A study regarding the ergonomic conditions in an area of winding

transformers
G. N. BOLZAN, G. S. FREITAS, L. A. S. FRANZ
Federal University of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

ABSTRACT: The search of the improvement in health and safety of the worker gains more and more space in
the last years, although it is still a challenging for employers and safety experts. This point of view repeat it-
self in different areas in which can be cited the case of the production and maintenance of electrical equip-
ment. This work aims to investigate which are the main ergonomic demands in responsible work stations by
winding in a firm that manufactures and reconditions the transformers, located in the city of Lagoa Vermelha,
in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. For this, it was used techniques of ergonomic analysis including ap-
plication of a semi structured questionnaire and postural analysis by the method RULA. It was observed that
the environmental factors do not influence in the operator performance, being more critical those factors asso-
ciated to posture and rhythm of work. The method RULA showed the urgent need of intervention with aims to
improvement in the work stations covered by this study.

1 INTRODUCTION A lot of occupational diseases can be related to

Some parameters are considered essential to a better
quality of life as an access to potable water, to elec-
trical energy and to the basic sanitation (BRASIL,
1989). In the particular case of electrical energy, it
has whole a transmission system to that arrives at es-
tablishments and houses with the best efficiently as
possible. In this distribution system, in several
points, found equipment called transformer, im-
portant in the conversion of electrical potential, what
imply directly in the obtainment of different levels of
electrical tension and electrical current. Smaller cur-
rents and bigger tensions imply in cables of smaller
diameter and vice versa. In this sense, and with an
adequate designing, the transformers can provide
expressive financial gains by means of the adequate
use of material resources. The transformers can be
considered electrical equipment of low complexity
which works basically through the use of coils (a lot
of times isolated by specific oil), connections and
iron core.
During the manufacture of transformers, there is
an operation known as winding, frequently per-
formed using places and procedures with high poten-
tial for occurrence of ergonomic demands of differ-
ent types. According to Iida (2005), one of the
critical and challenge aspects in terms of ergonomic
demands refers to necessary postures to the perform-
ing activities in the work stations, when observed the
interaction man versus machine.
the worker posture in the work station, which belong
a group of diseases known as WMSD's (Work-
Related Musculoskeletal Disorders) and that are a
great concern among OHS (Occupational Health and
Safety) experts. This group of diseases has strong as-
sociation to wrong postures, excessive and inade-
quate forces and other factors of risk that can trigger
these disorders (CARDOSO, 2006). Beyond the pos-
tures, there are other factors that can affect the work-
er health, as environmental factors of physical and
chemical nature, as noise, vibration, lighting, ther-
mal comfort and aggressive substances
(COUTINHO et al., 2010).
Therefore, the present work aims to investigate
which are the main ergonomic demands in work sta-
tion responsible by winding in a firm that manufac-
ture and reconditions transformers, located in the
city of Lagoa Vermelha, in the state of Rio Grande
do Sul, Brazil.
2 ERGONOMICS AND THE PRODUCTION OF
TRANSFORMERS
The specific literature points several factors that can
bring ergonomic risks to worker and specially the
occurrence of WMSD’s. Among the main present
factors in the activities of workers which trigger the
lesions or sensations of discomfort, there is the inad-
equate posture, need of force application, rhythm of
movement, repeatability, duration, recovery time,
heavy dynamic effort and localized vibration. These
conditions associated to characteristics as heat, cold,
noise and luminance and additional factors as stress,
cognitive demand, organization of work and work
load potentiate the occurrence of WMSD’s.
2.1 Ergonomics and the work stations
Observing a work station in the scope of ergonomic
conditions, we can decrease it to a basic analysis
made up by man, by machine and by environmental
(IIDA, 2005). From the viewpoint of the man, it is
observed among other aspects, the postures and the
manner of movement, in a way that the maintenance
of these by an extended time can bring losses to
health of the worker and also the loss of his produc-
tivity. According to Oliveira et al., (2011), during
the diary journey, a worker can assume hundreds of
postures, even existing basically three postures that
the human body takes, working as much as resting:
lying, sitting down and standing up.
In the event of the same posture be kept for an ex-
tended period, or in the case of overly repeated
movement, in both can occur damage to worker.
Some important damage in these cases is the tendini-
tis, the bursitis, and the fatigue (OLIVEIRA et al.
2011). Tendinitis result of inflammations from micro
lesions of tendinous tissue, in the same way bursitis
is inflammations in the bursa, which is tiny fluid-
filled sac that wrap the articulations, performing the
function of shock absorber between bones, tendons
and muscle tissues (OLIVEIRA et al. 2011;
VARELLA, 2010).
The fatigue, in turn, demonstrates itself according
to three factors: physiological factors, psychological
and environmental and social factors (IIDA, 2005).
Physiological factors are related to intensity and du-
ration of physical and mental work. To psychologi-
cal, the relation exist with a monotony, lack of moti-
vation and finally the environmental and social
factors that are related to lighting, noise, temperature
and behavior with superiors and colleagues.
Other damage that deserves attention by its inci-
dence is the low back pain that is characterized as a
pain which vary between sudden, intense and ex-
tended in the region of low back of vertebral col-
umn. Factors that can be the generator of low back
pain gain more highlight as the repetitive work, ac-
tions of push and pull, falls, maintaining of postures
for extended periods sitting down or standing up
(PERES, 2005; ULIAN et al., 2005).
In the context of the environment and machine,
elements that also forms the basic unit of analysis,
several aspects can step in the work station, among
them, the physical arrangement or layout, which
treats how the various tools and equipment are posi-
tioned and the ones that are used by the worker. Fac-
tors like lighting, noise and temperature can also be
embraced, depending on the context in which the
analysis is performed. According Iida (2005), a cor-
rectly design of lighting and colors helps to increase
the satisfaction in the work and improve the produc-
tivity, while it reduces the fatigue and accidents.
The thermal comfort, by its part, if disregarded,
can produce in the individual fatigue, physical fa-
tigue, decrease of performance, increased risk of ac-
cidents and errors at work and even exposes the
worker's body to various diseases. According to Iida
(2005), in temperatures above 24ºC, workers tend to
feel torpor, when below 18ºC individuals involved
with sedentary jobs or with low physical activity
begin to feel tremors.
The noise also configures itself as an important
element to be considered in the respect to environ-
ment, seeing that the discomfort resulting of unde-
sirable exposition levels can generate hearing loss,
reaching the point of deafening the individual, as
well as change the mental performance negatively, it
can also cause physiological damaging reactions to
the body, having some consequences as the increase
of stress and fatigue (KROEMER & GRANDJEAN,
2005). In Brazil, the norm NR15 (BRASIL, 2005)
establish the maximum levels of noise that allow the
minimum comfort to occupants of a place. Above
the limits of noise recommended; more than disturb
any human activity, noise can, during the not ex-
tended period of time, cause serious damage to hear-
ing (ROSSI et al. 2011).
2.2 Distribution of power and the importance of the
using of transformers
The Brazilian electricity sector actually is divided in
segments such as generation, transmission, distribu-
tion and marketing. A large part of the power gener-
ated in Brazil occur in hydroelectric power plants
(74,9%), and the rest is divided between wind energy
(0,4%), natural gas (5,8%), biomass (5,5)%, impor-
tation (6,3%), coal and derived (1,3%), nuclear
(2,6%) and petroleum based fuels (3,1%). Immedi-
ately after its generation, the energy must to be pro-
vided to consumers through special electrical sys-
tem, involving high and low voltages with direct
(DC) or alternates (AC) current, in order to achieve
the using of electricity-conducting materials in the
most economically manner (LEÃO, 2011).
The distribution grid is fundamental to make the
connection between the generation plants and unities
of high potential. After going through this initial
stage, the energy follows to intermediary transmis-
sion grids with lowest electric potential; it arrives fi-
nally to the residential consumers, commercial estab-
lishments, services and industrial consumers of
medium and small sized (LEÃO, 2011). Across
many points of this system, near the final user and
where there is changes of electrical power, there are
the transformer model that has part of its process of
manufacturing covered in the present study.
The transformer is basically static electrical
equipment that has the function of transport electric
power using electromagnetic induction. In it, the
value of tension and the current are alternated, but
the power and frequency remain unchanged, consid-
ering the case of an ideal transformer (NEVES &
MÜNCHOW, 2010).
3 MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study was developed in the period of January to
March of 2013. Previously to this period, the neces-
sary contacts were performed to scheduling of field
activities and initial understanding of the possible
challenges to be overcome in achieving them. In this
period, visits to the object local of study were routed
and performed the necessary data collection.
3.1 Object of Study
The firm object of the present study manufactures
and performs the maintenance in transformers genus
15 or 25 used typically to transformation of poten-
tials of tension in the range between 127 and 23100
Volts, contemplating equipment to capacities until
1500kVA.
The firm had, in the epoch of the study, 50 work-
ers allocated in some separate departments according
to the performed tasks. Physically, the firm is divid-
ed in several sectors, having an area built in 4000m²
where deliveries in medium 500 transformers per
month, from manufacture or maintenance. In the sec-
tor of winding, where it is found the work station
embraced in the present study, it is performed the
making of coils. This sector is responsible by the
production of coils which will be used in the trans-
formers, acting in the station six workers, all of them
female, being one responsible for manage the same,
and the others five for the manufacture of coils.
It was analyzed just the productive process of
coils HT (high tension), because this was a process
that could be followed. This process had its steps di-
vided in phases, being them separated by similar
movements, in this way is possible have a better re-
sult in the application of the method RULA.
3.2 Instruments of surveying and analyzing
To the performing of surveying in fields was used
equipment to the registration of images, audio and
videos, as well as a semi structure questionnaire hav-
ing 19 questions. The register of images and videos
was used to analysis of postures and rhythm of work.
In turn, the questionnaire and register of audio aimed
to bring support to the comprehension the perception
of the workers and the managers face the demands of
the work imposed in their routine work.
The method RULA (Rapid Upper Limber As-
sessment) (McAtamney & Corlett, 1993) was used
by the characteristic of the analyzed work station and
by its low complexity of application. This method
considers the postures according to the relative an-
gles between the limbs and trunk, obtaining scores
that define the level of action to be followed. The
evaluation that follows the method RULA supplies a
score ranging incrementally from the value 1 and
that distribute itself in four levels of criticality, being
the levels with lower scores which one has accepta-
ble postures and the level with more scores that one
which demands urgent alterations. To get these
scores, the observed angles in the limbs are divided
in groups and classified in charts. The Chart A is
considered the superior limbs and the Chart B the
neck, trunk, legs and feet. Data obtained from these
charts are used in a third chart (Chart C), where it is
obtained the final score, which determinates the crit-
icality of the posture by analysis.
3.3 Conduction of Analysis
The study of the obtained data in field was accom-
plished through analysis of contents, in the case of
obtained answers by questionnaire and, through the
statistical analysis in the case of numeral data. More
specifically, in the case of method RULA, it was
used the insertion and primary treatment of data in
full electronic worksheet with specially fields devel-
oped for the referred analysis tool.
4 RESULTS
The process of winding covered by this study is
characterized for to be predominantly manually, and
the firm manager related that it is an important font
of worries associated at the health problems and the
wellbeing of workers. During the early dialogues
with the manager, it verifies that the firm acknowl-
edged that the sector has critical aspects in relation
to discomfort, mainly involving inadequate postures.
It was found the occurrence of pain reports by work-
ers, mainly in lumbar region, shoulders and wrists.
Also there was the relocation of a collaborator who
had problems involving pain and discomfort. These
facts signaled that the sector is a priority place to ac-
tions aiming ergonomic improvements.
When analyzing the task, it was verified that
winding is performed in a controlled temperature
room using air conditioner system and with artificial
lighting provided by fluorescent lamps. In this place
there are the whole equipment and materials used
daily by workers from that place. The raw material
used is delivered to the transformers setting up sta-
tion, being produced two types of high tension (HT)
coils and low tension (LT) coils.
To the production of the coils, eleven steps must
to be followed and also the step of preparation of
materials and forms, done before or during the pro-
cess of winding and that involves preparation and
separation of roles, forms, threads and specifically
accessories to each coil, which will be confectioned.
Chart 1 – Steps of winding process
PHASE STEPS NAME OF THE STEP
1 Cylinder
2 Winding Direction
1
Production of the Starting
3
Terminal
4 Production of the First Spire
5 First Layer Winding
2e3
6 Winding
7 Derivations Production
8 Gap’s Production
9 Last Layer Bracing
4 Placing the insulation tube of the last spire, cut the yarn, passing
10 Making the Final of the Coil
11 Inspect the Coils
The coils HT production, the focused process of
this study, is synthetically described steps in the
Chart 1. However, during the analysis of the activity,
it was verified that the previewed phases in the task
could be divided in four steps (useful in applying the
method RULA), taking into account the similar
movements occurred during the execution of work
and as showed in the Chart 1.
STEPS’s DESCRIPTION
Placing the cylinder role.
Checking the direction of the winding, RIGHT or LEFT
Preparing the yarn, isolate and verify the terminal, trapping to the
intern cylinder
Placement and gluing of the first isolation layer
Reeling all the first layer checking the number of coils per layer
with the counter machine assistance
Continuing the winding placing the isolation between layers
In case of derivations, stop in the determined coil and perform the
procedure of derivation
In case of having a gap (a spacer elements of coils), stop the wind-
ing and product the gap as specified
At the last layer, place the lace to bracing
the terminal by the lace and tightening secure the terminal
To verify specific control items for all produced coils and to make
the register

From the records of images and videos, it was As aggravating, it was found that is exactly in the
filled up the electronic worksheet, taking into ac- phases 2 and 3 that the higher scores are obtained,
count the left and right side of the operator, consid- during the application of the method RULA, as con-
ering the four existent phases in the work station and sidering the left side as its right side, as can be ob-
its frequency. After the fulfilling, it was possible es- served by the graph of Figure 2.
tablish some inferences about the under review ac-
tivity. SCORES RULA
It was found, for example, that the operator dedi- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
cated a large part of his time of effective execution
of labor activities to the phases 2 and 3 (approxi- Phase 1

Right side of worker

4% 2% 2% 4%
mately 78%). This aspect can reveals itself as criti- Preparing 0% 0% 0%

cal, because, if the operator stays in activity in his Phase 2

2% 2% 5% 19% 11%
work station for approximately 6 hours, thereby, Winding 0% 0%
more than 4 hours of his workday will be dedicated Phase 4
Finalization 2% 5% 14%
exclusively to the execution of the coils. In the Fig- of coil 0% 0% 0% 18%

ure 1, it is showed an image with two photographic Phase 3

7% 5%
registers of activities apprehended in these phases. Put paper 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

Phase 1 0% 0%
Left side of worker

2% 5% 4%
Preparing 0% 0%

Phase 2
2% 2% 5% 21% 9%
Winding 0% 0%
Phase 4
Finalization 2% 2% 11% 5%
0% 0% 19%
of coil
Phase 3
7% 4% 2%
Put paper 0% 0% 0% 0%

Figure 2 – Distribution of scores according to analysis by

Figure 1 – Workers executing actions at Phases 2 and 3, under method RULA
analysis.
 When comparing the analysis contemplating the
left and right sides of the operator, perceives a slight
difference in terms of levels of criticality identified.
At the same time it is considered the left side, in
which 75% of the time, the operator finds itself un-
der scores 5, 6 and 7, to the left side this percentage
increase to 79%. However, the difference became ir-
relevant if we consider that a score 5 already points
to the need of immediate changes in the workplace.
A interesting fact and relevant of being highlight-
ed is that there wasn’t a occurrence during the analy-
sis of postures using the method RULA, where the
score was between 1 and 2 (posture is acceptable if
do not kept or repeated for extended periods), which
serves as other indicative of need of an action aiming
immediate improves at the place.
From the semi structured questionnaire, it was
observed that environmental factors as lighting and
thermal comfort are not cited as problems. However,
aspects related to noise and organization of the lay-
out of the work station, emerge how a factor that
could receive improves, as well as the needed of de-
velopment of solutions to transport the finished
coils. As the operator remains sitting on the most
part of his workday, it was questioned about his per-
ception in relation to the chair and the equipment
used in the work station. Relatively to this issue,
workers pointed that the chair is not uncomfortable.
Their complaints refer more specifically to the re-
quired position in the activity, which demands a spe-
cial seatback. Also, because of the kind of processes,
the chairs can't to be have armrests, resulting in
muscular fatigue and pains in the end of the work-
day. Concerning at the distribution and manipulation
of material in the workstation, it was not verified
problems under the perception of the workers. They
reported that the distances are comfortable and there
is space for distributed the material and tools accord-
ing the manner that can judge it convenient. The vi-
bration on the equipment and of the workstation dur-
ing the winding of the coils is not perceived as
relevant by the operators in terms of discomfort. The
relevant physical discomforts realized by operators
are located in the region of cervical and lumbar spi-
nal, occurring also the existence of discomforts in
some of the operators in their shoulders, legs, arms
and forearms.
5 CONCLUSIONS
The present study revealed that winding (phase 2)
and a phase of finalization of coils (phase 3) are the
most critical activities in terms of ergonomic de-
mands during the fabrication of coils of transform-
ers. It was found from that the workers who act in
these stations are subjected to high risks of musculo-
skeletal lesions, not just because of the postures, but
also by the higher extended period dedicated to the
activity in the work stations during the workday. In
the context of environmental, it was found that these
are not the main cause of workers’ discomfort or dis-
satisfaction. However, the reports points to the need
of studies of improvement in the layout of stations,
including furniture.
Combining the results obtained with the method
RULA and the semi structured questionnaire is pos-
sible to infer that improvements in the workstation
are urgent. The results of the two survey tools
(method RULA and questionnaire) are complemen-
tary and suggest that is necessary to consider rhythm
of work, physical characteristics of workstation and
postures.
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