The metal department in our production plant in Keila, Estonia previously handled 6 m long aluminium profiles manually. This required a considerate amount of physical strength from the employees and forced them to work in awkward positions, which could cause muscle injuries and problems with the spine over prolonged periods of time.
One of the employees of the department drew attention to this risk and initiated a possible improvement, gaining the support of the Quality Manager. The suggested solution was to use a crane with a pneumatic manipulator to pick up the profiles and handle them. This made it possible to perform the activity without the use of physical force, allowing the employees to work more efficiently without risking physical injury. The new solution has been successfully in place for over a month and has improved working conditions in the facility.