Ergonomics Metrics (Measureables) - Human factors engineering

[ScottK]

Re: Ergonomics Metrics?

I find myself leaning towards what potdar is saying.
Randy - you know that ergonomics is notoriously hard to quantify to bean counters and plant managers, that's why nothing ever became of the OSHA ergonomics standard for general industry.
It's hard to prove you prevented something.

So as far as metrics - dont ignore the safety aspect but get the metrics from efficiency improvement.

Example from my past - was an IE in an operation that involved repetitive lifting of a shaft from a slitter to a stripper/core placer and back to the slitter. Then turning 180 degrees and putting the rolls on a packing table. This manual part of the operation was the bottleneck.
No one would listen to my protests of possible shoulder and back problems because there hadn't been any documented.
But when I reduced the weigh of the shaft and moved the packing table to 90 degrees instead of 180, production increased because the operator could do more "reps" without tiring. So we could speed up the slitter time to match the new operator pace.
That sells.

 

[SteelMaiden]

Re: Ergonomics Metrics?

I find myself leaning towards what potdar is saying.

I still want to know who "they" are. I really dislike generalizations like this. They allow no chance to cite findings, or dispute findings. It's like a grade school thing where Johnny comes home crying because "they" are mean. How do you measure that? Every person in the world, every person named ralph? One person out of the class? Where is the measureable in "they"?

 

[ScottK]

Re: Ergonomics Metrics?

I still want to know who "they" are. I really dislike generalizations like this. They allow no chance to cite findings, or dispute findings. It's like a grade school thing where Johnny comes home crying because "they" are mean. How do you measure that? Every person in the world, every person named ralph? One person out of the class? Where is the measureable in "they"?

It's as unquantifiable as how many accidents you prevented with an improvement?

*shrug*
I wasn't commenting so much on that part of the post as trying to quantify ergonomic improvements.

 

[SteelMaiden]

Re: Ergonomics Metrics?

I realized that, no harm no foul.

 

[Randy]

Re: Ergonomics Metrics?

Metrics can be based upon past experiance against present occurance.

CIP (Case in point) we instituted ergonomic controls within our organization (previous employer) that once put into place reduce our ergonomics related incidents by a full 50% in the 1st year (8 down to 4). We also reduce employye complaints , saw an increase in some productivity and realized a cost savings of about $200K

 

[ScottK]

Re: Ergonomics Metrics?

Metrics can be based upon past experiance against present occurance.

CIP (Case in point) we instituted ergonomic controls within our organization (previous employer) that once put into place reduce our ergonomics related incidents by a full 50% in the 1st year (8 down to 4). We also reduce employye complaints , saw an increase in some productivity and realized a cost savings of about $200K

True - if you have past documented incidents to measure against.

 

[SteelMaiden]

Re: Ergonomics Metrics?

Exactly, Randy! In an office environment, just getting proper seating for personnel can increase effeciency, reduce doctor and chiropractor visits, improve overall mood and moral, just because people are now sitting comfortably and correctly. Sorry to say, but my rather voluptuous rear end does not fit the chair like toothpick girl down the hall.

 

[ScottK]

Re: Ergonomics Metrics?

Exactly, Randy! In an office environment, just getting proper seating for personnel can increase effeciency, reduce doctor and chiropractor visits, improve overall mood and moral, just because people are now sitting comfortably and correctly. Sorry to say, but my rather voluptuous rear end does not fit the chair like toothpick girl down the hall.

Keep in mind that we meed metrics...

how do you show that increase in efficiency? How do you prove those past doctor and chiro visits were due to poor workplace ergonomics? How do you measure mood and morale?

Please -I'm not arguing improving ergonomics is a bad thing. I've headed ergonomic action teams and IRL am a big proponent of ergonomic consciousness.
Just remember that for most capital investment projects you need to show the measureable impact up front.

 

[SteelMaiden]

Re: Ergonomics Metrics?

Keep in mind that we meed metrics...

how do you show that increase in efficiency? How do you prove those past doctor and chiro visits were due to poor workplace ergonomics? How do you measure mood and morale?

Please -I'm not arguing improving ergonomics is a bad thing. I've headed ergonomic action teams and IRL am a big proponent of ergonomic consciousness.
Just remember that for most capital investment projects you need to show the measureable impact up front.

Well, increase in efficiency...average time it takes to perform the task. lets say entering some "record" it used to take 3 hours to get the average days # entered, now it takes 2.5. # records did not change, no computer changes, etc. So we have improved effeciency by whatever it works out to be.

There were 15 visits to chiropractor 2 years ago, only 3 last year. You talk to the employees to see what improved. They all state that since you purchased new ergo chairs, they do not get hip and back pain. Their doctors agreed when they asked the same thing.

How do you measure mood and morale? Hopefully you and/or your frontline supervisors are assessing this kind of stuff all the time, couple with maybe an employee survey and records of missed days, you can surely manage to draw a few valid conclusions.

 

[ScottK]

Re: Ergonomics Metrics?

Well, increase in efficiency...average time it takes to perform the task. lets say entering some "record" it used to take 3 hours to get the average days # entered, now it takes 2.5. # records did not change, no computer changes, etc. So we have improved effeciency by whatever it works out to be.

How can you be sure this isn't a short term gain that will slip back as people take their new chairs for granted?

There were 15 visits to chiropractor 2 years ago, only 3 last year. You talk to the employees to see what improved. They all state that since you purchased new ergo chairs, they do not get hip and back pain. Their doctors agreed when they asked the same thing.

Testimonial evidence is always suspect. How was it demonstrated that those 15 visits were from workplace ergonomic factors? Could be stress. Could be hobbies (case in point - former company I was with won a workers comp case because the guy was a body builder and did even more repetetive motions outside of work).

How do you measure mood and morale? Hopefully you and/or your frontline supervisors are assessing this kind of stuff all the time, couple with maybe an employee survey and records of missed days, you can surely manage to draw a few valid conclusions.

What is a valid? I've argued morale issues with more than one plant manager "Show me the numbers!".