OSHA Inspection: LITHONIA LIGHTING INC.

Issued

Aug 8, 1991

Abate by

Aug 7, 1992

Penalty

Initial $1,000 · Current $1,000

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
permanent crippling, loss of function, and serious injury to employees,
in that employees were required to perform tasks resulting in stressors
that had caused, were causing, or were likely to cause repetitive
motion trauma and static muscle strain injuries:
In the assembly department, workers who performed tasks that
involved cleaning, testing, subassembly, assembly and packaging
of a wide variety of sizes and configurations of light fixtures
were exposed to ergonomic stresses (including repetitve motions
and static muscle postures) that were likely to result in injury
and/or cumulative trauma disease of the arms, elbows, wrists,
fingers, back, and shoulders.
The injury and illness records for calendar years 1986, 1987,
1988, 1989, and 1990 documented a pattern of these types of
injuries including Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, tenosynovitis,
tendinitis, and other cumulative trauma disorders to the hands,
wrists, arms, shoulders, and back of employees working in the
assembly department.
Abatement Program
The workplace ergonomics hazards can be controlled and ergonomic
stressors reduced by a program including, but not limited to
the following:
Records
Complete the update, additions, and corrections of information
to the OSHA 200 Log and to the associated OSHA 101 or equivalent
forms for the years 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991.  Enter the
information into a computer database so that the records can
be sorted and analyzed.  The information can allow a pro-active
approach to addressing the workplace's worker cumulative trauma
disorder (CTD) problems.
Database of Information
Establsh a worker database of information relative to cumulative
trauma disorders (CTD).  The OSHA Worker Questionnaire could
be helpful in the collection of information.  Establish clearly
with the worker that the information requested is aimed at
understanding the worker's problems, and that the information
will be used in an ongoing effort to reduce the CTD stresses
on workers through tool selection, improving fixtures, and
improving workstations.
Worker CTD Awareness Program
Establish a simple training program that instructs workers in
the recognition of neutral postures for the body, arm, and hand
to avoid repetitive motion or CTD illnesses.  Evlauate the tasks
being performed and, using video recordings of workers, establish
the minimum stress methods for task performance.  Train workers
to use the established task method.  When workers are observed
performing outside the prescribed task method, reorient them.
Work - Workstations
Study the work performed by employees.  Provide fixtures to hold
work parts, and tool handles that allow work to be performed
by workers whose hands and wrists are in a neutral position.
For horizontal work, an in-line shaped tool meets the
requirement.  For vertical work, a tool with a pistol-grip handle
meets the requirement.  Place tools on anti-weight suspenders
at the workstations.  Review the performance of the changed
workstations.  Workers can be expected to provide valuable
insight into what works best with minimum stress to them, while
maintaining production and product quality.
Ergonomic Hazard Abatement Evaluation
As workstations  and work processes are improved, wait for 60
days, then use worker questionnaires to establish whether the
changes have truly reduced worker ergonomic stress.  The
questionnaire approach is much more time effective than waiting
for workers' injuries to accumulate on the OSHA 200 Injury and
Illness Log.
Workers Fitness and Exercise
With the start-up assistance of a trained therapist, establish
a worker fitness and exercise program.  Provide exercise periods
that stress stretching of muscles and a worker warm-up at the
start of work period.  Assuming a mid-work lunch period, provide
exercies periods at the quarter and three quarter points of the
workday.
Injured Workers
Establish an injured worker program.  For workers that are new
to the job, for workers who have been away from work that are
new to the job, and for workers who have been away from work
for extended periods, a work hardening and preparedness program
is needed.  The program needs to be started with the assistance
of a trained theerapist and maintained by the company medical
department.  The goals of the program should include, but not
be limited to:
A) Establish a therapy and exercise program aimed at
work hardening to the workers.
b) Establish physical performance norms for full
performance of jobs.  Measure new and injured
workers to determine their performance toward the
full performance norm.
c) In coordination with the injured worker's doctor,
after a CTS illness, provide work that is consistent
with the worker's capabilities.
d) Monitor new and CTD damaged workers.  Determine
whether they are peforming tasks using the company
prescribed method, tool(s), and workstation
configurations.  Determine whether work hardening
is progressed in the expected manner.  Periodically
review the performance with the worker, supervisor,
safety and health director, and the medical
department manager.
Injured Workers--Workstation Methods
Conduct an analysis of the work method(s), tool(s), and
workstation for each worker that suffers an OSHA reportable CTD
illness.  Solicit the comments and suggestions of affected
supervisors, workers, and the engineering department.  Make
indicated changes to reduce stresses on the worker.  If there
are similar work tasks and stations, modify them.  After 90 days,
review the results.  Determine whether:
a) Futher changes are needed, or
b) The job or workstation is set up properly.
c) If changes are needed, make them, and review the
results in 90 days.
Workplace Specific Ergonomic Controls
Low Stress Work Posture
Eliminate reaching and twisting at work stations by repositioning
guns, tools, and parts.  Modify the tables or benches so that
light fixtures being assembled are positioned at a height and
angle that allows workers to handle them with shoulder extension
angles of less than 45 degrees, elbow horizontal angles of less
than 45 degress, wrists in a position, body and shoulders
centered and erect.  Reduce wrist, hand, or arm motion by using
jigs or fixtures to hold parts in position for assembly.  Provide
arm or wrist padding on work tables or benches where contact
with the table or bench is expected.  Provide suspenders that
cancel the weight and forces generated by screwguns and nut
drivers.
Parts and Assemblies
Assure that parts, sheetmetal, wiring and hardware meets
standards through an ongoing program of policing suppliers, and
by assuring that parts and assemblies made at the plant are
uniform.
Provide straps and parts which are pre-cut and pre-formed whenever
possible to eliminate the need for the assembler to perform
stressful tasks.
Parts Pickup and Handling
Establish a maximum number of product pieces that can be gripped
using the least extension of thumb and fingers.  Provide
instructions to workers on the uses of the minimum hand clamp
strength and neutral hand-wrist positions required to perform
tasks.
Seated Workstations
For seated workstations, the following sections can be used in
making the workstation fit the worker with minimum ergonomic
stress.
Ergonomic Chairs
Provide and maintain a supply of ergonomic-adjustable chairst
that typically have at least the following features:
a) Waterfall Seat
Waterfall Seat's front edge shape assures that compressive
forces on the backs of the worker's thighs will be low and
will not restrict blood flow to the legs.
b) Stable-Wheeled Base
Experience shows that five-wheeled castor chairs are much
more stable and are less likely to be upset than the older
four-wheeled models.
c) Adjustable Seat Height
Adjustable seat height to allow for proper vertical leg room.
d) Backrest
Backrest with a lumbar pad to support the lumbar spine between
the third vertebra and the sacrum.
e) Swivel seats
Swivel seats to facilitate worker entry  to and from the
workstation.
Footrests
Provide an adjustable-heigh footrest, with a wide foot rest
surface, for the worker's feet, which are inclined at an angle
of twenty-five degress from the horizontal.
Workstations
Develop workstations that fit the workers using adjustable
tables, chairs, and footrests to accommodate 90% jof all workers.
At standing workstations provide anti-fatigue rubber mats.
Work Gloves
If they are used, ensure the use of highly flexible
proper-fitting glovves.  Offer gloves with high-friction
surfaces.  The combination of proper fit and high friction gloves
reduce the hand/finger grip forces that workers need to exert
when performing tasks.
Disclaimers:
1.  You are not limited to the abatement methods suggested above.
2.  The methods explained are general and may not be effective
in all cases.
3.  The employer is responsible for selecting and carrying out
an appropriate abatement method.