RE: Employee: Injured Worker
Claim No: ABCDEFG

JOB ANALYSIS

ON

DIE MAKER

Employer: ABC Company

GENERAL COMMENTS

The following job analysis was performed on 8/1/03 in order to describe the usual and customary duties of Mr. Injured Worker. Since the plant is closed, the job analysis was developed solely with the input of Mr. Worker. It is pertinent to note, however, that the undersigned counselor has spent a great deal of time in the now closed plant and has completed in excess of 30 different job analyses of positions within the plant.

GENERAL JOB DESCRIPTION

As a die maker, it was Mr. Worker's responsibility to manufacture steel dies for use in a rubber extrusion machine. These dies, when placed in the machine, would force rubber to form specific shapes to be used in the manufacture of tires.

To complete this process, the die maker will first be provided with specs from the research department for rubber shapes to be made. The worker will sit down with these specs and figure out the appropriate dimensions of the steel die in order to create these pieces of rubber. The worker will enter these dimensions into a computer and save the dimensions on disc. The disc is then placed in a CNC machine for computerized cutting of the steel.

The worker will then place the blanks into the CNC machine and also will configure the machine with the appropriate cutting blades. The worker will operate the CNC machine to make a computerized rough cut of the die. The worker will then reload the machine with different cutting blades to make a finer cut of the die. Finally, the worker will file the die by hand in order to perfect the shape, add die marks for production purposes, etc. The largest pieces of metal loaded into the CNC machine are 3/8" thick by approximately 18" by approximately 3".

It is pertinent to note that some smaller dies are made entirely with the use of a bandsaw and by hand. The worker will also participate in the repair of dies. This may require reshaping portions of the die, rethreading it, etc.

The worker also indicates that he would periodically work on flow channels. Flow channels are heavy pieces of steel that are used to help rubber flow appropriately to come in contact with the die. The worker indicates that he sometimes would repair these or modify these flow channels. These were typically transported to and from the die shop by cart because of their weight.

The worker was also responsible for keeping files and records of different dies, their dimensions, and also the computer discs.

The worker's shift was roughly 8 to 10 hours per day, but he points out that the shift was often 10 hours.

PHYSICAL DEMAND DEFINITIONS (times listed are for an 8 hour shift)

Never: Not Present
Rarely/Seldom: 1% or less per day (5 minutes or less per day)
Infrequently: 2% to 5% of the day (6 to 30 minutes per day)
Occasionally: 6% to 33% of the day (.5 to 2.5 hours per day)
Frequently: 34% to 66% of the day (2.5 to 5.25 hours per day)
Constantly/Continuous: 67% to 100% of the day (5.25 to 8 hours per day)
Intermittent: Stopping/Starting at intervals-periodic

PHYSICAL DEMANDS (Examples of weights and measurements have been verified by the Job Analyst unless otherwise indicated)

Sitting:
Frequent. The worker estimates that he spent roughly half of his day sitting. This would occur sitting at a computer to calculate CNC settings. He might also sit at a desk while compiling, reviewing and filing various plans, specifications, etc. He indicates he would sit at most for two hours on any given occasion.

Standing/Walking:

Frequent. The worker indicates that he would alternate between standing and walking activities for approximately 4 to 5 hours of his workday. The worker might stand at a work bench while using files to shape dies and while brazing. The worker indicates that he would sometimes walk back and forth through different sections of the plant, particularly going to the extruding machines and back. He states the longest distance he walked per occasion would be approximately 100 yards.

Bending (Bending at the waist with straight knees).

A) Light - 20 degrees

Occasional-Frequent. The worker indicates that he would perform light bending on an occasional to frequent basis, depending upon the day. On days on which he would spend a substantial amount of time using files and other tools, this would rise to the frequent level. On other days, this could consume approximately 10% of his work time.

B) Moderate - 45 degrees

Rare. The worker indicates that he avoided significant bending as a result of a prior back injury. He states he may have bent at the waist to a moderate degree on a rare basis, simply to retrieve items located at roughly the knee level. This might also occur if he were to bend over a tread at the extrusion machine in order to measure it. The worker indicates this would occur rarely as well.

C) Full bend - 90 degrees

None. The worker avoided this as a result of a prior back injury.

Squatting:

Rare. The worker indicates that he would typically squat rather than perform full bending. Even so, he states that this consumed less than 1% of his typical workday.

Crawling (Moving about on hands and knees):

None.

Twisting:

Rare. The worker indicates that he avoided turning and twisting at the waist and would instead turn his whole body when necessary. He states that there were some rare occasions on which he would be measuring tread while it is moving. This required that he be twisting at the waist somewhat.

Neck Positions:

Flexion (forward bend, or chin to chest / 0 -80 degrees)

Occasional-Frequent. The worker would perform occasional to frequent flexion of the neck depending upon his daily activities. On the days on which he used files to shape dies for substantial amounts of time, this would rise to the frequent level.

Extension (looking up at ceiling / 0 -70 degrees)

Infrequent. The worker might infrequently extend the neck to look upwards.

Right/Left Rotation (look over right/left shoulder / 0 -45 degrees)

Occasional. The worker might occasionally rotate his neck to one side or the other to monitor the movement of tread when trying out different dies and also when responding to inquiries or commands from other workers.

Right/Left Lateral Flexion (ear to shoulder / 0 -50 degrees)

None.

Balancing (Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling):

Infrequent. The worker might infrequently perform body balancing, particularly when going up and down stairs or when on a catwalk.

Climbing (ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles and the like using feet and legs or hands and arms).

a.) Stairs and Ramps

Infrequent. The worker infrequently utilized stairs or ramps in order to access certain pieces of equipment.

b.) Other

None.

Lifting (Raising or lowering an object from one level to another - includes upward pulling):

1-15 pounds: Occasional. The worker indicates that he would lift items in the 1 to 15-pound weight range somewhat less than one-third of his workday. Such items included dies, blanks, hand and power tools, stacks of paper, etc.

16-60 pounds: Rare. The worker indicates that he would rarely lift a metal flow channel, estimated to weigh between 55 and 60 pounds. The worker indicates that he might have to work on one of these flow channels once in a two-month period.

Carrying (Transporting an object, usually holding it in the hands or arms or on the shoulder):

1-15 pounds: Occasional. The worker would occasionally carry items in the 1 to 15-pound weight range as he moved them about his work station. Such items would include metal blanks, dies, stacks of paper, hand and power tools, etc.

16 pounds plus: None. The worker indicates that the flow channels were moved strictly by cart.

Pulling:

Occasional. The worker indicates that he would perform pulling tasks in order to tighten a vise, open a door, pull down the arm on a drill press, and in the use of other tools.

Pushing:
Occasional. The worker would occasionally perform pushing tasks in order to lift up the arm on a drill press, open a vise, push a cart, etc.

Reaching/Shoulder Positions:

Flexion (forward reach / 0 -180 degrees)

At or Above Shoulder Level: Infrequent. The worker indicates that he would reach at or above shoulder level on an infrequent basis in order to utilize a drill press and operate some of the controls on the CNC machine.

Below Shoulder Level: Frequent. The worker reached below shoulder level on a frequent basis in order to use various tools, reach for dies and parts, etc.

Abduction (side reach / 0 -180 degrees)

None.

Horizontal Abduction (reach away from chest / 0 -90 degrees):

Infrequent. The worker performed horizontal abduction infrequently as he might reach to the side to retrieve a tool.

Horizontal Adduction (reach across chest / 0 -45 degrees):

Infrequent. The worker infrequently performed horizontal adduction, primarily to return from the horizontally abducted position.

HANDLING

Simple Grasping: Frequent. The worker performed simple grasping on a frequent basis in order to grasp various tools, the handles of the drill press, a cart, a door, pieces of metal, etc.

Forceful Gripping: Infrequent-Frequent. The worker indicates that he would perform forceful gripping on an infrequent to frequent basis, depending upon the day. There were some days on which the worker performed very little use of files and would perform forceful gripping only a very small percentage of the day. On other days, the worker would spend most of the day using a file and might have to perform forceful gripping somewhat more than 33% of his workday.

Fine Manipulation/Fingering: Occasional. The worker performed occasional fine manipulation in order to use a calculator, computer, and writing utensils.

Talking/Hearing: Communication is required, although this could be accomplished through methods other than talking or hearing if necessary.

Tasting/Smelling: None.

Vision: Near acuity is required.

Eye/Hand/Foot Coordination: The worker had to possess the necessary coordination to utilize hand and power tools safely and accurately.

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

1) Indoors : 100% of the work time was spent indoors.

2) Outdoors: None.

3) Exposure to dust, gas or fumes: The worker was exposed to dust from carbon black and also fumes from heated rubber.

4) Working around moving mechanical parts: The worker worked with and around various types of moving mechanical parts. He also sometimes worked in proximity to heated rubber, moving conveyor and production equipment, etc. Some of the dies that he would work with had to be heated to a temperature of 250 degrees before being appropriately tested in extrusion machines. The worker would sometimes have to transport hot dies and flow channels although they were typically cooled first.

5) Noise intensity level: The worker was exposed to significant noise, and hearing protection was required at various points in the plant.

CAREER CONCEPTS, INC.

Everett O'Keefe, B.A., QRR
Rehabilitation Counselor

EO/bjb