Common WMSD* Hazards in Your Workplace and Some Solution Ideas (*Work-Related Musculo-Skeletal Disorders)

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Common WMSD Hazards in Your Workplace and Some
Solution Ideas (Work-Related Musculo-Skeletal
Disorders)
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This slide show outlines
some common WMSD hazards in workplaces, and some
ideas for reducing or eliminating them.

• Links to the following PowerPoint slide shows can
  be found at the appendix at the end of this slide
  show.
• A Five Step Process for Finding WMSD Hazards
• Recommended Exposure Limits for Preventing WMSDs

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By the end of this slide show, you will be able
to

• Identify WMSD hazards in your workplace
• Locate resources and contacts for more assistance

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WMSD Hazards
Some jobs include tasks which can produce
injuries from

• Lifting
• Awkward postures
• Forceful gripping or pinching
• Repetitive motions and intensive keying
• Hand-arm vibration

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WMSDs

• WMSDs are occupational disorders of the soft
  tissues
• muscles
• tendons
• ligaments
• joints
• blood vessels
• nerves

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Hazards to watch for
Repetitive motion Intensive keying
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Lifting
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To lower the risks of lifting

• Reduce the weight
• Increase the weight
• (so people truly cant lift the item)
• Use mechanical assistance
• Slide instead of lift
• Team lifting

• Avoid unnecessary lifting
• Use mobile storage
• Job rotation
• Job enlargement
• Bring loads as close to the body as possible
  before lifting them
• Remove obstacles
• Place object at a good working height

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Awkward Postures
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To lower the risk of awkward postures

• Raise and/or tilt the work for better access
• Use a stool for ground level work
• Alternate between bending, kneeling, sitting, and
  squatting

• Use an elevated work platform or rolling stairs
• Use tools with longer handles
• Limit overhead storage to infrequently used items
• Bring the work down and tilt for easier access

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Forceful Pinching and Gripping
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To lower the risk of forceful gripping

• Use lighter tools
• Suspend the tool
• with tool counter-balancers
• Use longer lever arms on tools
• Use hand trucks, carts or conveyors instead of
  carrying loads

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To lower the risk of pinching

• Change from pinch to grip
• The upper box has cut out handles which allow a
  much more comfortable and less stressful grip on
  the box.

a Power Grip
is up to 5 times stronger than
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Reducing pinching
Change pinching to gripping
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Repetitive Motion and Intensive Keying
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To lower the risk of Repetitive Motion and
Intensive Keying

• Eliminate unnecessary motions
• Use power tool instead of hand tools
• (He is using a power drill rather than a
  ratchet)
• Automate the task
• Enlarge the job
• (add tasks which dont include repetitive
  motions or keying)

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Hand-Arm Vibration
A link to a Hand-Arm Vibration database is in
the appendix at the end of this presentation.
When searching this database for a low vibration
tool, look for the lowest VL (vibration level)
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To lower the risk of Hand-Arm Vibration

• Use anti-vibration gloves
• Isolate the vibration from the user
• Use low vibration tools

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The WISHA Ergonomics Ideas Bank
This is a searchable database with over 700 ideas
for solutions to ergonomic challenges you might
have
A link to this web page is in the appendix at the
end of this presentation
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Appendix - Links
Recommended Exposure Limits for Preventing WMSDs
PowerPoint

• Ergonomics Awareness PowerPoint

WISHA Ergonomics Ideas Bank
Low vibration tools
A Five Step Process for Finding WMSD Hazards
Contact an LI ergonomist