PKOSHA Course
Ergonomics Program Management
Welcome!
Getting around
Ground rules
Introductions
Workshop
goals:
1.
Understand that there is NO formal rule on ergonomics at this time.
2.
Identify the primary components of an effective ergonomics program.
© 2011 Steven J. Geigle. All rights reserved.
This material, or any other material
used to inform employers of compliance requirements of OSHA standards through simplification of the
regulations should not be considered a substitute for any provisions of the Occupational
Safety and Health Act of 1970 or for any standards issued by OSHA. The information in this publication is
intended for training purposes only. 
Form Groups
Introductions - Get to know
your
NEIGHBOR!
Elect a group leader
Select a spokesperson
Recorders
What does a
successful ergonomics program look like?
Experts,
research literature, and corporate officials generally agree that effective
ergonomics programs must have the following core set of elements to ensure that
ergonomic hazards are identified and controlled to protect workers:
•
Management commitment
•
Employee involvement
•
Identification of problem jobs
•
Development of solutions (that is, controls) for
problem jobs
•
Training and education for employees
•
Appropriate medical management
•
Evaluation of the program
Although most ergonomics programs
display each of these elements, there is often significant variety in how they
are implemented.
This variety typically results from
factors such as differences in:
•
The facilities’ industries and product line,
•
Corporate culture, and
•
Experiences during the programs’ evolution.
The processes used to identify and
control problem jobs in successful ergonomics programs were typically:
•
Informal and simple
•
Generally involved a lower level of effort
•
Did not typically require significant investment or
resources and did not drastically change the job or
operation.
Successful ergonomics programs yield
real long-term benefits, including:
•
Reductions in workers’ compensation costs associated
with MSDs.
•
Reductions in overall injuries and illnesses.
•
Reductions in the number of days injured employees
were out of work, however, the number of restricted workdays may increase as a
result of an increased emphasis on bringing employees back to work.
•
Improved worker morale, productivity, and product
quality.
•
Seven Critical
Components
•
1. Top Management Commitment
•
2. Labor & Management Accountability
•
3. Employee Involvement
•
4. Hazard
Identification & Control
•
5. Incident/Accident Investigation
•
6. Education and Training
•
7. Periodic Evaluation
Element 1: TOP MANAGEMENT COMMITMENT
Attributes
of “Proactive Ergonomics”
I.
“Tough-caring” Safety Leadership
How does
management demonstrate leadership in
ergonomics?
What is the
test for commitment?
Time Money Communications
II. Supportive cultural values
What must
we do to assure employees feel comfortable reporting symptoms?
How does
early reporting benefit the employee and the company?
II. Diligent safety management
Who might
be best suited to “work” the ergonomics program daily?
Who might
best monitor, evaluate and improve the program?
IV. Sound safety engineering
Why are
engineering controls desired over work practice or administrative
controls?
2. Labor & Management Accountability
Five essential components of an
effective accountability system
1. Established formal standards of behavior and
performance
2. Resources provided to meet those standards
3. An effective system of measurement
4. Appropriate application of effective
consequences
5. Continual evaluation of the system
XYZ
Incorporated Roles and Responsibilities
•
Injured Employee
•
Supervisor
•
Occupational Health Nurse (OHN)
•
Ergonomics Engineer
•
Physician
3. Employee
Involvement
Ergonomic problems typically require a
response that cuts across a number of organizational units.
Safety staff Health care providers Supervisors
Managers Engineering
Maintenance
Human
resources Specialists
How can
each of these functions contribute to the success of an ergonomics program?
Why is it
important for employers to encourage employees to report symptoms and signs of
MSDs early?
What
message does management send to employees when it sets up conflicting pressures
between working safely and production?
Some of the ways in which employee
involvement can be demonstrated include:
•
Creating committees or teams
•
Establishing a procedure to encourage prompt and accurate reporting
•
Undertaking campaigns to solicit employee reports
•
Administering
periodic surveys
4. Hazard Identification & Control
Four elements in the ergonomics
program support this element of the safety and health system. Identifying risk factors, controlling
risk factors, implementing control measures, and medical
management.
Identifying
risk factors
What are
some methods to gather information and analyze ergonomics hazards in your
workplace?
Some signs of potential risk factors
and problem jobs.
•
OSHA Form 200 logs or workers
compensation claims
•
worker complaints
•
frequent references to physical aches and pains
•
at risk activities
Other
sources that could alert employers to potential problems include the following:
•
Trade publications, insurer newsletters, or
references in popular literature indicating risks of MSDs
•
Cases of MSDs found among competitors or in similar
businesses
•
Proposals for increasing line speed, retooling, or
modifying jobs to increase individual worker output and overall productivity
Following up
on Worker Reports
Criteria for
an effective reporting system include: .
•
Identification of
at least one person to receive and respond to employee reports, and to
take the action this standard requires.
•
Prompt response to employee reports of MSD signs or
symptoms.
Screening
for Risk Factors
•
Walk-through observational surveys
•
Interviews with workers and supervisors
•
Checklist
Physical risk
factors include:
•
Awkward postures Forceful
exertions
•
Repetitive motions Duration
of exposure
•
Frequency of exposure Contact stresses
•
Vibration Other
conditions
Psychosocial
Risk Factors
If we believe we have little control
over job demands, we may suffer from abnormal (negative) distress with accompanying ill health
and possible irrational behaviors. Under distress, the probability of an
accident increases greatly.
Research is
examining work factors such as:
•
Performance monitoring,
•
Incentive pay systems, and
•
Unreasonable production demands
What
policies or expectations might cause distress in each of the three areas above?
Using a
checklist
General
Ergonomic Risk Analysis Checklist
•
Manual Material Handling
•
Physical Energy Demands
•
Other Musculoskeletal Demands
•
Computer Workstation
•
Environment
•
General Workplace
•
Tools
•
Gloves
•
Administration
Setting
Priorities
Priority for job analysis and intervention
should be given to those jobs:
•
in which most people are affected or in which work
method changes are going to be taking place anyway.
•
associated with worker complaints of fatigue and
discomfort.
•
where screening efforts suggest the presence of
significant risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders.
Of the
three criteria described above to prioritize the ergonomics job hazard
analysis, which one do you believe is most important?
Medical
Management
What
effective MSD management looks like:
•
Prompt response to employees with MSDs to prevent
their condition from getting worse.
•
Prompt determination whether temporary work
restrictions or other measures are necessary.
•
Prompt access to a health care professional (HCP)
for evaluation, management and follow-up.
•
Prompt application of recommended HCP corrective
actions to eliminate or reduce the risk factors that cause MSDs.
Employer
responsibilities
The employer
should create an environment that encourages early evaluation.
Employees
should participate in the health care management process.
Health Care
Provider Responsibilities
The health
care provider can support the employer's ergonomics program by:
•
Acquiring experience and training in the
evaluation and treatment of MSDs
•
Seeking information and review materials regarding
employee job activities
•
Ensuring employee privacy and confidentiality to the
fullest extent permitted by law
•
Evaluating symptomatic employees:
Controlling Risk
Factors
Some important
recommendations for controlling risk factors include:
•
Ask employees in the problem job for
recommendations.
•
Identify, assess and implement feasible controls.
•
Track your progress.
•
Identify and evaluate MSD hazards.
Hierarchy of Hazard
Control Strategies
•
Engineering controls.
•
Management controls.
•
Interim Measures.
•
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
•
What control measures might work to correct the
hazard in the photo to the right?
Implementing Control
Strategies
The process of implementing controls normally
consists of:
•
Trials or tests of the selected solutions
•
Making modifications or revisions
•
Full-scale implementation
•
Follow up on evaluating control effectiveness
You can get more Ideas for effective ergonomic
control measures from a variety of sources:
•
Employees/work teams
•
OSHA
•
Trade associations
•
Insurance companies
•
Private consultants and vendors
•
Networking with other safety professionals and
visits to worksites
Roles and
Responsibilities
•
Injured Employee
•
Supervisor
•
Occupational Health Nurse (OHN)
•
Ergonomics Engineer
•
Physician
5. Incident/Accident Analysis
Be ready when
accidents happen
1. Write a clear policy statement.
2. Identify those authorized to notify outside
agencies (fire, police, etc.)
3. Designate those responsible to investigate
accidents.
4. Train all accident investigators.
5. Establish timetables for conducting the
investigation and taking corrective action.
6. Identify those who will receive the report
and take corrective action.
Why do we “investigate” accidents?
Why are some accident reports ineffective?
XYZ Inc. Ergonomics
Incident/Accident Analysis Plan
6. Education and Training
Education explains
why…training shows how
•
Education tells Why
•
Training shows How
•
Experience improves skills
•
Accountability sustains behaviors
•
What are some different
methods for conducting ergonomics safety education and training?
•
What does an effective
ergonomics safety training program look like?
•
“Safety
training is worthless without accountability.”
What are the
objectives of ergonomics education and training?
•
Recognize workplace risk factors for MSDs.
•
Understand general methods for controlling MSDs.
•
Identify the signs and symptoms of MSDs.
•
Be familiar with the company's health care procedures.
•
Know the process to address and control risk
factors.
•
Know the the employee's role and accountabilities.
•
Know the ways employees can actively participate.
•
Know the procedures for reporting risk factors and
MSDs.
How do we know ergonomics education and training is successful?
How do we make sure it’s successful?
Training in job
analyses and control measures
•
Demonstrate the way to do a job analysis.
•
Select ways to implement and evaluate control
measures
Training in problem
solving
•
Identify the departments, areas, and jobs with risk
factors through a review of company reports, records, walk-through
observations, and special surveys.
•
Identify tools and techniques that can be used to
conduct job analyses and serve as a basis for recommendations.
•
Develop skills in team building, consensus
development, and problem solving.
•
Recommend ways to control ergonomic hazards based on
job analyses and pooling ideas from employees, management, and other affected
and interested parties.
•
Special considerations and precautions
•
Training
objectives are not intended to have workers, supervisors, or managers diagnose
or treat MSDs.
•
Rather, the purpose is to instill an understanding
of what type of health problems may be work related and when to refer employees
for medical evaluation.
•
What might be the result
if employees are not involved in problem solving to eliminate or reduce
ergonomic hazards related to their work?
7. Periodic Evaluation
•
Last and first phase of planning cycle
•
Assess, analyze, evaluate,both labor and management
•
Use outside experts
•
One of the safety committee’s primary
responsibilities is to evaluate accountability.
•
Establish procedures for change - an action plan
•
Measure activity and results
•
Make effective recommendations
Long-term indicators
of the effectiveness of an ergonomics program can include:
•
Reduction in the incidence rate of MSDs.
•
Reduction in the severity rate of MSDs.
•
Increase in productivity or the quality of products
and services.
•
Reduction in job turnover or absenteeism.
An effective
evaluation team will:
•
Consult with employees in problem jobs to assess
their views on the effectiveness of the program and to identify any significant
deficiencies in the program;
•
Evaluate the elements of your program to ensure they
are functioning properly; and
•
Evaluate the program to ensure it is eliminating or
reducing MSD hazards.
What might be the likely cause if new ergonomic risk factors have been
discovered during the follow-up evaluation?
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