Setting Standard Times to Movements

When an operator cannot carry out a specific task within arms’ length, the operator must move. A standing operator has a reach of about 70 cm. When something is outside this reach, a movement must occur. These movements do not add any value to the product, but are required due to the design of the workplace. When an object is not within this reach, the
operator must move to the object. This movement may also be combined with the operator needing to bend over or sit or stretch, depending upon where the object is located. These movements are always allocated the color Red. The time for non-ergonomic movement is also given in the analysis for all the movements below, except steps.

Steps

In order to analyse physical movements, the operator’s steps are simply counted. A standard step is 0.78 meters and takes 0.71 seconds.

Bending

Bending entails that the operator bends down to get or put away something. If the hands wind up in a position below the knees during the bending process, the movement is counted as a bend.

Stretching

Stretching requires that the operator handles something outside of arm’s length. A stretching is also allotted if a movement is performed above shoulder height.

Body Twist

A body twist occurs when the operator has to turn to get or place something.

Special movement cases

Walking up or down a step

If an operator goes up a stairway without carrying anything, only the number of steps is counted. To mount a platform whose height exceeds 20 cm entails that a use of force unit is added to each step. A use of force unit is also added, for each step, if the operator carries something that weighs more than 10 kg while climbing the stairs or mounting the platform.

Climbing up a ladder

When the operator climbs a ladder, a use of force unit is added for each step.

Pulling a laden trolley

One use of force unit is allocated for beginning to move a normally laden trolley and the first step when doing so is counted as two steps. The following steps are counted as normal steps. If the trolley is to be parked in a designated place, another use of force unit is allocated for braking the trolley.