In the US automotive industry, a single back injury can add as much as $2,000 to the cost of production of a single vehicle. But until recently, there has not been much research into the ways that US automakers could reduce stress, fatigue and injury to US auto workers. How can cranes and hoists help?
COHAM (Centre for Occupational Health in Automotive Manufacturing), located at Ohio State University in Columbus has begun to research ways to use material handling equipment to reduce these stresses on workers. There are over 75 auto plants in Ohio and they produced more than 1.5 million cars in 2006.
Gene Buer, executive director of Columbus McKinnon, said: “Columbus McKinnon is discussing research contracts with COHAM that will assist with the development of new methods and techniques towards improving the ergonomics for production workers.” He added: “Ultimately, these studies and developments will help US automakers increase safety, output, efficiency and profits. Our products such as lift tables from American Lifts, jib cranes from CES, LodeRail, hoists, and rigging products, are all being used as vital parts of this revolutionary programme.”
With an aging and longstanding workforce, US auto manufacturers are beginning to understand the needs of these particular workers. By helping them avoid injuries, the costs of vehicle production can be kept down and potentially help make American automotive makers more competitive.
Largely funded through a partnership with Honda of America, COHAM is a unique interdisciplinary partnership between an assortment of University Departments, various automobile manufacturers, and numerous automobile suppliers with the overall intent to design assembly tasks and processes so that occupational health risk is minimized and productivity and quality are optimised.
Uniquely, COHAM is the only university-based full scale manufacturing operation in the world where automobile manufacturers as well as suppliers can test the effects of manufacturing systems on the health of workers. The Ohio State University-based programme is distinctive because it provides a “real world” environment to study and optimise high-tech manufacturing technology along with state-of-the art occupational health risk assessment techniques.
