Hammer Drill Support Arm
The information on this page is drawn from material produced by the Worksafe BC. The original pdf is available at the bottom of the page. 6/1/09
Background
A major construction company in Vancouver identified the need for improving the safety of workers suffering from back and shoulder muscle strain, typical musculoskeletal injuries (MSIs) in construction. These workers were spending a large amount of time using a 30-pound jackhammer or hammer drill to drill into concrete at shoulder level or higher.
The company's safety officer approached WorkSafeBC and British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) to develop a solution to the problem. The BCIT Technology Centre Automation & Electronics Group were awarded $30,000 from WorkSafeBC's Research Secretariat to design a device that would reduce stress and fatigue on the worker.
Solution
The team at BCIT developed an articulating support arm that takes the weight of the hammer drill and allows the workers to concentrate their efforts against the work surface.
Features
- Stand-alone tripod system or affixed directly onto scaffolding or shoring pole Horizontal range of 2.4 m (94.5")
- Vertical range of 1.4 m (56.5")
- Assembles in less than two minutes
- Disassembles into smaller, easily transportable pieces By eliminating the force required to hold the hammer drill, the worker merely has to direct the hammer drill and apply force into the drilling surface.
Benefits
- Increased productivity by 100%
- Reduced energy expenditure
- Reduced force required by 90%
- Effective return to work (RTW) option
