Industrial Ergonomics

1. Industrial Ergonomics

2. We’ve identified the problems, now what? Implement Solutions • Engineering Controls • Administrative Controls • PPE

3. Engineering Controls • Preferred method of control • Changes to equipment, tools, workstations, controls and work flow that eliminate or significantly reduce ergonomic risk factors

4. Engineering Controls • Redesign workstations • Redesign tools • Modify workstation lighting • Vibration control • Noise control • Automation • Mechanical lifting device • Material flow

5. Administrative controls • Changes to task responsibilities that reduce ergonomic risk factors • Changes implemented to reduce the duration, frequency and severity of exposure to ergonomic risk factors • Does not eliminate risk, it reduces risk exposure

6. Administrative Controls • Employee rotation • Job task enlargement • Adjustment of work pace • Redesign of work methods • Alternative tasks • Rest Breaks

7. Work Practice Controls • Changes to procedures or work methods, work techniques & procedures • Does not eliminate risk factors but may reduce some contributing factors • Requires continuing and ongoing supervision

8. Work Practice Controls • Work techniques and procedures • Conditioning periods • Training • Personal protective equipment

9. Ergonomic Guidelines

10. Ergonomic Voluntary Guidelines IndustryEffective Date Meatpacking Plants 1993 Furniture Manufacturing Industry 2002 Telecommunications Industry 2004 Nursing Homes 2003 Retail Grocery Stores 2004 Poultry Processing 2004 Shipyard Industry In Process

11. Industry Risk for MSDs • Nursing & personal care facilities • Home health services • Hospitals • Transportation and public utilities • Construction • Manufacturing • Agriculture • Finance, insurance, real estate Source: BLS, 2001

12. Job Tasks More Likely To Result In MSDs • Meat processing • Manufacturing • Checkout scanning at a supermarket • Keypunching • Sewing & knitting • Activities of Butchers • Surface Grinding • Painting • Activities of Dentists • Assembly line work

13. Problems & Solutions The Ladder Dolly http://www.humantech.com

14. Recognize Problems & Solutions

15. After Before

17. Drum Handler

21. Standing Workstation Challenge - Before Design Guidelines

22. Standing Workstation Dimensions Design Guidelines

23. Standing Workstation Challenge - After Design Guidelines

24. Material Handling Challenge - Before Design Guidelines

25. Material Handling Dimensions Design Guidelines

26. Material Handling Challenge - After Design Guidelines

27. Horizontal Work Reach Challenge - Before Design Guidelines

28. Horizontal Work Reach Dimensions Design Guidelines

29. Horizontal Work Reach Challenge - After Design Guidelines

30. Sitting Strength Challenge - Before Design Guidelines

31. Sitting Strength Design Guidelines

32. Sitting Strength - After Design Guidelines

33. Tool Challenge - Before Design Guidelines

34. Tool Dimensions Design Guidelines

35. Tool Challenge - After Design Guidelines

36. Manual Material Handling (MMH) CASE STUDY

47. TELL ME………. WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?? Find ItFix It

48. FINAL THOUGHTS…..Cost Justification

49. Financial Benefits of H&S Improvements Cost Justification • Ergonomics = positive impact on health and safety and the related costs. • Direct Costs • Costs than can be tracked to a WMSD incident: • Direct medical costs • Worker’s compensation payments • Indirect Costs • Costs that increase when WMSDs occur: • Time (nurses, supervisors) to manage and treat WMSDs • Cost to recruit and train replacement workers • Poor quality due to missing operator

50. Financial Benefits of H&S Improvements Cost Justification • Although the direct and indirect costs can be substantial, they do not fit well into typical cost justification. • Why? • Worker Comp “savings” is really cost Avoidance • It is difficult to capture all of the dollars spent on an injury • Justification often needs to show an immediate impact on the “bottom line” • So… • We must consider another approach...