Ergonomic Essentials for Workplace Safety

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Ergonomic Essentials for Workplace Safety

• Presented by
• J. Shannon England, MS
• Ergonomist

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• Presentation Outline
• Job Hazard Analysis Ergonomic Strategies
• Workspace Set-up
• Posturing
• Work Methods
• Administrative Controls
• Applied Ergonomics
• VDT/Office Ergonomics
• Materials Handling

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• Job Hazard Analysis (JHA)
• The JHA can be used as a
• (1) preventative tool to identify hazards and
  reduce workplace injuries, or
• (2) can be used in response to an ergonomic/
  pain complaint.

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• Ergonomics measures the fit between the worker
  and
• Workstation
• Tools
• Strength Demands
• Endurance Demands

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• Ergonomic hazards occur when the worker does not
  fit the
• Workstation
• Tools
• Strength Demands
• Endurance Demands

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• Complaint Response
• Medical
• Ergonomic

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• Complaint Response
• Medical
• Ergonomic

An early ergonomic response can negate the
medical response. A medical response may
involve both an ergonomic response and work
restriction.
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• Job Hazard Analysis
• Ergonomic Design Issues
• At-risk Worker Behaviors

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• Job Hazard Analysis
• Ergonomic Design Hazards are caused when the
  worker does not fit the workstation, tools, or
  work methods.

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• Job Hazard Analysis
• Ergonomic design issues are caused when the
  worker does not fit the workstation, tools, or
  work methods.
• Solution Redesign

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• Job Hazard Analysis
• At-risk Worker Behaviors are the result of poor
  work choices/methods.

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• Job Hazard Analysis
• At-risk Worker Behaviors are the result of poor
  work choices/methods.
• Solutions
• Administrative Controls
• Employee Education

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• Applied Ergonomics
• VDT/Office Ergonomics
• Materials Handling

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Office ErgonomicsAdjusting Your Workplace to
Fit You
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• VDT/Office Ergonomic Hazards
• Repetitive Work Postures
• Awkward Work Postures
• Force
• Contact Stress

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• Office Ergonomics
• Your posture, work
• methods, and desk/chair/
• computer set-up can act as
• a SOURCE or a BUFFER
• to muscle fatigue and work
• stress.

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• Office Ergonomics
• Seated Posture
• Equipment Positioning
• Equipment Adjustability
• Work Methods
• Exercise and Stretching

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• Good ergonomics provides for proper fit between
  the worker and the workstation.

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• Office Ergonomics
• Seated Posture

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• Proper Seated Posture
• Maintain curves of the spine
• Ear, shoulder, elbow and hip positioned in a
  straight line

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• Proper Seated Posture
• Chair
• Desk
• Keyboard/Mouse
• Monitor

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• Your chair can be a source of support to prevent
• fatigue, or it can be a source of stress to
  promote
• fatigue.

A
B
C
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• Chair Adjustments
• Seat pan height
• Seat pan tilt
• Seat pan depth
• Backrest height
• Backrest tilt
• Arm rest height
• Waterfall edge

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• How do you size up?
• Height
• Tall Workers
• (511 or more)
• Average Workers
• (54 to 510)
• Short Workers
• (53 or Less)

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(No Transcript)
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• Adjust Your Chair to Fit You
• Seat Pan Height/Tilt
• Sit with both feet on the floor
• Adjust by raising or lowering seat
• Sit slightly forward with your knees lower than
  your hips

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• Adjust Your Chair to Fit You
• Seat Pan Depth
• Place two to three fingers between the back of
  your knees and the seat
• Adjust by sliding backrest forward or back
• Shorter/smaller workers can use a lumbar cushion
  to fit into a larger seat

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• Adjust Your Chair to Fit You
• Backrest Height
• Sit tilted slightly forward with hips higher than
  knees
• Adjust by raising or lowering backrest to the
  small of the back

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• Desk Types
• Managers Desk
• Computer Cart/Hutch
• L Shaped Desk
• U Shaped Desk
• Modular Desks

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• Adjust Your Desk to Fit You
• Desk Height
• Adjust by raising or lowering desk height.
• For taller workers, use secured boosters to raise
  desk height.
• For shorter workers, cut the legs off desk to
  lower desk height, or use foot rest and raise the
  seat height.

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• Keyboard/Mouse Positioning
• Desk Top
• Tray
• Split Positioning

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• Keyboard Types
• Standard Keyboard Sculptured Keyboard

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• Adjust the Keyboard/Mouse to Fit You
• Position your elbow at rest and against your
  side.
• The elbow should be bent at a 90 right angle.
• Reach forward to the keyboard/mouse.
• The top of the keyboard should be positioned at
  elbow height.
• Arm and hand should be parallel to the floor.
• The hands should glide across keyboard.

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• Mouse Considerations
• Type
• Hand Size
• Mousing Hand
• Windows
• My Computer
• Control Panel
• Mouse
• Device Set-up

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• Wrist/Mouse Rests
• Gelled or padded
• Same height as keyboard
• Run the length of keyboard
• Higher than mouse

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• Monitor Positioning
• Height
• Tilt
• Distance

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• Monitor Height
• The top line of the screen should be eye level.
• For bifocal wearers, the screen should be one to
  two inches below eye level.

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• Monitor Tilt
• The monitor should be tiled no more than 20.
• The greater the tilt angle, the greater the
  amount of glare from overhead lighting.

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• Monitor Distance
• The monitor screen should be positioned arms
  length away or about 20 to 30.
• Pull the desk away from the wall and push monitor
  back to allow for proper distancing.

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Office ErgonomicsProper Posturing ForOther
Work Tasks
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• Positioning Other Work Tasks
• Desk arrangement
• Rearrange work tasks
• Bring frequently used items in close

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• Documents
• Use a document holder to position work
• Uses less space
• Decreases forward head, rounded shoulder posture
• Writing surface should be 3 to 5 higher than
  keyboard

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Office ErgonomicsWork Samples
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• Whats wrong with this position/posture?

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• Whats wrong with this position/posture?

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• Whats wrong with this position/posture?

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• Whats wrong with this position/posture?

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• Whats wrong with this position/posture?

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• Splints
• Maintain neutral wrist position
• Should be avoided
• Prescribed by Physician
• Limit use to night

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• Stretching
• Pre-work warm-up
• During workday
• Before bed

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• Easy VDT/Office Ergonomic Solutions
• Desk/Monitor Boosters
• Cut Legs Off of Desk
• Lumbar Cushions
• Appendix D-2 VDT Workstation Checklist

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Ergonomics for Materials Handling

• Job Hazard Analysis

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• Job Hazard Analysis
• Ergonomic hazards are caused when the worker does
  not fit the workstation, tools, or work methods.
• The worker is required to utilize additional
  force, additional repetitions, or awkward
  posturing to perform the goal of the task.

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• Sources of Ergonomic Hazards
• Ergonomic Design Issues
• At-risk Worker Behaviors
• Supervisory Controls

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• Job Hazard Analysis
• Ergonomic Design Hazards are caused when the
  worker does not fit the workstation, tools, or
  work methods.
• Solutions Redesign

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• Job Hazard Analysis
• At-risk Worker Behaviors are the result of poor
  work choices/methods.
• Solutions
• Supervisory Controls
• Employee Education

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• Materials Handling Ergonomic Hazards
• Repetitive Work Postures
• Awkward Work Postures
• Force (Lift/Carry/Push/Pull/Leverage)
• Reaching (High, Low, Extended)

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• Repetitive/Awkward Work Postures
• Work Zones
• Floor Level Reach 0 to 18
• Low Level Reach 19 to 30
• High Level Reach-Above Shoulder Level
• Extended Reach-Greater than 16
• Cramp/Confined Space/Poor Balance
• Employee Conditioning/Knowledge

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• Lift/Carry/Push/Pull
• At-risk Behaviors
• Functional Squat
• Use Two Hands
• Face The Load
• Avoid Twisting
• Use Assistive Devices
• Let The Load Fall

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• Lift/Carry/Push/Pull Ergonomic Hazards
• Weight/Size
• Couplings/Grip
• Center of Gravity
• Assistive Devises
• Wheel/Handle Type

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• Leveraging At-risk Worker Behaviors
• Functional Squat
• Use Two Hands
• Face The Load
• Use Two Workers
• Use Assistive Devices
• Let The Load Fall

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• Leveraging Ergonomic Design Hazards
• Weight/Size
• Center of Gravity/ Shifting Force
• Couplings/Grip
• Assistive Devises

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• Reaching/Handling At-risk Work Behaviors
• The 10X Rule
• Functional Squat
• Use Two Hands
• Face The Load

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• Reaching/Handling At-risk Work Behaviors

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• Reaching/Handling Ergonomic Hazards
• Weight
• Size
• Couplings/Grip
• Barriers to Reach

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Solutions to Ergonomic Design Hazards

• Distance
• Move the worker closer to the work
• Move the work closer to the worker
• Use a tool
• Force
• Decrease weight/size
• Use mechanical assist
• Grip/couplings
• Repetitions
• Decrease cycles
• Rotate jobs

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Solutions for At-risk Worker Behaviors

• Administrative Controls
• Supervisory
• Task Assignments
• Employee Appraisals
• Ergonomic Controls
• Decrease choice
• Use mechanical assist
• Employee Education
• Ongoing
• Orientation

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• Stretching
• Pre-work warm-up
• During workday
• Before bed

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• Sources of Ergonomic Hazards
• Ergonomic Design Issues
• At-risk Worker Behaviors
• Supervisory Controls

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Ergonomic Essentials for Workplace Safety
Questions?

• Presented by
• J. Shannon England, MS
• Ergonomist