Job: Excavator (Dock and Ship) Operator Description: Operates the Excavator and Heede Crane Equipment Assessed: Kinder Morgan (Excavator and Heede Crane) ESSENTIAL DUTIES 1. Operating the Excavator (Dock, Ship, Receiving) A) Sitting B) Handling Controls C) Operating Foot Pedals 2. Operating the Heede Crane A) Sitting B) Handling Controls 3. Climbing On/Off the Excavator 4. Gaining Access to and Exiting the Ship s Hold/ Accessing the Heede Crane 5. Pre-Operation Inspection Non Essential Duties: Keep inside of the equipment clean Ensure windows are clean Shift Schedule: The Excavator operators work 8hr shifts. The normal shift schedule is 8:00AM 4:30PM with 10min breaks at 10AM and 2:30PM and a 30 minute break for lunch. Afternoon and graveyard shifts may be worked by the excavator operator. Staffing: The Excavator Operators are dispatched by themselves when working with sulpher or zinc. At Kinder Morgan, two operators are dispatched for receiving. One operator operates the Receiving Excavator and the other operates the Heede Crane. In addition to the tasks at Kinder Morgan, a single Excavator Operator may also be dispatched to Neptune Terminals for shipping of Potash or other tasks (e.g. blending). Other excavator jobs may occur along the foreshore (e.g. clean-up). In the majority of cases, one Excavator Operator is dispatched. ErgoRisk 2008 Page 1 of 14
NOTE: At the dispatch hall, the Excavator work is split into Dockwork (pink ticket) and Shipwork (yellow ticket). DESCRIPTION OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES 1. OPERATING THE EXCAVATOR (DOCK AND SHIP) Frequency Operates the Excavator for up to 7.5 hrs out of an 8-hour shift. Equipment Komatsu Excavator Task Description The Excavator is a piece of heavy equipment consisting of an articulated arm and a cab mounted on a rotating platform. The excavator s platform is mounted on tracks that allow for travel over uneven or sloped terrain. On the dock, the Excavator Operator uses the machine to manage piles and direct product into transfer chutes. Operators work on top of bulk piles during when product is being shipped. The Operator is responsible for ensuring that the grizzly (grated chute to the below ground conveyor system) is fed with bulk product. This usually consists of using the articulated arm and attachment to pull product toward the grizzly or using the arm to knock down the slopes of the bulk pile in order to allow the product to feed the grizzly (by gravity). On the ship, the Operator uses the controls of the machine to either Trim the hatch (pushing product into the corners of the hold) or Discharging (pulling/pushing product into a pile to be picked up by an overhead crane (e.g. Red Dog Crane)). The Receiving Excavator at Kinder Morgan is slightly different in that the Operator is responsible for offloading rail cars of copper or slag. In this case, the excavator is always positioned on a flat surface and the operator uses the arm and scoop to empty the product from the rail cars. A SITTING Equipment Excavator Seat Duration up to 7 hours Frequency sustained Force n/a Task Overview Frequent and sustained neck and back flexion when hunching forwards to look down through the excavator floor windows to see the work. Frequent rotation of the neck to the left or right when looking around work area. Frequent neck extension when looking up at excavator arm. The operator is seated for the duration of the operating task. Natural seated posture is typically a rounded upper back and forward head posture. Whole-body vibration when excavator is in operation. Significant jolts and bumps when the excavator is travelling or performing forceful movements. Excavator seat is adjustable ErgoRisk 2008 Page 2 of 14
B HANDLING CONTROLS Equipment Joysticks, button controls Duration up to 7.5 hours Frequency Constant when operating Force Minimal Task Overview Each Excavator has a joystick control on each side of the operator. These are the primary controls for the articulating arm and the bucket. As well, there are gear controls on the left and track controls hat can be operated with the feet or the hands. Secondary controls in the cab include lights, heat etc. The primary grip for all of the joystick controls is a power grip. Wrist postures and angles vary depending on the movements. Force required is minimal. The arms may be supported by the arm rests. Complex small wrist movements in all directions may be required to manipulate the different controls. Both joystick controls move side to side and forward and back. There are significant dexterity requirements to make fine adjustments to the excavator arm. ErgoRisk 2008 Page 3 of 14
C OPERATING FOOT PEDAL Equipment Travel Control Pedal Duration up to 7.5 hours Frequency Intermittent when operating Force Minimal Task Overview There are two foot pedals on the floor of the crane cab. The left pedal controls the left excavator track and the right pedal controls the right excavator track. Using only one track rotates the base of the machine. Operating the foot pedals requires ankle flexion and extension. These foot controls can also be operated by hand levers connected to the foot pedals. FUNCTIONAL DEMANDS with MSI POTENTIAL Operating the Excavator Static neck flexion slightly rounded upper back and forward head posture when looking up or down at the work can stress the structures in the neck and upper back. rotation in the horizontal plane to watch the load being moved laterally or twisting to control panel puts rotational stress on the structures in the neck. Shoulder Dynamic awkward postures of the shoulder including forward flexion when handling the joystick or feet control handles. Intermittent holding of the elbow away from the side of the body when pushing outward on the joystick controls. Elbow/Wrist/Hand Complex small wrist movements are required in all directions to operate the joystick controls. Repetitive pinch grip is required for some knobs and switches. Non-neutral wrist and forearm postures are required to access controls that are behind the seated operator at the rear of the consoles. Repetitive thumb and finger movements are required to push buttons and manipulate joystick for small movements. Sustained wrist postures are required for some operations and static positions increased fatigue to muscles and structures in the forearm, elbow and wrist. Static small finger extension is required to stabilize the hand for fine tuning movements with the joystick. Static thumb extension on joystick can stress the structures around the base of the thumb. ErgoRisk 2008 Page 4 of 14
STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE MSI Operating the Excavator Stretch the neck muscles often to allow tissue recovery resulting from awkward postures. Try tucking the chin to place the neck in proper alignment with the spinal column and then rotate the head to one side or the other. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds. When waiting for the pile to flow into grizzly, return neck to a neutral position and look straight ahead until required to look down again. Back As much as possible, avoid sitting for extended periods of time to minimize static use of back muscles. Stand and stretch whenever possible. Take the opportunity to stretch or walk during scheduled breaks to restore blood flow to the spinal tissues. Minimize awkward sitting posture by taking the time to adjust seat and foot pedals for best fit before starting work. Reverse forward leaning postures by arching the back, squeezing the shoulder blades together and sticking the chest out (see picture at right). File photos Shoulders Take hands off the joystick whenever not operating the controls. Let shoulders relax and hands rest in lap until required to reach back for joystick again. Sit as far back in the seat as possible to reduce the distance needed to reach behind to access the controls Use elbow rests to reduce static unsupported postures of the shoulders when operating the joysticks. Elbow/Wrist Maintain neutral wrist posture when operating joystick and controls. Where possible use a power grip on the joystick to reduce stresses to the small structures in the hand. Let go of the joystick whenever possible to reduce static grip stresses to the elbow, hand and forearm. Perform wrist and forearm stretches with elbow straight to stretch muscles and increase blood flow after periods of particularly repetitive or prolonged static wrist and hand postures. ErgoRisk 2008 Page 5 of 14
2. OPERATING THE HEEDE CRANE Frequency Operates the Heede Crane for up to 7.5 hrs out of an 8-hour shift. The Excavator Operator at the Receiving Station may switch with the Heede Crane Operator but is not required to. Equipment Heede Crane Task Description The Heede Crane is a crane that rolls on rails over top of the railway tracks adjacent to the receiving station at Kinder Morgan. The purpose of the crane is to remove and replace lids on the railcars before and after they are emptied. The crane operator positions the crane directly over the car and uses crane controls to raise and lower the head that connects to and picks up the rail car lids. This crane is operated in manual mode only. The controls on this crane are basic (cab trolleys and gantries, the head raises/lowers and clamps on/off rail car lids). Each lid takes 2-10 minutes to remove/replace (typically closer to 2 but some are difficult). In a shift, they will typically remove and replace up to 29 rail car lids. In order to access the Heede Crane cab, the operator must climb a flight of stairs and then climb up a ladder to the level of the crane. A SITTING Equipment Excavator Seat Duration up to 7.5 hours Frequency Constant Force N/A Task Overview Frequent and sustained neck and back flexion when hunching forwards to look down through the excavator floor windows to see the work. There are two small red tabs that are mounted on the crane to provide the operator with a guide as to where to position the crane. In order to view these tabs, the operator must bend forward and to the side. Frequent rotation of the neck to the left or right when looking around work area. Whole-body vibration when Heede Crane is in operation. The Heede Crane seat has some suspension and is adjustable. ErgoRisk 2008 Page 6 of 14
B HANDLING CONTROLS Equipment Joysticks, button controls Duration 4-5 hrs Frequency Constant when operating Force Minimal Task Overview The Heede Crane has a small control box with a few primary controls. The left joystick controls trollying and gantrying (N/S and E/W respectively) and the right joystick controls the crane movement (up/down). Another joystick controls the clamping/release mechanism used for picking up the rail car lids. Secondary controls in the cab include lights, heat etc. The primary grip for all of the joystick controls is a pinch grip or a modified power grip (in between the thumb and index finger). Wrist postures and angles vary depending on the movements. Force required is minimal. There are no arm rests. All joystick controls move side to side and forward and back. There are significant dexterity requirements to make fine adjustments crane controls. FUNCTIONAL DEMANDS with MSI POTENTIAL Operating the Heede Crane Static neck flexion slightly rounded upper back and forward head posture when looking up or down at the work can stress the structures in the neck and upper back. rotation combined with significant flexion of the back when looking from side to side to line up the rail car lids with the crane head. This posture increases leverage on the muscles of the neck and upper back which must hold the weight of the head in a static posture until the crane head is positioned correctly. Back Significant back flexion and side bending when trying to line up the crane head and the rail car lid. Back side flexion and forward flexion can were both demonstrated at up to 45 degrees. Shoulder Dynamic awkward postures of the shoulder including forward reaching and handling controls with the elbows away from the side of the body. This postures increase the stress on the muscles that support the arm in the mid and upper back. Elbow/Wrist/Hand Repetitive pinch grip or modified power grip (thumb/index finger) is used for the joysticks. ErgoRisk 2008 Page 7 of 14
STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE MSI Operating the Heede Crane Stretch the neck muscles often to allow tissue recovery resulting from awkward postures. Try tucking the chin to place the neck in proper alignment with the spinal column and then rotate the head to one side or the other. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds. When travelling or gantrying, return the back and neck to a neutral position and look straight ahead until required to focus on the position of the crane head again. File photos Back As much as possible, avoid sitting for extended periods of time to minimize static use of back muscles. Stand and stretch whenever possible. Take the opportunity to stretch or walk during scheduled breaks to restore blood flow to the spinal tissues. Minimize awkward sitting posture by taking the time to adjust the seat for best fit before starting work. Reverse forward leaning postures by arching the back, squeezing the shoulder blades together and sticking the chest out (see picture at right). Shoulders Take hands off the joystick whenever not operating the controls. Let shoulders relax and hands rest in lap until required to reach back for joystick again. Elbow/Wrist Maintain neutral wrist posture when operating joystick and controls. Where possible use a power grip on the joystick to reduce stresses to the small structures in the hand. Let go of the joystick whenever possible to reduce static grip stresses to the elbow, hand and forearm. Perform wrist and forearm stretches with elbow straight to stretch muscles and increase blood flow after periods of particularly repetitive or prolonged static wrist and hand postures. ErgoRisk 2008 Page 8 of 14
3. CLIMBING ON AND OFF THE EXCAVATOR Frequency Two or three times per shift depending on how the operators have structured their breaks. Equipment None Task Description When on the ground, the Operators climb onto the machine using a combination of foot and handholds including the track (top picture). When accessing an excavator inside a vessel, the operator may be required to climb onto the side of the machine, maintain balance and walk along the side of the machine in order to access the cab. ASCENDING & DESCENDING THE EXCAVATOR Equipment None Duration 1-2 minutes Frequency 2-3 times/shift Force Body Weight FUNCTIONAL DEMANDS WITH MSI POTENTIAL Climbing On and Off the Excavator Significant neck flexion or rotation may occur as the operator looks down to ensure his footing when climbing on/off the machine. Shoulder Overhead reaching is required when climbing up the side of the machine. This can stress structures in the shoulders and arms. When accessing the machine inside a vessel, the operator may use long reaches in order to maintain three points of contact (see third picture in this section). Knee Supporting body weight against the force of gravity when ascending and descending stairs or ladder can put stress on the structures around the knee. Impact force descending the last step of the ladder can put stress on the structures around the knee, particularly if jumping down from bottom step. Significant knee flexion when climbing onto the machine. ErgoRisk 2008 Page 9 of 14
STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE MSI Climbing On and Off the Excavator Avoid sustained neck flexion when ascending or descending the stairs and ladders. Check footing then return to looking in front when climbing up/down. Shoulder Avoid extreme overhead reaching when climbing ladders. Keep arm in close to the side of the body to increase stability through the shoulder joint. Knee Use hand rail or ladder rungs to help with balance and to assist in pulling up body weight when ascending or to slow rate of descent when coming down the stairs or ladder. Avoid jumping down from bottom step to reduce stress to the knee. Always use three point contact when ascending or descending the excavator. 4. GAINING ACCESS TO AND EXITING THE SHIP S HOLD/ GETTING ON AND OFF THE HEEDE CRANE Frequency Ship s Hold: Two or six times per shift depending on need. Frequency may vary depending on the needs of the crane operator. Sometimes the crane operator will put an excavator into a ship hold to break up the crust/top of the pile and then lift the excavator to the next. This may be repeated during the day. Heede Crane: Four or more times per shift depending on need. Frequency may very depending on utilization. Equipment None Task Description If an excavator is needed inside a vessel, the crane (e.g. Red Dog Crane) will be used to lift an excavator from the dock to the inside of the ship s hold. The operator drives the excavator to the ship and then exits the excavator, accessing the hold through the ship. This requires travel by foot up the gangway, through the interior passageways of the vessel, through a hatch and then down a series of ladders/stairs to access the ship s hold. Once inside the ship s hold, the operator must walk over the loose bulk product (e.g. zinc) and then ascend the excavator. Once the hold is empty, the operator is required to reverse this course, climbing series of stairs and ladders to exit the ship and to return to the dock to retrieve the excavator. To access the Heede Crane cab, the operator must walk across uneven surfaces (railway tracks), climb a flight of stairs and a ladder (~12 ) in order to get to the level of the cab. ErgoRisk 2008 Page 10 of 14
GAINING ACCESS TO/ EXITING THE SHIP S HOLD Equipment None Duration 5-10 minutes Frequency 2-6 times/shift Force Body weight FUNCTIONAL DEMANDS WITH MSI POTENTIAL Accessing Ship s Hold/Heede Crane Significant neck flexion, extension or rotation may occur as the operator looks down to ensure his footing when climbing up/down ladders. Reaching above shoulder height and holding on is required when climbing ladders. The operator may also need to move through hatchways which constrain movement and can increase awkward shoulder postures. This can stress the structures of the shoulders and arms. The shoulder and forearm muscles must be able to sustain the weight of the worker especially if a foot slips or if clothing (e.g. hi vis vest or backpack) snags on a part of the stair, ladder or hatchway. Hip Supporting and propelling body weight against gravity when ascending or descending stairs or ladder can put stress on the structures around the hip and knee. Significant hip flexion is required when climbing up or down ladders and stair ladders. Knee Supporting and propelling body weight against gravity when ascending or descending stairs or ladder can put stress on the structures around the knee. Possibility for high impact force when descending stairs or ladders. Impact force when descending the last step of the ladder can put stress on the structures around the knee, especially if jumping down from the bottom step. Ankle Supporting and propelling body weight against gravity when ascending or descending stairs or ladder can put stress on the structures around the knee. Jumping down from the last step may place stress on tissues in and surrounding the ankle joint. STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE MSI Accessing Ship s Hold/Heede Crane Avoid sustained neck flexion when ascending or descending the stairs and ladders. Check footing then return to looking in front when climbing up/down. Shoulder Avoid extreme overhead reaching when climbing ladders. Keep arm in close to the side of the body to increase stability through the shoulder joint. Ensure all equipment (backpack, radios, hi-vis vests) are firmly secured before climbing in order to reduce unexpected forces and eliminate the likelihood that you will get caught up on a ladder. ErgoRisk 2008 Page 11 of 14
Knee Use hand rail or ladder rungs to help with balance and to assist in pulling up body weight when ascending or to slow rate of descent when coming down the stairs or ladder. Always use three points of contact when ascending or descending the ladders or stairs. 5. PERFORMING THE PRE-OPERATION INSPECTION Frequency Each time the operator accesses the Excavator. May be 1-3 times a day depending on the operators have structured their breaks. Equipment None Task Description Operators perform a visual inspection of the Excavator by walking around the equipment. Operators are looking for major mechanical issues (oil leaks, equipment damage, and damage to articulating arm or attachment). NOTE: The joint ranges of motion required to perform the visual inspection is significantly less than the postural ranges required to ascend the Excavator. As well, the operator is free to use a variety of different body postures to perform the visual inspection so MSI risks for this task are relatively low. PRE-OPERATION INSPECTION Equipment None Duration 1-2 minutes Frequency 1-3 times/shift Force Minimal FUNCTIONAL DEMANDS WITH MSI POTENTIAL Performing Pre-Operation Inspection flexion may occur as the operator looks down to assess the condition of the tracks. Back Bending and stooping may be required to assess the condition of tracks Shoulder Above shoulder reaching may be required if the operator decides to look more closely at a potential problem with the engine or with the articulating arm. ErgoRisk 2008 Page 12 of 14
STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE MSI Performing Pre-Operation Inspection Avoid sustained neck flexion when performing assessments. Look down briefly and then move head back into a neutral position once area is visually inspected. Back Avoid twisting or bending the back when assessing low parts of the Excavator. Instead keep inward curve in the low back and go down on 1 knee to assess low areas. Move feet rather than twisting back when turning to inspect other areas. Shoulder Keep arm close to the side of the body and avoid overhead reaching as much as possible. 6. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS Exposure to Elements The operator is inside the Excavator cab for the duration of the time he/she is operating the machine. The operator is exposed to the elements when ascending/descending the Excavator and when performing the pre-operation inspection. Uneven Surfaces The Excavator is constantly moving over uneven surfaces which increases the bumps and jolts inside the cab. Vibration The operator is exposed to whole body vibration throughout operation of the excavator. There are also significant bumps and jolts as the excavator changes direction, particularly if moving up and over piles of bulk material. Other (Chemicals) PPE is required due to the types of products being handled. Workboots, Hi-Vis vests, respirators, dust masks, gloves, white coveralls and hardhats are frequently worn. ErgoRisk 2008 Page 13 of 14
7. PHYSICAL DEMANDS SUMMARY TABLE Job Demands Max. Weight/ Avg. Weight (Kg) Duration per exposure h=hrs s=secs, m=mins Frequency UNABLE to perform Comments STRENGTH POSTURE & MOBILITY ENVIRONMENT Lifting/Carry 5 R Handling a fire extinguisher in the case of an emergency. Push/Pull 5/3 <10s F/C Complex small movements of joystick forward and back, and gross movement to open/close cab door Supporting Body Weight 20m O Ascending/Descending Excavator via steps, stairs and ladders and ladders, 5-6 times/shift Gripping / Handling <1m F/C Joysticks & other controls: repetitive small movements Fine Motor Skills <10s F/C Complex small movements of joystick control to operate articulating arm and attachment. Sitting 7.5h F/C Constant sitting for duration of work Driving 7.5 O Intermittent travel to get to pile and to adjust position of excavator. Standing <15s R Stand to adjust seat, or during visual inspection Walking 100m O Walk from machine, up gangway to vessel, through passageways and down ladders, stairs to access hold. May be repeated 2-6X per shift. Bending/ Stooping 4-6h O May occur when excavating below the level of the machine (looking down, bending fwd.) Sustained Crouching/ Kneeling N Climbing Stairs 5m O Ascend/descend ladders and stairs to access hold. Climbing Ladders 3m O Ascend/descend ladders and stairs to access hold. May need to descend multiple short ladders. Crawling N Balancing <5m R When climbing onto Excavator inside hold Throwing N Overhead Reach <5s R Climbing ladders when ascending/descending Exposure to Elements <5m O Ascending/descending excavator or during visual inspection Uneven Surfaces O When accessing excavator inside vessel Proximity to moving objects N Not within the cab, outside there are front end loaders (dock, bulk warehouses), or overhead crane (when inside vessel) Vibration (upper extremity) N Vibration (whole body) 7.5h F/C Constant low level vibration when operating excavator Frequency Ratings: N: Never R: Rare - Not daily or up to 1% of shift (<5mins/day) O: Occasional - 1%-33% of shift (up to 2.5hrs) F: Frequent - 34%-67% of shift (2.5-5hrs) C: Constant ->67% of shift (>5hrs) ErgoRisk 2008 Page 14 of 14