ASSSESSING ERGONOMIC HAZARD

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ASSSESSING ERGONOMIC HAZARD
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Purposes

• To Identify specific work place hazards that can
  cause or aggravate work-related MSIs, and than to
  reduce the workers exposure

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• It does not and cannot eliminate all MSIs among
  affected workers
• Its only reduce incidence / severity of MSIs
  caused in whole or in part of the risk factors
  listed in in the hazard assessment checklist
• Non work-exposures and risk factors inherent
  individual worker are not addressed
• Use of this recommendation is voluntary

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Is this a caution zone job?

• A caution zone job is a job where workers
  typical work activities meet one or more of the
  physical risk factors and level listed in table 1
• Typical work activities are those that are
  regular and forseeable part of the job , gt 1
  day/week , gt 1 week/year
• Caution zone job? all have sufficient degree of
  risk -gt need some precautionary steps be taken
  (ergonomic awareness training and hazard
  assessment)-but they do not necessarily have
  risks great enough to require corrective action
• Caution zone may not be hazardous

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The duration list in table 1 (see acrobat reader
doc , page 3)

• Two hours refer to the total amount of time
  workers exposed to the risk factors, not how long
  they spend performing the work activity that
  includes the risk factor

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What action that employer should take

• If there are no physical risk factor exceeding
  the level list in table 1? NO ACTIONS ARE
  REQUIRED
• If 1 physical risk factors exceed the level
  list in table 1?CAUTION ZONE JOB? ergonomic
  awareness training ?to provide workers with a
  basic level of understanding knowledge

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The training for workers should include

• How to use their work station, including how to
  adjust its equipment and furnishings
• How to use or select tools appropriate to the
  work they are performing
• The safe work practices they are expected to
  follow and
• Information describing the signs, symptoms and
  methods of preventing MSIs

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When should a hazard performance be performed

• When work process or operation changes
• When a new work process is introduced
• Prior to the design and installation and a new
  workstation
• Affected worker should be involved in hazard
  assessment

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Ergonomics Rule Major features

• Two requirements
• Awareness education
• Evaluate caution zone jobs for hazards

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Injuries and risk factors
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WMSDs?
Work-related Musculo Skeletal
Disorders
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Injuries and risk factors

• What are Work-related Musculo Skeletal Disorders
  (WMSDs)?
• Common types and symptoms of injury
• Causes and prevention of injury

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What are Work-related Musculo Skeletal Disorders
(WMSDs)?

• Also known as
• Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTDs)
• Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs)
• Overuse injuries
• Work Related Upper Limb Disorders (WRULDs)
• Musculo Skeletal Injuries (MSIs)
• Musculo Skeletal Disorders (MSDs)
• Soft tissue injuries
• Usually develop gradually, but sometimes can
  appear suddenly
• Can be serious, if not taken care of early

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What are some of the symptoms of WMSDs?

• Discomfort
• Pain
• Numbness
• Tingling

• Burning
• Swelling
• Change in color
• Tightness, loss of flexibility

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What causes WMSDs?

• Risk Factors
• Awkward Postures
• High Hand Force
• Repetitive Motions
• Repeated Impacts
• Heavy, Frequent, or Awkward Lifting
• Moderate to High Hand-Arm Vibration

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Risk Factors

• Risk of injury depends upon
• Duration (how long)
• Frequency (how often)
• Intensity (how much)
• Combinations of risk factors

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Risk Factors

• Duration
• usually need hours of exposure before risk
  factors become a concern
• Can be all at one time or cumulative over the day

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Risk factors for WMSDs
Awkward postures
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Neutral postures
Standing neutral posture
Seated neutral posture
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Hands over head or elbows above shoulders
For more than 2 hours per day
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Neck bent more than 30
For more than 2 hours per day
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Back bent more than 30
For more than 2 hours per day
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Squatting
For more than 2 hours per day
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Kneeling
For more than 2 hours per day
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Wrists bent
Extension
Ulnar deviation
Flexion
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Reducing awkward postures

• Change workstation heights display heights
• Tilt or rotate the work
• Use platforms
• Bring items within easy reach
• Pause to stretch

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Reducing awkward postures
Case Study
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Risk Factors for WMSDs
High hand force
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High hand force
A power grip can be 5 times stronger than a pinch
grip

10 lbs
2 lbs
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Gripping with the whole hand
10 lbs. of weight or force for more than 2 hours
per day
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Pinching with the fingertips
2 lbs. of weight or 4 lbs. of force for more than
2 hours per day
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Other factors

• Your grip strength decreases when you
• Bend your wrists
• Pick up slippery items
• Wear poorly fitting gloves
• Have cold hands

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Avoid pinch grips

• Pick objects up from the bottom using whole hand
• Attach handles or use lift tools
• Build up handles on small tools to reduce grip
  force

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Reduce power grip force

• Pick up smaller loads
• Use power tools instead of hand tools
• Keep tools in good working order
• Use lighter tools or tool balancers
• Use two hands
• Keep your wrists straight

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Avoid holding onto objects for long periods

• Use clamps to hold onto work
• Place items on carts rather than carrying them
• Put down a tool when not actually using it

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Use tool balancers
Case Study
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Tool use example
Use tools that let you keep your wrist straight
Working with bent wrists decreases grip strength
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Risk factors for WMSDs
Highly repetitive motions
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Highly repetitive motion
For more than 2 hours per day
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Reducing repetition

• Arrange work to avoid unnecessary motions
• Let power tools and machinery do the work
• Take stretch pauses
• Rotate task with co-workers if possible
• Change hands or motions frequently

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Reducing repetitive motions
Case Study
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Intensive keying
For more than 4 hours per day
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Reducing intensive keying

• Spread keyboard work throughout the day
• Take stretch pauses
• Improve your posture and move around as much as
  possible

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Risk factors for WMSDs
Repeated impacts
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Repeated impacts
Using the hand or knee as a hammer more than 10
times per hour, more than 2 hours per day
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Avoiding repeated impacts

• Use tools instead of your hand or knee

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Risk factors for WMSDs
Heavy, frequent or awkward lifting
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Heavy lifting

• Lifting 75 lbs. once per day
• Lifting 55 lbs. more than 10 times per day

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Reducing heavy lifting

• Take smaller loads at one time
• Use mechanical assistance - handtrucks, carts,
  hoists, conveyors
• Get help from a co-worker

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Frequent lifting

• Lifting more than 10 lbs., more than twice per
  minute, for more than 2 hours per day

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Reducing frequent lifting

• Use mechanical assistance
• Slide objects instead of lifting them
• Rotate lifting tasks with co-workers if possible

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Awkward lifting

• Lifting more than 25 lbs. above the shoulders,
  below the knees or at arms length more than 25
  times per day

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Reducing awkward lifts

• Store items where you wont have to bend or reach
  to lift them
• Use rolling stairs to get items down from high
  shelves

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Safe lifting technique
DEMONSTRATION
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Risk factors for WMSDs
Moderate to high handarm vibration
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Vibration
Moderate levels of vibration for 2 hours per day
High levels of vibration for 30 minutes per day
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Reducing vibration

• Use low vibration tools if available
• Maintain tools
• Use tool wraps or anti-vibration gloves
• Keep hands warm

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If you have identify a caution zone, what next ?

• Analyze it by using table 2 (do it thoroughly
  and systematically)
• Pay attention on physical demands of the job
  (body position, force, repetition)
• The lay out of the work area (reaches, working
  heights
• The load lifting and handling requirements of the
  job (object size and shape)

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• If the physical risk factor exceed table 2 ? A
  HAZARD IS PRESENT? TAKE ACTION !!
• Changes to workstations and tools
• Reducing the size and weights of loads handled
• Process redesign to eliminate unnecessary steps
  or introduce task variety
• Job rotation

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If the action cannot reduce hazards

• While looking for alternatives to solve the
  problems permanently?
• PPE
• team lifting
• training of work technique

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How to se the check list

• Go to acrobat reader doc.(hazard assessment check
  list-table 2) page 7-14

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What you can do

• Recognize and report symptoms early
• Get involved in ergonomics

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Symptom recognition and reporting

• Report symptoms if
• Pain is persistent, severe or worsening
• Pain radiates
• Symptoms include numbness or tingling
• Symptoms keep you from sleeping at night

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Why is it important to report symptoms early?

• Chronic injuries sometimes lead to disability,
  even surgery
• Early treatment more successful

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Getting involved

• Look at jobs and help identify problems
• Come up with solutions
• Work with solutions
• Take part in training
• Take responsibility for changing the way you do
  your job
• Help to make sure efforts are successful

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Six key points to remember

• Ergonomics can help you on your job
• Employers have to implement ergonomics if caution
  zone jobs are present
• Risk factors can be reduced and WMSDs prevented
• You can help your company put ergonomics changes
  into place
• WMSDs can happen in jobs with risk factors
• Reporting symptoms early is important

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