Ergonomics is defined by many authors as the application of biological sciences, together with engineering to obtain an excellent adjustment of work to the human being, and at the same time ensure their efficiency and well-being.
A work environment is made up of a set of factors, grouped into two blocks, physical factors and organizational factors. In refrigerated industries, where intense cold is necessary for the processing and maintenance of products, there are physical factors (cold and inadequate equipment, for example) that can lead to musculoskeletal diseases. Such diseases are generated by inadequate postures of the upper limbs, head and trunk.
With the evolution of technology and the application of ergonomic work analysis, in accordance with MTE Regulatory Standards, it is possible to make the work environment efficient, safe and comfortable.
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Seeking to adapt working conditions to the psychophysiological characteristics of workers, the rotomolded ergonomic plastic pallet, offers the possibility for workers to perform their tasks, lifting or pulling products in ergonomic postures, during the journey of work.
Located in Marau (RS), BRF Brasil slaughters around 210 thousand chickens and produces an average of 420 tons of sausages per day. The company uses rotomolded ergonomic plastic pallets in its processes, aiming to adapt work situations to employees.
International data show that around 46% of workers suffer from back pain, 50% of early retirements are due to pathologies linked to the lumbar region, and 15% of cases of unfitness for work are related to back injuries.
From the point of view of food quality and safety
In the slaughter and industrialization process, there are critical points, such as the sector in which material for disposal is collected, that is, the separation of food that, for food safety reasons, is removed from the production line.
These foods are manually packaged in basins and sent to be transformed into by-products (greasing). Tecnotri plastic pallets assist in this operation, facilitating the employee’s posture when packaging these waste.
On the production line, the boned meat is sent to the conveyor lines, manually packed in boxes by employees and directed to the production flow. At this stage, the Tecnotri ergonomic pallets come into play again, which allow employees to pack the boxes, in accordance with recommended standards, for example, by NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), which created an equation developed based on physiological, biomechanical and psychophysical criteria, whose objective is to assist in the correct positioning and height for lifting and depositing, avoiding inappropriate postures and movements of the trunk and upper limbs.
After use, the pallets are sanitized before returning to the production line. In this way, they meet efficiency and safety requirements, ensuring greater product hygiene, and mainly, reducing the number of complaints and absences from work.
Benefits of using Rotomolded Ergonomic Pallets
Comply with the regulatory standards of the Ministry of Labor, including the NR 17 and the NR 36, which deal with occupational health issues within the cold storage environment and indicate parameters to adapt working conditions to employees.
These Standards aim to preserve worker health and safety. Achieving this objective will reduce absences from work and also the company’s turnover. There is a guiding and suggestive metric in the corporate environment, which says that for every R$1.00 invested in quality of life at work, R$4.00 is saved on health expenses.
By: Jader Saremba Vieira Filho
Ergonomics Specialist.
The rotomolded ergonomic plastic pallet is ideal for refrigerators
The plastic pallet was developed to be used in environments that require special hygiene care, such as refrigerators and food industries.
Furthermore, it has a series of benefits that help to avoid contamination and meet health requirements.
Discover all the advantages of Pallet in the article: Plastic Pallet. Discover the Benefits.
Using ergonomic plastic pallets, you ensure both the quality of the food produced and healthy working conditions for workers, considerably reducing the rates of absenteeism and occupational illnesses caused by the ergonomic factor.
