The IKEA Industry way of ergonomic risk assessment : Development of a global standard for ergonomic risk assessment

Sammanfattning: In 2018 IKEA Industry, the largest producer of wood-based furniture for IKEA customers presented their sustainability strategy for Financial Year 2025. In Health & Safety, they want to minimize ergonomic risks at their factories. To be able to understand what risks the factories contain, the first step is a common ergonomic risk assessment methodology. Because of a lack of knowledge in ergonomics at IKEA Industry, the responsibility was laid on this master thesis project. This project has with the help of interviews, surveys and observations found what needs the factories have in ergonomic risk assessment. A literature review also found things that the factories should have but haven´t asked for. Using benchmarking, several common methods used on the market has been summarized and analyzed by the requirements. Three methods, KIM, RAMP and HARM were chosen to be tested by the factories. In a user test, it was clear that KIM was easiest to use. HARM was eliminated because of the lack of evaluating lifting and pushing movements. To choose between KIM and RAMP they were evaluated in terms of the requirements. The results showed that KIM was the best method for IKEA Industry factories. At some places RAMP had good assessment methods. In order to not ignore these, they have been implemented into KIM to make it suit the factories even better. The result ended up in a document called Global standard of ergonomic risk assessment. The method is divided into three different methods depending on if you have lifting/ carrying work, pushing work or repetitive work. The results are then summarized in a chart that shows what needs to be investigated. This project has also with the help of the literature and the analysis of the factory, decided which roles that will participate in the assessment. The suggestions are manager, ergonomist and a production co-worker. With the help of this method, the factories will be able to understand what ergonomic risks they have. They will only need to evaluate the work tasks with the help of this method and will then be presented all high, medium or low ergonomic risks in the factories to minimize these before FY2025.