Manual Handling – ladder use Kaizen

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Problem Statement

Warehouse and Production employees must move

ladders, climb up and down ladders close to 200+
times daily, carrying product to put-away and pick
from shelves. Find a solution to improve efficiencies
by 20%, reduce/eliminate falls from heights, parts
dropping, ergonomic overuse & lifting hazards and
trip/stumble hazards associated with this task.

Team represented by:

Team supported by

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Edwards Policy statements
relating to manual handling
 Occupational Health
 Each Business Unit must ensure that employee health is not
adversely affected by manual handling/repetitive work
activities.
 As a priority, all necessary means of engineering controls,
process technology, use of mechanical aids and administration
controls should be used to eliminate or minimize the risks from
manual handling or repetitive hazardous activities.
 In the long term, repeated and prolonged manual handling can result
in cumulative damage, particularly to the back and neck. In addition
activities which cause awkward postures or repetitive actions can
also result in cumulative damage.

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Diagnose - Implications from an actual ladder
accident
 incident record.
 Employee fell from top landing of 14 110
ft high ladder.
 Ladder was not locked while in use. 108
 Employee was reaching for a part
towards the open end of the ladder
railing. 106
 Ladder was moved by another Days away
employee causing the employee on 104
the ladder to lose balance and fall to
the ground. Days
 Employee on the ground broke the 102 restricted
fall and luckily was uninjured.
 The employee that fell broke their 100
heel.
 A March 2004 report by the US 98
Department of labor reported in 1
year 24,086 people lost days away Days Days
from work due to falls from ladders. away restricted
Averaging 15 days away from work.
Diagnose - Costs from an actual ladder accident
 Costs typically include 45,000
the following:
40,000
Adding temporary
resources. 35,000
Increasing overtime 30,000
Reg wages
costs.
25,000 Over Time
Reg temp
Workman’s compensation OT temp

payments.
20,000 Workers comp
Medical

Wage payments without 15,000 Total

the resource. 10,000

Additional costs for 5,000
medical services.
0 Reg O ver Reg temp O T te mp Workers Medical Total
wage s Time comp
Diagnose - Data Collection – Ladder use.
300

 Displays the numbers of 250

times a ladder was used in
the warehouse on Tuesday
September 28th. 200 Put-Away
Picking
 Activity for this day was
considered above average 150 Truck Freight
for a normal day. Packing
100 Cycle count
total
50

0 Put- Picking Truck Packing Cycle total

Away Freight count
Diagnose - Data Collection - efficiency between ladder & Wave

 In a simulated pick/put-away trial

the Wave equipment accomplished 6
the same task as the ladder 2
minutes faster. 34% more efficient.
5
 Additionally another employee was
asked to help retrieve parts from the
shelf while using the ladder. A 4
common practice so the employee on
the ladder does not have to ascend/
descend numerous times for multiple 3 Ladder
parts. This consumes additional
resources. Wave
This is not required when using the 2
Wave.
 Greater efficiencies would be
expected as employees become more 1
comfortable with equipment
operation. And equipment
capabilities are built into business 0
changes. Ladder Wave
Diagnose - Data Collection – additional efficiency/safety between ladder & Wave

 Cycle counting – cycle counter must

bring parts down the ladder to count 6
and is spread across multiple days.
The WAVE would allow for more
efficient and accurate counts and for 5
counts to happen at the stocking
location.
4
 Additional employee resources are
required when a temporary employee
needs parts picked because we do not Ladder
train them on the FLT. They must ask 3
another employee to help. Wave
Temporary employees would receive
training which would allow them to 2
use the WAVE.
 Improves ability to adjust parts on 1
racks to increase stocking options.
 Greater safety when performing
normal facility maintenance from 0
heights (ex. Changing office lights). Ladder Wave
 Diagnose
 Fall - Current
from heights. hazards with
ladder use
 Ergonomic hazards from ascending & descending.
 Over use injury.
 Exhaustion.

 Dropping items from heights.

 Injury to individuals below.
 Product damage.

 Triphazard from stumbling on ladder rung.

 Manual handling
 lifting injuries from carrying moderately heavy or awkward items up and down a ladder.
 Manual handling injuries from push/pull large ladders into position.
 Reaching from ladder to position product on shelf Vs. descending and repositioning ladder to
stock parts.

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Remedy - Solutions considered to reduce/eliminate the risk and improve efficiency

o Find pulley system to attach to ladders to raise & lower product.

 Would allow employees to always keep 2 hands on the ladder handrail while climbing
and descending ladders.
 Expect it would add time to picking & put-away jobs.
 Unable to find properly engineered solution.
o Have employee wear a “carpenters apron” to hold parts when climbing or
descending ladders.
 Allows employees to keep 2 hands on ladder handrail.
 Apron would only hold small parts, not useful for most items as determined during
trial use.
 Locate parts typically collected from ladders lower on racks.
 Ladder use reduced.
 Increases the storage of heavier items on the higher rack positions, possibly creating
unstable racks.
 Will ultimately decrease usable floor space, by increasing number of rack positions
needed.
o Investigate options for equipment to manage this task.
 Supplier recommended “The Wave Work assist vehicle” Manufactured by Crown.
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Remedy - Solution considered to reduce/eliminate the risk and improve efficiency

 Automatic speed controls depending on

unit height.
 Foot and hand sensors that stop or slow
equipment if contact is broken.
 Once platform reaches 20 inches in height,
the user must close the gate to continue
raising platform. It should remain open
below 20 inches for emergency dismount.
 Unit speed automatically slows as unit
height increases and gate is closed.
 The base unit is 1500 lbs. We wouldn't
expect any tip hazards unless the unit is
used inappropriately.
 The unit can be operated from the ground
if something were to happen (loss of
consciousness) to the operator up in the
lift.
 Crush hazard eliminated when platform
lowers.
 Flashing warning lights when in use.
Operator – horn use.
 Key pad option which requires employee to
enter individual ID code to use.
 Remedy - Would the new equipment remove current hazards from ladder use?

 Fall from heights. Yes, hazard eliminated, working from an enclosed cage.
 Ergonomic hazards from ascending & descending. Yes, hazard eliminated
climbing, ascending/descending is eliminated.
 Over use injury.
 Exhaustion.
 Dropping items from heights. Hazard is reduced with the use of the load tray rack
and load tray base that can hold parts. Consider flexible load securing solution.
 Injury to individuals below.
 Product damage.
 Trip hazard from stumbling on ladder rung. Yes, hazard eliminated, no steps to
ascend or descend.
 Manual handling –
 lifting injuries from carrying moderately heavy or awkward items up and down a ladder.
 Manual handling injuries from push/pull large ladders into position.
 Reaching from ladder to position product on shelf Vs. descending and repositioning ladder to
stock parts.
 Yes, hazards eliminated, items can be placed on load tray base or load tray rack while
ascending or descending. Large ladders do not need to be pushed/pulled into position. And
WAVE can be easily repositioned to properly stock items without reaching.

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 Remedy - List & assess safety
 Results available for review. Change Management.
 Communicating change, Environment, Ergonomics, Layout & Drawing, Occupational Health, Safe Work Practices, Provision
and use of work place equipment

components of equipment.
Equipment – safety functions.
 Key start – unauthorized access. Employee ID codes with optional key pad.
 Foot pedal sensors – feet not positioned properly, travel and lift/lower functions will not function. Unit will alarm.
 Hand Grip sensors – Travel and lift/lower functions will not operate with hands removed from sensors. Unit will alarm.
 Override feature allows for stabilizing a load with one hand and operating with the other. Functions continue to operate at reduced levels.
 Travel Speeds – Max speed is 4 mph. Option to select ‘rabbit’ speed, max. And ‘turtle’ speed, slow.
 Travel speed reduced to 2.5 mph when gates are closed.
 Travel speed reduces further to 2 mph when height is above 20 in.
 Safety Gate
 Remains open below 20 in. for emergency exiting. Unit alarms if dismounting above 20 inches.
 Gate must be closed above 20 in for platform to continuing raising.
 Gate can be opened at high elevations.
 Equipment Stability – vehicle weight 1200lbs.
 Platform sway at uppermost height.
 Base plate – crush of parts or people eliminated, unit will not lower if something is in the way.
 Maintenance – Unit will not operate if the “wrench” symbol is lit-up.
 Equipment override – Emergency override control allows platform to be lowered from the ground or move manually if unit
stops moving.
 An additional safety override, hydraulic release mechanism for lowering platform.
 Pre-use inspection must insure emergency control panel is closed before use.
 To lower platform set switch to ‘base’ and select lower or raise for emergencies. Normal use should have switch set to ‘platform’
 See video presentation (Wave).
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 Remedy – Manufacturer
feedback
 Manufacturer feedback
 More then 10,000 units have been sold since 1998.
 Large companies like Sears, Cummins Engine, the New York Power Authority and all Target
stores use the WAVE.
 The manufacturer has no study or evidence of serious tip-over accidents.
 Most maintenance the company has seen is from use by young people, handling the
equipment recklessly and hitting objects.
 ANSI mobile lift platform rating for equipment is included with unit.

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Sustain - Cost savings

 Manufacturer studies demonstrate a ROI of typically between

8-12 months.
 Maintenance free battery option.
 No special charging equipment needed. Equipment charges
from a standard 110V outlet.
 Dramatically reduce/eliminate accidents from ladder use.
 Fully train employees on equipment operation to take
advantage of efficiencies.

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Further Opportunities

 Consider the purchase of this equipment in overall plans for

the group facility consolidation.
 Develop facility layout to take advantage of equipment
efficiencies.
 Unit should be fitted with white wheels. Wheels are of a poly
material and will not mark-up epoxy floors. They are used on Target
Store floors with no issue.
 Basket or flexible load securing solution to hold parts on platform
rack to keep them from falling.
 Share results of this project with the team.
 Global purchase contract to reduce per unit cost.
 Global reduction in ladder related accidents.
 Improve global efficiencies in picking/put-away operations.