Many of these solutions are simple and inexpensive. Examples of easy ergonomic modifications include adjusting the height of working surfaces, providing telephone headsets, supplying anti-fatigue mats, varying tasks via job rotation, providing short breaks, performing comfort exercises, reducing the weight and size of items workers must lift, putting supplies and equipment within easy reach of the worker, providing ergonomic chairs or stools and supplying the right tool for the job and the right handle for the worker. Worker behavior also plays an important role in ergonomics. Work practices, such as proper lifting techniques and keeping work areas clean, can help prevent MSDs. For example, if a job requires manual handling, the employee should minimize the distance between the load and the body, lift loads from knuckle height, keep the travel distance for the lift to less than 10 feet, minimize twisting and have and use good handles for grasping loads.
Training is another important aspect of an ergonomics program.
A good ergonomics training program will teach workers how to properly use equipment, tools and machine controls as well as the correct way to perform job tasks. This is also a valuable time to receive feedback from employees on their work environment and job tasks. Regardless of whether or not there's an Ergonomics Program Standard, ergonomics is the right thing to do. Providing a workplace free of ergonomic hazards has numerous benefits. Some of these include lower injury rates as MSD incidences go down, increased productivity by making jobs easier and more comfortable for workers and reduced absences because workers will be less likely to take time off to recover from muscle soreness, fatigue and MSD-related problems.