Laser Scanner Workstations, Fort Bragg, NC, Ergonomic Assessment
FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, 7-11 JUNE 1993
PURPOSE
The purposes of this evaluation were to:
Determine if the design of the laser scanner workstations in the commissary at Fort Bragg met:
- The recommendations listed in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Notice of Unsafe or Unhealthful Working Conditions.
- The principles of good ergonomic practice.
Evaluate the wrist and other upper extremity postures used by the laser scanner operators.
Inspect the OSHA 200 Log to determine if repetitive motion injury trends were present.
CONCLUSIONS
The equipment used by the Main Commissary at Fort Bragg does not meet OSHA recommendations as defined in their Notice of Unsafe or Unhealthful Working Conditions.
Checkout operators suffer from fatigue due to standing all day and working in a limited space. The poor quality of the anti-fatigue mats and the location of the keypad are also contributing factors.
Checkout operators had little knowledge of ergonomic principles relating to work at a laser scanner checkout workstation.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The following recommendations are based on good ergonomic practice:
Comply with OSHA recommendations by making the appropriate changes to the checkout workstations.
Provide training to the checkout operators. Emphasize in the training the importance of performing stretching exercises throughout the course of the workday, methods for working with the wrists in a neutral posture, and techniques for avoiding or minimizing the lifting of heavy objects.
Ensure management is aware of the number and types of injuries to checkout operators. Ensure management develops solutions to minimize the number of injuries being sustained.
For more information about USACHPPM computer workstation assessments, contact services@ergoworkinggroup.org