BEST PRACTICES FOR GLOVEBOX ERGONOMICS

Scott Hinds, PECindy Lawton, PT, OCS

Cameron Van CleaveScott.hinds@merrick.com (505)663-4162

CindyL@lanl.gov (505)667-0252

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LA-UR 12-22787

LEARNING OBJECTIVE:

Practices to keep our glovebox workers comfortable and safe while working

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OUTLINE

• Background

• Glovebox Design

• Worker Best Practices and Exercises

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WHY ERGONOMICS?

• Proper work environment Lower stress Less fatigue Improved productivity Decrease risk of Injury

• Decrease risk of a BREACH

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GLOVEBOX INJURY DATA54 people

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Jan-June 2011

July-Dec 2011

Jan-June 2012

First Aide 0 0 2 3 3 10 4 0

Recordable 7 10 8 2 6 6 0 1

Shoulder Elbow Wrist Hand/fingers Thumb Spine/other

17 26 5 5 3 5/2

2006-2010 2011- June 2012

Repetitive 88% 58%

Single Occurence 12% 42%

Survey Project for GB workers - Oct 2010 through March 2011

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PERCENTAGE OF WORKERS REPORTING SYMPTOMS VS. YEARS AS A GLOVEBOX WORKER

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Years As a Glovebox Worker

Perc

enta

ge o

f Wor

kers

Rep

ortin

g Sy

mpt

oms

<3 3-5 >5-10 >10-15 >15-20 >20-25 >25

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AVERAGE YEARS AS A GLOVEBOXWORKER VS. NUMBER OF SYMPTOMS PER PERSON

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Number of Symptoms Per Person

Avera

ge Y

ears

as a

GB

Work

er

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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KEY ERGONOMIC GLOVEBOX DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

• Depth of glovebox and Width of glovebox• Gloveport height• Windows• Transfer devices, airlocks, and doors• Use of computer simulation

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- Engineering Controls - Design and make engineering changes to improve the situation

- Administrative controls such as task rotation, decreasing duration, training, and exercises can help to buy time until you can do the appropriate engineering change but are NOT the solution

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DEPTH AND WIDTH OF GLOVEBOXTasks should determine size

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GLOVEPORT HEIGHT, SHAPE, AND ORIENTATION

• The ideal height is at operator’s elbows, but that limits reaching distance.

• Ovular ports allow for a greater range of motion.• Depending on the task, gloveports can be horizontal,

vertical, or angled.

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REACH DISTANCE

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Correct

Incorrect

•Using tools helps keep your body in a more neutral position.

EXTENSION HANDLES

• Extension poles for cleaning windows and paint brushes helps with reach. An angled paint brush helps reaching in corners

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SHOULDER BEST PRACTICES

• Using a platformImproves alignment

of the spine

• Shoulder angle must be below 70 degrees

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SHOULDER BEST PRACTICES CONT’D

Recommended Platform Height (in) Height (in) Shoulder Height (in)

2 68-67 57-55

4 66-63 54-52

6 62 - 58 51 - 47

Platform Height Recommendations(52 in centerline)

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PLATFORMS

• Platforms help decrease stress on the neck and shoulders.

• Important that size fits just between two ports, easily portable (wheels)

• Shoulder below 70 degrees

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SHOULDER STRESS

Crease

Wear

Breach

Poor Ergonomics

Injury Risk

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SOLUTION

Retractable shelf for airlock

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WINDOWS• When the

visual field is impaired, so is productivity and dexterity.

• Full view windows are ideal

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Shielding on windows decreases clarity.

COMPUTER SIMULATION

• Use early on in the design process

• Identifies ergonomic stressors

• Reassess/validate changes

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COMPUTER SIMULATION CONT’D

• Graded approach to ergonomic stressors

(red, orange, yellow, green)

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COMPUTER SIMULATION

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Identifies clearly the viewing by the operator

WORKER BEST PRACTICES

• Shoulder• Elbow• Lower back and neck

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SHOULDER BEST PRACTICES

• Pull fingers free• Extract with

elbow angled down -improves muscle imbalances

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Removing arms from glovebox gloves

SHOULDER BEST PRACTICES CONT’D

• Ideally - Use reach assist tools

• Place hand to inner surface of front panel to reduce stress on reaching shoulder and improve reach distance

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ELBOW BEST PRACTICES CONT’D

• Proper grasping techniques

• Do not reach over the top and grab/move items – a lot of stress on elbow

Improper technique Proper techniques

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ELBOW BEST PRACTICES CONT’D

Power Grip vs. Pinch Grip

• Avoid pinch grip/ use a more open hand power grip

• Design tooling to reduce pinching

• Use foot controls vs. hand controls.

Improper technique Proper technique

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ALLEN WRENCHES

Enlarged handles…• make wrenches easier to

grab and hold.

• help avoid Pinch grip.

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REVERSE LOCKING TWEEZERS

• The fatigue from holding tweezers closed is eliminated.

• The length reduces the need to reach.

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LOWER BACK AND NECK BEST PRACTICES

• Anti-fatigue mats

• Help reduce lower back and leg fatigue

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LOWER BACK

• Move items closer prior to lifting

• Reduce lifting by improved housekeeping

• Items that weigh over 15 lbs in a glovebox need an assistive device to move

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EXERCISES

• Traffic cop:

Helps with upper back stress and shoulders

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SHOULDER EXERCISES

• Strengthening exercises

• Rotator cuff• Internal

Rotation• External

Rotation• Rhomboids

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ELBOW EXERCISES

• Stretching exercises

• Should be done throughout the day

10 – 15 second holds

Stretching forearm flexors Stretching forearm extensors

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Summary

• Improve Designs

• Use appropriate tooling.

• Improve techniques.

• Strengthen Rotator Cuff and stretch forearms

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Thank you.

Questions

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