Ergonomics Industrial BLRBusiness Legal Resources 1501 Session Objectives

Ergonomics Industrial © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

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 © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

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 © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) Injuries • 1. 8 million MSD injuries each year • 600, 000 MSD injuries require time away from work © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

OSHA Regulation Of Ergonomics 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 © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

MSD-Type Injuries Repetitive Placing, Grasping, or Moving Objects 20% Repetitive Use of Tools Typing or Key Entry 8% 9% Repetitive Motion 63% © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

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 © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

General Signs of MSDs • Less strength for gripping • Less range of motion • Loss of muscle function • Inability to do everyday tasks © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

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 © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

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 © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

Outward Signs of MSDs • Swelling or • • • inflammation of joints Vigorously shaking hands Massaging hands, wrists, or arms Cradling arms Limping Stiff back © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

Common MSDs • Carpal tunnel • • syndrome Low back pain Eye strain Tendinitis Trigger finger Image Credit: Cal OSH & NIOSH © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

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 © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

Act on the Signs of MSD Act immediately: • Report the problem • Seek medical attention • Early treatment and intervention can prevent permanent injury © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

What Do You Think? Employee experiences severe back pain often. 1. What do you think is causing this employee’s pain? 2. How can this be improved? © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

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 © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

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 © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

Check Your Knowledge Which of these are MSD symptoms? ü ý ü ü ü Tingling Racing heart Pain Numbness Loss of muscle function ý Dizziness ý Excessive cough ü ü Stiffness Swelling of joints © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

MSDs—Any Questions? • Do you understand what MSDs are and the signs and symptoms of MSDs? © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

Risk Factors That Lead to MSDs • Repetitive motions • Forceful exertions • Awkward postures • Contact stress (pressure points) • Vibrations • Using tools not ergonomically designed © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

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 © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

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: OSHA © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

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 © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

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 © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

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 © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

MSDs Related To Risk Factors De Quervain’s disease Repetition Trigger finger Posture Rotator cuff syndrome Forceful Grip Thoracic outlet syndrome Contact Stress Hand-arm vibration syndrome Prolonged Vibration © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

Can You Identify The Risk Factors? © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

Can You Identify The Risk Factors? (cont. ) Risk Factors • Repetitive motion • Lifting or reaching • awkward position • excessive weight • arms raised MSDs • Torn tendon • Tendinitis • Back pain © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

MSD Risk Factors— Any Questions? • Do you understand MSD risk factors and hazards? © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

Ergonomics Management • Job assessment • MSD reporting and response system • Designated coordinator • Training • Encourage employee participation and reporting of MSDs © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

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 © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

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 © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

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 © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

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? © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501

Key Points to Remember! • Recognize MSD signs and symptoms • Understand MSD hazards • Take steps to control MSD hazards • Participate in the Ergonomics Program © BLR®—Business & Legal Resources 1501