When the company’s president discovered the Easy Arm® Intelligent Lift Assist Device, the simplicity of its operation stood out – his employees would not need to undergo extensive training to use it.

Like many companies in the mid to late 1980s, L. L. Bean experienced an increase in cumulative trauma disorders, predominantly of the upper extremities and back. As we focused on reducing these injuries/illnesses through an emphasis on ergonomics and other programs (e.g. worksite stretch, physical therapy, education/training, rehabilitation), we also shifted to total quality management as a way of doing business. Many systems internal to L. L. Bean were effected, including job design, performance appraisals, pay, scheduling, and management emphasis, as well as new focus on and accountabilities for health and safety in the productionareas. Through this macroergonomic approach we were able to reduce lost-time injuries by (-61%) and (-94%) in our distribution and manufacturing divisions, respectively, from 1988 to 1993.by Edward F. Rooney, Manager, Employee Health ManagementL.L. Bean, Inc.

As a material handling professional, you are confronted with discovering, evaluating, and implementing improved material handling strategies. Heres a tool that can be used to evaluatethe dynamic motion in a job and its resultant injury risk. This tool, The Lumbar Motion Monitor (LMM), allows you to more accurately predict the onset and severity of back injuries. The LMM can also assist in creating and documenting an improved risk reduction strategy.by Richard S. Wyatt PH.D., P.E., CPEAon Ergonomic Services

Every business in industrial America has trembled with the self-doubts which result from the staggering amounts of evidence which conclude that our domestic productivity has not kept pace with foreign competition. In a reaction to this growing concern, an extraordinary amount of attention has been focused on the fields of automation and robotics. Managements have and will continue to invest millions of dollars to renovate plants, control inventories and automate operations. These programs are not only worthwhile but also an absolute necessity if our companies are to remain competitive contributors in the marketplace. However almost completely lost in this race to automate is the need to enhance the efficiency of the workers who populate our factories and warehouse.

Jim Galante of Southworth Products Corporation describes in detail the many ergonomic problems and their solutions due to new ergonomic assist devices.

Prepared by the Ergonomic Assist Systems and Equipment Council (EASE) an industry group of MHI. This document gives a general overview and basic understanding of "ergonomics", typical ergonomic injuries, the impact of those injuries on your business and your employees, and solutions. It also discusses training for your workers, available ergonomic assist equipment and what the payoff of establishing effective ergonomic procedures can be to your company.

While stretching alone does not appear to be the most effective mechanism for managing work-related musculoskeletal disorders, it does take a step in the right direction to increase awareness concerning the benefits of movement, circulation, and posture.

Courtesy of The Lift Manufacturers Product Group (LIFT)

This White Paper, commissioned by the Ergonomic Assist Systems and Equipment Council (EASE) Council and the Lift Manufacturers Product Group (LIFT) of MHI, was written by two experts on lean and ergonomic issues from the South Dakota School of Mines. The Paper emphasizes the importance of integrating lean and ergonomic concepts with material handling equipment solutions. It provides specific situations in which companies have used material handling equipment to improve and support their lean initiatives while enhancing employee work environments with ergonomic solutions and ultimately improving the throughput process.

Lifting heavy or bulky objects, such as parts bins and subassemblies, is one of the most hazardous tasks facing assemblers on the plant floor. Fortunately, a wide variety of scissor lifts, tilt tables and other ergonomic devices can improve productivity and minimize the risk of back injury.By Austin Weber of Assembly Magazine

The latest BLS statistics are out and it is not good news. In 2011 the total cost of occupational injuries was $189 billion. This exceeds the combined profits of the 16 largest companies listed in Fortune 500. Over 50% of those injuries can be attributed to MMH (manual material handling). MMH continues to be the No.1 cause for workplace injuries resulting in lost time.