| Company: |
AF&PA member company |
| |
|
| Industry: |
Converting Plant – NAICS Code 322299 |
| |
|
| Task: |
Plastic Strap Spool Assembly |
| |
|
| Employees: |
100 (number at the site) |
Success Brief:
A converting facility built and installed strapper spool stands to facilitate
assembly of plastic strap spools at waist level reducing potential for back strains.
The Problem
Plastic strapping spools used on strapping machines are sandwiched between a
front and back plates that act as a guide when feeding the strapping material into the machine. When
the spool is empty the unit is removed from the machine, the top plate and empty spool are removed,
and a new spool is set in place. The top plate is replaced on the spool and the assembly reinstalled
on the machine. Prior to this intervention, employees had to bend over or squat to work at floor
level. The bottom plate had to be held in place to prevent it from turning while a tool was used to
remove the top plate. Risk factors included bending/squatting and use of hand force to hold the
bottom plate.
The Solution
Strapper roll stands were built and installed so the strap spools could be
assembled at about waist height. The raised rib on the stand keeps the bottom plate from turning
while the tool is used to remove the top side-panel.
Figure 1: Strapper roll stand |
Figure 2: Spool assembly installed on machine |
The Impact
The benefit of the strapper roll stands is twofold:
- Employees don’t have to bend over or squat to assemble the strap spools, thereby reducing the
force placed on the low back and knees.
- Hand force does not need to be exerted to hold the bottom plate in place while the top plate is
removed.
Source:
AF&PA;
PPSA (May 2008)
|
Back to Top
Printing Instructions