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Ergonomics / Re-Engineered Ergonomics
“The Study of Man and his Relationship
to his Work”
Ergonomics/human factors is a multidisciplinary activity
striving to assemble information on people's capacities for
use in designing jobs, products, workplaces, and equipment.
The process is inter-disciplinarian: it bases its theories on
physiology, psychology, anthropometry, and various aspects of
engineering. In the past, ergonomics served mainly to increase
efficiency, and thereby productivity. This is no longer the
prime goal. Indeed now, the following objectives more closely
define the benefits to be gained by ergonomic research:
Health Consultants, Inc. Prevention Programs
Step #1 Program Development – We assist you in establishing your goals
and objectives too initiate an ergonomic program which involves the
following:
SStep #2 Job
Site Analysis-We analyze to determine if
certain engineering or administrative controls are
needed which, exclude awkward postures, repetition,
forces, or changes in frequencies. Our staff utilizes
several quantitative and qualitative methods to determine
the risk factors at the job site to include:
- The HumanTech™ Ergonomic Modules – “Hit List”,
Baseline Risk of Ergonomic Factors (BRIEF), BRIEF
Exposure Scoring Technique (BEST) Ergonomic
Assessment Survey (EASY), Employee Survey, and
Cost Benefit Analysis.
Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA)
Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA)
Strain Index (SI)
Occupational Repetitive Action Index
Cumulative Trauma Disorder Risk Assessment Index
Psychophysical Assessment Methods for Manual
Material Handling – Snook Tables
National Institute of Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Revised Lifting Equation
- National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) - Using
the NIOSH Manual Material Handling guidelines, job sites that involve
lifting are evaluated. This evaluation involves a determination of such
factors as object weight, frequency of lift, location at time of lift,
relation of object to the center of the body, and vertical distance of
lift. These data are mathematically computed to determine the Maximum
Permissible Lift and Action Level and whether the operation is in excess
of these. Only 25% of males and 1% of females are able to lift at or
above the MPL without injury, whereas 99% of males and 75% of females
are able to perform at or below the AL without injury. The goal is to
use this data to make job site adjustments to prevent injuries.
- Tool Design - An evaluation of tools you utilize, which may place body
parts such as the hands and wrists into awkward positions, which may
lead to hand or wrist injury. Identification of other job sites into
which your employees may be rotated periodically which are less
stringent or intensive to the hand and wrist.
- Anthropometric Measuring - Measurements of your job sites are taken to
determine the percentile of the population by body size or part, which
can safely perform the job functions.
Step #3 Written Report - The results of each of the evaluations and
analyses are presented to you in a written report outlining a “Road-Map”
to the development of and continuation of a RSI prevention program. The
report technically outlines findings with recommendations on actions
that you will need, to prevent the injuries now and in the future, while
at the same insuring compliance with the provisions of the anticipated
OSHA standard. The following are areas some of the areas that are
identified:
- Worker Training -Training sessions to teach your employees about the
hazards involved with his or her work-site, methods to prevent injury,
warm-up exercises and methods to work-harden themselves against injury.
- Supervisors Training – Training sessions to teach your supervisors
techniques to monitor the workplace and the behaviors of workers that
may lead to RSI injuries.
- Ergonomic Coordinator Training – This training is for those your individual(s) assigned with the responsibility of development and
coordination of the Ergonomic program.
- Medical Management Program - Coordination and collaboration with your
medical support personnel is developed. This involves sessions with your
support medical personnel to ensure that they are aware of the ergonomic
hazards at the particular job sites when they are evaluating them for
injuries or illnesses, both occupational and non-occupational. Also a
program of light duty and specialty evaluations can be developed.
- Methods for Monitoring and Feedback - This involves a method for
workers and supervisors to monitor and provide feedback to management,
in an ongoing prevention program. Also our consultants will complete a
survey each quarter to evaluate the success of the program instituted.
Re-Engineered Ergonomics
“The Study of Man and his Relationship to his Work”
One of the greatest threats to the competitiveness and “bottom line” for
employers today is the risk of occupational Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI)
in their workforce. Quite often, frustrated by the requirements of
regulatory guidelines, the employer looses sight of the fact that these
types of injuries are the fastest growing workplace injuries. Injuries,
which directly affect the cost of doing business. At the present time
these injuries cost US employers approximately $15- $20,000,000,000.00 a
year in direct medical cost and $45-$60,000,000,000.00 in indirect,
non-insured cost. Each year more than 650,000 lost workday cases occur.
Of these, the majority are the most costly in the form of back injuries.
Considering that the workforce is aging with the becoming of age of the
Post World War II Babyboomers, yielding an average age of the population
at 40 years old, it is inevitable that the incidence of musculo-skeletal
disorders will continue to rise. At present, there are more than one
hundred different types of job-induced injuries and illnesses resulting
from wear and tear on the body. As significant as the age factor is, in
addition, employers are struggling with an ever-decreasing labor pool so
that every effort to maintain their workforce is needed. It just makes
good business sense to take action to prevent these injuries now rather
than making business decisions dependent upon whether the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will issue a requirement or not.
Another factor contributing to the rates of RSI is the increasing number
of females in the workforce. In 1960, less than one-half of females in
the population were in the paid workforce. Today more than seventy-five
percent are working. Studies indicate that females are at more risk for
the onset of RSI due to several anatomical and physiological factors at
some job sites than are their male counterpart.
At any rate, it is apparent that the OSHA has identified the need to
issue a standard and has conducted the research necessary to prove that
viable Ergonomic programs work. As such, after initially beginning work
toward issuing guidelines back in 1979, on November 23, 1999 the agency
promulgated a proposed standard in the federal register. This followed a
failed attempt by members of the US Congress to again prevent the agency
from issuing a standard. Apparently the evidence indicating that actions
are needed to prevent RSI lead to their decision to vote against the
resolution. This is understandable in consideration of the
aforementioned cost to US employers with evidence that 2.73 million
worker’s compensation claims for RSIs have occurred in recent years.
Also, the fact that OSHA estimates that one out of three workers’
compensation dollars paid for claims are for these type injuries. In a
presentation in Atlanta on January 18, 2000, Jim Drake, OSHA Ergonomic
Coordinator, Region IV, indicated that activities to finalize the
standard are “on track” and the goal is to finalize by December 2000.
Introduction
 In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the reporting
of cumulative trauma disorders (CTDs) and other work-related disorders
due to ergonomic hazards. CTDs account for an increasingly large
percentage of workers’ compensation costs each year, and they represent
nearly half of the occupational illnesses reported in the annual Bureau
of Labor Statistics (BLS) survey. Government agencies report that much
of the increase in CTDs is due to changes in process and technology that
expose employees to increased repetitive motion and other ergonomic risk
factors; some may be attributed to increased awareness --by industry,
labor, and government--and reporting of these disorders.
A major factor which may contribute to the incidence of CTDs now and in
the future relates to the aging workforce in America. With the becoming
of age of the "baby-boomers," who make up 1/3 of the American population
(78 million) and at least half the workforce, the average age of the
population is 40 years old. As such, from an ergonomic perspective,
older workers are more subject to disorders of the musculo-skeletal
system such as those caused by repetitive motion and other ergonomic
risk factors.
In addition to an aging workforce, in regards to ergonomic issues one
must consider the changing sexual demographics. In 1960, less than
one-half (½) of females in the "child-bearing" years (25-34) and "post
child-bearing" years (35 >) were in the paid workforce. In the past
twenty years an estimated three-quarters (¾) are in the paid workforce.
Though females perform on an equal basis as their male-counterpart,
there ability to push, pull, lift, etc. is different.
Regulatory Action
According to government experts, finding solutions to the problems posed
by ergonomic hazards may well be the most significant workplace safety
and health issue of the 1990’s and beyond. Of course, the effective
management of worker safety and health protection includes all
work-related hazards, whether or not they are regulated by specific
federal standards. The OSHAct clearly states that the general duty of
all employers is to provide their employees with a workplace free from
recognized serious hazards. This includes the prevention and control of
ergonomic hazards.
In January 1989, OSHA published voluntary, general Safety and Health
Program Management Guidelines (Federal Register, Vol. 54, No. 16,
January 26, 1989, pp. 3904-3916), which are recommended to all employers
as a foundation for their safety and health programs and as a framework
for their ergonomics programs. In addition, OSHA has developed
ergonomics program management guidelines specifically for the
meatpacking industry.
Related to these guidelines, OSHA has stated that they expect employers
to implement effective ergonomics programs, adapted to their particular
workplaces, containing the major elements described in the guidelines.
OSHA’s field inspection staff have been instructed that failure to
implement the guidelines is not in itself a violation of the General
Duty Clause of the OSHAct. The guidelines provide information on the
steps employers should take (1) to determine if they have
ergonomic-related problems in their work-places, (2) to identify the
nature and location of those problems, and (3) to implement measures to
reduce or eliminate them.
Program Elements
OSHA has stated that employers should take whatever measures are
appropriate -- including those set forth in the guidelines -- to address
the problems found, if any. If no problems exist, employers should keep
on with current efforts to maintain a safe and healthful workplace. The
guidelines are divided into three primary sections:These guidelines are based on technical discussions and recommendations
from the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH),
representatives of industry, employee representatives in industry, and
other sources.
The four program elements are:
- Worksite Analysis
- Hazard prevention and control
- Medical management
- Training and education
Ergonomic Training Course for Program Management Personnel
Training and education is one of the major elements outlined by the OSHA
and the NIOSH to prevent the occurrence of ergonomically related
injuries and illnesses. Such training is beneficial for employees who
may be at risk to ergonomic type hazards and those with the
responsibility to evaluate job sites where such risk exist.
The staff of Health Consultants, Inc. provides several different
training courses to assist employers in the area of ergonomic
injury/illness prevention. These programs include:
- Program Management Personnel Course
- Production Worker Course
- Supervisor’s Course
- Occupational Health Nurse Course
Program Management Personnel Course
This 8 hour course is designed for those personnel who have the
responsibility to evaluate worksites in order to identify ergonomic
hazards and to assess the risk of exposure to such hazards. In addition,
the methods to abate or eliminate the hazard and or decrease the risk is
discussed.
The specific course subjects include: The subjects discussed
include:
- Job Flow Analysis
- Tool Design
- Anthropometric Job Site Measurements
- NIOSH Manual Material Handling Measurements
- Medical Ergonomic Disorders - 1 hour
In this one hour session, the student is introduced to the patho-physiological
and anatomical changes that occur with the most common medical ergonomic
disorders - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Back Injuries.
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - This disorder is a common medical ergonomic
entity related to repetitive and cumulative trauma to the wrist and
forearm. Because of the mechanisms of injury it is important for the
student to under what and how specific anatomical structures are damaged
in order to understand what changes in work activities are necessary.
- Back Injury - Back injuries are the most costly workers compensation
injury in industry today. The student is taught the mechanism of injury
for common back injuries and in order to appropriately evaluate risk
factors at job sites, the Proper Lifting Techniques and Biomechanics
- Practical Exercise - Job Site Analysis
In this one hour session, the students are proctored by the instructor
in the evaluation of a job site which may have ergonomic hazards and
risk factors. In groups, the students must document their findings and
recommendations.
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