Modified sequencing in window manufacturing to promote physical distancing and mitigate the risk of COVID-19 infection among workers

COVID-19的蔓延对加拿大造成了巨大的社会经济影响，迫使非必要企业关闭，并对就业市场造成了几乎前所未有的压力。卫生当局建议采取预防措施，如物理距离、个人防护设备（PPE）和适当的卫生措施，以减轻感染风险。然而，在工厂环境中，在确保符合这些协议的同时有效地操作是困难的，在工厂环境中，工人彼此处于恒定的物理接近。 该研究项目旨在通过修改窗户制造设施的操作顺序，促进工人之间的物理距离，并降低COVID-19感染的风险。由于窗户制造过程非常复杂，拟议的研究将集中在改变操作顺序和生产线的布局，以减少工人之间与工作相关的互动，并留出更多空间来保持适当的物理距离。 在制造典型窗户的步骤中，安装硬件是最复杂和耗时的过程之一，因为它需要工人在窗框的所有四个侧面上操作。为了让工人能够轻松地旋转窗框，现有的硬件安装工作站被设计成具有比其他工作站大得多的占地面积。这限制了这些工作站周围的可用空间，使工人难以在当前的物理距离协议下自由移动和有效操作。 本研究提出了一种更简化的硬件安装过程，其中硬件直接安装在线性PVC型材上，作为将硬件安装在焊接的2D窗框上的现有过程的替代方案。这些修改将在工作站周围创造额外的楼面空间，使工人可以最大限度地保持物理距离并降低COVID-19感染的风险。

The spread of COVID-19 has had an enormous socio-economic impact on Canada, forcing non-essential businesses to shut down and putting almost unprecedented strain on the job market. Preventative measures such as physical distancing, personal protective equipment (PPE), and proper hygiene are recommended by health authorities as a way of mitigating the risk of infection. However, it is difficult to operate efficiently while ensuring compliance with these protocols in factory environments where workers are in constant physical proximity to one another. The purpose of this research project is to promote physical distancing among workers and reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection by modifying the sequence of operations in a window manufacturing facility. Since the window manufacturing process is highly complex, the proposed research will focus on changing the sequence of operations and the layout of production lines to mitigate work-related interactions among workers and allow more space to maintain proper physical distancing. Among the steps involved in manufacturing a typical window, installation of hardware is one of the most complex and time-consuming processes, since it requires workers to operate on all four sides of the window frame. In order for workers to rotate the window frame with ease, the existing hardware installation workstations are designed with a much larger footprint as compared to other workstations. This limits the space available around these workstations, making it difficult for workers to move freely and operate efficiently under the current physical distancing protocols. This research proposes a more streamlined hardware installation process wherein the hardware is installed directly on the linear PVC profiles, as an alternative to the existing process of installing the hardware on the welded 2D window frame. These modifications will create additional floor space around the workstations such that workers can maximize physical distancing and mitigate the risk of COVID-19 infection.