Presented to 4th Annual Wholesale & Retail Trade Sector (WRT) Council Meeting January 27, 2010 Obstacles in Implementing Workplace Changes Obstacles in Implementing Workplace Changes Tim McGlothlin, MS, CPE Executive Director Jeff Hoyle, MS, CPE Senior Ergonomist & Research Liaison

Agenda Introduction to the Center Overview of the Demonstration project Partnership with the EASE Council Requirements for establishing a working relationship (partnership) with a sector business Status of the Center’s attempts to partner within this sector Vision of a successful project Potential long-term benefits

Who We Are Founded in 1994 Housed in the Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering at NC State University The Center’s mission is to provide occupational ergonomics consulting, training programs, research, and cost-effective ergonomic solutions for corporations to support their ergonomics efforts. The Ergonomics Center has grown into a nationally recognized and respected organization specializing in the field of ergonomics.

Current Partnerships General Electric GlaxoSmithKline Gildan Duke Energy Evergreen Packaging (formerly Blue Ridge Paper Products) Starbucks Coffee ATI Allvac Eastman Kodak Training Partner of the Institute of Industrial Engineers

NIOSH Manual Materials Handling Demonstration Project

Project Overview We (ECNC) were awarded three NIOSH contracts to conduct demonstration studies of manual materials handling (MMH) equipment in three different regions of the U.S. (eastern, northern and southern). –Eastern potentials: Raleigh, NC –Northern potentials: VA, OH –Southern potentials: SC Demonstration studies take interventions that are generally accepted as beneficial and addresses their extension or adaptation to specific populations or settings. Goal: To demonstrate the efficacy of MMH equipment in the whole- sale and retail trade sector that will reduce the bending, stooping, and overhead reaching associated with loading and storing materials in either warehouses or retail stores where workers are stocking shelves or loading dollies, carts, pallet jacks, etc.

Project Overview ECNC has also partnered with the Ergonomic Assist Systems and Equipment (EASE) Council and Southworth Products Corp. who have agreed to donate MH equipment to host-sites. The EASE Council is one of 18 industry groups within the Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA), the leading non-profit trade association representing the U.S. material handling and logistics industry.

Project Overview The EASE Council is a resource for information, practices, equipment, and organizations that focus on ergonomics and improving the working interface between people and the materials they must move. Member companies includes those dealing with: –Adjustable Worker Elevation Platforms –Balancers –Lift Tables –Manipulators –Pallet Rotators/Inverters –Vacuum Assist Devices –Workstation Cranes

Project Steps Project ActivityStart DateDue DateDetails/ Results 1. Host Site Recruitment and Finalization of Project Logistics 1/1/102/1/10 Host site identified and basic time line for project implementation documented and approved by host site and NIOSH contact 2.Field Work: Pre-Intervention Data Collection  Understand problems specific to industry/application  Perform pre-intervention ergonomic assessments and time-study  Identify countermeasure achievement targets from assessments  Understand constraints in field 2/1/094/1/10 Document nature of the original job setting (pre-intervention) using:  Videotaping  Digital photos  Time studies  Basic risk factor assessments  Advanced assessments: o NIOSH Lifting Equation o Liberty Mutual Guidelines o Univ. of Michigan 3DSSPP  Document constraints and countermeasure achievement targets 3.Market / Product Review  Identify available countermeasure solutions on market 4/1/105/1/10Document available countermeasure options

Project Steps Project ActivityStart DateDue DateDetails/ Results 4.Solution Development  Direct involvement of host-site stakeholders to determine the most feasible and cost-effective solution  Partner with materials handling vendor  Trial materials handling solution  Customization of solution to fit application (if necessary) 5/1/106/1/10  Vendor identified  Equipment ordered and received  Provide details of manual materials handling equipment to be used  Provide basic information on method for evaluating intervention  Appropriate associates at host-site trained on proper use of MMH equipment  Developed usability questionnaire 5.Field Testing: Post-Intervention Data Collection  Testing of final solution(s) in field (usability testing)  Perform post-intervention ergonomic assessments and time-study 6/1/108/1/10 Document nature of the job setting (post- intervention) using:  Videotaping  Digital photos  Time Studies  Basic risk factor assessments  Advanced assessments (possibly): o NIOSH Lifting Equation o Liberty Mutual Guidelines o Univ. of Michigan 3DSSPP  Document performance to countermeasure achievement targets

Project Steps Project ActivityStart DateDue DateDetails/ Results 6.Final Report Development and Delivery  Detailed methods and project steps  Detailed pre- and post-intervention results (Ergonomics risk reduction, time saving, return-on-investment quantification)  Intervention details and specifications provided  Description of how interventions can be generalized to other WRT and industry sectors 7/1/109/1/10 Share results with host-site stakeholders Final report mailed to NIOSH contact (Vern P. Anderson) 7.Present Findings to NIOSH during CY2010 Meeting in Midwest CY2010 (TBD) Present findings and participate in panel discussion with other practitioners and representatives from business and labor

Requirements for Establishing a Working Partnership Establish Trust and Respect Early –This is critical since the researcher is basically asking the host-site to “share” company sensitive information –Clarify that NIOSH is responsible for research and not enforcement/compliance (that’s OSHAs responsibility) Build a Win-Win Proposition –NIOSH (researching organization) gets valuable data to share with WRT sector –Specific host-site and corporate host-company has identified areas with MMH opportunities and potential countermeasures to reduce exposure –Emphasize additional business metrics (besides injury risk reduction) are considered in project

Requirements for Establishing a Working Partnership (cont.) Clearly Define the Project Details –Scope of the project –Timeframe for completion (understand the need to stay away during certain holidays and/or busy times of the year) Keep Legal and Operations “Happy”…Let them know that the host-site can: –Remain anonymous in the published report –Review and request modifications to the final report prior to publication –Interface with the researcher to identify the area(s) of evaluation, dates for the on-site visit, with whom the researchers may interview, and assist in solution-development phase

Requirements for Establishing a Working Partnership (cont.) Keep Legal and Operations “Happy”…Let them know that the following can be furnished: –Statement verifying researchers liability insurance coverage –Contract/agreement between the researcher (Center) and the host- site detailing the issues listed in this segment Discussion Point: What is the proper response to a potential host-site that is concerned with its obligation to implement any or all of the recommendations summarized in the report?

Status of the Center’s Attempts to Partner within the WRT Sector First the strategy – Partner with one host-site in each of three store “types”: –Large Retail Grocery Chain (Food Lion, Kroger, and Harris Teeter types) –Large Volume Discount Chain (Wal-Mart, Target, and K-Mart types) –Large Home and Hardware Chain (Sears, Lowes, Home Depot types) Status per “type”: –Large Retail Grocery Chain - Partner confirmed –Large Volume Discount Chain - Close to confirming –Large Home and Hardware Chain - High level of interest with one firm but several issues to be resolved

Vision of a Successful Project Intervention(s) reduces ergonomics risk from HIGH to Low for targeted tasks (all body parts) Intervention(s) improves or maintains productivity/takt time for targeted tasks Intervention(s) results in positive usability feedback (from host-site associates) Intervention(s) demonstrates quality improvement of goods to consumers (↓ waste products) over trial period Intervention ROI potential in less than 1 year

Potential Long-Term Benefits Reduced lost work-time illnesses and injuries Reduced medical costs from such injuries/incidents Reduced workers’ compensation costs Reduced turnover and absenteeism Increased levels of productivity, efficiency, and quality Improved comfort and usability; reduced human error; increased reliability Reduced equipment costs Increased employee morale Inspectors and insurers expect it Discussion: Additional metrics?

That’s Basically Us and the Project in a Nutshell! Any Questions? Comments? Contact the Ergonomics Center or ON-FOR-ERGO