Ergonomically Designed Lift - Assist Device in a EOT Crane

Manual Material Handling (MMH) during maintenance activities poses strain to employees and at times it results in injuries. This type of work entails lifting, bending and twisting which can cause great strain to the human body if done improperly. A paradigm shift has taken place in Ergonomics from the narrow to a wide approach dealing with physiological, psychological, technological and organizational aspects of human work environment. This paper analyses the MMH hazards during the replacement of jaw bits in Electrically Operated Tong (EOT) crane in Hot Rolling Mill. Ergonomics risk factors were estimated using Rapid Entire Body Assessment risk assessment (REBA) tool. Based on the analysis, suitable engineering improvement called Lift Assist Device was developed to reduce extreme range of motion while lifting, moving and inserting and found to be satisfactory.