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An Investigation of Ergonomic Injuries to Prevent Musculoskeletal Disorders and Control Risks in a Manufacturing Unit—An Industrial Case

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HCI International 2022 – Late Breaking Papers: Ergonomics and Product Design (HCII 2022)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 13522))

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Abstract

Ergonomic injuries also known as musculoskeletal disorders occur due to repetitive action for a long period. The National Centre for Health Statistics department states that more than 50% of Americans are facing musculoskeletal disorders. When physical and psychological demands are too strong, it leads to discomfort, pain, and functional impairment. In an air purifier manufacturing unit, the workers are facing ergonomic and soft tissue injuries while carrying out manual assembly operations. While looking at the microscopic level the operators across the assembly line with shorter height are facing discomfort in carrying out the process. Our study is focused on analyzing these ergonomic injuries using the ergonomic assessment report and operational video recordings. It is found that apart from the worker’s anthropometry, the work layout, process sequence, and work allocations are some other factors that are responsible for these ergonomic injuries. We have analyzed those factors and provided viable solutions to resolve the ergonomic issues and enhance the wellbeing of the operators.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47906, USA

    Gnanaprakash Athmanathan & Vincent G. Duffy

Authors
  1. Gnanaprakash Athmanathan
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  2. Vincent G. Duffy
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vincent G. Duffy .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Industrial Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    Vincent G. Duffy

  2. Department of Industrial Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

    Pei-Luen Patrick Rau

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Athmanathan, G., Duffy, V.G. (2022). An Investigation of Ergonomic Injuries to Prevent Musculoskeletal Disorders and Control Risks in a Manufacturing Unit—An Industrial Case. In: Duffy, V.G., Rau, PL.P. (eds) HCI International 2022 – Late Breaking Papers: Ergonomics and Product Design. HCII 2022. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13522. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21704-3_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21704-3_3

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-21704-3

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