OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS The application of ergonomics principles can reduce the number, severity, and costs of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Increasingly, academic and practitioner research demonstrates that ergonomic improvements also contribute to manufacturing operating efficiency and a company's profitability. This article examines whether it is possible to identify business benefits achieved through ergonomics interventions via an ergonomics award process. The projects, conducted independently at numerous manufacturing locations and submitted to a global company's internal ergonomics award process, were reviewed for effect upon both work-related musculoskeletal disorders and operational efficiency. The results suggest the award process was successful in gathering relevant information about the projects, and that a macroergonomics program methodology along with a participatory approach supported successful results. A cost-benefit estimation showed positive effects in operational efficiency and work-related musculoskeletal disorders reduction. Possible improvements to the award submission process were identified.TECHNICAL ABSTRACT Background: As documented by academics and practitioners, and generally accepted by the popular media, application of ergonomics principles can reduce the number, severity, and costs of workrelated musculoskeletal disorders. Research increasingly demonstrates that ergonomic improvements also contribute to manufacturing operating efficiency and a company's profitability. Purpose: To expand the body of practitioner-based knowledge related to the benefits that may be realized through implementing an ergonomics program in industry, focusing on the physical aspects of work. Specifically considered is the importance of a macroergonomic, company-wide process to define how risk assessments are conducted, how interventions are chosen and measured, and how results are summarized. Method: Eighteen case studies, selected from among 166 submitted to a global manufacturing company's internal ergonomics award process were reviewed. Results: A macroergonomics program methodology, in combination with a participatory approach, supported success in terms of reduced work-related musculoskeletal disorder risk and operational efficiency. Specifically, information about how projects were identified and who participated as team members demonstrates the importance of a participatory approach to achieve positive results. Conclusion: The case study results, based upon a practitioner perspective, suggest that operational efficiency and workrelated musculoskeletal disorder reduction are often both improved by ergonomic interventions in the workplace, which is consistent with similar findings in earlier research. However, requiring more specific and standardized cost and benefit information in an award submission process is likely to provide more complete information about project results in a manner of value to practitioners, academia, and business. A future challenge is to gain more specific informa...

The added value of the Ergonomics Program at 3M w as found to be improved employee safety, compliance with regulations and reduction of work-related illness, increases in productivity, and quality and operating efficiency. This paper describes the th irty years of existence of this program. For the first twenty years, the progr am objectives wer e to: respond to requests for a ssistance re lated to work-related musculoskeletal dis order (W MSD) concerns , r aise em ployee a wareness of MSDs and ergo nomics; educate engineers in ergonomics design; and develop ergonomics teams at manufacturing locations.Since the year 2000, 3M's Ergonomics Program has been in transition from a US-centric and corporate-based technical-expertled program to a global progr am applying participatory ergonomics strategies within a macroergo nomics framework. During that transition, the ex isting program requi rements were r evised, new methods and program tools we re created, and expectations for implementation at the manufacturing locations clarified. This paper focuses on the company's manufacturing ergonomics program activities du ring the past ten years and includes specifics of the program's objectives, risk assessment reduction process, and ergonomics technical expertise development. The main benefit achieved throughout the company is reducing employee injury while also increasing productivity and operating efficiency.

This study attempted to identify a direct relationship between the design characteristics of a manually-assembled product, exposure to work-related ergonomic risk factors, and improvement in product quality. The study considered (a) Accessibility (ease of approach) and Guidance (ease of alignment and positioning) as Design Variables, (b) Shoulder Abduction, Trunk Lateral Flexion, Rate-Normalized Percentage of Maximal Voluntary Contraction (%MVC) of the Wrist Flexors, Wrist Extensors, and Deltoids, and Frequency of Attachment as Ergonomics Variables, and (c) Percentage of Attachment Too Loose, Too Tight, and Misaligned as Quality Variables. Postural data, surface EMG data, and quality data were collected from 10 participants performing four 10-min repetitive manual assembly tasks with plastic threaded nuts, bolts, flat parts, and open-box parts. Unobstructed accessibility of manually-assembled parts was associated with decreased exposure to awkward trunk posture, decreased activity of the wrist flexors and extensors, increased frequency of repetitive motion, and a decrease in the tendency to attach parts too loosely. Accessibility had no effect on misalignment defects as measured. Part guidance decreased the number of parts attached too tightly and aided in increasing the rate of assembly of parts when there was unobstructed access to parts.

For work tasks requiring hand force and repetitive motions, risk increases directly proportional to an increase in force and repetition. Data on hand force exertion is generally collected by estimation of these forces by using subjective measurements, EMG recordings, or strain gauges. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of a pressure pad system to quantify the ergonomic risk of a repetitive forceful manufacturing task. Effects of palmar and pinch forces and pressures associated with the current and proposed new work tasks were investigated by using a Novel Pliance dynamic pressure analysis system. Use of this system allowed the researchers to validate the reduction in forces associated with the tasks. This methodology has profound implications in that no compromise between internal and external validity is necessary, and allows quantification of ergonomic issues around forces, including tasks which requiring repetition and force exertions.

Healthcare personnel (HCP) are at potential risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection in occupational and non-occupational settings, even when fully vaccinated. This risk has increased during Delta variant circulation. SARS-CoV-2 testing of fully vaccinated HCP working in the 14 days after exposure is important to prevent virus introduction into healthcare settings.