Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
The Lifting Analysis component incorporates the Revised (1991) Lifting Equation from the National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and provides a graphical representation of one
or more lifting tasks with feedback about possible musculoskeletal strains. The tool enables users to
Single-Task Lifting
Analysis Window
23
ErgoEASER
User's Guide
The Task Representation panel (to the right of the control panel)
contains a representation of a human figure that simulates the
postures specified in the data process. When a data entry produces
an improper posture, the simulation places a red X over the part of
the body at the potential injury point.
Directly below the control panel, a text box identifies the task being
reviewed. To the right is a graph showing the current status of the
lifting analysis: The Lifting Index (LI), as computed by the lifting
equation, is plotted on a curve showing the amount of weight that
may be lifted as a function of frequency (lifts per minute). The
current value of the LI is plotted as a black dot. If the dot is located
on or below the curve (i.e., in the green area) the lift is considered a
safe lift. If the dot is above the curve (in the red area), the lift is
considered a hazardous lift (LI > 1). The MAX and the AVE
labels beside the black dot indicate the maximum weight lifted and
the average weight lifted for that task. The dot becomes elongated
and the labels diverge as the MAX weight specified increases above
the AVE weight specified.
Five buttons at the top of the control panel show the five parts of the
lift that must be addressed:
Overview of
Analysis Procedure
24
Lifting Analysis
Quick Reference
2.
3.
25
ErgoEASER
Starting an Analysis
User's Guide
2.
26
1.
2.
27
ErgoEASER
User's Guide
2.
Enter the required data (if different from the data displayed)
for number of people, one or two hands used, lifting style,
back posture, and leg posture. Note that the Revised 1991
NIOSH Lifting Equation (upon which the analysis is based)
assumes one person performs the lift, using two hands, standing, and with legs bent no more than 15 degrees. If an
assumption is violated, the resulting Recommended Weight
Limit (RWL) may be over- or underestimated.
You may use the Tab/SHIFT+Tab keys to move forward and backward through the data entry process, or you may skip around by
using the mouse.
28
Click the Job button at the top of the control panel to enter
data associated with the job. The Job Data Entry control
panel will be displayed, as shown below.
2.
Enter the required data (if different from the data displayed)
for number of lifts per minute, duration of continuous work
time, recovery time, and task components. Depending upon
the job specifications you enter, the Assumptions button
may light up due to assumptions violations of the Revised
NIOSH Lifting Equation. Note that each task component
listed violates an assumption of the 1991 NIOSH lifting
equation. If any of these tasks are associated with the lift
being analyzed, additional ergonomic analyses may be
required.
You may use the Tab/SHIFT+Tab keys to move forward and backward through the data entry process, or you may skip around by
29
ErgoEASER
User's Guide
2.
Enter the required data (if different from the data displayed)
for maximum and average weight; center of mass; object
height, width, and depth; handle style; and hand height.
30
2.
Enter the required data (if different from the data displayed)
for vertical height, horizontal distance, bin/ridge height, and
asymmetric lifting.
31
ErgoEASER
User's Guide
1.
2.
You may use the Tab/SHIFT+Tab key to move forward and backward through the data entry process, or you may skip around by
using the mouse.
Eliminating Potential
Strains
32
As you enter data for the lifting task, the simulated posture of the
person performing the lift is displayed in the Task Representation
panel. When a data entry yields a LI that exceeds 1.0 (reflecting a
lift that may be hazardous), the simulation responds by placing a
red X over the representation of the body at the potential injury
1.
2.
3.
2.
2.
33
ErgoEASER
User's Guide
2.
In How To Fix This Lift, select the option at the top of the
window that best matches your situation:
No Constraints for lifting tasks in which the weight,
duration/frequency, origin, and destination of the lift may be
modified.
34
Read the suggestions and try them out with the simulation.
Recommendations are based on optimizing the variables. The
task may be solved by changing all of the variables by a small
amount, or by optimizing only a few of the variables. Some
trial and error will be needed to achieve a solution that is best
or most practical for the situation.
4.
5.
35
ErgoEASER
User's Guide
Saving an Analysis
You may save your analysis as a file in case you need to refer to or
update it in the future. This can be done at any time during your
work on the analysis within the Lifting Analysis component.
To save an analysis:
Analyzing
Multiple Lifts
Multiple-Lift Analysis
Display
36
1.
2.
Tasks with multiple lifts use the same displays and functions as the
single-lift case, but an additional control panel is provided for
management of multiple tasks. An example of a lifting analysis
screen for a multiple-lift situation is shown below. The top of this
control panel displays a list of tasks that are included in the analysis
set, along with their associated LI values. Below this table, the
composite lifting index (CLI) is shown. The table at the bottom of
the multiple-lift control panel shows tasks that are not presently
included in the analysis. Using the Include and Remove buttons,
you may move tasks into or out of the Included set. In this way, you
may experiment with different combinations of lifting tasks to arrive
at a desirable multiple-lift set.
2.
Generating Reports
You may save reports for later
reference or comparison between
tasks.
1.
Click on the name of the task you wish to delete from the
multi-task summary list.
2.
37
ErgoEASER
User's Guide
Task Variables
The list of task variables also applies only to the current task, and it
is identical to that which is displayed (or printed) from the LIFTING
ANALYSIS VARIABLES window (see next section, Additional
Features).
You may toggle between the report overview, the task summary,
and the task variables displays by clicking on the Overview, Task
Summary or Task Variables radio buttons at the bottom of the
REPORT PREVIEW window.
To produce a report:
1.
2.
3.
4.
38
Additional Features
Additional features, available from the menu bar, enable the user to:
view operator information
change the lifting index threshold
view the list of task variables and their values
specify either English or metric units of measure
view the 1991 Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation
use an on-screen calculator.
Operator Information
Operator Information
Dialogue Window
ErgoEASER
User's Guide
You may change the LI threshold to a value other than 1. Note that
the default value prescribed by OSHA is 1.0, and that you may be
asked to justify a value greater than 1.0 in an OSHA audit.
To change the LI threshold:
1.
2.
Task Variables
You may view the list of task variables at any time by bringing up
the LIFTING ANALYSIS VARIABLES window. The list indicates the
values of all variables for the initial condition reported and for the
"revised" condition in which corrections have been made to
eliminate strains. You may change the values displayed in either
condition by first clicking on either the Initial Values or Revised
Values button (and then manipulating the values using the applicable
control panel.
To view the variables:
1.
2.
40
VARIABLES window.
41
ErgoEASER
User's Guide
Changing Units
of Measurement
You may use either the English units (inches, pounds, etc.) or the
metric units (centimeters, kilograms, etc.). The units of measurement may be changed at any time.
To select the unit of measurement:
Lifting Equation
1.
2.
42
Click with the right mouse button over any of the variables in
the lifting equation to produce a CONTEXT-SENSITIVE HELP
window that provides additional explanation of the
calculations and concepts underlying the variable.
2.
Calculator
2.
Click in the control box in the upper left corner and select
Close from the menu to dismiss the CALCULATOR window.
Resources
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Applications
Manual for the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation. National Technical
Information Services, National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health DHHS (NIOSH) Pub No. 94-10, Cincinnati, OH. 1991.
43