A multi-site case study of human factor considerations and machinery utilization in food producing industry

This study evaluated ergonomics consequences of maximizing industrial machinery usage on the operators. The main objective was to establish a relationship between human factor considerations and machinery utilization (MU). The MU, over a period of one year, was computed for 45 Bundling Food Packaging Machine (BFPM) in 6 sausage roll producing industries located in Southwest Nigeria. Machine hazard/safety checklists were used inform of questionnaire to carry out machinery inspections and the subjective perceptions of operators of the machinery with respect to work loads and exposures to machine related hazards. 82.2% of the BFPM had MU rated above 90%. 92.8% of the operators were affected by environmental load, 91.1% affected by physical load and81.8% by mental load. The statistical test result showed a weak relationship between the MU and the operators' ergonomics perception ratings (OEPR) (r = 0.025, p=.870). The independent sample t-test showed that MU had statistically significantly higher means of good percentage ratings (92.9 ± 4.8) compared to that of the OEPR (39.187 ± 17.07), t (88) = 20.321, p = 0.001. The result showed that the groups' calculated/response means were significantly different. The study concluded that the ergonomics factors maintained around the machinery were rated below the emphasis placed on its high production and quality.