Hand Lacerations and Job Design Characteristics in Line-Paced Assembly

Abstract

This study investigated risk factors for laceration injuries among workers employed in line-paced manufacturing assembly operations. Most lacerations (76% of 576) occurred on the hands and fingers (grouped as "hand" lacerations). On average, 37% of surveyed workers reported at least one laceration to the hand in the preceding year, resulting in an overall hand laceration rate of 83 per 100 workers per year. An inverse relationship was found between level of job routinization and hand lacerations, with progressively higher rates of hand lacerations occurring among workers assigned to less routine (more variable) work patterns. Fabricated metal parts handling and job variability may be related to increased risk of hand lacerations in line-paced work environments where personal protective equipment is the primary strategy to control exposure to sharp objects.

A case-crossover study of transient risk factors for occupational acute hand injury

“…However, where tasks become more variable, that is when rotating jobs or doing repair work, the risk of a hand laceration may increase and require more, not less, PPE use. 26 This may be especially relevant in service, professional, and managerial occupations where persons may leave their job role to do some unusual hazardous task. The impact of safety training on doing an unusual task was highly discordant.…”

Work environment risk factors for injuries in wood processing

“…Examples include machine-paced work in forestry and assembly operations (Bell & MacDonald, 2003;Lilley et al, 2002); piece rate work in forestry, manufacturing, and garment workers (Brisson, Vinet, Vezina, & Gingras, 1989;Kaminski, 2001;Sundstrom-Frisk, 1984); overtime in many industries, including forestry (Caruso, Hitchcock, Dick, Russo, & Schmit, 2004;Dembe, Erickson, Delbos, & Banks, 2005;Folkard & Lombardi, 2006;Lilley et al, 2002); and indicators of psychosocial strain, such as low decision latitude or poor relationships at work, in a wide range of industries (Bongers, de Winter, Kompier, & Hildebrandt, 1993;Bongers, Kremer, & ter Laak, 2002;d'Errico et al, 2007;Swaen, van Amelsvoort, Bultmann, Slangen, & Kant, 2004). Increased risk in manufacturing has been reported with greater labor intensity (i.e., faster work pace and fewer rest breaks; Grunberg, 1983).…”

Occupational Hand Injuries Treated at a Tertiary Care Facility in Western Turkey

“…Bell et al reported an inverse relationship between the level of job routinization and hand lacerations, and most lacerations occurred among workers assigned to less routine (more variable) work patterns 20) . The level of job routinization is lower in the metal-machinery sector when compared to textile and mining sectors and the worker intervenes in the raw material, tools, system and the products with a resultant high level of hand-tool interaction.…”