ABSTRACT
The aim of this paper is to present an ergonomic study applied to maintenance activities at a pilot plant on oil and gas industry. The Ergonomic Work Analysis was the main methodological approach. The study concerns the analysis of different maintenance activities previous selected by workers and managers. The Ergonomic Work Analysis methodology involved three stages: reference situations diagnosis and recommendations; establishing an ergonomic design concept; evaluation of the new work condition and/or improvement of the maintenance tools. The reference situation diagnosis were conducted using a questionnaire, previous tested by the ergonomic group and also video capture. The data analysis was conducted on the Ergonomics Laboratory of INT. The results of the study showed that even with plant unity specificity, some ergonomic problems were common, such as lack of space at the unity to work; repetitive, static and forceful activities in awkward postures as squatting, trunk and neck forward bending, shoulder flexion and abduction over 90 degrees, wrist flexion and extension combined with abduction, manual material handling activities, as lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling heavy loads. The discomfort analysis pointed out the lower back and shoulders areas with higher pain and frequency scores. Some environment conditions were also pointed out as common problems in special reference to heat, lighting and vibration. Some safety and risk problems as using ladders with high inclination or navy ladders to
falls. The recommendations based on the diagnosis were presented to managers at periodic meetings where the ergonomic researchers, designers and managers have been discussing issues to define and establish ergonomic design concepts to be applied and improve the maintenance work conditions, that can involve proposed part of the unity plant redesign or /and new ergonomic tools design.
