Workplace ergonomics program

This site was created to provide basic information useful for employers, workers and others in designing an effective ergonomics program to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders WMSDs. It outlines practical strategies for identifying and correcting ergonomic deficiencies in a variety of workplace settings.

Defining key elements of an effective program, the site allows you to tailor the information to your particular work setting or situation. It also provides a number of useful materials including references, sources for further information, and generic forms and questionnaires.

This site focuses on ways to minimize physical exertion in jobs that involve lifting and handling objects — not people.

Ergonomics programs for maximizing safety while lifting and mobilizing patients require methods and equipment that have become highly specialized for the particular needs of healthcare tasks and settings.

It contains links to SPHM guidelines from various organizations, including the most recently-published and comprehensive guidelines and tools available for free from the Veterans Health Administration VHA.

Together, employers, workers, and other parties with an understanding of ergonomics can design effective programs to prevent and minimize WMSDs. WMSDs are costly and can significantly reduce worker productivity and morale. Workers suffering from MSDs have difficulty meeting the demands of their jobs. The median days away from work for a WMSD is 12 days, compared to eight days off for other work-related injuries.

Ergonomics programs enable employers to detect WMSD problems and develop solutions [1]. This approach prevents further losses in productivity, quality, and profit by lowering rates of absenteeism, lost time injury, and worker compensation premiums. To design an ergonomic intervention for WMSDs you must understand work-processes, job tasks, equipment, and workplace layouts. Your first objective is to determine whether machines or people are best suited to complete a particular job task.

If employees in a similar job are exposed to the same WMSD hazards as employees in the problem job, the similar job also is a problem job. You must expand your ergonomics program to include that job and those employees;.

Successful control measure include the following either separately or in combination. NOTE: Where solutions are obvious and the hazards may be eliminated quickly, implementation of controls is permitted without following all of the steps of the control process.

Interim control measures may be implemented, if practical, until permanent control measures are in place. This includes prioritizing the control of WMSD hazards, where necessary. The best solution is to totally eliminate the ergonomics hazard. If the hazard can not be eliminated, it might be able to be replaced with a less hazardous option. Engineering controls are the physical changes to jobs that control exposure to WMSD hazards. Engineering controls act on the source of the hazard and control employee exposure to the hazard without relying on the employee to take self-protective action or intervention.

Examples of engineering controls for WMSD hazards include changing, modifying or redesigning the following:. Work practice controls also act on the source of the hazard.

However, instead of physical changes to the workstation or equipment, the protection work practice controls provide is based upon the behavior of managers, supervisors and employees to follow proper work methods. Work practice controls include procedures for safe and proper work that are understood and followed by managers, supervisors and employees.

Examples of work practice controls for WMSD hazards include:. Examples of administrative controls for WMSD hazards include:. PPE used for this purpose will be provide it at no cost to employees. OSHA believes there is always a way to temporarily eliminate of reduce the hazard until a permanent solution can be implemented.

After implementation of feasible permanent controls, the possibility exists that WMSD may continue or re-occur. In these cases the following steps will be taken. FOR Employees must understand Employees in problem jobs, employees in similar jobs that are problem jobs, and their supervisors How to recognize WMSD signs and symptoms, and the importance of early reporting.

How to report WMSD signs, symptoms and hazards, and make recommendations. Job-specific controls and work practices that have been implemented in their jobs. The ergonomics program and their role in it.

The requirements of this standard Persons involved in setting up and managing the ergonomics program The ergonomics program and their role in it. How to identify and analyze WMSD hazards. How to identify, evaluate and implement measures to control WMSD hazards. How to evaluate the effectiveness of ergonomics programs. FOR Training will be provided Employees in problem jobs, employees in similar jobs that are problem jobs, and their supervisors When the program is first set up in their jobs.

When they are initially assigned to problem jobs. After control measures are implemented in their jobs. Periodically as needed i. Persons involved in setting up and managing the ergonomics program When they are initially assigned to setting up and managing the ergonomics program. This means that when an employee reports signs or symptoms of a WMSD.

All reports will be processed to determine whether medical management is necessary. Medical management, including recommended work restrictions, will be provided at no cost to the employee. Medical treatment protocols for WMSDs will be established by the health care professions.

To the extent permitted and required by law, employee privacy and confidentiality will be maintained regarding medical conditions identified during the medical management process. HCPs will be instructed not to reveal in the written opinion or in any other communication with you specific findings, diagnoses or information that is not related to WMSD hazards in the employee's job. Direct compensation total normal earnings, seniority, rights and benefits may be reduced by the amount an employee receives during the work restriction period from any of the following:.

Evaluation of the ergonomics program and controls will be conducted periodically, and at least every 3 years, to ensure effective administration and management and compliance with regulatory requirements. The following procedures will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the ergonomics program and control measures.

Number of employee reports and recommendations. Average time between employee reports and your response Length of time since the last review of safety and health records. Number of hazards identified. Number of employees who have received ergonomics information. Number of jobs analyzed. Number of jobs awaiting analysis. Number of employees interviewed for job analyses and remaining to be interviewed.

Number of symptom surveys conducted. Number of jobs controlled. Number of job changes made. Number of employees trained and waiting to be trained. Number of worker hours devoted to the ergonomics program. Annual expenditures on program and controls. Reported symptoms of WMSDs. WMSD incidence rates per job title. Number of workers' compensation claims. Number of lost-workdays WMSDs.

Average lost workdays per WMSD. Severity rate of WMSDs. Symptom survey results. Annual medical costs for WMSDs. Average medical costs per WMSD. Annual workers' compensation costs. Average workers' compensation costs per WMSD. Number of job transfer requests per job title. Employee absentee rates per job title. Annual employee turnover rates per job title. Administrative controls are procedures and methods, typically instituted by the employer, that significantly reduce daily exposure to WMSD hazards by altering the way in which work is performed.

Physical training and evaluation, alterations to working spaces and tools, and management involvement are all important elements of a workplace ergonomics program. By: Elly McGuinness. By: Jennifer Crump. Dictionary Dictionary Term of the Day. Confirmation Validity Test. Workplace Testing Terms. Follow Connect with us. Sign up. Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter! Connect with us. Term of the Day. Best of WorkplaceTesting weekly.