NIOSH Reports on DBCS at Denver Postal Facility
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has just completed a three year investigation here in Denver of ERRP and other supposed “solutions” to the flawed ergonomic design of the DBCS. (Photos: DBCS — Delivery Bar Code Sorter)
What the investigation reveals is that short of a major redesign of the sweep side of the DBCS most effective way for clerks to avoid injury is to slow down the pace of work and reduce the amount of mail fed through the machine(see page 5).
Of course, management will NEVER go along with this. In 1993 NIOSH conducted another ergonomic investigation of the DBCS in which they described the multi-tiered stacker arrangement of the DBCS to be “A SIGNIFICANT DEPARTURE FROM GOOD ERGONOMIC DESIGN WHICH PLACES WORKERS AT HIGH RISK FOR LOWER BACK AND SHOULDER DISORDERS”.
I did call in both the 1993 and 2006 investigations. As most of you probably well realize, NIOSH has no enforcement power over the USPS. However, they are the very best expertise in occupational health in the country. The truth they reveal for automation clerks in both investigations looks dismal. With the deployment of the four tiered DIOSS DBCS to replace the single tiered ISS the fewer clerks that will be left in automation will be doing far more ergonomically hazardous work and ERRP has done little to address these hazards.
If you have any technical questions about these investigations you may contact NIOSH industrial engineer Dan Habes at 513-841-4438 or by email at dhabes@cdc.gov. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think the truth needs to get out there.
Loyd Reeder (Denver Postal Worker)
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Conclusions and Recommendations (NIOSH)
Based on meetings and conversations with USPS consultants, safety personnel, managers, and workers the following conclusions can be made:
1. The DBCS machines presently in use by the USPS (four tiers, 201 stackers) present the same or greater risk of injury to workers as the three-tiered DBCS machines evaluated by NIOSH in 1991-92.
2. The USPS recognizes the need to reduce the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders at its facilities by identifying new and better methods for workers who perform mail processing tasks.
3. The ERRP and other engineering/administrative strategies are sound and logical approaches to achieving the goal of lower incidences of musculoskeletal disorders.
4. The engineering controls developed under the ERRP initiative are more likely to result in long term reductions in injuries and musculoskeletal disorders than the administrative methods which do not eliminate the hazards or design shortcomings that resulted in high incidences of musculoskeletal disorders. Most of the controls developed for the DBCS machine have been administrative in nature.
In addition to the conclusions listed above and the recommendations contained in the attached HHE report, the following is recommended for the DBCS machines:
1. Conduct periodic training and monitoring of worker activities to reinforce safe work practices that have been taught and developed at the USPS.
2. Rotate workers frequently between the feeder and sweeping positions. Rotation should take place at least once per hour, but more frequent rotation such as every 30 or 45 minutes may be more beneficial to workers.
3. The feeder should occasionally stop loading new mail into the DBCS and help the sweeper to ensure that the amount of mail accumulated in the stackers does not exceed desired levels.
4. Encourage workers to use sound work practices like the PowerLift while working on the DBCS machines, particularly at the feeder position where the wide stance and lift with the legs techniques are most applicable.
5. Determine and implement a mail processing rate of work which will prevent workers from sustaining injury. This can be established either through time and motion studies or by manipulating numbers of pieces of mail processed per hour or per day until injury rates are under control. As noted in the Discussion section above, reducing the rate of work is the most effective administrative means of injury control when engineering controls are not implemented, such as in the case of the DBCS.
This letter closes our file on these health hazard evaluation requests. NIOSH recommends that employers post a copy of this letter for 30 days at or near work areas of affected employees.
more from NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Update- Denver GMF (source: NIOSH)
NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation - Denver GMF 1992 (PDF) or http://www2a.cdc.gov/hhe/select.asp?PjtName=13633&bFlag=0&ID=15
May 28th, 2006 at 1:10 pm
I see the need to post additional info that was not included in the opening comments here on Postal Reporter. The inevitable question arises why the postal service would deploy such a machine as the DBCS, a machine that one NIOSH official correctly described as a work comp time bomb back in 1992. The answer in one word is money. A major reason for the deployment of the multi tiered DBCS to replace the singe tiered BCS and the deployment of the four tiered DIOSS DBCS to replace the single tiered ISS is what management likes to describe as greater “depth of sort”. With 200+ stackers on a typical DBCS versus 60 stackers on an ISS, this simply means that the mail does not have to be run as many times with two clerks running mail on a machine with more mail sortation stackers. Hence, there will be a need for fewer clerks. for the same amount of sortation. With about 85% of USPS costs going into labor costs this does make sense. The big downside in all this is that the fewer clerks will be doing far more ergonomically hazardous work on the multi tiered DBCS, versus the single tiered machines. For the Postal Service, the decrease in labor costs are offset to some extent by the inevitable increase in work comp costs. However, as many of us grunts who work on the DBCS fully realize, the Postal Service has a very effective system in place to discourage workers from reporting injuries through use of harassment against injured workers. Several years ago OSHA cited the Denver GMF for gross underreporting for this very reason. This is another reason to hold highly suspect when we hear about miraculous reductions in injuries here in Denver that are attributed to ERRP. Are these ACTUAL injuries or just reported injuries.
Loyd Reeder
May 29th, 2006 at 3:26 am
In response to several email inquiries, I need to post this reply. I did call in both NIOSH investigations, but I am NOT a union officer. These investigations were NOT called in by union request. I am a “grunt” clerk who does work on the DBCS almost every day. I am a former high school teacher and my brother is a medical doctor who deals in occupational health issues which did help in gaining immediate expertise during the course of the NIOSH investigations.
LOYD REEDER
May 29th, 2006 at 8:48 am
Both NIOSH investigations that are posted here on Postal Reporter are NOT copyrighted and can be downloaded. If anyone has any remote interest in these investigations and the truth they reveal PLEASE download and also email then to anyone else that may have an interest. The 1993 NIOSH investigation has already been used on numerous occasions by clerks who have been injured by the DBCS to successfully file comp claims.
May 29th, 2006 at 3:09 pm
What NIOSH says about slowing down the pace of work and running less mail through the DBCS as the most effective control, short of a redesign, to avoid injury HAS been already figured out by many us grunts who work on these machines every day. However, when the best expertise in the country backs this up it gives us more legal muscle to fight management’s relentless push for big numbers. I have one automation clerk friend who had to have a disk removed from her back from working on the DBCS. She told me afterwards if she had only known about what NIOSH said in 1993. She, and a number of people like her, is why I called in NIOSH for both investigations and had them posted here on Postal Reporter. When one local APWU president over a thousand miles from Denver read through both NIOSH reports he reminded me of the familiar quote of US President Garfield: “The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable.” The truth needed to get out there.
June 20th, 2006 at 6:02 pm
Because of several questions I received by email I see the need to make this post. The questions were along the line that the NIOSH investigations were “theoretical” and have the DBCS machines produced any “real” injury data. The answer in simple terms is you bet they have. In May of 1995, the DBCS was cited by OSHA for the first time in Albuquerque based on reported injuries. This was less than 2 years after the release of the first NIOSH investigation. What is significant is that in the relatively short life time of their operational existence the DB’s in Albuquerque generated enough “reported” injuries to be cited. The DB’s have been cited by OSHA many times since then. As noted in a previous statement, this was reported injuries, not ACTUAL injuries. With the very effective disincentives that the Postal Service has in place this reflects that very tip of the actual injury iceberg. The description of the DBCS by one NIOSH official as a work comp time bomb back in 1992 has proven true. With the deployment of the DBCS the Postal Service has placed itself in a terrible dilemma. They have spent billions on them and are therefore committed to their use. They are by far the biggest injury producer among clerks, so I was told by a USPS safety official. With a typical clerk making close to $50,000 a year plus benefits, admittedly incredibly good money for semiskilled labor, the Postal Service is committed to high productivity or “big numbers” from the clerks who run the DB’s. This need for high productivity is increasing because of the decline in 1st class mail volume relative to reduced postage 3rd class mail. However, the DB’s, as a NIOSH official said to me, are capable of processing a much higher volume of mail than a human body can withstand over time, especially the sweeper. Hence, the terrible dilemma.
June 21st, 2006 at 8:52 am
I dont know who this Lloyd Reader is but the question has to be asked what has the APWU union been doing. Lloyd said these NIOSH investigations was not called in by the union. Why did Lloyd have to do it. We have all these high paid union officers sitting on their buts and one single clerk did what they should have done. I think ERRP as far as the DBCS is so much bullshit. I work on the
DBs and Im glad there is some one who cares about us. It isnt the union.
July 4th, 2006 at 4:02 pm
This email was sent to the Louisville, KY, APWU, in response to their email which is underneath:
Thanks for responding to my email. In regards to the apparent hopelessness of the DBCS ergonomic problem and the National APWU’s “fetal position” on this issue, the second just released NIOSH investigation was called in by me due to the failures of those in power: The USPS has spent billions on the DBCS and is therefore committed to their use. It took one solitary clerk in Denver back in 1992 to call in NIOSH and raise hell about the DBCS “work comp time bomb”. The very thing the National APWU should have been doing. Then I was “awarded” for my efforts by the National APWU by their coming after me. All the second NIOSH investigation does is give clerks who now work on the DBCS a sound scientific methodology to not get hurt since the DBCS genie is now out of the bottle. The NIOSH methodology is wonderfully simple: 1. Slow down the pace of work and run less mail through the machine. 2. The feeder should help the sweeper sweep. 3. Rotation between the feeding and sweeping position should be every 30 to 45 minutes. 4. Trays of mail should not be flipped on to the loading ledge. Short of an engineering redesign, hence very expensive, of the sweep side of the machine, these simple administrative controls should be very helpful. What the National APWU does at this point in time is perhaps largely irrelevant. However, I did try to get National APWU Safety Officer Corey Thompson to post the NIOSH investigations on the National APWU web site for several months and got nothing but lip service and the run around. I therefore took the initiative and had the NIOSH investigations posted on 4 postal news web sites to get the word out to the membership. Based on your own response and the responses of others the word is indeed getting out there. In summation, ERRP has done little to deal with the DBCS ergonomic problem and NIOSH has provided a sound scientific methodology for DB clerks not to get injured.
—– Original Message —–
From: Joe Ramey
To: loydreeder
Sent: 6/23/06 18:31:06
Subject: Re: Emails to Louisville APWU
Loyd, I believe the information was received because when I spoke to our president, Don Reynolds, last week about your article on the PostalNews.com site he was not only aware of the NIOSH report but used your name specifically in talking about. I have forwarded your personal info to Don so that he can contact you about specifics since if have recently switched to the maintenance craft and Clerk issues including the DBCS’ are no longer my area. I am still interested in these issues having been a mail processor and have worked on these machines for over ten years, but Don is really the guy to pursue or designate who will pursue this issue locally. I hope he does because it sounds to me like you have laid some very useful groundwork here. I also believe unfortunately that the national will not push with this type of attack because they seem to have gone into the fetal position in Washington. It is only my personal opinion, but I believe our national leaders are afraid to fight the USPS on anything of substance. Everything seems to be directed to fall back defensive positions and extensions. Unions were formed, and maintained, by those who fought for what the membership needed, many times against long or impossible odds. Sadly, we have become bogged down with a whole bureaucracy of retiree’s who have nothing in common with the working members on the floor. Our only hope is local leaders rising up, but I honestly believe that is a faint hope. Efforts like yours is what the union needs, unfortunately, those in power will not follow up and make any meaningful changes or protect members who have suffered injuries working these machines. Still it is a good effort and I applaud you work and have pushed for Don to do something with what you started. Time will tell. In Solidarity, Joe Ramey.
wooglin221@insightbb.com
July 4th, 2006 at 4:38 pm
If anyone has the need to get hold of the person who called in both NIOSH investigations I may be reached at loydreeder@earthlink.net THANKS
September 25th, 2006 at 5:50 pm
Addittional Info request. I am the Caentral Region Safety & health Rep. fotr the APWu and the question of the “noise” levels of the full stacker alarms on the DBCS has been brought up.
A local study adn some supporting info was sent to me last week, the subject is that these audible alarms exceed the OSHA standard of 95-105 db and are bout 26 inches from the sweepers ear which may cause permenent hearing loss. Anyone with supportin info or simular problems please let me know.
Steve Vaughn swvaughn@juno.com
September 26th, 2006 at 2:33 pm
hey loyd,
What ever happened after the big i,g. investigation into the use of copper pipes for fuses on the db’s and endangering the lives of over 21 people in the plant???
If i remember correctly the i.g.’s report said to terminate 3 memebers of management.
I bet they still have jobs, sad.
you can get a copy of the report thru the foi act .
September 28th, 2006 at 7:51 am
This is in response to the Federal Times article which was posted on Postal Reporter on 9-25-06. At the very least this article will get the word out to the membership that the US Dept of Health-NIOSH states that short of a redesign of the sweep side of the DBCS the most effective methodology for clerks to avoid injury on the DBCS is to slow down the pace of work and run less mail through the machine. I do not recall saying to the author, Dan Davidson, that the best solution to the terrible design of the DBCS is to automate the sweeping function. However, I am sure the postal service WILL AUTOMATE the DBCS and eliminate human operators just as soon as it is technically and financially viable. They will do this regardless of what NIOSH or anyone else says. In the meantime the human operators of the DBCS should follow NIOSH requirements. The first part of the article was full of allot of selfcongatulatory hoopla from the USPS about their supposed injury reductions. As I have said before, these are reported injuries, NOT ACTUAL injuries. Who is to say that some of this supposed “reduction” is because a number of clerks have wised up and are slowing down the pace of work on the DBCS, a significant injury producer. If you have any questions you may reach me at loydreeder@earthlink.net
December 6th, 2006 at 7:46 am
I have worked on these machines for the last 10 years and I can tell you that they do cause back pain and loss of hearing.I also have worked on the csbcs machines and they aren’t much better at all.I believe that the surface has been scratched and that in the month’s and years to come,clerks will have more legal muscle against the usps about back and hearing loss with automation.I myself have been diagnosed with hearing loss and back pain.I know that my back pain and hearing loss came from these machines but I must prove this to get compsentated.I want to thank NIOSH and other clerks that stand up for what they believe is right.
thank you CHRIS DRYDEN clerk waycross ga.
February 7th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
i think that flipping tray onto the dpcs should be left up to the employee’s. it makes our job harder. I thought the union was supposed to help the employee.
November 12th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
You are to be commended for your efforts, Mr. Reeder. I don’t know if Bill Clinton was aware of your efforts when he addressed our union leadership. I don’t even know if the APWU president Bill Burrus is aware of what you are saying and doing. It seems from my little peep-squeak know nothing point of view that you are being ignored. You speak for hard working people who don;t complain, who carry the nation’s mail on their backs everyday, who work thru pain, who have bosses breathing down their backs, who take pride in insuring that every single letter gets special attention and makes the timely dispatch. These people are the real working class champions and they put me to shame, I am on injury compensation, I hurt my back while working the DBCS. I have torn and ruptured disks in my lower back. Yet there people in worse shape than I who work the DBCS to get the mail out. Getting the mail out is the most important thing to these dedicated, tough and proud American workers. I am not in their league. In any case you seem to be the only one speaking out and you are being ignored. Why is that Mr. Reeder? Maybe only those in high office know. Good luck and God bless your efforts.
February 20th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Loyd–call me sometime–jerry rossel 719-686-9004