THE IMPORTANCE OF
ERGONOMICS
MAINTENANCE DEPT. TOP 10 WORK
COMP INJURY CAUSES IN 2010
ERGONOMIC INJURIES…..
(TWISTING, LIFTING, PUSHING,
PULLING, STRAIN, REPETITVE
MOTIONS, ETC) 15 - INJURIES
THE COST ……$$$$$
• TOTAL INJURIES IN MAINTENANCE DEPT: 55 in
2010
• TOTAL INCURRED MEDICAL EXPENSES FOR
MAINTENANCE DEPT = $178,303.45… ERGONOMICS
BASED : $139,344.04 (78%)
• (REMEMBER THIS IS ONLY THE TOP 10 FOR ONLY
THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT)!
• ADD IN THE LOST TIME, INTRUPTION TO SERVICE,
POSSIBLE OVER TIME….. THIS EXPENSE CAN
EASILY DOUBLE!
• AND DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE IMPACT TO THE
INJURIED EMPLOYEE AND THEIR FAMILY!
OSHA…. ERGONOMICS
Ergonomics is the science of fitting workplace conditions and job
demands to the capabilities of the working population. Effective and
successful "fits" assure high productivity, avoidance of illness and
injury risks, and increased satisfaction among the workforce.
Although the scope of ergonomics is much broader, the term here
refers to assessing those work-related factors that may pose a risk
of musculoskeletal disorders and recommendations to alleviate
them. Common examples of ergonomic risk factors are found in jobs
requiring repetitive, forceful, or prolonged exertions of the hands;
frequent or heavy lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying of heavy
objects; and prolonged awkward postures. Vibration and cold may
add risk to these work conditions. Jobs or working conditions
presenting multiple risk factors will have a higher probability of
causing a musculoskeletal problem. The level of risk depends on the
intensity, frequency, and duration of the exposure to these
conditions and the individuals' capacity to meet the force of other job
demands that might be involved.
OSH Act of 1970
SEC. 5. Duties
(a) Each employer -(1) shall furnish to each of his employees employment
and a place of employment which are free from
recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to
cause death or serious physical harm to his employees;
(2) shall comply with occupational safety and health
standards promulgated under this Act.
29 USC 654(b) Each employee shall comply with
occupational safety and health standards and all rules,
regulations, and orders issued pursuant to this Act which
are applicable to his own actions and conduct.
BREAKING YOUR BACK
The average human head
weighs about 8 pounds—in a
posture-perfect, eyes-forward
position. But if your chin moves
forward just 3 inches—as it
tends to do when you work at a
computer—the muscles of your
upper torso must support the
equivalent of 11 pounds. That's
a weight-bearing increase of
38 percent, often for hours at a
time. The result of such
chronic slumping: Rounded
shoulders, an aching neck,
and persistent back pain—the
anatomical hallmarks of the
modern desk jockey.
FIT THE JOB TO THE PERSON
Many companies have made
substantial efforts to reduce
work-related injuries due to
heavy lifting, repetitive motion,
awkward work postures,
vibrations, and other
recognized ergonomic
stressors. The results achieved
by these companies
demonstrate that there are
effective and affordable ways
for supervisors in industries to
protect their employees from
injury while maintaining, and in
some cases, increasing quality,
productivity and employee
morale.
Ergonomics (ur-go-NOM-ix):
Ergonomics is the scientific
study of people at work. The
goal of ergonomics is to reduce
stress and eliminate injuries
and disorders associated with
the overuse of muscles, bad
posture, and repeated tasks.
This is accomplished by
designing tasks, work spaces,
controls, displays, tools,
lighting, and equipment to fit
the employee's physical
capabilities and limitations.
Ergonomics addresses problems
♦ work tables and chairs
such as:
that are too high or too
low
♦ lights that are not bright
enough or that produce
glare
♦ noises that are too loud
♦ jobs that put hands,
arms, or backs into awkward
positions
♦ proper ergonomic practices
can make your job easier
and keep your work force
safer
♦ Full arm length shows how far a
person can be expected to reach. If
the person with the shortest arms can
reach everything easily, other people
can too.
♦ Forearm length approximates how
far the work area should be from the
person, which is usually 18-inches for a
small operator.
♦ Thigh thickness shows how deep
the space below the table needs to be
for sit-down jobs. If the space is big
enough to fit large thighs, smaller
thighs will fit too.
♦ Lower leg length shows how far the
seat of a chair should be from the
floor. A person should be able to adjust
the chair for short legs or long legs.
Full Arm Length
Forearm Length
Thigh
Thickness
Lower
Leg
Length
These are the body parts that
a work station needs to fit
Very fast hand and wrist movements, done repeatedly and
with force, can cause tiredness, pain, weakness, and injury.
♦ Jobs should be designed so
that employees can keep
their wrists straight and use
as little hand motion as
possible.
♦ Work methods should be
analyzed to insure wrists
and body segments are kept
in neutral posture.
♦ Employees should be
trained to avoid using more
force and movement than a
job requires.
Painful, tired muscles can also happen when an
employee does any of the following:
♦ uses one or more
muscles too much or
too often
♦ does something the
muscles are not
strong enough to do (for
example, lifting heavy
loads)
♦ uses muscles for a
prolonged period
(static muscle loading)
THE 20-20 RULE
Every 20 minutes,
stand for 20
seconds and stretch
or shake things out.
“Just 20 seconds
away from your
computer screen or
field work reduces
fatigue and
increases blood
circulation”.
ANYTHING WRONG HERE???
♦ Employees should be able to
work with the elbows down, close
to the body.
♦ Employees should have to
reach no farther than 18-inches
to the front.
♦ Employees should be able to
rest their arms, but not against
sharp edges.
♦ Employees should not have to
twist and bend to pick-up or putdown objects.
♦ Employees should not have to
reach behind themselves.
♦ Where possible, the work
should be designed so that
employees change between
sitting and standing throughout
the work day.
Ergonomic Stressors
♦ Lower back pain of acute
origin is generally
attributed to muscle
strains of the lumbar
region. Poor lifting
mechanics, heavy loads
and/or repetitive
exertions are often cited
as activities that precede
the acute injury.
♦ Common muscle strains
occur in the shoulders,
upper arms, forearms,
and lower back.
Ergonomic Stressors
♦ Vibration—This term
refers to physical
exposure to a vibration
source, such as a tow
motor operator or a hand
tool. We evaluate
vibration exposure by
looking at the magnitude,
the frequency, and the
duration of exposure.
♦ Contact Stress—Physical
contact between the body
and sharp edges of tools,
workstations, equipment,
and products can cause
compression of blood
vessels and nerves.
Ergonomic Stressors
♦ Environmental Factors
Environmental factors
include: cold, heat, light,
noise, and moisture. All of
theses factors define a work
environment and should be
evaluated individually for
hazards.
♦ Multiple Stressors
Many jobs combine
multiple stressors in a
single job. The combination
of multiple stressors within
a job or work task can
increase risk of injury.
The impact of ergonomic stressors is affected by duration of
exposure, lack of recovery time, and the combination of
multiple stressors.
An employee who has hurt
a tendon or its cover, might
have one or more of the
following symptoms:
♦ sharp or dull pain
♦ burning feeling
♦ swelling
♦ crackling or popping
sounds when the part that
is hurt moves
♦ loss of some or all use of
the part that is hurt
THE NUMBERS PER:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
♦ Injuries to the back
generate the highest
frequency of disabling
injuries.
♦ $86 billion a year is
spent treating neck and
back pain, more than
any other ailment.
♦ Ergonomic disorders are
the fastest growing
category of workrelated illness, they
account for 56-63
percent of illnesses
reported to OSHA.
IT’S INEVITABLE……
80% OF US
WILL SUFFER
BACK PAIN AT
SOME POINT IN
OUR WORKING
LIVES
PREVENTION IS
THE KEY!!!