Page 102 - Occupational Health & Safety, July/August 2019

ERGONOMICS
Ergonomic Assembly Tools Can Ease the Pain of Manufacturing
Tool manufacturers are improving all aspects of their tools, including the shape, size, weight, balance, torque, vibration, speed, and noise.
BY ERIC DEES
Manufacturing industries, with diverse fastening applications from the motor vehicle industry to appliances and aero- space to white goods, rely on assembly
tools such as air-powered screwdrivers, nut runners, and drills. These tools are a driving force in bringing products to market, but they can also be the cause of undue pain for their operators if ergonomics are not applied to the tool and how the tool is used.
Assembly tools are used continuously throughout the day, day in and day out. Without proper ergonom- ics, the repetitive motion when using these tools can lead to fatigue, hand and arm stress, and even injury. To relieve potential pain and stress for the workforce, assembly tool manufacturers are keenly focused on improving the ergonomic qualities of their products.
Regulatory Compliance
Tool ergonomics can directly impact worker produc- tivity by decreasing fatigue and increasing worker comfort. It also can result in decreased costs from few- er workers’ compensation claims and medical costs.
The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issues workplace stan- dards requiring employers to take particular actions to reduce musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and oth- er contributing workplace hazards, also known as er- gonomic hazards. Ergonomics programs from a num- ber of state and federal agencies have been found to be very effective for both companies and employees. For example, the United States Government Account- ability Office compiled findings from employers that have taken the initiative to address MSDs through the implementation of their own ergonomics programs using OSHA standard guidelines.
Certifications allow manufacturers to impartially compare the performance of competing products. For example, the motor vehicle industry wanted to as- sess the performance of continuous drive tools across varying joint conditions. The International Organiza- tion for Standardization created the ISO 5393 stan- dard to specify a laboratory performance test method for installing threaded fasteners, which provides in- structions on what to test for and how to evaluate and present the test data. With this certification, compa- nies can have assurance in the performance of a tool over time and feel confident incorporating the tool into their manufacturing processes.
Operator comfort has become so important that ergonomics is now at the forefront in assembly tool
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design. Tool manufacturers are improving all aspects of their tools, including the shape, size, weight, bal- ance, torque, vibration, speed, and noise.
When purchasing tools, it’s important that the procurement of assembly tools follow established standards for ergonomic functions. Design engineers at Ingersoll Rand have made extensive advances with the ergonomic properties of the Q2 Series tools. The Q2 Screwdriver handle eliminates fatigue with an in- novative egg shape that allows the tool to sit comfort- ably in the operator’s palm. These tools have many ergonomic features, such as a low trigger-pressure design, hand and finger comfort, soft-grip texture, re- duced torque reaction and vibration, and low power- to-weight ratio.
As speed affects a tool’s vibration levels, the Q2 Screwdriver supports OSHA vibration guidelines that are measured by acceleration. The screwdrivers average less than 2.5 meters per second squared and sound absorption equal to 75 decibels (dBA), which is lower than OSHA’s maximum allowance of 85 dBA over an eight-hour work day.1 These ergonomic fea- tures help tool operators work comfortably through many hours of productivity.
Tool accessories are also important to optimize assembly operations and provide maximum produc- tivity. From torque reaction arms and torque tubes to spindle accessories and spring balancers, these acces- sories improve ergonomics and efficiency.
INGERSOLL RAND® ASSEMBLY POWER TOOLS