BEST PRACTICES FOR
GLOVEBOX ERGONOMICS
Scott Hinds, PE
Cindy Lawton, PT, OCS
Cameron Van Cleave
Scott.hinds@merrick.com (505)663-4162
CindyL@lanl.gov (505)667-0252
LA-UR 12-22787
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LEARNING OBJECTIVE:
Practices to keep our glovebox
workers comfortable and safe while
working
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OUTLINE
• Background
• Glovebox Design
• Worker Best Practices and Exercises
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WHY ERGONOMICS?
• Proper work environment
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Lower stress
Less fatigue
Improved productivity
Decrease risk of Injury
• Decrease risk of a BREACH
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GLOVEBOX INJURY DATA
54 people
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Jan-June
2011
July-Dec
2011
Jan-June
2012
First Aide
0
0
2
3
3
10
4
0
Recordable
7
10
8
2
6
6
0
1
Shoulder
Elbow
Wrist
Hand/fingers
Thumb
Spine/other
17
26
5
5
3
5/2
2006-2010
2011- June 2012
Repetitive
88%
58%
Single Occurence
12%
42%
Survey Project for GB workers - Oct 2010 through March 2011
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PERCENTAGE OF WORKERS REPORTING SYMPTOMS
VS. YEARS AS A GLOVEBOX WORKER
Percentage of Workers
Reporting Symptoms
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
<3
3-5
>5-10
>10-15
>15-20
>20-25
Years As a Glovebox Worker
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>25
AVERAGE YEARS AS A GLOVEBOXWORKER VS.
NUMBER OF SYMPTOMS PER PERSON
Average Years as a GB Worker
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
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0
1
2
3
4
5
Number of Symptoms Per Person
6
7
KEY ERGONOMIC GLOVEBOX DESIGN
CONSIDERATIONS
•
•
•
•
•
Depth of glovebox and Width of glovebox
Gloveport height
Windows
Transfer devices, airlocks, and doors
Use of computer simulation
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- Engineering Controls - Design and make
engineering changes to improve the situation
- Administrative controls such as task rotation,
decreasing duration, training, and exercises
can help to buy time until you can do the
appropriate engineering change but are NOT
the solution
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DEPTH AND WIDTH OF GLOVEBOX
Tasks should determine size
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GLOVEPORT HEIGHT, SHAPE, AND
ORIENTATION
• The ideal height is at operator’s elbows, but that
limits reaching distance.
• Ovular ports allow for a greater range of motion.
• Depending on the task, gloveports can be horizontal,
vertical, or angled.
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REACH DISTANCE
Correct
Incorrect
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•Using tools helps
keep your body in
a more neutral
position.
EXTENSION HANDLES
• Extension poles for
cleaning windows and
paint brushes helps with
reach. An angled paint
brush helps reaching in
corners
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SHOULDER BEST PRACTICES
• Using a platform
Improves alignment
of the spine
• Shoulder angle
must be below 70
degrees
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SHOULDER BEST PRACTICES CONT’D
Platform Height Recommendations
(52 in centerline)
Recommended
Platform Height (in)
Height (in)
Shoulder Height (in)
2
68-67
57-55
4
66-63
54-52
6
62 - 58
51 - 47
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PLATFORMS
• Platforms help
decrease stress on the
neck and shoulders.
• Important that size fits
just between two
ports, easily portable
(wheels)
• Shoulder below 70
degrees
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SHOULDER STRESS
Crease
Wear
Breach
Poor Ergonomics
Injury Risk
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SOLUTION
Retractable shelf for airlock
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WINDOWS
Shielding on windows decreases clarity.
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• When the
visual field is
impaired, so
is productivity
and dexterity.
• Full view
windows are
ideal
COMPUTER SIMULATION
• Use early on in the design process
• Identifies ergonomic stressors
• Reassess/validate changes
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COMPUTER SIMULATION CONT’D
• Graded approach to
ergonomic stressors
(red, orange, yellow, green)
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COMPUTER SIMULATION
Identifies clearly the viewing by the operator
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WORKER BEST PRACTICES
• Shoulder
• Elbow
• Lower back and neck
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SHOULDER BEST PRACTICES
Removing arms from
glovebox gloves
• Pull fingers free
• Extract with
elbow angled
down -improves
muscle
imbalances
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SHOULDER BEST PRACTICES CONT’D
• Ideally - Use reach
assist tools
• Place hand to inner
surface of front panel
to reduce stress on
reaching shoulder
and improve reach
distance
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ELBOW BEST PRACTICES CONT’D
Improper technique
Proper techniques
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• Proper grasping
techniques
• Do not reach
over the top
and grab/move
items – a lot of
stress on elbow
ELBOW BEST PRACTICES
CONT’D
Power Grip vs. Pinch Grip
Improper technique
Proper technique
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• Avoid pinch grip/
use a more open
hand power grip
• Design tooling to
reduce pinching
• Use foot controls
vs. hand
controls.
ALLEN WRENCHES
Enlarged handles…
• make wrenches easier to
grab and hold.
• help avoid Pinch grip.
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REVERSE LOCKING TWEEZERS
• The fatigue from holding
tweezers closed is
eliminated.
• The length reduces the
need to reach.
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LOWER BACK AND NECK BEST PRACTICES
• Anti-fatigue
mats
• Help reduce
lower back and
leg fatigue
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LOWER BACK
• Move items closer prior to lifting
• Reduce lifting by improved housekeeping
• Items that weigh over 15 lbs in a glovebox
need an assistive device to move
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EXERCISES
• Traffic cop:
Helps with
upper back
stress and
shoulders
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SHOULDER EXERCISES
• Strengthening
exercises
• Rotator cuff
• Internal
Rotation
• External
Rotation
• Rhomboids
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ELBOW EXERCISES
Stretching forearm flexors
Stretching forearm extensors
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• Stretching
exercises
• Should be
done
throughout
the day
10 – 15 second
holds
Summary
• Improve Designs
• Use appropriate tooling.
• Improve techniques.
• Strengthen Rotator Cuff and stretch forearms
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Thank you.
Questions
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