Ergonomics Program Development

1. Ergonomics Program Development TM 655 Dr. Carter Kerk SDSMT Summer 2008

2. Ergonomics Program Guidelines(from OSHA Meatpacking Guidelines) • Top Management Commitment • Written Program • Employee Involvement • Program Review & Evaluation • Worksite Analysis • Hazard Prevention & Control • Medical Management • Training & Education

3. Top Management Commitment • Visible & serious commitment • Placing a priority on eliminating hazards • Integrate S&H programs at the same level as production • Assign responsibilities, authority, and resources

4. Ergonomics Program Guidelines • Top Management Commitment • Written Program • Employee Involvement • Program Review & Evaluation • Worksite Analysis • Hazard Prevention & Control • Medical Management • Training & Education

5. Written Program • Endorsed by top management • Outlines goals and plans • Estimated implementation dates • Customized to each plant • Available to all personnel • Reviewed regularly

6. Ergonomics Program Guidelines • Top Management Commitment • Written Program • Employee Involvement • Program Review & Evaluation • Worksite Analysis • Hazard Prevention & Control • Medical Management • Training & Education

7. Employee Involvement • Suggestions & feedback encouraged • Without fear of reprisal • Prompt reporting of symptoms • Prompt evaluation and possible treatment • Membership on Ergo Team • Ergo Team receives symptom reports & suggestions for evaluation

8. Ergonomics Program Guidelines • Top Management Commitment • Written Program • Employee Involvement • Program Review & Evaluation • Worksite Analysis • Hazard Prevention & Control • Medical Management • Training & Education

9. Program Review & Evaluation • Regular review (~ semi-annual) • Analysis of trends in injury rates • Employee surveys • Before / After surveys of changes • Records of job improvements • New or revised goals

10. Ergonomics Program Guidelines • Top Management Commitment • Written Program • Employee Involvement • Program Review & Evaluation • Worksite Analysis • Hazard Prevention & Control • Medical Management • Training & Education

11. Worksite Analysis • Identification • Evaluation • Control

12. Worksite Analysis • Analyze medical, safety, insurance records for evidence of CTDs • Insure confidentiality of patient records • Incident Rate Analysis • Count incidences of properly diagnosed CTDs per 100 full-time employees per year

13. Incident Rate (# of new cases) (200,000 work hours) IR = _______________________________ # of hours worked 200,000 = (40 hrs/wk) (50 wk/yr) (100 workers) Evaluate trends by department, units, job titles, operations, work stations, etc.

14. Ergonomics Checklist • Focused on physical / temporal risk factors • Systematic • Helps novices be “experts” • ID higher and lower risk jobs • Apply before & after changes • Apply to planned and new workspaces

15. Body Part Discomfort Map

16. Employee Surveys & Interviews • Interviews are usually superior, but more time consuming • Get employees more involved • Employees have a wealth of ideas

17. Worksite Analysis • Checklist may suggest one or more advanced analyses: • Biomechanical • Psychophysical • NIOSH Lifting Guide • Physiological • Postural • Hand Tool • Vibration

18. Worksite Analysis • Performed by an ergonomist • Ergonomics Team • Ergonomist • Occupational Health Nurse • Design & Production Engineers • Maintenance • Employee representation • Line Supervisor

19. Ergonomics Program Guidelines • Top Management Commitment • Written Program • Employee Involvement • Program Review & Evaluation • Worksite Analysis • Hazard Prevention & Control • Medical Management • Training & Education

20. Hazard Prevention & Control • Engineering Controls • Administrative Controls • Personal Protective Equipment

21. Engineering Controls • Most desirable approach • Redesign or Modify • Workstation • Tools • Work Methods • “Fit the worker”

22. Engineering Controls • Establishing optimal work methods • Adjustable workstations • Tilt bins or containers • Tool balancers • Conveyors, Turntables • Jigs, Fixtures • Rounded or padded edges on worksurfaces • Mechanical assist devices • Selection of “ergonomic” tools

23. Work Surfaces • Adjustability • Ease of Adjustability • Avoid sharp edges • Consider sit/stand options

24. Placement & Storage of Materials • Consider frequency and weight • Store heaviest and most frequent at knuckle height, “Power Zone” • Store medium items from knee to shoulder • Store only light items below knee or above shoulder

25. Work Station Accessories • Arm rests • Wrist rests • Foot rails and foot rests • Document holders

29. Engineering Controls

30. Engineering Controls

31. Hazard Prevention & Control • Engineering Controls • Administrative Controls • Personal Protective Equipment

32. Administrative Controls • Secondary to Engineering Controls • Insure proper methods are used • Effective maintenance & housekeeping • Proper use of tools & equipment • Employee conditioning • New employee conditioning

34. Administrative Controls Examples • Limiting overtime on high risk jobs • Ensuring “adequate” rest breaks • Job rotation • Job enlargement • Training • Teaming • Reduce production rates • Last resort

35. Microbreaks • What is a microbreak? • Take them frequently

36. Standing Fatigue Interventions • Proper footwear • Shoe inserts • Anti-fatigue mats • Footrails • Promote good lower extremity circulation

37. Hazard Prevention & Control • Engineering Controls • Administrative Controls • Personal Protective Equipment

38. Personal Protective Equipment • After engineering & administrative controls are exhausted • Gloves • Finger cots • Arm guards • NOT PPE: • Braces, splints, back belts

39. Wrist Splints

40. Ergonomics Program Guidelines • Top Management Commitment • Written Program • Employee Involvement • Program Review & Evaluation • Worksite Analysis • Hazard Prevention & Control • Medical Management • Training & Education

41. Medical Management • Involvement of “qualified” medical personnel • Certified Occupational Physicians • Certified Occupational Health Nurses • Occupational/Physical Therapists • Member of Ergonomics Team • Active surveillance for symptoms • Thorough diagnosis

42. Medical Management • Conservative treatment • Conservative return to work • Systematic monitoring & follow-up • Work hardening • Consider light duty transition • Recordkeeping • Tracking trends • Promote stretching & strengthening programs

44. Ergonomics Program Guidelines • Top Management Commitment • Written Program • Employee Involvement • Program Review & Evaluation • Worksite Analysis • Hazard Prevention & Control • Medical Management • Training & Education

45. Training & Education • Keep employees informed of program • Train: • Production workers • Engineers • Maintenance & housekeeping personnel • Supervisors & Managers • Medical personnel

46. Training & Education • Customized for each plant and its written program • General & specific training levels • Train on disorders & symptoms • Risk Factor Awareness including • Personal, psychosocial, non-occupational • Engineering control strategies

47. Lifting • Squat lift generally better than stoop • bend with your knees, not your back • keep the load close • get a good hand hold • move slowly, “no jerks allowed” • know or test the load • Avoid twists

48. More Lifting Tips • Get help (from a person or an assist device) • Eliminate lifts • Reduce loads • Store properly • Get a strategic delivery • Use proper technique on light loads

49. Ergonomics Program Guidelines • Top Management Commitment • Written Program • Employee Involvement • Program Review & Evaluation • Worksite Analysis • Hazard Prevention & Control • Medical Management • Training & Education

50. Barriers to Successful Ergonomics Programs • Lack of funding • Implementation delays • Poor attendance by middle managers • Viewing ergonomics as a productivity program • Excessive dependence on consultants • Failure to develop internal ergo expertise