Coverall Dispatch Dispensing & receiving coveralls to & from workers

Transcription

1 Job: Description: Coverall Dispatch Dispensing & receiving coveralls to & from workers ESSENTIAL DUTIES 1. Dispatch of Coveralls 2. Dispatch of Safety Supplies (Vancouver Location only) 3. Administrative Work (Vancouver location M Th shift only) Non Essential Duties: (Done only in Vancouver on M Th shift and not at all in Surrey location) Keep coverall trailer clean Notify workers by phone or of overdue coveralls Shift Schedule: Vancouver Location 2 shifts: M Th, 6:30am 5:30pm and Fri Sun, 6:30am 5:30pm. 1 hour of flexible break time, taken around dispatch schedule. Surrey Location 1 shift: M F, 6:30am 10:30am and 1pm 5pm 30 minutes of flexible break time taken around dispatch schedule. Coverall dispatch at both locations occurs 3 times/day roughly at 7:15am, 3:15pm and 4:15pm. On rare occasions there may be an additional noon dispatch at the Vancouver location. Staffing: The coverall dispatch person works alone when dispensing coveralls, although there are typically other people in the area, in the dispatch hall or nearby offices. DESCRIPTION OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES 1. DISPATCH OF COVERALLS Frequency Performed 3 times per day for an average of 1/2hr at a time for a total of 1.5hrs/shift. Some dispatches may be busier or quieter than others and would then take more or less time. The Surrey location is generally less busy than the Vancouver location. Equipment Coveralls, laundry hamper, dispatch slips (Vancouver location only), ipad (Vancouver location only), log sheets (Surrey location only). ErgoRisk 2013 Page 1 of 8

2 Task Description After workers are dispatched they line up to get coveralls if their job allows it and if they need clean coveralls. The coverall dispatch person determines if the worker is approved to get coveralls and if so provides them with coveralls or overalls in the appropriate size and notes the coverall number on the dispatch slip in Vancouver, or in the coverall log book in Surrey. In Vancouver the coverall dispatch person may look up a worker s assignment up on an ipad to determine if they are allowed coveralls. Coveralls are stored on 4 shelves at 73, 56, 39 & 21 in Vancouver and 72, 57, 37 and 4 high in Surrey. Workers also return dirty coveralls and the coverall dispatch person notes the return either, on the dispatch slip in Vancouver, or in the coverall dispatch log in Surrey. Dirty coveralls are placed in a hamper to be picked up twice weekly by laundry services. In Vancouver the coveralls may be returned to the coverall trailer during dispatch or may be returned to the admin office at other times in the shift. In this case the coverall dispatch person brings the coveralls to the trailer at a later time or accompanies the worker to the trailer immediately to drop off soiled coveralls. Clean coveralls are delivered twice weekly and the coverall dispatch person puts them away on the appropriate shelf sorted by size. Hampers of dirty coveralls are picked up twice weekly by laundry services. In Vancouver the coverall dispatch person ties and removes full hampers and sets them aside for laundry services. Handling full bags of wet coveralls is reportedly the heaviest task for the Vancouver coverall dispatch person. In Surrey the coverall dispatch person does not handle full laundry hampers but leaves them for laundry services. COVERALL DISPATCH Equipment Coveralls, pen/paper Duration 30 mins on average Frequency 3 times per shift Strength Sedentary to Light FUNCTIONAL DEMANDS with HIGH MSI RISK POTENTIAL Coverall Dispatch Neck Neck flexion is required looking down at dispatch slips, log book and ipad. Rounded upper back and forward head posture can put stress on the neck and upper back, although the posture is of short duration and occasional frequency over the course of the shift, which reduces risk. Improper forward bending with a C shaped spine posture to access coveralls on bottom shelves can put stress on spinal tissues and discs. Reaching above head height or with elbows above shoulder height to access coveralls on top shelves can put stress on the shoulder joint. Elbow/Wrist/Hand Static gripping and repetitive fine motor movements are required for the dominant hand when performing written work associated with dispensing and receiving coveralls. ErgoRisk 2013 Page 2 of 8

3 LOW RISK STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE MSI RISK Coverall Dispatch Neck Stretch the neck and upper back muscles after coverall dispatch is completed to allow tissue recovery resulting from awkward postures. Try tucking the chin to place the neck in proper alignment with the spinal column and hold the stretch for 5 10 seconds. Keep neck in neutral spinal alignment as much as possible by avoiding forward head postures. If appropriate try raising log book or dispatch slips to minimize the need for forward hunching to view them. File Photo Maintain a stable base of support and neutral spine postures when accessing lower shelves. Avoid overfilling hampers, particularly if coveralls are wet. Instead tie off hampers at a manageable weight. s Use a step, if necessary, to access coveralls on top shelves, if shelf requires a reach above head height. Keep arms close to the side of the body and elbows pointing down when working to reduce stress to the shoulder joint. Elbow/Wrist/Hand Perform hand and wrist stretches after each dispatch to reduce build of stress from writing tasks. 2. DISPATCH OF SAFETY SUPPLIES (VANCOUVER ONLY) Frequency Varies depending on need. There may be no safety supplies dispatched some shifts and other times there may be requests intermittently throughout the whole shift. Equipment Hard hats, safety vests, safety glasses, first aid kits, first aid supplies Task Description If a worker needs a replacement vest or hard hat the coverall dispatch person documents the exchange and provides the worker with new product. If a worker needs a first aid kit and one is available, the coverall dispatch person provides it and ensures the worker signs the kit out, and back in, when returned. The coverall dispatch person also keeps track of the contents of the first aid kits and replenishes them as needed from the first aid supplies stored in or on a cabinet in the coverall trailer. Cabinet shelf heights are 4, 20, 38 and 56 and the top of the cabinet is 6 feet. ErgoRisk 2013 Page 3 of 8

4 When boxes of first aid supplies are delivered, which typically happens once a week, the coverall dispatch person unpacks the boxes and puts the supplies away in the cabinet in the coverall trailer. If needed the worker has a dolly which they can use to move the boxes between the admin office and trailer, or they may carry the box if it is light enough, or may unpack the box where it sits and transport the smaller items individually to put them away. PPE such as hard hats and vests are not typically unpacked, but are dispensed directly from the box. DISPATCH OF SAFETY SUPPLIES Equipment First Aid kits & PPE Duration 1 2 minutes Frequency Varies, 0 10 times per shift Strength Light FUNCTIONAL DEMANDS WITH HIGH MSI RISK POTENTIAL Dispatch of Safety Supplies Low bending may be required to access supplies or first aid kits on low shelves. Lifting boxes of supplies without maintaining a neutral spine posture can put the back at risk, as can lifting heavy boxes that may be beyond personal lifting ability. Reaching with the elbow above shoulder height when accessing supplies on top of the cabinet can put stress on the shoulder. LOW RISK STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE MSI RISK Dispatch of Safety Supplies As much as possible maintain neutral back postures for work tasks. Keep inward curve in low back and avoid twisting when reaching for supplies. Maintain a stable base of support and keep a neutral spine posture for lifting. Avoid lifting heavy boxes, instead unpack in place if unpacking is needed. As much as possible, use underhand grip when lifting to keep shoulder in a more stable position. Keep arms as close as possible to the side of the body when working to reduce shoulder stress. Store frequently used items on shelves that do not require high reaching. ErgoRisk 2013 Page 4 of 8

5 3. ADMINISTRATIVE WORK (VANCOUVER MON THURS SHIFT ONLY) Frequency Administrative work is ongoing throughout the day and is interrupted 3 times during the shift for coverall dispatch and intermittently at other times for distribution of first aid kits or PPE, or receipt of laundry or safety supplies. Equipment Office desk and chair, computer, dispatch slips, other standard office equipment. Task Description The Monday Thursday coverall dispatch person in Vancouver spends the majority of their day performing administrative work, primarily around tracking coveralls. The information hand written on dispatch slips during coverall dispatch for both Vancouver shifts is entered into excel spreadsheets on the computer. As well, the Monday Thursday coverall dispatch person enters the information from the Surrey coverall logs, which are sent to them, into the computer to track coveralls at all locations. The coverall dispatch person also orders safety supplies on line to replenish first aid kits and PPE stores. They also track returned and replaced PPE, transferring information from the written log sheets to the computer. Twice a week the coverall dispatch person also creates a list of overdue coveralls and posts it in various places in and around the dispatch hall. ADMINISTRATIVE WORK (Vancouver M Th shift only) Equipment Computer, Paperwork Duration Ongoing Frequency Up to 8hrs/shift Strength Sedentary FUNCTIONAL DEMANDS WITH HIGH MSI RISK POTENTIAL Administrative Work Neck Forward or rotated head postures occur when viewing the monitor, especially if sitting slouched or too far away from the desk. Lumbar spine rounds when sitting which places increased stress on the discs and other spinal tissues. This is exacerbated if chair is not properly adjusted. Increased C curve from slouching or forward hunching places increased mechanical stress on the back. Static use of back muscles from sitting for extended periods can increase fatigue. Forward or sideways reaching to access keyboard or mouse can put stress on the shoulders and upper back. ErgoRisk 2013 Page 5 of 8

6 Elbow/Wrist Non neutral wrist postures when typing or mousing can put stress on the structures in the wrist and forearm. LOW RISK STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE MSI RISK Administrative Work Neck Keep neck in neutral spinal alignment by avoiding forward head postures, sitting close to the desk and keep monitor adequately close. Adjust chair to provide good, seated support. Take frequent standing breaks to stretch the low back and walk around during periods of down time. Sit close to the front edge of the desk to avoid reaching or leaning to access keyboard and mouse. Support arms on the chair armrests when working to reduce workload for the shoulder and upper back. Elbow/Wrist As much as possible, keep wrist straight when working and avoid bending wrist up backwards and avoid repetitive sideways wrist movements when using the mouse. During periods of inactivity in front of the computer rest on the side of the hand (palm facing sideways) to further reduce stress to the wrist and forearm. 4. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS Work Environment Vancouver: Admin office is climate controlled with vinyl flooring in good repair. There is overhead fluorescent lighting and a standard office desk, chair and computer are in the area. The coverall trailer has a wooden floor, overhead fluorescent lighting and some natural light from a small window. The room has limited climate control and there is a space heater on the floor and a wall mounted fan to help with heating and cooling. Surrey: The coverall room is in the main building and is climate controlled. There is vinyl flooring in good repair and overhead fluorescent lighting. There is also a 29 high table in the room which the worker perches on during slow periods during coverall dispatch. Exposure to Elements At the Vancouver location the coverall dispatch person is exposed to the elements when walking between the admin office and the coverall trailer, a distance of roughly 40 ft. There is no exposure to the elements at the Surrey location. ErgoRisk 2013 Page 6 of 8

7 Uneven/Slippery Surfaces At the Vancouver location there is a single step down from the admin office door to the parking lot. The parking lot is in reasonably good repair but there can be uneven areas and it can be slippery in snowy or icy weather. There are 6 steps up into the coverall trailer that are wood, with sand paper grips. The stairs can be slippery in snow or icy weather. At the Surrey location floors in the building are vinyl and in good repair although the floor of the dispatch hall outside the coverall room could be slippery if wet from workers with wet or snowy footwear walking in and out. Vibration Vibration is not an issue for this job at either location. 5. PHYSICAL DEMANDS SUMMARY TABLE Job Demands Max. Weight/ Avg. Weight (Kg) Duration per exposure h=hrs s=secs, m=mins h=hrs Frequency (defined below) Comments Starred items* are Vancouver only STRENGTH POSTURE & MOBILITY ENVIRONMENT Lifting/Carry 10/1 1 5s O Coveralls, PPE *, 1 st aid kits*, boxes of supplies*, hampers* Push/Pull 10/1 1 10s R Dolly if used*, open doors, drag hamper & stand Supporting Body Weight <10s R Climbing stairs to coverall trailer* Gripping / Handling <30s O Dispensing coveralls, handling safety supplies*, tie hamper* Fine Motor Skills 5 15s V Varies: Writing (O), typing/mousing*(f) Sitting 10s 1hr C Varies: Long periods at computer*, short duration perch on table during quiet times during Surrey dispatch, break room Driving N Standing 1 15s O For short durations documenting coverall dispatch Walking 1 20s O Few steps in coverall room/trailer, between admin office and coverall trailer *(~30 40ft) Bending/ Stooping 1 15 R Bending to low shelves for coveralls, hunching over when writing during coverall dispatch Sustained Crouching/ Kneeling 1 5s R Optional posture to access coveralls on bottom shelf or safety supplies* on low shelf Climbing Stairs <10s R 4 steps up into coverall trailer* Climbing Ladders N Crawling N Balancing N Throwing N Overhead Reach 1 5s R Coveralls off top shelf, supplies off top of cabinet* Exposure to Elements < 30s R Walking between admin office and coverall trailer* Uneven/Slippery Surface < 30s R Parking lot between office & trailer may be uneven/slippery* Proximity to moving obj. N Vibration (upper limb) N Vibration (whole body) N ErgoRisk 2013 Page 7 of 8

8 Frequency Ratings: V: varies (see comments) N: Never R: Rare Not daily or up to 1% of shift O: Occasional 2% 33% of shift F: Frequent 34% 67% of shift C: Constant >67% of shift Definitions The frequency rating definitions used in the Physical Demands Summary Table and the strength ratings used in the duty descriptions are shown below and are adapted from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT, 1991, 4th edition) published by the US Department of Labor. Time per Day (8hr shift) Percentage of Shift Never 0 minutes 0 % Rare.1 5 minutes <1 % Occasional 6 minutes 2.5 hours 2 33 % Frequent hours % Constant hours % Varies See comments STRENGTH Weight Handled Strength Category < 5 kg 5 10 kg kg kg >45 kg 1. Limited or Sedentary Occas. 2. Light Freq. Occas. 3. Medium Const. Freq. Occas. 4. Heavy Const. Freq. Occas. 5. Very Heavy Const. Freq. Occas. ErgoRisk 2013 Page 8 of 8