Construction Solutions - Inverted Drill Press



Solution: Inverted Drill Press
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	Description:	Overhead drilling puts strain on the shoulders, arms, neck, and back. Force is increased at the shoulder since the weight of the power tool is held away from the body. Drilling into concrete and metal ceilings adds extra strain to these body parts. When drilling overhead, the arms are away from the body and support the weight of the drill. Using an inverted drill press allows the upper arms to be held below the shoulder and closer to the waist. Fig 1. Traditional Drilling Fig 2. Inverted Drill Press Fig 3. Drill Close-Up More Detail Research and development is currently being conducted to design an inverted drill press that is portable easier to use. The new inverted drill press has five main parts: Drill saddle – supports and secures the drill, and is located at the top of the drill press, Adjustable column – allows the drill to be raised and lowered to the desired height Trigger switch - activates the drill from ground level Base - supports the drill on the ground Power source – supplies power to the drill As research and development on prototype inverted drill presses has progressed, other changes have been made to the design. Wheels have been added for easier mobility from hole to hole. Due to difficulty in assessing drilling depth, an adjustable stop has been added to the drill to prevent drilling too deep. A column-leveler has been added due to difficulties lining up the drill with desired drill holes. The drill was also redesigned so it could be disassembled for easy transport between worksites. The drill can reach up to heights of 15 feet. Newer models are compatible for set-up and use in scissor lifts. Using a scissor lift increases the reach of the inverted drill press for high overhead drilling. Less Detail
	Risks Addressed:	Stressful wrist/shoulder activity Musculoskeletal injuries associated with overhead work Vibration Exposure Fall risk
	How Risks are Reduced:	Inverted drill presses reduce a worker’s chance of developing muscle and joint injuries. Workers benefit from not having to hold a heavy tool above their shoulders for long periods of time. The need for ladders is decreased or eliminated. Quality of Evidence Independent published studies have found a risk reduction. Manufacturers, vendors, or worksites have reported a risk reduction. Safety and health experts believe there is a risk reduction. Independent studies have shown that working overhead increases the incidence of injury to the shoulder, arms, neck, and back. Reducing the vertical and/or horizontal distance that the tool is away from the body lessens the stress on worker’s shoulders and arms. An inverted drill press allows the operator to keep the arms near the body and the hands near waist level. Using an inverted drill press also eliminates the need for ladders and step stools. Most drilling tasks can be accomplished while standing on the ground. Due to the development of the column-leveling feature it is not necessary to climb a ladder to mark the drill holes. The risk of falling is decreased or eliminated with the use of an inverted drill press. Worksite feedback reports that workers prefer the inverted drill press to traditional drilling techniques. Worker also report less fatigue and pain when drilling into concrete and metal ceilings with the inverted drill press.
	Effects on Productivity:	An inverted drill press increases productivity by decreasing drilling time. Quality of Evidence Manufacturers or vendors have reported an increase in productivity. Safety and health experts believe there is an increase in productivity. Safety and health experts believe there is a decrease in productivity. With early prototypes of the inverted drill press, workers reported that productivity was decreased due to the increased time for set-up; it was also perceived to have an increase in time to move between holes and a decrease in accuracy. However, with recent models, workers report that drilling time is significantly shorter despite little change in set-up time. Productivity has increased four-fold on worksites using the inverted drill press. The most dramatic changes in productivity have been observed for strenuous drilling jobs previously done by hand. Workers are able to complete more work in less time with less pain and fatigue.
	Return on Investment:	No specific calculation ROI information exists for this particular solution, however, there are some general approaches that might be useful for a “Return On Investment” analysis. For a general discussion of these approaches, visit our “Return on Investment Calculation” page.
	Availability:	Product is in the research and development stages and is currently available on a limited basis only. For more information visit the Overhead Drill Press site on: http:ergo.berkeley.edu/.
	Additional Considerations:
	Hazards Addressed:	Electrical Climb poles and structures Overhead work Cut, shape and place conduit and wire trays Construction dust Overhead work Install and maintain electrical control system Construction dust Install and maintain motors, pumps, fixtures, lights Overhead work Install and maintain temporary wiring systems on construction sites Overhead work Install interior wiring systems Construction dust Overhead work Pull wire through conduits Overhead work Work access from Aerial Lift, bucket truck, scissor lift, ladder Overhead work Work with or remove old wiring Overhead work Excavation & Demolition Remove or recycle interior structures, doors and windows Overhead work Insulation & Lagging Assemble and dismantle scaffolding Overhead work Attach insulation with tape, staples, glue, wire and bands Overhead work Blow and place insulation into walls, ceilings and thermal controlled areas and equipment Overhead work Install and apply fire stop products Overhead work Maintain and remove old insulation including asbestos Overhead work Place finished insulation around duct, pipes, tanks, vessels and mechanical equipment Overhead work Interiors, Drywall & Glass Install suspended ceiling systems Overhead work Masonry, Cement & Plaster Erecting and dismantling scaffolding Overhead work Operating power vibrator to compact concrete or grout Overhead work Pipes & Vessels Assemble vessel structures and parts Overhead work Cut and drill holes in structures prior to pipe installation Construction dust Overhead work Silica Cut, thread, hammer and bend pipes and vessel tubes Overhead work Deburr and grind pipes and vessel tubes Overhead work Disassemble and remove damaged or worn pipe Overhead work Install bricks and other refractory materials in fireboxes Overhead work Mount brackets and hangers on walls and ceilings to hold pipes Construction dust Repair or replace defective vessel parts Overhead work Weld, braze, solder, cut, or gouge pipe sections or vessel parts Overhead work Reinforced Concrete Build forms, lay down decking Overhead work Cut or bend rebar Overhead work Pour, pump, vibrate concrete Overhead work Remove forms Overhead work Surface grinding or cutting Overhead work Tie or cap rebar Overhead work Unload, store, move, place rebar Overhead work Roofing Erect and climb ladders and scaffolds Overhead work Sheet Metal & HVAC Apply caulk, cement and mastic sealants Overhead work Assemble fittings and fasten seams and joints using hand and power tools Overhead work Install flashing, rain gutters and down spouts Overhead work Install heating and air conditioning duct hangers & ductwork Overhead work Install risers Overhead work Rig and set HVAC equipment with cranes, helicopters, hoists and lifts Overhead work Weld, braze and solder seams and joints Overhead work Structural Steel Assemble and disassemble structural members in shop and field Overhead work Build or erect false work Overhead work Drill, grind and saw materials Overhead work Unload, assemble, jump and diassemble cranes Overhead work Weld, place or bolt exterior skin Overhead work Weld, plasma cut, air-arc and flame cut metal Overhead work More Links
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