At KBV Group we believe that innovation starts with people. That is why we celebrate the initiative of Nuria Olave, a student of the Degree in Industrial Design Engineering and Product Development at the University of Zaragoza, who has focused her Final Degree Project on the search for ergonomic solutions to improve occupational health in the kitchen furniture sector.
A day-to-day reality: manual loading and physical risk
During her analysis in our factories, Nuria detected a common problem in the industry: the manual handling of heavy furniture during packaging, storage and truck loading processes. These tasks, which can involve lifting modules weighing up to 80 kg to heights of more than 2 meters, represent a risk to workers’ physical health.
Analysis and proposal: design with purpose
With a rigorous and people-centered methodology, Nuria Olave approached the ergonomic challenge by applying advanced postural analysis tools such as RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) and REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment), used internationally to assess the risk of musculoskeletal injuries derived from forced postures, physical load and repetitive movements.
During her research, she identified the most critical tasks in the plant’s logistics chain: lowering, picking, lifting and loading the kitchen modules, often without any mechanical assistance. These repeated actions, especially with heavy and bulky furniture, had high risk scores in both methods of analysis, indicating an urgent need for intervention.
Based on these findings, Nuria designed a conceptual proposal that focuses on minimizing physical effort, reducing the likelihood of injury and optimizing workflow. His approach combined industrial design principles, applied ergonomics and knowledge of the real factory environment, with special attention to usability, operator autonomy and adaptability to different workspaces.
The result is not just an academic exercise: it is a clear example of how design can tangibly contribute to labor welfare, productivity and operational sustainability in industrial environments such as ours.
KBV Group as a learning and innovation environment
The project was developed in collaboration with our factory team and occupational safety managers, and reflects the type of initiatives we value: ideas born from observation, rigorous analysis and a desire to improve the lives of those who are part of our value chain.
From KBV Group we thank and recognize Nuria’s talent, and we reaffirm our commitment to ergonomics, occupational safety and responsible innovation.
