Controlling the Ergonomic Hazards of Wiring Tasks for Household Appliances

Employees who perform repetitive wiring tasks on assembly lines may be at risk of developing
carpal tunnel syndrome and other musculoskeletal disorders of the hand, wrist, and arm. Because
88% of household appliances are electrically powered, many workers assembling household
appliances perform wiring operations. Some workers attach up to five wires during a 20-second
cycle time. Workers who make the connections by hand often wrap their fingers with tape at the
location of contact stresses. The average amount of force required to connect a standard crimp
terminal to its tab varies from 12 to 32 lb, depending on the gauge of the wire