Success Brief:

Within a year of implementing several actions intended to address ergonomic risk factors at the workplace, the DART rate was reduced by 31% and the MSD DART by 46%.

Problem:

Employees suffered injuries due to lifting of parts such as Radiators, Cores, and Charge-Air coolers, with weights ranging from 50 to 120 pounds. The site was not using lifting assists or 2-person lifts for items moved from carts to a conveyor belt headed to and from the paint line.

Solutions:

1. Ergonomics training, Safe Lifting Train-the-Trainer, delivered to supervisors to refresh and motivate them to actively observe employees’ working methods and coach on safe lifting improvements needed.
2. Checklist/questions to address ergonomics/manual material handling issues included in the site’s new online platform for safety inspections. They are used to identify opportunities for improvement discussed at team meetings.
3. Mechanical equipment purchased and implemented to reduce ergonomic hazards and potential injuries. A new electric pallet jack and a second tilter procured as a follow-up to ergonomic issues found.
   1. At the Powder Paint Line Area, employees routinely use the tilter and cart for unloading radiators. Use of tilters reduces the risks associated with bending, reaching, and awkward grips. Employees were also encouraged to use the tilter and cart for loading radiators on the line, however they prefer to use 2-person lifts. Accordingly, staffing was adjusted to ensure the availability of employees when parts over 35 pounds are transferred to the paint line. This combined approach reduced the risks associated with the manual handling of parts during line loading and unloading.
   2. Use of the electric pallet jack effectively reduces push/pull forces and the fatigue that resulted from using the manual pallet jack.
   3. The Environmental Health and Safety Instruction for the powder paint line was updated to stress the importance of 2-person lifts, equipment inspection and use, and employee rotation among the different tasks of the line.
4. Encouraged employee involvement in safety and health activities with Union members actively participate in safety meetings.

Impact:

Since the implementation of these actions the DART rate went from 5.1 in 2022 to 3.5 as of June of 2024 (31% reduction), and the MSD DART rate went from 3.9 to 2.1 for the same time period (46% reduction).

Source: Angela Ricotta, EHS Manager, TitanX Engine Cooling Inc.