Work Improvements In Small Enterprises

( WISE)

Neha Gahlot (Ph.D Scholar)CCSHAU , Hisar

CONTENTS

Introduction of WISE Small scale enterprises Occupational hazards Workplace problems and wise solutions Experiment part

What is WISEWork Improvement in Small Enterprise (WISE) also known as ‘Higher productivity & a better place to work’, is a program developed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) (1996) to assist small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in improving working conditions and productivity using simple, effective & affordable techniques.

What are the Small Scale Enterprises ???

DEFINITION :- All industrial units with a capital investment of not more than Rs. one crore are, treated as small-scale units. For ancillary units i.e., those supplying components to large-scale industries and the export-oriented units, the limit of capital investment is also Rs. one crore.

Industrial units with an investment of up to Rs. 25 lakhs belong to the tiny sector.

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Source : Ministry of Small Scale Industries (2009-2010

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Major enterprises groups in thesmall-scale sector >>>

• Food Processing enterprises• Chemical & Chemical Products• Basic Metal Industries• Metal Products• Electrical Machinery & Parts• Rubber & Plastic Products• Machinery & Parts Except Electrical goods• Hosiery & Garments • Wood Products

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Cont…Non-metallic Mineral Products

Paper Products & Printing

Transport Equipments & Parts

Leather & Leather Products

Miscellaneous Manufacturing Industries

Other Services & Products

Beverages, Tobacco & Tobacco Products

Repair Services

Cotton Textiles

Wool, Silk, Synthetic Fiber Textiles

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Total No of Units 110.10 lakhs (14.68 lakh Registered & 95.42 lakh not registered)

Employment 261.38 lakh people Exports Rs. 86,013 Crore Annual growth in number of SSIs 6.30 % Share in the nation’s total 8.42 %

Role of Small Scale Enterprises in India

Large Scope for Employment

Large Production Large Exports Use of Latent

(domestic) resources: Promoting Welfare

Source : Ministry of Small Scale Industries (2009-2010)

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• Small and Medium enterprises play an extraordinarily important role as muscles for regional economic development.

• Indian economy is an under developed economy. Its vast resources are either unutilized or under utilized.

• A major section of man power is lying idle. The per capita income is low. Capital is shy and scarce and investment is lean.

• Production is traditional and the technique is outdated. The out put is insufficient and the basic needs of the people remain unfulfilled.

Contd……

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Work kills people more than war, ( ILO), “ some 6000 workers a day, or one every 15 seconds , die

from the occupational accidents and diseases. (T.K. Joshi 2010)

Joshi, T.K., Bhuva, B. Uttpal, R. and Ansari,M.A (2010) “occupational and environmental health “ standards of India (18) :9 December 2010

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A health hazard may produce serious and immediate (acute) affects , or may cause long term (chronic ) problems.

Occupational Health HazardsAn occupational health hazard is any agent that can cause illness to an individual exposed to that agent as a result of his/ her occupation.

Workplace Problems and Losses

Increased discomfort, pain, injury, or illness Workers’ compensation costs Lost or restricted work time Short- or long-term disability Increased absenteeism Low morale Decreased productivity and/or quality

Goal of WISE

For Workers For Organization

Wellness of Workers

Wellness of Organization

•Less absenteeism•Labour turnover•More involvement•Commitment to change

Health Safety

Comfort

Satisfaction

Performance

Productivity

Quality

Flexibility

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Occupational Health World Health Organization - is the promotion

and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations by preventing departures from health, controlling risks and the adaptation of work to people, and people to their jobs.

National Institutes of Health - refers to the identification and control of the risks arising from physical, chemical, and other workplace hazards in order to establish and maintain a safe and healthy working environment. 

www.wikkepiedia .COMwww.cdc.gov/niosh/nasd/docs/as04200.html

ILO, (1991) Encyclopedia of Occupational Health & Safety, Thermal (revised) Edition, International Labour Organisation (ILO) Geneva.

Objectives of Occupational health (ILO):-

To Promote

and maintainthe highest degree of physical,

mental & social well-being of workers of all occupations

To Prevent workers from

departures due to health

caused by their working

conditions

To Protect workers in their

working environment from hazards

and risks usually causing adverse health

effects

To Place & maintain

a worker in an occupational environment adapted to

his/her physiological

ability

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Wise can be introduced in terms of WISE (Work Improvement in Small Enterprise) for improving working conditions

Every worker spends at least 8 hours a day in the workplace. Therefore, work environment should be safe and healthy. Occupational safety and health (OSHA) is concerned with safety and health of workers in relation to work and the working environment.

OSHA at work in SMEs present a particular challenge as the majority of workforce is employed in SMEs and resources to protect and promote health of this workforce are much lesser.

Cont…

• As a result of the hazards and lack of attention given to safety and health, work related accidents and MSDs are very common. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) objective of assuring as far as possible every man and woman a safe and healthy work environment could be achieved only when efforts are directed towards identifying occupational health hazards of workers.

• Accordingly, suitable and effective mitigating measures are to be developed and suggested to either minimize or eliminate the extent of such hazards.

• The implementation of WISE (Work Improvement in Small Enterprise) is thought to lead to concrete workplace improvements in these SMEs. WISE looks at the multiple aspects of workstation and productivity enhancement under local conditions (Kogi, 1985).

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WORKPLACE PROBLEMS AND WISE SOLUTIONS IN SMALL SCALE

ENTERPRISES

1. Materials storage and handling

2. Work-station design

3. Productive machine safety

4. Control of hazardous substances

5. Environmental Conditions

6. Welfare facilities

7. Premises

8. Work organization

General Problems At Workplace

Materials and

Storage Handling

Material and Storage Problems

Unorganized work place and storage

Improper storage for raw materials

Very Unhygienic & Slippery Surface

SLIPS TRIPS FALLS

Real slips, trips and falls are not funny.

Inappropriate equipment storage facility

Improper Transport Clearance And Cluttered Area

WISE Solution for MATERIALS STORAGE and HANDLING

Better organized storage

Fewer and shorter transport and handling

operations

Fewer and more efficient heavy lifting operations

Goals

RULES ON FEWER AND SHORTER TRANSPORT AND HANDLING OPERATIONS

• The more you use it, the closer it should be

• Use mobile storage

• Make your equipment easy to move to where it is needed

• Don't lift loads higher than necessary

• Move materials at working height

• Make lifting more efficient and safer

Avoid placing materials on

the floor

If in doubt, take it out

Save Space by Introducing

Multi-level Racks

Provide a “home” for each tool and work

item

Work-Station Design

Roelofs and Straker (2002) conducted a study on discomfort and

preferences of 30 full-time bank tellers who worked at a standing height

work surface while sitting on a high chair, then standing, and then

alternating between sitting and standing. The mode in which the least

reported discomfort arose and which was regarded as the preferred posture

by 70 percent of subjects was alternation between sitting and standing.

Huang (2004) suggested that the job redesign and interventions that

address a worker's work style when faced with increased work demands

may help reduce the likelihood of musculoskeletal symptoms and /or their

intensity.

Roelofs, A. & Straker, L. (2002). The experience of musculoskeletal discomfort amongst bank tellers who just sit, just stand, or sit and stand at work. Ergonomics SA, 14(2), 11-29Hedge, A. (2004). Effects of an electric height-adjustable work surface on self-assessed musculoskeletal discomfort and productivity in computer workers. Cornell University, Human Factors and Ergonomics Research Laboratory, Technical Report 0904.

Workstation Problems

Postural problems

Management problems

Workplace Accidents

Fatigue

Disorders Occupational risk factors

Symptoms

Tendonitis/tenosynovitis

Repetitive wrist motions Repetitive shoulder motions

Sustained hyper extension of armsProlonged load on shoulders

Pain, weakness, swelling, burning sensation or dull ache over affected area

Epicondylitis(elbow tendonitis)

Repeated or forceful rotation of the forearm and bending of the wrist at the

same time

-do-

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Repetitive wrist motions Pain, numbness, tingling, burning sensations,

wasting of muscles at base of thumb, dry palm

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Awkward Posture Leads to WMSD’s

DeQuervain's disease Repetitive hand twisting and forceful gripping

Pain at the base of thumb

Thoracic outlet syndrome

Prolonged shoulder flexion

Extending arms above shoulder height

Carrying loads on the shoulder

Pain, numbness, swelling of the hands

Tension neck syndrome Prolonged restricted posture

Pain

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IDEAS FOR BETTER WORK-STATION DESIGN

Increase productivity by changing the position of tools and materials

locate dials and controls to minimize mistakes

Avoid wasted effort using simple fixing device

Place materials, tools, and controls where they can be reached easily by the worker without bending or twisting the body

Redesign a work height and chair to increase product quality

RULES ON WORK POSTURES

Change work-surface height or positions of work-items, tools or controls so that the work is done at elbow height

Provide a stable, non-wobbling work-surface on which work items can be firmly placed

Use platforms so that the short workers can be at the proper height

Provide good chairs of correct seat height and with a good backrest

Provide enough leg space to allow easy leg movement

Avoid

Working with the Hands above Head

For More Than 2 Hours Per

Day

Working with the Elbows above Shoulders

Working with the Elbows above Shoulders

Not for more than 2 hours per day

Neck or Back Bent Forward More than 30º

Not For more than 2 hours per day

Neck or Back Bent Forward More than 30

Not for more than 2 hours per day

Squatting & Kneeling

Not for more than 2 hours per day

High Hand Force

Highly Repetitive Motion

Workers should avoid repeat same motion every few seconds for more than 2 hours per day with:

Neck Shoulders Elbows Wrists Hands

Repeated ImpactUsing hands or knees as a hammer– more than 10 times per hour– more than 2 hours per day

Heavy, Frequent, or Awkward Lifting

Keep materials, tools and controls within easy reach Work at elbow height and with enough leg space

Make Displays & controls Easy to See & Understand

Productive Machine Safety

Kogi, K. (1985). Improving workstation conditions in small enterprises in developing Asia. International Labour Office, Geneva.

Dahalan et al. (2002) stated that improper man machine match may create risks to the worker’s body system due to: localized fatigue that can cause pain and discomfort to the muscles of the back, neck and shoulders; and the joints of the knees, ankles, hips, shoulders, and elbows.

General fatigue that results in reduced physical ability to perform a task. It also can reduce the concentration level of employees overexertion to the musculoskeletal system; injuries to the employee such as slipped disc, tendonitis, sprained back, and others.

Improper Machinery Can Cause

WISE FOR MACHINE SAFETY RULES

• Eliminate the hazards or install right type of guards• Use feeding and ejection devices to increase productivity• Use jigs, clamps, vices or other fixtures to hold items while

work is done• Maintain machines properly• Personal protective equipment

Personal Protective Equipments

CONTROL OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES

Replace a dangerous substance with less dangerous one

Use lids, covers, maintenance and isolation of process to control hazards and reduce losses

Save energy used to overheat chemicals

Use natural air flow to reduce air contamination

Clean properly-don't spread dust

Make local ventilation cost-effective

RULES ON PREVENTING ELECTRICAL HAZARDS

• Any repair or maintenance work on machines should only be done

• when the power is off and the switch is locked in the OFF position

• Be sure that all electrical wiring is identified and protected• All circuits should be protected with circuit breakers or fuses• All equipment should be earthed• Portable tools and equipment should be double insulated and

Earthed • Be certain that electrical power can be shut off immediately in

case of emergency

Environmental Conditions Jain (2002) found that people who are long exposed to 80 dB of noise suffer

from 10% permanent hearing loss which at 100 dB rise to 53% and at 115 dB to 94% hearing loss.

Mehta et al.(2009) conducted a study on bead making activity and found that making beads requires high concentration because of poor illumination (127lux) which leads stress on eyes and bending of neck leading to severe eye strain in with highest mean score (3.5)

Shaffaq (2009) found that hot seasons with an average maximum temperature above 30 degrees C and relative humidity above 74%, lasting for four to six months from May to October, pose health threats to steel factory, fertilizer factory and food processing workers. In particular, populations of ageing farmers and physically overloaded construction workers are the two most vulnerable worker categories in which high temperature impacts on health and productivity. Jain B.(2002), Pollution Dilution. The Times of India June pp-11. Mehta M. Gandhi S., and Dilbaghi M.(2009) Activity profile of Bead makers: Ergonomic study . International ergomnomics conference .pp101 (abstract)Shaffaq M. 2009 Effects of heat on workers' health and productivity in Taiwan. Global Health Action. 2009 Nov 11;2.

Environmental Problems • Too much heat or cold • Very humid • Improper lighting at workplace to perform a task• Very noisy workplace

WISE Solutions For Environment

RULES ON COST-EFFECTIVE VENTILATION

• Use natural air flow to reduce air contamination

• Clean properly-don't spread dust• Use fans properly• Use push and pull ventilation• Make better use of horizontal air-flow• Utilize the tendency of hot-air to rise

RULES ON REPOSITIONING OF LIGHTS AND

LOCAL LIGHTS

• Find the right place for light sources• Distinguish an object from its background• Reveal its surface texture• Reveal its shape• Enable any marking on its surface to be seen easily• Group of lights for group of machines• Use reflected light to avoid glare• Avoiding isolated pools of bright light• Better light direction

RULE ON PROTECTION FROM HEAT

• Protect your factory from outside heat and cold

• Let nature help you• Improve the heat reflection of the

walls and roof• Improve heat insulation• Use shades to protect against heat

from the sun• Eliminate or isolate sources of

pollution

Welfare Facilities

WELFARE FACILITIES

• to reduce fatigue and maintain health of your workers byproviding facilities meeting their needs

• to be ready for emergencies• to make sure that rest means recovery• to attract and retain the best workers

Rule On Upgrading The Most Basic Facilities

Drinking water Water bags or bottles Drinking water containers Drinking fountains

Sanitary facilities Toilets Wash-basins

RULES ON FIRST-AIDS

• Be ready for emergencies• Sterile bandages, pressure

bandages, dressings and slings• Cotton wool for cleaning wounds• Scissors, tweezers and safety pins• An eye bath and eye wash bottle• Ready-to-use antiseptic solution

and cream• Simple over-the- counter

medicines such as aspirin and antacids

RULE ON REST AREASMake sure that rest means recovery

Provision For Attractive Low-cost Facilities

• Use low -cost facilities to attract and retain workers

• Work clothes• Locker and changing rooms• Eating areas• Canteens• Health services• Transport facilities• Recreational facilities• Child-care facilities• Factory day

Premises

RULES ON FLEXIBILITY AND ADAPTABILITY INTO PLANT LAYOUT

• Reserve free space in the work area• Allocate sufficient passageways and make sure that they are

kept clean• Avoid the use of rail-type floor transportation systems• Use production equipment and storage facilities• Provide evenly distributed general lighting and supply lines

throughout the production area

RULES ON PREVENTING FIRES

• Ensure that electrical circuits are enclosed, insulated , earthed and properly fused

• Lubricate properly the moving parts of machines• Keep combustible and flammable materials well away from

hot surfaces and open flames• Store flammable liquids in appropriate containers away from

heat sources• Dispose of oily used rags in airtight containers

SUMMARY FOR RULES ON PREMISES

• Protect your factory from outside heat and cold• Let natural air-flow improve ventilation• Eliminate or isolate sources of pollution• Improve your floor• Build flexibility and adaptability into plant layout• Prevent fires and electrical accidents

Work Organization

Kogi (1985) reported that participatory ergonomics plays very crucial role in improving workstations in small enterprises. Basic rules of workstation improvements widely applicable in small enterprises include: efficient material flow, easy reach, elbow height work, use of fixing and lifting devices, action information and autonomous group work. Selection and application of priority solutions cab be best done by organizing group work through each action program which proceeds through: study of potential actions, planning of practicable actions, agreeing on priorities, immediate changes by using local materials and skills and evaluation and follow ups.

Dahalan, J. & Musri, M. (2002). Guidelines on occupational safety and health for standing at work department of occupational safety and health. Ministry of Human Resources, Malaysia.

GET RID OF EXTRA TASKS AND OPERATIONS

• Introduce changes into the design of the products• Switch to new production methods• Perform a number of tasks in one operation by using special

multitasks tools or machines

DEFEAT MONOTONY TO KEEP WORKERS ALERT& PRODUCTIVE

• Frequent changes in tasks• Opportunities to walk around or change from sitting to standing

or standing to sitting• Frequent, short breaks• Opportunities to communicate with other workers or listen to

music without leaving their work-station

INSTALL BUFFER STOCKS TO MAKE THE WORK FLOW SMOOTHLY

• Minimize the floor space taken up by the buffer• Ensure easy maintenance, transport and replacement• Choose the appropriate height for the buffer and design it to• minimize the effort needed to put stock in or take it out• Store work-pieces in a systematic manner so you can get an exact

idea at a glance of what is available

DESIGN RESPONSIBLE, FLEXIBLE JOBS

• Jobs should make clear who is responsible for output and quality

• Jobs should help workers to develop skills and become interchangeable

• Jobs should occupy each worker fully but should remain within each workers capacity

SET UP AUTONOMOUS GROUPS TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND TO CUT SUPERVISORY COSTS

• Group work arrangements have several advantages• It is much easier, and less time-consuming• The work flows more smoothly, and less supervision is needed• It takes less time for new workers to learn a skill• Continuous co-operation between the workers help them to spot

mistakes more promptly

MAKE THE ORGANIZATION OF PRODUCTION FIT YOUR BUSINESS OBJECTIVES

• Set up one simple, preferably straight line flow of materials for each product or family of products

• Let everyone concerned not only with the quality of his or her own operation but with the total quality of the products

• Keep constant and rapid feedback between the customer or dealer and everyone engaged in production

• Provide individual reward not only on performance of a given task but on attaining a common final goal

SUMMARY FOR RULES FOR EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATION OF WORK

• Get rid of extra tasks and operations• Defeat monotony to keep workers alert and productive• Install buffers to make the work flow smoothly• Design responsible, flexible jobs• Set up autonomous groups to improve• Make the organization of production fit your business objectives

REMEMBER

A healthy and safe group provides multiple returns for any organization. Put a health

and safety environment to work at the organization!

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THANK YOU