Redesign materials handling system by using ergonomic approaches to reduce back pain risk

Abstract

This paper is about the redesign material handling device through the study of psychological and biomechanical factors that related the activities push and pull trolley. The project has been conducted in the automotive industry. Data about the problems encountered through a questionnaire among 14 workers Sat Receiving Area, since it has the highest number of ergonomic risk factors. The result shows the main problem is the existing trolley design seems not suitable and giving musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) of the workers especially back pain. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to redesign the materials handling system by using ergonomic approaches to reduce back pain. The Tekscan software will be used for evaluating hand pressure distribution force on the existing and alternatives trolley. Results obtained will be used as a benchmark for the concept of trolley to be redesigned. The Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) was applied to analyze the posture of workers on the existing and alternative trolley and redesign trolley to be proposed by ABC Company. Based on the RULA analysis, the redesigned trolley has improved the posture of the workers. Hence, this study concludes that considering ergonomic features for the redesigned trolley contributed to safe body posture.