Case Study: Ergonomics Among Keys to Safety Improvement at Costa Rican Plant
In Cartago, Costa Rica, approximately 1,200 Baxter employees manufacture intravenous (IV) administration sets – the tubing through which IV solutions are delivered to patients. Operations include both automated and manual processes.
In the last six years, the Cartago site has greatly improved its safety performance. The plant has reduced its lost-time incident rate from 0.63 incidents per 100 full-time employees in 2000 to 0.06 in 2006. The 2006 figure represents one lost-time incident for almost 3.38 million hours worked. The number of lost-time days per 100 employees improved from 3.85 in 2000 to 0.60 in 2006.
"Our plant management is very committed to health and safety," says Sussy Madrigal, safety supervisor in Cartago. "Everybody here breathes safety."
Improved ergonomics has played a major role in safety gains at the plant. Ergonomics experts assessed workstations in production areas for ergonomic hazards, such as repetitive movement, awkward postures, use of excessive force (pulling, pushing and lifting) and other stressors. Members of the plant's ergonomics committee then developed prioritized action plans. The plant used anthropometric (body measurement) data to design workstations suited to employees' heights and physical capabilities. The site also introduced software that provides ergonomic recommendations for phones, chairs and other equipment to reduce hazards. Ergonomics training was expanded to include employees, supervisors and group leaders.
In addition to addressing ergonomics, the plant redesigned its warehouse to segregate forklift traffic from warehouse workers and pedestrians. It also installed traffic lights to further reduce the risk potential for forklift incidents, and protective netting to decrease the potential for incidents that could occur as a result of falling objects from warehouse shelves.
In the area of industrial hygiene, the plant reduced noise levels in high-risk areas, and installed new solvent dispensers to decrease vapor emissions, eliminating the need for respirators. It also developed a new safety manual in 2006 to use in training new hires and other employees on standard safety procedures.
