Methodological Proposal for Ergonomic Risks Evaluation

Abstract

This paper proposes a practical methodology for the evaluation and control of ergonomic risks in manufacturing companies. The methodology starts with the previous recognition of the current state of the workstations, to then apply the risk matrix and select the critical positions. The next step is to determine the ergonomic tools that would be used per workstation, and once the evaluations are completed, the results of the risk level and the actions recommended are considered as a basis for making improvement proposals. The improved positions are again evaluated to verify the favorable changes from the ergonomic point of view and, in addition, values ​​of standard times and workloads are compared before and after the implementation of proposals. Finally, the methodology suggests an economic evaluation, to resolve if it is convenient to invest in ergonomic improvements. The present study was carried out in a manufacturing company, with the objective of evaluating and controlling the ergonomic risks involved in the manufacture of the products with the greatest demand for the organization. The evaluation and control of ergonomic risks confirms that the standard time and workload are reduced significantly, and allows reducing the requirement of man-hours and manufacturing more units per cycle. The proposed methodology demonstrates that the implementation of ergonomic interventions is a viable project from the economic point of view.