© BLR ® —Business & Legal Resources Massachusetts Retail Merchants Workers’ Compensation Group, Inc. S afety A wareness F or E veryone from Cove Risk Services

© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources

Massachusetts Retail Merchants Workers’ Compensation Group, Inc.

Safety Awareness For Everyone from Cove Risk Services

Ergonomics

Industrial


Session Objectives

You 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 neckshooting pain, stiffness

– Shoulderspain, stiffness, loss of mobility

– Arms and legsshooting pains, numbness

– Elbow and knee joints pain, swelling, stiffness, soreness


MSD Symptoms (cont.)

– Hands and wrists swelling, numbness, loss of strength

– Fingersjerking movements, or loss of strength, mobility, and feeling

– Thumbspain at the base

– Feet and toesnumbness, 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 diseaseforceful grip

– Carpet layer’s kneecontact trauma

– Rotator cuff tendinitis repetitive motion

– Herniated disk bending and twisting

– Hand-arm vibration syndrome


Act on the Signs of MSD

Act 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

Key Points to Remember!

Massachusetts Retail Merchants Workers’ Compensation Group, Inc.

Safety Awareness For Everyone from Cove Risk Services

Documents

© BLR ® —Business & Legal Resources Massachusetts Retail Merchants Workers’ Compensation Group, Inc. S afety A wareness F or E veryone from Cove Risk Services