The Client and its Challenge
After operating in its current facility for two years, this construction tool manufacturer saw a growing trend in musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the workplace. As a result, workers’ compensation costs increased. The poorly designed workstations also began to slow production along the assembly line.

The Risk Consulting Solution
Marsh was retained to conduct a variety of ergonomic assessments. First, the team completed an ergonomic analysis of all workstations and then provided design recommendations, which were implemented as they were developed.

For example, at each of the workstations, assembly parts were rearranged in an arc shape closer to employees. Parts bins were lowered to below an employee’s shoulder level and tilted toward the employee to avoid bending at the wrist. Not only did this help reduce the trauma to shoulders, back and neck, but the new workstations helped increase the speed of the production line as well.

Marsh also helped the client balance the workload between workstations to avoid production bottlenecks. This increased production output, while reducing the ergonomic exposures, since the work was more evenly distributed among employees.

To help create a cycle of continuous improvement, Marsh helped form and then train an internal ergonomics team. This ensured that the company could continue with further analysis and modifications to the work environment. Finally, employees were trained on the how to use the new ergonomically designed workstations and apply proper body mechanics.

Results
The client was able to reduce the number of MSDs to zero over the next year. At the same time, productivity increased by more than 20 percent through improved workstation design, better workflow, and balancing the workload down the production line.