Ergonomics

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Ergonomics
Matches job to the worker
Product to the end user
Brett Young MSE 32 Khalifa Maskery MSE 31
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Todays Objectives

• Awareness
• Recognise hazards at your workstation
• Conduct a basic workstation assessment
• Modify and/or implement controls
• Discuss rehabilitation return to work

HEMP
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Potential Health affects of working with Display
Screen Equipment

• Musculoskeletal discomfort
• upper limb, neck, lower back
• Overuse illnesses
• Soft tissue, tendons e.g. CTS
• Temporary eye strain and headaches
• Fatigue and stress
• Epilepsy
• Facial dermatitis
• Electromagnetic radiation
• Effects on pregnant women

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Studies

• Illness of workers
• Headache 21
• Lower back pain 38
• Stiff neck 32
• Shoulder pain 31
• Sore wrist 43
• Sore Eyes 32
• Age bracket 35-50 for lower back discomfort
• Age bracket 20-30 already showing significant
  discomfort

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Risk Factors of MSD

• Working Posture (Static, Awkward)
• Repetition duration
• Work Area Design
• Workstation setup, office equipment
• Individual factors
• Pre-existing injury
• Age of workforce
• Work Organisation
• Working longer hours
• Desk/Office bound

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Disc Pressure
Standing or Correct Seated Posture
Seated with Poor Posture
Discs are compressed when spine is in C form
Discs take correct shape when spine is in double
S form
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Chair

• Stable base (5 castors)
• Adjustable Lumbar Support
• Cloth pan and back
• Curved edges
• Adjustable pan ???
• Adjustable Height Armrests
• Start with feet flat on floor
• Other types Swiss ball, kneel chair, sit stand

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Work Desk

• Adjustable height (start at 72 cm)
• Sufficiently large (600 mm depth)
• Clean, low reflectance surface
• Allows flexible arrangement of
• screen, keyboard, documents, phone

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Screens

• Distance from the User
• Level of Monitor
• Repeated Head Movement
• Reflection / Glare
• Contrast / Brightness
• Dust Build up
• Readability

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Keyboards / Mouse

• Carpal tunnel Syndrome
• Mouse injury

• Carpal tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a condition that
  effects the hand and wrist.
• It results when the median nerve does not work
  properly due to inflammation of the median nerve

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Keyboard / Mouse
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Keyboard / Mouse
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Telephones and workstation equipment
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Managers/Supervisors

• Only purchase/supply approved office equipment
• Ensure each workers workstation is assessed by
  HSE Focal Point
• Consult/Listen to workers
• Look for signs of problems
• Find low-cost and no-cost solutions

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Workers

• Utilise the Self Assessment Tools
• Modify your behaviour
• Stretch/move every 45 minutes
• Seek medical advice if pain persists
• Speak to your supervisor

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Rehabilitation Return to Work

• Remedial Actions
• Assessment of Workstation
• RSI Checklist
• Medical Case Management
• In-house medical staff
• Work hardening
• Job placement
• Job redesign
• Behavioural changes

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What are MSE doing?

• Currently inspecting new facilities
• Program to retrain HSE Focal Points
• Workers to conduct self assessment tool
• Target high risk workers/areas
• Manage others for improvement
• Program inspections audits
• Updating material on the Health webpage