Five Steps to Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders in the ... · Kent Hatcher, Director of Business Development and Ergonomics Engineer for Humantech, specializes in development and

Five Steps to Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders in the Food and Beverage Industry

Industry Spotlight SeriesBy Jeff Sanford, CPE and Kent Hatcher, CPE

E-book

Ergonomics done right.®

About HumantechHumantech was founded with the single focus of improving the lives of the working population. For nearly 40 years, our approach has changed how organizations use the science of ergonomics to improve workplace performance.

We’re experts in workplace improvement. Big project or small, we bring tangible benefits to you and your company at every step. Whether you need to deploy a global ergonomics initiative or a single risk assessment, we partner with you to achieve your goals. We listen well, work hard, and evaluate ourselves based upon your success.

We are the largest consulting team of Board Certified Professional Ergonomists in North America. Humantech consultants combine expertise in ergonomics with practical industry experience and the skills of professional services delivery.

Our software solutions help you take control of your ergonomics process. Humantech’s proprietary assessment and solution tools, e-learning, and central online system give you a faster, more effective and efficient way to manage ergonomics corporate-wide.

A team of highly qualified professionals with skills in e-learning and software development, industrial and graphic design, sustainability, and information technology supports our consulting staff.

Copyright 2018 Humantech, Inc.


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LEARN Online TrainingBuild knowledge quickly. Access 7 interactive online training modules covering everything from principles of ergonomics to design guidelines. You choose which modules are appropriate for your teams.

DO The Job Improvement ProcessGain skills to assess and fix jobs. Once the online training is finished, your teams will work alongside our Certified Professional Ergonomists to assess and improve problem jobs.

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About the Authors Jeff Sanford, CPEJeff Sanford, Director and Ergonomics Engineer for Humantech, is responsible for developing and managing sustainable, global ergonomics programs in a variety of industries including food and beverage, automotive, aerospace, pharmaceutical, and steel. Jeff helps his clients reduce injuries and increase efficiency through Humantech’s software solutions. His client portfolio is balanced between manufacturing and office ergonomics and includes Cummins, Timken, Tenneco Automotive, Moen, U.S. Steel, Applied Materials, and the University of Michigan.

Jeff received a Bachelor and Masters of Human Kinetics degrees and Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Windsor in Windsor, Ontario. He has achieved recognition as a Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE).

Kent Hatcher, CPEKent Hatcher, Director of Business Development and Ergonomics Engineer for Humantech, specializes in development and deployment of large-scale ergonomics initiatives in the food and beverage, industrial, and consumer products industries, as well as facilitating group training sessions and developing internal ergonomics expertise. He partners with top management of client companies to provide direction and strategies for improvement.

Kent has performed hundreds of training sessions for various clients, including Toyota, Goodyear, General Mills, Covidien, AMCOL, Miller-Coors and Kuwait National Petroleum. He has delivered numerous presentations on occupational ergonomics and management systems at national conferences, including the National Ergonomics Conference, Applied Ergonomics Conference, and several Regional Conferences for the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE).

Kent received his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, and his Master of Science in Ergonomics from Loughborough University, Loughborough, U.K. He has achieved recognition as a Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE).

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ContentsAbout this E-book ........................................................................................... 2

Introduction ..................................................................................................... 3

1. Determine Need ......................................................................................... 5

2. Establish an Improvement Process ............................................................ 7

3. Gain Leadership Commitment .................................................................... 9

4. Launch and Sustain Improvements .......................................................... 10

5. Track Progress ......................................................................................... 13

Final Thoughts .............................................................................................. 14

Additional Resources .................................................................................... 15






Five Steps to Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders in the Food and Beverage Industry | Page 2


About this E-bookThe food and beverage industry has a special responsibility to ensure the product-out-the door is safe for the consumer, while also ensuring the production process is safe for employees. At first glance, this industry seems to have many of the same musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk factors present in any industrial environment, like high repetition and manual material handling. But, due to several additional stressors such as wet and cold environments, FDA regulations, sanitation requirements, plus a complex supply chain, managing those risks presents a unique challenge. This e-book is designed to define some of the concerns in this industry and suggest methods to mitigate risks and improve the process.

There are three distinct functions within the food and beverage industry: production/processing, sanitation, and distribution. We’ll explain the five steps required to establish a world-class ergonomics process for each.








IntroductionSome of the biggest barriers to workplace changes in the food and beverage industry are FDA/USDA regulations. Companies are legally required to comply with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) to ensure they are producing food that is safe for their customers. This is obviously a very good thing. However, when you are trying to improve the workplace, GMP can be very restrictive on both simple and large-scale changes. For example, implementing a simple ergonomic cart means that the cart must be stainless steel, which not only increases costs, but it may not be an off-the-shelf solution. This doesn’t mean that changes are halted, but anyone involved with an ergonomics process in this industry needs to have more patience than in typical manufacturing environments.

The other aspect that GMP introduces to this environment is sanitation requirements. The cleanliness of equipment, tooling, floors, walls, and ceilings introduces a unique set of MSD risk factors. Wet environments result in slippery surfaces, gripping hoses/nozzles require constant force application, and cleaning under and on top of equipment results in awkward postures. In most cases, sanitation activities are completed daily or at least weekly, so sanitation is a regular occurrence and must be factored in when prioritizing MSD risks.

Having stated the restrictive nature of this environment, it’s also important to point out that there are plenty of opportunities for improvement to make working life easier for employees. If we compartmentalize the process, we can focus on each step to identify issues and improvements. Within this industry, we can break it down into the following steps:








Five Steps to Preventing MSDsErgonomics, by definition, is designing the workplace (or changing an existing one) to best fit the capabilities of the people at work. Applied to controlling MSDs, this means identifying and reducing or eliminating the root causes of these injuries through the setup and design of tools, workstations, equipment, and the workplace. Simply put, with ergonomics design, you can provide a workplace that reduces exposures to MSD risk factors.







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1 Determine NeedStart by determining if poor workplace design is a problem for your organization, and what specifically needs to be improved. Ask “What problem are we trying to solve and what can we control?” For most food and beverage companies, improving the ergonomics of the workplace, in particular manual material handling, is the solution to preventing MSDs. However, we could have titled this section “Determine Opportunity” because, in addition to injury reduction, ergonomics can also improve productivity, quality, and employee engagement and retention. By determining what performance problem(s) you need to solve, you will better focus on your improvement process and know how to measure progress. This can be done by looking at records of past performance, including injury/illness reports, quality statistics, and production rates.

Since the prevention of MSDs is a primary concern, determine where MSD injuries have occurred in the past (which processes, workstations or tasks), the body part injured (back, shoulder, wrist, etc.), and finally the severity of the injury (days away from work). These indicators should help you decide if an ergonomics improvement process is needed, and where to focus your efforts.

In addition to determining what to solve, take time to determine how you are prepared to solve it. Critically evaluate the the process, people, resources, and tools upon which your ergonomics improvement process is based. A gap analysis will help you make an objective and effective evaluation. This is particularly important because you have three distinct areas with major differences: production/processing, sanitation, and distribution. With respect to distribution, it is also important to note what can be controlled. Most often, distribution employees are delivering to customer locations or privately-owned distibution centers. The control over those environments is limited at best, so understanding exactly what can be changed during this step will help ensure success.









1A gap analysis is a way to assess the difference between the current situation (where you are) and meeting the requirements and expectations of your improvement goal (where you want to be). We’ve found a gap analysis to be a critical step in planning a new ergonomics process, or transitioning to a more effective one. Think of it as a diagnostic step. The results of a gap analysis provide everyone in an organization with a common understanding of the current situation and enable them to form a common vision for the ergonomics process. The key information resulting from an ergonomics process gap analysis includes:

● What are we not doing, or not doing well?

● What are we doing well?

● Where do we want to be?

For more information about conducting a gap analysis, check out the e-book, Four Key Elements of an Ergonomics Gap Analysis.







https://www.humantech.com/resource/four_elements_gap_analysis/



2 Establish an Improvement ProcessLike quality, ergonomics improvement of the workplace is most effective when managed as a continuous improvement process. This has been demonstrated through benchmarking studies and research. In addition, studies show that effectiveness and understanding are improved when a familiar process model is used.

For decades, agencies and professionals have suggested that employers develop an ergonomics program. Traditionally, the program approach includes many topics (management commitment, training, hazard assessment, medical management, etc.), but they are not connected or arranged in any order, owned by a few people (safety staff, safety committee, and medical), and difficult to sustain over time.

In contrast, the process approach presents these elements as sequential steps, engages many within an organization, is integrated into other existing business systems, and is a repeated cycle of improvements that help sustain activity and results over time. As more and more organizations adopt safety management systems and continuous improvement processes, the use and success of managing ergonomics as a process is catching on.

Unfortunately, there is no single continuous process model to recommend for managing ergonomics. Food and beverage companies today use a broad range of models, such as Six Sigma, safety management system, Total Production Management, Quality Improvement Process, and some company-created models. Although they have different names, all of these process models are based on the continuous improvement (CI) steps of Plan, Do, Check, and Act. The best model for your company-specific ergonomics improvement process is the CI model that is familiar to your organization. The ergonomics improvement process, and elements of each of the four steps, are further described in the e-book, The Ergonomics Job Improvement Process: Four Steps to a Better Workplace.







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2

But a process is only as effective as the people involved. Successful ergonomics improvement processes are not owned solely by the safety department and/or the medical staff. They are owned by, and the responsibility of, people in several roles. The key people are those who:

● have expertise or influence to assess MSD risks,

● identify and make workplace improvements or adjustments,

● ensure plans are implemented and tracked,

● make decisions on funding improvements, managing MSD injuries (when they do occur), and leading the process.

Read more about the roles supporting ergonomics in the e-books, Four Ways to Ensure Leadership Commitment to Your Ergonomics Process and Three Ways to Establish a Strong Foundation for Your Ergonomics Process.

Taking time to plan and agree on the roles and responsibilities of each player (people resource) in your organization is critical in this planning step. It ensures that there is an owner for each element of your ergonomics improvement process, helps avoid duplication of effort and gaps in coverage, enables clear and consistent communication of performance expectations, provides a way to hold individuals accountable, and creates the learning objectives for ergonomics training.

Taking time to define your improvement process, and to identify the key players, are critical planning steps required before going to leadership for their support.







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3 Gain Leadership Commitment It is critical to engage your top leaders in your company’s ergonomics process. Even though ergonomics is not a source of revenue, it can certainly impact an organization’s profits. This fact should put leadership in a position to support the process.

Grassroots ergonomics programs (those driven by line employees) are well meaning but are typically not effective, efficient, or maintained as the organization and business changes. We do know from benchmarking and working with leading food and beverage companies that when top leaders endorse, integrate, and actively pay attention to an ergonomics improvement process, results are achieved.

Getting commitment of your leaders means getting all the key players into a working session to discuss and agree on the plan for launching and sustaining your ergonomics improvement process. Describe the improvement goal, metrics, process, and roles and responsibilities you’ve developed, explain how the process will work, and let them review and modify the plans to adopt as theirs. In addition, they need to commit to goals and (people) resources, visibly lead deployment, and sponsor the ergonomics process.

Getting commitment of a key influencer(s) is critical to gaining the level of support and involvement of others within the organization. If people high on the organization chart are actively supporting and tracking MSD risk reduction and ergonomics improvements, they’ll motivate others to conduct assessments, make improvements, and design low-risk tools and tasks.

There are four best practices discussed in more detail in the e-book, Four Ways to Ensure Leadership Commitment to Your Ergonomics Process.











4 Launch and Sustain ImprovementsThe only way to improve ergonomics conditions in the workplace and reduce MSD injuries is to take action and change the workplace. That action, for the existing workplace, typically includes identifying jobs and tasks where people are exposed to high levels of MSD risk factors, making changes to the workplace to reduce those exposures, and then verifying that the risk has been reduced to an acceptable level (this is the job improvement process). Typically, these are actions completed by subject matter experts (SMEs) who have been trained to use assessment and design tools to lead risk reduction efforts. SMEs may be employee representatives on safety and ergonomics teams, supervisors, continuous improvement group members, or engineers, among others. Generally, production/processing and sanitation will be evaluated with risk assessments and distribution will be evaluated with a needs assessment. The difference is that risks at the production/processing location are variable and each workstation must be analayzed for specific risks, but in distribution, the risks are predictable and known. In this case, it’s about making sure that each employee has the correct equipment he or she needs to work safely.

Concurrent with improving the existing workplace, the job improvement process must address the quality (ergonomic fit) of new and modified equipment, tools, layout, and jobs. Decisions are made every day that affect workplace design, so those responsible should have the appropriate ergonomics design criteria to ensure that the design is correct the first time. This is typically the responsibility of process and production engineers, space planners (for office workplace design), and product designers.

Launching and maintaining your ergonomics improvement process involves a few general steps.

Develop skills and knowledge of people supporting ergonomics. Engineers and SMEs must learn the job improvement process, provided with valid assessment and solution tools, and trained to apply these tools to make effective workplace improvements. This is best accomplished through a combination of educational methods relevant to today’s learner and hands-on practice.









4Apply the job improvement process in the current workplace.As mentioned earlier, MSDs cannot be prevented unless the workplace is changed to reduce the conditions that cause them (see Humantech’s position statement, Physical Risk Factors for Musculoskeletal Disorders). The job improvement process involves the following phases:

● Find It. Conduct a quantifiable MSD risk assessment on job tasks of concern to determine the level of exposure to MSD risk factors, the types of MSD risk factors present, and the body parts affected. This will help you anticipate where MSD injuries are most likely to occur, and identify which tasks need improvement. Several valid MSD risk assessment tools are available; whole-body assessments should be used for all tasks. Manual handling and lifting tasks should include an assessment of risk exposure for the back and spine.

● Fix It. Using the prioritized results of risk assessments, put in place engineering controls (workplace changes) that reduce the awkward postures, high forces, and long durations to an acceptable level of risk. To make these changes so that the workplace fits the capability of the people at work, use ergonomics design guidelines. The guidelines help engineers and SMEs design and adjust workstation reaches, weights, and forces to be within acceptable ranges, thereby reducing MSD risk.

● Check It. Always do a follow-up assessment to compare the “before” risk score with the “after” risk score. This is the only way to determine if the workplace change reduced the level of MSD risk to an acceptable level.

● Sustain It. Changing processes and workstations or relocating equipment can undo a prior workstation improvement. Monitor the workplace to ensure that the ergonomics improvements are maintained and used (for example, lift tables are being used properly, employees scoop material rather than lift heavy raw material containers, etc.) through normal equipment start-up checks and walk-throughs.







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4 Ensure MSD risk is reduced in new tools, equipment, and layouts.When bringing in new equipment, tools, processes, and even lab furniture, you have the opportunity to ensure that MSD risks are not introduced. This is prevention through design, and it should be a part of your new equipment review and approval process. Engineers are key to ensuring that MSD risks are never introduced with new equipment. With manual material handling being the top issue in this industry, putting a focus on transferring materials versus lifting, carrying, and dumping them, is key. The ergonomics design guidelines mentioned above are a critical reference for all engineers, to help them understand how to design for people.

Track and report the MSD risk reduction measures to leadership.As stated by Lord Kelvin and others, “What gets measured gets done.” This is true for all aspects of a business (quality, productivity, product, etc.), and it’s also true for ergonomics. For MSD reduction, the most critical metric to track is the reduction of MSD risk level (in the Check It phase). More information about MSD or ergonomics process metrics is provided in the Additional Resources section of this e-book.

Top 3 improvements for production/processing:1. Drum handling devices (lift/tilt)2. Carts with integrated scales3. Lift/turn tables

Top 3 improvements for sanitation:1. Low-force hose nozzles2. Lightweight hose 3. Hose management (reels and storage)

Top 3 improvements for distribution:1. Automatic pallet wrapper (or hand-held stretch wrap tool)2. Convertible hand trucks3. High-friction gloves









5 Track ProgressMaking the progress of your ergonomics process visible to people is critical for getting buy-in and sustaining it over time. Over the years, we’ve heard that well-planned ergonomics programs fizzle and fade because people do not see or hear about them. The lesson here is to communicate, demonstrate value, communicate, show progress, communicate more, and keep it visible. This means regular tracking and communication at two levels; individual workstation improvements (micro) and organization-wide improvements (macro).

As mentioned previously, changes to individual workstations can be measured immediately by the follow-up assessment, and then illustrated by showing the “before” and “after” risk scores and accompanying illustrations. This visually communicates to employees that leaders support the job improvement process and that the risk level is being reduced. It also communicates to leaders (who fund the improvements) that risks are being reduced and on track with their improvement goal. This comparison can easily be shared through bulletin boards, internal TVs, newsletters, and staff meetings.

As mentioned previously, changes to individual workstations can be measured immediately by the follow-up assessment, and then illustrated by showing the “before” and “after” risk scores and accompanying illustrations. This visually communicates to employees that leaders support the job improvement process and that the risk level is being reduced. It also communicates to leaders (who fund the improvements) that risks are being reduced and on track with their improvement goal. This comparison can easily be shared through bulletin boards, internal TVs, newsletters, and staff meetings.









Final ThoughtsThe food and beverage production/processing industry has at least three unique functions that can make ergonomics a challenge. However, there are many best practices, tools, and equipment proven to be effective in addressing each.

Overall, it is critical to design correctly the first time because, as we have mentioned, in this industry you rarely get a chance to make retrofits because the profit margin on the final product is typically quite small.

Here are the key tactical takeaways when considering ergonomics in the food and beverage industry:

● When new equipment is being purchased, it is vital to consider the user.

● If possible, mock up or pilot new equipment or processes to ensure suitability before purchase or installation.

● When possible, consult the primary users (technicians, operators, maintenance, engineers) and research the nature of the job to gain an understanding of the requirements and flow of key operations.

● Consider how sanitation, maintenance, and/or repair work will be completed on equipment and whether this will be a safe, smooth, and efficient process.

In summary, take a methodical approach to identifying and controlling exposures to MSD risk factors, and rely on ergonomics design (fitting the work to the person) before relying on behavioral and work practice changes.

Wells Enterprises, the largest privately held family-owned ice cream and frozen treat manufacturer in the United States, is best known for its Blue Bunny® ice cream and frozen desserts. Producing desserts from multiple locations and maintaining an effective and sustainable ergonomics improvement process hasn’t always been easy; changes in business, leadership, company culture, and improvement goals created challenges. But, using a consistent approach to identifying musculoskeletal risk disorders and prioritizing and implementing job improvements enabled the company to achieve a 40 percent reduction of recordable injuries over the past three years. This is their story.






https://vimeo.com/265746465



Additional ResourcesAmerican Industrial Hygiene Association (2008). Ergonomics Program Guidance Document – Aligned with ANSI/AIHA Z10-2005. Fairfax: AIHA.

Canadian Standards Association (2012). CSA Standard Z1004-12: Workplace Ergonomics – A Management and Implementation Standard. Mississauga, ON.

Humantech, Inc. (2011) Benchmarking Study: Elements of Effective Ergonomics Program Management. White paper. Available from https://www.humantech.com/resources/whitepapers/

Humantech, Inc. (2016) Definition of Occupational Ergonomics. Position Statement. Available from http://www.humantech.com/resources/position-statements

Humantech, Inc. (2016) Physical Risk Factors for Musculoskeletal Disorders. Position Statement. Available from http://www.humantech.com/resources/position-statements

Humantech, Inc. (2016) Hierarchy of Controls for Musculoskeletal Disorders. Position Statement. Available from http://www.humantech.com/resources/position-statements

Humantech, Inc. (2016) Managing Ergonomics as a Continuous Improvement Process. Position Statement. Available from http://www.humantech.com/resources/position-statements

Humantech, Inc. (2017) Four Key Elements of an Ergonomics Gap Analysis. Ebook. Available from https://www.humantech.com/resources/e-books/

Humantech, Inc. (2017) The Ergonomics Job Improvement Process: Four Steps to a Better Workplace. Ebook. Available from https://www.humantech.com/resources/e-books/

Humantech, Inc. (2017) Three Ways to Establish a Strong Foundation for Your Ergonomics Process. Ebook. Available from https://www.humantech.com/resources/e-books/

Humantech, Inc. (2017) Four Ways to Ensure Leadership Commitment to Your Ergonomics Process. Ebook. Available from https://www.humantech.com/resources/e-books/

Humantech, Inc. (2017) Leading Workplace Improvement: 4 Key Actions by Business Leaders. Ebook. Available from https://www.humantech.com/resources/e-books/

Humantech, Inc. (2017) Four Steps to Deploying Your Ergonomics Process. Ebook. Available from https://www.humantech.com/resources/e-books/

Rostykus, W., Ip, W., & Mallon, J. Musculoskeletal Disorders: Five Common Management Approaches. Professional Safety. December, 2013

Rostykus, W., Mallon, J. (2017) Leading Measures - Preventing MSDs and Drive Ergonomic Improvements. Professional Safety. Volume 62, Number 9, September 2017, ppg. 37-42.






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Five Steps to Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders in the ... · Kent Hatcher, Director of Business Development and Ergonomics Engineer for Humantech, specializes in development and