more than 4 hours per day

"Caution Zone"

Repeated Impact
Using hands or knees as a
hammer
more than 10 times per hour
more than 2 hours per day

"Caution Zone"

Ergonomics

STAY FIT FOR THE JOB...

Stretching
Prepares muscles to
do work
Flexible muscles not
easily injured
Tight muscles easily
injured

Minimize Repetitive Motions

Utilize technology - programmable hotkeys,
autocorrect, voice recognition, and other software
features reduce repetitive keying/mousing.
Mechanize - Use electronic staplers, collators,
and other tools for large, repetitive projects.
Vary tasks Perform repetitive tasks in several
small time blocks rather than all at once; perform
dissimilar tasks in between.
Vary methods Periodically switch process flow,
switch tools, switch positions, switch hands to
perform the same task.

ERGONOMIC SOLUTIONS:
REPEATED IMPACT
Use rubber mallets & padded tools
Use levers
Mechanical devices

Additional steps to reduce risks from

repetitive motion include alternatives to
the standard keyboard and mouse,
such as:

Vertical mouse

Natural or Ergonomic
keyboards

Rollermouse,

Split keyboards

Trackballs

Apparel
Industry

70% of Sewing Machine Operators Using Foot

Controls Report Back Pain
35% Report Persistent Low Back Pain
25% Have Suffered a Compensable Cumulative
Trauma Disorder (CTD)
81% of CTDs Were to the Wrist
14% of CTDs to the Elbow
5% of CTDs to the Shoulder
49% of Workers Experience Pain in the Neck
Absenteeism Increases as Working Conditions
Worsen
Loss of Workers Due to Injuries or Turnover is
Associated With Working Conditions

Tasks Associated with Injuries

& Illnesses
Hand Sewing and Trimming are Stressful to All
Upper Limbs
Stitching Tasks are Associated With Pain in the
Shoulders, Wrists, and Hands
Ironing by Hand is Associated With Elbow Pain
Garment Assembly Tasks are Associated With
CTDs of the Hands and Wrists
Foot Operated Sewing is Associated With Pain
in the Back

Solutions - A Comprehensive
Ergonomics Program
Training for Supervisors and Managers
Awareness Training for Employees
Job Analyses and Implementation of Controls
Worker Involvement and Participation
Medical Management

WorkStation Redesign - Sewing

Machines
Work Enhancements
Automated Materials Handling
Modular Manufacturing Concept