What is Ergonomics?

Ergonomics

• Ergonomics is the study of a person’s work related to the tools and machines he/she uses to accomplish the task of work.

• Ergonomics is a study of time and motion involved in work.

• Ergonomics is improving a work task, procedure, process to make the worker more efficient.

Ergonomics

• Ergonomics is the science of fitting workplace conditions and job demands to the capabilities of the working population.

• Ergonomics is human engineering.

• Ergonomics is the name of a new regulation intended to reduce worker injury

Ergonomics

• Ergonomics refers to assessing those work-related factors that may pose a risk of musculoskeletal disorders and recommendations to alleviate them

Why Do You Need Ergonomics?

• Classroom demonstration

Ergonomics Program Elements

• Management leadership - paragraph (h)

• Employee participation - paragraph (i)

• MSD management - paragraphs (p), (q), (r) & (s)

• Job hazard analysis - paragraph (j)

• Hazard reduction and control measures - paragraphs (k), (l), and (m) and evaluation as specified in paragraph (u), if the job hazard analysis determines that the job presents an MSD hazard

• Training - paragraph (t)

Job Hazard Analysis

Train the Trainer

What Is the Step-by-Step Procedure of a Job?

• Observe the job• Interview the person performing the job• Break the job into various actions• Describe the actions• Measure and quantify risk factors• Identify conditions contributing to the risk factors• Verify the analysis of the job with the worker

Observe the Job

• What are the physical work activities?

• Break the job into various actions

• Describe the actions

Examples of Physical Work Activities

• Exerting considerable physical effort to complete a motion

• Doing the same motion over and over again

• Performing motions constantly without shout pauses or breaks in between

• Maintaining same position or posture while performing tasks

Examples of Physical Work Activities

• Sitting for a long time

• Using hand and power tools

• Using hands or body as clamp to hold object while performing tasks

• Moving heavy objects

• Bending or twisting during manual handling

What Are the Work Conditions?

Examples of Work Conditions

• Performing tasks that involve long reaches• Working surfaces are too high or too low• Maintaining the same position or posture

while performing tasks• Vibrating working surfaces, machinery or

vehicles• Workstation edges or objects press hard

into muscles or tendons

Examples of Work Conditions

• Gloves are bulky, too large or too small• Objects or people are heavy• Horizontal reach is long• Vertical reach is below knees or above

shoulders• Object is slippery or has no handles• Floor surfaces are uneven, slippery or

sloped

Activities and Conditions

• Which of the activities and conditions present risk factors?

What Are the Ergonomic Risk Factors?

• Repetition

• Force

• Duration

• Vibration

• Temperature

• Posture

Covered Risk Factors• Repetition - repeating

same motions for 2 hours at a time or using keyboard/mouse steadily for more than 4 hours/day

• Force - lifting, pushing/pulling, pinching/gripping unsupported objects

• Vibration - high >30 minutes; moderate >2 hours/day

• Awkward postures - raising or working with hands above head or elbows above shoulders; kneeling, squatting; twisting neck,back or wrists more than 2 hours per day

• Contact stress - more than 10 times/hour more than 2 hours per day

Potential Solutions

Train-the-Trainer

Potential Solutions

• Brainstorming – Leave history behind– No obstacles– Anything is possible– Empowered to do anything– No limit to resources– No limit on time– No bad or stupid ideas

What Are the Potential Solutions?

• Training solutions

• Engineering solutions

• Task modifications

• Task rotation

• Physical fitness issues

• Posture awareness

• Employee

Potential Training Solutions

• Principles of body mechanics

• Risk factors

• How to minimize potential injuries

Potential Engineering Solutions

• Limitations of equipment/tools

• Design principles

• Extreme, Average and Range

• Neutral Posture

Design Principles

• Commitment to the idea that things, machines, etc. are built to serve humans and must be designed always with the user in mind

• Recognition of individual differences in human capabilities and limitations and an appreciation for their design implications

Management and Leadership

Train-the-Trainer

Attitude

• Treat ergonomics as a baseline not a ceiling

• Make it a core value not a program

• Make it a proactive, behavioral approach

• Create a caring culture that is active

• Develop a process that is sustainable

• Strive for continual improvement

• Evaluate your ability to change

Strategy“Pulling It All Together”

• Get management support

• Develop a plan of action

• Establish priorities

• Selecting the “right” people

• Call on outside assistance

• Be realistic in your goals

• Get management support

Management Support

• How do you get it?

Action Plan

• Form a management/employee ergonomics steering team

• Educate the team extensively• Include upper and middle management on

the team• Know the team’s authority• Meet regularly for review of all ergonomic

related injuries

Action Plan

• Establish a written plan with – Action required– Responsible person/people– Start and completion dates– Evaluation of changes

Establish Priorities

• Review past illness/injury data

• Discomfort surveys

• Job analysis

• Low cost/High Impact

• Easy fix

• Productivity increases

Select the “Right” People

• Employee who performs the job– Expert– Acceptance

• Change Agents

• Employee Leaders

• Management Leaders

Outside Assistance

• Fresh Look

• Broad Experience

• Lack of Time/Resources

• Limited Knowledge

• Unbiased Opinion

Be Realistic

• Pie in the sky

• Reasonable goals/expectations

• Behavior based

• 3 years

Management Support

• How do you keep it?

What Policies Will You Put in Place to Manage Your

Ergonomics Core Values?

Policies

• Review existing safety and health policies for application

How Do You Evaluate the Effectiveness of This Program?

What Measures Will You Compare?

What Goals Will You Establish?

What Tool Will You Use to Share Information Regarding MSD

Hazards?

How Do You Manage the Suppliers of Equipment When the Solutions Involves Them?

How Do You Manage and Determine the Role of the Health

Care Professional?

How Do You Educate Your Customers Concerning the

Solution?

References

• Web Sites

• Professional Magazines

• Trade Magazines

• Books

• Professional Associations

• Hand Outs

Best Management Practices

• Industry based perspective

• Format to share ideas internally

• Vehicle to share ideas externally

Ergonomics Program Elements

• Management leadership - paragraph (h)

• Employee participation - paragraph (i)

• MSD management - paragraphs (p), (q), (r) & (s)

• Job hazard analysis - paragraph (j)

• Hazard reduction and control measures - paragraphs (k), (l), and (m) and evaluation as specified in paragraph (u), if the job hazard analysis determines that the job presents an MSD hazard

• Training - paragraph (t)

Management Leadership• Assign and communicate responsibilities

• Provide designated persons with the authority, resources, and information necessary

• Ensure that policies and practices encourage and do not discourage:

– Early reporting of MSDs, their signs and symptoms, and MSD hazards; and

– Employee participation in the ergonomics program

• Communicate periodically with employees

Employee Participation• Have ways to promptly report MSDs, MSD signs and

symptoms, and MSD hazards

• Receive prompt responses to their reports

• Provided with a summary of the requirements of the standard; have ready access to a copy of the standard and to information about MSDs, MSD signs and symptoms, MSD hazards, and your ergonomics program

• Have ways to be involved in the development, implementation, and evaluation of your ergonomics program.

Control Steps

• Ask employees to recommend measures to reduce MSD hazards

• Identify and implement initial controls within 90 days of determining that job meets the “Action Trigger.”

– Initial controls “substantially reduce exposures even if they do not reach the levels specified in §1910.900 (k)(1)

– Permanent controls meet §1910.900 (k)(1)

MSD Management• Includes:

– Access to a Health Care Provider

– Any necessary work restrictions, including time off to recover

– Work restriction protection

– Evaluation and follow-up of MSD incidents

• “MSD management. . .does not include medical treatment, emergency or post-treatment procedures.”

Training

• Initial training must be provided to:– Each employee in a job that meets the Action

Trigger– Supervisors or team leaders– Other employees involved in setting up and

managing your ergonomics program

• Follow-up training every 3 years

Ergonomics Program Evaluation

• Evaluate at least every 3 years and “when you have reason to believe that program is not functioning properly”

• How:– Consult employees about effectiveness and problems

– Review elements to ensure functioning effectively

– Determine whether MSD hazards are being identified/addressed

– Determine whether achieving positive results

MSD Management• Includes:

– Access to a Health Care Provider

– Any necessary work restrictions, including time off to recover

– Work restriction protection

– Evaluation and follow-up of MSD incidents

• “MSD management. . .does not include medical treatment, emergency or post-treatment procedures.”

Records

• In written or electronic form:– Employee reports of MSDs, MSD signs and symptoms,

and MSD hazards;

– Your response to such reports;

– Job hazard analyses;

– Hazard control measures;

– Quick fix process;

– Ergonomics program evaluations; and

– Work restrictions, time off work, & HCP opinions

Records

• Retain records for 3 years or until replaced/updated -- whichever comes first

• Except HCP opinions -- retain for duration of employment plus 3 years

• Except if employee worked <1 year:– no record retention– but must provide record to employee

Does Job Pose an MSD Hazard?Employer must conduct a job hazard analysis (JHA) using one or more of the following:

– Use one or more of the hazard identification tools listed in Appendix D-1, if the tools are relevant to the risk factors being addressed

– The occupation-specific hazard identification tool in Appendix D-2

– A job hazard analysis conducted by a professional trained in ergonomics;

– Any other reasonable method that is appropriate to the job and relevant to the risk factors being addressed.

Does Job Pose an MSD Hazard?

• JHA must include:– All employees who perform the same job OR

– A sample of employees in that job who have the greatest exposure to the relevant risk factors

• JHA steps:– Talk with those employees and their representatives about

the tasks that may relate to MSDs; AND

– Observe employees performing the job to identify risk factors and to evaluate the magnitude, frequency, and duration of exposure to those risk factors

Appendix D is Ergonomics“No Man’s Land”

• Job Strain Index - proposed method by Moore & Garg

• Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation

• Snook “Push/Pull Tables”

• Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA)

• Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA)

• ACGIH Hand/Arm Vibration TLV

Appendix D is Ergonomics“No Man’s Land”

• GM-UAW Risk Factor Checklist

• Washington State App. B Criteria for Analyzing and Reducing WMSD Hazards

• VDT Workstation Checklist

MSD Signs

“. . . objective, physical findings that an employee may be developing an MSD.”

– Decreased range of motion– Deformity– Decreased grip strength– Loss of muscle functions

MSD Symptoms

– Pain*– Numbness– Tingling– Burning– Cramping– Stiffness

* “MDS symptoms do not include discomfort.”

“. . . physical indications that an employee may be developing an MSD.”

An MSD Incident

• When the MSD is:– work-related AND– requires days away from work, restricted

work, or medical treatment beyond first aidOROR

• When MSD signs/symptoms are:– work-related AND – last for 7 or more days after the employee

reports them to employer

New “Action Trigger” Approach

1. Employee reports MSD or MSD Signs/Symptoms

2. Employer determines whether reported MSD is an “MSD incident”

3. IF MSD Incident has occurred AND the employee’s job “routinely involves, on one or more days a week, exposure to one or more relevant risk factors” in the Basic Screening Tool (Table W-1)

4. THEN employer must use Quick Fix or develop and implement an ergonomics program