TVH

As a global supplier of replacement parts and accessories for the material handling and industrial equipment industry, TVH is on a steady growth path. A brand new logistics facility will soon be added to the company’s headquarters, located in Waregem, Belgium. Providing an ergonomic work environment is high on the priority list. Together with Mensura, TVH designed a number of solutions, such as a height adjustable picking station.

TVH employs more than 6,000 people worldwide, 1,700 of which operate at the Waregem facility in Belgium. “To help our logistics staff carry out their tasks in a more ergonomic way, we asked Mensura for advice”, says Gino Bekaert, Operations Manager Goods-out at TVH. “We wanted to make sure that our new warehouse will match our needs for functionality and ergonomics. Together with our own internal prevention department, Mensura performed an in-depth assessment of our operational methods and work environment.”

“TVH is well aware that a highly ergonomic and efficient workplace will not only improve productivity but also the atmosphere at work, and that it will therefore decrease worker absenteeism”, says Ruth Costers, prevention expert at Mensura. “The company hired us to take a close look – together with their internal prevention team – at how future workflows in the warehouse can be optimised.”

“With Mensura’s help, we closely examined our internal transport and export flows”, Gino Bekaert adds. “We also developed a brand new, ergonomically designed picking station based on current operational tasks and areas for improvement. This required a participative approach, which is exactly what Mensura excels at.”

Workplace observations and interviews with workers and members of management quickly revealed a number of ergonomic problem areas. “One of the greatest benefits of this approach was that we got input from every angle, including at management level”, Ruth continues. “In addition to the internal prevention advisors, we talked to production managers, suppliers and project engineers. As a result, we were able to exchange valuable expertise, insights and advice. This helped us design the prototype for our new picking station.”

To find out whether these theoretical advantages translate to significant improvements in practice, TVH and Mensura developed a mock-up of the proposed picking station design. Ruth Costers: “We need to make sure that the new design is well thought out, that it meets all the requirements put forward by these workers, and that no other issues are overlooked. Regular evaluations and practical testing will bring us to the final design.”

“The current design is height adjustable and can be used by people who are tall or short”, Gino Bekaert explains. “The picking station ensures that everyone will be working at the correct height, reducing physical stress on the body. Mensura also helped us minimise our internal transport needs. All these optimisations are guaranteed to drastically reduce ergonomic health issues, and therefore also absenteeism. This will give us a great start with our new warehouse.”

Our team of ergonomic experts can provide you with an in-depth ergonomic analysis as well as custom advice and solutions. Your workers and your company will benefit from better workplace ergonomics. To find out more, discover our ergonomic services or contact us on +32 2 549 71 00.