Manual Handling Problem Identification in Mining Industry: An Ergonomic Perspective

Ergonomics processes described in the literature have been associated mostly with manufacturing, financial, elec-tronics, and office settings where working conditions tend to be rather constant and repetitive. The information presented in this paper demonstrates, however, that an ergonomics process can also be implemented in a setting such as mining where working conditions frequently change and workers are periodically exposed to extreme conditions. This paper describes how to identify manual handling problem in one of Indonesian Coal Company at South Kalimantan Mine in 2015. The process of problem identification and the impacts of the process on working conditions at the mine using Job Discomfort Survey, Manual Handling Checklist and Sample Decisison Matrix (DM) are reviewed. Barriers overcome and lessons learned are also described. Quotes from Coal Company em-ployees are included in the document to add an ergonomic perspective. Other industries with working conditions similar to mining, such as construction and retail, may find this information useful. The uniqueness of decision matrix is that DM is the research instrument that collect baseline data from supervisor interviews, Nordic-questionnaire, incident data and management concerns becomes task analysis which consist of observations, video taping, discomfort intervention, task measurements which end up with identify risk factors. Scope of coal mining in this paper is crushing & sizing and barge loading, as we know that the overall scope of coal mining are: overburden stripping, coal mining, loading coal from rom stockpile to coal hauler, coal hauling, haul road, crushing & sizing, barge loading, coal barging, floating cranes, coal terminal. Finally, the contribution is to help, prevent or reduce the occurrence of lifting-related lower-back injuries