# Presentation: 409455

## ERGONOMICS

## FROM THE GREEK WORDS ERGOS (WORK) AND  NOMOS (LAW),  ERGONOMICS IS THE LAW OF WORK. 

## WHAT IS ERGONOMICS?

**ERGONOMICS** -
- 	***The study of the design of work in ***
***relation to the physiological and ***
***psychological capabilities of people ***
***(matching the work place to the worker.)***

## DO I NEED AN ERGONOMICS PROGRAM?

**WELL?  HMMM? WHERE SHOULD I START???**

## WORKSITE ANALYSIS

**INJURY/ILLNESS RECORDS**
**INJURY COMPENSATION RECORDS**
**CTD EXPERIENCES ****(Cumulative Trauma Disorders)**
**IDENTIFICATION OF SPECIFIC JOBS/LINE OFFICES**

## ANALYSIS  (CON’T)

**ABSENTEEISM**
**PERSONNEL TURNOVERS**
**FITNESS AND AGE OF WORKER**
**DESCRIPTION OF JOB(S)**
**COST OF CTD CASES**

## SCOPE OF ERGONOMIC INJURIES

**CUMULATIVE TRAUMA DISORDERS (CTDS) are health disorders arising from repeated biomechanical stress.**
**CTD involves damage to the tendons, tendon sheaths, related bones, muscles, and nerves of:**
**Hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, back.**

## MORE FREQUENTLY OCCURRING OCCUPATIONALLY INDUCED DISORDERS:

**CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME**
**TENDONITIS**
**TENOSYNOVITIS SYNOVITIS**
** ****(INFLAMMATION OF THE LUBRICATING FLUID OF THE JOINTS)**
**STENOSING TENOSYNOVITIS OF THE FINGERS (INFLAMMATION OF TENDON SHEATH)**
**LOW BACK PAIN**

## SOME POTENTIAL INDICATORS/SYMPTOMS OF CTDS

**Trends in accidents and injuries**
**Incidents of CTD**
**Absenteeism**
**High turnover rate**
**Working conditions noted by people with disabilities**

**Complaints about musculoskeletal pain**
**High overtime and increased work rate**
**Manual material handling/repetitive motion task**
**Poor product quality**

## LINE OFFICE  RESPONSIBILITIES

**ANALYZE INJURY AND ILLNESS RECORDS**
**REVIEW ALL SCREENING SURVEYS**
**DECIDE IF ERGONOMICS PROGRAM IS NEEDED**
**DOCUMENT THE RATIONALE FOR DECISION**

## MANAGEMENT COMMITMENT

**PROVIDES THE ORGANIZATIONAL RESOURCES AND MOTIVATING FORCE**
** ****AGGRESSIVE MANAGEMENT ACTION IS NECESSARY TO PREVENT CTD INJURIES AND TO CONTROL CLAIMS**
**SHIFT WORK ERGONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS**

## SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES

**ENFORCE SAFE WORK PRACTICES ESTABLISHED AT THEIR ACTIVITY**
**ENSURE EMPLOYEES RECEIVE PROPER TRAINING**
**ENSURE EMPLOYEES RECEIVE MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE**

## EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT AN EFFECTIVE PROGRAM WILL 

**ENCOURAGE EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT **
**SAFETY AND HEALTH COMMITTEES **
**PROCESS ACTION TEAMS (PAT)**

## HAZARD PREVENTION AND CONTROL

**ENGINEERING TECHNIQUES**
**ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS**
**FACILITY MODIFICATION**
**EQUIPMENT PURCHASES**

##  ENGINEERING TECHNIQUES

- Engineering techniques are the preferred mechanism for controlling ergonomic hazards.  This may entail redesigning the work station, work methods, and

- tools to reduce the
- demands of the job, such
- as exertion, repetition, and
- awkward positions.

## WORK STATION DESIGN

**WORKSTATIONS SHALL BE EASILY ADJUSTIBLE **
**TO ACCOMMODATE THE WORKER PERFORMING**
**THE TASK**

***WORK STATION DESIGN***

## ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS

**Controls such as:**
**Rotating personnel to jobs with dissimilar physical requirements**
**Establishing work/rest schedules**
**Training personnel to use appropriate work methods when engineering controls are not feasible**

## TRAINING

**ERGONOMIC DEFINITION AND CONCEPTS**
**CTD AND **_**BACK INJURY**_** PREVENTION **
**VARIETIES OF CTD AND CAUSES**
**ERGONOMICS OF HAND TOOLS**
**EQUIPMENT DESIGN**
**PROPER MAINTENANCE OF FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT, AND TOOLS**

## TARGET AUDIENCE

**MANAGERS**
**SUPERVISORS**
**EMPLOYEES**
**OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH PROFESSIONAL STAFF**
**HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS**
**FACILITY ENGINEERS**

## PERSONNEL AT RISK FOR BACK INJURIES 

**TRAINING SHALL INCLUDE **
**ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY TO EXPLAIN HOW THE BACK WORKS**
**BIOMECHANICS OF LIFTING AND LIFTING TECHNIQUES**
**HOW TO AVOID BACK INJURIES**
**WEIGHT CONTROL AND PHYSICAL FITNESS**

## THE BACK

**24 BONES (VERTEBRAE) AND DISKS**
**SPINAL CORD (1/2 DIA.)**
**NERVES (31 PAIRS)**
**MUSCLES (400 AND 1000 TENDONS)**

## THE BACK (cont)

**STRAIN/SPRAINS (MUSCLES)**
**FRACTURED VERTEBRA**
**HERNIATED DISK (SLIPPED DISK)**
**DISEASE**

## So how do you prevent more back injuries?

**At work**
**At home**
**In your car**
**Sports**
**Playing with your children**

## THE FIVE-WORD WEIGHT-LOSS FORMULA

**Eat less and exercise more**

## A COMPREHENSIVE WELLNESS PROGRAM SHOULD SUPPORT AN ERGONOMICS PROGRAM

## NOT  MY

**NOT  MY**
**JOB **

## REVIEW AND SUMMARY

## QUESTIONS??????

**IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE IN THIS PROGRAM OR IN PERFORMING AN ERGONOMIC SURVEY:**
**CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL SAFETY MANAGER**