Säkrare lyft i materialförsörjningen på ABB Robotics : Tillämpning av NIOSH reviderade lyftekvation

Sammanfattning: A modernization of the ABB Robotics production system has led to a large part of the manual handling being moved upstream in the logistics chain towards the logistics department. This study aims to identify and make recommendations to address the risks associated with manual lifting in the logistics department. To measure and analyze the lifts, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's revised lifting equation has been used. The logistics department consists of the areas washing, goods reception and logistics center. In the wash, two articles were identified that require potentially strenuous manual handling. The root cause was considered to be the design of the pallet system. A new pallet system is recommended as a measure. The manual handling in goods reception did not meet the conditions set by the revised lifting equation and therefore no conclusion about the risks could be drawn. At the logistics center, three risk elements were identified; repackaging in light flow, replenishing the supermarket shelf and order picking from the supermarket shelf. In addition to specific recommendations for each risk element, a new material handling system consisting of vertical lifting modules is recommended. General conclusions that can be drawn from the study are that work-related stress injuries are a major and growing problem, which particularly affects industrial and logistics personnel. The problem identified at Robotics is believed to be relevant to many manufacturing industries facing the same challenges in terms of increased productivity requirements. Due to the constant pressure that either occurs internally or externally, there is a need for more efficient production processes. Repacking materials in standardized load carriers or kitting materials material before it is presented to the production are examples of ways to achieve higher efficiency in the production. In this way, manual handling in the production can be reduced and thus also the time required for such handling. When non-value adding activities in the production decrease from repacking or kitting, the load on the internal logistics function increase. This study has shown how that poor ergonomics in the internal logistics largely depends on the design of the work processes and material flows and not necessarily on available tools or regulations. Improving ergonomics should therefore be seen as a natural part of the development of internal logistics, the purpose of which is to create efficient flows.