This Assignment Involves Completing A Series Of Four Exercis

This Assignment Involves Completing A Series Of Four Exercises And Th

This assignment involves completing a series of four exercises, and the purpose is for you to practice utilizing these processes toward evaluating common controls for mitigating ergonomic-related hazards.

Exercise 1: Task Analysis

Take the simple task of lifting a 25-pound box (18 inches x 18 inches x 18 inches) from the floor and placing it on a desk that is 36 inches high from the floor. In the space below, perform a task analysis by using one of the methods described in the textbook and listing the steps for completing the task. Then, list the potential hazards associated with each step (i.e., stressors, CTDs, MSDs). Also, provide at least three ways to improve the task from an ergonomics perspective.

Task Analysis

• Identify the method you used = Task = Lifting a box from the floor and placing it on a desk. In the spaces below, list the steps for the task.
• List the potential hazards for each step
• Ergonomic Improvements: List at least three ways to improve the steps while avoiding the hazards.

Exercise 2: Flow Diagram

Describe in detail the task of cart retrieval at the local grocery store or big box store. Start from the point where the customer acquires the cart inside the store and then discards the cart in the cart storage within the parking lot.

This exercise requires two items from you: (1) a paragraph that describes the flow of tasks and (2) the flow diagram that visually represents the flow of tasks by using the shapes below. Copy and paste the shapes as you need to. Also, feel free to resize the shapes as you need to. Be sure to add a label to each shape, excluding the arrow. Label Label Label

Exercise 3: The Fault-Tree System

This exercise involves using the fault-tree system to help identify the cause of an event. First, read the scenario and then identify examples within the scenario to insert into the third tier of the fault tree. Second, select ONE of the AND gates and then propose a way to prevent the hazard from occurring (through the AND gate) in the future.

Scenario: Beth fell and injured her knee while walking in from the parking lot. She was running late because she stopped to get coffee for her supervisor. She carried her purse, personal-items bag, her laptop bag, a coffee-cup carrier, and was talking on her cell phone. She was wearing 4-inch heel dress shoes with a ½ inch sole. Beth often parks close to the front but parked farther today because she stopped for coffee. The parking lot surface is asphalt with poor drainage, no defined walkway, is not artificially lit, and was wet with rain and slush, with some black ice formation. The weather was around 32°F with light rain and overcast skies.

Employee with knee pain from a fall, with potential causes related to Walking Surface and Surrounding Environment.

Select ONE of the AND gates (i.e., Employee, Walking Surface, and Surrounding Environment) and then propose a way to prevent the hazard from occurring in the future.

Exercise 4: Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)

Discuss the potential outcomes when using a cell phone to contact 911 emergency services as opposed to using a landline (house) phone to contact 911. What failures might occur and what effects might those failures have on the outcome of summoning help through the 911 system? Your response should be at least 100 words.

Paper For Above instruction

Effective ergonomic risk assessment is crucial in identifying hazards associated with manual tasks, environmental factors, and emergency communication methods. This paper addresses four exercises that enhance understanding of ergonomic analysis and hazard mitigation techniques, namely task analysis, flow diagramming, fault-tree analysis, and failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA).

Exercise 1: Task Analysis of Lifting a Box

The task selected is lifting a 25-pound box from the floor and placing it on a 36-inch-high desk. The method used for analysis is the Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA), which breaks down the task into manageable steps to identify potential hazards. The first step involves the worker approaching the box, which could pose slipping hazards if the floor is wet or cluttered. Bending to lift may cause back strain or MSDs if proper posture isn't maintained. Positioning the box and the desk can result in awkward postures, increasing stress on the back and shoulders. Carrying the box to the destination might lead to collision risks or slips.

To improve this task ergonomically, several strategies can be implemented: (1) using mechanical aids or carts to minimize force exertion; (2) encouraging proper lifting techniques such as bending at the knees and keeping the back straight; and (3) adjusting the environment by ensuring clear pathways and non-slip surfaces. Additional improvements include training workers on safe lifting protocols and ergonomic workstation setup to reduce musculoskeletal strain.

Exercise 2: Flow Diagram of Cart Retrieval

The cart retrieval process begins when a customer enters the store and selects a shopping cart from the designated area. After completing shopping, the customer pushes the cart to the checkout or parking lot exit. Upon exiting, the customer may leave the cart in the parking lot or return it to a designated cart corral. The flow involves identifying the starting point (cart acquisition), movement through the store, checkout, and ending at the point of returning or discarding the cart in the parking lot or cart corral. Visually, shapes such as ovals for start/end, rectangles for process steps, diamonds for decision points, and arrows for flow direction can be used to construct the diagram.

In the flow diagram, the process begins with "Customer retrieves cart inside store," proceeding to "Shops and completes purchase," followed by "Loads items into vehicle," then "Returns cart to parking lot or leaves cart in store," and finally "Discards or stores cart." Decision points include whether the customer returns the cart or leaves it abandoned. These steps ensure clarity in task flow, allowing identification of ergonomic or safety issues such as cart handling or environmental hazards.

Exercise 3: Fault-Tree Analysis of Beth’s Fall

In Beth’s scenario, multiple factors contribute to her fall, including environmental conditions, footwear, and distraction. One potential root cause is the slippery walking surface resulting from snow, ice, rain, and inadequate lighting. The third tier of the fault tree includes triggers such as ice formation, wet surface, poor lighting, and improper footwear. To prevent such hazards, focusing on the "Walking Surface" as the critical factor, a preventative measure could be installing heated pavements or anti-slip treatments to reduce ice formation. Additionally, implementing better lighting and designated pathways can mitigate hazards related to poor walkability.

Selecting the "Walking Surface" as the critical component, the prevention strategy involves regular maintenance like salting, anti-slip coatings, and ensuring proper drainage to prevent standing water and ice buildup, thereby reducing the likelihood of slips and falls in parking lots during inclement weather.

Exercise 4: FMEA of Emergency Contact Methods

Using a cell phone to contact 911 introduces specific failure modes compared to a landline. Failures include poor cellular reception, dead zones, battery depletion, or app malfunctions, which may lead to delayed or failed emergency response. The effects of such failures are critical: inability to reach emergency services promptly, resulting in potential worsening of the situation, delayed medical aid, or even fatalities. Conversely, landline phones generally have a direct connection to emergency services, offering more reliability and clearer location tracking in many cases. Therefore, reliance solely on cell phones without backup can increase risks during emergencies, underscoring the importance of multiple communication methods and preparedness strategies.

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