Ergonomics Awareness to Employees

8/13/2019 Ergonomics Awareness to Employees

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Ergonomics andRisk Factor Awareness

Ergonomics andRisk Factor Awareness

PART 1PART 1


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Objectives

To gain an understanding of:

What is ergonomics

How cumulative trauma disorders develop

Ergonomic risk factors Controlling risk factors

To gain an understanding of how ergonomics

applies to your job


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Ergonomics - What is it?

Most people look like this...

Some designers must thinkthat people look like this...


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Ergonomics is

Scientific study of human interaction with the

work environment

Considers physical and mental capabilities of

workers as they interact with tools,equipment, work methods, tasks, and

working environment

Goal to reduce work related injuries by

adapting work to fit people


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Ergonomics is

not only the design of jobs,

tools and equipment, but..how people use

them

Ergonomics is

not only the design of jobs,

tools and equipment, but..how people use

them


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Is this a problem?


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What one company did


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Taking the Work Out of Work


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What are the Benefits?


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What are the Barriers?


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Preventing

Musculoskeletal

Disorders

Preventing

Musculoskeletal

Disorders

Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs)Musculoskeletal Injuries (MSIs)

Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs)Musculoskeletal Injuries (MSIs)


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Targeting Injuries

Injury

ReactiveReactive


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Targeting Risk Factors

Injury

RiskFactors

Proacti

ve

ReactiveReactive


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Work-Related Injuries

Acute injuries Occur instantly

Examples: fractures, cuts,

bruises

Cumulative injuries Develop gradually

Examples: sprains/ strains,

herniated discs, tendonitis,carpal tunnel syndrome


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What type of injury?

Acute

or

Cumulative

????????????????????????????????


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Musculoskeletal Disorders

Median number of lost work days

5 days for all workers with injuries 25 days for workers with MSDs

Average cost per injury

$824 for all other cases $8,070 for an MSD

MSDs tend to have

Longer durations Longer treatment time

Greater work disability


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Case Study Back Injuries Can be Serious

Supervisor suffered back injury helping a worker move

sheet metal in January 1978

Original injury - $1000 medical costs and no lost time Recurrence in 1992 cost$18,000

Surgery/comp in 1993 cost$81,000 and resulted in permanentpartial disability

Additional costs of$55,000

in 2001 alone

By 2002, this 1978 back injury cost over$517,000!

Original injury cost data did not appear to warrant investment . . .

until you consider future costs.

What about costs to the employee?


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Targeting Signs

Injury

Signsdecreased grip strengthloss of muscle function

decreased range of motion

decreased nerve conductionspeed

change in skin color

deformityswelling


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Targeting Symptoms

Injury

Signs

Symptoms

pain

muscletightness f

atigue

achiness

burning

numbness

tingling

cramping


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Cumulative Injury Progression

Loss of FunctionLoss of Function

Continuous PainContinuous Pain

Pain Comes and GoesPain Comes and Goes

Fatigue/StiffnessFatigue/Stiffness


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Spinal Movement


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Herniated Disc


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Spinal Degeneration


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Wrist Anatomy


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Tendon Movement


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Trigger Finger


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MSDs vs. Heart Disease

Object weight

/workstation design/

position of work piece

Lifestyle/GeneticsRoot Cause

Excessive force/poor

posture/repetition

High blood pressure/smoking/no physical

activity/age/male/race

/high cholesterol/high

triglycerides

Risk Factors

Pain/numbness/fatigue/

tingling

Shortness of breath/chest

pain/arm painSymptoms

Loss of muscle

function/decreased range

of motion

Artery blockageSigns

MSDsHeart DiseaseDisease (Injury)

Address root causes to improve health!


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Take Action!Take Action!

Report Your Concerns

As soon as you are aware of early warning signals

Early action may prevent

loss of function and seriousinjury!


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Risk FactorsRisk Factors

Actions or conditions found to contribute

to worker discomfort or injury

Actions or conditions found to contribute

to worker discomfort or injury


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Risk Factor Effects

Who is doing the work

How many

risk factors there are How much there is of each risk factor

How the work is done

How often the work is done

Are hard to predict, they depend on:


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Musculoskeletal DisorderRisk Factors

1. Forceful Work - A lot of physical effort

2. Poor Posture - Poor positioning of the body

3. Repetitive Work - Doing the same movements many times

4. Vibration Exposure - Two types: hand-arm and whole body

Four Main Risk Factors


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Heavy lifting

Carrying heavy objects

Forceful pushing or pulling

Forceful gripping

Shoveling damp or

heavy materials

Examples of Forceful Work


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Examples of Poor Posture Trunk bent over more than 20 degrees

Twisting the trunk or head Elbows above shoulders

Extended forward reaches

Reaching behind the body Extreme wrist bending

Pinch grips

Kneeling or squatting

Static position


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Examples of VibrationExposure

Whole Body - Sitting or standing on vibrating surfaces(includes jolting and jarring)

Hand-Arm - Using vibrating tools


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Other Risk Factors

Environmental Factors - temperature/humidity/altitude Contact Stress - sharp edges

Pressure Points

Torque Reaction


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Compounding Risk FactorsHigher Priority!

More than one risk factor present

Reducing any one of the risk factors will

significantly reduce the probability of injury.


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Homework Identify tasks that you do or other workers do that

have exposures to risk factors.

Complete a concern card for each task - Describethe task and risk factors. Indicate if you have anydiscomfort.

Try to complete atleast 2 concern cards.

Bring your cards to

the next session.

RISK FACTOR REPORT CARD Name: _________________________

1. Work Area / Job Title: ____________________________________________

2. Describe task: _________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3.Check all risk factors that apply: 4.PlaceXon affected areas. Poor Posture Forceful Gripping Repetitive Work Heavy Lifting/Carrying Vibrating Tools Bouncing/Jarring Static Posture WB Vibration

Heavy Shoveling Forceful Push/Pull

Other risk factors:_____________________

5. Comments/suggestions: ____________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Plant/Mine Name: ____________________


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Risk Factors Review

Root Causes

Controlling Risk Factors Practice Exercises

Next SessionNext Session

Ergonomics Awareness to Employees

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