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Manual Material Handling and Ergonomics… Two Auto Assembly Case Studies

Manual Material Handling and Ergonomics… Two Auto Assembly Case Studies. CCOHS / CRE-MSD MMH Workshop March 4, 2008 Wyatt Clark, CAW National Ergonomic Coordinator / Chrysler. Objectives. Overview of systemic MMH barriers to ergonomic interventions in the auto industry.

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Manual Material Handling and Ergonomics… Two Auto Assembly Case Studies

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  1. Manual Material Handling and Ergonomics… Two Auto Assembly Case Studies CCOHS / CRE-MSD MMH Workshop March 4, 2008 Wyatt Clark, CAW National Ergonomic Coordinator / Chrysler

  2. Objectives • Overview of systemic MMH barriers to ergonomic interventions in the auto industry. • Two quick Case Studies of ergonomic “solutions” to some systemic MMH problems • Some discussion around how we “Get ‘Er Done” • Q&A

  3. Systemic MMH Problems • Vast majority of MMH barriers have TWO basic driving forces with each of those having a couple of complicating factors • Racking / bin design • Who owns the racking? • Transportation • Load density or ‘cubing’ of trucks • Real Estate • Drives capital and fixed costs • Affects productivity

  4. Case Study 1 – General Part Delivery and Supply • History lesson • The Old Days: parts arrive by truck in racks or bins where they are unloaded by jitney and delivered directly to the assembly line or storage. • The Not-So-Old days: JIT or Just In Time delivery attempted to solve real estate problems • Today: • Small Lot Containers… an addition to JIT to squeeze more real estate out of the system • More parts than ever are being shipped in including entire subassemblies

  5. Case Study 1 – General Parts Delivery New problems • Small lot delivery adds a new level of human interface to a process done previously by machine • Some small lots can still have significant weight • How will this be managed? 43” 18.5”

  6. Case Study 1 – General Parts Supply

  7. Case Study 1 – General Parts Supply New problems • Small lot presentation lends itself to an increased vertical configuration • Shelving creates hand access constraints • Have we simply shifted from a world of back postures to one of shoulder concerns • How will this be managed?

  8. Case Study 1 - Final Resolve • Ergonomics involvement led to: • Shelf height guidelines were determined based upon internal benchmarking and container sizes were standardized • Recommendations provided for: • Generally: • Totes to be loaded within a 30 lb target • Totes requiring loading beyond 30 lb target automatically trigger further ergonomic analysis • Delivery Side (delivery dolly & gravity feed racks) • Dolly shelves to be located at 19” and 43” • Dolly shelves to be no deeper than 25” • Maximum rack loading height is 62 in. • Totes which weigh >25 lb should be delivered to shelves no higher than 40” from the standing surface • Supply Side (gravity feed racks) • Assembly operator interface should be tiered ‘away’ to facilitate easy hand access to tote parts • Bottom rack level is reserved for empty tote return only

  9. Case Study 1 – Special Situations

  10. Case Study 2 – Exhaust Assemblies

  11. Case Study 2 – Exhaust Assemblies • Problem • Reaches are unacceptable under ergonomic guidelines • The repetitive back postures to accomplish all the vertical lifting were problematic • Lack of foot clearance compounds both the above

  12. Case Study 2 – Exhaust Assemblies • Solution 1 • Easy… redesign the rack! • Sorry… can’t be done! • Why? • The supplier owns the racks. • Solution 2 • OK… Easy… re-rack the parts in our own rack design • Added bonus… can schedule the exhaust assemblies while re-racking • Minimizes long ‘carries’ of heavy parts • Saves real estate • Saves walking time

  13. Case Study 2 - Final Resolve

  14. Case Study 2 - Final Resolve

  15. Case Study 2 - Final Resolve • Ergonomics joint involvement led to: • New rack design and incorporation of a lift table for in-plant parts presentation • Exhaust assemblies are trucked from supplier to TDF Inc. where they are unloaded, re-racked in sequence, re-loaded and trucked to the assembly plant. • Pros • New racks resolve ergo hazards • Sequencing allows • Increased productivity… less walking • Decreased real estate needs • Cons • Ergonomic hazards were simply transferred to TDF Inc. workers

  16. Get ‘Er Done • What negotiations were required to achieve the ergonomic resolves in the two case studies? • Short answer – None! • You don’t ‘negotiate’ unsafe… you solve it. • Why don’t we negotiate?

  17. Get ‘Er Done • Part of the answer is legislation and part of it is contract. • Legislation by way of the H&S Act requires joint participation • Unions have always desired some control over their work environment and the decision making that goes on within it and have used labour contracts to achieve varying degrees of that. • Part of the answer is “economies of scale

  18. Get ‘Er Done • In relative terms though, those things are the easy part… they simply create opportunities, nothing else • The real answer to our question of “Why” is “Credibility” – the credibility of the people and processes involved our ergonomic program

  19. Get ‘Er Done • Now, if that’s all psycho-bable to you, try “cost / benefit”. Make the business case… works every time!!! Thank-You Q&A

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