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Sikorsky Teamsters Win the Ergo Cup
Members of Teamsters Local 1150 and a group of Sikorsky engineers won a competition at the Ergo Cup in New Orleans. The workers are responsible for manufacturing helicopters for Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of the Lockheed Martin Corporation.
The Ergo Cup takes place at the Applied Ergonomics Conference, a national convention geared towards showcasing the latest developments in the field of optimizing workplace efficiency. The competition took place on March 28 of this year, with the Sikorsky members winning the “Team-Driven Workplace Solution for Teams with Internal Competition” category for their Sikorsky CH-53K Harness Hooks and Spook Installation.
The installation is a series of magnetic hooks on the inside of a CH-53K helicopter that allows the workers to hold a wire harness in place. Previously, the workers had to carry the harnesses on their shoulders, a process that had a greater risk for on-the-job injuries. Not only do the hooks for the wire harness make the process safer, they also make what used to be a nine-person job a two-person job, thus increasing workplace efficiency. Watch a video of the installation here.
“We would have to walk in [to the helicopter] with nine guys, we would have to hold the equipment over our heads, and then we would have to wait for another guy to come and zip-tie it in,” Local 1150 Member Leonard Duffus said. “You’re holding your hands over your head for longer than two, three minutes and the temperature is over 90 degrees, it could be painful after a while of doing that. The hooks eliminated the guy having to come through with a zip tie, and it also made it so we don’t have to hold the harness up over our heads.”
In addition to Leonard Duffus, Anthony Alfonso Jr., Charlie Pitsch, and John Mencucci were Sikorsky workers also who represented the company at the competition. Congratulations to all of the Local 1150 members who won at this year’s Ergo Cup!