Loss Prevention and Control Ergonomics PowerPoint® Training

Ergonomics Assessor Training

Office Ergonomics Assessor Training

This training is provided by the RMD Loss

Control Bureau. The purpose of this class is to train you to become an ergonomics assessor within your state agency.

You will learn various methods to fit and adjust a seated workstation to individual employees' needs.

Following the class you will be expected to complete and submit three office ergonomic assessments to Gerald Rodriguez, State Loss Control Manager to receive your certificate.

Office Ergonomics Assessor This office ergonomic assessor class

provides a step-by-step approach to conducting a basic office ergonomic assessment.

With hands on assistance by RMD/Loss Control Specialists you will learn how to analyze and adapt workstations to make them safer and help employees understand how to work in ways that protect them from injury.

This course is 3 hours in length.

Course Objectives

Identify the anatomical areas susceptible to injuries and differentiate the causes, signs and symptoms of MSDs.

Learn the elements and application of an approved ergonomics jobsite analysis form.

Recognize and prioritize office equipment challenges, and identify appropriate office equipment and accessories to address those challenges

Demonstrate and practice prevention strategies. Practice ergonomics problem solving.

What is Ergonomics? Science of fitting the

workstation to the worker

Reduces exposure to MSD risk factors

Involves management and employee responsibilities

General Duty Clause of the OSHA Act

29 USC 654 SEC. 5. Duties

(a) Each employer --(1) shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place

of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees;

(2) shall comply with occupational safety and health standards promulgated under this Act.(b) Each employee shall comply with occupational safety and health standards and all rules, regulations, and orders issued pursuant to this Act which are applicable to his own actions and conduct.

www.osha.gov

What can I do? Learn about MSDs

and risk factors Report MSD

symptoms immediately Evaluate your work-

station for risk factors Adjust working habits Arrange workstation

Why Ergonomics?

1.8 million work-related MSD’s each year

600,000 require time away from work to recover

Ergonomics prevents MSD’s

Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD)

Most-work related MSD’s develop over time and are caused either by the work itself or by the employees' working environment.

COMMON TYPES OF MSD’S CTS – CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME Trigger Finger Rotator Cuff Tendinitis:

The most common shoulder tendon disorder.

CTS (compression of median nerve). Pressure of bending wrist will constrict tunnel.

Trigger Finger- inflammation of tendons within tendon sheaths.

Tendinitis-inflammation of the tendon attached to bone and muscle.

Median Nerve

Carpal Tunnel Release

Carpal Tunnel Release

How do these injuries occur? Repetitive Tasks - performing the same

movement over and over; Awkward or Fixed Posture - working in an

awkward position or holding the same position for a long time;

Fast Pace - having to work quickly; and/ or Duration of Task with Insufficient Recovery

Time - inadequate rest breaks. Predisposing Risk Factors- Medical

conditions.

Tasks Associated with MSD’s

Data Entry• Document-intensive • Operator routinely enters data from

documents Data Acquisition and Transfer

• Screen-intensive• Information from a form or the screen is

matched with other data on the screen• Electronic file processing

Tasks Associated with MSD’s

Word Processing• Document- and screen-intensive• Attention is focused on both places

Interactive• Recreational use• Game players

Break Time

Rest break—Do a different task

Eye break—Look away and blink

Mini-break—Relax your hands

Hand, Wrist, and Shoulder Stretches

Hand—Finger extensions Wrist—Bend hands

up and down Shoulder—Shrug and

roll your shoulders Shoulder—Shoulder

blade pinch Shoulder—Overhead

reach

Neck, Back, and Arm Stretches

Back/Arm—Hands behind head

Back/Arm—Bend forward (Knee to chest)

Back/Arm—Back bend

Neck—Nod head (4-5 times)

Neck—Turn head (4-5 times)

Ethics as Assessors

List of ways to act before, during, and after an assessment

1. Be Courteous2. Be informative to the employee and supervisor3. Be respectful of the employee’s workstation and personal items

in work area4. Answer any questions the employee or supervisor asks (If you

are unsure, refer the question to your loss control coordinator)5. Be professional at all times (Act and Dress professional)

Ethics as Assessors1. At the workstation (Cubicle or office)

2. Moving the employee or items in the employee’s work area

Try to always have another assessor, the LC Coordinator, or the employee’s supervisor at the workstation during the assessment.

Always ask to move the employee and (or) the employee’s office equipment.

Only adjust the employee to the correct position and (or) to perform the correct exercise.

Always have another person with you, when adjusting and or repositioning an employee’s position.

Ethics as Assessors

3. Taking pictures for the Ergonomic Assessment Report

Always ask the employee to take and pictures of them and their workstations.

Request that all confidential material be placed at another location.

Be Professional:• Take pictures of employee

using equipment before (and if needed, after) adjustments are made.

• Never Take Inappropriate Pictures

Office Workstation Evaluation Form

Questions to ask yourself for the next couple of slides

Does the workstation look like this? Does the workstation work for the

employee or does the employee work for it?

Is the workstation ergonomically adjustable?

Is the workstation hurting the employee?

At your workstation… Are feet firmly and evenly positioned flat on the floor while seated?

Use a footrest in the following instances1. When chair cannot be adjusted low enough2. When chair needs to be raised in order to access a higher work surface.

Is there a 90 angle inside the knee?Thighs should be roughly parallel to the floor.

This 90 angle improves pelvic/lumbar alignment and sets the standard for all other chair & workstation adjustments.

90

At your workstation…Is there a space between the seat pan and the back of legs?

Sit fully back in the chair. Make a 1–4 finger space between pan and backs of legs by sliding the pan from front to back. This ensures good weight distribution on seat and won’t block blood circulation in the legs.

Small lever

under front right

At your workstation…Is the seat pan unlocked so that the whole chair rocks freely with the associate?

It is best if the chair moves freely (but not floppy) enabling movement. This supports blood circulation by reducing static pressure while seated..

Small lever

under front

left

Is the chair back positioned to fit into the small of the spine and firm enough to support the associate’s weight without flopping back?

First adjust backrest to fit into small of back. Adjust tension knob to support your weight. Back cushion use is often a sign that the backrest is not adjusted correctly.

Tension knob

under front seat

At your workstation…Armrests at a height where the forearm level with the ground and at a 90 angle or slightly more between the upper arm and forearm?

Proper armrest height:1. Place hands on thighs2. Then “wing” elbows

out3. Lift one hand until

the forearm is level with ground, and

4. Raise the armrest to meet the forearm.

Are armrests at a height that supports the forearm level without causing the shoulders to raise or hunch up?

High armrests will hunch the shoulders, which impedes blood circulation and promotes fatigue.Remember the 90 angle or slightly more between the upper arm and the forearm.

90+

At your workstation…Is the arm level with the keyboard?

To identify arm-to-keyboard posture and keyboard height. Pivot and rotate forearms inward on the armrests while pointing hands & fingers straight ahead. The best keyboard height would be keys touching the palms.

Employee able to touch the G-H row on the keyboard with forearms remaining on the armrest. The hands should be level with forearm and fingers gently curving down?

Armrests support the arms’ weight while keying and mousing to reduce the burden on the upper back and neck. While moving between keying and mousing, pivot forearm on the armrest.

At your workstation…Employee able to key or mouse without bending the wrists upward? In a shared station, a keyboard tray is the best option to compensate for the different setups (readjust workstation for each associate’s needs)

Ensure that the forearm, wrist and hand are in a flat and level posture with fingers gently curved downward onto the G-H row of the keyboard while keying. Do not key with the hands bent upward!Wrists should rest lightly on the wrist rest.Wrist rest should be at or slightly above armrest height.

At your workstation…Is the top of the monitor screen level with the associates’ eyes?Note: Most people naturally tilt the head slightly down?

A monitor that is too high will induce “head bobbing.”Ensure that document holders and other reference materials are placed to reduce/eliminate head bobbing. Flat screens follow the same process.

At your workstation…With arm extended toward monitor, is the monitor distance somewhere between the palm and the fingertips?

While seated in a properly adjusted chair, the monitor is well positioned if you can touch the center of the screen with either your palm or the tips of your fingers.

Is the monitor screen vertical or tilted slightly back from vertical?

If glare is a factor consider repositioning or using a glare screen.

At your workstation…

Is the keyboard directly and squarely in front of the monitor?

The keyboard must be squarely in front of monitor.Avoid placing keyboard more than 1 or 2 inches off center to the monitor.

Is the monitor placed directly and squarely in front of the associate while typing on the keyboard?

Sit squarely facing the monitor.Avoid placing monitor more than 1 or 2 inches off center.

Safe Use of The Mouse Placing the mouse device directly in your

immediate reach zone offers natural comfort and maximum hand-eye coordination.

Hold the mouse lightly, don't grip it hard or squeeze it. Place the mouse where you don't have to reach up or over very far to use it. The closer you can place it to your body the better.

Hand Position For Mouse

At your workstation…Is the mouse next to the keyboard?

The armrest should support the arm while using the mouse. An unsupported arm strains the back and neck.

If used regularly, is the telephone placed within easy reach without twisting or moving away from the chair backrest?Is a telephone headset in use? Needed?

Keep the phone on the side opposite your writing hand so you can hold the handset in one hand while you take notes with the other.Use headset if you key and/or write at same time.Do not cradle the phone between the neck & shoulder.

At your workstation…

Is the writing/working surface at or very slightly (+/- 1 inch) above the elbow height when seated in the chair?

Consider having the entire desk or writing surface lowered orConsider raising the chair and adding a footrest to compensate for desk & chair height.

Corner Adapter

Workstation Corner Makers; black; adjustable for surfaces 7/8" to 1-3/4" thick.

Padded Arm RestsPerflex™ Gel Chair Arms™ provide hours of relief and improve computing comfort. Gel covers slip

over most arms and contour to your elbows and forearms, reducing pressure points and improving circulation to the wrists and hands. Unlike some similar products that are mostly foam, Perflex Gel Chair Arms are 100% gel from top to bottom. Allows you to maximize chair arm support. Fits adjustable chair arms from 7"L to 11"L. Measures 4"W x 7"L.

Quick Fixes Foot Rest---Old phone books, a box, a

shelf. Lumbar support---A small pillow or

cushion, a rolled up towel. Monitor platform---An old phone

book, a wooden shelf, use your imagination but make sure the platform is stable.

Now you evaluate these workstations…Let’s see how you do.

What’s wrong with this picture?

What’s wrong with this picture?

What’s wrong with this picture?

What’s wrong with this picture?

After the Assessment…Writing the report

December 1, 2008

Jane Doe Loss Control Coordinator New Mexico Widget Department 5500 St. Francis Drive Santa Fe, New Mexico 87502

RE: WORKSTATION REVIEW OF EMPLOYEE: Name of Employee

Dear Jane:

I would like to thank you for inviting the Department name, Loss Prevention and Control Ergonomic Assessor team to work with yourself to provide assistance for the workstation evaluation. I hope the information provided will assist you in providing your staff with a comfortable and safe environment.

Our goal is to work closely with your agency as indicated in Department Name Loss Prevention and Control Plan, and as a team, make appropriate engineering or loss control recommendations, which can help reduce the level of risk to your organization. At the same time we are interested in taking appropriate steps to advance and protect the health, safety, and well being of employees.

The following information is a result of the meeting with the individual employee and general review of the workstation. Please call me at (505) 827-XXXX if you have any questions or require additional information.

Sincerely,

Sign Here

Your Name, Department Name LP & C Ergonomic Assessor

After the Assessment…Writing the report

Introduction:

Ergonomics is the science of fitting the job to the worker. When there is a mismatch between the physical requirements of the job and the physical capacity of the worker, Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI) can result. Workers who must repeat the same job motion throughout their workday, who must do their work in an awkward position, who use a great deal of force to perform their jobs or who face a combination of these risk factors are most likely to develop repetitive stress injuries.

Often RSIs can be prevented by simple and inexpensive changes to the workplace. Adjusting the height of working surfaces, varying tasks for workers and encouraging short rest breaks can reduce risk. Other changes include management’s commitment in developing an ergonomics program that includes ongoing worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, medical management and training and education.

Organizations that have implemented ergonomics programs report significant decreases in accidents, injuries, illnesses and healthcare costs, overtime, along with increases in productivity, product quality and worker morale. Currently, there are no ergonomic standards for the general workplace. The Occupational, Safety and Health Administration are working on adopting standards for general industry; however, they are using the General Duty Clause to regulate the workplace for ergonomics violations and to issue citations. Although there is a lack of specific standards, successful ergonomic programs can easily be implemented with employee involvement and management’s understanding and commitment to the ergonomic principals.

The next section details the recommendations to improve the employee’s workstation.

Inspection Evaluation:

I visited the employee and conducted a workstation evaluation. The following recommendations for this employee include:

Obtain adjustable keyboard and mouse tray with wrist rest for each. Obtain adjustable ergonomic chair

o with lower lumbar back support for employee o with adjustable armrests for reduction of burden on upper back and neck o with adjustable seat pan and back tension

Obtain a footrest to keep feet firmly and evenly positioned on floor Monitor placed at arms length. Top of monitor placed at eye level. Monitor tilted for reduction of glare and eye strain Obtain document holder for reduction in head/ neck bobbing and straining Possibly inquire about construction of new or remodeled desks – due to insufficient

workstation space Obtain a telephone headset to reduce head bobbing and neck strain

After the Assessment…Writing the report

Picture’s of “Employee Name” at workstation:

Questions?Remember there are no

stupid Questions, so ask on…

Names and Numbers Gerald (Jerry) Rodriguez, LP & C Bureau Chief (505) 476-2177

– Roger Montoya, LP

& C Specialist (505) 827-0676–

Adreien Jaramillo, LP & C Specialist (505) 827-0611

Mike C. Perea, R.N., CEAS LP & C Specialist (505) 827-3296

–

Additional Information

http://www.generalservices.state.nm.us- Risk Management Division- Loss Prevention Control Workstation Evaluation

1100 St. Francis Drive, RM 2073PO Box 6850Santa Fe, NM 87502

Fax #: (505) 827-0114

THE END!!Now get back to work