UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA PERLIS

PDT 240

APPLIED ERGONOMIC AND SAFETY

SEMESTER 2 2020/2021

PREPARED BY :

TITTLE PROJECT Lab 4

MUHAMMAD AMIR BIN ANUR HUSSIEN 191402141

MUHAMMAD AZIL BIN ABD AZIZ 191402142

NAME MUHAMMAD AMMAR HADIF BIN ABDUL 191402617

MUHAMMAD SYAHMI BIN ABDULLAH 191402145

AHMAD AZLAN BIN SHAHARUDIN 191403260

LECTURER TS .PN NORASHIKEN BINTI OTHMAN

DATE OF SUBMISSION 25 JULY 2021

1
 TABLE OF CONTENT

CONTENT PAGE NUMBER

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 INTRODUCTION 3

1.2 OBJECTIF 3

2.0 RESULT 4-9

3.0 DISCUSSION 10

3.0 CONCLUSION 10

2
1. INTRODUCTION

Ergonomics aims to match the worker to the task. This is achieved by tailoring
equipment, tools, workstations, and jobs to the requirements and skills of employees in order to
increase their well-being and productivity. When a hand tool reduces the physical demands put
on the individuals who use it, it is said to be ergonomically effective. A badly designed hand tool
can cause lost productivity, increase the risk of work-related musculoskeletal diseases,
illnesses, and accidents, and cost a lot of money. Human elements such as biomechanical
considerations must be taken into account when creating an ergonomically efficient hand tool.
Wrist flexor strain and hand posture, as well as wrist deviation and grip strength, are all issues
to consider.

Although appropriate tool design and selection are essential for user comfort, health,
and safety, it might be argued that utilising such a tool in a poorly built workstation can have
detrimental consequences for the user's safety and comfort. Many aspects of the work
environment, such as work surfaces, flooring, and ambient conditions, have a role in deciding
whether the job is safe and healthful. If a workplace's design does not satisfy its employees'
physical demands, it can lead to discomfort, aches and pains, tiredness, and eventually work-
related musculoskeletal diseases. A well-designed workstation, on the other hand, allows its
users to pick from a range of well-balanced working postures and to switch between them
regularly. As a result, the risk factors that contribute to the development of work-related
musculoskeletal diseases are considerably reduced.

Workers use a soldering iron to solder connections and tiny components on an electric panel at
a manufacturing factory. Several issues relating to the work process, tool design, and workplace
design were found after closely watching the work process and conducting interviews with a few
workers. As a result, the purpose of this article is to assess the ergonomic efficacy of the job
task, tool design, and workplace design, as well as to make recommendations for improvement

2. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this experiment to:

1. Study ergonomic principles in designing of hand tools.

2. Observe some existing hand tools and machines.

3. Designing hand tools and machines using ergonomic principles to eliminate the existing
problems for any special populations.

3
3.0 RESULTS
3.1. Identify the major components, their functions, dimensions and their relative
position of the hand tools and machines mentioned in the following paragraph.

Ergonomics aims to match the worker to the task. This is achieved by tailoring
equipment, tools, workstations, and jobs to the requirements and skills of employees in order to
increase their well-being and productivity. When a hand tool reduces the physical demands put
on the individuals who use it, it is said to be ergonomically effective. A badly designed hand tool
can cause lost productivity, increase the risk of work-related musculoskeletal diseases,
illnesses, and accidents, and cost a lot of money. Human elements such as biomechanical
considerations must be taken into account when creating an ergonomically efficient hand tool.
Wrist flexor strain and hand posture, as well as wrist deviation and grip strength, are all issues
to consider.

Although appropriate tool design and selection are essential for user comfort, health,
and safety, it might be argued that utilising such a tool in a poorly built workstation can have
detrimental consequences for the user's safety and comfort. Many aspects of the work
environment, such as work surfaces, flooring, and ambient conditions, have a role in deciding
whether the job is safe and healthful. If a workplace's design does not satisfy its employees'
physical demands, it can lead to discomfort, aches and pains, tiredness, and eventually work-
related musculoskeletal diseases. A well-designed workstation, on the other hand, allows its
users to pick from a range of well-balanced working postures and to switch between them
regularly. As a result, the risk factors that contribute to the development of work-related
musculoskeletal diseases are considerably reduced.

Workers use a soldering iron to solder connections and tiny components on an electric
panel at a manufacturing factory. Several issues relating to the work process, tool design, and
workplace design were found after closely watching the work process and conducting interviews
with a few workers. As a result, the purpose of this article is to assess the ergonomic efficacy of
the job task, tool design, and workplace design, as well as to make recommendations for
improvement.

4
2. Use the tool or operate the machine for a typical job.

Figure show the use of tool during operate the machine

3. Carefully observe the working posture of the body and the interaction between the body and
different parts of the tool or machine.

Figure show posture when soldering (before ergonomic device)

Figure show posture when screwing (after ergonomic device)

Improvement in the worker’s postures was verified by means of applying RULA to assess a
worker. The results were:

5
 Table 3 show RULA Scores after intervention

Action Level 1 – for the posture adopted
when screwing
Action Level 2 - for the posture adopted when
soldering
Score of 2 for the right side assessment,
indicating that the posture is acceptable if not
maintained for long periods of time.
Score of 3 indicates that new studies are
needed and it may be necessary to introduce
changes

This phase is deemed crucial for specifying and understanding the problem. The problem was
identified after the ergonomic evaluation which, at first, found three different situations that could
be triggering the neck pain reported by the workers:

a) Many of the workers examined do not adjust the height of their work/task counters; b) neck
flexion occurs in varying degrees among individual operators, and this means that some
workers flex their necks more than others, related to the demands of the activity, to the modus
operandi and the non adjustment of the height of the counter; c) although the counters do meet
the various anthropometric dimensions of workers, extra counter support is needed to facilitate
precision tasks when using the screw driver and soldering iron,

6
4. Conduct a survey for noting down the general feeling of the user.

The problem was identified after the ergonomic evaluation which, at

first, found three different situations that could be triggering the neck pain reported
bases on research or by the workers:

• • This is a continuous work posture. Workers should not sit on a bench for long periods
of time while performing soldering tasks. This condition can cause numbness of the legs
if standing for a long time;
• Many of the workers examined do not adjust the height of their work/task counters;
• Neck flexion occurs in varying degrees among individual operators, and this means that
some workers flex their necks more than others, related to the demands of the activity, to
the modus operandi and the non-adjustment of the height of the counter;
• Although the counters do meet the various anthropometric dimensions of workers, extra
counter support is needed to facilitate precision tasks when using the rosin core solder
and soldering iron.

7
5. From the above-mentioned steps identify shortcomings (Geometry, dimension,
alignment, material, and shape,usability etc.) of parts of the tool or machine that are not
designed ergonomically resulting in discomfort and risk of musculoskeletal disorders
from long time use) with reasons.

The picture shows the improvement mechanism on the work counter

After identifying the problem, an ergonomic tool (adjustable counter) was developed. The purpose
is to reduce neck flexibility in soldering work tasks. Mechanical equipment are use at table which
can adjust the workplace height as per the need of the worker. It has been found that the soldering
task is performed perfectly on a sloping counter surface with an ideal height level, as this slope
will induce a more upright neck posture and a more neutral position of the shoulders, arms and
wrists. The development of ergonomic devices can reduce pain in the posture of the neck and
hands. In addition, with a table that can be adjusted in height, workers no longer have trouble
standing. Workers can focus with the appropriate distance doing the work while sitting on their
chair in a stable, comfortable posture, and help to reduce fatigue and further stress. It also can
also reduce pain at shoulders, arms and wrists when can be placed their hand on the table with
good working posture of hand while doing work.

8
6. Propose improved design (with neat sketch) explaining the modifications made.

9
4.0 DISCUSSION

This study is an example of how participatory ergonomics can contribute to practical,

inexpensive solutions that meet the needs of the worker and re duce neck complaints. Support
from the management, from the Environment, Health and Labor Security, from the employees
who voluntarily tested the proto types and in particular from the maintenance technician who
developed the device with us was crucial for this study and change to happen. Within our
research, the main change was the posture of the workers, which can be observed in the
pictures. The small counter intervention allowed workers to adopt better working postures during
the screwing and soldering tasks. RULA also confirms the visible difference in postures by
decreasing the scores for screwing and soldering from 5 and 6 before intervention to 2 and 3
after intervention, respectively [3]. Workers who tested Prototype 1 gave positive feedback,
which made us modify the design of the small counter in terms of reducing its sharp
edges/compression points for the forearm. The same workers tested Prototype 2 and made
more suggestions, which allowed us to develop two small counters, with different lengths (one
being 23cm x 20cm and the other being 36cm x 20 cm); this makes it possible for them to be
adjusted to the different jig sizes and not take up too much space on the workstation, which
should satisfy those 10% of workers concerned that the size of the counter might reduce
productivity.

5.0 CONCLUSION

A soldering iron is a hand tool used in soldering. It supplies heat to melt solder so that it can
flow into the joint between two work pieces.

A soldering iron is composed of a heated metal tip and an insulated handle. Heating is often
achieved electrically, by passing an electric current (supplied through an electrical cord or
battery cables) through a resistive heating element. Cordless irons can be heated by
combustion of gas stored in a small tank, often using a catalytic heater rather than a flame.
Simple irons, less commonly used today than in the past, were simply a large copper bit on a
handle, heated in a flame.

Solder melts at approximately 185 °C (365 °F). Soldering irons are designed to reach a
temperature range of 200 to 480 °C (392 to 896 °F).

Soldering irons are most often used for installation, repairs, and limited production work in
electronics assembly. High-volume production lines use other soldering methods.[1] Large irons
may be used for soldering joints in sheet metal objects. Less common uses include pyrography
(burning designs into wood) and plastic welding (as an alternative to ultrasonic welding).

10