Managing an Ergonomics Program

1
Managing an Ergonomics Program

• History of Ergonomics Programs
• 1993 OSHA Ergonomics Program Management
  Guidelines for Meatpacking Plants
• 1990s General Duty Clause (5a-1) citations
• National Institute of Occupational Safety and
  Health hazard evaluations
• 2000 OSHA Ergonomic Program Standard

2
Development of Ergonomic Standards

• 2001 Ergonomic Program Standard rescinded
• Currently there is no federal ergonomics
  standard.
• OSHA continues to apply General Duty Clause.
• Some states have workplace ergonomics standards.
• ANSI provides a voluntary standard (Management of
  Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders)

3
The Ergonomics Program as a System

• System Goals
• To reduce or eliminate potential for disorders.
• To provide treatment to reduce effects of
  disorders if they occur.
• Responsibilities depend on size of facility and
  manufacturing vs service.
• Activities divide into
• Human resources
• Engineering and operations management
• Workers

Engineering
Management
Worker safety, health, comfort, productivity
Human Resources
Workers
4
System Components in Detail

• Engineering
• Designing, installing, and maintaining workplace
  layout, work methods, tools, and equipment.
• Process engineering
• Maintenance
• Product engineering
• Management
• Upper management sets goals and commits
  resources.
• Production supervisors
• Have familiarity with process and operators
• Are first to see problems
• Have a direct interest in efficiency and health

5
System Components (cont.)

• Human Resource Activities
• Collecting and maintaining employee information
• Occupational safety
• Medical
• Worker Compensation insurance
• Workers
• Are directly affected by ergonomics programs.
• Should be included in problem-solving efforts.
• Can suggest process improvements.
• Can detect and report symptoms of disorders early.

6
Program Elements

• Basic goal of all programs - provide an effective
  work environment that
• reduces unnecessary effort fatigue, potential
  for musculoskeletal disorders
• results in increased worker efficiency
• All programs should include some form of all of
  the elements discussed in the next 8 pages.
• Actual implementation depends on size and
  characteristics of organization.
• See, for example, box 22.1, pg. 419

7
Specifics of Program Elements

• Policies and Procedures Document
• Provides formal documentation to fulfill OSHA
  requirements.
• Communicates authority and accountability.
• Documents allocation of resources.
• May document improvements and accomplishments.
• See Fig 22.1, pg 420 for sample contents
• Q Review the company you created as part of
  the macroergonomics discussion

8

• Ergonomics Committee
• Separate from the safety committee.
• Representation from production, safety, medical,
  human resources, maintenance, and engineering.
• Responsibilities include
• Assist in prioritizing recommendations.
• Maintain documentation.
• Ensure periodic reviews of the ergonomics effort.
• Q Discuss how your company will incorporate
  documentation an ergonomics committee

9

• Proactive Measures
• Integrate ergonomics into the workplace at the
  early stages of process design.
• Engineers must understand ergonomic implications
  of designs.
• Organizations can provide feedback to vendors.
• Worker Involvement
• Formal (ergonomics committee) informal
  (suggestion system)
• Can suggest improvements and point out hazards.
• Provide feedback to the worker who makes a
  suggestion.
• Workers can help document effects of
  modifications.
• Q What proactive measures can you take?

10

• Identification of Problem Jobs Through
  Surveillance
• Passive health surveillance
• Reviews of OSHA 300 logs (fig. 22.2 or
  www.osha.gov)
• Reviews of Workers Compensation insurance files
• Active health surveillance
• Ergonomics surveys of workers

11

• Identification of Problem Jobs Through Job-Site
  Analysis
• Uses observations, interviews, and measurements
  to address existing operations
• Goal - make recommendations to improve process as
  a whole
• Approaches
• Mathematical models (e.g., NIOSH lifting
  equations)
• Checklists
• Qualitative or quantitative
• Can save time, be used without significant
  technical understanding.
• USE WITH CARE! (Can misrepresent task
  requirements.)
• Narrative

12

• Methods of controlling WMSDs (work-related
  musculoskeletal disorders)
• Administrative controls
• structuring workers jobs to reduce exposure to
  hazards
• Engineering controls
• modifying workplace design, equipment, and tools
• Work-practice controls
• addressing correct methods of performing tasks
• Q What controls will you institute?

13

• Training
• Basic categories
• Signs and symptoms that indicate MSD might be
  developing
• Job-related risk factors associated with risk of
  disorders
• Procedures for addressing disorders, if they
  occur
• Emphasis depends on audience
• Affected workers
• Production management
• Engineering maintenance
• Health care providers
• Ergonomics committee

14

• Medical Management
• Prevention of disorders or disabilities through
  early detection and treatment.
• Have individual workers understand early symptoms
  and report when they occur.
• Have health care providers tour the facility and
  understand task characteristics.
• Document and Evaluate the Program
• Periodically review documentation.
• Keep an ergonomics casebook.
• Prioritize proposed modifications.
• Follow up and evaluate to determine effectiveness
  of modifications.