Solution Summary: Sand Metering and Delivery Equipment
A sand metering and delivery equipment is used to premeasure and deliver sand into a mixture of cement or grout.
Description:
A sand metering and delivery equipment, such as the Hog SlopperTM, is an engineering control that can reduce musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) from manual material handling. It is a device used to premeasure and deliver sand into a mixture of cement or grout.
The Hog SlopperTM is a device used to premeasure and deliver sand into a mixture of cement or grout. There are adjustable sides that allow for metering and delivery from 6 3/4 to 9 cu. ft. of sand to ensure a consistent mix ratio for improved production. This device is available with fork pockets or universal skid steer mount. The sand bucket can also be used to pre-measure the amount of pea gravel and sand when mixing grout.
Figure 1. Hog SlopperTM (Photo courtesy of EZG Manufacturing)
Figure 2. Hog SlopperTM attached to operating equipment (Photo courtesy of EZG Manufacturing)
Risks Addressed:
Heavy lifting and carrying and stooped postures can cause low back disorders, such as muscle strain or a disc herniation (“slipped disc”), which is bulging of disc material possibly pressing on the spinal cord or nerves that go into the leg. The Hog SlopperTM can help reduce heavy lifting and carrying and stooped postures by allowing workers to complete sand-measuring tasks mechanically instead of manually.
Stressful hand and wrist activity can cause musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) such as muscle strains; tendonitis, which is inflammation of elbow and wrist tendons; or carpal tunnel syndrome, which is compression of a wrist nerve, resulting in finger numbness and loss of hand strength. The Hog SlopperTM can help reduce stressful hand and wrist activity by allowing workers to complete sand-measuring tasks mechanically instead of manually.
How Risks are Reduced:
With an adjustable sand hopper, sand does not need to be shoveled into the mixer by a worker. The material in the adjustable sand hopper is dumped into the mixer by a skid steer. Sand shoveling is eliminated from the mixing process. Therefore, a mason will avoid awkward postures of the back, and upper extremities, and reduce lifting. Also eliminated will be repetitive and stressful hand and wrist activities required to manually shovel sand into the mixer.
Using an adjustable sand hopper may reduce cement bag handling. Sand can be piled further away from the mixer, freeing up space for skids of cement. Keeping skids of cement close to the mixer reduces cement bag handling.
Manufacturers claim this product helps avoid back strain. This statement is consistent with a decrease in manual material handling.
There have not been independent published studies measuring the effect of using sand metering and delivery equipment on reducing musculoskeletal disorders. Regardless, health and safety experts believe that workers will be less likely to develop musculoskeletal disorders if they use sand metering and delivery equipment due to reduced exposure to known risk factors.
Effects on Productivity:
The Hog SlopperTM increases batch time.
Contributors:
Dan Anton, PT, PhD, ATC – Eastern Washington University, and Alysha Meyers, PhD – University of Iowa
Availability
EZ Grout Corporation, Inc. Hog Slopper
To obtain information, visit http://www.ezgrout.com
or contact 1-800-417-9272
