ABSTRACT
Ergonomics
specification is an effective approach to reducing the number and severity of
these work-related injuries. Ergonomics specification is the practice of
designing equipment, work tasks and work environments to conform to the
capability of the worker
The aim of
this chapter is to briefly intimate the reader with various research designs
used by the researchers. The term methodology is a system of explicit rules and
procedures in which claims to knowledge are evaluated (Ojo, 2003)
Therefore,
this section focuses on the research techniques adopted and used I this study
with the aim of achieving the research objectives
Survey
research design was chosen because the sample elements and the variable that
are being studied are simply being observed as they are without making any
attempt to control or manipulate them.
The data collected
will be used to answer the research questions and test the hypothesis. In
conclusion Many agro allied companies in the
furniture manufacturing industry have made a substantial effort to reduce
work-related injuries due to heavy lifting, repetitive motion, awkward and
static work postures, vibration, and other recognized ergonomic stressors.
Table of contents
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 THE BACKGROUND OF CASE STUDY
1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
1.4 SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY
1.5 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
1.6 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.7 STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS
1.8 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS
CHAPTER TWO
2.0
LITERATURE
REVIEW
2.1 NOMENCLATURE
OF ERGONOMIC
2.2
Aims of
Ergonomic
2.3
Reasons for
the application of Ergonomics
2.4
COMPONENT
OF ERGONOMIC
2.5 ERGONOMICS SPECIFICATION
2.4 ERGONOMICS
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT FLOW DIAGRAM
2.6 ELEMENTS
OF TOOLS AND MACHINERY SAFETY
2.7 CLASSIFICATION OF INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT
2.8 WHO
AND OSHA SPECIFICATIONS ABOUT ERGONOMIC
2.9
INDUSTRIAL
WORK REGULATION
2.10
INDUSTRIAL
OPERATION IN ADAPALM
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN
3.2 DATA
COLLECTION
3.3 POPULATION
OF THE STUDY
3.4
SAMPLING
DESIGN AND PROCEDURES
3.5
DATA
COLLECTION INSTRUMENT
3.6 DATA
ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0
PRESENTATION,
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA
4.1 A
BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF THE CHAPTER
4.2 RESPONDENTS CHARACTERISTICS AND
CLASSIFICATION
4.3 PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
ACCORDING TO RESEARCH QUESTIONS
4.4 TEST
OF HYPOTHESES
CHAPTER
FIVE
5.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 CONCLUSION
5.2
RECOMMENDATION
REFERENCES
APPENDIX: RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRE
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Many
agro allied companies in the Nigerian industries have made a substantial effort
to reduce work-related injuries due to heavy lifting, repetitive motion,
awkward and static work postures, vibration, and other recognized ergonomic
stressors. The results achieved by these companies demonstrate that there are
effective, affordable ways to protect industry employees from injury while
maintaining or, in many cases increasing productivity, quality and employee
morale. Lost-time work injuries caused by cumulative and acute trauma of the
musculoskeletal system such as carpal tunnel syndrome and back injuries are
some of the most costly workers’ compensation claims in industry today.
In
its 1998 national figures, Liberty Mutual Group estimates that these injuries
totaled more than 41 percent of all reported injuries with an estimated $15.7
billion dollars in direct workers’ compensation costs (Liberty, 2001).
Ergonomics
specification is an effective approach to reducing the number and severity of
these work-related injuries. Ergonomics specification is the practice of
designing equipment, work tasks and work environments to conform to the
capability of the worker … to create more efficient work places and prevent
injuries to employees.
Ergonomics, also known as human engineering or human factors
engineering, the science of designing machines, products, and systems to
maximize the safety, comfort, and efficiency of the people who use them.
Ergonomists draw on the principles of industrial engineering, psychology,
anthropometry (the science of human measurement), and biomechanics (the study
of muscular activity) to adapt the design of products and workplaces to
people’s sizes and shapes and their physical strengths and limitations.
Ergonomists also consider the speed with which humans react and how they
process information, and their capacities for dealing with psychological
factors, such as stress or isolation. Armed with this complete picture of how
humans interact with their environment, ergonomists develop the best possible
design for products and systems, ranging from the handle of a toothbrush to the
flight deck of the space shuttle.
Ergonomists view people
and the objects they use as one unit, and ergonomic design blends the best
abilities of people and machines. Humans are not as strong as machines, nor can
they calculate as quickly and accurately as computers. Unlike machines, humans
need to sleep, and they are subject to illness, accidents, or making mistakes
when working without adequate rest. But machines are also limited—cars cannot
repair themselves, computers do not speak or hear as well as people do, and
machines cannot adapt to unexpected situations as well as humans. An
ergonomically designed system provides optimum performance
1.1 THE
BACKGROUND OF CASE STUDY
Adapalm has two oil palm plantations namely, then Ohaji
plantation and Umogu plantation. The Ohaji plantation has been given its
pride of place ever since the year 2005. Thus as at February 15 2010, the
Ohaji plantation has no motorable access roads. Its palms were not pruned
and about 65% of it was “colonized” by thick forest. There was zero
replanting activity to sustain the plantation future and fortunes.At
Umuogu Plantation, the Story was the same.
WORK &
SERVICES/EQUIPMENTS
As at February 2010 Adapalm had 29 vehicles consisting of light
duty, heavy duty and earth moving equipments/vehicles. Out of this number
22 were bad while 7 are good. The building section had only 1 shovel
and 1 head pan. There were no working tools etc. Similarly only 6 out
of 14 Company Computers were in working condition while again only 4
out of 9 Adapalm printers were functional.
FINANCE
At the inception of the Interim Management Committee on
the 15th February 2010, Adapalm had only the sum of N2,950.00k to hand
over as cash at hand to the Interim Management Committee.
All bank balances were also sadly in red.
ADMINISTRATIONS/SECURITY
The Staff strength of Adapalm as at December 2009 stood at
792 workers. Out of this number 85 were of Senior category, 666 were of
junior category while 41 were casual workers. However as at February 2010
over 35% of these workers withdrew their services due to deprived work
conditions.
The 154 Security workers at Adapalm for instance had only
about 36 and this led to increased insecurity and brazen looting of the
company properties. Stealing and robbery became a daily affair.
Your Excellency I have gone this memory lane so that you
will appreciate the efficiency of my coming argument that the
Interim Management Committee headed by Deacon Kerian Onwuzuruike is indeed
a rescue team that Adapalm requires for now.
Within the short period of the Interim Management Committee at
Adapalm between 15th of February 2010 and 6th June 2011 when your
Excellency disbanded it, the following can be said to be their performance
and achievements. And these achievements are subjects to verifications.
ACHIEVEMENTS
AND PERFORMANCE OF INTERIM MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE.
The present Interim Management Committee has within the period
under review recorded the following feats:
· Restored harmonized work relationship amongst staff
and Management for improved progress.
· Maintained regular payment of workers wages, salaries, and other
emoluments.
· Restoration of lost work ethics for a disciplined workforce.
· Regular provision of drugs/medical materials to the
industrial clinic for improved workers’ health care
delivery Completed the replanting of 50 hectares in the felled field of
the 1975 plantation, using about 6750 oil palm seedlings of tenera specie.
· Fully developed 16000- sucker pineapple orchard with a target
of 20,000 suckers to diversify the income base of Adapalm.
· Improved the Community Relation status between Adapalm and its
host Communities.
· Completed the rehabilitation of 20 KM and 22KM of access roads
in the Ohaji Plantation in the first and second phases, respectively
of the maintenance efforts.
· Completed the slashing of about 1150 hectares of the bushy area
of the Ohaji Plantation using a roller and Tractor refurbished by
the Interim Management Committee.
· Refurbished the Ohaji Mill’s Pail Loader
· Refurbished the Ohaji Mill Forklift
· Reorganized the harvesting technique in the Ohaji Plantation
for improved fruits output.
· Completed the refurbishment of a Tipper Truck to aid
fruits evacuation in the Plantation
· Completed the refurbishment of a High Jack Truck to aid
the operations of the Company
· Reinvigorated environmental cleanliness of the Ohaji Nucleus
Estate to recover its lost ecstatic beauty.
· Reorganized the security of the Company to involve the use
of contract outfit, Joint patrol operations and Community
security arrangement.
· Commenced the reactivation of the Ohaji Mill. Over 80% of the
job has been completed, while the Mill is billed to start full
operation by the first week of June 2010.
· Establishment of a 10,000 hybrid oil palm nursery seedlings
for continuation of replanting programme in the Ohaji Plantation.
· Established a viable commercial vegetable garden to diversify
Company revenue.
· Procurement of a brand new Nissan Patrol Jeep – fully equipped
with radio communication gadgets for the plantation and estate security.
· Effective policing of the Plantation resulting to the arrest of
over 66 persons, recovery of 44 motorcycles, 1 bicycle, 1 wheelbarrow,
6 Malaysian knives (as exhibits) and over 20 tons of fruits
from thieves.
· Settled out of Court an undelivered produce suit against Adapalm
by a Customer involving about N3m.
· Renovated the Board Room and re-commenced its use for Management
and other meetings in the Company
· Resolution by out-of-court a land entitlement suits against
Adapalm involving N900M claims.
· Settled out of court a dud cheque suit by two Contractors
against Adapalm involving about N6M.
· Restored registration as a precondition for doing business
with Adapalm. Almost N1.6M has been generated so far by the registration
of business names.
· Restored sanity in the services and sales of Adapalm produce
by insisting on the policy of cash-for-product and first-in-first-out arrangement.
· Reduced the Company’s produce debt by N42m by the end of April
2011.
· Accrued produce debts of year 2002 were serviced by the
Interim Management Committee. Commenced payment to some contractors
who were at the verge of instituting legal suits against Adapalm over
unpaid bills.
· Recruited about 120 fresh workers of different cadres to
increase productivity and efficiency in the business of Adapalm.
· Approved the increment of workers’ salary by 20% to induce
higher performance. The last salary increment was done in 2001.
· Approved the implementation of a general promotion for all
the workers, the last of which was done in 2005.
· Set up a formal system of loose fruits were hitherto left in
the hands of thieves and the Company was loosing much revenue as a result.
· Mobilized work for total recovery of the Adapalm Plantation
from thick forest as most parts of the Plantation have not been cleared
of bush for upward of 15years.
· Installation of a modern communication gadget with a
standby generator for its base operations.
· Defrayed all outstanding administrative charges owed to MOPOL
18 Command to facilitate effective deployment of the Police.
· Commenced the reactivation of the Umuogu Mill. Given
sufficient resources, the Mill will resume full production in July 2011.
1.3 AIMS
AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
This research work
is aimed at unveiling some of the industrial accident that are associated with
the agro allied industries in Nigeria such as Musculoskeletal Disorders, Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs), Acute Traumas, Ergonomic
Stressors etc. and to stipulate ways in which this accidents can be reduced
trough the application of the ergonomic specification method.
1.4 SIGNIFICANT
OF THE STUDY
There have been a
lot of accidents in most of the agro allied industries in Nigeria and the world
at large. Owing to this fact, the findings of this research work will be of
great significant to most agro allied industries. Though the research work was
carried out within Adapalm, the findings will be of great help to all the agro
allied industries at large.
1.5 STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
The issue of
accident and unsafe working condition in most of our agro allied industries has
become a dilapidating issue in the world. The quest to eradicate this treat
within our industries is the major and primary problem that is associated with
this work. The secondary problem is on how to apply the ergonomic specification
in the eradication of these problems.
1.6 STATEMENT
OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following
questions will be treated in the course of this research work thus:
1. What types of
work are most likely to pose ergonomic hazards?
2. Can non-
Work-related factors cause Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)?
3. If yes what are
the factors?
4. Is it possible
for one to know when he or she has MSD?
5. If Yes How
6. What parts of
the body are most affected by MSDs?
7. Do you believe
that Ergonomic specification help in the control of industrial accident rate in
most Industries?
1.7 STATEMENT
OF HYPOTHESIS
A hypothesis is a proposition that is stated in
testable form and prediction of particular relationship between two or more
variables.
Ho: There
is no significant relationship between Ergonomic specification and the control
of industrial accident rate in agro allied industry
Hi: There
is great significant relationship between Ergonomic specification and the
control of industrial accident rate in agro allied industry
1.8 SCOPE
OF THE STUDY
For the sake of
coherency and clarity, the scope of this work does not involve in totality all
the means to eradicate accident in our agro allied industries but limits itself
to the application of ergonomic specification in the eradication of accidents
within the industrial sector. For the sake of precision, the research work will
be carried out within Adapalm Ohaji/Egbema LGA Area In Imo State, though
references of some authors will be convoked.
1.9 DEFINITION
OF TERMS
SUITABILITY
|
This can be seen as the right
type or quality for a particular purpose or occasion
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ERGONOMIC SPECIFICATION
|
those factors or qualities in the
design of something, especially a workplace or equipment used by people at
work, that contribute to comfort, efficiency, safety, and ease of use Ergonomics, also known as human engineering or human
factors engineering, the science of designing machines, products, and
systems to maximize the safety, comfort, and efficiency of the people who
use them.
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CONTROL
The act of putting
in order or reducing the effect of a particular entity.
INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT
Can be defined as
some of the discomfort, hazards etc. that occur during industrial activities.
AGRO ALLIED INDUSTRIES
Industries that
deals mainly on agricultural products and other related goods and services.
MSD:
Musculoskeletal Disorders
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