Ergonomics

1
Ergonomics

• Industrial

2
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

3
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

4
Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) Injuries

• 1.8 million MSD injuries each year
• 600,000 MSD injuries require time away from work

5
Regulation Of Ergonomics

• General Duty Clause
• Applies to unregulated hazards
• Failure to keep a hazard-free workplace
• Hazard recognized by employer or employers
  industry
• Hazard could cause death or serious harm
• Method exists to correct the hazard

6
MSD-Type Injuries
Repetitive Motion63
7
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

8
General Signs of MSDs

• Less strength for gripping
• Less range of motion
• Loss of muscle function
• Inability to do everyday tasks

9
MSD Symptoms

• Back and neck shooting pain, stiffness
• Shoulderspain, stiffness, loss of mobility
• Arms and legs shooting pains, numbness
• Elbow and knee joints pain, swelling, stiffness,
  soreness

10
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

11
Outward Signs of MSDs

• Swelling or inflammation of joints
• Vigorously shaking hands
• Massaging hands, wrists, or arms
• Cradling arms
• Limping
• Stiff back

12
Common MSDs

• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Low back pain

• Eye strain
• Tendinitis

• Trigger finger

13
Common MSDs (cont.)

• De Quervains diseaseforceful grip
• Carpet layers kneecontact trauma
• Rotator cuff tendinitis repetitive motion
• Herniated disk bending and twisting
• Hand-arm vibration syndrome

14
Act on the Signs of MSD

• Act immediately
• Report the problem
• Seek medical attention
• Early treatment and intervention can prevent
  permanent injury

15
What Do You Think?
Employee experiences severe back pain often.

1. What do you think is causing this employees
   pain?
2. How can this be improved?

16
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

17
What Can Be Done?

• Use lifting aids
• Dont twist
• Lift using your legs, not your back
• Use a stool or stepladder
• Dont overdo it
• Keep your back in shape

18
Check Your Knowledge
Which of these are MSD symptoms?
ü
ý
Dizziness
Tingling
Excessive cough
ý
Racing heart
ý
ü
ü
Stiffness
Pain
ü
ü
Numbness
Swelling of joints

• Loss of muscle function

ü
19
MSDsAny Questions?

• Do you understand what MSDs are and the signs and
  symptoms of MSDs?

20
Risk Factors That Lead to MSDs

• Repetitive motions
• Forceful exertions
• Awkward postures
• Contact stress (pressure points)
• Vibrations

21
Risk FactorRepetitive 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

22
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
23
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

24
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

25
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

26
MSDs Related To Risk Factors
Repetition

• De Quervains disease
• Trigger finger
• Rotator cuff syndrome
• Thoracic outlet syndrome
• Hand-arm vibration syndrome

Posture
Forceful Grip
Contact Stress
Prolonged Vibration
27
Can You Identify The Risk Factors?
28
Can You Identify The Risk Factors? (cont.)

• MSDs
• Torn tendon
• Tendinitis
• Back pain

Risk Factors

• Repetitive motion
• Lifting or reaching
• awkward position
• excessive weight
• arms raised

29
MSD Risk FactorsAny Questions?

• Do you understand MSD risk factors and hazards?

30
Ergonomics Management

• Job assessment
• MSD reporting and response system
• Designated coordinator
• Training
• Encourage employee participation and reporting of
  MSDs

31
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

32
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

33
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

34
MSD Prevention and ControlAny Questions?

• Do you think you understand what you need to know
  about the methods to manage, prevent, and control
  MSDs?

35

• Recognize MSD signs and symptoms
• Understand MSD hazards
• Take steps to control MSD hazards
• Participate in the Ergonomics Program