Reference no: EM132886822
You are the primary Health & Safety professional at a manufacturing plant and are also responsible for the facility Ergonomics program (including in the office).
The plant manager has asked you to review the design of a new product, tool or piece of equipment. The intent is to evaluate these tools, products or equipment before they come into the workplace. You will be asked to make a decision on the purchase of this item.
Requirements-
- Choose a tool, piece of equipment or a product to review.
- Provide a picture of your tool, equipment or product.
- Provide measurements either by actually measuring it or from product specifications.
- Provide your assessment of the current design. Compare it to your guidelines provided in the course.
- Use anthropometric tables to determine the population the product can "fit". Reference any anthropometic tools guidelines you used
- Consider who you think the limiting user(s) is
- Would you recommend the purchase of this item? Consider the cost.
- If you could change the current design what would you change/improve - be specific include measurements, angles, etc where appropriate.
Examples of items you can choose:
Hand tool, hammer, screwdriver, power tool, drill, Knife or garden tools, shovels, rakes, wheelbarrow, Shelving unit, storage unit, Cab of lift truck, Pallet truck, Office chair, mouse, laptop riser, monitor arm.
When reviewing the design, consider the following questions:
- What is the tool, product, equipment?
- How much does it cost? What is its function?
- What do we physically do to use it,
- how is it used,
- what actions/movements, body parts, and muscle groups are activated when using this item?
- How would you change the design - provide specific dimensions, forces, etc.
- How would these changes improve the design, what risks would they decrease and what injuries could be avoided? Does the product need to be improved?
- Why does the object need to be improved?
- If the design is poor what injuries could it cause
- Do changes result in other improvements i.e. to quality or efficiency?
- Are there any changes you would make that could improve the use of the tool, cognitively or user experience?
- Does it have ergonomic features or use the word "ergonomic" to sell it. What is your opinion/assessment of that?