ARC Training Tools • Alabama Retail is committed to partnering with our members to create and keep safe workplaces. • Be sure to check out all of the training tools that are available in our Safety Library. This training tool is brought to you by
Ergonomics Industrial
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
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
Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) Injuries • 1.8 million MSD injuries each year • 600,000 MSD injuries require time away from work
Regulation Of Ergonomics • General Duty Clause • Applies to unregulated hazards • Failure to keep a hazard-free workplace • Hazard recognized by employer or employer’s industry • Hazard could cause death or serious harm • Method exists to correct the hazard
Repetitive Placing, Grasping, or Moving Objects • 20% • Repetitive Use of Tools • 8% • 9% • Typing or Key Entry MSD-Type Injuries • Repetitive Motion63%
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
General Signs of MSDs • Less strength for gripping • Less range of motion • Loss of muscle function • Inability to do everyday tasks
MSD Symptoms • Back and neck—shooting pain, stiffness • Shoulders—pain, stiffness, loss of mobility • Arms and legs—shooting pains, numbness • Elbow and knee joints— pain, swelling, stiffness, soreness
MSD Symptoms (cont.) • Hands and wrists— swelling, numbness, loss of strength • Fingers—jerking movements, or loss of strength, mobility, and feeling • Thumbs—pain at the base • Feet and toes—numbness, tingling, stiffness, burning sensation
Outward Signs of MSDs • Swelling or inflammation of joints • Vigorously shaking hands • Massaging hands, wrists, or arms • Cradling arms • Limping • Stiff back
Image Credit: Cal OSH & NIOSH Common MSDs • Carpal tunnel syndrome • Low back pain • Eye strain • Tendinitis • Trigger finger
Common MSDs (cont.) • De Quervain’s disease—forceful grip • Carpet layer’s knee—contact trauma • Rotator cuff tendinitis— repetitive motion • Herniated disk— bending and twisting • Hand-arm vibration syndrome
Act on the Signs of MSD • Act immediately: • Report the problem • Seek medical attention • Early treatment and intervention can prevent permanent injury
What Do You Think? • What do you think is causing this employee’s pain? • How can this be improved? • Employee experiences severe back pain often.
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
What Can Be Done? • Use lifting aids • Don’t twist • Lift using your legs, not your back • Use a stool or stepladder • Don’t overdo it • Keep your back in shape
Loss of muscle function 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 • ü
MSDs—Any Questions? • Do you understand what MSDs are and the signs and symptoms of MSDs?
Risk Factors That Lead to MSDs • Repetitive motions • Forceful exertions • Awkward postures • Contact stress (pressure points) • Vibrations
Risk Factor—Repetitive 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
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
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
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
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
MSDs Related To Risk Factors • De Quervain’s disease • Trigger finger • Rotator cuff syndrome • Thoracic outlet syndrome • Hand-arm vibration syndrome • Repetition • Posture • Forceful Grip • Contact Stress • Prolonged Vibration
Can You Identify The Risk Factors?
Repetitive motion Lifting or reaching awkward position excessive weight arms raised MSDs Torn tendon Tendinitis Back pain Can You Identify The Risk Factors? (cont.) • Risk Factors
MSD Risk Factors—Any Questions? • Do you understand MSD risk factors and hazards?
Ergonomics Management • Job assessment • MSD reporting and response system • Designated coordinator • Training • Encourage employee participation and reporting of MSDs
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
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
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
MSD Prevention and Control—Any Questions? • Do you think you understand what you need to know about the methods to manage, prevent, and control MSDs?
Recognize MSD signs and symptoms • Understand MSD hazards • Take steps to control MSD hazards • Participate in the Ergonomics Program
