Ergonomics Training

Ergonomics

Industrial

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Session ObjectivesYou will be able to:• Understand the principles of ergonomics• Recognize the risk factors, signs, and

symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)

• Understand our program for identifying, reporting, and controlling MSDs

• Know how to protect yourself from MSD injuries and reduce your risk


What Is Ergonomics?• Modify jobs to fit

capabilities of people• Reduce MSDs

• Repetitive reaching, forceful exertions, bending and lifting, or working with vibrating equipment

• Engineering controls• Safe work practices• PPE


Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) Injuries• 1.8 million MSD

injuries each year

• 600,000 MSD injuries require time away from work


Regulation Of Ergonomics• General Duty Clause• Applies to unregulated hazards

• Failure to keep a hazard-free workplace• Hazard recognized by employer or employer’s industry

• Hazard could cause death or serious harm• Method exists to correct the hazard


MSD-Type Injuries

Repetitive Motion

63%

Repetitive Placing, Grasping, or

Moving Objects

20%

Repetitive Use of Tools 8%

Typing or Key Entry

9%


Characteristics of MSDs • Occur from a single event or many small

injuries• Take weeks, months, or years to develop• Produce no symptoms in early stages, but

show symptoms after injury has occurred• Contributing causes may occur at home

and at work• Same MSD may differ in severity from

person to person doing a similar task


General Signs of MSDs• Less strength for gripping• Less range

of motion• Loss of

muscle function• Inability to do

everyday tasks


MSD Symptoms• Back and neck—

shooting pain, stiffness• Shoulders—pain,

stiffness, loss of mobility• Arms and legs—

shooting pains, numbness

• Elbow and knee joints— pain, swelling, stiffness, soreness


MSD Symptoms (cont.)

• Hands and wrists— swelling, numbness, loss of strength

• Fingers—jerking movements, or loss of strength, mobility, and feeling

• Thumbs—pain at the base

• Feet and toes—numbness, tingling, stiffness, burning sensation


Outward Signs of MSDs• Swelling or

inflammation of joints

• Vigorously shaking hands

• Massaging hands, wrists, or arms

• Cradling arms

• Limping

• Stiff back


Common MSDs• Carpal tunnel

syndrome• Low back pain• Eye strain• Tendinitis• Trigger finger

Image Credit: Cal OSH & NIOSH


Common MSDs (cont.)

• De Quervain’s disease—forceful grip

• Carpet layer’s knee—contact trauma

• Rotator cuff tendinitis— repetitive motion

• Herniated disk— bending and twisting

• Hand-arm vibration syndrome


Act on the Signs of MSDAct immediately:

• Report the problem

• Seek medical attention

• Early treatment and intervention can prevent permanent injury


What Do You Think?

1. What do you think is causing this employee’s pain?

2. How can this be improved?

Employee experiences severe back pain often.


What Is Causing the Pain?Possibilities:

• Repetitive lifting of heavy objects

• Twisting while lifting

• Poor lifting techniques

• Lifting above shoulders

• Single lifting injury

• Poor conditioning


What Can Be Done?• Use lifting aids

• Don’t twist

• Lift using your legs, not your back

• Use a stool or stepladder

• Don’t overdo it

• Keep your back in shape


Which of these are MSD symptoms?

Check Your Knowledge

Loss of muscle function

Racing heart

Pain

Numbness

Tingling

Dizziness

Excessive cough

Stiffness

Swelling of joints


MSDs—Any Questions?• Do you understand

what MSDs are and the signs and symptoms of MSDs?


Risk Factors That Lead to MSDs• Repetitive motions

• Forceful exertions

• Awkward postures

• Contact stress (pressure points)

• Vibrations


Risk Factor—Repetitive Motion• Stress on muscles and

tendons• Contributing factors

• Duration and speed of repetitious movement

• Number of muscles involved

• Required force

• Raising and lowering the arm over and over again


Forceful Exertions• Inflammation of

tendons, nerves, joints• Contributing factors

• Type of grip• Weight of object• Body posture• Type and duration of the

task

Image Credit: OSHAImage Credit: OSHA


Awkward Postures• Stress on muscles

and tendons• Contributing factors

• Reaching overhead• Force the body must

maintain to hold the position

• Holding fixed positions (static loading)

• Lifting while twisting, reaching, or turning


Contact Stress• Pressing against or

grabbing a hard object puts pressure on nerves, tendons, and blood vessels

• Contributing factors• Repetition• Duration of contact• Grip strength required


Vibration• Affects tendons,

muscles, joints, nerves• Contributing factors

• Prolonged grip• Restricts blood supply

to hands and fingers• Tools without vibration

dampening device• Poor power tool

maintenance


MSDs Related To Risk Factors

De Quervain’s disease

Trigger finger

Rotator cuff syndrome

Thoracic outlet syndrome

Hand-arm vibration syndrome

Repetition

Posture

Forceful Grip

Contact Stress

Prolonged Vibration


Can You Identify The Risk Factors?


Can You Identify The Risk Factors? (cont.)

• Repetitive motion

• Lifting or reaching• awkward position• excessive weight• arms raised

MSDs

• Torn tendon

• Tendinitis

• Back pain

Risk Factors


MSD Risk Factors—Any Questions?• Do you understand

MSD risk factors and hazards?


Ergonomics Management• Job assessment

• MSD reporting and response system

• Designated coordinator

• Training

• Encourage employee participation and reporting of MSDs


Identifying and Controlling MSD Hazards• Determine whether

MSD hazards exist and degree of risk

• Devise a control strategy with your input

• Implement control measures

• Training


Control Methods• Install engineering controls including

workstation layout and proper tools• Institute work practice controls including

neutral postures for performing tasks• Administrative controls including

rescheduling to reduce frequency or duration of exposure to MSDs

• Personal protective equipment (PPE) to provide a protective barrier between worker and MSD


How to Protect Yourself• Change positions often;

take stretch breaks • Maintain neutral posture

whenever possible• Eliminate or reduce

MSD risk factors• Use material-handling

aids• Report MSD symptoms


MSD Prevention and Control—Any Questions?• Do you think you

understand what you need to know about the methods to manage, prevent, and control MSDs?


• Recognize MSD signs and symptoms• Understand MSD hazards• Take steps to control MSD hazards• Participate in the Ergonomics Program