Working Posture Analysis in Fuzzy Environment and Ergonomic Work Station Design Recommendations

Abstract

Realization of ergonomic design applications in working environments, makes it possible to preserve the health of employees, provide them working comfort and increase productivity. Therefore ergonomic work station design has an outstanding position in work places. In this study, an investigation was made on work stations in a metal accessor producer, which were found to be inappropriate from point of view of design considerations as a result of an ergonomic condition analysis. Inappropriate designs force workers to repetitively assume dangerous postures. As a result production process slows down and workers experience a feeling of increasing tiredness. Postures of workers were analyzed by The Fuzzy Rapid Entire Body Assessment (BREBA) developed by inserting triangular fuzzy scale to Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA). The BREBA method determines the level of risk in whole body caused by postures while prevents potential information loss and allows obtaining more accurate results in a fuzzy environment. In the said working place, 688 posture photographs belonging to four work stations (heat treatment, primary press, secondary press and transportation station) were examined. The consequent assessment suggested that; leg, upper arm and wrist in heat treatment, leg, wrist and torso in pres station, torso and arm were found to be the most enforced body sections. The results pointed out that 52,03% of postures displayed in production process introduced medium level risk and improvements were suggested.