Musculoskeletal injuries and disorders (MSDs) are some of the most costly types of injuries, creating possible lifelong problems for sufferers and affecting safety records for employers. In fact, research is starting to suggest a correlation exists between tool usage and the most common types of MSD cases such as carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger tendonitis, rotator cuff tendonitis, lower back injuries, knee bursitis, and elbow epicondylitis.

Now, imagine the strain of hauling a 200-pound sewer machine up an entire flight of stairs or pulling it up into a service van. This type of repetitive strain can have a major impact on the upper body, lower body, forearms and biceps. Yet, unfortunately, this is a daily situation for many professionals on service calls — and in order to avoid throwing out their backs (or worse) they’ll often have to bring an extra person just to help with transportation of the machine.

The MX FUEL Sewer Drum Machine is a solution that allows for one-person transportation of these heavy sewer lateral machines through POWERTREDZ Lift Assist technology. This technology comes in the form of powered treads on the back of the machine that assist in transporting the machine up and down stairs as well as in and out of service vehicles. 

During the development of this drum machine, Milwaukee Tool utilized an ergonomic innovation know as electromyography, or EMG. This EMG process uses the electrical activity produced by a person’s skeletal muscles to record muscle effort during a tool’s use. With the ability to measure up to 108 unique muscle groups throughout the body, the use of EMG technology can help create tools that reduce peak muscle efforts and fatigue — allowing workers to age and retire with greater strength and health.

This investment in EMG research allowed Milwaukee to collect objective ergonomic data to positively influence the design of the MX FUEL Sewer Drum Machine. In its research, Milwaukee put the drum machine through its paces — working with users to unload and load the machine from a service van and move it up and down stretches of 12 stairs. They found that:

• Unloading and loading
  • In both scenarios, the MX FUEL Sewer Drum Machine’s powered treads dramatically reduced lower back strain by up to 78%.
• Ascending and descending stairs
  • The MX FUEL machine reduced upper back effort, lower back effort and bicep effort by nearly half. During descent, there was a dramatic 66% reduction in forearm effort. 

This data proves that, through the implementation of POWERTREDZ Lift Assist technology, the MX FUEL Sewer Drum Machine reduces the strain of lifting a 200-pound machine and improves overall productivity and safety for users.

As workers continue to demand attention to their ergonomic health, solutions like this MX FUEL drum machine will continue to offer immense benefits. Company owners will feel the affects as well, with decreased OSHA recordable claims for MSDs, lower insurance premiums, and the assurance of knowing they’re keeping their employees’ health and safety top of mind.

For more information about the MX FUEL Sewer Drum Machine with POWERTREDZ please click here.