Physical and
Psychosocial Approach to
Create a Better Working
Environment in a
Cross-Docking Warehouse
Paper Within: Production Development and Management Authors: Geevas Sunny & John Sabu
Tutor: Denis A. Coelho Jönköping, October 2020
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This exam work has been carried out at the School of Engineering in Jönköping in the subject area Production system with a specialization in production development and management. The work is a part of the Master of Science program.
The authors take full responsibility for opinions, conclusions and findings presented.
Examiner: Carin Rosio
Supervisor: Denis A. Coelho
Scope: 30 credits (second cycle)
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ABSTRACT
In an era where automation has been transforming the industrial arena, it is important not to lose focus on the health of employees who are still engaged in manual work. Employee health both physical and mental plays a vital role in the overall performance of a company, so it must be taken care of. In the case of cross-docking warehouses where there is a need for manual laborers due to the intricacies in handling products of various sizes and weights, the importance of taking care of the health of its employees become more vital.
In the modern world of the supply chain, a cross-docking warehouse plays a vital role in providing more efficiency to the system. The type of goods handled by these cross-docking warehouses is vast and this, in turn, brings about the need to implement manual labor on to the production. This study focuses on the main physical and psychosocial problems faced by the workers in a cross-docking warehouse and how it can be improved.
Here questionnaires and interviews are used to study and develop better practices and methods to improve everyday work. This thesis focuses on one of the largest cross-docking warehouses situated in Jönköping, Sweden. Here COPSOQ version III is used to find the various main psychosocial problem areas faced by the employees and unstructured interviews are used to pinpoint the main physical problems and their causes. Preventive measures to combat the problems are suggested and are supported by literature reviews.
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Contents
1. Introduction
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1.1BACKGROUND AND PROBLEM DESCRIPTION 7
1.2PURPOSE AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS 8
1.3DELIMITATIONS 8
2. Theoretical Background
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2.1FACTORS AFFECTING WORKFORCE 9
2.1.1. Psychosocial Load 9 2.1.2. Cognitive Load 10 2.1.3. Physical Load 10 2.2.WORKING ENVIRONMENT 10 2.2.1. Social sustainability 11 2.2.2. Job satisfaction 11
2.2.3. Worker safety and health 11
2.2.4. Worker performance innovation and creativity 11
2.3WORK PRODUCTIVITY 11
2.4.FATIGUE 12
2.5.BALANCE THEORY AND WORK SYSTEM MODEL 13
2.5.1. Balance Theory 13
2.5.2. Work System Model 13
2.6.COPENHAGEN PSYCHOSOCIAL QUESTIONNAIRE 15
2.6.1 Scoring of the scales 16
2.6.2 Reliability and Reliability Coefficient 16
2.7. ABDOMINAL BELT 16
2.8. MATERIAL HANDLING 16
2.9. AUTOMATION 17
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2.11.AUTOMATED GUIDED VEHICLE 17
2.12.VACUUM LIFTERS 18
2.13.MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDER 19
2.14.CROSS-DOCKING WAREHOUSE 20
3. Method and Implementation
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3.1.CASE STUDY 21 3.2.TECHNIQUES 21 3.2.1. Questionnaire 21 3.2.1.1. COPSOQ 22 3.2.2 Unstructured Interview 22 3.2.3. Brainstorming 23 3.2. Literature Review 23 3.3.RESEARCH DESIGN 24
3.4.RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY 24
4. Findings and Analysis
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4.1.CASE STUDY 25
4.2.PSYCHOSOCIAL ANALYSIS USING COPSOQ 27
4.3.UNSTRUCTURED INTERVIEW 30
4.4.BRAINSTORMING 31
4.5.MATERIAL HANDLING 31
5. Discussion and Suggestions
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5.1.SUPPORT SYSTEMS TO REDUCE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL RISK 34
5.1.1. Better Sorting Technique 36
5.1.2. Abdominal belt 37
5.1.3. Forklift 37
5.1.4. Vacuum lifter 37
5.1.5. Automated guided vehicle (AGV) 38
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6.1.SCOPE FOR FUTURE STUDIES 39
7. References
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List of tables
Table 1 : Psychosocial factors and MHP Scale 26
Table 2 : Materials handling systems in the warehouse 32
List of Figures
Figure 1: Model of the work system (Smith & Carayon-Sainfort, 1989) 13 Figure 2: Impact of the work system on psychosocial, cognitive, and physical loads 13
Figure 3: Research Design Model 22
Figure 4: Warehouse Blueprint 24
Figure 5 : Process Flow Diagram 24
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1. Introduction
This chapter mainly explains the background of the project and the problem description. Here the purpose, research question, scope, delimitation, and the outline of the report are described.
1.1 Background and Problem Description
Production and logistics management systems in many sectors are critical sources of consumer service and competitive advantage. One of the sectors that extensively use manual workers is logistics and in this case a cross-docking warehouse. Despite the possibilities provided by the automation of manufacturing and logistic processes, due to tier versatility and their cognitive and motor capabilities, many businesses still rely on human labor in many sectors that machines do not yet economically mimic. This gap in the studies relating to the health of the workers in these industries need to be filled (Sgarbossa et al., 2020). So this thesis focuses on filling this gap and bringing more research into these types on industries on improving employee health.
In a cross-docking warehouse the main tasks that are done by workers are lifting; bending, pushing and pulling, material handling, etc. are needed to be performed repeatedly and for a long time. This type of repetitive work can cause musculoskeletal disorders and mental health problems in workers (Camacho & Nakazato, 2018). So, it is vital to take care of various aspects like workload, mental stress, job satisfaction, and organizational relation of the personals working as it has a significant impact on a worker’s life in industry. Various studies have shown that High work demand and little work control can lead to symptoms like neck and upper limb problems which can affect the employee's work-life. So, it is very important to study factors such as working environment, safety, fatigue, and stress on workers during task assigning as the work environment can influence the worker’s level of satisfaction, health, morale, and performance (Bongers, et al., 2006). Moreover, it is important to introduce good ergonomic practices for the person who is working on heavy manual jobs as well as make use of technological aids in the production.
This study aims to analyze a cross-docking warehouse to find the main physical and psychosocial problem areas and to provide suggestions to counteract the problems found. The study will be focused on the material handling and sorting section in the warehouse since it has the most manual labor. The solutions for the problems are found using brainstorming and supported by literature reviews. The solutions are mainly directed towards the implementation of various techniques and methods to reduce the overall workload on the workers.
8 1.2 Purpose and Research Questions
Many factors affect a worker in a work environment. The main purpose of this thesis is to look into what are the main physical and psychosocial problems faced in a cross-docking warehouse. It also aims to bring in better material handling methods and techniques that can mitigate the problems found.
To complete the research and to reach the proper findings, the following research questions are made and will be evaluated
1. How can the physical and psychosocial work factors be evaluated in a cross-docking warehouse?
Here the authors assess the workforce to find out the main problems that are faced by the workers in the company which will help us to formulate better solutions. Here COPSOQ III and unstructured interviews are used to determine the problem areas.
2. How can physical and psychosocial factors be improved through changes in material handling in a cross-docking warehouse?
Here the various technological aspects are discussed which can be implemented to improve the working conditions to combat the problems found. The solutions are generated through brainstorming and supported by a literature review.
1.3 Delimitations
The number of companies focused on this research will be limited as the range of work activities chosen to be studied will be less and the authors will be focusing only on the sorting section of logistics as it has the highest number of manual labor and has a wide variety of workload. The study will not include the effects of organizational structure, layout, or company goals on the work.
There will not be any focus on the effects of lighting, vibration, and thermal conditions on the workforce. The difference in work due to age difference, sex, body build also will not be considered.
The individual experience of the worker in the field, when it comes to material handling won’t be considered during the analysis as it cannot be generalized to all the workers in the company. Moreover, it also requires more time to understand and evaluate a person based on experience.
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2. Theoretical Background
2.1 Factors Affecting Workforce
When considering the various loads affecting the workforce, it can be grouped into the three types as mentioned below.
2.1.1. Psychosocial Load
The psychosocial aspects of work have been gradually the focus of study since the 1950s. In the 1960s, with the rise of psychosocial work environment study and organizational psychology, this growing field of research gained more momentum (Johnson and Hall, 1996). There was a major paradigm change specifically from the individual viewpoint to a greater analysis of the relative effect and etiological role of certain facets of the work environment on the health of the worker during this period (Cox, Cox and Pryce, 2000).
Psychosocial plays a very important role in the workspace. An employee’s performance can be equally affected by psychosocial factors. Psychosocial stress exposure at work is associated with a host of clinical conditions, from personality problems and stress-related disorders (Cooper, 1988). Every employee has an individual space beside their professional life; thus, it is very important to consider the psychosocial effect on the performance of the workers. Psychosocial means how a person is affected both cognitively and emotionally due to their environment and in this case their work environment or condition.
Human beings have a direct influence on their immediate surroundings and can react and respond to them. This response can affect the work processes and work environment. Psychosocial can affect the mental process of an individual and thus an impact on work performances (Hammer et al., 2004). This indeed affects many factors such as hormonal changes, changes in sleeping patterns, ability to focus on a particular work.
A company and its workers belong to a social place. A company can run effectively only if all the employees work as a team. It is very important to create a perfect space for the workers to work as a team. Every member of the team should be compatible with each other. Every member should look forward to each other's ideas and support each other at work. A lack of expectancy among each other can bring about a lot of problems in the working of the company.
Personal lifestyles also play an important part in the psychosocial environment and can affect the performance of the workers. The priority of living changes from one person to another and so their lifestyle differs.
The repetitiveness of work may lead to boredom. Boredom can affect the psychosocial health of an individual. Boredom results in a low level of response to the work and causes disinterest in the work which leads to low productivity (Häusser et al., 2014).
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Boredom can muster out the brain activities, lack of vigilance and can lead to lots of errors in the works. Boredom can be controlled by allocating the workers according to their interest in work.
Stress can have positive and negative impacts on work performance. In some cases, stress can lead to more exciting or alarming situations, where the worker gets into an alarming situation and completes the work effectively. But in some cases, stress can lead to health issues such as high blood pressure, etc. Stress may lead to poor communication and emotional imbalance.
For a better working environment, there should be proper coordination among the employees. The workspace should be invigorating, motivating, encouraging, and gratifying so that it may lead to a more energetic and profitable organization with healthy and happy employees (Rak, 2016).
2.1.2. Cognitive Load
Cognitive load refers to the number of memory resources used for working. it can be divided into three types: Intrinsic, Germane, and Extraneous (Sweller, 1988).
Intrinsic cognitive load is defined as the inherent range of issues associated with certain instruction. This can't be solved by changing the instructor but could be reduced by breaking down the instruction into small modules and presenting that separately to the reader. In the end, all the small block instructions are combined to form the final instruction (Kirschner, Sweller, and Clark, 2006).
Extraneous cognitive load is associated with how the instructions are presented to the learner. Breaking down into small modules, Segmenting and sequencing are mainly done to reduce the complexity of these loads (Chandler and Sweller, 1991).
Redesigning the instructions can be a solution to reduce both intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load. Germane load is the cognitive load associated with processing, construction, and automation associated with a working system (Sweller, 1988). 2.1.3. Physical Load
Physical load as the name refers to the manual lifting, carrying, etc. which causes physical strain on the body. Physical work is related to a greater degree of physical exertion than prolonged work and has been linked to an elevated risk of long-term absence due to illness, early retirement from the labor force, and even earlier death (Bláfoss et al., 2019). It can also be caused in other parts of the body like the eyes and ears due to the conditions of the work environment. Besides, correlations between physical exposure at work in various regions of the body and the occurrence of musculoskeletal conditions have been observed, suggesting that physical work has a special effect on exposed regions of the body (Punnett and Wegman, 2004).
2.2. Working Environment
A better working environment comes with multiple advantages for the companies and their employees, some of the main topics discussed in this thesis are as follows.
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2.2.1. Social sustainability
“Sustainability – in any form – is about enabling the present generation of people to live well and fulfill their goals, without threatening the possibility of future generations to do the same” (Berlin & Adams, 2017). So, to promote social sustainability in a workplace the workplace should also take care of the workers.
2.2.2. Job satisfaction
Better working conditions can result in better work satisfaction for the employees which in turn can help the company to perform better (Spector, 1997). On the other hand, job satisfaction is the employment fulfillment encountered when a need is met (Bois, 1986). 2.2.3. Worker safety and health
Worker safety and health should be one of the top priorities of any company and the work environment plays a major role in it. So, to improve health and safety it is necessary to design the workplace in a better way. Safety is connected to the workplace’s physical environment which refers to a situation in which the possibility of harm and injury has been eliminated or reduced to a minimum level. Occupational Health or work health is confirming the safety of all people in the workplace (Khan, et al., 2014).
2.2.4. Worker performance innovation and creativity
Worker performance, innovation, and creativity also depend on how the worker feels in the workplace, and to do that it is necessary to design the workplace accordingly. Productivity by work success or performance is a highly studied area of organizational conduct and human resource growth literature (Smither and London, 2001). It is expected that the performance-driven target will be matched with corporate policies so that the whole mechanism shifts away from being event-driven and more systematic and people-centered (Pradhan, Jena and Panigrahy, 2016).
2.3 Work Productivity
In construction workers and industrial workers, the decrease in work productivity is due to health issues such as sickness presenteeism. Productivity can in a general sense, be defined as the ratio between an output measure and an input measure (Sauermann, 2016). Due to the enormous number of health problems in the workers, there is an increase in sick leave in the company. This decreases the work productivity in the company and thus causes the impoverishment of the company. An increase in leave may cause piling up of work and thus it causes more pressure and can overburden the employee. One of the most notable priorities for many organizations has been improving workforce efficiency. This is because the higher level of workforce productivity has multiple benefits for a company and its workforce. Increased production leads to a better economic situation, substantial profitability and increased social changes (Awasthi and Sharma, 2018).
Health problems such as musculoskeletal problems are generally seen in trade workers. This causes a lot of work limitations among the workers which generally increases the societal costs. In the absence of illness due to a musculoskeletal condition, decreased
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productivity was widespread among workers returning to full service (Lötters, Meerding, and Burdorf, 2005). Productivity loss illustrates the importance of the timing of return to work, especially among workers with a residual functional disability after return to work Measures to reduce health-related problems should be put forward by the company to improve work productivity which in turn increases cost-effectiveness. The worker’s physical exhaustion and efficiency are strictly linked to the commitment they have to accomplish during their activities during the time at work. Depending on the rate and length of the job to carry out, various behaviors have different effects on the same operator (Hanaysha, 2016).
Specific job characteristics such as a combination of larger workload and lower job control can cause more burdens to the employee and result in health problems and can have a negative impact on work productivity.
The efficiency of a certain worker would be measured in comparison to another worker doing the same kind of job. It may also be measured depending on the number of units, a service or a commodity that an employee manages in a given time frame (Productivity, 2020). Health-related problems in the workplace can be reduced by analyzing the different factors which affect work performance. A decrease in the work performance of a single worker can greatly influence the overall productivity of the company.
2.4. Fatigue
Fatigue is one of the most common problems faced by society in recent times. Fatigue is a nonspecific syndrome and several factors or conditions, including neurological conditions such as sleep deprivation or intense muscle activity (Torres and Jason, 2015). The increasing rate of fatigue is due to the increasing work demands, longer duration of work shifts, unhealthy sleeping patterns, and civilized lifestyles. According to Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, 2017, fatigue can be defined as “the state of feeling very tired, weary or sleepy resulting from insufficient sleep, prolonged mental or physical work, or extended periods of stress or anxiety. Boring or repetitive tasks can intensify feelings of fatigue. Fatigue can be described as either acute or chronic” (Valentina, et al., 2018).
Fatigue can cause a large number of health-related problems. Fatigue can have a negative effect on the internal circadian rhythms and can cause disorders in the central or peripheral nervous systems. Fatigue can also cause metabolic abnormalities, asthma, gastrointestinal problems, and several infections. In terms of physiological data, fatigue leads to decreased muscle performance or decline in work or output (Edwards, Newham, and Peters, 1991).
Fatigue has a huge impact on the work performance of an individual. It reduces the decision-making ability of the workers (Brandon, 2012). There will be a decrease in the reaction time in speed and thought. Fatigue causes loss of memory and reduces
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interaction among others. Fatigue increases the sickness and thus increases the medical cost. Fatigue reduces the overall productivity and performance of the workers.
One of the most common causes of fatigue is the lack of good sleeping patterns. Sleep is very essential for the physical and mental health of a human being. Modern lifestyle and increased load of work have led to sleepiness. The repetitiveness of work may lead to boredom which decreases the interest in work and thus causes fatigue. An increased working schedule of more than 8 hours can cause fatigue (Caldwell, 2018). Laborious work such as manual handling of packages, lifting, shifting, etc. causes muscular pain and thus causes fatigue.
Fatigue can be controlled by following several measures. A healthy sleeping pattern should be followed and educating the workers and companies on the importance of sleep. The companies should allocate the work according to the ability and health of the workers. Maintain a good diet to improve the sleeping pattern. Meditation helps to control fatigue to a large extent (Roach et al., 2017).
The explanation of the loads and their effects on the workforce by using the Balance theory and Work model is given below.
2.5. Balance Theory and Work System Model
2.5.1. Balance Theory
The main aim of the balance theory is to create a working system with an advanced holistic and realistic approach. During the process, elements and principles associated with the work system are identified for redesigning the setup. Various areas such as ergonomics, organizational design, job stress, and human factors are considered and are integrated to develop a better working environment (Carayon, 2009).
2.5.2. Work System Model
This model explains how the elements of the work system affect the outcomes of the work. The work tasks are done in a physical environment under organizational control. The model mainly consists of the psychosocial, cognitive, and physical elements that can cause load on to the workforce.
The authors will be using the balance theory and work system model to analyze the work environment and its effect on the workers in the company. Figure 1 shows the work system model and Figure 2 shows the said impact of the work system on the employees (Smith & Carayon-Sainfort, 1989).
14 Figure 1: Model of the work system (Smith & Carayon-Sainfort, 1989)
Figure 1 shows the different psychosocial, cognitive, and physical loads that can be created in a workspace and how each of the parts is connected in the system. The loads are created due to the interaction between the system. The arrows show the flow of information and its direction. This figure will help to draw relationships between the various parts of logistics and how a change in one will be reflected in the other.
Figure 2: Impact of the work system on psychosocial, cognitive, and physical loads and outcomes (Smith & Carayon-Sainfort, 1989).
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Figure 2 further expands the work system model by incorporating the loads and outcomes created by the system. Here in the figure, it is shown that the outcomes and the loads, in turn, affect the work system. This implies that the outcome and the loads are having a direct impact on the productivity of an industry (Smith & Carayon-Sainfort, 1989).
2.6. Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire
One way to increase the systematic occupational safety and management is the measuring of psychosocial work environment (Berthelsen, et al., 2020).
Copenhagen psychosocial questionnaire is an opinion poll that originated to assess occupational risk and also for research on work and health. It focuses on a wide range of the sphere such as work demand, organization and Job Contents, Interpersonal Relations and Leadership, Worker Individual Interface, Social Capital, Offensive Behaviors, Health, and Well-being (Burr, et al., 2019). This questionnaire helps to analyze a broad range of psychological factors in the workplace as well as for national monitoring. The COPSOQ version III has three different versions according to their use i.e. short, medium, and long versions. The short and medium are used for practical settings and the long version is used for research settings and so the long version is used for the research of this paper. The COPSOQ is developed to check the trends in the working place and to measure the job satisfaction of the workers (Burr, Albertsen, Rugulies and Hannerz, 2009).
COPSOQ helps to analyze and understand the employee’s response to changing working patterns in an organization. COPSOQ is used internationally in around 40 countries and is translated into 18 different languages. Nowadays, much importance is given to the health and prosperity of the employees working in a company and so COPSOQ helps to analyze the work pressure and stress that an employee faces in the workplace. This helps to check whether the employee’s working environment is safe for them. It also focuses on reducing social discrimination faced by the employees in the workplace and making the working environment safe and secure (Burr, et al., 2019). COPSOQ is developed with a combined process of many researchers and practitioners from different categories of social and national contexts. This test is carried out by 23,361 employees in seven language versions across six countries (Pejtersen, Kristensen, Borg, and Bjorner, 2009).
COPSOQ is reliable and provides measures for different psychological approaches to the present working environment of any organization. COPSOQ checks how the new working pattern has influenced the employees and how well the employees adapt to the new working pattern.
This questionnaire helps to study the various factors which affect the employees’ job satisfaction and bring appropriate changes in the working pattern and build up the company effectively (Burr, et al., 2019).
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2.6.1 Scoring of the scales
All the questions have 5 answers, each has scores 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100. Each question is divided into 6 parts which have subparts. Some of the scores are reversed, that is for some of the factors a value of 100 is good (+ve) while for some it is bad (-ve) (Kaskla, 2018). This scoring system can be used to compile a graph which can be used to interpret the data more efficiently.
2.6.2 Reliability and Reliability Coefficient
Reliability is the overall consistency of a measure. Reliability coefficient helps to determine the overall reliability of a measure. The value of the coefficient varies from 0 to 1 and the closer it is to 1 the more reliable is the measure (Eisinga, 2012).
2.7. Abdominal Belt
Lifting is one of the most laborious work processes and requires a lot of energy. Lifting causes chronic back injuries and pain. These injuries can affect workers mentally and physically. Back injuries and pain can affect work performances and can cause a decrease in social and economic benefits.
Change in postures during lifting can cause back injuries. Specific postures increase the pressure in the spine and shoulder and can cause back injuries and pain. Maintaining a specific posture that does not increase the load on the spine is very necessary for the safe working of the workers. it is always safer to give more load on the feet rather than on the back. Carrying heavy loads can also increase back injuries. Lowering the load can reduce back injuries and pain (McGill, 1999).
The use of the abdominal belt is one of the most effective ways to reduce back injuries and pain in manual handling. Abdominal belts increase intra-abdominal pressure, which supplements the moment of the lumbar spine. According to Reilly and Davies (1995), the abdominal belt reduces mean spinal shrinkage by 49% and has a noticeable protective effect in heavier individuals. Wearing abdominal belts can increase cardiovascular functions and so it is advised to wear abdominal belts in many industries. During manual handling, wearing abdominal belts increases blood pressure and there is also an increase in heart rate (McGill, 1999).
2.8. Material Handling
Material handling is defined as the movement of materials for all the processes in the industry except inspection and processing work (Dhas, 2015). In a supply chain, the pace at which the materials flow depends on the material handling system (Jeganathan, 2018). It helps in improving the productivity of the industry and thus increases profitability. Different equipment and mechanisms are used for material handlings and they are generally termed as material handling equipment.t Material handling equipment is generally classified as fixed material handling equipment and moving material handling equipment. Fixed are the ones which are static and enable smooth flow of materials for the production. Whereas moving equipment is the equipment which can be carried from one place to another for smoother handling of materials (Dhas, 2015).
17 2.9. Automation
Automation is defined as the “progressively transferring regulating and controlling functions from humans to technical systems” (Hubka, Edder 1988). Highly automated goods are a significant way of manufacturing in developed countries to fulfill the competitiveness from low-cost countries (Mishev, 2006). During automation, human functions are transferred into machines by a comprehensive reorganization of the work process in which both the roles of humans and machines are redefined. Automation can also be considered as providing capacity to manage huge outputs at a shorter time period, particularly in places where the availability of workers is a concern or in operations where the use of extra personnel can contribute to problems with congestion and efficiency (Naish & Baker, 2004). The key benefits of automation are to minimize warehouse material processing, increase the level of accuracy, improve the consistency of the service and increase service speed, while lowering labor costs, raising the production rate, and enhancing the availability of the service (Baker & Halim, 2007).
2.10. Forklift
A forklift is a small industrial truck, mounted to the front with a power-operated forked frame that can be lifted and lowered to lift or shift it for insertion under a cargo. Forklifts fulfill the needs of multiple sectors, such as factories and other large distribution facilities. Forklifts are powered by combustion engines or electric batteries. Some forklifts allow operators to sit down while the machine is running and working, while others enable the operator to stand. It is used largely in the industry to transport goods and other items. Forklifts may be defined by their source of power: liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), diesel, or electricity. With good reliability and high torque, diesel forklifts were often used in an industry (Mohammadi, et al., 2016). However, zero-emissions are mandatory for indoor systems and Industry 4.0 standards. Therefore, electric forklifts have been commonly used in recent years. These forklifts have very high torque, low speed, and zero noise emission (Dezza, et al., 2109).
At the base of the forklift, the lift handle is connected to an electronic air pump. When the handle is squeezed, the air pump pulls the fresh air through a filter and drives it through a conduit that enters the hydraulic cylinders and is triggered. A hydraulic cylinder consists of a hollow tube closed at one end and mounted into the other by a flexible lubricated piston. The air enters from the base of the cylinder and helps in reducing gas leakage. In the cylinder, the amount of gas increases the pressure inside it. The pressure that is applied to the piston head area creates an upward force. The piston is forced to rise by this force, raising the gas volume and decreasing the pressure. At the height of the forklift, it produces physical balance and an equal intensity from the gas and the load of the forklift. (Torcan, 1999)
2.11. Automated Guided Vehicle
In the automated logistics system, automated guided vehicles (AGV) have been widely used because they provide high-level flexibility and performance (Saputra & Rijanto, 2012). Normally, AGVs are computer-remote-controlled driverless robots that automatically work around in-floor wiring paths, fluorescent strips, digital scanning of different markings, or other navigation solutions (Kaloutsakis, et al., 2004). They have
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historically been employed in automotive processes, but their popularity has lately been expanded to many other industrial applications (Saputra & Rijanto, 2012). Compared to other material handling techniques, AGVs offer high reliability, low operating cost, smooth movement, and easy integration with other systems (Kaloutsakis, et al., 2004). On route choosing, AGVs have to make choices. This is achieved by various methods: frequency selection mode (wired navigation only) and direction selection mode (wireless navigation only) or on the floor using a magnetic tape not only to control the AGV but also to give speed and steering commands (Patil, 2018).
Information on transportation tasks required (pallet number, priorities, etc.) is received by the routing system. Based on this information, the minimum quantity of robotic forklifts necessary to perform the tasks is selected. Then, it determines the routes for the required forklifts, tests potential crashes, traffic jams, etc., based on a topological map of the environment (Vivaldini, et al., 2010). After that, it sends the routes to every robotic forklift and verifies the progress of all activities regularly. Every forklift estimates its local path required to achieve its goal, taking into account the global route, and tracks its surroundings in search of complex or unforeseen obstacles during the implementation of the intended path (Vivaldini, et al., 2010).
Different models of AGVs are available on the market, ranging from human-operated manual vehicles with extra automatic features to fully autonomous driverless vehicles (Bechtsis, et al., 2017). Based on what sort of unit load is being managed in a factory, different models of the AGV are used. Different types of automated guided vehicles are guided forklift, tugger (driverless train), and unit load (Patil, 2018). Easy functions such as straight forward transport or more complicated activities such as taxi operations may be conducted by the AGV. The benefit of using a specially designed AGV is that there is a possibility for optimal integration of all additional components. It is also well built for continuous use, including expanded service life, and accounts for an automated energy concept (Ullrich, 2015).On the other hand, the AGV forklift as a serial device is an extension and enhancement of a standard forklift, with the room if necessary for an operator. As the AGV is an improvement to a standardized forklift, it can be developed from the standard range of a manufacturer. Usually, protection equipment, guidance, and navigation elements, as well as sensors for the appropriate parts of the AGV, should be attached to the AGV (Ullrich, 2015).
The product-picking process still depends on human hands in most warehouses to sort products. Robotic order picking, in which a robotic arm is fitted with hand-like or suction-cup grippers that can hit a pick spot, select an object, and position it into a tote, is the ideal technical case for picking. Artificial intelligence (AI) is used in the backend to learn how to handle different products of different shapes and sizes (Gutelius & Theodore, 2019).
2.12. Vacuum Lifters
Vacuum lifters are self-contained units that mechanically produce their vacuum, giving them Unparalleled versatility for use in plants producing metals, service centers, Plate yards, and warehouses. Such lifters provide instant attachment and release via the hoist up and down. Creating the internal piston and the rolling diaphragm Vacuum which can
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run quietly for years with minimal upkeep (Anver, 1968).In the vacuum reservoir, the vacuum generator generates a vacuum and then the difference between negative pressure and ambient pressure in the vacuum distributor draws the workpiece to the suction plate when the device is placed on the workpiece. This is usually called the 'picking up' piece of work. The device has a controller that controls the chain hoist after using the lifting device to pick up the load. The vacuum in the distributor is eliminated by atmospheric venting to release the load. The vacuum reservoir remains full for the next lifting operation (Brahmane, 2019). When a worker has to pick up an item, he uses the roller and track mechanism to move the lifting assembly towards the object to be carried. After that, vacuum pads are placed on the goods and begin the vacuum selector switch and induces suction and pressurized air flows through the nozzle (Brahmane, 2019). The item is gripped using vacuum pads. Then the worker presses the up switch of the remote on the handle, due to which motor lifts the load. After this, the worker pushes the elevated load toward the assembly line and remotely presses the down button. This makes the load lower. Following the lowering of the worker's load vacuum selector switch, compressors are released on the assembly line (Brahmane, 2019). There are various types of vacuum lifters and are classified based on the power systems they use. Compressed air lifters have an inbuilt vacuum pump and work with the principle of compressed air. They have a compressed air hose at the end which is used to lift items. They normally operate between 6 -7 bars and are available with a fixed frame with manual or pneumatic tilt (Righetti, n.d.). The next type is an electric vacuum lifter that works on 110V/22OV/400V and has an electric vacuum pump attached to it. Battery-powered vacuum lifters are aided with a battery power supply and do not need a continuous power system. Another type of vacuum lifter is a hand pushed pump in which a double-action hand pushed pump creates the vacuum without any external source. The lifter will be also having additional air or electric supply (Righetti, n.d.).
2.13. Musculoskeletal disorder
Some of the more important causes in ergonomics that contribute to injury, in particular musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), are uncomfortable postures and a high exertion workload (Basahel, 2015). The manual handling of the material is considered a typical form of activity that raises ergonomic risks such as low back issues (Meksawi, 2012). Numerous studies have shown that high physical demand and poor posture may cause musculoskeletal disorders when performing a task: in particular, tasks that include lifting action and pulling or moving tasks in various industries, such as production and warehouses (Lei, et al., 2005). Moreover, bad working positions, such as repeated back bending while lifting objects and turning and dragging or moving large objects, are all sorts of bad alignment positions that can have a major effect on performance and postural pressures (Trinkoff, et al., 2003).
The musculoskeletal system is made up of bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and intervertebral disks, as well as their related nerves and blood vessels and is regulated by the dynamic interrelationship of these distinct components, each of which relies on the other to operate properly. Severe musculoskeletal damage may also lead to injury to the inner torso; in some cases, fluid pooling may develop into an intact musculofascial layer and can cause swelling (Alsheikhly & Alsheikhly, 2018).
20 2.14. Cross-Docking warehouse
Unlike traditional warehousing systems, cross-docking is facilities without long term storage. Its main function is to make the supply chain more efficient (Vogt, 2010). These facilities receive goods from suppliers and these products are sorted according to their destinations and are sent to their delivery points. Goods will not be stored as reserves but will be to make the transport more economical.
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3. Method and Implementation
The main aim of this chapter is to explain how the study was conducted at one of the largest cross-docking warehouses in Jönköping, Sweden. This section also answers how the authors were able to answer the research questions. This section also makes it easier for readers to understand how the authors were able to obtain the results. For a study to have better reliability it is important to follow an optimal research method.
3.1. Case Study
A case study does not hold a legitimate status in a social research strategy due to its lack of well-defined and structured protocols (Yin, 2002). In the thesis, the authors have mainly used four steps to do the case study which has been used in the academic area and it is as explained below.
As per the research questions, the aim of the thesis was to find the psychosocial and physical problems faced in a cross-docking warehouse. The particular company was used because of the access provided by the company and its needs.
For the case study, the authors used various techniques to collect data, analyze them, find the problem areas, and to find the solution. For this tool like questionnaires, interviews, brainstorming was used.
After setting the research questions a company visit was done to study the various workings of the company and to learn about the workers. The company currently transports goods from its warehouse to different countries including Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway. The company uses manual labor to a high extent, and it was also realized that the workers faced various problems because of this.
The main focus of the study will be the manual work done in the warehouse, mainly the sorting section and the problems faced by the workers, and the solutions to said problems.
The various techniques used in the data collection and solution formulation is explained in detail below.
3.2. Techniques
This part explains the various techniques that were used in the thesis in each part. There are mainly four sections from how the data is collected to how it is analyzed and discussed.
3.2.1. Questionnaire
Questionnaires are of two types; one gives quantitative data and the other gives qualitative data. In this thesis, a type of quantitative type of questionnaire is used to collect data about the physical and psychosocial factors of the workers in the cross-docking warehouse. This type of data can be used to plot graphs that can be easy to
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analyze. This type of data collection has high data collection capacity and can be conducted at little to no cost. The name of the questionnaire used here is COPSOQ version III. This questionnaire was chosen among the many available questionnaires due to the psychosocial aspects and also is used in many industries.
3.2.1.1. COPSOQ
Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire, COPSOQ is a risk assessment tool that will be used to get data on the psychosocial problems faced by the workers in the company. Among the three versions of COPSOQ, the long version will be used in this research work to have a broadened study of the topic. A printed questionnaire will be prepared and distributed among the sample of workers chosen. 5 different answers are given to the questions and based on the number of questions answered, the scale value is found out. The latest version COPSOQ III is used in this thesis.
The questionnaire is only used here to find the main problem areas at the warehouse. This is done by dividing the questions into 6 psychosocial factors that have many subdivisions (Kaskla, 2018). A graph was plotted from the data to determine the main problem areas among the six.
The Questionnaire was printed and distributed among 15 workers of the company. The workers were given a day to complete it. A meeting was arranged with the permission of the manager to give information about the study and how the questionnaire needs to be filled. The workers chosen for the study were between the ages of 20 to 45 years. There were 4 females and 11 male workers. The questionnaire was collected by the authors and it was done confidently so that questionnaire won't be connected back to the workers. The scores of each question in the subfactors were added and the mean value was calculated. The scores of the subfactors were summed and used to calculate the mean value of the main 6 factors of the questionnaires. These mean values were used to plot a graph to provide a visual representation of the main problem areas. To benchmark, the COPSOQ version III with the standard Swedish version the standard deviation and reliability coefficient is calculated along with the mean values of all the factors and subfactors. The consistency of the result will be analyzed according to the reliability coefficient values.
3.2.2 Unstructured Interview
This is a method that is used to collect primary data from a workplace that can be hypothesized and can be used to support other data that has been collected through other methods. Interviews act as a valuable instrument for gathering qualitative evidence that can give a better understanding of the field being studied (Patton, 1987). The disadvantage of this process is that it can be biased.
The interview was conducted to find the main physical problems faced among the workers and how they think it should be solved. The people for the interview were selected based on the high level of physical work performed by the workers as they were more susceptible to manual workload in the sorting section. 10 workers were selected, and the interview was conducted in a closed room individually. Each worker was asked about their daily routine of work and how they perform them. Information
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from their responses was noted by the authors. Various questions regarding problem face physical pains, eating habits and suggestions to improve these conditions were asked. Each interview lasted for about 20 minutes. Only 3 people were interviewed each day so that it doesn't affect their work schedule.
3.2.3. Brainstorming
This is a type of qualitative research to generate as many ideas as possible related to a topic. In this thesis, brainstorming was to generate better solutions for the problems found in the workplace. For this process, a meeting with some of the workers at the warehouse was organized, and together with the authors, they were able to generate some solutions that can be implemented at the workplace. The type of brainstorming used was question brainstorming where the solutions generated are evaluated by the group questions to validate the results.
The brainstorming session consisted of 5 workers and the authors. The objectives of the session were to generate new ideas and discuss the effects they can have at the workplace. Basic rules for the activity were explained to the participants such as quality over quantity was preferred, no criticism, arguing, or negative comments during the sessions and everybody has to inspire each other to think outside the box.
The session was almost 50 minutes long where all kinds of ideas were asked around and the authors controlled the discussion from going off-topic and also recorded the results generated. Conclusions to the brainstorming session were compiled and discussed with participants for their final opinions which were later edited and used for the study.
3.2. Literature Review
A systematic, critical, and analytical study of the current understanding of a subject is a literature review (Baker, 2016). For this thesis, the literature review is used to assess the solutions found by case study, brainstorming, interviews, and is supported using literature study.
The authors decided to evaluate the physical and psychosocial work factors and to find out how these factors could be improved through changes in material handling in a cross-docking warehouse. Papers are found out from, Google Scholar, Scopus, Research gate using the main keywords. The main keywords used for the review were, “Psychosocial”, “Mental health problems”, “Musculoskeletal disorder”, “COPSOQ”, “Cross-docking”, “Stress”, “Forklift”, “AGV”, Vacuum lifters, “Automation” and so on.
The reliability of the data is checked by evaluating the results with the same methods done in other versions. Validity is ensured by comparing the results to other literature data. The papers are then read thoroughly, evaluated, and compared with the case study to develop patterns and subtopics. Based on this, the thesis statement is developed, and the paper is written.
24 3.3. Research Design
To find the answers to the research questions and to formulate the solutions the authors use different methods like a case study, literature review, brainstorming, and unstructured observation. To support the findings theoretical analysis will be provided and supported by various research papers. The following figure shows the steps used to arrive at the results.
Figure 3: Research Design Model 3.4. Reliability and validity
For a thesis to be reliable it needs to be such that the results obtained should be comparable if multiple studies are done in similar circumstances using the same methodology. Reliability is something that can easily be affected by the subjectivity of the observer (Babbie, 2010). The validity of a thesis can be said as how well the empirical method has been followed when the data was analyzed and the solutions were generated (Williamson, 2002).
For this thesis, the authors have tried to use reliable and latest literature to support writings and also have followed the methodology to produce the most reliable and valid report possible. The authors have used previous research papers to compare and understand various conditions to generalize the conclusions. The literature data used are referred to multiple times in various articles which makes the paper more reliable. By collecting most of the data from recent papers, the validity of the research is improved across a wider range of studies.
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4. Findings and Analysis
This chapter mainly deals with the data collected through a case study, questionnaires, and observation, how they are analyzed to find the proper suggestions to improve the production and maintain a work-life balance.” work-life is about creating and maintaining a supportive and healthy work environment which will enable employees to have a balance between work and personal responsibilities and thus strengthen employee loyalty and productivity”, (Dhas, 2015).
4.1. Case Study
To understand the company and to get a better knowledge of the working pattern, a case study was conducted in the cross-docking warehouse. In a cross-docking warehouse, the items which come in inbound trucks from different companies are sorted according to destinations in the assigned sorting area. After sorting, the items are moved to outbound doors and are loaded into trucks to deliver them to various locations. In this particular warehouse, products come from prominent high-end companies that are consumed and fed all across Sweden and other Nordic regions. The warehouse is divided into different sections such as the inbound and outbound truck loading area, white goods sorting section, manual sorting section, local distribution storage.
The items mainly include white goods (Refrigerator, Oven, washing machine, and Dryers) which are sorted using clamping machines, Home delivery items (furniture, television, air conditioners, liquors), and mails are sorted using manual labor. The weight of these items normally ranges from 0.1 gm to 90 kgs.
The layout of the warehouse is as shown in figure 4.
As in the figure, there are three gate areas one for unloading goods from trucks and one for and two for loading goods onto departing trucks. Some of the goods arrive without pallets for example white goods like washing machines come stacked 3*3 in the trailer which is then unloaded by clamping trucks and sorted according to their destinations in the white goods sorting section. Other goods like that of furniture and televisions all come in pallets which are then unloaded by forklifts and taken to the manual sorting section where it is sorted by hand according to their destinations.
These sorted products are put on a pallet and driven to the sorted goods storage except for the local goods which are stored in the local distribution area according to their destinations.
The manual sorting section utilizes the most manual labor and this study focuses on the psychosocial and physical problems faced by the workers here and solutions that can be implemented to improve the current condition.
26 Figure 4: Warehouse Blueprint
The goods for manual sorting areas are done according to figure 5.
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The processes included in the sorting section are shown in figure 4. Initially, the pallets are arranged based on different sorting locations. The items are then loaded on to the sorting section with the aid of forklifts. The goods are then sorted into different pallets with the human workforce. Here the workers are exposed to heavy lifting and bending. Once the pallets are filled, it is moved on to the wrapping section using forklifts. The pallets are wrapped using semi-automated wrapping machines. After wrapping the pallets are taken to the loading gates.
During the study, the authors have noticed that the products that come into the warehouse are random and of various weight and size which is difficult to be pre-charted. So the worker relies on their skills and understanding patterns from repeated work. Over a period of time the workers do not bother about their physical and mental stress and concentrate on only finishing their tasks. These unrecognized stress factors when endured for a long period of time lead to various physical and psychosocial problems. The authors have tried to evaluate these overlooked problems using standard questionnaires like COPSOQ and unstructured interviews to get a better understanding of the worker conditions.
4.2. Psychosocial analysis using COPSOQ
To find the problems faced by the manual workers in the cross-docking warehouse the authors used the COPSOQ questionnaire to collect data from the workers. The data was collected anonymously so that the data is not affected by outside pressure. The total number of workers selected was limited to 10. The scoring of the answers is from 0 to 100. COPSOQ questions are divided into 6 main factors which are:
1. Demands at work
2. Work organization and job contents 3. Interpersonal relationship and leadership 4. Values at the workplace
5. Adequate work organization 6. Mental health problems
The mean value of the collected answers related to the various factors is calculated and is recorded in table 1. The details on how the questions are divided into these factors are provided in the appendices section of the report.
28 Table 1: Psychosocial factors and MHP Scale
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From the table the various values of the 6 different psychosocial factors are clear. The mean value of demands at work is 75.2. This value is taken as a negative value since the demand increases the overall problems faced by the workers also worsens. The demand at work can be divided into 3 categories which are quantitative demand (88.6), the tempo of work (73.8), and emotional demand (63.2). Mental health problems that have a mean value of 71.73 are also considered as negative values due to the same reasons as demand at work. Mental health problems can be divided into 3 parts namely Stress (66.5), Burnout (79.8), & Sleep disorder (68.9).
The rest of the four factors can be considered as positive factors since the mean value increases it becomes better for the workers. The interpersonal relationship and leadership have a mean value of 52.28. It consists of 8 subdivisions which are Predictability (63.4), Rewards (41.5), Role clarity (65.7), Role conflicts (30.6), Quality of leadership (64.7), Social support from colleagues (45.1), Social support from supervisor (48.6), and Social community at work (58.7). Work organization and job contents have a value of 47.375. It has 4 subdivisions which are Influence at work (46.1), Possibility for development (48.8), Meaning of work (36.8), and commitment to the workplace (57.8).
Values at the workplace have a value of 67.73. It consists of vertical trust (64.5), horizontal trust (66.6), and justice & respect (72.1).
Adequate work organization has a value of 48.3. This has 2 subdivisions which are satisfied with work (58.7) and work-family conflict (37.9).
As seen from the values of the reliability coefficient the measures taken by the authors through the questionnaire seem to be accurate. Out of all the reliability coefficient scale 15 were considered as satisfactory as they range above .75. When comparing with Berthelsen (2020) the results were almost similar. Some of the factors have a low-reliability coefficient but it is understandable when taken into account all the variables that come into play when comparing all the workers. Among 24 scales the factors that had reliability coefficient above .8 were these 3 namely, quantitative demands, Stress, and influence at work.
When comparing the results, the result of the Swedish standard version of copsoq III the reliability of the results seems consistent even though some of the factors have drastically different results.
This data from the table is used to generate the graph (Figure 6). This is done so to make the comparison of the 6 factors easier and to provide a visual representation of the results from the questionnaire.
30 Figure 6: Psychosocial Factors and MHP Graph
Here the graph shows the visual representation of the six psychosocial factors for easier understanding and comparison.
When considering the demand at work the problem areas are Quantitative demand, the tempo of work, and emotional demand. So, it is understood that the volume handled by the workers and the pace of work is high and needs to be handled. It is also seen that the emotional demand for the workers is also high even though it's not as high as the other two.
Mental health problems are divided into stress, burnout, and sleep disorders. It is seen that the value for all of them is high as shown in table1, which means steps should be taken to reduce it.
The authors picked these two factors among the other four to focus on since these factors were more prevalent at the workplace and could be solved mostly by bringing in better materials management and techniques to help the workers.
4.3. Unstructured Interview
This type of interview is done to collect primary data from the workplace and also from the workers. A set of 10 workers from the evening shift was chosen and an unstructured interview was conducted to understand their daily work pattern and general problems faced during their shift. The interview focused on the main physical problems faced by the workers and it was known that the main problems faced by the workers in the sorting section were:
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1. Mental and physical exhaustion
From the interview, it was realized that when there are a high volume and a requirement to finish it in time, the workers become stressed and which in turn can cause mental and physical exhaustion of the workers. This can also be seen in the data collected from the COPSOQ Questionnaire where the pace of work and volume of work was high.
2. Musculoskeletal Disorders and Migraines
Many of the workers also indicated that they were suffering from constant joint pain, muscle cramps, migraines caused due to incorrect lifting methods, and various other activities at work. From the COPSOQ data, it was seen that the value for stress, burnout, and sleep disorders are high and this can be connected with the various musculoskeletal disorders and migraines affecting the workforce (Camacho & Nakazato, 2018).
4.4. Brainstorming
For getting a deeper understanding of the problems mentioned by the workers from the interview, a couple of brainstorming sessions were conducted with the help of some workers in the warehouse and the conclusions were used to generate possible solutions for the various problems found. The results of the COPSOQ and the interview as discussed within the group and discussions were done to find possible solutions for the problems stated. The main solution everyone agreed upon was to bring in various support to make the work easier and safe for the workers.
4.5. Material handling
Smooth management of materials in an industry always paves the way for a better working environment. Material handling is defined as the art and science of conveying, elevating, positioning, transporting, packaging and storing materials (Ray, 2008). Proper material handling helps in productivity and improves the profitability of an industry. In a cross-docking warehouse, there is a need for several types of material handling methods or techniques ranging from non-automated to fully automated. In the sorting section, the authors have observed that materials are handled by workers or moving trucks depending on the weight and size of the goods. The goods are fed into the sorting section using forklifts. The fed goods are then sorted into different destinations by labor. The goods consist of a waybill that provides information such as weight and final destination which helps in deciding how these items are sorted. The products which are less than 20 kilograms are classified as lightweight goods and were sorted by workers individually. The bulk goods which weigh above 20 kilograms are sorted in a group of 2 to 4 workers. If the goods are too bulky it is directly sorted with the help of forklifts.
For easy arrangement and to get a strong base for the sorting pallets, products with large bases are placed at the bottom during stacking. Pallets are stacked in such a way that the maximum number of products can be placed without excess wastage of space and support proper plastic wrapping. Depending on the weight of the product carried, the
32 number of physical stress increases. While sorting in groups, the weight distribution of the product between the workers comparatively reduces. For proper balance Coordination between the workers is necessary. The distance between the initial and the final sorting point also influences the stress experienced but the workers. The longer the distance, the higher will be the time taken to complete the task. Thus, adding more physical work to the laborers can increase the risk of occurrence of accidents.
Over 8 hours of work, an average of 50 to 250 pallets needs to be sorted. Depending on the planning of coordinators and production managers, the work distribution of manual laborers is assigned to minimize the impact of physical load.
A significant connection between many psycho-social working conditions and musculoskeletal disorders has been reported in a large number of primary studies (Lang, et al., 2013). From our observation, the way the workers carry the goods with their hands is not appropriate and can have a significant impact on their bodies. This physical load for a continuous period of time may lead to fatigue. Due to time constraints and work pressure, workers only concentrate on completing the task assigned to them without focusing on their posture and its impact on their bodies. Primary studies have repeatedly established monotonous work, high job demand, and low job control, raise the risk for the development of symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders. Moreover, increased job strain and less supervisor support could also lead to lower back symptoms as well as neck and shoulder problems (Lang, et al., 2013).
Neck and back pain due to pressure, sitting for long periods, poor balance, and moving into an uncomfortable position to maintain vision are the most frequent injuries associated with running a forklift. Awkward postures can cause lower back and neck disorders, including static sitting, trunk twisting, and bending, neck flexion, and rotation. To help them resolve the visibility constraints, forklift operators follow a range of postures, and their seated position is defined by the seat configuration and the role to be done (Viruet, et al., 2008).
To sum up the findings, from COPSOQ questionnaire results and from the unstructured interviews the authors have found out the occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders, mental and physical exhaustion in the workers of a cross-docking warehouse to be most prevalent. It was observed that these problems are mainly caused by the high workload and the high pace of work caused by work pressure.
These types of problems can bring about the physical load, cognitive load, and psychosocial load faced by workers in the work system which may lead to a decline in work productivity and job satisfaction. Thus, it becomes difficult for the worker to sustain in this work condition which may affect his or her mental and physical health in the long run. For a good work environment, it is vital to study these kinds of stresses and find solutions to minimize them.
Various advanced solutions exist in the market such as vacuum lifters, and automated guided vehicles. These can help provide a safer and efficient work system. More economical solutions such as the use of abdominal belts to support the worker while lifting heavy load and forklifts for better sorting can also be adopted in the company.
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5. Discussion and Suggestions
The research questions were answered by following the preset research design. The validity and reliability of the papers are made sure by using appropriate research literature, interviews, and questionnaires.
RQ1: How can the physical and psychosocial work factors be evaluated in a cross-docking warehouse?
As for answering the first research question on how the physical and psychosocial work factors were analyzed, it was carried out using questionnaires and interviews.
The questionnaire used was the Copenhagen psychosocial questionnaire version III otherwise known as COPSOQ. From this questionnaire, the authors were able to gather information regarding the psychosocial factors that affect the workers. The data gathered was used to create a table and graph which represents the various psychosocial factors and their scale at the workplace.
The main psychosocial factors which were found to be significant at the workplace were mental health problems and demand at work. The significance can be seen by looking at the values of the other factors. Even though there are other factors that can be improved the authors have focused on improving the demand and mental health problems at the warehouse.
The physical problems affecting the workers were found out through conducting an unstructured interview regarding the various physical problems faced by the workforce, from which the main two problems were Musculoskeletal Disorders and Migraines.
From COPSOQ one of the most notable problems faced by the workers was the demand at work they faced. The demand at work consists of three parts namely the pace of work, the quantitative demand, and emotional demand. If workers are subjected to a high workload and pace of work it can lead to exhaustion and fatigue (Bosch, et al., 2011). This can further be seen in the results from the interviews conducted at the workplace which states that one of the main physical problems faced by the workers is mental and physical exhaustion. So, it can be stated that the high pace of work and high quantitative demand can cause both mental and physical exhaustion of the workforce.
One of the other factors faced by the workers is mental health problems which consist of stress, burnout, and sleep disorders. Job stress can be connected to various health problems like depression, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, sleep disturbance, and musculoskeletal disorders (Kraatz, et al., 2013).
The high stress and burnout can be connected with the result obtained from the interviews which state that the workers are faced with musculoskeletal disorders and migraines.
