Ergonomics / ergonomics

Good Ideas Know No Borders

Škoda Auto is sharing its ergonomics experience with the VW Bratislava plant and putting proven solutions into practice there.

In Bratislava's H3 hall, a tool for releasing door hinges has been introduced based on the solution from Mladá Boleslav.

Ergonomics is one of the key areas for improving working conditions at Škoda Auto. The aim is to reduce the physical strain on employees and find solutions that let them carry out their tasks with less effort and in more ergonomically suitable conditions. Developing new measures plays an important role here, but so does sharing proven practices.

This area is addressed systematically through the so-called Ergonomics Offensive, which has been running at the Czech plants since 2015. Since then, more than 300 measures have been introduced and over 350 workplaces improved. Cooperation with the VW Bratislava plant now builds on these results.

Inspiration from Production

Something that has proven successful at one workplace can also inspire colleagues at another plant. Sharing specific examples also makes it possible to focus on employees' real needs and find solutions that can be used directly in everyday operations. Examples of measures from the VW Bratislava plant were presented during workshops in individual assembly halls at Škoda Auto. The meetings offered a chance to learn about specific improvement options and assess which of them could also bring benefits at the Czech plants.

One result is the use of carbon rods in hall M13. These help reduce vibrations and kickback during tightening and help lower the strain associated with this task.

Carbon rods help reduce vibrations and kickback during tightening in hall M13.

Help in the Other Direction

However, this cooperation is not one-way. For example, in Bratislava's H3 hall, where Porsche cars are assembled, a tool for releasing door hinges has already been introduced based on the solution from Mladá Boleslav. Although at first glance it seems like a simple aid, its importance becomes clear when the task is repeated day after day. The tool helps reduce the force needed to release the hinges, and thus the strain on operators' upper limbs.

Examples like these show that improving ergonomics doesn't always have to mean a major change to the production process. Benefits can also come from adjusting a specific task or using an aid that makes a repeated activity easier for employees during a shift.

Tip

Would you like more information about the Ergonomics Offensive? Feel free to contact colleagues Žaneta Slábová and Iva Vorlová from the PSI/1 – PI Projects, Ergonomics team. You can also submit your own proposals through the @SMART Application for Ergonomic Measures, or via the website.