"TuMeke has enabled us to easily identify and prioritize the highest risk tasks faster. Now we can spend more time focused on devising solutions, and less time doing manual assessments."

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Introduction

Hitachi Astemo Americas, a key player in the automotive industry, manufactures and markets engine management, electric powertrain and integrated vehicle control for major automotive manufacturers worldwide.

Zane White, an HSE Manager at Hitachi Astemo, is actively involved in safety audits, inspections, and crisis management. As part of his job, Zane was tasked with helping the organization foster a healthy and proactive ergonomic culture, while raising awareness about the positive impact of ergonomic improvements

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MSD Risks Affecting Worker Safety and Satisfaction

Hitachi Astemo had significant opportunities for ergonomic and safety improvements within its operations. Key challenges included addressing musculoskeletal (MSD) injuries and risks related to upper limbs, back, and lifting difficulties. Zane emphasized the profound impact these challenges have on employee satisfaction, job tenure, and overall workforce dynamics.

As the search for the right ergonomics partner commenced, Hitachi Astemo outlined specific criteria for the selected tool:

1. Helps proactively assess high MSD risk activities.
2. Supports developing solutions to ensure employee safety and prevent MSD injuries.

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TuMeke Chosen to Enable a Proactive Safety Strategy

To meet these criteria, Hitachi Astemo turned to TuMeke for its ability to streamline the assessment process and provide actionable, easy-to-understand data. TuMeke became the catalyst for a shift from reactive incident responses to proactive prevention. This started with the Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) department and gained momentum across other departments.

TuMeke's user-friendly interface facilitated seamless recommendations for making work processes more ergonomically sound. Additionally, TuMeke illustrated the positive impact of implemented changes and helped with prioritization of further improvements.

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TuMeke in Action: Transforming Workstations

Here are some instances showcasing how TuMeke effectively enhanced various safety projects.

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Optimizing PEPS Gear Packing Process - 57% Risk Reduction:

TuMeke identified heightened risks of MSD disorders and fatigue among operators involved in PEPS gear packing due to excessive bending. Data-driven insights guided the strategic raising of work surfaces using steel tables, resulting in a remarkable 57% reduction in risk across multiple workstations.

This improved safety led to a substantial return on investment (ROI) for the workstations, showcasing the benefits of these interventions on both operator well-being and the organization's bottom line.

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Improving Metal Tubes Retrieval Process - 50% Risk Reduction:

TuMeke also facilitated another 50% reduction in MSD risk for Hitachi's metal tube retrieval process, specifically addressing trunk and upper arm concerns. Using TuMeke’s insights, employees devised a solution to stack objects more effectively, drastically reducing the amount of bending required. This was yet another example of how TuMeke helped improve employee engagement and its role in encouraging practical solutions.

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Workflow Optimization for Dunnage Preparation:

Recognized as a high-risk activity, the preparation of dunnage and the removal of old labels from pallets accounted for 30% of the overall process cycle, presenting ergonomic challenges such as strain on the upper arms and shoulders. Factors like human error, fatigue, and time constraints exacerbated these challenges. TuMeke played a crucial role in highlighting the ergonomic concerns of the task, helping persuade leadership to revamp the workflow. The changes made significantly improved both safety and productivity, ultimately accelerating the cycle time.

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Results: Going Beyond Ergonomics

The implementation of TuMeke ushered in a wave of positive outcomes. Beyond the reduction of ergonomic risks and the redesign of workstations for enhanced safety, there was a palpable improvement in employee satisfaction.

Zane emphasized the tool's usefulness, highlighting both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the successful partnerships between TuMeke and Hitachi Astemo. He said, “TuMeke has enabled us to easily identify and prioritize the highest risk tasks faster. Now we can spend more time focused on devising solutions, and less time doing manual assessments.“

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Next Steps: Expanding the Partnership

Driven by the success achieved, Hitachi Astemo now envisions expanding TuMeke's reach across multiple departments, including Production and Quality. The tool is poised to continue its crucial role in assessing new and ongoing processes for ergonomic concerns, reinforcing its status as an indispensable component of the organization's safety initiatives.