Physical stresses

Physical stresses arise through unfavourable body postures, rapid or sustained body movements, high force exertion, the handling of loads, or a combination of these aspects. The stresses manifest themselves in strain upon the muscles, locomotor apparatus and spine. Machines and their control stations should be engineered such that stress factors are reduced to a minimum. A risk assessment assists in estimation of a work situation. Corresponding information can be found in the EN ISO 12100 standard and the EN 1005 series of standards.


Location of control actuators

Correct positioning of control actuators on machines is important in order for them to be reached and to be operated safely and comfortably. Attention should be paid here to design in consideration of anthropometric aspects and to the conditions of movement. Relevant information concerning the positioning of control actuators is summarized for example in EN 894-4.

Variable driver's and operator's station

Sitz Crown TSP 7000 Hochregalstapler © Michael Hüter

Variable driver's and operator's station On Crown high-rack order pickers, the driver's control station can be adjusted to the needs of the... more

Adjustability of operating panels

Ergonomisch verstellbarer Display für Fräsmaschinensteuerung © Michael Hüter

Adjustability of operating panels On the DMG Ergoline Control, the angle of the display and of the lower keypad is adjustable. This... more

Adjustable control and display element

Einstellbarer Arbeitsplatz eines Bedieners ermöglicht optimale Sichtachse und verhindert Blendeeffekte © Michael Hüter

Adjustable control and display element The control panel on the Trumpf Trubend 7000 range consists of a touch display in which display and... more

Overview

Visibility conditions

Visibility is important for the viewing of relevant areas of work, such as the inside of a machine tool or the area in front of a forklift truck. Constrained visibility can lead to unfavourable body postures or elevated mental stress.

Tilting driver's cab

Schubmaststapler mit kippbarer Kabine um Belastung für Genick zu vermindern © Michael Hüter

Tilting driver's cab A tilting driver's cab assists in reducing the necessary angle of head inclination. Such a cab... more

Driver's rotating control station

Gabelstapler mit 180 Grad drehbarem Fahrerstand verhindern gesundheitsschädliche Stellungen der Halswirbelsäule und des Rumpfes © Michael Hüter

Driver's rotating control station Linde's driver's rotating control stations can be fitted to larger models of forklift. By releasing... more

Adjustable control and display element

Einstellbarer Arbeitsplatz eines Bedieners ermöglicht optimale Sichtachse und verhindert Blendeeffekte © Michael Hüter

Adjustable control and display element The control panel on the Trumpf Trubend 7000 range consists of a touch display in which display and... more

Overview

Motional range

The freedom of movement that a worker has at his or her workplace is important not only for reasons of comfort; insufficient room to move can lead to unfavourable body postures and may even cause accidents.

Open pallet changing system

Gut zugängliches Palettenwechselsystem mit vollständig freier Fläche zur Vorbereitung in günstiger Arbeitshöhe © Michael Hüter

Open pallet changing system The Handtmann pallet changer for vertical milling machines enables the tool pallets to be separated... more

Legroom for improved accessibility

Im DMG DMU Monoblock werden durch größere Beinfreiheit ungünstige Körperhaltungen reduziert © Michael Hüter

Legroom for improved accessibility The bottom of the DMG DMU 125 machine housing is recessed. This provides the operator with greater... more

Vertical open machining concept

Offenes, vertikales Betriebskonzept ermöglicht Hilfsmitteleinsatz  bei großvolumigen Bauteilen © Michael Hüter

Vertical open machining concept The vertical design assures open access to the workpiece holder from the front and from above. For... more

Overview

Exertion of force and handling of loads

Load handling is an issue wherever heavy weights need be transported. High forces may also have to be exerted during work, for example for the opening and closing of guards on machine tools. This places stress upon the human musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems. In order to reduce the stress on workers, facilities must be fitted to machines to reduce the forces to be exerted and the loads to be handled. Relevant information on risk assessment of the forces to be exerted and loads to be handled can be found in the EN 1005-2 and EN 1005-3 standards.

Material: plastic

Kunststoffhubwagen I-Ton sind erheblich leichter und reduzieren somit den Kraftaufwand © Michael Hüter

Material: plastic The use of new types of material enabled the weight of the pallet truck presented here to be reduced... more

Start assist on the tiller

Anfahrhilfe mit Hebelprinzip zur direkten Kraftübertragung auf die Räder verringert manuelle Anstrengungen © Michael Hüter

Start assist on the tiller The start-assist for pallet trucks exploits the lever principle of force transmission in that the... more

Platform hoist

Höhenverstellbarer Plattformhub ermöglicht sicheren Stand sowie Zugang zu höher gelegenen Waren © Michael Hüter

Platform hoist The platform hoist on the order picker raises the worker at the driver's platform to a height of... more

Overview