Prepared for DECKED by: Mary Smith, (B.S.E., M.S.E. IOE) independent human factors expert, Detroit, MI
To read the entire paper CLICK HERE.
Working out of trucks and vans invites the gamut of poor ergonomic situations as well as time wasted crawling into vehicles or digging around in cross-over
toolboxes
to access needed items. Over time these situations can lead to over-use injuries and missed time at work.
Having an ergonomically favorable work environment saves time and money and leads to healthier, more productive workers. DECKED reduces trips in and out of vehicles putting essential items in the "power zone" between the waist and shoulders.
Everybody knows the effort and hassle of crawling in and out of their truck or van to get that tool or box of hardware. We have all tried to find a way to dig into the cross-over toolbox at the head of the truck bed. Every awkward move, uncomfortable lift, or trip in and out of the vehicle wears on our bodies and wastes time. To put this in perspective we hired Mary Smith, an independent human factors expert out of Detroit, to show how and where DECKED serves as an advantage to the status quo of work truck and cargo van environments.
Workplace musculoskeletal injuries are the most common types of injuries in the construction industry, responsible for more than 1/3 of all lost workday injuries and about half of all compensation claims. The leading cause of workplace injury is over-exertion resulting from lifting, pushing, pulling, holding, carrying or throwing. According to Liberty Mutual (2014), these workplace injuries account for over $15 billion annually in direct costs to employers.
Jobs that involve working from the bed of a pickup truck or cargo van expose the worker to awkward movements to access items in the bed, toolboxes or other storage containers located in trucks and vans.
Creating a workplace environment with good ergonomics reduces these injuries, saves money and leads to more productive workers.
Reaching into toolboxes, crawling into the bed of vehicles, straining to reach items out of the bed of the truck are all examples of poor ergonomic conditions which ultimately lead to strain and the potential for injury.
A simple solution to making tools, hardware and other items more easily accessible can save time and money as well as prevent avoidable workplace injuries.
DECKED is the optimum ergonomic solution to typical material handling conditions in the work vehicle environment. DECKED brings the work to the worker with a full bed-length sliding drawer system which presents tools, hardware, and other necessary equipment at waist height. It's the perfect ergonomic toolbox whether you own a cargo van or a pick up truck.>
