ANSI B11 Technical Report: Ergonomic Guidelines for the Design, Installation and Use of Machine Tools

The Machine Tool Safety Standards Committee (B11) of the American National Standards Institute took the initiative in the early 1990's to compose a voluntary standard involving the design, installation, and use of tools/machines from an ergonomics perspective to reduce workplace injury and improve product production (ANSI Technical Report: Ergonomic Guidelines for the Design, Installation and Use of Machine Tools.). This standard will be the focus of this module page.

The Machine Tool Safety Standards Committee (B11) formed a subcommittee composed of representatives from manufacturing, higher education, safety, design and ergonomics to generate consensual ergonomic guidelines to assist the design, installation and use of individual and integrated machine tools and auxiliary components in manufacturing systems.

The standard is characterized by three themes:

• Necessity of communication among all individuals (users, installers, manufacturers, and designers) involved with the machine tools and auxiliary components to insure their effective design, installation, and use.
• Knowledge of ergonomics concepts and principles among all individuals.
• Ability to apply ergonomics concept/principle knowledge effectively to machine tools and auxiliary components.

Select ANSI B11 Ergonomics Concepts and Principles
The following statements are a synopsis of brief ergonomics concepts/principles comments made within the standard:

• Employees vary in their physiological and psychological characteristics such as strength capacity which needs to be considered for worker safety and work efficiency.
• For optimum operation of a production system, the constraints of the employee has to be considered.
• The best time to consider ergonomics concepts/principles is at the very beginning of a new project/tool/machine/work process.
• Have machines do jobs that machines do best (routine tasks that are done precisely, rapidly and continuously in hazardous environments.
• Have workers performs tasks that people do best (tasks that require judgment, and integration of information).
• A system that does not consider human limits such as information handling, perception, reach, clearance, posture, or strength exertion can predispose an accident/injury.

Application of Ergonomics Concepts and Principles
To ensure accommodation, compatibility, operability, and maintainability of the machine tools and/or auxiliary components, match the design of the tool/process with the physical capability of the worker. This should be considered regarding:

• Body dimensions while performing tasks (reach, clearance)
• Lifting, lowering/ pushing, pulling, carrying strength
• Worker posture while performing tasks
• Control design and location
• Display design and location
• Tool/machine maintenance
• Tool/machine installation
• Tool/machine use
• Air contaminants
• Temperature stress
• Lighting
• Noise

Training
Training in ergonomic issues is recommended for all workers effected by workplace ergonomic hazards. This includes designers and manufacturers of machine tools.

Appendixes
The standard contains numerous reference documents as appendixes such as anthropometry charts, horizontal reach and grasp dimensions, lifting guidelines, and control operation.