Grant: Automotive Partnership Canada Project

Presented is a plan to accurately quantify the physical demands associated with Right-Angle Power-Tool operation and then compare those measures to physically acceptable limits during ergonomics analyses. It has been estimated that approximately 70% of operators in automotive assembly use power-tools to complete their assembly tasks, yet ergonomists are limited in their abilities to assess the physical demands associated with power-tools use as physically acceptable limits and assessment methods to evaluate power-tool operations are limited. Therefore, this ""solutions driven research"" will parameterize and quantify ergonomic factors (end-reaction torque and vibration) associated with right-angle power-tool operation, which will then be used to create ergonomics physically acceptable limits to be utilized during ergonomic analyses, in an effort to reduce workplace injuries.It is expected that this project will have a direct and positive impact on work conditions within the Canadian automotive/manufacturing sector. This project will provide this sector with the ability to identify and reduce injury risks associated with right-angle power-tool operation. Reducing the number of work-related musculoskeletal disorders and their associated costs is imperative for the overall health of workers and the Canadian economy. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders represent a growing national burden and benefits paid from these claims between 2001 and2010 in Canada were in excess of $90 billion. The knowledge generated from this work will benefit Canadians over the short-term by reducing work-related musculoskeletal disorders, improving worker safety and reducing healthcare costs(-1-2 years) and longer by increasing manufacturing efficiency in the (-3-5 years+) term. Finally, this work is anticipated to have a direct influence on automobiles manufactured in Canada as, the potential reduction in risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders will yield higher quality vehicle assembly as, operators will be able to complete work tasks within ergonomics physically acceptable limits.The objective of the proposed project is to: 1) develop an instrumented tool to measure the physical demandsexperienced at the hand during right-angle power-tool operation; 2) determine the physical demands associated when operating both pneumatic and Direct Current based right-angle power-tool operation and; 3) develop ergonomics physical capabilities of humans while operating right-angle power-tool operation in various postures, frequencies and duration.