OSHA Inspection: ADMIRAL, DIVISION OF THE MAYTAG CO.

Issued

Aug 25, 1993

Abate by

Aug 29, 1994

Penalty

Initial $3,500

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:
The employer did not furnish employment and a place of
employment which were free from recognized hazards that were
causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to
employees in that employees were exposed to:
Employees in department 202 were exposed to excessive
ergonomic stress caused by repetitive motions associated
with door liner tie down.  The repetitive motion and upper
extremity exertions associated with door liner tie down
tasks caused, aggravated, or precipitated carpal tunnel
syndrome, wrist tendinitis, wrist strain, numbness and
tingling in the wrists, wrist tenosynovitis, trigger finger,
epicondylitis, shoulder tendinitis, and shoulder ligamentous
and muscular strains.
Worker exposure to ergonomic stresses while performing tie down
tasks was shown by a recorded history of worker lost and
restricted time and symptoms of pain in the shoulders, elbows,
arms, wrists, and hands.
To reduce the ergonomic stresses resulting in injuries and illnesses
to employees performing tie down, the employer shall develop,
document, and implement a complete ergonomic program that
includes, but is not limited to, the following:
1.   Job Stress Analysis
Using an ergonomist who is qualified by education, training, and
experience in the field of ergonomics, conduct an analysis of all
the tasks performed by employees doing door liner tie down.  The
ergonomic analysis shall include an evaluation of the ergonomic
stressors for tie down, including anthropometry, posture force and
the frequency of actions, as well as the time between actions, and
shall utilize survey tools, including videotaping of tasks and input
from the employees whose jobs are being evaluated and
videotaped.  Testing and evaluation of modifications designed to
reduce the ergonomic stressors identified through the ergonomic
analysis should be performed.  During the testing and evaluation,
input from the first line supervisor and employees who perform
the jobs being studied should be obtained and considered.
2.   Hazard Prevention and Control
Investigate and implement control measures that could include, but
are not limited to, the following:
a.   Engineering Controls
1.   Automate the door liner tie down job so
employees do not have to manually drive
screws through the liner into the door.
2.   Replace the screws with a reinforced gasket
that is held in place with Christmas tree
clips.
3.   Use automatic screwfeeder guns to reduce
wrist deviation on the hand used to hold
screws and load them into the pneumatic
screwdriver.
4.   Suspend the pneumatic screwdrivers from
tool balancers mounted on trolleys to reduce
wrist, arm, and shoulder stress caused by the
operator holding the tool between screws.
b.   Work Practice Controls
1.   Use a conditioning period for employees
newly assigned to the tie down line so they
are gradually integrated into a full workload.
2.   Provide frequent rest pauses to relieve
fatigued muscle-tendon groups.
3.   Reduce the line speed so each employee
drives fewer screws in any given time
period.
c.   Administrative Controls
1.   Increase the number of workers on the tie
down line so that each employee drives
fewer screws in any given time period.
2.   Rotate employees to different positions on
the line throughout the shift to relieve
shoulder stress on those who have to reach
out to the center of the line.
3.   Rotate employees off the tie down line onto
jobs that do not stress the same
muscletendon
groups.
3.   Medical Management
Continue the current medical management program, including
regular nerve pace testing of employees currently assigned to tie
down and baseline testing of employees transferring in to the tie
down classification.  Continue to properly record injuries and
illnesses associated with tie down and analyze these records for
trends to determine the effectiveness of control measures.
Encourage workers to advise management as to repetitive motion
disorder symptoms they experience, as soon as possible, so
medical intervention can take place.
4.   Training and Education
a.   Assure training of managers, supervisors, and
engineers to develop awareness of ergonomic
hazards to supply techniques that may be used to
remedy stressors.
b.   Develop a training program that instructs workers
in the recognition of neutral postures for the body,
arm, and hand to avoid repetitive motion or
cumulative trauma disorders.  Train workers to use
minimum stress methods for task performance.
Disclaimers:
a.   The employer is not limited to the abatement
methods suggested by OSHA;
b.   The methods explained are general and may not be
effective in all cases;
c.   The employer is responsible for selecting and
carrying out an appropriate abatement method.
The employer shall submit to the Area Director of the Peoria Area
OSHA Office a detailed plan, in writing, outlining the Ergonomics
Program and current status of abatement methods every 90 days
until effective abatement is approved.

Issued

Jul 1, 1993

Abate by

Jul 6, 1993

Penalty

Initial $12,500 · Current $12,500