OSHA’s Ergonomic Guidelines
Summary
An ergonomics program is a process of approaches implemented to identify, analyze, and manage work-related risk elements. Additionally, the purpose for establishing these systemized processes,is sthat musculoskeletal disorders can get minimized. Statistics show that musculoskeletal (MSD’s) complaints such as tendonitis, wrist sprains, back aches and other types of sprains are related to at least a third of absenteeism’s from work places. Likewise, it is believed that employees, who suffer from work related ergonomic issues, take up more time off than workers who suffer from other kinds of workplace related injuries (Kay, 2016). In addition, data from the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) show that, MSD’s necessitate compensations of between fifteen billion dollars and twenty million dollars.
OSHA’s Ergonomic Guidelines
According to the guidelines required by OSHA, organizations are accountable for designing workplaces to fit workers. Consequently, workplaces need to modify jobs or establish surroundings that minimize work-related stresses to stop musculoskeletal disorders. Also, the guidelines necessitate that companies give support to workers, and give clear objectives to designated workers (Enviance, 2019). Additionally, employers need to be directly in contact with workers during assessments and prevention methods. Furthermore, companies need to establish a system which permits workers to report any health-related symptoms as early as possible. Also, establishing an ergonomics program requires that we identify the tasks in the company that has chances of producing more risks. Additionally, we need to also identify if the injuries are experienced by new workers or the company’s older workers (Sullivan, 2015). Such information needs tracking from a spreadsheet so that the information can help in recognizing the changes needed for implementation.
Benefits Of Ergonomics In A Work Place
Minimize injury risks
Challenges faced from offices currently relate to saving the company some incomes and increase the chances of revenue. Nevertheless, some of the safety systems installed do not protect employees from most of the injuries risked (Goldtouch, 2017). Additionally, some of the common tools used in the office can result in repetitive motions that result in musculoskeletal injuries in workers. Work that require employees to hoist necks when looking at monitors, or contort their bodies to use a keyboard, strain muscles and soft tissues in their wrists, backs and necks. As a result, employees may start suffering from conditions such as chronic back pain, and tendonitis, and that leads to absenteeism. Nevertheless, companies that embrace the benefits of ergonomics know that the program advocates for use of tools, which adjust to compliment all physical traits of workers. As a result, risk of injury gets minimized, enabling workers to be more creative and productive.
Enhances Productivity
Employees who use the common types of desks experience awkward postures as they usually are of wrong heights. Consequently, individuals continually shift in their sits to get comfortable, stops working to stretch wrists and necks due to bad sitting posture resulting in slowing down from duties. Such experiences become costly to companies as those stops affect work and individuals are incapable of working efficiently (Goldtouch, 2017). Therefore, companies that implement an ergonomics program install desks and tables that can be adjusted to comfortable positions. Also, the equipment allows workers to work without experiencing pain, allowing circulation, which in turn elevates the moods of an employee. Elevated moods boost productivity, as workers have enough time to finish tasks and have ample time to rest.
Program
Creating Awareness
MSD’S are caused through the exposure of repetitive gestures, which in turn exerts pressure on muscles and tendons in an individual. Additionally, extension of risk varies on the duration in which repetitive motion is experienced (Virginia Tech, 2011). For example, motions that get repeated habitually and for long durations result in accumulated strain on muscles and tendons. However, the same are capable of recovering from stretching or strained exertions when individuals are allocated resting time in between exertions. Also, monotonous motions from same work undertakings enhance the effects of MSD’s when individuals bear awkward poses. Such postures define the muscles and joints get used, as well as the level of stress tolerated by an individual and they include, lengthy stretching, bending, kneeling, or even holding fixed positions. For example, spinal discs get strained during lifting, bending or twisting when handling tasks. Moreover, elements that increase the need for force exertion when an individual needs to lift an increased weight and cumbersomeness of a load.
The economic strain on companies, subsequent from work related MSD’s account for approximately fifty-four billion dollars yearly (Kay, 2016). Thus, companies that establish an ergonomics program, make sure that employees work safely. Also, it ensures that organizations stay clear of financial burdens linked with the minimization of worker proficiency. Moreover, establishing appropriate assessments, tutelage, supervision, and approaches correctly ensures that individuals can recognize and do away with issues earlier. For instance, ergonomics suggest that employees need to have good posture while at work. As a result, workers who observe such a suggestion improve their breathing and blood circulation, ensuring that their bones and joints are aligned properly.
Identification Of Risk Factors
Supervisors need to have statistics in regards to the nature and level of hazards observed within the company. Afterwards, leaders in the company need to recognize risk elements that result in ergonomics threat factors and apply an approach which will alter the work place in a way that decreases risks (Virginia Tech, 2011). For example, supervisors identify individual features of employees, such as the body form of an individual, so as to implement the best ergonomic approach. Ergonomic tools include those that are governed by engineering, work practice and personal protective equipment.
Engineering Panels
Controls that involve engineering require that changes get made to work stations, equipment and tools, or even implementing change on the way work is done. As a result, changes made ensure that musculoskeletal risks related to the work get avoided. Also, modifications made result in permanent changes from the main acknowledged source of risk. Consequently, solutions emerge as cost effective as they eliminate the main source of risk. For instance, work stations that use computers pose as ergonomic risk in companies, especially due to, positioning of mouse and keyboards and also eye issues due to lighting (Virginia Tech, 2011). Therefore, a company needs to adjust computers, so that monitors and keyboard positions are at eye level to ease discomfort.
Moreover, they need to also adjust chairs, mouse-arms, and enlarge work surfaces so that there is plenty of space for an individual to work in.
Handling
Handling of work equipment involve lifting, dragging, pushing or carrying objects which can in turn exert strain on the arms, back and shoulders (Virginia Tech, 2011). Therefore employees need to lift objects which do not exceed their physical capability and get enough time for recovery between lifting shifts. In addition, employees need to lift objects only if the objects are directly in front for easy access, and loads weight need to get evenly distributed before lifting. Companies can also provide lifting cranes to ease lifting strains from workers, or use hand carts to ease lifting weights.
Environment
Minimizing risk associated with work surrounding includes, isolating equipment or operations that have loud or distracting noise from the main workstations (Virginia Tech, 2011). Also, companies need to invest on bright lights that cause zero glaring so as workers can see tasks in a more clear manner. Additionally, it is important to provide enough ventilation so that workers do not work under too much heat.
Task procedures
Tasks need to be designed in such a way that individuals are guaranteed of safety and comfort while performing designated duties. Additionally, any work exposing individuals to MSD’s need to get decreased. For instance, fatigue in individuals is triggered through long periods of static or awkward poses (Virginia Tech, 2011). Therefore, a workplace needs to implement measures that embrace work methods that require minimal work overhead, and evade stoops. Work approaches that require workers to get exposed to sharp objects or edges, such as table edges, need to move tools in a way that they do not touch table edges. Furthermore, managers need to involve workers when defining suitable work practices that are safe as they are the ones with the experience in regards to work at hand. Consequently, both supervisors and workers have to follow the safety rules established, and employees need training on how to work and apply minimal bodily pressures and also how to operate machinery safely.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Items such as gloves, headgears, goggles, knee paddings protect employees and help minimize risks by supplementing the available controls. Employees need to choose an appropriate PPE for the work delegated, and one that does not expose a worker to use of extreme force. For example, wearing gloves not only protect worker’s hands from cold and injuries, but they also increase the grip force of an individual (Virginia Tech, 2011). Therefore, working gloves need to fit workers hands, but at the same time, be large enough to avoid sweating and slipping. On the other hand, footwear needs to have insoles that offer relief from MSD’s acquired from standing for a long time or walking on hard surfaces.
Accountability Towards Medical Treatments
Employees need to address observed signs of musculoskeletal disorders to their management, who in turn need to investigate the exact causes of the injuries. Consequently, early reporting helps in minimizing the severity of the disorder (Virginia Tech, 2011). Additionally, managers can offer support to workers during healing of wounds and provide chances of training in ergonomic risks. Also, employees need to attend all the training lessons offered by the company and implement the lessons to work stations. An ergonomic training lesson is personalized in a way that fits a company’s surrounding as well as its customers. In addition, it accommodates all departments and units within a given organization and highlights on the importance of early documentation of MSD’s. Moreover, all workers, from all categories in a company such as supervisors, engineers, caregivers, and maintenance persons among others are eligible for learning.
Conclusion
Every company’s objective is for it to grow, to produce monies and generate high revenues and also to avoid losses. However, the growth involved doesn’t only depend on the owners but also because of the employees involved and companies need to improve the job satisfaction and wellbeing of their workers in order to experience growth. Ergonomics in a workplace ensures that work stations have a wellbeing mentality which helps workers perform tasks in a manner that promotes health resulting in better productivity for the company.