Survey of ergonomic features of supermarket cash registers

This research was conducted to examine the biomechanical features of currently used cash register designs in New York State. Comparisons and conclusions about the designs are based on the current Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards regarding supermarket cash registers. A total of 15 supermarkets were included in the study representing a cross-section of neighborhoods. Stores were measured for heights of the various work surfaces and reach distances to the commonly used components. Results revealed that none of the stores utilized biomechanically correct designs. Disregard for certain biomechanical aspects of the register design, specifically surface heights and reach distance may contribute significantly to a high risk for injury present in the modern day job of cashiers. This study highlights problems in the supermarket industry regarding compliance with ergonomic guidelines for supermarket cash registers. The findings suggest that, though advances have been made in register design, the newer models are not widely implemented and cashiers remain at risk for a variety of musculoskeletal disorders from currently used models.