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Deboning
Task 3: Deboner
Employees
remove bones from various poultry parts, including breasts, thighs and
legs. The task may be performed with a standard knife on a flat cutting
surface or a tilted cutting surface. Legs may be deboned on a
specialized conveyor line using a Whizzard knife. Breast meat
may be removed directly from the carcass while it is still on the cone line.
Hazards of this task may include:
Ergonomic hazards from use of knives
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Hazardous Situation:
Workers use a knife to cut the
meat away from the bone. Most knives have a straight, in-line design.
Using this type of
knife on a horizontal cutting surface forces employees to bend their wrists to
perform the cut. Bending the wrist while exerting finger force is stressful to the tendons and
muscles of the hand and forearm. Factors such as poorly fitting gloves, slick handles,
inappropriately sized handles, frozen meat or dull knives increase the force
that must be used. Minimize finger force and bending of the wrist when performing the cutting task.
Possible Solutions:
- Keep knives sharp and in good condition.
- Remove damaged
knives from service.
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Use knives appropriate for the task.
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Provide properly sized gloves.
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Tilt work surfaces
towards employees to reduce wrist deviation.
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Divide the task into specific
units and provide an appropriate cutting tool so the task can be performed with a neutral wrist and
body posture.
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Cuts and lacerations
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Hazardous Situation:
Employees are performing highly repetitive
tasks using knives close to other employees. Cuts and
lacerations are possible to the employee and those standing nearby
because employees are exposed to sharp knife
blades. Any cut not treated at once will normally become
infected as a result of working with poultry.
Possible Solutions:
- Allow
sufficient room for each employee on the line.
- Use
mesh glove on non-cutting hand.
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Maintain
sharp blades.
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Reaching |
Hazardous Situation:
Employees repeatedly reach to a conveyor or shelf to obtain parts for deboning and reach to place
finished product in tubs or receptacles. Repetitive reaching stresses
the shoulder and upper back.
Possible Solutions:
- Use
diverter bars to push product closer to the employee.
- Reduce width of
cutting surfaces so product can be
presented closer to the employee.
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Position
cones and other work fixtures so all activities of the task can be performed with the elbows in close
to the torso.
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Provide height-adjustable stands,
where appropriate, to place employee in proper orientation to the work surface.
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Standing for a long time
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Hazardous Situation:
Standing for a long time
reduces blood flow to the legs, forces isolated muscles to work for an extended
time, and increases risk of fatigue and varicose veins.
Possible Solutions:
- Install
sit/stand stools, which allow
employees to lean and have their weight supported while still remaining in an upright
posture.
- Rotate
employees to tasks that do not require prolonged standing.
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Provide
shoe insoles that cushion the feet and spread foot pressure over a larger surface.
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Provide a foot rest
in front of employees so they can shift their posture.
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