NIOSH Recommends Ergonomics Improvements at Aircraft Distribution Center

An increase in musculoskeletal injuries suffered by employees at an aircraft distribution center may have resulted from work activities, according to a new NIOSH health hazard evaluation (HHE) report. The HHE report summarizes an agency investigation from 2021 but only recently became available on the NIOSH website. Both managers and union representatives requested that NIOSH perform the evaluation.

Of the 25 injuries the facility reported on OSHA logs during the period 2016–2020, the most common were strains, sprains, and tears, according to the HHE report. Material handlers at the facility, which employed more than 100 people, delivered parts to workers in assembly areas and packed parts for distribution. Their work activities included pushing, pulling, bending at the back, and lifting items. NIOSH investigators observed that many of the racks from which workers gathered parts were positioned either lower or higher than the recommended 38–62 inches. Most workstations were not ergonomically designed, could not be adjusted, and were not supplied with antifatigue mats or adjustable chairs or stools.

NIOSH recommended that the facility ensure that reach distances ranged from 11 to 22 inches, provide adjustable workstations, reorganize racks to attain proper heights for the retrieval and replenishment of parts, provide antifatigue mats for employees, and implement rotation for repetitive tasks. For more information, read the HHE report (PDF) on the NIOSH website.